The Magic of Watching Over

I've been waiting for the subject of this post to become clear to me for a couple of days.  On Tuesday I was driving along a residential street near my home and made a sloppy stop at a stop sign.  I was careful to look in all directions and I did put my foot on the brake before I proceeded.  But the policeman who pulled me over said it wasn't a full stop.    I only got a verbal warning and went on my way.  But I was aware that I hadn't been in tune that well.  This morning, on the same street but not yet to the stop sign, someone cut over to enter that apartment complex and I had to slam on my brakes.  I was alert, possibly because of the incident the day before, and I was able to avoid a collision. My thoughts became focused on how we have to look in all directions to watch over ourselves.  During the day I had to watch over myself in different ways.  I had to manage my moods. One example: I've been learning how to make videos from my brother and I tried to e-mail one I had done to him.  I was like a kid showing off to the kindergarten teacher.  But I didn't have it in the right format so he couldn't read it.  He e-mailed me back and told me what to do. After I had taken a big sigh I followed his instructions and was able to send it. A video I do plan on developing is to help students who have to deal with test anxiety.  I hope to be able to help them help themselves, or watch over themselves, so they can take certain tests that determine being able to get into careers of their choice.  Thinking of how nervous I got just having to face things I had to improve ( and learn how to do that several times today) made me feel sympathy for the students I work with.  They have to learn bigger chunks of subject matter and their tests are bigger.  So I hope to help them really pull up the self-nurturing ability they have in themselves.
Another thing that drew me to this subject at this time is that tomorrow (March 8th) is Women's Day. Many women find themselves in the different roles of watching over others.  This can be joyous.  I remember how wonderful it was to look in on my babies as they slept.  Watching over others can also be a burden.  When it becomes a burden we must develop our ability to administer self-care.  We can burn ourselves out if we don't.
I now want to bring up the idea of the field of magic that surrounds us that I like to talk about from time to time.
We don't have to go it all alone.  When you watch over another person or situation there will be others who are on your side.  If you allow it, there will be opportunities for this watching over to become joyous.  When you watch over yourself the same thing will happen.  Let your aura of awareness move away from a narrow focus on your goals.  That driver who nearly hit me was too narrowly focused on their goal of getting into that apartment complex.  But they were blessed in being saved from harm by my awareness.  Perhaps my stop the day before was meant to prevent the accident that could have happened today.  All I know is that it is good to be aware of your environment in many different ways.  Work you magic by watching over you world and your life.  May the spark be with you.

The Magic of Taking a Break

Please do not think I am being stuck on the same idea by posting about 'taking a break' right after suggesting 'taking a step back'.  I am sure there are similarities but taking a step back may keep the project or problem in view. Getting a different perspective is one of the reasons to 'take a step back'. However, at times you need to take a small but complete break from your efforts.  I recently read advice from someone else who suggest things like brushing your teeth to get your mind off things.  That seemed bizarre to me at first but made me realize the magic in taking a break.  I tend to really get into what I am trying to solve or create.  At times I come up against a wall of frustration.  I don't know what the next good step should be.  Then I tend to feel depressed.  If I had taken a break a bit sooner I might have been able to prevent the poisoning of my project with that sense of depression.  I guess that the saying "quit while you are ahead" has some validity.  You can 'un-quit' when you need to, but maintaining the sense of excitement that helps the project along is important. I suggest to all wise magicians that you take a break from time to time to recharge your batteries.  If the project is  a valid expression of who you are, you will come back to it when the time is right. Remember the basic axiom, magic is well formed.  We may agonize as we work to create our magic but it is also acceptable for the working of magic to be smooth and flowing.  Our minds love to create and will give us the ideas we need more easily when we get in the 'magic zone' rather than tying ourselves up in knots.  I suggest that we take a break before the knots get too bad.  I also suggest that when the knots are there that connecting to friends, or even acquaintances, and going over what we are grateful for are two ways we can 'take a break' from stress, if we didn't take the break while we were on a roll. So here is to the enjoyment and peacefulness that magic can bring.  May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of Cycles

In Western cultures we tend to look at life as something that progresses in a linear manner.  I was taught that Eastern cultures believe more in cyclical nature of life.  We tend to resist the idea of cycles, saying that being frustrated is "going around in circles".  Not only do we expect to progress in a linear way, it must also be upward.  Yet to deny the place of cycles is to forget how pleasant it is to meet Spring each year as new and also as an expected old friend.  Coming home at the end of a long day is a cycle, yet it is welcome and renewing.  We do not have to let cycles be closed loops.  There is a spiritual concept of a gyre, a spiral that moves us towards Heaven or a deeper understanding of that which is more profound in life.  Each evening, as you come into your home, you can spiral a little deeper into the wonderful haven you have.  You can focus on something that you have been taking for granted.  Perhaps there is a stone near the sidewalk that has an interesting curve and texture to it that you have not appreciated before.  Perhaps you have not noticed how the light plays on the face of one dear to you, showing the depth of character they have developed over the years.  As you revolve you can evolve.  Your progress does not have to be a journey of simply passing through life, moving ever upward and onward, without ever really experiencing the beauty that is there.  Cycles let you come once more to something that you may have glossed over before.  When you next feel that you are 'going around in circles' break out of the frustration and look to the lessons and gifts you can gain this time around.  May the spark be with you.

Lay Claim to What You Want And Make It Your Own

I have found it to be powerful to claim something. Once something is claimed you feel more invested in it, you find ways to work towards it without even thinking about it and you find yourself making the needed adjustments to accept it emotionally. I began claiming my abundance a few months ago and I have been getting more work, more opportunities at work, more clients and more bargains as well. I claimed more ability in computer use and suddenly things occurred in my
life that forced me to develop new skills to meet these new situations. Things I was weak in kept occurring until I could use my new skill with ease. When you claim something you choose it. Research in positive psychology shows that people who choose to be happy find ways to be happy. Interaction opens up between the happiness seeker and the world of happiness. If a person wants to stay in the world of doom and gloom they will not be open to learning about the way the reptilian part of the brain is wired to look out for danger, keeping one on edge and allowing negative thoughts in. But if they are seeking happiness they will welcome the information that the amygdala is only doing its part in sending fear thoughts and our higher parts of the brain can check out the reality of those thoughts and them lay claim to feeling of calmness and happiness. It is the higher part of the brain that can take in a fact, see it as good and then create a good feeling from that. So, wise magicians, I call on you to look for your purpose in life, to look for what would make you feel great satisfaction and lay claim to this new aspect of your life. Claim it and it will be yours. May the spark be with you.

The Magic of the Circle

Many times we may come across, in our reading of fairy tales, the drawing of a circle by a wizard or sorcerer. How can we apply this ancient practice to our modern lives? Many ideas occur. When we look around us to see what we can show gratitude for or what we need to change we tend to cast our attention outward in a circle. Squares have unhandy corners for personal attention. When we say we are 'boxed' in we are not saying that in a good way. But when we are encircled it is usually by a family's love or by our successes. One of the magical things we can bring into our life is a good circle of friends. These friends will support us, guide us, enlighten us and entertain us. Sometimes two people can be in dialog and the communication is so rich that it feels like being in a magic circle. Another use of the circle is to mark what is within and without the circle. You may have a lot of stressful things on your mind. Draw a circle to decide which of those things are allowed to have your attention and effort and which must be relegated to some other time or place or even the land of never never. When you are trying to solve a problem you can visualize yourself circling around it, looking for the weak (parts you can easily do) parts of your opponent. Like a predator you can circle around, taking out a chunk here and there until the problem is totally at your mercy. There are all kinds of uses for the idea of the circle. Magic encircles you. Reach out to that energy to improve your life. May the spark be with you.

The Magic of Work and Play

Both work and play are mindful, purposeful activities. Or should be. When you engage in either you are in the present and being an important part of your community. Both can bring joy and satisfaction. You are engaged in making your will manifest. But when you are letting your mind dance around like a sick grasshopper, clutching at pleasure that isn't there or adding needless worries or resentments to your imagination you are neither at work or play. You are nowhere, in the dark limbo of self-caused pain. To get away from the 'grasshopper' mind is not easy for some.
But it is needed. Some of the things that will trigger the 'grasshopper mind' is letting yourself consider questions that are worded wrong. Such as 'What is the purpose of life?' Well--life tries to keep living. As to 'purpose' one would better ask, 'What purpose do I give to my life?'
Do you see the difference? At times work may be hard to find in the conventional sense. We hear constantly about the unemployment rate. That kind of work is the kind where you want somebody to tell you what to do. Even if you don't have a conventional job you can find purposeful activities. Don't sit around and let worries and dark thoughts eat at your mind. If you have worries make it your job to face them and deal with them. It can be done. You may have to get a little help from your friends. There we come back to play. Play is wonderful and gains friends for you. So make your life magical for yourself by putting as much work and play into it as will fit. May the spark be with you.

Meeting Magic Halfway

Sometimes you will be overcome by a strong yearning for outside help. You really need a bit of zing, an intervention, magical help. Sometimes you need a figurative Mom to just sweep in and take over. At times like that you can't rush out and grab a bit of magic. You are too overwhelmed. But you can meet magic halfway. I had a bit of writer's block and I just started mulling around the problem. After a bit of picking and shuffling my creativity kicked in and I was doing some good original work. You can pick at any problem and eventually solutions will start to come to you. There is a do-list technique that is old but useful I want to mention here that seems to be kind of magical. It's the do list for your slow helper. Give the helper a name. Admit he is slow. Break down the list in tiny parts. Like (1) find scrap paper for list. (2) see if you have the needed tools for the task. Then, when the list is very large, realize that your slow helper may be insulted by how simple the steps are that you are saving for him. Do the easiest steps while you wait for him. Keep this up until your slow helper has arrived or until the whole task is finished, whichever comes first. It is your creative playful self that is the source of your magic. Do all you can to hook into it. Perhaps you may want to put on a costume before you tackle your overwhelming task. Perhaps you may want to make up a work song. Today is Valentine's Day. Maybe you need to hook into magic today to show your loved ones you care. Color and other sensory experiences help bring the realm of magic to you. Today is a very good day to meet magic halfway. It will sense you are reaching out to it and come rushing towards you. Enjoy the experience. May the spark be with you.

Magic and Chaos

Life becomes a matter of balancing between order and chaos. Too much order and life is squeezed out of everything. Too much chaos and things are blocked from being manifested. I have often pondered the differing ideas that people put forth to support the importance of chaos or order. I also discovered a few years ago that there are mathematical theories of chaos. This developed from the brewing industry needing to have some control over mixing ingredients in their huge vats. In some readings about magic is seems that order is supremely important, that spells must be done only in a certain way. That is what I call shallow magic, an insecure attempt at over control. Magic is well formed but inventive. It is the part of the mind that creates, that brings order out of chaos. This order may not be the same for all people. Nor should it be. Some adults have trouble letting children learn because their learning activities seem too much like play. Which it is. If you are feeling a need for magic..perhaps you need comfort or a bit of zing in your life..do some letting go of expectations for a bit. Then do something to draw magic to you. It comes more easily when it is not clutched at. Remember, you are the inventor, the creator of your world. You can dip a cup into chaos for your raw material. When I had my cleaning business most of my clients were connected to the arts. One artist said that it seemed like I worked magic in the way his studio was always easier to work in after I was there. Magic is everywhere. Let it happen and appreciate it. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of Release

Sometimes it is important to stand fast. Other times it is important to let go. Either must be done in tune with your values. Values transcend fads and "the shoulds". It took me a lot of years to finish up my Bachelor's degree. But I never doubted that it was the right thing to do so it wasn't that hard to do. I went to school a lot more after that and things kept working out because I wasn't holding on to any guilt or worry about my path. I had released it all. Now I am at a crossroads again. I must change many of my habits and establish a different lifestyle. It isn't proving as easy as I'd like but I have established a lifelong habit of pursuing worthy goals. So I am persisting, keeping track, and working to release the old ways. I don't feel any resentment or sorrow that fast food is a big no no now. I have released my attachment. I know I may have to do some rituals to strengthen my release of old ways. My hand gesture of turning palms outward and to the sky will continue to help me release old ways. As a wise magician here are some things you may want to release: The good opinion of shallow people, obsessions and compulsions that restrict you, wanting things sooner that is reasonable, taking on too much, ignoring maintenance of your life concerns, wanting things because it sounds good to say you have them. Look around and see what is good for you to release. Let the energy of the magic that surrounds you give you help on finding things you will do well to release, then bless them and let them go. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Zone

For me the best use of magic is as a help when times are tough, when your energy is low and you feel a bit (or a lot) overwhelmed. Then you can go to the magic zone. You can reach out to the magic that surrounds you. The way to do that is to call up a good memory somehow, from somewhere. Perhaps it is of a time you were in your mother's arms, being read a wonderful story. Of the glow of candlelight at a special time. Maybe you can see or hear what was involved at a special daybreak experience. Go to the magic zone, wrap yourself in that goodness, then bring it back with you to help you face the changes you need to make. Do this as many times as you need to. Just getting five good minutes can do wonders to help you deal with stress and trouble. The silky feel of a pet's coat, the taste of your favorite fruit, the sound of a good orchestra, the laughter of children, there are many experiences that you can call up to soothe and energize you. It might be something as simple as smelling cinnamon. You know what you need and want to do. You also know when that is hard. But magic abounds and is there for you to use. One of the tools of magic is the ability we have to put ourselves in a different realm for a bit. Then we come back to an everyday world with more courage and energy than we had before. When we put ourselves in the magic zone we often get another bonus. When we are not feeling so pressured creative ideas often come that help us solve the problems we are facing in a better way. So reach out to the magic that surrounds you. Feel the good and bring it back. May the spark be with you.

Magic and The Monsters Under The Bed

I had a friend that told me he had met his demons. I observed his life and saw that his demons had met him as well and overcome him. I had another friend who told me he had met his demons but this friend seemed to be more of a wise magician. He seemed to be able to use certain magic principles by instinct to keep himself going. That made me think about magic enough that I even stuffed some of my demons successfully out of the closet and into the cold. What principles did we use? Let's look at the ways magic and demons cannot co-exist. 1) Magic is well formed. Fears and anxieties are not. When the light of magic shines on baseless or overinflated anxieties they are seen to be the mere shadows they are. 2) Magic is created from your own rich inner resources. There is nothing stronger than that. As long as you maintain control of your self-power no demon can take it from you. 3) Magic is the ability to change perception. Look at how many writers, film makers etc have made a fortune from putting form to monsters. Shrek is a movie that made money for the producers enough they had to make sequels. One man's monster is another man's chance to laugh. 4) Magic teaches that tools are there to use and that anything you can think of can be a tool. Monsters are helpless against good tools. Like self-nurturing and forming good relationships. A good friendship can get you through many a dark time. 5) Magic teaches you to protect yourself, with a cloak, athane, wand or whatever when needed. Being prepared for an encounter is a wonderful protection. You can create your own protections. 6) Magic teaches you to retire and heal or strengthen when needed. 7) Magic teaches the importance of enjoyment. Good sights, good food, warm fires, love, laughter, and satisfaction with a challenge well met are all things that will make the monsters under your bed curl up and blow away with the dust bunnies. Because seven has been thought to be a magical number I will stop the list there. But magic teaches more than I have listed. It teaches whatever you, as a wise magician, can discover. Go forth and battle your demons. Then fan them away for the dust they are with a swish of your magic cloak. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of Grey

Before we are wise magicians we are children. We want power and instant wish gratification. We would like our wands to meet our every whim. Unfortunately we vacillate between love and hate, between black and white, between supreme good and darkest evil. If our parents thwart us we can hardly stand to call them our parents. We take every set back personally. It is only when we learn the wise use of magic that we come to see the beauty in different shades and hues, that we can suspend judgment about the intention of actions. Because we have learned to accept and thus love ourselves we are not threatened by others foibles and oversights so much. So the magic wand in this case must be self love. How to develop that? I believe it is through self acceptance and self knowledge. "To know us is to love us." So do some introspection, non-judgmental. Just say that you accept yourself. Say it often and long. What may come up at first is an awareness of what you see as flaws. Praise yourself for accepting that awareness. Then go deeper and accept your glories, your values, your dreams. By coming out of the chaos of "the world of shoulds" you can appreciate fun, glory, connection, an ability to contribute to the world, and greater happiness. Soft, rich, lovely grey can be beautiful. As can shades of blue, green and so forth. Enjoy the colors of your magical world. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of The Still Small Voice

Our intuition is a powerful friend. In the context of the skill set I have trying to teach the magic wand would be 'listening to our intuition' or still small voice. The magic wand is something we choose to use. I recently did that (listened to my intuition) and I believe it made my life better. Let me share the story with you. Several days ago I was thinking about wands, which lead me to the concept of tools. My research had brought up the black handled ceremonial knife, the athane, that is used to cast spells and perform rituals. I was thinking about lessons to be learned from that and I couldn't get beyond 'drawing a line in the sand' (one of the uses of the athane) and 'cutting things off.' My intuition told me that setting boundaries and cutting things away or loose are both legitimate activities for a wise magician but that I didn't really have my lesson yet and that I should wait. So I set that to one side and wrote about other things such as the wonder with which to approach the New Year. Then today issues came up between me and a person very dear to me. I thought about our communication and realized that in the past I had used 'cutting off" as a method of dealing with people with whom I had strong differences of opinion. But this person is too important to me to use old methods. Because I had been thinking about the athane I was able to see my old patterns of shutting down or cutting off, and talk with the other person about not wanting to revert to old patterns but that I would rather go deeper and discuss the loves and fears that were intertwined in our communications. Now I feel like I have another tool. I now feel comfortable with the athane. It is for protection, for setting boundaries, and for cutting away thorny fear based reactions. It is not for attack. Mine is not, that is. My sense of being comfortable with loving is stronger and thus my life is better. May your intuition guide you to your own helpful insight. Use the magic wand of listening to your still small voice. It will make your life better. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of Counter Spells- Part One

A lot of adults have a good time watching Harry Potter movies so you may have noticed that each year Hogwarts school must have a teacher who instructs in 'Defense Against The Dark Arts'. In these classes the students are taught about counter spells to protect themselves from evil. In our own life there will be times when dark things, (anti-magic) such as stress, hopelessness and insults come at us. Counter spells to block or shield us are good tools to have. Sometimes we find ourselves telling someone "Don't go there." or putting up a hand or finger to stop them. But that doesn't always work. We need to have more than one 'interrupter' to use. Not only must we be able to interrupt the darkness that comes from without we must also be able to interrupt the darkness that comes from within. Today's post will focus on a counter spell that interrupts the darkness that wells up from within. Bad habits, dark moods and pain can be interrupted by a simple technique known as tapping. I have mentioned this before but I will go into more detail here. There are certain points or meridians that correspond to the ancient Chinese medicine points of acupressure. The ones most often mentioned in lessons about 'tapping' are: on the top front of the head, the inner point of the eyebrows,just under the nose,just under the lower lip, the outside of the hand, on the bone just under the middle of the eye, at the base of the throat on the collarbone, just inside the shoulder bone joint where it connects to the front ribs. There are other acupressure points and they can also be effective. At times I have had to interrupt dark moods or deep pain within myself and I have found it to be effective to tap on any point of the body that seems to call out. Tapping is what it sounds like, a tapping with the fingers. Usually you will find you are using the middle two fingers of either hand. As you tap you will speak a 'spell' something like this: 'Even though I have this problem (you can state the problem) I accept myself totally'. In cases of dealing with pain I have found it helpful to chant, 'even though I have this pain I accept healing'. As you work to make your life better you may have to push away or interrupt the bad. Reach out to the magic that surrounds you and learn how to do this. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Conversation: Dialogue, Give and Take, Rock And Roll

Magic is that which is used to bring forth truth from the occult, or the hidden. Sometimes that truth has to be teased out by a series of back and forth sorties or runs. It is common for a relationship to have misunderstandings that get cleared up over time when the people engage in give and take, when questions are asked and answers are searched for. I often share experiences I have in my struggles to be a writer. I have been working on a book about a modern day teen boy. I had hit a snag and put the work away for several weeks. Yesterday I decided to have an imaginary conversation with him. The dialogue that ensued between me and my imaginary character actually worked some magic for my novel. I came to understand his character better and some plot points I had been struggling with fell into place. I couldn't figure out the plot very well before and now I have a good outline of it. When I approached my hero as if I really wanted to understand him magic happened. A deep conversation between two people or principles has to be between equals. The give and take cannot be between one side of power and the other side of weakness. Sometimes we have to have a conversation like that with ourselves, as well. We may be exhibiting a behavior that we don't like. Or have a problem that seems insurmountable. If we talk it over with ourselves with understanding the way will open up for needed changes and a gain in self-love. Equals shape and learn from each other. The worlds of the sacred and the mundane are not separate. If you have changes you need to make talk it over with yourself. Reach out to the magic that surrounds you for the energy to do this. You will be surprised at what will open up for you. Your life with rock and roll. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of Community

The wise magician will cherish his or her community. The people who have the same values and goals as you do will strengthen and uplift you. They will go out and find out things you need to know and bring that back to you for your growth or joy. We all belong to several communities. I meet with several different writer's groups but I also feel part of several other communities. I believe in human rights, in being concerned about the health of the environment, in reason in government, in the arts, in the importance of education, in preservation of historical landmarks, in animal rights, in nurturing children, in humor as an important part of life, in good nutrition, in toleration, in the importance of science, among other things. So when I find out about the efforts people are putting forth for these different causes I feel like they are part of my family or community. When I can I do put forth an effort to encourage these causes as well. Because I feel part of these communities I seldom feel helpless or invisible. Just by bringing things to the attention of others I believe I have helped to pass on the magic. I suggest you take the time to explore what you believe in and would like to have happen to make this world a better place. Then use your opinion or voice as a magic wand. Speak up for your causes. Just sharing the news of a good article or program on TV will be a good start. Magic is not always thunderbolts. It can be gentle and persistent. By knowing your values you will find many small ways to act on them without stressing yourself, because the burden is not yours alone. Your community of people throughout the world are acting with you. Let the energy of the magic that surrounds you help you speak up for your causes. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Wand Of Attention

They say that what you pay attention to expands. That can be both a warning and a promise. Attention is like any magic wand. You must be careful where you point it. For months and months I was aware of a part of my living room that just wasn't right. We had not fully moved into our new house. I kept focusing on that area as a cluttered and hopeless area. Then I began to pay attention to it as an area I could change. When I quit pointing my attention at the clutter and instead focused on a better use of that space a magical change began. What was hopeless wasn't that hard to change. That space is becoming less cluttered, more attractive and efficient. The same things are there. But they sure do look different.
When we focus on a drug problem rather than a wellness goal it is the same thing. Or on problems with a relationship rather than the joy of making changes for the better. Be careful where you point the attention wand in all cases. For me I can change the focus on my health. I have a particular health problem that is irritating and takes up time dealing with. I believe I will change my focus from worry and irritation to more healthy habits such as decreasing sodium, increasing exercise, improving my diet, increasing hydration. Even if I don't immediately see a change in this particular problem I will see a change in my focus and worry habits. That should help bring down my blood pressure by itself. Each concern is like a coin. Coins have two sides. You can focus on the delights and good points of something, including the delight of making it better for yourself. Or you can focus on the negative aspects. If you do so the negative aspects will seem to grow until they overwhelm you. So, as a wise magician, I suggest you look around you and focus on the good in your life. When you see changes you want to make focus on the successful ways you can make them. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of Play

Play is an experimental activity in a low stress situation that is pleasurable. It often leads to development of important skills. Think about all the implications of that. You could pretend to be free of an addiction in order to get the mind and body ready for the eventual new state. Many children play at the careers they eventually choose and study for. Courtship is a form of play getting ready for a deeper relationship and a long term commitment. You may have heard the saying 'change is loss'. That is because change is often new and abrupt. But if you want to make a change you can find ways to play about it before hand to make it less new and less abrupt. Parents have found that role playing about school or a family move before these take place help children cope with the actual event quite well. All of this may seem like old news to you. My idea, however, is that you set up regular times to play about becoming conscious of your dreams and achieving them. Young girls in love often spend time writing their name as it would be were they married to the beloved. That daydreaming is a form of play getting ready for the possible change in their life. Magic is meant to bring the hidden to the light. I believe I can use play to become a more successful writer. I have laughed at so many jokes about aging that I am beginning to accept that people do age. I believe I can learn to accept that people do become successful writers. If I can't find any humorous expressions of having a book contract, being at book signings or getting an acceptance letter from an agent or a publisher I shall have to create some games, jokes or other play of my own. I claim to be a creative writer. I can create some playful activities about this. I do want these things to happen in my life. As an afterthought, I suppose I need to find a way to make a game of working a certain number of hours on a consistent basis as well. I resolve to play about these changes until I have brought them about. Be a wise magician for yourself. Look around your life to see what changes you need or want to make in your life. Then find ways to move toward these changes through play. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of The Other

Participation. Love. Connection. Interaction. Being invested. Communion. All of these words refer to a particular experience that cannot be well expressed in words. It is a magical time when the person, craft or project is influencing you as you are influencing it. It is a truly two way experience. In this state you have lost distrust and ego. The welfare of the other is bound up with your welfare and a feeling of faith and trust tells you that the ultimate goal will be right and well formed. This can happen to an artist, a therapist, a writer, a mother, a lover or even an athlete as they practice their craft. I doubt that it can happen to a rabble rouser or a demagogue. The wise magician strives for that state because it brings the power of the magic that surrounds us into play. I believe that is why the term 'as above so below' is used as a mantra in working spells; to refer to the sacred aspect of magical and/or spiritual endeavor. This state is not achieved by simply willing it. It is rather a release of will. It is a meditative state. The exercises that some use when meditating or trying to go into the alpha state can help. Some simple ones are to tip your head back a bit and roll your eyes up. Or to block off breathing through the right nostril for a second or two. Deep breathing also helps. But the feeling of love or connection is a long term feeling or state. Some even refer to it as eternal. When writers feel that their characters have come alive and are helping to tell the story it is a manifestation of this connection. The willingness to prune, to rework, to be patient or experiment to find what brings about the desired beautiful result is what brings about this connection and is also a result of it. Magic, good relationships, good health, well crafted works are all a well formed expression of love, connection, or whatever word you find for this state or experience. Let magic help you to reach out to experience love and connection in many aspects of your life. May the spark be with you.

The Stages Of Magic

Some spells are quick and easy. Sometimes all we need to do is lift our heart and we can do that by thinking of our favorite child. Other times we need to work our magic in stages. When we need bigger magic it is a mistake to try for the quick fix. You may need to first work for clarity. You really must be clear about what you want. Most of you have seen Disney's 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice'. Remember how Mickey caused himself trouble by spelling the broom to carry water without fully understanding what he was doing? Rushing into your magic could do the same for you. It could create a situation in which you are out of your depth. After you have clarity you need to find the energy to approach the problem. Then comes the efforts to change the situation. Sometimes you will need to experiment. But always remember to find ways to anchor what magic you have done. Think of going after your goal like climbing stairs. These upward stairs have landings on which you can rest and regroup. While resting you can consolidate your gains or plan for a different strategy. Magic will help you to keep on keeping on. It will help you get new ideas for solutions. If you are working on a relationship you will realize that 'happy ever after' is an illusion. But constant negotiations must be part of the picture. Whatever goal you approach be willing to go through different stages to get to the final good product. With the mindset that you are the magician, able to find and use good tools, you are most likely to reach a good end. Reach out for energy to the magic that surrounds you to help you achieve what you need. May the spark be with you.