Seek Out the Sparkle

Sparkle is a very important part of magic.  Think of the stories and movies you have read and watched.  The good witches and wonderful fairies were all bright and sparkly.  There is a reason for this.  Sparkle is a part of the life force.  Sit back and contemplate any mundane object in front of you.  Now let the sparkle of that object come through.  You might perceive a richness in the color or texture of the object. Or you might be reminded of rich experiences that said object has given you.  I see a small web cam in front of me.  I have captured some pictures for my Wordmaeven page with it.  I am reminded of the large and exciting world of communicating with others.  A book may remind you of all the wonderful worlds you can enter by reading about them.  As I contemplate the objects in front of me I feel energized. Looking for the extra aura of things is a way to hook into more life energy.  Another aspect of "sparkle" is to bond you to things or people.  The throw I use to keep warm when I am watching TV on cold Winter nights offers me more than warmth.  I also like the tactile pleasure it gives and the rich color of it. I am bonded to it.  So I say to all wise magicians, 'Seek out the sparkle in yourself.'  You can look in the mirror and note your expressions as you tell a funny story.  You have adopted voice inflections, hand gestures, and figures of speech through the years.  This is part of your sparkle.  Appreciate your sparkle and feel free to develop more.  Your are a lively, magical being, a valuable part of the Universe.  Enjoy your place.  May the spark be with you.

Take Your Magical Throne

Sometimes the magic you need is to shake off the lack of appreciation you didn't get from someone you expected it from.  Sometimes you need to feel wreathed in a magical zing, but others have thrown a bucket of cold water (they called reality) over your whole castle of spun sugar.  Now is the time to practice centering and finding your bit of magic again.  You can try this ritual.  Lift your head up like the queen (or king) of magic that you are. Raise your right eyebrow.  Or your left if that one elevates more easily.  Arise from the humble stool where you have been sitting.  With all the pride in the world, walk to your throne. Survey your domain.  With a truly regal air, be seated.  This is you throne, your birthright, and you must keep it occupied from time to time.  Now look around graciously.  As the sovereign of your realm you can dispense boons, favors, forgiveness and penalties. You can forgive those who do not read the style of writing you enjoy writing. If you have other crafts it is the same process.  You can bless them for being able to read, or able to recognize your craft.  This is your realm.  You are already rich.  You do not need to be judged by gold from outside the realm unless you wish to accept it as tribute. Find comfort and support from your throne.  You are now free to observe and learn what you will. Be proud.  Be seated in your throne.  I say to all wise magicians: There will be times when the slings and arrows of life will come your way.  Do not cower.  Be seated in your magical throne and be sovereign of your realm.  May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of Counter Spells-Part Two

You may be developing, or have developed, skills at blocking the negative feelings that well up inside you to zap your energy and self esteem. I wrote about the power of 'tapping' on meridians or acupressure points to help with this. These feelings are often there because of wounds from the past. It is also good to develop skill at preventing those cutting words from impacting you in the present. Some people use anger and defensive methods to stop people from spouting their anti-magic, such as shouting them down or saying 'talk to the hand'. I would like to suggest a couple of other techniques, derailing and fogging. Fogging is when you fog up the speaker's thinking by confusing them. One example is to show that you don't take their 'stuff' seriously by looking at them and saying, 'You may be right'. When they can't get a raise out of you it takes the air out of their sails. Example: 'You will never be any good,' 'You may be right'. There really is nothing they can say and you can just walk away. Derailing also messes with the other person's thinking but in a more subtle way. People tend to operate in certain sensory modalities. A visual person will speak and think visually: I see how we should do this, I view this as something we should see eye to eye on. An aural person will speak in terms of hearing or sound. A kinesthetic person will operate in terms of feeling or movement. If you can do something to derail them or switch their channel while they are running on with the hurts or insults they will lose their train of thought. A common derailing movement is to wave your hands quickly in front of their eyes. Once I was a waitress at a hotel dining room where many of the patrons wanted to tell me things, not necessarily important things, at great length. I found that if I waved my hand in front of their eyes as I served them or took away their plate they would stop talking for a minute and I could move away to serve the next patron. They would be lost in the past and my hand movement, in the present time, broke their train of thought. Many times parents manage to stop a toddler's tantrums by a quick smile and hug. The surprise and switch is very effective. Distractions can be a very effective counter-spell. So if you have people in your life who are throwing barbs and arrows at you find ways to deal with it. You are too precious to be wounded. Strengthen your armor of self esteem and self love. Then find ways to keep the barbs from piercing you. You don't need to react with insults or anger. That can back fire on you. Find counter spells like a smile, a hug, fogging or derailing and use them wisely. May the spark be with you.

The Magic Of No

It takes a lot of energy to say no. But if you say no at the right time and in the right way it can really empower you. Say no to the people who are trying to raise the rabble. They are using slogans and half truths for their own ends. Poorly backed hot air based on imagined facts is dangerous. If you reach into the realm of magic that is around you, you can get the energy to debunk the loud, the dangerously persuasive. You can even say no to yourself when you are headed in the wrong direction. Going along with the crowd just because some of the crowd seems to say some things that sound good is dangerous and will suck your soul dry. Saying no to the wrong gives you energy to say yes to the right. I suggest you try this little exercise. Sit quietly then imagine a parade of people and events streaming past you for your approval. With full breath from your belly say no to what ever you want to say no to. When I did it I felt powerful and energized. Knowing what needs to be said no to will make it easier to take advantage of the opportunity to do so when it arises. Saying no is another tool, another magic wand in the magicians bag of tools.
Learn to use it wisely and well. May the spark be with you.

Magicking The Ego

The ego, as a buffer between you and the world is necessary. But it can be fragile.
I recently heard someone say, "I got my ego bruised." I hope they heard themselves say that operative part, "I got". Too often people don't realize how much they have to do with the hurt. Had they not listened and given power to the idiot who hurt or insulted them, there would have been no hurt. Being creative is important. The act may not always be appreciated by other people. That is the problem of these other people. The creative act may not always be the result you want. That is up to you to judge and change if desired. To grab on to the spark of magic for your ego so that you will be strong enough to create you must recognize where the power lies. The power to judge and create lies with you. You must be humble and and strong at the same time. It is just an act that you choose to do. It may or may not have the desired result. You can try again, either in the same setting or you can find a new one. Retreat if necessary but try to remember that you are the magician, the power to create lies with you. If you like what you create then it is glorious. You can also change your mind. That is also a creative act. May the spark be with you.

What Thoughts Can Do

I talked to some people studying metaphysics a couple of decades ago. They believed they could make water boil by thinking about it boiling. None had seen it happen. I decided to suspend belief in that aspect of thought. Then when I Saw the movie 'What the bleep do we know?' a couple of years ago one scientist showed the difference between photos of water drops. He claimed the ones that were rounder or nicer looking had been dropped near people who were thinking positive thoughts, the jagged ones had been dropped near people thinking negative thoughts. Perhaps thoughts can impact the physical world. I still don't worry about it much. But thoughts affect health, success, actions, relationships. So it is a good idea to be aware of our thoughts. We don't want to deny the signals that negative thoughts are giving us. There may be a change that needs to be made. However, if we focus on helplessness, despair, negativity, resentment, we can be crippled emotionally and physically. Also, this can get worse, as we are what we practice. So, give yourself a cheerful pat on the back for looking at a negative thought then deciding what is to be done. Maybe just the analysis shows that it is not well founded, that you have made an error in interpretation. Don't deny, don't shut down, just look wisely. That is the spark of magic, the belief that you can decide the truth of a thought, that will lead to wellness and good self-esteem.

Let Magic Be Unbound

In the Sufi tradition the story is told of a teacher suddenly throwing his shoe into the heavens where it disappeared. In another time and place it fell on the head of a robber, thus saving the people who needed this miracle. In the study of quantum physics it is said that the laws of regular physics do not apply. In daily life we can be so focused on goals or problems that we almost forget to live. At those times we need to find ways to let the mind drift, to let magic be unbound, to allow the magic that is life to approach us. In that realm we do not worry about direct cause and affect nor sequence. If there must be purpose to this exercise it is to quiet the mind until we are rested, to let choice become merely choice, and actions are now ours to choose. When you are ready to allow magic once more you may find, that with a rested mind, the ideas are more fluid, the opportunities that you didn't see before are now there, and that you are better able to appreciate the miracles of a colorful sunrise or the color of a flower's petals, and know that your ideas for your creative work are also a miracle. You may say you are not engaged in creative work. Creative play then. But all express themselves by their choices. Do not deny your creativity. Let a spark of magic into your life to help you celebrate your self expression.

Reminders About Magic

Remember that magic is well formed, that your inner wisdom leads you to it. If you are reading or hearing something that sets off your inner alarms then that is not for you. Sometimes things will happen that are totally unexpected but very beneficial, and logical. Like the time I got on a Greyhound bus totally soaking wet. Hours later I really needed to walk in the sunshine for awhile but we were only scheduled for a fifteen minute stop. It seemed magical to me that the bus driver who was meant to take over was more than an hour late. Then, when we reached another city I was persuaded to change buses (so I wouldn't be at a dangerous stop at night with no shelter because of that lateness) and discovered I had bought a ticket to the wrong city, but was now on the correct bus. Had the rain not come when it did I might have been put to a lot of trouble and confusion by my original mistake. I had gotten on the bus that night with the faith that I would see my daughter the next evening and I did. These things happen. But if I had tried to cause it my beliefs in logic and such would have prevented them, because I couldn't have had a big enough picture. So, be comfortable with your beliefs but relax about them. We don't know all there is to know. Accept the goodness that comes your way rather than pushing it away. Expect goodness to come your way and your are more likely to recognize it when it comes. Let a spark of magic into your life.

Mother Magic

A few posts ago I wrote about the Greek word, temenos, which has come to mean sanctuary of a psychological nature as well as physical. Mother love is the same but more. Not only does The Mother accept and listen. The Mother also expects. You can become your own mother and that will work magic in your life. The Mother spells out the rules, over and over if needed, then shows you how to follow the necessary ones. The Mother shows you how to know when certain rules supersede the others. When you are in pain, The Mother says, 'I know. It's okay to cry. There, there' before she helps you dry your eyes. Then, when you are back on the playing field, she cheers for you again. The Mother joins in and participates and encourages you to do the same. Some people have poor mothers. Some people have good mothers but forget what they learned, so have a poor inner mother. No matter what the state of your inner mother, you can craft a more magic one. Visualize, write down, draw pictures, talk to yourself, or create some other way; but find time to visit with you inner mother. Let that nurturing part of yourself give you a spark of magic that will enrich your life.

A Breath of Fresh Air

I've read articles about the way prisons in India, Arizona and other places are cutting down the rate of prisoners returning to prison, once they have been released, by teaching them a mind freeing type of yoga that mostly involves deep breathing.
It seems that citizens of the day to day world can benefit from this, free themselves from the prison of their own mistaken thoughts, by bothering to take a breath of fresh air. I went to a conference in the Colorado Rockies over a year ago where we experienced instruction in this and it was marvelous. Especially to me as it was several thousand feet higher than I thought I could be at and be free of altitude sickness. I had gone to a writer's conference the year before and suffered altitude sickness that interfered with my ability to listen and get to meetings for several days. But this conference, that started out with the breathing exercises, was enjoyable and beneficial for me the whole time.
The lesson from this is that there are many hidden sparks, ways to hook into magic, the good things in life. Learn to find them and use them. Magic abounds. Take a good deep breath then release all that needs to be released. Be well.

A Basic Principle of Magic/ First Things First

Using the gyre rather than the linear model for your self-directed growth is most helpful. If you see or suspect that you are weak in a trait or skill you want to have, you can spiral back to renew it, without any loss of face. For example,
yesterday, after writing pages of dialogue I decided I was weak on the fine points of punctuation for dialogue. This is a book I will submit for publication so I have to have all those details just right. Today I will make it a point to check out everything possible about dialogue punctuation, get it firmly in my head once more, then tackle my creative project. It's the same in all realms--you must master first things first and if you have not, you must go back when needed and work, or play at mastery once more. I see many people who have not mastered the "I AM" decision and this is one of the most basic and important concepts to master, but one that can take a lifetime. To work on this mastery the student will practice being centered, in the moment, then will use sensory input to report to themselves their experience of the outer world. They are not outside of themselves, trying to report how the outside world sees them. They are not the victim of labels. They can rate their performance factually, as to how it matches the standards they have chosen for themselves. That doesn't take away from self-esteem. But losing the power of the self to labels is dangerous. When you feel your "I Am" decision is weak, spiral back and strengthen it. Not with meglomania, that too, is the misuse of labels. Be the human being you are meant to be. Your value is innate.
Part of what you report to yourself is the actions or reactions of other people. Allow them to do as they will. What they choose to do or say does not take away any bit of your value. How you choose to act or speak is your choice, because you have chosen to be yourself.

The Eyes Still Have It

In the January 10th post I mentioned the use of eye movements to help gain improvements in your mood. Now I want to focus on the effect you get from just looking in certain directions. Experiment and see what works for yourself. Not everyone is wired exactly the same. But for most people, if you need to lighten your mood you can do so instantly just by looking up and to the side. If you need to focus on something you will probably look down or to a middle ground. See if rolling your eyes doesn't "erase" or negate things for you. Lean your head back, close you eyes but have them in the looking up position. For many that will bring a smile and perhaps whimsical pictures. If you need to loosen the grip that toxic people have gained on you, try different eye things like the following. Look at your memory of them with a misty gaze, eyes open but squinted. Or look at your memory of them as if they are reflected in a mirror that reflects the reflection and so on, many mirrors away. You can develop your visualization skills by starting out looking at your hand, close your eyes and see what you remember of what you saw. Try smiling clear up to your eyes and see if that doesn't help you feel better. As I said before 'look up and live.' That could become a magical spell for you. A good mood is magical.

The Magician's Mirror

The magician does not need a mirror to reassure himself/herself that she/he exists. They are so sure of their existence that it is not questioned. The I AM decision has been made. They are not in the clutches of 'I am a....' They are in their being, looking out and wondering what else exists. They also may wonder, what is existence? I began to learn this as a child, how perception could shift, and how fun it was. My brothers and I would walk around in our house holding a small mirror under our eyes so we saw only the ceiling. After a few minutes we perceived that the ceiling was the floor. We had to be careful to walk around the chandeleir that was sticking up, and to feel carefully with our feet to avoid things we could not see. I have known too many people that are so unsure of their being that they seem to fail to see the person standing before them because they are so busy wondering how that person perceives them. People standing around seeing others seeing others seeing others, hoping to be seen.
Lost in a sea of tattered labels, wondering which label they should try to reglue and hail as reality.
Use your senses to get back into your own being. Notice what you see, smell, hear, sense as movement. Sense how your breath goes, the temperature of the air, any comfort or discomfort you feel. Let the world mirror you, rather than you mirroring the world. Then you will be free to make choices.

Sharp Teeth and Long Claws

I thought I was pretty cute when I got the idea of calling my worries my pets. I even blogged about it a few days ago. But I forgot that magic must be well formed and I hadn't worked out the concept well. I got some pain (a powerful "tag you're it!) from my shadow as a result. MAGIC MUST BE WELL FORMED. Creativity involves birth pangs. There must be some thought and work involved before something is well formed. What happened was I made a list of my "Worry Pets" and put it as a bookmark in my journal. Last night when I looked at the list I slipped into an old habit of seeing my worries as my labels. I gave up personal power to those labels and my self esteem bounced off the floor. I realized I needed to see my worries as separate from my self. after all we say; "I am." not "I am a..." to be grounded and whole.
One way to separate from those "creatures" was to give them some features and characteristics. I had seen they had sharp teeth and long claws. I imagine they have soft fur, but not perfect fur. I suppose more will evolve. They are my worries, not my self image, no matter how sharp their teeth or long their claws.