The Magic Of Essence

We hear a lot about following our dream, of being what we want to be when we grow up and so forth. I don't think we hear enough about how to do that. Of course our society encourages education, even helping us gain it. But the deep expression of who we are that will fulfill us can remain a mystery. However I do believe that this mystery has a solution. First, however, we do have to go to the trouble to really open up to the dream. Let yourself visualize and feel what life would be like if you were living that dream. If you were a fireman; with the heat and smoke and weight of the hoses, as well as the camaraderie of the fire house and the joy of saving life or property. Or a dancer with the strains and tiredness as well as the fluid movement to the music. When you know the dream well you can boil it down to the essence of what you most want. Do you want to be a rock star in order to stand on a stage or in order to share your love of music with others? Would being a mother only involve birth or would it mean surrounding yourself with growing happy children? What is the essential part of yourself that wants to be shared with the world? Once you know the essence of the dream I believe that you can grab onto the spark of magic to give you ideas about ways to live the dream. I know that I would like to publish widely. But anytime I find a way to help others realize they are special gems of creation, that their individuality is wonderful and unique, I am living my dream. May the spark be with you that you find a way to live your own dream.

The Magic Of Re-commitment

Recently my self-imposed deadlines, my hopes, wishes, dreams, ideas, and problems all rolled up into a big bristly anxiety broom and my future expectations were totally swept away, the forward path was totally clean. I breathed a big sigh of relief. I didn't have to write any more plays, blogs, stories or novels or do anything else. In that wonderful clean room I asked myself what I liked, what I loved and what I wanted to do. The answer came in a visual mode as well as in a still small voice. I love the imaginative world I have created. I love the other worlds I will create. The gyrfalcon Chak who masquerades as a dragon is a character I want other people to have the fun of knowing. Marus, the heroic fairy who rescued Lina Thimble and dares to put a dwarf in captivity is dear to my heart. So far only dear friends know these characters. I found myself re-choosing to work on finding a way to share these characters with a larger audience. The re-commitment to my writing felt right and good. I still have more ideas and projects than I know what to do with. I still have pressures to deal with. But the pictures I saw that came in answer to my questions about what to do were a spark of magic for me. Those characters are my attempt to get my ideas out there, as well as this blog. I will find it easier to write of them now that I have better pictures of them in mind. Perhaps you can "look into" re-committing to one of your special projects by letting it go, then seeing if it comes home to you. May the spark of magic be with you.

The Magic Of Mother Nature

It's Spring! Easter has just passed as has Arbor Day and Earth Day. Mother's Day is close. The greenery around us is working to clean the air of toxins. The sunshine is there to grow our food and to give us the vitamin D which will fight depression. Are you thoroughly wrapped in the arms of Mother Nature? If you don't see yourself as fitting into the comforting matrix of all that now abounds you are at risk for much, not the least of which is missing out on a lot of joy. The vivid color of the abundant flowers there for the viewing can stimulate your brain into greater well being and creativity. Find a window and dream of the bigger world out there for you to explore and enjoy, full of friends, challenges and benefits. Enjoy the way your neighbors have expressed themselves with the way they have arranged their yards. Listen and look to appreciate the birds around you. Even if all you do is walk down the aisle of your grocery store that has plants, do something today to feel part of this glorious, wonderful, abundant world. On a glorious spring day you don't even have to reach out for the spark of magic. It is everywhere, wanting to give you the gift of joy that the natural world is so wonderful and so present. Let the joy come in and have a better life.

Let The Light Shine

Diamonds don't show well in a dark room. Roses need the sun. Friendships need smiles. Courtesy needs to be responded to. Little joys need to be noticed. I remember one of my first piano lessons. "Little drops of water, tiny grains of sand, make the mighty ocean and the bounteous land." Big things are made of little things. I have been hearing that psychologists are studying happiness more than ever before. They have found that looking for small things to be thankful for on a daily basis will act like a beacon of happiness. The more you look for things for which you are thankful the more you will find. The light of those discoveries will illuminate your life and that of others. The "gratitude attitude" will energize you, give you the spark of magic that will help you move towards a more fulfilling life. If you make a mistake you actually can be thankful you found out about it before it became worse. You can be thankful you were smart enough to recognize it, that you were honest enough to admit it, that you have the courage to fix it, that you have the strength of character to go on past that mistake, that you have the self love to heal from it. Sometimes you can even be thankful that you had enough of a sense of humor to make a joke about the mistake. You are a multi-faceted gem. You need the light in order to sparkle. Let thankfulness be the spark of magic that helps you shine.

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.

Think Big

There are times when it is a good idea to put yourself on the line, to see if you can't go ahead and push through a project to completion even if it might be by a narrow margin. If you have the spark behind you you will be more creative than usual and everything will go smoothly enough to finish what you started in the time you have. It is important to get clear and in the zone first however. Mull around your ideas until the direction you need to go is really clear. When you feel that spark, that zing, go ahead full tilt. One of the things I use before I start is I write out a few ideas and questions as if I am doodling. I might take a key word and do a bit of web surfing to see what other ideas I can get. I go back and remember my own past to see what I feel about this particular subject. Then, when I start I let the project speak to me, there might be an extra touch in the corner of a drawing that needs to be made or an extra bit of humor in a story. I let things flow. Before I started this last project I did allow myself to give up on it. When I had decided it would be okay if I didn't do it I was stress free about it. Then, when the ideas came at me full tilt I knew it was okay to get busy. I met the deadline days early. That was because I knew the spark of magic was a signal for me to reach out for something I wanted. May the spark come to you when you need it.

The Magic Of Creativity

Every creative act is a spark of magic. Every creative act is important. Even if the wheel has already been invented, when you invent it for yourself it is a marvelous work and a wonder. Take joy in your creativity, enjoy it in others and nurture it in yourself. Keep the mind set of: 'how can I make things a little better?'. Believe that you have the power to make decisions that will find that little better. Be willing to recognize when things are not just right. Don't moan over the mores and laws or expenses of development that might keep you from being an instant Thomas Edison. All those things can be dealt with creatively in due time. Just do what you can to keep those ideas coming. Not every idea has to be carried through to completion. But it is a good idea to recognize each idea. The creative self does not like to be ignored. If that goes on too long it will shut down. I keep notebooks to record ideas so that my creative self will continue to give them to me. From time to time I see one of my ideas in dress design, a useful gadget, or story that someone else has also had and been able to bring to fruition. I do not moan. It was a good idea and that it become more public another way than through my efforts still validates my ability to generate ideas. Let your own creativity be the spark of magic to improve your life. Maybe your hobbies can become a career. Maybe something you no longer use can be changed and get a new life. Creativity is the willingness to lovingly craft things in new ways. We all have it. It can be developed and nurtured. It is there for you.