The Magic of Being 'Locked in"

Much of the time creative people are in different stages of bringing forth their creative work.  Unfortunately, some of this work doesn't actually see the light of day. This can be for various reasons, but the most common one is that the motivation that comes from an idea being new fades as you work on it.  There may need to be a lot of new ideas brought forth to get that particular project finished but over all, the work involved in creativity can just get old.  But take heart, wise magicians, there is hope.  Once in a while magic comes into play and we get totally committed or 'locked in' on a project.  When that happens it is easy to doggedly keep after solutions and find time to work.  Because it doesn't happen all the time I suggest that when it does you visit how it feels.  That feeling of being 'locked in' on something will become a resource for you.  Tuck that sense of 'locked in' away in your achievement tool chest.  Then if you have a project that is important but is fading call up that experience of 'locked in'.  It is quite energizing.  No waffling back and forth about 'should I or shouldn't I?'  You just are going to get it done, no matter what comes your way or for whatever reason you have or don't have.  It is yours, you have chosen it and you are doing it.  No outside considerations.  I hope you can experience the magic of being 'locked in' on a lovely creative gem.  May the spark be with you.

The Magic of Basic Things

There are two neuroscientists, Drs. Tanzai and Chopra, who are writing and speaking to us a lot lately about mindfulness.  They teach the importance of meditation, among other things.  It is amazing but when you get right down to it, what they are teaching is just the basic thing of being still and breathing.  There are many times in life when it is important to make sure the little basic things are right.  Like closing the door against the cold.  Like making sure your car is in the right gear.  Like making sure your have shoes on before you go out in the snow.  It seems that a lot of magic can be drawn to us by simply looking at and focusing on what is right in front of our face.  In fact, the panic we feel when we are in need of flow and zing, or magic, often comes from having our focus split off in unproductive ways.  So I say to all wise magicians out there, look for the basic and simple.  Endow it with magic and see if joy doesn't come to you. The simple technique of taking a good fact and giving it a good feeling which you then internalize is one way of doing this.  As I write this I can look out at the sunrise that is just starting.  Just a basic everyday thing.  But so profound and wonderful.  Allow awareness of basic things to come to you and enjoy the magic that will come with this awareness.  May the spark be with you.

The Magic of Expressing Your Opinion

The 'opinion' in the post title is not a quick parroted slogan you have swallowed from some one else.  But a well thought out and well stated opinion can have magical, far reaching effects.   Such a way of stating your opinion can build your confidence and get you quoted down through the years.  Gandhi, Mother Teresa, The Dalai Lama, Abraham Lincoln, and Albert Einstein are just a few of the people who have influenced the people of the world to work for a better life.  They did not call names.  They listened and cared.  Then they said what was important with courage. If you are on Facebook you can start out by making a small comment on posts that others put up.  You can start in your family by frowning when some one says something too far off the wall.  Keep at it until you gain your voice.  What you care about matters.  But so does what others care about.  Opinions, expressed as opinions, but well stated can lead to true dialogue.  In time, sometimes it
actually takes decades but it can happen, improvements in life come about. I just read about the amazing amount of lynchings that used to take place in America.  But people began to push back and, expressing their opinions about the evilness of that, in about thirty years times, lynchings became very rare. If you don't like this insane gun violence going on in our nation, tell someone.  I say to all wise magicians out there "You have values and a good inner sense of goodness or you wouldn't be a wise magician.  So express your opinions and let the magic begin."  May the spark be with you.

The Magic of a Sentence

Sometimes the urge to call up magic to help us is because we are being fuzzy headed.  I want to remind all you wise magicians out there that using the structure of good language may really help you.  A sentence is meant to express an idea.  We all know that.  But I have students who come to me that are so busy trying to rush into myriad ideas they are not even expressing one idea clearly.  Let alone going from a well constructed sentence to building a logical and clear paragraph.  They may be trying to impress me or someone else, but they are stuck in a morass of swamp thought.  Another thing I see is awfulization.  That is a term that refers to making oneself feel bad by using terms like 'I never...' or 'I always...'  This is not clear communication because the statement is not well supported.  Such a sentence would be more grammatical even if it went something like this: "I feel like I never catch the bus on time."  But what I see is "I always miss the bus, I never catch it on time, I am always late to work." When you are feeling fuzz headed, down, lost, really in need of magic it is good to pick up one of your magic wands and work a bit of magic.  A pen is a magic wand.  Write out what you want.  Write it out over and over, modifying as you go, until you are clear about your situation and what you might try to improve it.  Use sentences that have a subject and a predicate...a noun and action or state of being. Self discipline gives you a sense of power and then the ability to call magic to you.  Simple, clear sentences will do wonders.  Write out a call to magic and enjoy better things in your life.  May the spark be with you.

The Magic of Asking

If we let ourselves get mired down in working too hard at our goals we may develop a certain tunnel vision.  We may begin to think that the burden of our accomplishments is totally on our shoulders.  Don't fall into this trap.  Participation is the field around us is vital for magic to work.  The other day I needed some 3 x 5 index cards.  I didn't want to drive to the store just for that item.  I asked several other people if they were near such an item if they would pick it up for me.  When I asked my daughter, the one in the household who most magnifies my magic, if she could get me some cards she actually had some used ones right at hand.  Used were fine for my purpose. Asking can be done in many ways.  Don't be afraid to do so.  The Universe and other people want you to have what you want and need.  Ask yourself, ask others, ask the Universe.  It will be given.  They say that at times what you will receive is a refusal.  I say that you may be given a better idea or alternative gift.  Hear me, all you wise magicians, do not be a hermit.  Do not lock yourself away from abundance.  Be present in this magical world.  Ask for what you want.  If you don't get it immediately rethink.  If you still want it, ask again.  Work for it.  Create it.  Ask for it.  May the spark be with you.

Being Called to Magic

One of the best way to generate beneficial ideas is to feel the need emotionally.  Our creative self is generating myriad ideas constantly.  But we seldom pull them up out of our subconscious to use.  But if a family member needs something the ideas come bubbling up.  Even talking to a casual acquaintance will generate a beneficial idea if we feel a connection with that other person.  Creativity does not do well in a sterile environment.  So if you are a wise magician you will realize another reason to open up your heart.  Do not be cold and sterile.  Let your family and friends call forth the magic from you. Open your heart to yourself.  Let your loving heart reassure your self that needs can be met. Ideas and connections will happen.  I was musing about the many craft and other items I have sold.  Most, if not all, were created in response to a need mentioned by someone I cared about. This calling out of magic is so common that it may go unnoticed.  But think about a mom being told that their child needs a  Halloween costume.  It is much more fun to create one than try to buy a flimsy one at the store.  Love and fun are calls to us to work our magic.So go forth and do magic in love and joy.  May the spark be with you.

The Magic of Doubt

We often hear that we have to take risks in order to succeed.  That is true.  But we also have to avoid stupid, unreasonable risks.  Those kind of risks can make further success impossible.  If we lean on authority and dogma we will never get anywhere for ourselves.  If we do succeed it is not our success but the success of the creed we blindly followed.  Doubt can be magic.  Doubt your path.  Then look ahead and avoid the obstacles.  The path may be fine but walking it blindly can be dangerous.  Don't let doubt turn you into a timid mouse, hiding away in your hole.  Find a balance between doubt and taking things by storm.  A balanced life uses doubt and risk together in measured doses.  The magic is in being able to reason and weigh and then use the zing of your creativity to go forward. A mantra for a wise magician might be 'doubt then do'.  Your self expression is important.  Warning signs will show themselves to you. These are feeling of unease or discomfort that you are failing yourself or going against your core values.  When you see or feel these signs it is good to actively call on your ability to doubt.  But do not doubt your self.  Doubt the path way on which you are embarked.  This will help you see the more true path.  Then go forth, even if it feels risky.  The field of magic, the universe, is on your side.  May the spark be with you.