A life filled with Magic

REAL MAGIC

There are three kinds of Magic:

The Magic of the Bard: The magic of song and poetry, painting and sculpture, these things have the ability to move us. They can cause joy or despair, laughter or tears, songs and tunes have stirred men to battle and struck fear in the hearts of others, the Magic of the Bard can cause young and old to fall in love. 

The Magic of the Seer: This is the Magic of seeing the things that most people do not see. It is hearing the things that most people do not hear. The plants and animals, even streams and stones have meaning and life. This is the Magic of opening our eyes to our Mother Earth. Perhaps this can be best expressed in an old folk song about a man named Jacob. The song tells of how he searched for God and eventually went to the top of a mountain and asked God to show himself. Down in the valley a gentle rain was falling on an orchard, an Eagle rose out of the orchard and swooped before him with moisture glittering like rainbows from its wings. Jacob walked down the mountain sorrowing, saying “God does not show me and He never will”

The Magic of Manifesting: This is the Magic of bringing our imagination into the World of reality. This is taking those thoughts and desires and making them manifest in the apparent world. If it is Peace, this Magic will grant it. If it is Justice, this Magic will grant it. If it is wealth and material comfort, this Magic will obtain it. This is the Genie in the bottle, released to do your bidding but it’s not done by rubbing a lamp or opening a bottle in the sand. This magic, as with the other two arises from a certain way of living.

This is a World filled with wonder and Magic. Sadly, too many walk around totally unaware of the real Magic that surrounds us. Blindly stumbling in a material world, not seeing the Earth and the air that surrounds us, not seeing our Universe for what it truly contains, and just not seeing.  If we learn to see the things that others do not look at then we will see the things that others do not see, this is the beginning of Magic.

We bring Magic into our lives by living our lives a certain way. By so living real Magic will unfold into our lives. The most common ways by which Magic appears in life are; Luck and Coincidence.
Magic is all about drawing those two elements into our lives by intention rather than by chance. Here are some steps to bring real Magic into your life:

Live your life fully aware of life. By that I mean be aware of the life that surrounds you that you may not have noticed.
Do you know how many Trees are on your street? You may not know their names but are you aware of the differences between them?
Can you feel the warmth of the sun? I don't mean oppressive heat or cold days when it's hidden but the gentle warmth that it always gives? Do you feel the gravity of the Earth? Holding you here because this is where you belong. The birds sing, have you ever wondered about the different sounds they make? Can you listen? Really listen noticing the way a different bird will call and wonder what it is trying to say. When you look at something, your home or your computer or wherever your attention is, have you ever tried to see the air in between?

Perhaps you have never thought about these things before, but here is one of the great secrets of real Magic; If you teach yourself to look at things no one else looks at, you will see the things that no one else sees.

(The interesting thing about the secrets of real Magic is that when you see them you realize you always knew them.)

Feel gratitude. Have you noticed how life is rarely dependable? So many parts of our life are unpredictable, we get let down by Lovers, Friends, Children and even the weather, we seem to get let down so often. Yet, in the midst of all that the Sun gives us a guarantee, the Sun sets but we can depend that it will always return. The cold part of the year sees the sun lose its strength and give way to the night. Yet, we have the promise that, at its weakest point, it will begin to regain strength. The Sun will rise again. This doesn’t mean we should worship the Sun as our ancestors did but we can feel deep inside our gratitude for this certainty in an uncertain World. We can learn that no matter how low we may sink, if the Sun can rise, so can we.

It may seem a simple thing to feel grateful for but it is one thing we certainly can be grateful for. From that one act, if sincerely pursued, other reasons for gratitude will appear before you and, like the Sun, your spirits will rise.

Here is the second secret of real Magic:

Feel grateful for everything that comes your way. For laughter, Joy and Hope follow the grateful. Even feel grateful for the uncomfortable and hard knocks that life might bring. The spiritual leader, Ram Dass, called the stroke that nearly killed him, “Fierce Grace”

Learn to listen;
Listen to people; Pay attention to what is being said. Many times when we are in a conversation we are not listening to what the other person has to say. Instead we are thinking about the next thing we are going to say as soon as the other guy draws a breath. One of the greatest compliments we can pay another is to stop thinking about our response and just listen to what they are saying. The experience is truly worthwhile.
Listen to the world around you;
The breeze and the wind, the trees and plants are moving, Dogs and Cats may seem annoying but if you truly listen and wonder what they are saying you will be amazed.

The third secret of real Magic;
Just quiet your mind and listen.

 

Take time for yourself;
Oh I know, all those self help books and feel good therapists tell you this. I'm saying get to know yourself. No one else needs to know who you are and it may be that you've worn a mask for so many years that you don't even know who you are yourself. “Taking time for yourself” is easier said than done but when you can, sit or lie down and just relax. Random thoughts will come into your mind. Don't get attached to those thoughts but explore them. Think about where that thought came from, what triggered that line of thinking? Follow each thought to its source. You will soon discover the real you. May be scary, may be fun, may be scary fun. Accept who you are without praise or condemnation. You may still wear that mask when the situation deems it appropriate but learn, from deep down, who is the real you. In time you will learn to trust yourself enough that you will not be afraid for others to know the real you.

The fourth secret of real Magic:

 Don't judge yourself just be yourself

Arrive at the Beginning

Now you have arrived, aware of life and the wonderful things that surround you. Aware of yourself, you are secure and confident. Now you will see the coincidences that come your way. Luck will start to happen and you will appreciate it, that appreciation itself will guide you in deciding what to do. Knowing your true self as no other knows you will guide your direction with Certainty.
True Magic will unfold in your life.
And the Magic never ends.

My Gods

I was 13 years old when I had a deeply profound experience. I don't remember the circumstances; I don't remember what brought it on. All I remember is this overwhelming feeling that I had the Love of the Divine. A deep abiding love that would always be with me. It didn't matter if my actions were such that I could never enter the divine presence. The love, once given, could never be lost. Even now when almost 50 years have gone by, I cannot think of this experience without emotion.
I am not a Christian. Since I was old enough to look at the stars I knew that the Hebrew God was not mine. The Gods I connect with are the Gods of my Welsh forefathers before the conversion (To Christianity). This is how I connect:
    I walk through the trees and connect with the wild God of the forest. I breathe his air and see the wonders around me.
I stand by the sea and remember Manawyddan ap Llyr. I see his power and draw strength from the wild beauty of the waves.
I stand by the graves of my parents and grandparents knowing they dwell in Annwn in the halls of Arawn and hear again the wisdom of Bendigeidfran. Resting until they once again enter the Cauldron of Rebirth.
I see the pattern of my life as it has unfolded. A series of events, seemingly random at the time but, looking back, there were no accidents. Everything led to where I am now. Then I think of Arianrhod in her castle of glass, spinning the web of life. Each thread having its own path interconnecting with every other thread. Each thread a part of the greater whole.
Many more come to mind in the course of a life filled with wonder. The Goddess Ceridwen, guarding her Cauldron of Inspiration. Waiting to see if I have the audacity to drink of the Awen. Rhiannon on her great white horse ready to sacrifice all for truth, honor and the care of her child
.Everywhere I stand, everywhere I look I see evidence of my Gods. Evidence that exists in the Trees on my street and the sound of the Birds in the morning. A phrase that resonates with me comes from the holy Book of the Hindu, the Bhagavad Ghita. “If you can see me in all things and see all things in me, then you will never lose sight of me and I will never lose sight of you.”
If the Christian Bible were left out in the wind and rain it would be destroyed. My Bible IS the wind and rain.
When I connect to my Gods in prayer and invocation I do not kneel. I do not bow my head and close my eyes. The Gods who made iron, the Gods who send the wind and the storms did not make slaves. Neither do they wish to be worshipped by such. I stand with my hands open and my eyes up towards the sky. I honor but I do not worship. I connect not genuflect.
I have heard it said that the road to Heaven is straight and narrow and the road to Hell is wide and smooth. I follow neither road. I connect to my Gods in a celebration of life on a long and winding road. I do not know what is around the next bend but my life is filled with joy, laughter, wonder and magic.
And the magic never dies.