Magic has various meanings. Some think its about illusions and trickery like a guy pulling a rabbit out of a tophat.  This article refers to magic as means of using our will (effort) to create a desired change that promotes light energy and healing to the planet. It also identifies our responsibility as we work with it and the key is knowing ourselves.

Magic is a wonderful thing. It can make the impossible seem possible, it can transport us to other worlds and bring us back home again as if we never left. The key to this understanding is to continuously work on our inner clarity and self-knowledge in relation to the outer world. We must know our limits and boundaries, what we’re capable of, and what may need a bit more time and care. It is important to identify and let go of illusions so that we can see clearly; sometimes it means turning them inside out. True magic requires self-honesty, self-growth, and authentic living.

Our experience with intimate emotions.

Do you ever get that sinking feeling when summer ends and it’s time to pack up and go home? Or the excitement of riding your bike around the block for the first time? Or just being in love with someone? Those feelings can be so intense!

These emotions are all natural and essential parts of life. But sometimes we try so hard not to feel them–because it’s easier than dealing with what they might mean or why they exist. Yet if we don’t allow ourselves to experience our deepest emotions–even if they hurt us–then we won’t be able to learn anything or move forward from them.

It’s okay (and helpful!) to experience painful feelings; just make sure that afterwards we focus on finding ways out of the situation and/or feeling rather than wallowing in self-pity or anger over them. SO recognize when experiencing an emotion, identify it/them, be kind to ourselves, and release.

The more familiar we become with our feelings, the better equipped we will be to handle whatever life throws at us. Being aware of our strengths and weaknesses makes it less likely that someone else can take advantage of our flaws and use them to manipulate or control. If we know our own buttons it becomes more difficult for other people or even life itself to push them; or if that does happen, we can bring those feelings back under comtrol sooner and with less damage. Self-knowledge offers greater assurance in one’s ability to make decisions without external influence or coercion–freeing up energy for other activities such as creativity or innovation!

Self-awareness is a process of acquainting ourselves with our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This can be a challenging endeavor at times when trying to comprehend why certain things or people make us feel certain ways. But once we start recognizing patterns in our behavior and reactions, it becomes simpler to decipher what causes them and how they might be improved for greater joy in life.

Be in the present moment and let go of your past and future.

The ability to practice present-minded awareness on a moment-to-moment basis is one of the most essential skills to cultivate. The past and future are just mental constructs; neither exist independently nor do we, at least insofar as we would think of when we listen to the voice in our head that is currently telling us that this preceding statement is wrong or that we don’t get it.  We do get it.  That isn’t us, it’s our identity, a defense mechanism for self-preservation that can protect us to the extent that we can miss out on the life we want. Our identity as individuals exists only as a collection of thoughts, feelings, and perceptions in the NOW. If you don’t recognize and try to walk in the realization of this fact, everything else gets lost in translation: nothing has any significance apart from its relationship to other entities (including ourselves).

Here is a simple practice to help keep us in the present moment:

Focus on breathing while walking or sitting somewhere quiet without distractions (no phone). Practice counting each inhalation and exhalation until it becomes automatic; then let go of counting entirely and just pay attention to how air enters your body through one nostril at a time, equally spaced apart from where it came in.*

I recommend using this simple method throughout the day. Use it to help maintain awareness or go back to the present moment. The main idea is to re-focus the mind back into the NOW.

Release all negative self-talk 

Magic requires setting intentions and releasing energy out into the world. In order to make a strong and powerful impact, we need to be mindful of what we say in our inner world. Positive self-talk is essential to practicing our authentic voice and connecting with our true selves. Sometimes we have negative interactions or find ourselves in situations that do not serve us. This can lead to misconceptions of ourselves and cause unpleasant feelings or words to play out in our minds.  Einstein said that everyone is a genius but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will think something is wrong with it. If this sort of thinking becomes a habitual process, it can carry over into other unrelated events and thus leads us into a practice of negative self-talk.

It is not uncommon to have negative thoughts- we all experience them! Sometimes we are completely unaware of them. They may not always be obvious, but they most likely appear when we feel bad about ourselves or when something goes awry in our lives (like getting fired). Example: “I’m such a fool for getting fired!” or “I’m such an idiot for spending all my money on food when I could have saved some.” These types of statements aren’t true–they’re simply thoughts that enter our heads without us realizing it at first! Once we become conscious of these thoughts and understand how detrimental they can be to our confidence levels, then we can take steps toward eliminating them from our brains altogether! Simply replace those negative statements with something positive instead!  

The magic of the mind starts with the transmutation of thought.  This comes with separating guilt from shame.  Guilt is if something bad happens to us or something doesn’t work out, applying the understanding that life is a learning lesson and trying to do better to avoid such events from happening which then gives us permission to move from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm until we finally succeed in manifesting what we seek.  Shame is the belief that bad things happen to us because we are bad and therefore it’s hopeless so there is no point in trying.  These are the two paths and only one choice will allow us to succeed in something unless we somehow get lucky on the first try, which is nice but deprives us of the real blessing of this world and our lives in it, learning all the ways to not accomplish something before we eventually do.

Compassion for ourselves and others.

Empathy and compassion go hand in hand. Empathy allows us to relate to what others are feeling, compassion makes us want to take action to help them. When we make this key to our magic, the positive influence in the world is profound. 

Compassion works best when we practice it on ourselves. We are all imperfect and sometimes make mistakes. That’s ok. If we find ourselves regretting something we have said or done, by all means take accountability. Apologize to those negatively affected by it and think about what we can do differently next time. Take the time we need to process our mistakes, but do not overly dwell on them. When we are not judging ourselves harshly or feeling guilty about our mistakes, this makes our efforts more sustainable and we can reflect this back to others and be more forgiving. Compassion is the first step towards change because it means that we recognize that everyone makes mistakes–including ourselves!

 Knowing Ourselves in Relation to Others

Authentic expression comes with a deeper understanding of ourselves and interpersonal relationships as they can reflect subconscious behaviors. If someone behaves in a way that is triggering, observe this feeling and identify similar feelings in the past. If it has a negative impact it may be wise to seek further healing. Also, just the opposite-recognize when others are projecting their own insecurities, and DO NOT internalize them. Have compassion and be open to having an honest conversation with them about it if it feels right. 

We gain more clarity around our roles in relationships as we continue our deep inner work.  We will not only understand ourselves better but others will also. Just remain humble yet assertive. Know our boundaries and don’t be afraid to communicate them. The more we know ourselves the stronger curators of magic we become.

Conclusion

Our greatest magic is reflected in our best selves and an attitude that promotes inner growth. The more we know about our strengths and weaknesses, the better prepared we will be to handle whatever life throws at us. So take some time today–no matter how busy or stressed out–and sit quietly as if no one else exists in this world except for yourself and God (or whatever higher power). Meditate on this question: “Who am I?”