So, last week the Gemini horoscope (I’m on the cusp) offered this:

“The more you do what you want,” says Santa Fe artist Erika Wanenmacher, “the more magic happens.”

Erika makes really cool, diverse, unique compositions from objects she finds while walking around and, more and more, that’s a favorite form of art for me. I spent quite a bit of time on her site, thoroughly enjoying her descriptions of how creative material comes to us. The trick is we have to be paying attention and we have to acknowledge its potential. As happens frequently, Free Will Astrology brought me to a new source of inspiration (her creative process, and the results.) And, interestingly, more talk of magic was there. This is from the Ditch Witch section:

“Magic can be defined as the art of changing consciousness at will. Will is the deliberate, organized direction of intent toward a goal. Will works in partnership with imagination. So, magic and spells work when clear intent is focused by will and imagination.”

I think that’s the best definition of magic I’ve ever heard and am going to begin thinking of my focused intent as full of magic potential!

And, this is apparently an ongoing theme. Excerpt from Taurus this week:

You Tauruses are in a phase when the hidden workings of things will be shown to you — the mysterious magic that’s always bubbling below the surface but that is usually not visible.

More revelations are coming my way, apparently, so I’d better pay attention!

And from Gemini this week:

The week ahead will be a ripe time to pull off magic reversals… I’m confident, Gemini, that you’ll be able to discover treasure hidden in the trash…

Treasure from Trash – we were just talking about that!

Hmmm…as my good friend K replied:

In hocus pocus circles, we say that something coming into your consciousness three times is a direct message…i do believe that makes three times in just today that magick has made itself known to you…listening…..?

What’s the theme for you right now? Are you listening? Are you looking?

I am grateful for the knowledge that I have the power to jump out and jump back in. That power is how we create our life, if we know we have it, learn how to use it, and practice, practice, practice.

I am also grateful for the awareness that I am either swimming in the water or floundering around out of it. Being fully present in that awareness is how we experience life to the fullest, learn about our inner and outer realities, and access the infinite guidance of the universe, so that we can spend less time floundering, or swimming upstream, and more time going with the flow. Going with the flow does not mean an absence of effort; swimming is still hard work and there will inevitably be dangerous currents, snags, diversions, steep drops, and predators to deal with. That’s why it’s so great to minimize unnecessary effort and build up strength, energy, and awareness so we’re prepared to meet those challenges with the fierce grace of a mighty fish.

My energy flows freely.

I recognize and release negative energy and cultivate and share positive energy.

I am fully present and connected to the wisdom, guidance, support, and blessings of the Universe

My life flows in harmony with the Universe and I am open to its infinite abundance.

I am actively creating the life I desire through my clear thoughts and visions and my focused intentions and actions.

I am committed to learning, growing, sharing, and serving.

I am supremely confident in myself and my power to be successful  and happy.

I believe in the Universe as my source and co-creator.

I am grateful for all of it.

“Just do the practice and all is coming.” I read this twice recently. The second time was when I opened up Fully Fertile, re-reading as a refresher. I’ve been back through all the Reiki guidance from Chikara-Reiki-Do earlier and can’t find it there, but I know I saw it earlier; that’s what made me really take notice. Apparently it is a well known nugget of yogic wisdom, but I don’t recall hearing it before. What I take from it is a reminder that all is as it should be and that by trusting the guidance of the universe and focusing our intention, life will flow and we will experience balance and joy.

Here’s what I am practicing:

* nourishing my body to heal and balance and promote strength and vitality; nourishing others
* moving my body and tuning in to it; being active outdoors as much as possible
* breathing deeply and using breath to release/heal/balance/strengthen/clarify/focus
* clearing and stilling my mind; opening myself to guidance from the universe
* releasing blockages in my body/mind/spirit; allowing myself to feel happy and have fun all the time
* recognizing and being grateful for all the blessings of this life
* feeling love for myself and the humans, and creatures, I come into contact with
* forgiving myself and others for not being perfect; recognizing we are all doing the best we can
* freeing myself from living in the past or the future; really being here and now
* having confidence in my ability to achieve all that I desire and focus my energy on; feeling worthy to receive all that the universe provides
* believing in the abundance and infinite nature of the universe
* accepting creative inspiration and channeling it into concrete expression which brings me joy and can be shared
* nurturing communication and developing connections with the world around me

May 16th is my Birthday…

The weather was a pleasant surprise – warmer and more sun than forecasted.  When I caught myself giving thought to what I didn’t receive – call/card/email from mother (forgetful and not actively engaged in my life), dad (gone, and never had a relationship), brother (totally wrapped up in his own drama and makes no effort to keep in touch), and friends – I grabbed my mind by the ear and forcefully redirected it.  Just remembering it now, I can feel my energy sink.  Because, it is an energy drain to focus on what you think you should have but don’t.  It creates a hole in your core which keeps gobbling up all the good elements of your life to feed it’s aching emptiness.  That’s never pleasant, or productive, and should always be caught and redirected.  And, especially on my birthday – a day to celebrate one’s essence and existence in this lifetime – I wasn’t about to go there.

I frequently wonder if I’m making any progress in my efforts to still my mind, open up to universal wisdom and guidance, recognize and clear blockages, and strengthen my inner source of power (through meditation, yoga, qi gung, chakra work, and acupuncture.)  I still catch my mind wandering all the time, still feel blocked energy, and still sense that inner light struggling to really shine.  Perhaps this an example of progress: catching my mind/heart wandering into negative thoughts/feelings of entitlement, disappointment, comparison, and lacking, and shifting the focus.  It is hard to do, for sure, but as is always the case, practice gradually makes an action more comfortable and automatic.  As that happens, energy is freed up for other good stuff, like being Now Here to soak up the sun, listen to the birds sing, and breathe – ahhh.

What I decided to think and feel on the 39th anniversary of my first breath is all the good stuff my life is full of:

• Love and support from family and friends, expressed and just known
• A very loving, supportive, cool, fun partner to share this road with
• Loving, supportive furry friends (the boys) with lucky tail powers
• The earth which supports and nourishes me
• The universe which guides and protects me
• The opportunities which each moment presents
• All I am learning about how to cultivate true health of body/mind/heart/spirit
• The healing touch of acupuncture treatments
• Coming home to a clean house, smelling of chocolate
• Enjoying a play, and homemade brownies during intermission,  in the courtyard, in the warm, fresh Spring nighttime air
• A genuine, down-to-earth Birthday Happiness Wish and smile from the woman we chatted about vintage bikes with – that made my night
• A freshly made bed to crawl into
• Freedom – to choose what I focus my intention on and how I act and react

I am truly blessed and grateful.