One of the things you'll hear a lot from magical practitioners is the importance of doing the practical things. It's no good doing some fancy spell for a new job if you don't also fill in the job applications. There's no point doing magic to transform your life if you aren't willing to roll up your sleeves and put in the work to transform your life. Magic is an expression of intent, so if you don't act on your intent, you aren't going to persuade yourself (much less the rest of the universe) that you take what you're doing seriously.
However, there are more layers when it comes to doing the practical things, and those in turn call for being alert to the risk of unconsidered magical thinking. When we don't know how something works, we may unconsciously conclude that it is in essence a sort of magic. I see this a lot around the idea of talent - this irrational belief that people are good at things because they have innate powers that magically enable them to do things. What really gets things done is enthusiasm and a willingness to work. You won't magically become a great singer or artist by doing spells to become talented. You can however focus your intent on developing your enthusiasm and willingness to dedicate time and energy.
I am inclined to relate to magic as something I want to invite, rather than control. This is very much related to how I feel about life. I don't need to control everything. I don't need to make things happen in a specific way. I'm also an animist and I don't feel easy with the idea of imposing my will on anything other than myself. When I invite magic, it is often because I'm trying to figure out how best to do things. Trying to clearly see the present is often an issue for me. If I can act well, and harmoniously with what's going on around me, my scope for getting good outcomes greatly increases.
I invite magic in the form of inspiration. I seek ideas for my creative work, and for my life as a whole. Inspiration relates to all aspects of life and everything we do benefits from us having ideas. I find that having a flow of inspiration helps me feel enthused about life and improves my motivation, which all also helps considerably with keeping the depression at bay.
I'm interested in inviting magic as it manifests in beauty and wonder. Experiences that give me those feelings also give me a sense of enchantment in my everyday life. The more open I am to being enchanted by what's around me, the more scope I have for noticing the small joys and wonders.
There's also a great deal of magic to be found in experiences of relationship and connection. Moments when wild creatures meet my gaze. Feelings of synchronicity. Finding I'm on the same wavelength as the other humans around me. Any time I'm doing something tangible there are opportunities to feel connection and for something to be shared.
Inviting magic is an everyday choice. It's about deciding to have a particular kind of relationship with the world. It's not enough to want wonder and enchantment, we have to do the things that make it possible. Showing up in a way that invites magic also means we're more likely to be able to be magical for the people we encounter, and that's entirely wonderful when it happens.
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