Thus far, I have discovered that Art & Magic is about cycles, personal choice, acknowledging and including the Mystery, and understanding the most basic principles of energy. The first principle being, everything is made of energy – from one’s thoughts and feelings, to the physical body and the objects that surround us. The second principle, energy can change… and will change. And the third, energy follows our intention. As Angeles Arrien would say, the easiest thing to change is your mind. This is where YOU come in. Magic is made with the mind. It starts with your intention: I am ready for transformation in the area of _________.
We are all complex, unique beings, made of mind, body, emotions and soul. It is my belief that Art speaks to all the parts of our selves. Creative energy unites us. It is the great communicator. It is about movement, honoring the process, the journey and the cycles. It is about coming into relationship with the many parts of yourself, with the outside world, and with the other, as well as communicating with the unknown, the unseen, and the not-yet-conscious. When we engage in the arts – dance, paint, sing, act, move – we say YES to our entire being and we become more conscious of who we really are. Art is one of the most powerful vehicles for transformation. Nothing attracts the attention of the Mystery like our art. The Gods and Goddesses love it when we dance, sing, sign, paint, move, speak, create! They come close, they want to play with us, it’s a time of collaboration – as we say in magic, this or something better!
Making art is not about getting it right, being perfect or making a living.
It’s about making a life.
One definition of Magic that I like states that Magic is the art of changing consciousness at will, (as defined by Dion Fortune, and quoted often by Starhawk.) Magic is the art of focusing one’s attention/energy to shift consciousness. With the understanding that Art is the great communicator, the more creative we are, the more conscious we can become AND the more Magic we can make! Practicing the Old Ways, Earth-based Magic, we learn to honor the cycles and that all of life as sacred, both seen and unseen, masculine and feminine, animal, plant and mineral, earth, wind, water and sky. It is through our partnership with the Mystery, the Unknown, that we are truly able to MANIFEST and create a life that exceeds our wildest expectations.
You do not need fancy props or ancient recipe books to make magic; You just need to be able to focus your mind, ground out the resistance, and direct your energy in a clear and intentional way.
Choosing a Life of Magic is choosing the path of conscious awareness. It is the realization that you are the only one who creates your life, both consciously and unconsciously, and you begin to assume creative responsibility for the direction of your path through the choices you make. By consciously creating your own present-tense life and experiences you are choosing to live THIS life, you are choosing YES. Game on!
CHOICE + MYSTERY = MAGIC
