Magic, Have Your Way With Me

My new daily mantra

First, let me just say that I wish I could claim this magical title as something that my muse whispered to me or a spirit animal gave to me.

But, alas, it was a dear friend who said it recently in a voice message. I felt my whole being light up, immediately writing it down, and declaring it my new daily mantra.

I don’t think I’ve ever used a title that didn’t come from within my writer’s imagination, but this one was too good not to share.

When I asked my friend if I could use it, she told me that she heard it from someone else, who heard it from someone else and had no idea where it had originated. “Yes!” my Magic-believing friend said enthusiastically. “Please use it!” And so, I am sharing it here and will try my best to honor its meaning.

When I did my due diligence and looked up the definition of the word magic, I was woefully disappointed.

Merriam-Webster states:

The use of means (such as charms or spells) believed to have supernatural power over natural forces

Magic rites or incantations

An extraordinary power or influence seemingly from a supernatural source

Something that seems to cast a spell: Enchantment

The art of producing illusions by sleight of hand

Ehh…

No offense to the witches and magicians out there. Pretty sure I was a witch in at least one past life. I guess I could be considered one in this life, being a plant person and all.

I don’t use spells or incantations, but hey! I guess using “Magic, have your way with me” as a mantra might qualify.

I just think that the definition falls short.

If you’re someone who’s living a magical life and perhaps have already written down this mantra, then you know what I’m talking about.

Let me tell you the story of the rattle in the photo above.

When I returned to Ireland and Scotland in October 2018, I had been planning on making a shamanic rattle to use in ceremony and while preparing to travel into the Otherworld.

Surely, there is Magic in Shamanism.

I decided that I would collect little pebbles and bits of Nature along my journey to put inside the rattle. I didn’t want to just fill it with dried corn. I wanted everything about this rattle to have meaning for me.

One of the first places my beloved Irish friend, Glenda, took me to was An Gleann Mor, The Devil’s Glen, to visit my tree friend, Jack.

Walking through the mostly Spruce forest, with so many trees that looked alike, we had no trouble finding Jack.

And there, laying at the base of his trunk, was the perfect-sized piece of wood to use for my rattle handle.

Laying beside the handle, were a few teeny pine cones, which became the first of the treasures I would gather to put inside the rattle.

During my two-week trip, my eyes often looked to the ground, searching for wee treasures.

While standing alone in the rain with the Fortinngall Yew in Scotland, one of the oldest living beings in Europe, I noticed little bits of bark and needles lying on the stone wall, which protects this ancient wonder. So, into the rattle, they would go.

This is Magic, according to me.

In my mind, Nature is almost always involved when Magic appears.

When my friend and I were approaching an old Hawthorn tree adjacent to a stone circle in Ireland, a black horse came galloping over a hill, stopping right in front of us.

And then, a white horse did the same.

This is Magic.

As I sat with the Hawthorn tree, I noticed some of its berries lying on the ground beneath me.

Into the rattle, they went.

You really can’t talk about the Hawthorn tree without conjuring Magic. It is well known as a fairy tree and wo be the farmer who would cut one down. Often, you will see a wide-open field with a lone Hawthorn tree, left alone for good fortune’s sake.

It’s no wonder that I was literally drawn to Scotland via my dreams.

And then to Ireland.

Both of these countries have Magic woven into their very souls. Their legends and folklore are endless. It’s not uncommon to see places remembering the heroes of these legends such as this chair in Ireland, in honor of Finn McCool (Fionn mac Cumhaill.)

Finn was the legendary giant warrior of Irish mythology. His height reached almost 54 feet tall.

Glenda insisted I sit in his chair. :)

The only place on this planet right now that my heart yearns for are these two countries. The minute I get my travel mojo back, I hope to return.

They’re Magical.

When I returned home with all the bits and pieces, I put together my rattle. It was my first attempt and was lopsided and crude, but I loved it. For years I’ve thought, “I should adorn her with feathers,” but I didn’t want to buy feathers. They had to come to me.

They had to have Magic.

And then, one day, after weeks of feeding the Wild Turkey party of five, a beautiful feather was lying on the ground when I went to put out more seed.

Now, I could just think that a Turkey lost his or her feather.

Or, I could think that they thought “Let’s leave Barbara a feather for her rattle!” She feeds us. :)

This is where one person would say it’s delusion and another would say, it’s Magical.

And then there was another feather and another, and another, and another.

So, now my rattle is complete, and I had a chance to use her during a recent lightning storm where a strike hit so close to my little house that it shook, along with the ground beneath it.

I rattled.

I drummed.

I journeyed to the Upper World to meet with the Spirit of Lightning and asked her to please send the lightning away from the trees and the house here on this hill. I’ll be darned if when I returned to this ordinary state of consciousness, I watched the lightning move away towards the mountains in the distance.

My imagination?

Or Magic?

It’s been a rough week for me physically. I’ve been nursing an injured neck which has really limited my movement and has overall just made me feel unwell.

I don’t like feeling unwell. Who does?

My Vata-self always wants to be in movement, but when something like this happens, I know I have to slow down and pay attention and let my body heal. I know she can do that if I get out of her way.

Sleeping has been difficult, and last night I woke up around 2 a.m. I went downstairs to get an ice pack, and as I was headed back up to bed, I saw my precious little Pigeon carving sitting on the table. I have been mulling over whether or not to share a dream I had with this Spirit animal of mine.

Anyway, I picked her up along with the ice pack and went back upstairs. I placed her on the window ledge next to me and sat up in my bed to meditate. I propped my Dragonfly pillow that my beautiful friend, Jamie, made for me, behind my neck for support.

I put out some calls to my animal and plant Spirits to help me in my healing, and I dropped deep into meditation, feeling and seeing the most beautiful pale Pink aura surrounding me. I felt the pain dissipating, and for a while, at least, I was pain-free.

In the morning, it was still hard to lift myself out of bed. I had to use my hands behind my head to get up. But the pain was definitely a bit less, and I felt my head had somewhat cleared. It had been so bad for days that I couldn’t even read or write.

When I started making my bed and got to the pillows, look what I saw:

Do you see what I saw? One of the Turkey feathers had somehow made its way off of my kitchen table and onto the pillow.

My explanation?

Magic.

I don’t know if it hitched a ride on the ice pack and it was there during my meditation. But in situations like this, I always say

it’s Magic.

I don’t think I’m alone.

Have you noticed that magical people are finding their way into your life lately?

Like my friend, Constance, who shared the title of this post with me.

She seemingly came out of the ethers (actually I met her in Astrology class) and is, well, Super Magical.

So is Astrology.

And Oracle cards, especially when the same card shows up over and over again.

Are you experiencing crazy synchronicities?

I think synchronicity is the poster child for Magic.

Are you meeting people who use their other senses?

Clairaudience - clear hearing

Clairsentience - clear feeling

Clairvoyance - clear seeing

Claircognizance - clear knowing

Just to name a few. 

ALL humans have these senses, these abilities. And I believe we’re moving back to our natural way of using them in the world like we did long ago.

We can choose to live in fear of all the horrible things happening in our world. And there’s no shortage of them. I’m not pretending that they don’t exist or that we should bury our heads in the sand.

But, we can instead choose to live in a state of Love and, I would add, in a state

of Magic.

Nature is such an essential part of this way of living.

We have magical plants who offer their healing, tending to our wounds, be they deep or superficial.

And magical people who make potions with them like my friend, Christy, who took Plantain, Chickweed, and Violet and made a tincture to put on my bug bites. She has been so patient, listening to my whining.

I have not yet figured out how to use my magical powers to get the bugs to leave me alone. I have tried everything. It’s the perfect spot for them, and they know it.

Yesterday, I slowly and gingerly drove down the road to the post office to pick up a package. I couldn’t turn my head to the side.

I returned home, and while walking to my door from the car, package in hand, a deer fly dive-bombed me and bit me on the back of my neck. I instinctively jerked my head to the left, reinjuring my neck.

And then, to add insult to injury, another one came from behind and bit me on the other side of my neck.

Is it winter yet???

I opened the package, and there was Christy’s soothing magical potion, along with some other goodies and the sweetest ever carving of a BUG with nails for legs that her farmer friend, John, made for me. He used a piece of wood from the White Pine who came down a few months ago on the land here.

I’m glad this bug can’t fly!

I hope you’re connecting with magical friends. New and old alike.

I hope you see Magic daily in everyone and everything around you.

I hope Magic has its way with you. :)

Much Love,
Barbara