Half a Year of Magic

Photo by Joshua Newton on Unsplash

My six-month magical journey (March-Sept 2020) has been full of learning (via books, podcasts, online courses, and lectures) about all kinds of magic systems and spiritual belief systems. These include: Wicca, Chaos, Green lore, Hermeticism, Norse, Egyptian, Celtic, Alchemy, Conjure, Old Grimoires, Medieval, Tarot, Fairy, Angel, Cunning, various Pagan, Astrology, Golden Dawn, Herbal, Folk healing, African, Jewish, Asian, Saints, Thelema, Ancestors, Animism, Druids, Neo Platonism, Renaissance, Greek, Roman, European, Theosophy, Shamanic, Philosophy, Psychology, Mythology, Theology, Plants, various Religions, Witchcraft, Catholicism, Hoodoo, Bible Magic, Resilience Coaching and Kabbalah.

My tools for soul-care rituals and self-healing have been: essential oils (rose, frankincense, rosemary etc.), combined with prayer, meditation/visualisation, poetry, music, intention, candles, devotionals, petitions, writing, scent and aromatherapy, herb magic, hoodoo rootwork recipes, ancient wellness, goddesses (Isis, Artemis), techniques, mystical books, transformative teas & tinctures, earthing, nature, sea, folklore, folk saints, Mary, the Madonnas, moonlight, incense and resins, nourishing broths, spirit allies, ancestors, altars, hands-on blending, uplifting art, affirmations, plant magic practice, bath spells, calendars, badass hot yoga🙏, having a big heart, strong fierce faith and a very thick skin!

I feel blessed for this quiet time at home to study, learn, dream, sleep, hit goals, feel more human & connected to the world, write, craft, blend, look out at the sea, garden, learn magic, re discover faith and spirituality, celebrate life and place, overcome troubles and struggles, ward away/slay demons – viral and metaphorically, appreciate the present, build a future and love my family. This is magic 🌟

I have flourished. And I have learnt that our collective flourishing in these 'new normal' times can be possible, with this type of learning-based approach: by having a growth mindset, and by believing that yes change is possible, and change for good. We can transform.

We can transform.

Health and self-healing for me has not just been through herbs & oils, but through diligent study, practice, focus, discipline, developing the technical skill of writing, content writing, blogging, creating video and social content, falling in love with the symbol and the aesthetic, and above all - words. My soul is happy. I realise this even more today as I take stock with a navel-gazing reflective half year review.

I feel more serene, rested, soothed, pampered, centred, grounded, clean & clear, full of light, fulfilled by work, with renewed hope and vision for things to come, I know I am capable, treasured, cared for, honoured, loved, attuned, joyful, peaceful, playful, spiritual, blessed, authentic and SOUL-FULL.

Soul-care magical practice for me has also importantly combined Positive Psychology (often used to treat depression) and Resilience Coaching techniques – modalities to restore mind. I’ve been able to better organise myself, to plan more and have clarity. I’ve been better able to integrate archetypes. Physically too I’ve mixed in a fourth element into the mix of Magic, Faith and Psychology – and that's Yoga. I’ve always practiced Bikram/Hot 26 Yoga, but during this year I’ve consistently practiced every other day, every week. Wax on, wax off. All in all, I’ve been more mindful, creative, mentally & emotionally resilient. I’ve tried to stay present, to worry less, have less anxiety, less negative self-talk, to banish blues and simultaneously appreciate the dark times too - for these too can be a gift in some way.

Everything has helped me be more resilient. All this practice has allowed me to care for my soul, care for other souls and has developed my abilities and communications to help others care for themselves.

Consequently, I have better self-reliance now, to cope with curve balls and chaos of life. I feel I can self-soothe, self-comfort, self-inspire, self-forgive and self-focus more. Through these new enhanced weekly and daily mini rituals, I fear less, and I create more. I sleep well. My home is full of peace. The ordinary has become the sacred, a remedy for existence. I am (a little) gentler to myself and I (try) to live at a slower speed now (pretty hard for someone with ADHD whose brain is ‘always-on’!)

Life is sweeter, even in these dark Corona-times. I find the joy, daily slices of it in the day-to-day. There is light. I smell the roses. I am healed every day. My soul is alive, my heart on fire with love.

So even in these months of uncertainty - over COVID, jobs, automation, the economy, lockdowns, social distancing, new normal, technocracy, tracking & tracing, limits to freedom, missing home, worrying about loved ones, isolation, lack of outdoors, cognitive reconditioning and being generally fed up with the ‘digital-bloody-everything’ global reset spin – I can still move to a state of peace, serenity, calm, relaxation, joy, gratitude, happiness, renewal, sacredness, reverence, celebration and LOVE.

If YOU are in a bad place, having dark days, facing challenges, not coping well with these tumultuous times of plague – I urge you to take the first small step on that recovery road to bounce forward resiliently. Whether in Singapore, China, Britain, USA, Australia - no matter, you will BOUNCE!

I encourage YOU to embrace Resilience Magic, however that looks for YOU. 💪

It could be as gentle as a warming brew of chamomile or lavender tea, as simple and welcoming as a milky bath with rose oil, or a sea salt scrub, or a rosemary and pine floor wash to clean your home, a ginger oil to dress a red candle, a face cream with frankincense, a burner full of copal and myrrh resins, making offerings to saints of wine and water, fresh flowers, balms of refreshing lemon & lemongrass, videos, meditation tracks on Spotify, podcasts on ancestors and faith, statues of deities, angel cards, tarot, incense, crystals, herbs and roots, growing a garden, making homemade candles with beeswax, doing hot yoga (thankyou Harry, B-Yoga, Pure), baking, calling friends, music, dance, poetry, cooking, reading a psalm, going to church, stocking a magical pantry (thankyou iHerb and Original Products Botanica), building a book collection 📚 (thankyou Treadwells and Christina Oakley Harrington), taking a magic course (thankyou Gordon White, Julian Vayne, Treadwells), learning to be a Resilience Practitioner (thankyou Chris Johnstone), appreciating Hermetics & Alchemy and making cool blog friends (thankyou Blogos), cultivating hope, learning positive psychology, practicing Permaculture, learning about gardening (thankyou Monty Don), learning herbalism 💚 (thankyou Rosemary Gladstar), learning about planetary correspondences (thankyou Rebecca Beattie) reading Jung, having a great therapist (thankyou Sudev), taking up life coaching, reading about Soul and Depth (thankyou Thomas Moore and James Hillman), volunteering, starting a blog (thankyou Blogger), having fulfilling work & colleagues (thankyou dear employer), having gratitude for the land (thankyou S'pore), re-opening an Instagram (yep, I'll try this on - thankyou Facebook, wow that was OK), experimenting with video (thankyou Lumen5), writing a book (begone oh spirit of procrastination) and spending a LOT more time with family (💖). 

Become a living flame! Glow with soul 🔥👼

Glow with soul

Pick one, pick all, start somewhere. Start today. We are all blessed.

It is time for YOU to walk through fire, and to burn brightly.