Another Form of Magic

Another form of magic: 

as a child I believed completely in the power of prayer, attending a Catholic school and faith in prayer was taught equally with math and English, it was expected that our prayers would be answered - as long as they were directed rightly. I tried my best. It wasn't much later, still before high school, that my interest drifted to magic, what's considered real magic, mystery schools,  rituals of nature, and the power of the mind to attract our strongest desires. Oddly, this never conflicted with my Catholic upbringing at the time, even then it seemed that I was dealing with the same source no matter the language of my faith. Prayer was simply another form of magic. 

that's what really drew me to yoga and meditation, another fascination that started very young and my practice continues to this day, deepening through the decades in it's value and my commitment. Patanjali, in his Yoga Sutra's claimed we could gain the powers of an advanced yogi through our practice, another form of magic, and one that greatly appealed to me. This was the Law of Least Effort, planting a seed, subtle energy, initially watered by intent and then simply letting go. Through this the yogi allows the universe to handle all the details, our role now is to be watchful for signs, open to the synchronicities, meaningful coincidences that would lead towards success, the fulfillment of our desires. 

of course the problem here is that if our desires aren't met, our practice is as fault, or perhaps we need another form of magic to reach our ultimate success. And there's always another form of magic, one more book with a promise of fulfillment, a new teacher offering a secret means for attaining our dreams and reaching our goals. Finally. The truth is, without realizing it, we're invested in our failure, the real goal is in the seeking and we refuse to let it go, that's our fulfillment...

being a perpetual seeker.

we're lost in maze of mind and magic.

never even realizing that we're lost. 

or maybe suspecting so, having a hint that something isn't working in the way that's been promised. Yet through the years of never quiet reaching the realization of my dreams, I find that I still believe in magic, that Patanjali was offering something deeply magical after all - yoga, meditation, each breath taken, this is my fulfillment, the original seed planted, being at peace and perfectly content right now. There is magic in this moment, pure, an entire universe open to my expansion. This was the seed placed in the fertile field of my imagination so many years ago, and to my surprise, I now realize that it was immediately fulfilled in the very instant it was planted - my only true wish, my heartfelt desire, was the happiness found in the depth of every moment, not the absence of sorrow, nor the release of any suffering, but the magic of simply being exactly as I am. 

it's another form of magic...

sure in its fulfillment. 

~

Peace, Eric