As magical practitioners, working with energy and being attuned to one’s inner world is key to building magical power.
But now, there’s an even greater need for these skills.
Globally and individually, we’re experiencing a rollercoaster of energetic highs and lows, and our inner landscape is no doubt home to a bit more double, double toil and trouble right now.
Just as we’re all being called to do our part on a practical level to help stop the spread of COVID-19 (wash your hands, stay home if you’re sick, avoid large groups, etc), now is the time to do our part on an inner, magical level as well.
Here are three ways to tend to your energy and inner world, aka your magical power, right now.
1. Meditate
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard a client say, “I really want to start meditating,” I’d be more loaded than Scrooge McDuck.
But, hey! Now’s a great time to start, right?
If you’re like me, you have plenty of time where you’re just sitting around at home. Why not use it to build one of the most beneficial habits ever?
Here’s a simple meditation that’s particularly suited to our current situation.
Even though, physically, we may be isolating and feeling more disconnected, this is a great practice for reinforcing our interconnection in a healthy, positive way.
Find a comfy place where you won’t be disturbed for ten minutes or so.
If you like, set a timer. This can be a nice way to alleviate some of the “Am I done yet?” fidgetiness.
Close your eyes, and connect with your breath, doing a gentle scan of your body from head to toe, breathing into any areas where you notice tension.
Start to bring your awareness to your base, whether that’s your bum on the chair or your feet planted on the floor. Feel your connection to the earth.
Visualize roots beginning to extend from your base, into the rich, loamy soil of the earth. They might start out as slender filaments and expand into sturdy tree roots.
Take a few rounds of breath, and simply enjoy this feeling of connection with the greater whole and a deep sense of grounding.
If you like, you can gently open to receive earth energy, up through your roots, allowing it to permeate each and every cell within your body. Perhaps follow this by sending love, down and out through your roots, into the earth.
Next, begin to see web-like tendrils extending from the matrix of your personal roots, making connections with neighboring root systems, which in turn connect with their neighbors, and so on.
Like the vast mycelial, fungal networks connecting immense stretches of forest through a living internet, feel your place within the vast living internet of your fellow beings.
Allow a feeling of love, gratitude, peace, or any other healing emotion that arises, to build at your heart center, and then send this healing energy out through the roots, rippling through the living web to all fellow beings.
When you’re ready, gently bring your roots back into your body, do a gentle scan once more from head to toe, setting the intention that your energy is healthy and balanced on all levels.
Wiggle your fingers and toes, and open your eyes.
2. Limit time spent mindlessly scrolling.
I know we all want to stay informed, but now is a great time to practice balance when it comes to media intake.
I strongly suggest not hopping on a device first thing in the morning.
Think of it as mental-emotional strength training, which we’re all going to need to get through these tense times with presence and grace.
Use that time to start your day with some deep, intentional breaths (something we do far less than our bodies would like), and spending some time simply being present with yourself.
When we’re scrolling through the news or Facebook, we can easily slip into robo-mode, mindlessly tapping and swiping.
What’s worse, we often don’t realize how robo’d out we are because it feels so normal, and then we start texting and replying from that headspace.
Now, more than ever, we really need to be present.
We need an active connection with our larger Self, not the frightened, defensive ego, and we can’t cultivate that if we’re numbing ourselves out with chronic internet scrolling.
So, take some time to connect with yourself in the morning, before you pick up any devices, and then, throughout the day, check in before you start scrolling.
How am I feeling right now?
Is there anything I need right now in terms of self-care (grabbing a snack, taking a short nap, journaling, FaceTiming a loved one, etc)?
Do I really need to check the news/social media right now?
Presence is one of your most potent magical powers.
Make sure you’re not handing it away to every little news blurb and social media post.
3. Be mindful of internal polarization.
We see highly polarized reactions in the world around us all the time, and it gets even louder in times of crisis.
Collectively, our egos are in a panic, and they’re grasping for certainties.
Who’s to blame.
Who’s right.
Who’s wrong.
Who’s screwing things up for the rest of us.
And on and on it goes.
We cannot change anyone else but ourselves, so let’s start here.
What’s going on in your inner world?
Just last night, I made the decision to close down my healing practice for two weeks, maybe more.
As a self-employed business owner, this means zero money coming in.
Is this scary? Hell yes.
But it’s also not black-or-white.
Thankfully, I have a partner who is still working. We have some money set aside. We have toilet paper.
I can use this time to get some writing done, get out for my beloved solo hikes, and to simply rest, something I don’t get to do that often when I’m busy with work.
Fear speaks to us in self-righteous extremes, whereas the intuition has a peaceful tone of calm assuredness.
The previous two practices will make you better able to discern the difference between the two.
Are there reasons to be afraid right now?
Sure there are.
But even when I’m afraid, I don’t want fear to be in the driver’s seat.
It can come along for the ride, but it’s not handling the wheel.
