Do You Believe in Magic?

I have had the honor of knowing and studying with Lynn V. Andrews, a noted Author, Shaman, Educator. Lynn has shown me a new way of looking at life, and it has completely changed my life.

Lynn recently posted this quote on Facebook:
"Darkness defines the light... Light comes from the sun. You cannot touch it. Does that mean it is not real?
In spirit,
Lynn "

As I read this, I realized that this too is about shifting perspective. I believe that thoughts are real, and therefore, what I imagine becomes real for me. Just because something has no physical form doesn't mean it doesn't exist. The light from the sun has no physical form. We cannot touch it, and when we place our hand into a beam of sunlight, it becomes blocked, and all we see then is the shadow of our hand. So is the sunlight less real?

As a writer, I live in my imagination a lot. It's a great place! I meet characters there -- wonderful, vibrant people whose stories are magical and compelling. It is my job and my joy to take those stories and tell them to you in my writing, be it a short story, a novel, or a blog. I was asked recently how I come up with the characters in my novels. My only answer is that I don't, they come to me in my imagination and I get to know them over time. We have a relationship, and like every relationship, there are aspects that are great, and parts that aren't so great. I don't agree with every choice they make as they impart their story, but I respect them enough to tell it their way.

Does that make me a lunatic? I've spoken to so many writers who have the same experiences, so perhaps we are all crazy. My take on this, however, is that I have an amazing imagination, and these characters, these people are created by the wide range of experiences I have had, by the many relationships I've enjoyed or hated, by every thing I've seen, felt, tasted, smelled and touched throughout my life. It all comes together in my mind, and when I am ready, the people emerge to tell a story I want to tell in a way I might not have thought of with just my brain. Each one is very real to me, and when the book is done, it is sad because my time with them may be ending.

They are the result of my shifting perspective on so many things. I am 63 years old, and my view of the world is so different from when I was 23 years old. As a result of my own personal development and spiritual growth, it is broader, wiser, more compassionate, perhaps in some ways more realistic, but definitely more magical! I have learned -- I know, deep in my primal mind, deep in that part of me that is my soul and will continue forever -- that my life is only as magical as I allow it to be. And today, as I sit at my desk, ready to spend time writing, I am completely open to all the magic that wishes to come! From the magic comes so many positive outcomes....

Is there magic in your daily life? How could you allow more magic to appear? How might you changing your outlook on today's tasks to make them more magical?

Wishing you a day of wonder and magic!

Fresh Eyes

When was the last time you recognized you were looking at the world with fresh eyes? Perhaps someone treated you differently than you expected, paid you a compliment, praised your efforts -- and you walked away feeling different, better, affirmed. Remember how things looked a little nicer -- the job wasn't as gloomy, or you looked in the mirror at yourself without flinching. Those were fresh eyes.

I have fresh eyes this year! I have published my first book -- "Telling Secrets" by Peg Hubbard is on Amazon.com. I finally achieved a life-long dream, and I find I see myself, my future and my whole life with a new perspective! I worked hard, pushed myself through so many demons to finally quit "trying" to be a writer, and just write.

For me, these fresh eyes are a culmination of 20 years of searching for myself, spiritually, emotionally, even physically. I found myself in the depths of despair, and at the time, had lost my career, my health, my home and was filing bankruptcy. I had no where to move to, and couldn't imagine how I would survive. I had no real hope of thriving. So I surrendered it all and began to search for answers. How did I get there? Why? And the biggie -- how would get out of there?

Along the road, I met amazing people -- living saints -- who listened, who encouraged, who gave a helping hand. Each of them was my teacher. Each of them helped me to see myself and my situation with fresh eyes. And from shifting perspectives came wisdom, personal development, and positive outcomes. Today I know that wisdom guided me to where I am, helped me to make better choices, and led me to compassion and gratitude -- spiritual growth on many fronts. Today, I am grateful for my abject failures -- they were my best teachers. And I did learn...

So there are stories I want to share, things I'd like to say, and I hope you'll enjoy this along with me! Together we'll see how changing your outlook can give you fresh eyes as well!