Do You Believe in Magic?
On December 21st this year, we arrive at Winter Solstice. In this part of the hemisphere, we experience shorter, darker days while holding hope of return of the Light. For thousands of years before our own existence, our Ancestors knew that new Life, new Joys and new possibilities were being created and nourished in the darkness of the Womb. In our modern life, we can continue the tradition in this honoring of the natural events around us. We can hold the hope in knowing that the Light is returning, despite the dark around us. Just as the Earth turns on its axis, the Light will return.
In our collective deep winter hibernation, we can hold the intention of the beautiful Magic of joyous possibilities will arrive into our space to be birthed into our lives.
My maternal grandfather was a catalyst for those around him to believe in Magic. Always with a twinkle in his eye, he instilled this Magical Joy in his children by dressing up like Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. Using a stick, he made reindeer prints in the snow around the house and climbed up to stomp on the roof - all to instill the belief that Magic is real into my mother and uncle's consciousness. He would knock on windows from outside, inspiring awe and excitement for my young mother and uncle, who never seemed to notice that their father was never present whenever this occured. As I grew older, I learned that my great-grandfather had also created this Magic with his eleven children.
In turn, my mother brought that same Magic and Joy into the Season. Although she didn't dress up like Santa, her excitement endured and was passed on to me. Belief in this magic brought joy, wonder and a visceral interaction with Spirit in my early days, which I am grateful.
As a young child, I very much believed in magic. I believed the "Brownies" (Scottish elves) were watching, especially during the Holidays. At three and a half, I actually experienced an early morning visitation by a group of twinkling lights in my bedroom, accompanied by echoing high-pitched giggles of joy, leaving me rubbing my eyes in awe.
When I came of the age to not believe in "Santa" my mother still instilled the understanding that "Santa" is an infinite Spirit who is very much alive and always available at any age. In this way, I never stopped believing in Magic and possibility.
In my shamanic journeying experience, the Spirit of St. Nick is not affiliated with any religion, but is a Spirit who encompasses love, magic, play and - the joy in giving to others. In my shamanic practice, I no longer limit this understanding to one day of the year, but into every day.
I was fortunate to have early experiences that support believing that makes everything possible ~ that the Light will unfailingly return. As an adult, I know that I can choose to be weighed down by the heaviness of certain events in my life, the lives of others or stories on the news. However, if I remember that this Magic truly exists, it is no longer a "childish notion." If I choose to see that Magic exists around me - in Nature and in the kindness in others, and how it ripples out ~ I can choose to center myself in this Joy and Magic ~ and BE that Magic. With this, the belief of new possibilities and opportunities undoubtedly come to fruition ~ always!
