Why Aren’t We Magicians?

Or rather, why don’t we know we are Magicians, Shamans, Sages, Wizards and Mystics? I believe that we were all born with magic inside of us: a passion, desire and ability to express something that is uniquely our own. No one ever was or ever will be exactly like you. You are unique and you have something extraordinary inside of you waiting to be born and shared with the world.

"The universe is holding its breath, waiting for you to take your place"
----- Jean Houston

And yet, how strange is it that so many of us spend most of our lives just trying to figure out what that magic is. We wonder; Who are we? What do we want? Where are we going? How is it that we’ve been given this incredible gift and we don’t know it? I believe that in the depths of our being we do know it. We knew it before we were born and we knew it when we were very young. And then somewhere around the age of nine or ten we slowly let our magic slip away. The ‘voice of authority’ scales began to tip. While our inner wisdom grew quieter and quieter, the outer voice of our ‘tribe’ grew louder and louder.

It was all too easy to let happen. We realized early on if we wanted to get taken care of we had better behave and do what the tribe told us to do, even if we didn’t understand why. Of course, 'why' is the one word vocabulary of a 3 year old. We ask, they answer and we believe them because gosh, some of the things they told us seemed painfully true: “I told you if you keep putting your fingers in the hamster cage, he’ll bite you! Or; “I told you not to touch the stove or you’ll get burned!

Years later, perhaps in our late thirties we begin to feel a mild discontent and unless we stop the presses and pay attention right then, that discontent gradually turns into a gnawing at our soul. Our wake up call may come through desperation or with any luck, inspiration. Sadly, some people do not take the call at all.

But perhaps we should take a step back and talk about the Tribe. Caroline Myss refers to our family of origin as our Tribe. What defines a tribe is that they are bound by shared beliefs. We are all born into a tribal mentality, she says. In a Tribe, our spirits are involved in group thought forms. We all agree to believe the same thing. It's not a conscious agreement, but it is an agreement none the less. The Military is a perfect example of the tribal mentality in action. Everyone wears a uniform, they have strict rules and regulations and independent or critical thinking is not allowed. If you don’t agree with what they dictate, no problem…you’re out. Government, Corporations and many other organizations are examples of a tribal mentality.

Most of our beliefs come from our tribe, although you may not realize it on a conscious level. So if your dad said “you have to work hard for a living” or your Mom said “you need a college education in order to be successful” these beliefs became hard wired into your thought system as absolutes and then manifested as our reality. There are many more subtle beliefs such as a like or dislike for certain foods, colors, styles and even people. And you thought you were a free thinker!

At this point, some of you may be protesting. “But, I’m NOTHING like my parents!” I challenge you to think really hard. Maybe your Dad was a ‘staunch’ Republican and you’re a ‘staunch’ Democrat. Maybe your Mom was critical of others and although you may not be critical of others –you are critical of yourself. Or maybe the person you married is just like one or both of your parents or has similar characteristics. Believe me if this article were longer I could show you dozens of examples.

I’ve spent years examining my own life and the validity of this concept. When I stopped resisting, protesting and defending, things began to shift. When my focus became my awareness and freedom, I was able to see how often I made choices and acted out of hard-wired beliefs and perceptions. The ‘Truth’ (however hard it is to see) will set you free.

“Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it”
------ George Santayana

From Peter Calhoun, a modern Shaman; “The false belief systems that we’ve been given have caused us to look at life in a very limited way. The key to freedom is in knowing that you have been given these false beliefs. If you perceive the world as an inanimate object and something impersonal- that’s what you will experience. If you perceive it as a magical place ….a divine being whom you love and have oneness with, then that’s what you’ll experience.”

If we want to reawaken to our magic, if we want to live life on purpose and with passion,
then it is our responsibility to manage our own consciousness without seeing it through the eyes of the Tribe.

Like a child, the first step is to be inquisitive. Start asking questions again. Except this time, ask your inner self. Write you questions down if you like and post them all over your house, in your car, at work. Maybe the first question is: “what do I need to know to awaken to my purpose and passion?” Or maybe you have another question that is burning inside of you. Do this for a month….. and let me know when your magic appears!