Everyday Magick

     One of the most powerful magick spells any person can cast, Wiccan or not, is similar to this:

"I thank the Divine for one more day of life on earth and all that entails. Today I when I see need I step forward to fulfill it. I turn myself outward to be a Divine instrument of peace. By the powerful graciousness of the Divine, so mote this be!"

     Jesus is quoted as saying, "Whatsoever you do to the least of your brethren, you do unto Me." Native American traditional belief likens the world to a giant spiderweb. Whatever happens on one part of the web, reverberates throughout the entire web. Kindness and courtesy reverberate in such a way.

     When we bring our awareness to the world, we notice a mother with a stroller struggling to open the door to a store and we hold it open. We notice an elderly person standing on the bus or subway and we offer our seat. We notice someone on the sidewalk looking lost or confused and offer directions to the desired destination. We simply say hello to the people we encounter. We acknowledge they exist. We acknowledge they are the same as us. You will notice a change in them. You have instantly transformed their day. You have worked the best kind of magick. 

The Deja Vu of Gratitude

     Ever notice that when someone says thank you for something, almost immediately some other good comes to that person? And s/he expresses gratitude again. Living in a continuous state of gratitude sets the stage for a continuous state of receiving more. Each time something good happens, the recipient has the feeling this has happened before. It has.

Paranormal Dances With Wolves

     While on vacation this week I made a practise of grabbing my Buddhist prayer beads and going for an open-eyed meditative walk along the Hudson River. The beads are much like the rosary of my Catholic youth in that they track the correct number of repetitions of prayers. In the Buddhist tradition those repetitions total one hundred eight, the number of earthly desires to be overcome. Interestingly, 108 is also considered to be 'the joy giver.' At any rate, I gave myself physical, mental and spiritual exercise to begin the day.

     Yesterday morning, I had the sensation of Sheena, my wolf spirit guide, walking with me. Hers is a special energy that comes in time of need either to focus or soothe. Odd that she would come with me for a morning walk on a perfect Autumn day. As I approached a woman with her dog, I received validation of Sheena's presence. The woman didn't have her dog on his lead until she spotted me. She then moved to clip it to the dog's collar, but she didn't follow through. Her black Labrador went on point. He watched as I walked closer and passed by him, but he wasn't looking at me. His point of focus was about mid-thigh height and a couple feet out from me, exactly where I knew Sheena was. The woman was looking there, too. Their body language and facial expressions made it clear they saw Sheena. 

     When I returned home and began going through emails and news articles, there was an item about a study about the difference between dogs and wolves. Given what had just happened I was intrigued. The study demonstrated that wolves were the more independent acting, but more trustworthy pets in aggressive situations.

     Not that I want to go out looking for a pack of timber wolves to befriend, but I am fascinated by wolf behavior; always have been. Sheena's energy was alarming when I first encountered it, but I've learned to appreciate her. If she were to manifest as a creature in this time and space I might be really apprehensive at first, but what a companion she could be!

'From The Mouths Of Babes"

     While taking the NYC subway the other day, I was standing across from a young woman and her little girl. The girl looked to be around three or maybe four years old. She was kneeling on the seat so she could look at the window. When the train stopped at a station, this young mind posed a very interesting question: 'Mommy, what if the train is staying still and the stations are passing by us?'

     Philosophers and physicists have written volumes on the concept of time and here was a little girl positing the same question. I smiled at the hope that civilization is not lost, nor heading to 'hell in a hand basket.' There are brilliant new minds on the horizon!

Let Me Go (warning: contains adult situations)

     Sebastian was alert to synchronicity enough to understand the meaning of all green lights from Ursula’s home in the Quarter to his home in the Garden District. The Universe was telling him to go for it; being with CJ was  the right thing to do. His reverie ended when CJ stopped in front of Sebastian’s house.
     “Aren’t you coming in?”
     “Do you want me to?”
     “Of course I do, but you shouldn’t park here. Go around the corner. There’s a driveway off the alley. You car will be safer there.”
     “And out of the neighbors’ sight, Sebastian?”
     “You’re crazy, boy! Just drive around the corner and park in my driveway like you’re told,” Sebastian joked.
     “Yessir, Mister Stephens,” CJ replied with a military salute. He then followed directions and turned off the engine.
     “We can go in through the garden. It’s one of my favorite rooms of the house,” Sebastian explained as he opened the gate in the wooden privacy fence for his guest. “I always leave the garden lights on while I’m in town. I relish the ethereal ambience of the night garden.”
     “I see what you mean, Sebastian. It is quite beautiful.”
     We can sit outside for a while if you want to.”
     “Beautiful as it is, I think we better go indoors.”
     “The only thing about coming in this way is that we enter the house through the kitchen. I hope you don’t mind. We can, of course, walk around the side of the house and go in from the front, if you prefer.”
     “This is fine, Sebastian. I can go in from the back; no problem.”
     “You’re a lot like you aunt, you know that?”
     “I don’t follow you.”
     “Nevermind.”
     “Hey, whats with this zigzag cut in the lawn here?”
     “I’ve never known. Whatever it was happened when I was living in New York after college. They never did find out any reason for it. Sometimes with heavy due, it catches the light and looks like it’s portal to somewhere I don’t want to go. Let’s go inside.”
     Sebastian unlocked the door and turned on lights as prepared to lead  the way through the house.  
     “Would you like the deluxe tour, or would you prefer to just go upstairs and save the rest of this for morning?”
     CJ flashed a wicked smile. “How long’s the tour?” he inquired.
     “About three hours,” Sebastian answered. “There are a lot of things to see. Each and every item has a story.”
     “I’m getting sleepy,” CJ countered. “Would you mind if we postponed to tomorrow sometime?”
     “Not at all. Tired, Old man?”
     “Just of standing when I could be laying down next to you.”
     “Then let’s get you upstairs and tucked in,” Sebastian playfully replied and swatted CJ’s behind.
CJ grabbed Sebastian’s wrist. “So you wanna play rough? I had you figured for candle light and soft music.”
     Sebastian laughed. “I had you pegged for a bottom, so what do you think of that Mr. Leatherneck?”
     “I’ll show you who’s a bottom,” and CJ scooped Sebastian up in his arms, kissed him fully and deeply on the mouth and headed upstairs.
     One door was ajar, revealing soft light inside. The bed was turned down as though waiting to be occupied.  “CJ, put me down, please.”
     “On the bed?’
     “No. Just put me down.
     Sebastian entered the room with a good degree of hesitation. The lamps had been adjusted to their present glow by the rheostat control. “What’s the matter, Sebastian?” CJ asked.
     “Nothing. It’s just this isn’t the right room for tonight.”
He glanced into the mirrored door on the chifferobe. Standing shirtless and barefoot in a pair of jeans was Sean, his lover who was recently killed in New York. When he saw Sebastian had company, he place his hands on  his hips in disappointment. Before CJ had a chance to notice, Sebastian turned off the lights using the switch by the door and gently pushed CJ out into the hall.
     “I think we’ll be more comfortable over here.” Sebastian turned on the light and slowly walked into the room. Just as he remembered, there were no mirrors in this room. He turned on the light in the adjoing bathroom. And turned the water on in the shower. “I think I need a shower before I go to bed,” Sebastian explained. “Care to join me?”
     CJ did not need to be asked twice. He immediately pulled off his sweater and started to unbutton Sebastian’s shirt, kissing him playfully as he went along. Belts were unbuckled at the same time and pants were down. The two were soon under spraying water and soap lather, touching and rubbing, becoming familiar. Their fingers and hands memorized crevices and ripples of muscle patches and sinew with the sensitive intensity of the blind. Aware, too, of patches of hair and the different textures of it, following its trails. Where lather rinsed away, there was also tasting, kissing and biting. Stallions testing each other, habituating.
     Drying off was subtle and tender. “Great towels, Sebastian.” Each paying attention to dry every centimeter of the other man’s body.
     “Leave them on the floor,” Sebastian instructed as he took CJ hand to lead him back into the bedroom. He pulled the bedspread off and rolled it before casually tossing it into a plush upholstered chair in the corner of the room. CJ then pulled Sebastian down to the bed, on top of the sheet and pinned him on his back. They continued to kiss, occasionally biting a lip, nuzzling into a necks and nipping at an earlobe. Their entire bodies were heated and wet. This time from perspiration. Their members were engorged and throbbing, aching for release.
     Sebastian caught enough breath to gasp, “In the nightstand drawer.” CJ required no further explanation and reached for a condom and slipped it on. Instantly, CJ was exactly where he wanted to be. He rested Sebastian’s legs over his shoulders and began to move his own hips in long, slow thrusts.
     Sebastian inhaled sharply but softly. The only sound he made other than sighs of satisfaction. Still conjoined, CJ rounded his shoulder so that he could take Sebastian’s penis in his mouth. Just the warmth of CJ’s mouth sent shivers up Sebastian’s spine. Couple with the slow strokes elsewhere sent Sebastian into rapture. He whimpered his pleasure. CJ picked up the pace and soon they climaxed at the same time. —Another omen Sebastian would remember.
     CJ laid on top of Sebastian, holding him in his arms and in the afterglow of their passion. After a few minutes he went to the bathroom where he took care of the used condom. He returned to the bed with a warm damp washcloth for Sebastian, cleaning him with the masculine tenderness of a lion for his cub. As far as Sebastian was concerned this pretty much sealed the deal.
     Suddenly, they heard breaking glass. Sebastian jumped up and with CJ close behind, they rushed to the other bedroom. Sebastian didn’t really need to turn on the light to know what had happened. Splinters of mirror reflected the moonlight. CJ reached in and turned on the light. The mirror in the chifferobe had shattered, exploded really, sending splinters all over the room.
     “What the fuck happened, Sebastian?”
     Sebastian looked at the remaining chunks of mirror still in situ. He saw bare feet pointed at him and could imagine the rest of the imagine. “I can’t imagine why this happened, CJ, but let’s just close the door on it for tonight. I’ll get someone in here to clean this up and replace the mirror in the morning.”
     Sebastian turned off the light, closed the door and walked back to the bedroom he and CJ had just vacated.
     “Do you want me to stay with you, Sebastian?”
     “I was counting on it, Big Guy.  Let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow’s now going to be a bigger day than I thought.”
     They got back into bed, under the sheet this time, from opposite sides. They met in the middle in a perfect spoon position. CJ draped his arm over Sebastian. CJ was powerfully built and Sebastian loved the feel of his arm holding him. He wished he felt safe. He knew neither of them were.

from the upcoming novel Jokers and One-Eyed Jacks
copyright 2013 M. Daniel Nickle

Deja Vu 1984

     In 1949 George Orwell's novel 1984 was a futuristic depiction of a world in perpetual war, inescapable government surveillance, and public mind control. He created an international world ruled by the Inner Party Elite. A group who didn't let facts get in the way of agenda. History was re-written to support policy and doctrine. The new media was slanted to promote and protect the good of the people. Truth be damned. Food production followed strict guidelines under the guise of a true friend of government, like Monsanto for example.

     Words and terms coined by Mr. Orwell have become standard in today's lexicon. Do Big Brother, doublethink, Newspeak, memory hole ring any bells?

     The year 1984 is now history, but Orwell's novel was still listed as number 8 in the 2003 BBC survey The Big Read. This means that for a good number of people, the conditions Orwell wrote about are deja vu experiences in today's world. Perhaps Orwell wasn't the writer of fiction we have always supposed. Perhaps he was actually a time travelling reporter who endeavored to warn us. 

Magical Living

     Magical living is living fully aware in the moment. It requires openness and patience. Unlike it's cousin magical thinking, there is no regret, no what if's. 

     I was given a reminder of this today. I visited a showroom to which I have applied for positions twice with no result. The second time there was almost a result. Two different people in the company left voicemail messages for me. When I returned their calls, I also ended up leaving voicemail messages. In one, I said I would call again the next morning. I followed through and once again left a voicemail message. My calls were never returned and that was that. Almost. The loss of interest after my calls nagged at me. This company has again posted a position open, but I didn't respond to it this time. Instead, this time I visited the showroom. This time my question to the Universe as to why I didn't get further into the interview process was answered.

     Everything about the place was grey and beige. Lifeless. I encountered two employees. One asked if I was looking for anything in particular. I wasn't. The follow-up was the usual non-professional instruction to let me know if you have any questions. The second employee was sitting at a different table with a laptop. He never looked up to acknowledge my presence by saying hello. 

     The decision to not proceed with an interview I now know was the correct one. I get excited about what I'm selling. I like to engage people in conversation, to learn about them. I would certainly think someone working in a small showroom without any form of security would be interesting in anyone entering the premises. That would be in the recesses of my mind, but foremost to me would be the thought that here is someone new to talk to. I say the decision made about me was the correct one because, I would not thrive in such an environment as it is. I could make several suggestions for improving the atmosphere there which in itself would create more business. I'll save my ideas, however, for fertile ground.

     The thing about magical living it that things happen. Magical people get magical results. Nothing paranormal here. It's just how things work.

     

Memory Study Yields Interesting Implications

     I recently read about a study on memory and it's triggers. It seems that forgetting what we were going to do when we walked into a new room, isn't a memory lapse. It turns out movement between rooms is a memory trigger. Passing through that threshold tells the brain that one activity has ended and a new one is about to begin. That's why retracing our steps helps us to recall our intention. Brilliant!

     Could this also apply to past and future lives? Could not the soul recognize the passing out of one existence into another the same way? Do butterflies remember their lives as a caterpillar? Why would they? Been there, done that, moving on seems to be right on so many levels. If only we could remember to learn the lesson, forget the hurt, and move on. For everything else we have Karma to loop us around.

Releasing My Inner Pitbull

     The dream scenario last night was a house, a cottage actually, on a large tract of land. I lived here with my female pitbull Dolly. It was early morning and I opened the door so Dolly could go out on her rounds. Whenever I didn't go out with her, rounds usually only took fifteen or twenty minutes. While she checked things out the outdoors, I sat down to my computer with a cup of coffee to check my inbox. When I returned to the kitchen for a second cup, I realized Dolly was still out and about. I grabbed a jacket and went out to find her. Dolly always came when I called, but there was no sight or sound of her. Concern was struggling to not morph into panic.

     I came to the woods at the edge of the property and called for Dolly again. This time I heard whimpering. I climbed over the split-rail fence and ran into the forest. Before long I came to a clearing and found Dolly. I called her and she sang out her joy at seeing me, but she remained sitting in place thumping her tail and pawing the ground. Someone had chained her to a stake!

     I ran up to her and immediately tried to disconnect the chain, first from her and then from the stake. She needed to be freed by whatever means. Nothing would budge. Dolly got quiet and that's when I heard snarling and teeth clacking. I turned to see a pack of wild dogs and a man who appeared to be their master. He looked as vicious as the dogs. I asked for his help, but he just laughed. "Who do you think staked her out in the first place? She's going to entertain my boys here for a while. You can watch or join in, but I'd advise you to step back."

     Dolly was going to die a terrible death. I began once again to try to release the collar or the chain that held Dolly. I prayed to Hecate, the goddess who rules with three dogs at her side. Nearby, I heard more growling, snarling and teeth clacking. However, this time it wasn't from the wild dogs but I couldn't see any dogs other than them and Dolly. The wild dogs charged, the man laughed, and Dolly growled in a voice I had never heard before. The wild dogs were hit in mid-air and fell to the ground. Suddenly Dolly was free and charged at the pack. The man had stopped laughing and was now running with his dogs away from us as hard as possible. I called Dolly back to me. She stopped. Looked back at me and then back to the fleeing man with his dogs. She decided to let them go, and came lolloping into my arms. I held her tight and rubbed her back as she smothered me with kisses. 

     In the distance there came a bright light, a man's desperate yell, the wails of scared dogs. Silence.

     

     Lesson: We are never without help. We are never in dire circumstances that cannot change. Bullies don't win unless we allow them.

     My personal take-away: someday when I am able to adopt a pitbull to share my home, I'm going to name her Dolly.

Insidious Creatures

     This weekend's U.S. box office figures report the film Insidious brought in $41M. Clearly the American public enjoys a good scare. Unfortunately for some, fear becomes a way of life that often results in death. 

     Cyber bullying continues to claim the lives of young people. A young girl in Florida jumped to her death after a year of abuse from fifteen female schoolmates. Other haters quickly took to Twitter to condemn the new Miss America because she is Indian decent. What's the point? Did they expect her to give up her crown?  The truth is there really isn't a point. 

     I call them the 'poison mushroom people.' PMP have prefered the anonymity of the internet to spew their poisonous spores, but the laws are changing. Like mushrooms, they can be found and identified.

     Why are these people to infused with hatred? Why do their victims consume these deadly fungi? There is a line in the film Perks of Being A Wallflower that says, "We accept the love we think we deserve." Why do people despise themselves so much that they act so maliciously toward someone else? Why can't the targets simply dismiss the messages as the b.s. they are, even in the presence of loving and supportive parents and families? This type of behavior is not a prank. Life is not a movie. Hate is not a good scare.       

     The why and wherefore comprises an insidious mystery to me, but all mysteries can be solved eventually. We owe it to the victims to expose and hold accountable the ugliness of bullying while helping the bullies to detox themselves. 

     

     

The Dreamer Dreams The Solution

     The other night during a storm the router supplied by the internet provider blew out. I found a better one in my price range and attempted to install it on my laptops and iPhone. I say attempted because the set page seemed to be on a continuous loop of 'error.' The sign-in and password previously used were only for the router I replaced. Nothing was working except my nerves. Since I have taken vacation time from work so I can write and hopefully finish my current novel, as well as tending to some personal issues, nerves were fraying. I finally decided to let it go. 

     When I went to sleep, I saw the solution to my dilemma in my dream. On waking I gathered the information I would need to provide to the cable company providing internet access and called tech support. As I saw in the dream, the problem wasn't with the new router, or even with me. The modem was only programmed for the land-line phone service. The former router was the only apparatus programmed for the internet. he man in tech support said he could transfer the internet access to the modem, but it would take a few minutes.  That was that. I am once again connected to the virtual world. I have internet, phone, and cellular service that is much faster than with the former router. Because I dreamed. Because I made a point to remember the dream and follow through. Once again dreams came to my rescue. I am happy. I am grateful. How can it get any better than this?

Night Vision

     Footfalls behind him alerted him to being followed. The streets were empty. Chain link fence caught blown newspapers and trellised weeds. Few buildings, fewer windows with glass intact offered no chance to catch a reflected glance behind. Instinctively keys took their place between fingers curled into a fist. Movement through the dappled shadows he wasn't even certain at first he saw materialized into a jaguar. Sleek and purring like a speedboat, she was there one second and gone the next. The industrial chime of chain link punctuated with a thud or a moan, or both. He kept moving, but the footfalls ceased. 

     When he turned to look there was nothing to see. No human. No wildcat. All he could see was what he had walked by moments ago. 

     

Out of Back-To-School Chaos Comes Delight

     While doing errands this afternoon, I happened upon an elementary school social to welcome parents and children back to school. Nice. Except for one thing. The party wasn't inside or even on the playground. It was on the city sidewalk. There were various vendors there including an ice cream truck, two different ladies with their refrigerated carts selling flavored ices, along with a couple other vendors. The scene was a tangle of adults and children. I couldn't tell which child belonged with which adult. I couldn't even distinguish a parent from a teacher from a stranger who had no business being there. There was a single disinterested police officer standing at the outer edge of the sidewalk. Anyone could have posed as any adult role model and the group would have been hard pressed to make any identifications later had they proved necessary, and that includes the cop who wasn't watching anything that was happening.
     What a perfect time for a pedophile to infiltrate. He could pose as a teacher to the children and a parent or two. He could be a parent to a couple of the teachers. When everybody is happy and having a good time, it's easy for a stranger to learn a few names. To present one's self to a disorganized crowd as someone who loves being around children is ridiculously easy. Nothing was going to happen today. Today was for surveillance. To see where the vulnerabilities are. To become familiar. To plant a few seeds. 
     Crimes against children are the results of a waiting game. The is no rush. The pedophile has nine months before summer vacation roles around again. In the meantime, there are other plays to make. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas. Holidays where the kids from underprivileged or broken homes will feel left out, sad, lonely. An adult who understands and gives them candy, little presents, attention will be a hero. 
     The game has begun. The children don't know they're the prize and the parents don't even know they're competing. The best thing parents can to is to be present and attentive to their children. Put the phone down when the child is trying to talk to them. If the child has reason to believe he is the most important person in his/her parents' life, there will be no attraction to a stranger who tells the child s/he is special.
     As the Turkish novelist Elif Shafak wrote, "One thing in the Universe is the answer to something else."
     Synchronicity like people can be manipulated.

The Elephant God

     Leaves shaking, not just rustling. Twigs and branches snapping like bread sticks. The noise was so loud the entire jungle was being ripped asunder. The young man sprang from his pallet on the floor of the house on stilts to discover the source of the commotion and to evacuate if need be. Just the vibration of the sound already shook the structure. He looked out of the window in time to see a magnificent snow white elephant emerge into the clearing. The elephant wore a glittering golden and jewelled headpiece. The elephant trumpeted his arrival as though he were calling the young man who now stood in the doorway of his house. The elephant walked up to the house and knelt down. The young man started down the ladder, but the elephant raised his mighty trunk as a stairs for him. The young man cautiously stepped onto the trunk, carefully moving toward the elephant's enormous head. At this point the elephant pushed him onto the place on elephant's neck where he could sit comfortably as the great elephant carried him away through the jungle.

     Even though the young man had meditated and prayed to Ganesha to rescue him, he never expected his mantras to be fulfilled in such a dramatic way. He gave thanks and asked how it could get better than this. The elephant trumpeted again, and began to gallop.

Moments of Gold and Flashes of Light

     Looking into a mirror in the dark, old lovers come waltzing into reflection. One-two-three-one-two-three. The soundtrack of favorite songs peppered with the lyrics of words spoken in the moment. Words of love. Words of anger. Final word. Good-bye. Music fades to a single, plaintive saxophone.
     He gazes at the coffin. He can't believe it's finally over. The love and laughter, the anger. What was all the drama about? Oh, yes. The playback, reversed. The ending is the beginning so that people that pushed each other away now embrace, love passionately. They kiss sweetly then move away shyly. Awkward once again not knowing what to say or how to act. Forgetfulness is the blessing that edits out everything except those moments of gold when lightning struck. Elemental changes occurred in them both.
     

Daniel and Dreams

     My namesake, Daniel, of the Old Testament was an interpreter of dreams. The son of wealthy Jews, he was sent to Babylon for his education. After interpreting dreams for several people, Daniel found his way into the Royal Court because of his special talent. The Queen sent for him when she awoke to find strange writing on her bedroom walls. After all, if he understood the messages sent through dreams from the Other World, certainly he could decipher this mysterious message. Turns out the Archangel Gabriel had been busy overnight. Daniel read the writing on the wall and translated the message for her. The King was going to die in battle that day.

     Last week I replaced the RAM in my Mac notebook and the computer died. All of my efforts to comply with the message "You need to reset your computer failed." I was at a loss because all of my writing notes, the writing platform I use for my novels, everything is on that Mac. I was facing a $199 service fee to have it checked out and repaired. Not an easy surprise in my already tight budget, but a necessary expense.

     Yesterday I repaired the problem and the computer is working better than ever. You see, I dreamed about the problem and discovered the solution. I pay close attention to my dreams whether they are simply entertaining or problem solving.

     Weeks ago I dreamed I had the winning lottery numbers. For once, the dream was vivid enough that I recalled the numbers upon waking and wrote them down. I'm still playing them. Still waiting for my big win. Sometimes dreams come true, sometimes they are reflections of wishful thinking. However, it pays to be attentive either way.

Voice in the Night

     "How can it get any better than this?" he learned to ask.

     The man standing in shadows at the foot of his bed grinned and whispered, "Wait and see."

The Synchronicity of Gratitude

     We all appreciate someone saying thank you for a gift we have given or a favor done. When the receiver doesn't acknowledge our efforts, we can feel taken for granted or not good enough. Sad.

     Meister Eckhart is quoted as saying thank you is the only prayer people need to learn. Thank you is certainly a powerful phrase. Not only does it make the giver feel worthy, but it also motivates him or her to want to give more. Think about a time when you spent time and money to give a  gift to someone and that person never said a word of appreciation about it. Your thought was probably something on the order, "That's the last time I go out of my way for her (him)."

     I recently watched a YouTube video of a Lilou Mace interview with Dr. Dain Heer. The take-away from this interview for me was a reminder to always say thank you to the Divine, the Universe, whatever name you use for your Source and to follow it with a question: How can it get any better than this? The Divine or the Universe as no choice but to answer the question. The answer will come in the form of a greater blessing. I'm not suggesting that we use an expression of gratitude as a means of manipulation. All I'm saying is there is a synchronicity between giving and getting. It's called Gratitude.