There was a time when we celebrated the moon and the stars, but those things were discarded long ago as primitive and outdated. We no longer celebrate the moon, but our conquest of it. We no longer celebrate the stars in the sky, but merely man-made ones. In the West, we placed ourselves in the centre of everything, creating a world that is artificial, monotone, devoid of colour and meaning. 

We are all in search of magic – the Harry Potter craze that has taken over the world in the last two decades is proof of it. How can we bring magic back into our lives?  

RITUALS

• Waking up early is one of those rituals that never fail to make even the most devoted sleeper happy. That enchanting morning light – a new day cracking out of its opaque shell, the fresh smell of a new beginning on its way, are crucial for a life of magic.

• Self-care – both physical and spiritual – is a good way to kickstart the day with the gods on your side. www.gaia.com, which I like to refer to as “spiritual Netflix,” has everything from yoga to online lectures on alchemy and Deepak Chopra’s 21-Day Abundance program that can be found online is a great (and free) way to invite abundance in and start your meditation practice. 

• Having a nook at home or a go-to cafe every morning to read a few pages is generally an important part of creating magic, laying the groundwork, a safety net, for new experiences.

• Light those candles daily for a 1001 nights feel at home. 

• Birthdays and anniversaries are there to be celebrated. Celebrate not only others but first and foremost, yourself! If you have nothing special to celebrate, find or create reasons! Thousands of festivals are celebrated across India each year. They are life’s punctuation marks.

• Certain rituals, such as the Indian tradition of hanging a bell on your doorstep to ward off evil spirits or the Turkish tradition of pouring lead over a blanket against the evil eye have their roots in Shamanistic tradition, and are backed by thousands of years of belief, which alone confers them power. Why not make it a tradition to try different cultures’ rituals to punctuate your life? 

CHROMATHERAPY

The effects of UV and IR lights are known to us. Paradoxically, we are not always aware of the less tangible effects of the visible part of the colour spectrum. Each colour has a different wavelength and accordingly, a unique impact. Wearing red not only makes us feel strong, bold and fiery, it also attracts love and passion. Blue is soothing and relieves tension. Green brings harmony. Even if you love black, think Cuba or India – or Audrey (“Think Pink!”) Whatever you are looking for in your life, find the adequate colour and surround yourself with it until you vibrate with it – in other words, fake it until you make it – and get what you have tuned into!

Music and Dance

Music and dance are inherent parts of human nature in that they predate the written word. Since then, we have somehow given too much importance to the mind. Indigenous tribes still practice music and dance as a routine. Certain cultures closer to home have kept their traditions too: the Greeks dance the sirtaki and sing together in large assemblies at supper; in Latin America, dancing is not reserved to nights out, parties and festivities, it is part of daily life, practiced in big cities’ parks as early as 8AM in the morning. Singing doesn’t have to be reserved for the shower and dancing is a great workout. Mens sana in corpore sano! 

Spices and essential oils

Eastern populations know it best, different spices and essential oils have unique properties and they can add that dollop of magic you seek to your food with their pungent taste, or to your room, with their captivating scent.  

For instance, black pepper, cumin and ginger are known to be good for digestion and for removing toxins; cinnamon helps regulate blood sugar and cardamom prevents food cravings while maca and saffron are believed to be aphrodisiacs.

Lavender oil helps you sleep, peppermint is cooling, eucalyptus helps you breathe, sandalwood is cell renewing, vetiver can be used as an aphrodisiac. 

Art: LITERATURE, FILM AND painting

This list is by no means exhaustive, just a couple of suggestions for a little bit of magic, from the more mainstream to the geekier ones.

1. Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling; did you know the storyline is fully based on alchemical principles? 

2. Lord of The Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien, for a reunion with the shire and Frodo’s epic adventure with the ring.

3. I Dreamed of Africa by Kuki Gallmann, for the power of premonitions and breathtaking depictions of African scenery.

4. A Fortune-Teller Told Me by Tiziano Terzani, for a journey through the Far East and its fortune-tellers. 

5. Froth on the Daydream by Boris Vian, for multiple moons dancing across the living room, pink clouds enveloping lovers, a shrinking house and pet mice.

6. The Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins, to explain to you why the beet, Rasputin’s favourite, is the most intense of vegetables and the quest to eternal life.

7. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov, for witches flying naked on broomsticks by a lake in a moonlit sky, a talking cat and Satan’s Midnight Ball.

8. Alcools by Apollinaire for the poetry of modern life, fairies with green hair and laughter breaking like a shard of glass.  

9. Beauty and the Beast by Jean Cocteau for its enchanting imagery by a true artist who did everything from writing and directing films, to painting.

10. Wings of Desire by Wim Wenders, to remind you of the importance of smelling and tasting coffee, and feeling love. 

Paintings  

The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch – while it might be difficult to visit the breathtaking Prado museum at the moment, it is possible to visit the following website for an interactive in-depth viewing and analysis of the masterpiece: https://archief.ntr.nl/tuinderlusten/en.html. 

So rise early, light those candles, surround yourself with art, colour and spices, sing and dance for 1001 days… and nights. 

EXPLORE YOUR MAGIC POWERS

By Bolka Basaran (fortune teller)