Real Magic and the Tao.

Is there such a thing as magic? I believe the answer is yes – but to understand that answer you have to ask and consider what I mean by the word: magic.

When encountering any abstract word it is best to recall why Lewis Carroll had Humpty Dumpty say concerning words – “When I use a word it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less. The question is which is to be the master – that’s all.” [Chapter VI of Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll, 1872] It is important to realize that Humpty said he chooses what the word means. Thus to understand someone’ else’s words you can not automatically assume that what you think the word means is a match for what the speaker thinks the word means – they are the master of their words – consciously and/or subconsciously. You should not assume your meaning is accurate for true communication and mutual understanding. In the end – ask for clarification.

Thus, when I said there is real magic – I was first thinking of stage magicians and their elaborate sleight of hand illusions. That is clearly one form of magic that is real.

But the more interesting form of magic I believe in is the ability to bend probabilities to obtain significant results. I believe that real magic is defined through synchronicity. Synchronicity is a term coined by Carl Jung to refer to "temporally coincident occurrences of acausal events.”- It is a significant or meaningful event arising without direct cause. Real magic is being in the right place at the right time and being there more often.

How does this work? To use the metaphor of Taoism I believe that there is order and structure to the cosmos. To align oneself to that flow of order and structure is the secret ‘cause’ of synchronicity. There are 2 modalities to do this. At one end of the continuum is the Magician at the other end is the Mystic.

The Magician through directed will creates a center of ‘gravity’ which brings the flow of the Tao towards her/him. The act of will is a form of energy which when sustained and maintained translates in a held pattern that has the ability to attract results – meaningful and significant events will occur.

The Mystic transforms her/him-self to attunement with the cosmos. The Mystic connects with the Tao by bringing about the attitude of harmony with oneself, with others and thus with the cosmos at large. This act of being in harmony results in finding one flowing with the cosmos and thus finding meaningful and significant events unfolding around her/him.

Both the Mystic and the Magician will find that unexpected invitations are dancing lessons from the Divine. That unexpectedly the cosmos will provide meaningful and significant signs that ask to be acknowledge.