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Mindfulness in Magic and Spirituality

Mindfulness is a subject that is both complex and simple. Trying to explain it often leads to long, over-worded conversations, thereby removing the inherent spirit of the practice. It is a concept that can be hard to grasp, and even harder to do. I will try to give a clear and simple explanation of mindfulness before exploring how it is a wonderful tool for enhancing magic, as well as spiritual and emotional well-being.

Mindfulness is the practice of being completely present in the moment. It is noticing, observing, feeling, and being aware. While being mindful, you release judgement. Mindfulness is doing one thing at a time. One moment for one action. One moment for one thought.

Here is an example of practicing mindfulness: While taking a shower, you feel the water on your skin. You take note of the temperature, the sensation. You watch the steam as it dances in the air. You breathe in the scent of the soap, maybe taste it as a drop sneaks into your mouth. The taste is neither good nor bad. It simply Is. Your thoughts will inevitably begin to run away. Maybe you think of all the tasks you have to do for the day. Now, in your mindful state, you take notice of the fact your mind has wandered, and gently bring yourself back to being present in the sensations and act of showering, without judgement.

Exercises in mindfulness are varied, but always place importance on noticing your breath and noticing any physical sensations. Mindfulness can be practiced with meditation (such as focusing on breathing), visualization (such as imagining floating in a peaceful pond), or by performing an action (such as mindful eating).

Why is Mindfulness Relevant to Witchcraft, Magic, and Spiritual Practice? Mindfulness is useful in regard to magic because it will increase your awareness. You will notice things about yourself that are quiet and subtle. You will be able to experience nature, energy, divine, and magical experiences purely, without judgement. You will be able to navigate through life without being clogged with negative energy - learning to accept unsavory emotions and experiences without being swept away in them.

Mindfulness will bring you in touch with your body. As a host to our mind and spirit, the body is equally important for magical efficacy. Our bodies are our home and our connection with this earth. Our bodies relay information to our mind and spirit through physical sensations such scent, taste, and intuitive sensations to energy around us. They are our vessel for experiencing the physical world. Without it, magic cannot be performed. I ask you now: Can you feel tension in your body? Are your shoulders tight? Your jaw clenched? Do you feel your body touching the surface you are rested on? Do you feel the gravity holding you to the earth? Are there any sensations such as pain or discomfort?

Mindfulness will bring you in touch with your emotions. One thing mindfulness teaches you very quickly is that you are not your emotions. Your emotions are a phenomenon that gives you very important information about you, others, and your experiences - they are not You. You may feel anger, but You are not Anger. Anger is an emotion giving You information about a situation. It may not feel pleasant, but anger is neither good nor bad. It is simply an emotion and nothing more. I ask you now: What emotion do you feel in this moment? Where do you feel this emotion? Is it in your throat, your stomach, your fingers? When you allow yourself to stop and notice your emotions, where they live, and what they feel like you gain insight into yourself. You will surprise yourself with how hard it is to identify your emotions sometimes. And in becoming familiar with the body sensations associated with discrete emotions allow you further mastery of self-awareness.

Mindfulness frees you from judgement. How many times have you performed a spell and immediately began to take inventory of every mistake you made? Glumness about perceived failures in energy work, visualization, divination, astral work, and interacting with the divine are things all witches can relate to. Skepticism and self-doubt may rampage through your mind. Using mindfulness to manage self-judgement is effective. I invite you now: When practicing magic or contacting your deities, if you begin to fret - simply notice your self-judgement. Acknowledge it. Then gently bring your attention back to the task at hand, without judging your judgement.

Ideas for Use of Mindfulness in Magic and Spiritual practice:

If you worship deities, try to practice mindfulness in their presence. Put down the divination tools, resist the urge to communicate, and simply Be. This may seem counter-intuitive or uncomfortable, but that’s okay. Notice the thoughts, emotions, sensations, and phenomenon come and go without holding on to any of it. Do not become swept away in expectation or personal desires. Perhaps you will experience something new when approaching your deities in this way. Maybe they will come through in a new way, as you are now quiet in mind and body.

Being in tune with nature is imperative to most magical paths. Try to take a walk while being mindful. If you cannot walk, or go outside, for whatever reason, follow the trail of your seat, to the floor, to the foundation, right down to the earth. The earth’s solid prescene always there. All things are connected to the earth. Notice how gravity holds you down. Notice how your feet support you, your spine keeps you aloft. Outside, or through a window, feel the cold, whipping winds. Feel the hot, blazing sun. It is neither good nor bad. It simply Is. Notice the animals, vehicles, and weather come and go. Hear. Smell. Taste. What emotions come up for you? Simply notice them, just as you notice the clouds floating in the sky and the breeze on your skin.

Use visualization to cleanse yourself or ground yourself. You can find guided mindfulness practices on youtube that are helpful in this aspect.

When you have an intent for a spell, use mindfulness to help you better understand it. This will help you manifest it. For example, if your intent is to manifest “safety”, meditate on “safety”. What, if anything, does safety taste like? What does it sound like? When you feel safe, where do you feel it in your body? What color is the feeling of safety?

TL;DR Mindfulness is useful in regards to magic because it will increase your awareness. You will notice things about the yourself that are quiet and subtle. You will be able to experience nature, energy, divine, and magical experiences purely, without judgement. You will be able to navigate through life without being clogged with negative energy - learning to accept unsavory emotions and experiences without being swept away in them.

A simple internet search will yield tons and tons more about mindfulness and offer simple guided exercises en masse.

Everyday slay the hungry ghost

It’s been awhile since I made this comic and my mental health has improved a lot, thanks to therapy. I can confidently say now that I am cut out for retail, but it’s definitely not my dream career by any means. But why get caught up in the future when it is possible for me to enjoy right now.

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