Thinking about Magic: Day Dreams Versus Plans

[wolven7]

Thinking about magic, tonight, and the abstract concept, versus the concrete understanding. Had a conversation with drgnsyr, earlier, and she brought up the idea that dwelling in a fantastic, imaginal version of what you want, can be construed as saying "I've given Up On This Reality." Now, this conversation wasn't directly in regards to magic, but I'm thinking about the fact that I've found, when I lay out specifically what I Want, and the steps I'm going to take, to get it, I perform those steps, and I attain my goal (at least, when the majority of the steps of acquisition are under my control).

But if I talk about a thing, especially something that requires the action and input of others, it falls apart, and comes to nothing, more often than not. In those situations, I find it's best to simply Do, Talk, Write, conceive of whatever it is, and then let the other pieces fall in line, or not. Saying to the universe, "I want money, give it to me, because I want it, oh how I want it, and things will be so much easier when I'm rich, I'll be able to do this, that and the other things," is to fall into the dream of wealth, without the will and desire to attain it. This is different from saying to yourself, "We want to have wealth, and the ability to do These things; primarily, we want to do These Things, but wealth seems the way to get there, so what steps do we take to attain wealth?" The latter puts you into the space of planning, and creating an atmosphere wherein those around you are constantly engaged with someone who knows their goals.

It is the difference between wistfully pinning for something, and actually taking the steps you can to attain it.

If you can't think of the individual steps you need, maybe it's better not to get too mentally specific about your end result. Maybe that's how you get bogged down in the fantasy, without ever actually figuring out how to make it a reality. Maybe that's a mind-trap, right there. But if you know the steps, know what you can do, then lay them out, and do them. Don't wait for other people, don't vacillate, just do what you can, discuss and work with whomever has the drive and is available and the next steps should become more and more clear. Then lay them out, and do them. Eventually, it becomes habit. It becomes integrated, as What You Do, and everything will simply... Work.

Or it won't, but you'll be better able to more quickly assess its not working, and why, and set to fixing it.

Until then, work, day to [day], make choices, have conversations, clarify postitions, refine understandings, and move forward, one step at a time, while planning for as many variations on as many steps as you possibly can...

The idea should be acknowledged, and worked toward, in thought and action. The plan should be clear, and readily performed. The fantasy-- the idea or dream, without a plan-- shouldn't be dwelt in, unless all hope for the reality of the idea is lost. Even then, let it go, and move on.

I'm going to have to re-read this, first to make sure I'm not just spewing bullshit and then, if not, to engrain it into my mind...

Comments

[unknownbinaries.livejournal.com]

Saying to the universe, "I want money, give it to me, because I want it, oh how I want it, and things will be so much easier when I'm rich, I'll be able to do this, that and the other things," is to fall into the dream of wealth, without the will and desire to attain it.

This is why I try not to wish for things, or didn't for a while. The context and nuance seems to be shifting for me, but it used to be that 'wish' implied impossibility, something out of reach, something that would *have* to magically show up, out of the blue, to happen.

[wolven.livejournal.com]

That is a very important nuance, actually. I use wishes to put my intentions out into the world, and to remind myself of what I'm working toward... And if some random magical assistance were to happen, I wouldn't turn it Down.