Yesterday I went to the gym and while I walked, I listened
to a conversation on “Magic as Radical Embedding in our Web of Relations”
between David Abram and Sophie Strand.
They were talking about a kind of magic that is completely natural and
yet perhaps on a deeper level than we are normally conscious of. They proposed that we can shift our
perspective and become aware that this earthly world is constantly presenting
us with opportunities to see and interact with it… that magic can be found through inter-species
collaboration and by becoming radically embedded in the ecosystems of life.
I continued listening in the car on the way home from the gym. As I pulled into the driveway, Sophie was
mentioning that even the act of walking on the body of the earth can activate unseen
worlds of mycelial fungi and that our presence has the capability of being
medicine to the world. They both then
told stories of their own experiences of magical encounters with the animal
kingdom.
The podcast ended as I sat in the driveway and it inspired me. When I stepped out of the car, I had the urge
to walk on the earth and to visit the little Buddha statue that’s tucked in the
garden. As I approached it, I noticed
something incredible. A vine of ivy crossed
the Buddha’s chest. And coming off the
vine were tiny tendrils that reached out to connect to the Buddha’s heart. They appeared like miniature stethoscopes
listening to his chest. I paused and
smiled.
Some might say, “It’s just a sucker from the ivy…no big deal.” Some might also say, “You’re a sucker if you
think that means anything.” But I view
it quite differently. I say “I am a
sucker for finding magic and joy in this world.” Choosing this perception is a small, subtle
act. But I believe recognizing these
small synchronicities in our lives is a profound way of connecting to life…a
way of touching and listening to the very heart of the world.
