Harry Potter Has Nothing On Us ©

Have you noticed how hard we strive to look better, to make more money, and to get ahead? Who decided we had fallen behind? No wonder millions of people are on Prozac, 50% of our marriages fail, and road rage has become a common phenomenon. We push so hard to “be somebody,” we forget the magic of being ourselves.

For some of us, the blush of youth is gone and the settling of mid life has affected our bodies as well as our moods. Where has the magic gone? Might we be trying to recapture the rapture of youth with the gleam of money, the shine of status, the glow of buff bodies? The other day I had the pleasure of looking into the lively eyes of a precious baby girl. Her eyes beamed brightly without apology or self-consciousness. She was totally present and being completely herself. She reminded me of the comment that babies are fresh from heaven. She wasn’t worried about how she looked or whether she would be a butcher, a baker, or a candlestick maker.

The bliss of being fully ourselves can be recaptured, though not through external gratification—it is uncovered within our ageless parts. Within one’s heart and soul is a divine intuitive power that when released feels quite magical.

On June 22st, once again we were mesmerized with Harry Potter and his latest adventure with the Order of the Phoenix when he discoverd hidden magical powers that successfully overcome dark forces. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had the magic of Harry Potter! In fact, each of us is born with a wise intuitive voice that accesses powers beyond our human senses. When we know how to access our Inner Magician, Harry Potter doesn’t have anything on us. We ask or think a question, and the person in line next to us spontaneously offers the answer. We make a wrong turn and discover that the route is actually faster than the one we had planned. We forget a meeting only to be informed later that it was canceled. We’ve all had those kind of days when every detail falls into place magically. There’s a parking space right in front of our destination, we run into the person we’ve been wanting to call, and we feel so good. This is how life was meant to be lived. We don't have to wait for random occurrence, we can nurture these kinds of experiences. How? You ask? By nurturing ourselves.

I know because a few years ago I discovered that although I had spent 25 years as a psychotherapist helping people find themselves, somewhere along the way I had lost touch with my special magic. I had become so busy chasing other’s approval that my inner voice was barely audible. In fact, I had become better at discerning my client’s feelings than my own. It wasn’t until I closed my practice and, with my husband and children, took close to a year-long walkabout in Australia that I remembered my true self. Although we didn’t actually walk the country, we lived the true spirit of a journey in search of one’s self. Living on the other side of the world, unplugged from work, extended family, and America familiar, I truly let myself BE. My travels became a profound pilgrimage to reclaim my passion and playfulness. As T.S. Eliot wrote,

We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time.

So many of us choose to live competitively, We value what we’re doing rather than who we are. We confuse busyness with importance and contemplation with idleness. We look to gurus for answers and long to be identified with the rich and famous. Our decisions are based on the trends and latest news rather than our intuitive knowing about what is uniquely good for us. Because we constantly look outward to others, we can’t help but compare ourselves to everyone else, and there’s always someone out there that can do it better. So we end up feeling “not quite good enough” and strive harder.

Others choose to live creatively intent upon their personal evolution. They understand that just like the toddler learning to walk, we each have an innate drive to thrive and grow. We are born with an intuitive inner compass designed to guide us in perfect directions. When we listen, we find our way. My friend Fran, age 40, followed his heart when he gave up a financially profitable career as a CBS sound professional to fulfill his personal dream to teach children. Last year he was nominated for national recognition as "Teacher of the Year." Dave, similarly, chose happiness when he decided to become a full-time artist after twenty-five years as a city planner. His paintings have won many awards and continue to be a source of great joy for himself and others.

Just as Harry Potter learns to trust his own magic in spite of being an orphan living with relatives who treat him horribly, we, too, can find within ourselves a quiet contentment and an inner sense of certainty which cannot be shaken by outside conditions, whether good or ill. We can find that place where our mind no longer remembers the past with anxiety nor looks into the future with uncertainty. Then, no matter what confronts us, we can be happy—we can feel at home wherever we find ourselves.

Each of us has an Inner Magician, an intuitive voice wise beyond the scope of our human senses that knows the answers to all our questions, but we must be willing to listen. One of the best ways to connect with our Inner Magician is to spend time with ourselves. Meditation is a wonderful way to set aside our cares and anxieties, the obstacles that prevent us from realizing our inner creative potential.

Almost anything that releases your inner splendor will work as meditation. Music, a quiet walk, a candlelight dinner, holding the hand of a loved one, anything that quiets the noise of worry and stress, and unleashes the real you. I have a friend whose meditation is playing tennis. Whenever she is on the court, she sets aside any need to censure or think rationally. She feels free on the tennis court like no where else in her life.

Your intuition can also be heard in silence—where there is only the sound of your own voice. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and exhale slowly as you move your attention inward. Start by taking just 5 minutes each day to stop and notice the beating of your heart. Gently become aware of your feelings in the next moment. You’ll be surprised how easily your true nature makes his or herself known once you slow your pace to create time for contemplation. Listen carefully and you’ll hear your Inner Magician!