Magic

Grandpappy wasn’t given to garish displays of power, but He did pull off some pretty impressive tricks. Water to wine, walking on water, and let’s not forget many healings and a few resurrections (including His own, of course), all testifying to Grandpappy’s considerable skill as a magician.

I realize that many folks might not be comfortable thinking of Grandpappy as a wizard. There are verses in the Bible that aren’t entirely favorable to sorcerers, and yet it surely cannot be denied that, if many of the stories about Grandpappy are considered true, He had some extraordinary abilities. Yet, even some of Grandpappy’s contemporaries regarded His works as Satanic.

So how about it, then? Is magic evil or what?

Of course, I can only speak for myself, but my vote is no and I’ll give you seven reasons why.

First, I can’t think of any good way to avoid the idea that Grandpappy wielded magic, after a fashion anyway. And I don’t think He’d have done that if there was anything wrong with it.

Second, it seems clear to me that magic is part of our universe, and by extension part of human nature. Now, I’m not talking about sparks leaping out of a wand or anything like that. I’m talking mostly about the mystery that is the cloudy center of the feedback loop. The place from whence all creativity emerges. The origin of things like Love and Human Will. The things that create works of art that provoke, invoke, and inspire. The things that create collaborative enterprises that in turn create amazing things. The magic that builds a house for a needy family in two weeks is worth a lot more that the Hollywood magic that, if it was real, could create the same house in a blink of an eye. That’s because there’s an extra measure of magic in things that take sweat and time and human cooperation. And all of this is magic that, in my way of thinking, cannot be seen as anything else but good and beautiful.

Third, I realize Grandpappy was doing things quite a bit different than, say, painting a picture or putting on a play, but I’m convinced that the same source of creativity might be tapped to perform more extraordinary feats if one’s mind can be properly attuned. The strongest reason I have for believing this is really just because I believe it really happened for Grandpappy. And for now, for me, that’s good enough.

Fourth, I believe synchronicity is a real principle that operates in the universe and that it can be used to gain special insight into events that are presently unfolding. When one is attuned to the present moment and everything in it, including the encoded future, a deep intuition can develop that can allow an individual human mind to know things somewhat beyond what can be immediately perceived by the five senses. Divination, rightly used, can assist in this context and do a great service to those who master it.

Fifth, and on the topic of divination, the human mind can use the casting of dice or cards or whatever as a way to hold a mirror up to itself. When posing a particular question, the mind immediately creates a variety of expectations that the apparent randomness of the cast objects challenges. The caster is forced to question her or his taken for granted reality, prejudices and biases. This is a perfectly useful and even therapeutic use of divining tools.

Sixth, over time I’ve realized that the boundary commonly perceived in Western culture between the so-called "real" world and the Otherworld of dreams is, in fact, all but nonexistent. Dreams are more law-abiding than many folks realize, and the rules in the "real" world can be bent more easily than most care to admit. Once people realize this they find that their personal power is much more potent than they originally thought and the resulting creativity and accomplishment is exceptional and, most often, beneficial.

And seventh, history is full of great sages from cultures all over the world who offer similar messages compared to Grandpappy. For their accomplishments, these sages deserve our consideration and respect. And just like with Grandpappy, there is no way to read about their lives and teachings without realizing that magical power dwells in every human being, and that this magical power is important to acknowledge and tap if one has any hope of making the world a better place.

Magic is simply the power of the human mind to reason, to choose, and, through the agencies of imagination and intuition, perceive beyond the normal boundaries of space and time. This power makes things happen. Houses are built. Lives are changed. A song heard on the radio rescues someone from the brink of suicide. And sometimes, when the mind is clear and the time is right, even greater miracles than these are wrought. But the miracles that one can see so easily in the rituals of daily living (the kinds of rituals about which Grandpappy drew His most significant and moving parables) should never be ignored.

"Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven," Grandpappy said. But notice you’ll never convince a child that there is no such thing as magic.