A spoonful of Thomas Moore, "natural magic", reading the tea leaves

Every once in awhile life, the path, what is lived as 'normal' is blocked, and good health goes on vacation. It happens for every one and is unique for each of us. Some days the changes and challenges are like the common brightly yellow painted speed bump we drive over them slowly or as quickly as we dare; we forge ahead. Other days there is no gas for the car to take us over the rise, and no energy within to attempt one more everyday. "Being without spoons" has been a way for me to describe and accept some of those days when energy both within me and in my vehicle of choice are absent. Have you ever noted, and counted the actual number and variety of literal spoons you have in your kitchen? Maybe on a day when you have little else pressing on my list, you might ... check your spoons.

It's a different sort of day today, lots of rest and walking around without glasses (because the new Progressive lenses are problematic) helped; not working at the computer helped more; and then filling the evening with two fun and funny movies pressed the joy buttons enough while I mixed and baked Spice Cake. Then this morning after a night of amazingly vivid dreams about old friends, houses divided and being in the flow I climbed out of the vardo and pulled up a radio broadcast from the program New Dimensions. Originally broadcast on Sunday, April 20, 2014 this is a conversation between co-founder of New Dimensions Justine Willis Toms and Thomas Moore.  Moore discussed his newest book A Religion of One's Own. 

Listening to this conversation was just the spoonful of common, or natural magic I needed to continue living life as makua o'o, a religion of my own. At one point late in the hour-long program Moore describes his practice of employing 'natural magic' in his personal religion. Moore told his audience about doing his doctoral studies and writing his dissertation, which focused on 'natural magic" of Renaissance Europe; a highly developed practice used throughout culture of that era which we have largely lost. Encouraing the use of techniques within the realm of 'natural magic' Moore said these practices "spark your imagination... and allow you to go to a place where you can explore things that you can't if you stay with your mind." As he described one of his magics, that of reading tea leaves, I felt the settling acceptance of times/days/periods/lifetimes when being without spoons is the natural-est thing in the world. A bee resting for a nanosecond in its incredibly busy life is perhaps, an equivalent to my day(s) without spoons.



Sitting at the screen today, listening to Thomas Moore's discussion, munching on another slice of last night's spice cake, I appreciate the irrational space of mystery and magic that cannot be 'explained.' What can happen is to experience it ... make art of the life that one lives, create a religion for ones' self, be part of the imaged and vacation from the heaviness of ego. The makua o'o, maturing elder-one with a stick, we age/explore/sort/dig so differently yet we are all part of the whole of IT all. One spoon. No spoons. Drawers filled with spoons. A tea cup, and tea leaves. Natural, common magic. Art takes me to the place and spaces where exploration can be imagined. Thank the goddesses.

The New Dimension conversation with Thomas Moore can be heard (for free) until Sunday, May 4, 2014. Click here to listen. (find "New Dimensions" on the playlist at 8:00 AM)