“My Better Day” newsletter contains tips for your yoga practice, yoga quotes to bring yoga off the mat and into your life, affirmations to brighten your day and motivate, and more! It is my wish for your well-being that I send this newsletter to help make your day a Better Day!
As a reminder, in response to my reader’s feedback, as well as my own “2012 Intention” to spend less time glued to the computer, I have shortened the newsletter format by eliminating the “Featured Deck and Quote” section, and changing the timing of my newsletter to every two months versus every month.
I continue to stock and sell one of my absolute favorite decks from local artist, Suzanne Vadnais Monson on my product page!
In this issue: Yoga quote, Practice yoga pose, Meditation on the go, Chakrascope, Hand Mudra, Healthy News, Featured Recipe, Favorite Yoga Music / DVD, Happenings at Better Day Yoga LLC, Final Relaxation Quote.
*By the way–this newsletter is one of the 8 part/posts newsletters. They took quite a bit of time so I began doing single post newsletters after the February/March 2014 newsletter. That being said, if you want all of the posts of one newsletter for the 8 part/posts, please hit the back button to go back to all the posts listed with the newsletter your’re reading. Hope that makes sense!
Namasté,
Sandy Krzyzanowski
Founder, Better Day Yoga LLC
“Create your own magical realities and when truth comes and knocks on your door you can invite her into your enchanted world.” ~ Sweetpea fairy
Growing up, my favorite “magic portal” was behind the big mirrored dresser in my bedroom. For a time, it was at an angle in the corner, creating a magical space behind the dresser to be out of sight, dream, doodle, pray, and just “be”. I’d relish the awe-inspiring trinkets I had placed in a whimsical, Folger’s coffee can. My can had a pink elephant on it and that touched my whimsy and made me smile
I can’t remember what was in the can, but I will always remember that can! Entry into my magic corner was through the opening between the dresser where the seat usually stayed. When no one was looking, I’d crawl underneath the large round mirror and “let the magic begin”! It was my own little world, my own corner, my own magic.
Where was your magic portal? The fort you made with blankets? A walk-in closet? Under the bed? A quiet place in the nearby woods? Perhaps it was a magical attic? (Ahhhh, but my regular readers know I have my own magic attic at Krista Artista’s Gallery where I teach Thursday evenings…asked and answered as to just why this is one of my favorite places. The awe-inspiring trinkets are in this wonderful, whimsical store. The Pied Piper couldn’t have done a better job than Krista has in creating a place to draw you in. Needing some magical trinkets of your own? Inquire within Krista Artista’s!) (This amazing gallery is now closed as I update 2023.)
Why do you think children like to make forts? Why do you think adults remember them fondly? Come on, secretly you still wish for that kind of place to retreat to, don’t you? Perhaps you’ve already created one. Do we ever really “grow up” in the sense that we no longer desire feelings of awe? Are we ever really too old to wonder?
“We do not quit playing because we grow old; we grow old because we quit playing.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes.
“Don’t let an old person move into your body.” ~ Jim Donovan.
If you let go of the desire for awe, please excuse me as I let out a gasp of dismay for you. I guarantee you still feel a magical calling whenever your brand of whimsy presents itself. You may not know just why you enjoyed reading the Harry Potter series, or just why a trip to Disneyland still excites you—albeit “for the kids”, of course. What is it about the sparkles of firecrackers that turn even the sternest among us into a giggling child? Come on—there’s at least one holiday tradition that you can’t live without during the winter months, isn’t there? Why is that? It’s knowing your props, your triggers, that help you create your magic inside. It’s still there you know—your belief in magic.
“When was the last time you had a conversation with the moon? Or made a wish on a falling star? Held hope from a string of delicate things. When was the last time you got lost in an enchanted wood?” ~ A Knock at the door by Angi Sullins and Silas Toball of Duirwaigh, Inc.
Elves have been known to live in the roots of trees
Gooseberry Falls, MN
We all want to clap when asked if we believe in fairies…because it would be so very cool if they existed. Forget about what you currently deem possible to believe. Let that go for the moment. Can you at least admit how very cool it would be? First, let the idea of possibility in—then the magic will feel welcome to manifest.
“For the world is full of zanies and fools who don’t believe in sensible rules and won’t believe what sensible people say. And because these daft and dewey-eyed dopes keep building up impossible hopes impossible things are happening every day! It’s Possible!” ~ Rodgers And Hammerstein Lyrics “ Impossible “
Do you believe in fairies? … If you believe clap your hands. ~ from Peter Pan by James M. Barrie
You may laugh at the mere mention of believing, but it’s in the believing that the magic is allowed to enter. Are you too old to believe? Do you believe magic is only for the young? I guess you get what you believe, then, don’t you?
I’m not young enough to know everything. ~ James M. Barrie
Why is it so much easier to accept the concept of belief allowing creation to make itself manifest when it’s used in business?
“Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right. “ ~ Henry Ford
Why not simply be curious enough to know you don’t know everything and believe anything’s possible?
“You’ll see it when you believe it.” ~ Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
“There is nothing that cannot happen today.” ~ Mark Twain
There are numerous “magic mirror portals” featured in books and movies. Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised mine was behind a mirror. There are also numerous uses of cloaks, capes, garments, and jewelry to create their own magic—be it a disappearing act, or a “presto change-o” character-switch to one with more power. Try listening to this song without crying…and nodding in approval…It’s about a boy and his magic cape.
He’s one of those who knows that life is just a leap of faith. Spread your arms and hold your breath, and always trust your cape” ~ Eric Bibb
What is your particular brand of magic? How easily do you open up to it? If you keep putting up walls to something energetically, it will stop trying to reach you. Release to it. Quit fighting it. Why not believe in magic? Why not believe wishes can be made on stars and fairies are always there when you look for them? There are those who believe that magic happens to the extent and in the form you’ll most accept. Sounds like a good tactic. What are you open to?
We call them faerie. We don’t believe in them. Our loss. ~ Charles de Lint
Many people don’t believe in faeries, but if you look real close they’re always there. ~ Torlila
Perhaps all you need are some props like you had as a child. What is a child’s fort if not an adult’s ice house, tent, cabin, fishing boat, garden or meditation corner? Maybe the garden is your favorite place because you sense the quiet energy there, and it feeds your spirit. Maybe the workshop in the garage relaxes you because you’re allowed to create whatever you want, whenever you want. There’s magic in energy, in creating, in being in a relaxed space where you are open to receive. There’s magic in imagining.
Image credit: valentinadesign
Original & Inspirational Art by artist Valentina Ramos
www.etsy.com/listing/58424412/everything-you-can-imagine-is-real-green
It can be as simple as a magic carpet…My husband and I make it a ritual to hug each morning on the carpet by the sink as the water brews for the coffee. I started calling it our “magic carpet”. Pretty soon, whenever I wanted to conjure up a magical moment, I’d step on that magic carpet with an expectant gaze; and obligingly, my husband would provide the missing ingredient—a hug. There’s absolutely no place else I’d rather be. Before you start to smirk, may I counter by reminding you that my magic is mine—and believe me, hugging my husband of almost 29 years (as of 2023 it will be 40 years. <3) with a romance that grows every single day is magic. Defining the carpet as “our spot” to let the magic in and release to it is our brand of magic. What’s yours? What can you use as your “prop”?
Once in awhile, right in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale. ~ Author Unknown
Foolish, you say? Do you think we actually need the carpet to hug? Of course not! But do you think having the carpet as the instigator helps create the magic? The answer is a resounding “yes”! A batch of playfulness helps as well. Laughter attracts magic in countless ways.
Why is a “prop” to create your own magic any different than a prop used in plays or movies to create a more believable scene? If it helps you believe, it helps create the magic, right? Think about it. What is the definition of a placebo if not the deep belief that you’re able to heal with it? This generates the pharmaceuticals needed by your body to heal. It isn’t a hoax…it’s a healing. Those that say “it’s all in your mind” like it’s a bad thing aren’t getting it. Are they? Yes! It is all in your mind! Your mind is where the healing begins! Your mind is also where the magic begins!
“…only as long as you do not understand, is it a secret. And, indeed, do not all mysteries and miracles only appear so, in so far as we may not understand how they arise or occur?” ~Yoga Nidra: A Meditative Practice for Deep Relaxation and Healing, by Richard Miller.
One of my friends sent me a fairy door for Christmas. Yes, you heard me—a fairy door. It’s an immediate whimsy-instigator. A fairy door (a magic portal to the world of the wee folk)… All I have to do is look at it and know like I know like I know there’s something magical waiting to make its presence known, one of these times, when I open that door. There’s magic in expecting.
Attached to the fairy door is a note which reads: “I’m just a simple Fairy Door. No promises I make. But if in fact a Fairy comes, she’ll know this is her place.” Inside it says “Fair Door Enchantment Ideas: Hide small trinkets and treasures like a shell, feather, shiny stone or pennies in your Fairy Door to encourage Fairies and imagination. Fairy Doors are usually placed in an out of sight or secret place.” Now, doesn’t that describe to a “T” my magic portal behind the mirrored dresser—right down to the trinkets and treasures? And doesn’t that totally substantiate my suggestion to let the magic know when and where it is welcome?
Here are some suggestions from last year’s March newsletter for allowing magic in:
So are you open to viewing the world a bit outside the box to allow for some magic? Here are some ways to open to the magic, straight from Ted Andrews Enchantment of the Faerie Realm book:
“Laughter is always an open invitation. Wherever stories are being told, those of this realm will usually gather to listen. Simple and sincere music and song are always attractive to those of this realm. These joyful spirits will often gather where children play and in any area in which nature is allowed to grow free—even if only a small section within your own back yard. Wherever there is ceremony, joy and color, these beings will be found.” And a partial list to add to those not covered above to invite their presence into your life:
- Spend time in nature.
- Meditate while sitting under trees around lakes, etc.
- Have plants and flowers inside your house or apartment
- Be cognizant of the abuses of nature and do your part to clean it up and reverence it.
- Involve yourself in some creative activity on a regular basis. You don’t have to be an expert in it, but enjoyment of any creative activity will draw those of the faerie realm.
- Leave an area in your yard to grow wild so that the faeries can play freely.
- Be generous in your dealings with others.
- Keep the child in you alive.
I’ve also read that practicing meditation and yoga weekly, daily if you can, to boost your spirituality and enhance your mind is another way to prepare for the magic. Practicing outside so you can be one with nature is even better.
To all unbelievers still reading, please re-read the list above. At the very least you’ll have spent time outside, added meditative moments to your life, created something you enjoy, added friends and spread smiles through your generosity, and giggled more than you used to. If that isn’t creating magic in your own life, I don’t know what is. So what’s so bad about that?
(Full disclosure: Revisit last year’s March post which documents my own fairy sighting…enough said.)
Start a “Coincidence Journal” documenting lucky opportunities and watch the magic multiply! Once you’ve starting writing down your idea of synchronicity, you’ll see—the magic will feel welcome and know you’re open to more. Who doesn’t blossom when they’re noticed?
Still not sure what your particular brand of magic is? When was the last time you went some place for a couple of hours just to be there? THAT is your answer! And if you haven’t experienced wanting to go somewhere just to be there for a couple of hours, then perhaps try slowing your life down a bit once in awhile to let stillness in.
~
Where magic is concerned, there is always an initial decision, an initial willingness to let it enter your life. If that is not there neither is magic. ~ Neil Gaiman
Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it. ~ Roald Dahl
That’s the thing with magic. You’ve got to know it’s still here, all around us, or it just stays invisible for you. ~ Charles de Lint
“If you do not believe in magic, your life will not be magical. Magic, like the power of Stonehenge, is part of the unknowable—that which you cannot describe, but which exists and makes your life extraordinary.” –The Power Deck, The Cards of Wisdom, by Lynn V. Andrews.
~
Now I ask you—do you think a child was able to create the fairy door gift I received, market it, and sell it? Or do you think there are some “in the know” grown-ups out there who believe in the magic? Remember a grown-up bought it and gave it to me…although jury’s out as to whether I’m growing up. Think that fairy tales are for the naïve and foolish and not for intelligent people?
“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” ~ Albert Einstein
You decide which type of adult you want to be—the kind that doesn’t let the magic in, or the type that fosters it every chance they can get! Don’t worry if you’re already grown-up and didn’t have the opportunity to indulge in fairy tales as a child. There’s still time!
It’s never too late to have a happy childhood. ~ Tom Robbins
Some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. ~ C. S. Lewis
Look at your life through the eyes of the child you used to be—full of wonder and curiosity and unscathed by preconceived notions. Daily routines and stress can squeeze the spontaneity right out of you. Keeping your nose to the grindstone and never looking up to notice the subtleties of life will choke your inner child’s magic.
Was there a movie, play, or song you enjoyed as a child that made you feel that anything—even magic—was possible? Perhaps it was a place, or a costume. (For more on the magic of costumes and other outward props, take a peek at my October 20ll newsletter). Perhaps there’s a magical character you loved as a child? They’re still waiting!
Statue of Merlin in Sedona, AZ
Revisit past joys. I can’t watch The Lion King, Darby O’ Gill and the Little People, Miracle on 34th Street, Brigadoon, The Wizard of Oz, or Cinderella without letting the magic in; and I can’t go for a swing in the park with eyes closed and not feel like the world is my oyster!
So gather your particular brand of props, and realign your beliefs to allow for possibility. Just approach the idea for now if it seems a bit over the top. First you have to approach, then you allow, then you believe; and suddenly, you won’t remember why you didn’t believe your whole life. “Magic?” you’ll ask. “Why of course I believe in magic, it’s only logical, isn’t it?”
If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it. ~Albert Einstein
“Logic only gives man what he needs… Magic gives him what he wants.” ~ Tom Robbins
Science is a way of talking about the universe in words that bind it to a common reality. Magic is a method of talking to the universe in words that it cannot ignore. ~ Neil Gaiman
Reach for the stars!
Image Credit: Author Gilles Tran & Jaime Vives Piqueres
