Finding your magic

Find your magic in the small, everyday things that we often take for granted. By Lisa Lohmann

It was a dreamy summer morning when I went to the park for a run. After finishing, tired and content, I sat down to meditate in the early morning sun.

At some point I noticed something tickling me. It was a little insect climbing up my arm. I was about to brush it away, when I stopped. Instead of using my finger to forcefully flick it as far away as possible, I held my finger to it and it peacefully climbed onto it. I held it closer to examine it. It looked back at me with its tiny green eyes, resting happily on my finger with its silver wings folded neatly on its back. In this moment, with the sun reflecting in shiny patterns on its fragile wings, I noticed that it was unique and beautiful. The moment my eyes locked with these tiny eyes, it was a truly magical experience.

At times, the world we live in may seem dull and uninspiring. We very easily get pulled into the flow of our day-to-day habits. The loud alarm clock, the morning coffee to wake up, the stuffy trip on the tube. The air-conditioned office, the same tired faces, the same Monday morning reports. On these days, life seems monotonous, numb and even boring. It feels like we are running on an endless hamster wheel. Moving, but only in circles.

If you are like me, you may have asked yourself: Where is the magic in this world?

I believe that magic is born out of compassion and kindness. Compassion is the complete recognition that you are no different than other living beings on this world. This simply means that whatever is going on in another being's mind is very similar to what is going on in yours. This is true not only for those who we love, but also those who we dislike, those who we think don't like us, or for little green flies. Because, in the end, we all have the same goal: to be happy and avoid pain or fear.

My wise friend once said: “Give to the universe and the universe will give ten times back.”

This is a simple rule that can go both ways. “Send out love and honesty and you will receive this back in so many shapes and forms,” he explained to me. “But send out hate and anger, and this will have the same effect.”

Next time, when life feels dull and uninspiring, I would recommend testing this powerful trick in your own life. Smile at someone on your way to the shop. Tell your colleague that you thought he did really well in that presentation. Take that piece of cake home, because you know your roommate loves brownies. Tell the person you had a conflict with that you didn't mean to hurt him. And maybe wish the cleaners a lovely evening on your way out of the office.

Compassion helps us to see that both negative or positive actions, as small as they are, can have a tremendous impact on other people’s lives. Don’t we all just want to be loved and appreciated and treated with honesty and respect?

We are all together on the same journey that we call life. And because we are all connected, the love that you share with the world will come back to you. Not following the rules of direct reciprocity. It will come in unexpected, little magical moments.

Because we are all unique, everyone has their own special understanding of magic.

For me, magic lies in the little colourful dancing patterns that the coffee oil creates on the coffee. When the first sun rays of the morning touch your skin. Watching the skyline of London vanish in the rain on a summer night. Or the energising feeling of inspiration you get when someone shares a beautiful thought with you.

Magic is everywhere, we only have to recognise it. When we start opening our eyes to the little miracles that the world puts in our way, I am sure that magic will look back at us. Maybe even through tiny green eyes.