Often, we are so distracted by the reality and structures we have created for ourselves, we forget to acknowledge the magic in our lives. Especially now, during this drag of discord and danger, usurping and disunity,  where we love to paint pictures of apocalyptic mayhem. But magic still finds it's way through the dark corners of every great labyrinth. Often, we let it slip past us. Often, we aren't paying attention to the subtleties.

And everyone talks about magic in their own way, right? If you're religious, you may talk about how God works in mysterious ways. We have the chakra system as a visual representation, and can feel the magic of the mind body connection (the psychosomatic connection is a real scientific phenomenon by the way). Hell, even atheists have the magic of math and science, the golden ratio, algorithms galore. If you don't think spinal cords and hip joints are magic, then you must also hate small animals because DAMN THAT EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS IS NUTS.

My favorite kind of magic is the subtle kind. I spend a lot of time making eye contact with strangers and offering a smile. In New York City, this hobby ranges from invigorating and uplifting to quite depressing. A lot of people won't meet my gaze. Others can't seem to manage even the slightest twitch in their mouths (although this could be a lack of time to react we are all busy folks up here). It doesn't feel great to offer something to someone and have it rejected. It feels vulnerable and icky and especially lame because why am I even sad about this random person not smiling or looking at me? Who wants to expose themselves like that in public?

I do. Because there is a special kind of magic in the times that you catch the eye of the right person. I was walking along 40th street the other night and caught the eye of a man who must've been in his late 30s. He was sitting at the window of Le Pain and we locked eyes for maybe 3 seconds. I smiled. He smiled. But those smiles are beyond smiles. It's like two capital s "Selves" tipping their hats to each other through the fleshy vessels of our bodies. Like a deep acknowledgement that we are alive on this planet and we see and honor one another. It's like namaste. "The divine light within me sees and honors the divine light within you." For those 3 seconds, nothing else matters and I can just barely taste the meaning everything.

Now that may seem excessive, but I swear it's the smallest things that can make the biggest impact. That's the kind of existence I want to cultivate. The kind of power I want to manifest. The kind of boundary defying connection that can save the world. It's those moments where I remember we are not our thoughts and our personalities and the things we love and hate about each other. That's when I believe in magic again.

This is not to say that larger action and motivations are not vital! To truly move through this life we have to made plans, execute them, write, create, implement. Magic doesn't manifest without action. Intentions are not enough to affect the world around you, but a little focusing of our powers, the conscious intention of where our power is going is the difference between paving your path and getting lost of the rat race. So what do you want to manifest? Where can you shift your intention to create? Where can we use the magic of connection as fuel, the magic of action to manifest? And perhaps, through these subtle shifts, we can discover our power. Discover our limitless ability to manifest. And maybe we can all believe that we are all witches and wizards after all.