I'm particularly fond of books like The Secret, along with its precursor, Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting--both which use practical exercises to convince us (skeptics) that we really are being looked after, loved, and taken care of.
And that we really are cosmic magnets who can manifest anything we want.
Recently, I ran across another similar set of books by Pam Grout, and was instantly hooked. I wanted to try some of the exercises she outlines because it's fun AND because I'm skeptical by nature.
A bit of back story: it is not lost on me that magic happens to me all the time. Really. In many different forms, since I was a kid. It's comical sometimes because my "luck" and good fortune are very prolific.
You'd think I'd be a seasoned believer by now, but I'm not.
Sadly, I remain a skeptic about getting things that I really, really want. I receive free coffee and win raffles so often that they no longer surprise me.
But when it comes to what I long for, can I count on receiving those things, too?
In E-cubed, Grout shared a story about running around a large city with her daughter, leaving five dollar bills for people to find. She then challenged her readers to do the same, AND to expect some form of universal response within 72 hours.
So at the end of my vacation last week, I took her up on the challenge.
On March 7th, I posted this on Facebook:
"I paid it forward today and was privileged to see the results. I was nearly in tears watching how it lit up her face; how she took a picture of her surprise; and how she kept staring and smiling. I was thrilled she had no idea who it was from."
The weird part is, I'd been led by my intuition to pay it forward to that particular empty seat. And when a woman sat down, she was told by the guy in charge that she was in the wrong seat. Undeterred, she said she'd been told to sit there by another personnel member.
Funny how magic works.
A mere 3 days later, I posted this:
"Money has been floating around me for weeks: free hotel stays; rebate checks in the mail; a hefty raise at work; gifts of coffee, a ferry ride, and Tony Robbins tickets; and a tax return that is just enough to pay off some debt!"
Do I think there is a correlation between paying it forward and receiving so much in return? You bet I do!
And do you know what the most surprising thing is?
Much of this monetary reward happened in just ONE WEEK!
And here's another piece of magic to add:
When I purchased Pam's first book of the series, E-squared, I kept its sequel on my Amazon wish list to purchase at a later date.
Last week when I visited a used book store on an island that is only accessible by ferry, the first book I saw was a brand-new copy of E-cubed. It was sitting on the shelf in such a way that it was impossible for me not to spot it. The clincher? It cost just 8 bucks!
You guys, this is what magic looks like.
It feels like a giddy high.
And if often seems impossible.
But it is oh, sooooo fun to play!
Do you recognize magic when it happens?
Be on the look-out for it, because it's everywhere. You just have to be open to the possibility that it's real.
Then expect it to show up in some mysterious fashion. I say "mysterious" because it rarely shows up how we think it ought to.
I could've expected blessings in the form of bills; what I received was a big cosmic payback in the form of experiences, treats, dates, discounts, fun, and yes, some cash, too!
If you don't believe me, try paying it forward with a kind gesture, a free coffee, or anything you feel compelled to offer.
Then watch your life explode with a magical high-five!