IM-practical magic
So, I've got this weird thing with my car stereo. The CD player is highly fickle. Some CDs it plays fine, others it plays sometimes, others it refuses to play entirely. There is no logical pattern. A little more odd is that the time of day seems to influence its willingness to be forgiving. Not the amount of time I've run the engine on a given day - just the time. It likes to play CDs in the afternoon and early evening, and generally will only play the radio first thing in the morning (except for those few *special* CDs that it always likes).
So, anyway.
I've got this one album, by the band Emperor, called "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk." A couple of you know it, others have no idea what I'm talking about. It doesn't matter, just look at the title.
Tonight I confirmed, for the third straight time, that the ONLY time my car will play this CD is if I start it at, or during, sunset. I'm not kidding. I couldn't play it yesterday at 11PM, I've never been able to play it during daylight. I haven't actually tried dawn.
Now, this is magic, no doubt about it. There is no explanation for this synchronicity that doesn't entail reference to the Subjective Universe of the observer (me). It cannot be explained by known physical laws. The only thing the Rationalist side of me can do is say, "ah, it's just a coincidence. The next time you try it, it'll suddenly fail to conform with the apparent pattern." So, OK, magic. I have no problem with that.
But, what *good* does it do me? Not only is it of no value for my Initiation/Coming-Into-Being/personal growth, it doesn't even get me laid or make me any money. It's just pointless, slightly amusing and slightly annoying.
How much of our magical experiences work that way?
So, anyway.
I've got this one album, by the band Emperor, called "Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk." A couple of you know it, others have no idea what I'm talking about. It doesn't matter, just look at the title.
Tonight I confirmed, for the third straight time, that the ONLY time my car will play this CD is if I start it at, or during, sunset. I'm not kidding. I couldn't play it yesterday at 11PM, I've never been able to play it during daylight. I haven't actually tried dawn.
Now, this is magic, no doubt about it. There is no explanation for this synchronicity that doesn't entail reference to the Subjective Universe of the observer (me). It cannot be explained by known physical laws. The only thing the Rationalist side of me can do is say, "ah, it's just a coincidence. The next time you try it, it'll suddenly fail to conform with the apparent pattern." So, OK, magic. I have no problem with that.
But, what *good* does it do me? Not only is it of no value for my Initiation/Coming-Into-Being/personal growth, it doesn't even get me laid or make me any money. It's just pointless, slightly amusing and slightly annoying.
How much of our magical experiences work that way?