Focus and Direct Energy:

Focusing and directing energy is a basic principle of magic. That’s exactly what you do when you make a phone call. You are sending your intent via waves of electricity going through copper wires. In some cases you are using pulses of light going through fiber optics. But in either case, you are directing energy exactly where you choose.

Bells:

Many use bells in magic to project energy through sound waves. Why not use the ringing of a telephone? When you call someone, you fill their home with the ringing of a bell. This could easily be used to send someone a house blessing. In fact, with their permission, you can “attach” virtually any kind of blessing to your phone call. A simple wake-up call could be a wish for a good day; a call to a sick friend could direct healing energies. You are limited only by your imagination!

Answering Machines:

Many spells involve “charging” an item, or storing energy within something to accomplish a specific purpose. Is this storage of energy all that different from recording sounds on a cassette tape? When an answering machine stores a message, it can also store the magical energy someone wishes to attach to their message. Callers are creating a charm of sorts. Ever sense something out of the ordinary before you play back a message? When a caller leaves their voice on your machine, they are charging a physical, tangible item located within your home with a bit of their energy. When you play the message, the energy is released. You can use this in several positive magical ways. For example, the message becomes a bit of that person, so it enables you to better touch them magically, the way a possession or piece of clothing would. You can also use your own message greeting as a protective device, stored within your machine to safeguard your home from incoming negativity.

Color:

Magic in color? Phones come in many colors. Own more than one phone? Which of the phones in your home best fits your intent for that specific call? Perhaps the red one? The white one? Another aspect of color in phone magic are the four colored wires that all phones use: black, yellow, red, green. Now that you know this, try using them to suit your need. Which one works best for you?

Cords:

Some people use cords in magic; they believe its knots & tangles store energy. Why not the phone cord? You could wrap it around an object you use in the spell. Or you could recognize the knots and tangles in your phone cord as a part of your own daily life. Over the course of the days, little by little, the cord slowly took its twisted shape. As you untangle the cord, you can untangle the tensions or knots in your own life.

Sympathetic Magic:

Is there a person you want to (literally) hang up on? Just disconnect them from your life? See this as a magical event the next time you slam down the phone!

Crystals, Gems and Metals in Magic:

Phone wire is made of copper. Its circuitry is made of tiny silicon chips; silicon is a mineral found naturally as a common stone, like quartz. Properties of these items can easily be found in magical reference books. How are these metals and minerals special? How do they work for you?

Numbers:

Some people use the magic within numbers. What could be more personal than your phone number? While many people share your birthday or your age — your area code/phone number is never, ever, duplicated anywhere in the world! It is truly unique. You can even interpret a phone number as a means of divination. Does your spell involve a person? Use their phone number. Does it involve a place? Use its area code. Have a magical name or special magical word? You can now pick your own vanity number, using the new “500″ area code, available for as little as three dollars per month.

Cordless and Cellular Phones:

Many use a wand or athame to direct the energy they send forth. Is this any different than the way an antenna works for a transmitter? For a receiver? A cordless phone fills the air with waves of energy radiating throughout your entire home. Cellular phone waves go for miles! Why not use their energy release as a means to carry your intent?

A Personal Touch:

Many use personal items to help in magic (like a lock of hair, a bit of clothing or photo) as a means to help their magic reach another person. The person’s unique essence left within this item helps become an addressing mechanism to aim the intent of the spell directly at that person. This “address” helps direct your energy, like a blood hound hot with the scent! Why not have the person you are working with on the phone during the spell? A phone conversation is actually a two-way exchange of energy. Use their essence this way.

Linkage to All

The phone network is the perfect analogy to how all things in the universe are connected and interwoven. It is a physical link connecting you to others. When you hold your phone in your hand, you touch your neighbor — whether next door or around the world — through a physical link of telephone cables, usually made of copper. Recognize this connection and use it to enhance your magic. (You may even notice that one major “Telephone & Telegraph” company even uses a logo that shows a round blue symbol of the Earth — entirely linked by lines of communication.)

Other “Ordinary” Household Items:

A very accurate definition of magic calls it “things not understood by science — yet.” Remember that magic doesn’t necessarily exclude the things that are understood, things that you touch everyday. Now that you see the phone in a new way, what other everyday items in your home can be magical tools? Can you see the pilot of your stove or furnace as your perpetual candle flame? Can pondering your electrical outlet help link you to new sources of energy? Can the hot and cold knobs on your faucet help you understand balance between opposites? Again, you are limited only by your imagination!

***

author bio:

Link (Anthony)

6538 Collins Avenue,

#255 Miami Beach, FL 33141

USA

AnthLink@aol.com

People often ask me why I chose the name Link. One important lesson for me this time around is to understand how all things "interconnect" — like noodles in the same cosmic broth. (Okay, I also wanted a really simple name that would not raise eye-brows in a mundane setting. Something like RunningBuffaloMoonFeather just doesn’t fit me…)

Most of my writing focuses on how ordinary parts of everyday life can be sacred and magical. Being ordinary makes them no less special! I try to erase the lines that separate spirituality from the rest of life. I don’t spend too much time in elaborate ritual, but rather see nearly every action as a magical event, from slicing an apple to licking an envelope. I often encourage readers to not blindly follow traditional spoon-fed teachings, but to discover what feels right for themselves, and for the moment. The most important Book we could ever find is written deep within ourselves, and within nature — and every day we turn a new page!

I grew up in a small suburban NJ town, the youngest child of two hard-working parents. I survived 12 years of Catholic school, which helped shape my "everyday" spiritual views (With the nuns of Saint Mary’s School, everything was a religious experience – from lunch to recess to taking tests and doing homework.) While I shed much of what I learned there, I think a few things stuck.

I began learning about alternative religion, divination and magic in the mid-1970′s, but did not really become active in the Craft until 1993 (what I call reaching "Spiritual Puberty"). My first teacher was a dear friend and neighbor, a Gardnerian 3rd Degree, who was killed in a car accident in 1984. (Great guy, lousy driver…) In 1993 I became a member of a small Tradition with only a few members spread out around the US. This gave me the opportunity to spend time with/learn from elders well-recognized in the Community. I have also been a member of Covenant of the Goddess, Pagan Federation International, Earth Spirit, Circle Network, Free Spirit Alliance, Pagan Federation International and ADF. I am legally certified as clergy with both Covenant of the Goddess and ULC (for whatever that means). My work has been published in many places throughout the US, plus Canada, England, Ireland, Holland and Australia.

Jobwise, I have worked for/with large international telecommunications companies since 1984. (Again, a lesson in how things connect…) I hold a bachelors degree in Communications/Journalism, and a masters degree in business and government policy. I moved from New Jersey to Miami Beach, Florida on August 1, 2001 and enjoy Miami’s internationally diverse culture, with a Latin spice!

Fun? I enjoy good food and good wine, bad humor, camping, gardening, traveling, almost anything Brazilian, the Ocean, SciFi, and sleeping late at least once a week.     

     Psychic power. We use it every day. We cause things to happen; we shape events with our mind. We can do this, because every thought is a prayer.      

     

     Thoughts are a powerful form of energy. They are very real and very potent. Look for their energy not just in deep meditation or altered states of mind, but any time! In fact, your life is more likely to be shaped by what goes through your mind during your daily shower, than during meditation.      

     

     When we first discover magic and spirituality, we tend to clearly define when we are "doing it" and when we are not. We draw nice little lines that clearly separate religion from the rest of our thoughts and deeds. "Now I’m in Circle." (But afterwards, we’re not?) "Now I’m working magic." (But otherwise our actions are merely mundane?) Over time, we might erase those lines and discover that we are always in Circle; we are always working magic! Erasing the dividers between religion and the rest of your life makes even simple events special — and very, very powerful.      

     

     If you believe in the power of positive thinking, you can see that thoughts and words have real significance. Phrases like "with my luck" usually tend to focus on how we might fail. They actually add energy to the failure side of the equation. Sometimes we even begin planning what we’ll do after this failure occurs. And thus, the possibility of failure becomes more real.      

     

     A very basic magical technique involves discussing what you want as if it has already happened. Think about what you will do now that you already have your new job, your good health, your happy mate. Doing so adds energy to the side of the equation that brings you success.      

     

     Remember that other people’s thoughts are just as real as your own. When you hope for the best, tell someone who will sincerely hope along with you. This person becomes a sort of magical partner, adding their own energy to your wish. Your magical wishes are like great big balloons, filled with energy from your thoughts and deeds. Someone supportive helps fill your magical balloons by adding not just energy, but very tangible aid such as wise advice, experience, networking contacts, or other tools they might offer to help you succeed. Often magic occurs through truly ordinary actions. But choose wisely who you confide in. Your loving family might truly want to see you succeed, but would your jealous co-workers? This is one valid basis for magical secrecy. Some help fill your balloons, while others might poke leaks.      

     

     Do you believe in visualization? Is the apple in your mind as real as the apple in your fruit basket? If you can conceive it, and believe it, then you truly can achieve it! Visualization isn’t limited to some complex yoga-style ritual. It can be as simple as making an analogy in conversation, because an analogy is like a canvass — it helps people see the picture you are trying to paint with your words. Visualization can also be a simple daydream before you climb out of bed. In fact, what we do during that crucial snooze alarm period may set the tone for the rest of the day. Ever hear a song from your clock radio that sticks in your head all day? Can the same principal apply to other forms of thought energy besides music?      

     

     Be careful what you visualize. If every thought is a prayer, then what happens when you spend time thinking about crime and war and hate and violence? Now multiply the thoughts of one person times millions — all visualizing the same thing at the same time. Sound powerful? Well, I’ve just described what happens each day when America watches the six o’clock news! Mass media helps millions to all visualize a common image. And what does TV news tend to dwell on — the happy, or the sad aspects of life? (Perhaps in some cases, ignorance truly is bliss.)      We often say that Divinity resides within ourselves. If so, then when we talk to ourselves, we talk to the Divine. Living your everyday life is like having a constant conversation with the Goddess and God. Within your own mind, within your own heart, every thought is a prayer.

     

***

author bio:

Link (Anthony)

6538 Collins Avenue,

#255 Miami Beach, FL 33141

USA

AnthLink@aol.com

People often ask me why I chose the name Link. One important lesson for me this time around is to understand how all things "interconnect" — like noodles in the same cosmic broth. (Okay, I also wanted a really simple name that would not raise eye-brows in a mundane setting. Something like RunningBuffaloMoonFeather just doesn’t fit me…)

Most of my writing focuses on how ordinary parts of everyday life can be sacred and magical. Being ordinary makes them no less special! I try to erase the lines that separate spirituality from the rest of life. I don’t spend too much time in elaborate ritual, but rather see nearly every action as a magical event, from slicing an apple to licking an envelope. I often encourage readers to not blindly follow traditional spoon-fed teachings, but to discover what feels right for themselves, and for the moment. The most important Book we could ever find is written deep within ourselves, and within nature — and every day we turn a new page!

I grew up in a small suburban NJ town, the youngest child of two hard-working parents. I survived 12 years of Catholic school, which helped shape my "everyday" spiritual views (With the nuns of Saint Mary’s School, everything was a religious experience – from lunch to recess to taking tests and doing homework.) While I shed much of what I learned there, I think a few things stuck.

I began learning about alternative religion, divination and magic in the mid-1970′s, but did not really become active in the Craft until 1993 (what I call reaching "Spiritual Puberty"). My first teacher was a dear friend and neighbor, a Gardnerian 3rd Degree, who was killed in a car accident in 1984. (Great guy, lousy driver…) In 1993 I became a member of a small Tradition with only a few members spread out around the US. This gave me the opportunity to spend time with/learn from elders well-recognized in the Community. I have also been a member of Covenant of the Goddess, Pagan Federation International, Earth Spirit, Circle Network, Free Spirit Alliance, Pagan Federation International and ADF. I am legally certified as clergy with both Covenant of the Goddess and ULC (for whatever that means). My work has been published in many places throughout the US, plus Canada, England, Ireland, Holland and Australia.

Jobwise, I have worked for/with large international telecommunications companies since 1984. (Again, a lesson in how things connect…) I hold a bachelors degree in Communications/Journalism, and a masters degree in business and government policy. I moved from New Jersey to Miami Beach, Florida on August 1, 2001 and enjoy Miami’s internationally diverse culture, with a Latin spice!

Fun? I enjoy good food and good wine, bad humor, camping, gardening, traveling, almost anything Brazilian, the Ocean, SciFi, and sleeping late at least once a week.     

Air, so free inside of me

Fire higher, ignite your son

Water Daughter, the Circle is one

Spirit makes all four alive

Spirit makes the elements five!

***

author bio:

Link (Anthony)
6538 Collins Avenue,
#255 Miami Beach, FL 33141
USA

AnthLink@aol.com

People often ask me why I chose the name Link. One important lesson for me this time around is to understand how all things “interconnect” — like noodles in the same cosmic broth. (Okay, I also wanted a really simple name that would not raise eye-brows in a mundane setting. Something like RunningBuffaloMoonFeather just doesn’t fit me…)

Most of my writing focuses on how ordinary parts of everyday life can be sacred and magical. Being ordinary makes them no less special! I try to erase the lines that separate spirituality from the rest of life. I don’t spend too much time in elaborate ritual, but rather see nearly every action as a magical event, from slicing an apple to licking an envelope. I often encourage readers to not blindly follow traditional spoon-fed teachings, but to discover what feels right for themselves, and for the moment. The most important Book we could ever find is written deep within ourselves, and within nature — and every day we turn a new page!

I grew up in a small suburban NJ town, the youngest child of two hard-working parents. I survived 12 years of Catholic school, which helped shape my “everyday” spiritual views (With the nuns of Saint Mary’s School, everything was a religious experience – from lunch to recess to taking tests and doing homework.) While I shed much of what I learned there, I think a few things stuck.

I began learning about alternative religion, divination and magic in the mid-1970′s, but did not really become active in the Craft until 1993 (what I call reaching “Spiritual Puberty”). My first teacher was a dear friend and neighbor, a Gardnerian 3rd Degree, who was killed in a car accident in 1984. (Great guy, lousy driver…) In 1993 I became a member of a small Tradition with only a few members spread out around the US. This gave me the opportunity to spend time with/learn from elders well-recognized in the Community. I have also been a member of Covenant of the Goddess, Pagan Federation International, Earth Spirit, Circle Network, Free Spirit Alliance, Pagan Federation International and ADF. I am legally certified as clergy with both Covenant of the Goddess and ULC (for whatever that means). My work has been published in many places throughout the US, plus Canada, England, Ireland, Holland and Australia.

Jobwise, I have worked for/with large international telecommunications companies since 1984. (Again, a lesson in how things connect…) I hold a bachelors degree in Communications/Journalism, and a masters degree in business and government policy. I moved from New Jersey to Miami Beach, Florida on August 1, 2001 and enjoy Miami’s internationally diverse culture, with a Latin spice!

Fun? I enjoy good food and good wine, bad humor, camping, gardening, traveling, almost anything Brazilian, the Ocean, SciFi, and sleeping late at least once a week.

Most money spells commonly involve a person’s wish to RECEIVE money. But what about the opposite? Can you attach and focus magical energy within the money you SPEND, so that it can aid and bless others?

Let’s suppose that money is not a tangible object; it is energy. Magic often involves gathering, focusing and releasing energy to achieve a specific purpose. Is that any different than earning, saving, and then spending money? When you spend, you transmit a bit of energy in a certain direction. You decide where it goes, whether to Place A or to Place B, to Purpose A or to Purpose B. You create change — and that can be magic!

Perhaps we instinctively are aware of the energy within the money we give to others. For example, it is common for local businesses to hang up the first few dollar bills they earn as “good luck” charms. Some bills even have personal handwritten notes penned with good wishes by the merchant’s friends and supporters. But early forms of money weren’t dollar bills. Early forms of money were metal coins. Today we have a special word for coins; we call them “change.” Change? Like the way we change the world? What an interesting word for money! And the mathematical symbol for change? The Delta, a triangle, the same symbol we use today for the element Fire. Energy. Change. It is no accident that our language shows this relationship. Word histories often show how two things were once related.

While money ITSELF is nothing sacred, be aware of the energy you send when you spend. As you write out your monthly bills, use the energy within it to bless others. See the hard work you do for your wages as a way to raise energy to create positive change for yourself and those you support.

Even the “monthly ritual” of paying your bills can be magical. Your phone bill can be a way to bless the loved ones you call each month. Your mortgage or rent can be a house blessing. How else can you direct energy through money? Your taxes? Your charitable donations? Your savings or special nest egg? Look for your own personal ways to do this. You are limited only by your imagination.

Rather than spells to GET money, try using money magic as a blessing for others — you may be quite surprised by what you receive in return!

***

author bio:

Link (Anthony)
6538 Collins Avenue,
#255 Miami Beach, FL 33141
USA

AnthLink@aol.com

People often ask me why I chose the name Link. One important lesson for me this time around is to understand how all things “interconnect” — like noodles in the same cosmic broth. (Okay, I also wanted a really simple name that would not raise eye-brows in a mundane setting. Something like RunningBuffaloMoonFeather just doesn’t fit me…)

Most of my writing focuses on how ordinary parts of everyday life can be sacred and magical. Being ordinary makes them no less special! I try to erase the lines that separate spirituality from the rest of life. I don’t spend too much time in elaborate ritual, but rather see nearly every action as a magical event, from slicing an apple to licking an envelope. I often encourage readers to not blindly follow traditional spoon-fed teachings, but to discover what feels right for themselves, and for the moment. The most important Book we could ever find is written deep within ourselves, and within nature — and every day we turn a new page!

I grew up in a small suburban NJ town, the youngest child of two hard-working parents. I survived 12 years of Catholic school, which helped shape my “everyday” spiritual views (With the nuns of Saint Mary’s School, everything was a religious experience – from lunch to recess to taking tests and doing homework.) While I shed much of what I learned there, I think a few things stuck.

I began learning about alternative religion, divination and magic in the mid-1970′s, but did not really become active in the Craft until 1993 (what I call reaching “Spiritual Puberty”). My first teacher was a dear friend and neighbor, a Gardnerian 3rd Degree, who was killed in a car accident in 1984. (Great guy, lousy driver…) In 1993 I became a member of a small Tradition with only a few members spread out around the US. This gave me the opportunity to spend time with/learn from elders well-recognized in the Community. I have also been a member of Covenant of the Goddess, Pagan Federation International, Earth Spirit, Circle Network, Free Spirit Alliance, Pagan Federation International and ADF. I am legally certified as clergy with both Covenant of the Goddess and ULC (for whatever that means). My work has been published in many places throughout the US, plus Canada, England, Ireland, Holland and Australia.

Jobwise, I have worked for/with large international telecommunications companies since 1984. (Again, a lesson in how things connect…) I hold a bachelors degree in Communications/Journalism, and a masters degree in business and government policy. I moved from New Jersey to Miami Beach, Florida on August 1, 2001 and enjoy Miami’s internationally diverse culture, with a Latin spice!

Fun? I enjoy good food and good wine, bad humor, camping, gardening, traveling, almost anything Brazilian, the Ocean, SciFi, and sleeping late at least once a week

Historians and archaeologists uncover bits of ancient lore and share their treasures with us. We love to marvel at something old and rich in years. But while the richness of history gives us valuable perspective, we should not overlook the present. In this way, we learn from the progression we make over time, the flow from yesterday to today. Today, every thing is still just as sacred as it was in days of Old.

Look to your own surroundings and see the sacredness in everyday life. The seasons and cycles still tell us much about the nature of many things. Every year, every moon, and even every single day waxes and wanes in a similar fashion. What do these cycles mean to you personally? How do you mark their special points and midpoints? How do you celebrate them? You may find that even simple events like your morning shower can be a special ritual, marking the beginning of your own “Wheel of the Day.”

The town in which you live is full of sacred sites and shrines! The busy concrete roads you travel every day are sacred. And so are the many crossroads we pass along our path. However trivial they may seem at the time, each of these crossroads and intersections bring us where we need to be. Many roads have names or route numbers; we can address them personally and thank them for our many safe journeys. Remember this the next time you are frustrated in rush-hour traffic or lost on a dark, lonely highway.

Remember how your own neighborhood felt as a child? Every tree or bush or sewer pipe was unique and familiar. As we mature, we need not lose that familiar feeling. Notice the things around you. Take time not just to smell the roses, but to read the billboards and to hear even the noisy commotion all around you. You may find that they speak just as clearly as the rivers, winds and thunder.

Your own home is full of sacred beings! An entire pantheon lives in your pantry! Your kitchen is not just the place you cook; it is a temple for the herbs, fruits and animals which give us life. Each of them is a relic of a bygone life form, with spirit deserving our respect. See each meal as a ritual, a blessed event which brings new life to that which we have harvested. These “food relics” become part of you; they live again through you.

Throughout your home, photos of loved ones can be a shrine to that sacred someone. Perhaps your own family’s Mother Goddess? Or your own beloved Lord of the Wood? A photo captures and stores the light and energy of the moment in which it was taken. Mementos of any special occasion capture a bit of that energy, like the charge within a battery or a charm. Feel it the next time you “release” that energy, as you open an old photo album, uncork that special bottle of wine you’ve been saving, or just open up your favorite junk drawer! Things around your house store bits and pieces of your life. They come into contact with the sound of your voice, the heat from your body, the energy from your thoughts. They hear your most private conversations; they feel your heartbeat race. And just imagine the dreamy stories your pillow could tell. . . No wonder packing and moving all your possessions out of your home is so traumatic. The energy built up little by little over the years is all released in one sudden moving-day whoosh!

Your plumbing and faucet, furnace and electrical wiring, fans and windows, floors beams and walls — are these not the Elements themselves? Do they not combine to give you a fifth, making your house into a home?

And within yourself, many, many sacred things can be found. Every atom of every cell has its nucleus, its center. Within us are many Suns! Our fingers and toes, arms and legs branch like the limbs of any tree. Our tiny capillaries feed larger veins and arteries, no different than rivers or streams helping a drop of rain flow to the ocean. And within our spirit lies the spark of all life, like a pilot light which burns as long as we do.

If we choose to see the sacredness in all things, even the most mundane parts of our lives will become magical. Perhaps someday, thousands of years from now, historians and archaeologists will uncover age-old tales of deities which bless our microwave ovens or look both ways through our aluminum sliding glass doors. Perhaps they will see how we made every day sacred.

***

author bio:

Link (Anthony)
6538 Collins Avenue,
#255 Miami Beach, FL 33141
USA

AnthLink@aol.com

People often ask me why I chose the name Link. One important lesson for me this time around is to understand how all things “interconnect” — like noodles in the same cosmic broth. (Okay, I also wanted a really simple name that would not raise eye-brows in a mundane setting. Something like RunningBuffaloMoonFeather just doesn’t fit me…)

Most of my writing focuses on how ordinary parts of everyday life can be sacred and magical. Being ordinary makes them no less special! I try to erase the lines that separate spirituality from the rest of life. I don’t spend too much time in elaborate ritual, but rather see nearly every action as a magical event, from slicing an apple to licking an envelope. I often encourage readers to not blindly follow traditional spoon-fed teachings, but to discover what feels right for themselves, and for the moment. The most important Book we could ever find is written deep within ourselves, and within nature — and every day we turn a new page!

I grew up in a small suburban NJ town, the youngest child of two hard-working parents. I survived 12 years of Catholic school, which helped shape my “everyday” spiritual views (With the nuns of Saint Mary’s School, everything was a religious experience – from lunch to recess to taking tests and doing homework.) While I shed much of what I learned there, I think a few things stuck.

I began learning about alternative religion, divination and magic in the mid-1970′s, but did not really become active in the Craft until 1993 (what I call reaching “Spiritual Puberty”). My first teacher was a dear friend and neighbor, a Gardnerian 3rd Degree, who was killed in a car accident in 1984. (Great guy, lousy driver…) In 1993 I became a member of a small Tradition with only a few members spread out around the US. This gave me the opportunity to spend time with/learn from elders well-recognized in the Community. I have also been a member of Covenant of the Goddess, Pagan Federation International, Earth Spirit, Circle Network, Free Spirit Alliance, Pagan Federation International and ADF. I am legally certified as clergy with both Covenant of the Goddess and ULC (for whatever that means). My work has been published in many places throughout the US, plus Canada, England, Ireland, Holland and Australia.

Jobwise, I have worked for/with large international telecommunications companies since 1984. (Again, a lesson in how things connect…) I hold a bachelors degree in Communications/Journalism, and a masters degree in business and government policy. I moved from New Jersey to Miami Beach, Florida on August 1, 2001 and enjoy Miami’s internationally diverse culture, with a Latin spice!

Fun? I enjoy good food and good wine, bad humor, camping, gardening, traveling, almost anything Brazilian, the Ocean, SciFi, and sleeping late at least once a week.

     Eventually, every inquisitive child asks the question, "Where did I come from?" Perhaps some, with that same innocence and curiosity, never stop asking this question all through life, all along their Spiritual path. Looking for the answer will help us find the Ancestors within.      

     Deep within us lies a vast fortune of information about who we are and where we came from. As Spirits incarnated into a physical body, we are the product of a chain of events going back farther than we could ever imagine. We can see examples of this chain in everyday life — if we choose to look.      

     Our bodies are each a product of unique genetic chemistry. Our entire family tree contributed to this mix over the years. Perhaps our eye and hair color, height and frame came from our recent Ancestors, like parents or grandparents. But some traits date back for generations, like gifts from Ancestors who were born centuries ago. We carry bits of these Ancestors within us and pass them on to our children, like precious heirlooms.      

     Perhaps the oldest gifts are the most basic. Deep within us lie instincts and primal memories that date back to prehistoric humans. For example, whether fashionable or not, many people still wear animal skins like leather or fur. This attraction to animal skins may stem from ancient memories buried deep within us from a time ages ago when cave-dwelling primitive humans, our Ancestors, wore animal skins as their daily wardrobe. Since humans evolved from other animals, perhaps these innate memories go even deeper, to the animals within all of us, to a time when we ourselves were furry, leathery-skinned creatures. On the evolutionary timeline, animals are our Ancestors and we are their descendants. What lessons can we learn by getting in contact with our inner animal selves? From mating rituals, to defending food and territory, to a mother protecting her young — we are surrounded by the ways of our animal Ancestors.      

     Even more basic, while our own Spirit and Will may give us our burning desire for music, art or mechanics, Nature gave us the arms, legs and fingers with which to play, paint, use tools, climb mountains, build bridges, or just pick apples. These appendages are gifts from Ancestors even older than any animal; within each of us are gifts from plants. Our limbs are genetic descendants of the limbs of trees. What can we learn from these tree Ancestors? We branch because they did so long ago, the way any "family tree" branches outwards. This branching occurs similarly in the limbs above the ground, and the roots below the ground. So, a simple plant can teach us that what happens above can also happen below.      

     And even simpler than the exact tangible form of our bodies, is tangible form itself. We are incarnated in physical form for a reason; it is part of the lesson, an important step in Nature’s curriculum. The laws of physics allow matter to exist. Every molecule, every atom, gravitates together to give form. What lessons can we learn from the Ancestors of physical form? Pick up a stone, watch it fall from your hands. Gravity pulls it toward all the other stones. Gravity makes things "want" to join together. Remember this the next time you long for a hug!      

     Many people still hold a special fondness for certain elements, like sitting around an open fire. Perhaps this dates back to the cave-dwellers, the primitive human Ancestors huddling around a flame merely to survive. Or perhaps, since the elements (especially fire) pre-date any of Earth’s lifeforms, the memories of fire Elementals burn deep within us, feeling that special romance in the warmth and light of a campfire, a household fire place, or even a simple votive candle. Many people also have a special fondness for water, the ocean, from which all life on Earth arose. Water was the source, life’s birthplace. Can we learn from the cycle of Earth’s water supply? Water vapor rises from the ocean, crystallizes to form a raindrop, falls to the Earth, runs its course through life’s rivers and streams, returning to the ocean, its source, to vaporize once again, perpetuating water’s cycle. Are we any different? Even today, Pagans sing about a drop of rain flowing to the ocean, returning to its source, the source of all life. This song even tells where we come from, and reminds us that we shall return. Think about the words.      

     Searching for the "Ancestors within" can help us understand the linkage we have to age-old things, to all life and to all forces in Nature. The Ancestors within can teach us that many "modern" ideas may stem back to animal instincts, to laws of physics, or other principles which we can observe in Nature and use to enhance our daily lives. It is no accident that as wide-eyed children we ask where we came from. This is our first step in self-discovery.

***

author bio:

Link (Anthony)

6538 Collins Avenue,

#255 Miami Beach, FL 33141

USA

AnthLink@aol.com

People often ask me why I chose the name Link. One important lesson for me this time around is to understand how all things "interconnect" — like noodles in the same cosmic broth. (Okay, I also wanted a really simple name that would not raise eye-brows in a mundane setting. Something like RunningBuffaloMoonFeather just doesn’t fit me…)

Most of my writing focuses on how ordinary parts of everyday life can be sacred and magical. Being ordinary makes them no less special! I try to erase the lines that separate spirituality from the rest of life. I don’t spend too much time in elaborate ritual, but rather see nearly every action as a magical event, from slicing an apple to licking an envelope. I often encourage readers to not blindly follow traditional spoon-fed teachings, but to discover what feels right for themselves, and for the moment. The most important Book we could ever find is written deep within ourselves, and within nature — and every day we turn a new page!

I grew up in a small suburban NJ town, the youngest child of two hard-working parents. I survived 12 years of Catholic school, which helped shape my "everyday" spiritual views (With the nuns of Saint Mary’s School, everything was a religious experience – from lunch to recess to taking tests and doing homework.) While I shed much of what I learned there, I think a few things stuck.

I began learning about alternative religion, divination and magic in the mid-1970′s, but did not really become active in the Craft until 1993 (what I call reaching "Spiritual Puberty"). My first teacher was a dear friend and neighbor, a Gardnerian 3rd Degree, who was killed in a car accident in 1984. (Great guy, lousy driver…) In 1993 I became a member of a small Tradition with only a few members spread out around the US. This gave me the opportunity to spend time with/learn from elders well-recognized in the Community. I have also been a member of Covenant of the Goddess, Pagan Federation International, Earth Spirit, Circle Network, Free Spirit Alliance, Pagan Federation International and ADF. I am legally certified as clergy with both Covenant of the Goddess and ULC (for whatever that means). My work has been published in many places throughout the US, plus Canada, England, Ireland, Holland and Australia.

Jobwise, I have worked for/with large international telecommunications companies since 1984. (Again, a lesson in how things connect…) I hold a bachelors degree in Communications/Journalism, and a masters degree in business and government policy. I moved from New Jersey to Miami Beach, Florida on August 1, 2001 and enjoy Miami’s internationally diverse culture, with a Latin spice!

Fun? I enjoy good food and good wine, bad humor, camping, gardening, traveling, almost anything Brazilian, the Ocean, SciFi, and sleeping late at least once a week.     

***

author bio:

Link (Anthony)

6538 Collins Avenue,

#255 Miami Beach, FL 33141

USA

AnthLink@aol.com

People often ask me why I chose the name Link. One important lesson for me this time around is to understand how all things "interconnect" — like noodles in the same cosmic broth. (Okay, I also wanted a really simple name that would not raise eye-brows in a mundane setting. Something like RunningBuffaloMoonFeather just doesn’t fit me…)

Most of my writing focuses on how ordinary parts of everyday life can be sacred and magical. Being ordinary makes them no less special! I try to erase the lines that separate spirituality from the rest of life. I don’t spend too much time in elaborate ritual, but rather see nearly every action as a magical event, from slicing an apple to licking an envelope. I often encourage readers to not blindly follow traditional spoon-fed teachings, but to discover what feels right for themselves, and for the moment. The most important Book we could ever find is written deep within ourselves, and within nature — and every day we turn a new page!

I grew up in a small suburban NJ town, the youngest child of two hard-working parents. I survived 12 years of Catholic school, which helped shape my "everyday" spiritual views (With the nuns of Saint Mary’s School, everything was a religious experience – from lunch to recess to taking tests and doing homework.) While I shed much of what I learned there, I think a few things stuck.

I began learning about alternative religion, divination and magic in the mid-1970′s, but did not really become active in the Craft until 1993 (what I call reaching "Spiritual Puberty"). My first teacher was a dear friend and neighbor, a Gardnerian 3rd Degree, who was killed in a car accident in 1984. (Great guy, lousy driver…) In 1993 I became a member of a small Tradition with only a few members spread out around the US. This gave me the opportunity to spend time with/learn from elders well-recognized in the Community. I have also been a member of Covenant of the Goddess, Pagan Federation International, Earth Spirit, Circle Network, Free Spirit Alliance, Pagan Federation International and ADF. I am legally certified as clergy with both Covenant of the Goddess and ULC (for whatever that means). My work has been published in many places throughout the US, plus Canada, England, Ireland, Holland and Australia.

Jobwise, I have worked for/with large international telecommunications companies since 1984. (Again, a lesson in how things connect…) I hold a bachelors degree in Communications/Journalism, and a masters degree in business and government policy. I moved from New Jersey to Miami Beach, Florida on August 1, 2001 and enjoy Miami’s internationally diverse culture, with a Latin spice!

Fun? I enjoy good food and good wine, bad humor, camping, gardening, traveling, almost anything Brazilian, the Ocean, SciFi, and sleeping late at least once a week.

(Author’s Note: Read this only if you consider laughter a sincere form of worship!)



     I looked in the yellow pages for a Pagan public school. I didn’t find any. Not one. But I did find a variety of metaphysical bookstores and magical supply shops. I went to a few of these stores. And there on the book shelf, I found all the secrets of the universe. Soft-cover, only $9.99.      

     So now I can do it by the book! I tried calling the four directions, but it took me so long to memorize the exact words verbatim. I tried purifying my sacred space, but I couldn’t pronounce all those ceremonial words. (It was some kinda foreign language; it sounded like what my Uncle Irving and Aunt Sadie used to yell when the old station wagon wouldn’t start.) I tried meditating too, but by the time I got comfortable enough, it was time to flip the cassette tape over. I’d like to just say a simple prayer to the Goddess, but I didn’t get to that chapter in the book yet, so I guess I’ll have to wait.      

     I went back to the store and the person there said that I wasn’t using the right color candle. In fact, I needed not just one candle — but 72 candles! (This is to balance the numerological energy between my magical name, the phase of the Moon, the exact weight in grams of my silver jewelry, as well as the last four digits on my Visa card.) And incense. I needed incense. And charcoal. "Don’t forget to have extra charcoal," they all warned me.      

     So when I did my ritual, I lit all my 72 candles and filled my hibachi FULL of charcoal. 91 packages. (13 for each chakra.) And incense too. I lit the whole pack! Purple Moonbeam Aquarian Sage Ritual Incense. (This is just a code name. I can’t find out the REAL ingredients until after a year and a day.) And oil. I poured in a whole bottle of Peace-Giving Psychic Wisdom Oil. (It’s lower in cholesterol than even Canola Oil!)      

     Well, in a past life, I must’ve blown out a candle instead of snuffing it — because the Fire Elementals got REAL mad. Whooof!!! Between all my candles and all the fumes from my charcoal and incense and oil and stuff, I barely had enough breath to dial 911. The ambulance driver said I had smoke inhalation and was lucky to be alive. (Gee, my first healing spell!)      

     After all of this, I looked at things a bit differently. I used my books as ONE way to learn from the ideas of others. Many of the authors were very thought-provoking and understanding several different view points helped me form my own opinions. I decided that I could learn from the books AND still do what felt right, for me, and for the moment. While I am very lucky to have freedom of the press, I realized that the greatest book of all is NOT for sale. It is written deep within us all, by a very special Author, and every day we turn a new page. I also found that the Old ways would speak to me through Nature, the birds singing, or the thunderstorms, or even that big ol’ tree behind the Post Office.      

     And now when I shop for the few things I use in rituals, I do it very carefully. I realized that SOME of the people selling me stuff, were just that — people selling me stuff! But others were more sincere about their vocation. They seemed more like teachers and mentors, rather than Retail Clergy. After a while, it was easy to tell the difference.      

     I stopped worrying about saying all the RIGHT words to call the Elements or to purify the Circle, and just spoke from my heart instead. I also discovered that once I stopped trying to use the exact verbatim words, that I could actually THINK about what I was saying, and WHY it was being said. I like that much better!      I even tried new things, like facing the Lake out back, or the maybe the Ocean, instead of always facing West for Water. It just feels right, like politely facing somebody when you speak to them in person. I guess facing West made sense for folks back in England, but where I live Water is someplace else! And instead of burning a green candle for Earth, I used a little cup of soil from my garden. Any candle — even a green one — is still Fire. But there are lots of stuff that, to me, FEEL more like Earth.      

     And when I think about the Goddess, I just call Her "The Goddess." That’s it. No elaborate names that I don’t fully understand, no historical baggage from all the wars and stuff in the mythology books. Just "The Goddess." And when I think about the God, He’s just "The God." I know They both love me, no matter what phase of the Moon, and even if I’m not dressed in black.      

     I’m not exactly sure how to do magic, but I did find that there are PLENTY of stuff I do every day, without all the hocus-pocus, that are very magical already. Today I sent my sick friend a Get Well card. (Gee, is that a healing spell too?) And last night, I said a simple thank you before eating dinner. And the night before that, when I took a hot shower, I visualized myself washing away all my tension and stress. Ahhh. Now THAT was magic!

     Maybe someday, I’ll even write these ideas in my own book. Soft-cover, only $9.99.

     

***

author bio:

Link (Anthony)

6538 Collins Avenue,

#255 Miami Beach, FL 33141

USA

AnthLink@aol.com

People often ask me why I chose the name Link. One important lesson for me this time around is to understand how all things "interconnect" — like noodles in the same cosmic broth. (Okay, I also wanted a really simple name that would not raise eye-brows in a mundane setting. Something like RunningBuffaloMoonFeather just doesn’t fit me…)

Most of my writing focuses on how ordinary parts of everyday life can be sacred and magical. Being ordinary makes them no less special! I try to erase the lines that separate spirituality from the rest of life. I don’t spend too much time in elaborate ritual, but rather see nearly every action as a magical event, from slicing an apple to licking an envelope. I often encourage readers to not blindly follow traditional spoon-fed teachings, but to discover what feels right for themselves, and for the moment. The most important Book we could ever find is written deep within ourselves, and within nature — and every day we turn a new page!

I grew up in a small suburban NJ town, the youngest child of two hard-working parents. I survived 12 years of Catholic school, which helped shape my "everyday" spiritual views (With the nuns of Saint Mary’s School, everything was a religious experience – from lunch to recess to taking tests and doing homework.) While I shed much of what I learned there, I think a few things stuck.

I began learning about alternative religion, divination and magic in the mid-1970′s, but did not really become active in the Craft until 1993 (what I call reaching "Spiritual Puberty"). My first teacher was a dear friend and neighbor, a Gardnerian 3rd Degree, who was killed in a car accident in 1984. (Great guy, lousy driver…) In 1993 I became a member of a small Tradition with only a few members spread out around the US. This gave me the opportunity to spend time with/learn from elders well-recognized in the Community. I have also been a member of Covenant of the Goddess, Pagan Federation International, Earth Spirit, Circle Network, Free Spirit Alliance, Pagan Federation International and ADF. I am legally certified as clergy with both Covenant of the Goddess and ULC (for whatever that means). My work has been published in many places throughout the US, plus Canada, England, Ireland, Holland and Australia.

Jobwise, I have worked for/with large international telecommunications companies since 1984. (Again, a lesson in how things connect…) I hold a bachelors degree in Communications/Journalism, and a masters degree in business and government policy. I moved from New Jersey to Miami Beach, Florida on August 1, 2001 and enjoy Miami’s internationally diverse culture, with a Latin spice!

Fun? I enjoy good food and good wine, bad humor, camping, gardening, traveling, almost anything Brazilian, the Ocean, SciFi, and sleeping late at least once a week.     

     Pagan culture never died. It changed, was hidden, became hushed — but never died. We can look around and see that many of the Old ways are still part of everyday life. Here’s a few examples. What others can you see in your own surroundings?

     

     A personal favorite is the candle-magic ritual we do once a year, celebrating one’s incarnation with the chant "Happy Birthday to you." A wish is made, the candles blown out and gifts given. This custom dates back to worship of emis, Greek Goddess of the Moon. On Her day, cakes were baked in the shape of a crescent moon and decorated with candles. If worshippers could blow out the candles in a single breath, the Goddess would look upon them with favor. Whether ancient Greek myth, or a modern-day spell, the way we celebrate our birthday is truly magic!      

     

     "AH-CHOO!!!" Bless you. (If you lived during the time of Tiberius Caesar, you may need it.) Ancient Rome circa 150 a.d. was stricken with a deadly disease, which the first symptom was sneezing. People, including Caesar, believed that the more blessing you received from others, the more likely you would be to survive.

     

     Perhaps today’s common courtesy was yesterday’s healing spell? The myth of Prometheus includes him sneezing, having caught cold from stealing the fire of the Gods. (And we know what happened to him.)      Perhaps the richest remnant of Pagan culture still survives in the wedding ceremony! Terms like "giving your hand in marriage" and "tying the knot" certainly refer to handfasting. It doesn’t take a Celtic scholar to recognize the word "Bride" as an Old name for the Goddess. And Groom? In matriarchal life, the man came to work in the wife’s family’s home. A groom is a term used to describe a laborer who cares for the horses. The term husband, meaning "bound to the house" or house-bound, also dates back to such customs. The word matrimony refers to the custom of inheritances being passed down through maternal blood lines. "Matri" means mother; "mony" or monium, means money. But, in ancient Germany, carrying the bride over the threshold welcomes her into the groom’s family, since his ancestors were once buried below the home!

     

     The wedding cake was baked by the couple, as a symbol of the ingredients of their lives coming together as one. A form of sympathetic magic? And the kiss at the altar? In times of Old, the union was consummated right there in front of witnesses. Even today, a marriage can often be considered legally void if never consummated. The term honeymoon refers to the lunar cycle immediately following the wedding. For the full lunar cycle, the couple ate honey each day, believing it to be a sweet aphrodisiac! (Some couples still use honey in their bedroom revelry, but in a different way…) June weddings are still a fashion, perhaps dating back to the days where a festive Beltane celebration (late April/early May) resulted in conception! (June weddings are rooted in Spring fever.) Brides, not grooms, were also showered with wheat, so that they could bear children like wheat brings bread.      

     

     The wedding ring placed on the third finger was believed to be a direct connection to the heart. This was even called the Medical Finger, which doctors used to stir medicines. If poison were present, the doctor’s heart would skip a beat! But of all places to wear wedding jewelry, the ring is likely related to handfasting. Why not a wedding necklace, brooch or tiara? Also, the action of the finger penetrating the circular ring is not all that different from other Pagan symbols of union. Likewise, wearing and throwing the "garter" seems not so distant.      

     

     Giving flowers to a loved one? Flowers are brightly colored, heavily scented reproductive organs! An agricultural society might see this. So might our deeply rooted animal instincts which relate color and scent to the courting rituals of nearly every species, including homosapien!      

     

     Knock on wood? This probably dates back to the Druids. Opening an umbrella indoors? Umbrella comes from the Latin word for shade. The device was used as a parasol ("stop the sun") before it was used as protection from rain. Not opening it indoors showed respect for the realm of the solar deities. Tie a string on your finger to remember something? (Sounds like cord magic to me.) I wonder why sailors put so much skill into the knots they tied over the centuries? Fishermen and fisherwomen, even today, have special words they say when throwing their lines into the water.      

     

     Naming things seems rich in magic. Look at the names of farms, race horses, and even pets. Notice that boats are referred to as She, probably linked back to She of the Sea. (Probably no accident when they named the greatest ship "The Queen Mary.") Even the Greek and Latin languages that descended from Pagan Europe assign gender to every person, place, or thing. Perhaps all things were linked to a God or a Goddess. Days of the week, months of the year — some are still named after the Old Ones. Friday the 13th? (Can you get more linked to Goddess worship than that?) Perhaps it was fairly new beliefs, from cultures who did not worship the Goddess or note her lunar cycles, which gave Friday the 13th an unlucky connotation.

     

     We can go over hundreds of holiday customs which date back to Pagan roots. We can find Pagan traces in many practices of the newer religions. But more importantly, we can make our own new traditions every day. We are catalysts of the future, not mere conduits to the past! We are the Ancestors of tomorrow. See the magic in everyday events, like knotting your neck tie, leashing your pet, or even fastening your seat belt. Feel the sacred union when you share any event with a loved one, whether sharing a hamper or sharing a bath. Feel the sudden release of stored up energy as you uncork that special old bottle of wine, or open that priceless photo album. See all cycles as magic; use the monthly rent payment as a blessing for the home.

     

     Doing so is the difference between a culture which has never died — and a culture which is truly brought to life!

For further reading: "Superstitions" by Peter Lorie. Simon and Schuster, New York. 1992.

***

author bio:

Link (Anthony)

6538 Collins Avenue,

#255 Miami Beach, FL 33141

USA

AnthLink@aol.com

People often ask me why I chose the name Link. One important lesson for me this time around is to understand how all things "interconnect" — like noodles in the same cosmic broth. (Okay, I also wanted a really simple name that would not raise eye-brows in a mundane setting. Something like RunningBuffaloMoonFeather just doesn’t fit me…)

Most of my writing focuses on how ordinary parts of everyday life can be sacred and magical. Being ordinary makes them no less special! I try to erase the lines that separate spirituality from the rest of life. I don’t spend too much time in elaborate ritual, but rather see nearly every action as a magical event, from slicing an apple to licking an envelope. I often encourage readers to not blindly follow traditional spoon-fed teachings, but to discover what feels right for themselves, and for the moment. The most important Book we could ever find is written deep within ourselves, and within nature — and every day we turn a new page!

I grew up in a small suburban NJ town, the youngest child of two hard-working parents. I survived 12 years of Catholic school, which helped shape my "everyday" spiritual views (With the nuns of Saint Mary’s School, everything was a religious experience – from lunch to recess to taking tests and doing homework.) While I shed much of what I learned there, I think a few things stuck.

I began learning about alternative religion, divination and magic in the mid-1970′s, but did not really become active in the Craft until 1993 (what I call reaching "Spiritual Puberty"). My first teacher was a dear friend and neighbor, a Gardnerian 3rd Degree, who was killed in a car accident in 1984. (Great guy, lousy driver…) In 1993 I became a member of a small Tradition with only a few members spread out around the US. This gave me the opportunity to spend time with/learn from elders well-recognized in the Community. I have also been a member of Covenant of the Goddess, Pagan Federation International, Earth Spirit, Circle Network, Free Spirit Alliance, Pagan Federation International and ADF. I am legally certified as clergy with both Covenant of the Goddess and ULC (for whatever that means). My work has been published in many places throughout the US, plus Canada, England, Ireland, Holland and Australia.

Jobwise, I have worked for/with large international telecommunications companies since 1984. (Again, a lesson in how things connect…) I hold a bachelors degree in Communications/Journalism, and a masters degree in business and government policy. I moved from New Jersey to Miami Beach, Florida on August 1, 2001 and enjoy Miami’s internationally diverse culture, with a Latin spice!

Fun? I enjoy good food and good wine, bad humor, camping, gardening, traveling, almost anything Brazilian, the Ocean, SciFi, and sleeping late at least once a week.

     Ever consider the internet as a magical tool? Often the most magical of tools are not the ones we keep on our altar, but the ones that surround us every day, in places we never thought to look. The internet is one of the fastest growing "entities" in today’s culture. Is it magical? Try it and decide for yourself.

What is the Internet?

     If you’re new to this, here’s a simple explanation of the internet: via computers and telephone lines, just about anyone has the ability to store pictures and text for others to access. How does it all work? (Who knows. I say it’s magic!)

     The internet is no more complicated than a big ol’ magazine rack. It’s merely a way to find information on thousands of special interests, from bicycling, to beer, to Buddhism. But not only can we read this information — we can publish our own! For the first time in history, anyone can put their thoughts and ideas into the public domain. This creates many exchanges that otherwise would not occur, taking freedom of the press further than you could ever imagine! You don’t even need to own a computer, since internet access is available from many libraries, schools and shopping malls. Some trendy restaurants have even jumped on the bandwagon, offering internet service right at the dinner table! (Would you like fries with that?)

     The internet is linked together in what we call the World-Wide Web (www for short). What a wonderful analogy to the way all things link together in nature. Each "place" on the web (known as a website) has a unique address, similar to the way a phone number is unique. And just like making a phone call, you can reach places both domestic or international via the internet. You can get to a website by typing in its unique address. Don’t know the address? The internet has a variety of "search engines" that act like online directory assistance when you enter a topic or key word. For example, if you search under the word "Pagan" you will find hundreds of Pagan websites! (You will also find things like Pagano’s Deli or other non-related sites that just happen to have similar words. Asking for things on the web is like any other form of magic. Thoughtfully choose the words you use, and be careful what you ask for…)

     A wide variety of Pagan groups and personalities have created their own websites. Want to find out more about a specific Tradition, pantheon or holiday? Want to learn more about a specific author? Looking for a hard-to-find book or ritual item? Maybe you’d like to find other Pagans nearby, or around the globe? Go online. Touch the web, and let it touch you. You may be surprised with what you find. Don’t take this tool for granted. Communication is especially valuable in towns where there are no openly Pagan activities. The internet helps expand our community, similar to the good done by Pagan books, newsletters and other forms of communication.

The Nature of the Internet

     Following a nature-based religion provides lessons by seeing beauty in the world around us. We can learn much by looking at how seeds sprout or how rivers flow. It is equally important to remember that "human nature" is a part of nature, not something separate. And thus, so are the things we create. It is our nature to create things, like the way a forest makes trees and the way trees make leaves. This includes art, music, science — and even things like the internet. When you think about the internet — thousands of data networks all linked together — see it as an analogy to the way all things interconnect with one another. You may find it similar to other aspects of nature that branch out and flow. (As online, so offline?)

Is the Internet Magical?

     After the break-up of the Bell System in 1984, the federal government decided that new telecommunications technologies (like the internet) were valuable investments in society’s future. The government helped fledgling data communications providers companies grow by keeping them exempt from certain phone costs, known as access charges. Today, this is how internet companies can afford to provide you with "unlimited usage." The point is, something new was conceived, nurtured and helped to grow.

     As it grew, each person who used the internet helped shape it, whether by reading or writing or creating colorful artwork. Some say a basic definition of magic is the focusing of energy to cause change. The energies of government planning, personal creativity, and diverse interests oy millions of users all became focused in concert to make the internet happen. Is this any different than magic?

     When people can share new ideas, they find many new ways to grow. They find new friends, teachers and students; they share new types of union. They cause change. And if that’s not magic, what is?

***

author bio:

Link (Anthony)

6538 Collins Avenue,

#255 Miami Beach, FL 33141

USA

AnthLink@aol.com

People often ask me why I chose the name Link. One important lesson for me this time around is to understand how all things "interconnect" — like noodles in the same cosmic broth. (Okay, I also wanted a really simple name that would not raise eye-brows in a mundane setting. Something like RunningBuffaloMoonFeather just doesn’t fit me…)

Most of my writing focuses on how ordinary parts of everyday life can be sacred and magical. Being ordinary makes them no less special! I try to erase the lines that separate spirituality from the rest of life. I don’t spend too much time in elaborate ritual, but rather see nearly every action as a magical event, from slicing an apple to licking an envelope. I often encourage readers to not blindly follow traditional spoon-fed teachings, but to discover what feels right for themselves, and for the moment. The most important Book we could ever find is written deep within ourselves, and within nature — and every day we turn a new page!

I grew up in a small suburban NJ town, the youngest child of two hard-working parents. I survived 12 years of Catholic school, which helped shape my "everyday" spiritual views (With the nuns of Saint Mary’s School, everything was a religious experience – from lunch to recess to taking tests and doing homework.) While I shed much of what I learned there, I think a few things stuck.

I began learning about alternative religion, divination and magic in the mid-1970′s, but did not really become active in the Craft until 1993 (what I call reaching "Spiritual Puberty"). My first teacher was a dear friend and neighbor, a Gardnerian 3rd Degree, who was killed in a car accident in 1984. (Great guy, lousy driver…) In 1993 I became a member of a small Tradition with only a few members spread out around the US. This gave me the opportunity to spend time with/learn from elders well-recognized in the Community. I have also been a member of Covenant of the Goddess, Pagan Federation International, Earth Spirit, Circle Network, Free Spirit Alliance, Pagan Federation International and ADF. I am legally certified as clergy with both Covenant of the Goddess and ULC (for whatever that means). My work has been published in many places throughout the US, plus Canada, England, Ireland, Holland and Australia.

Jobwise, I have worked for/with large international telecommunications companies since 1984. (Again, a lesson in how things connect…) I hold a bachelors degree in Communications/Journalism, and a masters degree in business and government policy. I moved from New Jersey to Miami Beach, Florida on August 1, 2001 and enjoy Miami’s internationally diverse culture, with a Latin spice!

Fun? I enjoy good food and good wine, bad humor, camping, gardening, traveling, almost anything Brazilian, the Ocean, SciFi, and sleeping late at least once a week.