Just like a good joke, it\u2019s all in the\u2026 (wait for it)\u2026 timing.\u00a0 Pagans put a lot of importance on timing and for good reason.\u00a0 We pride ourselves on being more than clever about getting stuff done.\u00a0 After all, that\u2019s what magic is all about: getting stuff done.\u00a0 And to get it done, you have to do it at the right time.\u00a0 You can\u2019t hit a moving target if you don\u2019t pull the trigger at the right time.\u00a0 You can\u2019t put the cart before the horse.\u00a0 And you can\u2019t catch the right train unless you\u2019re standing on the platform at the right time.\u00a0 In magic, where you are making small changes to get big results, timing is always a critical factor.<\/p>\n
Knowing when it is the right time to do something is important in any operation, but it\u2019s not always obvious.\u00a0 Part of the problem is there are thousands of unknown factors that happen without warning and we can\u2019t know exactly when or where they might come into play and mess with our best-laid plans.\u00a0 Magicians of all sorts have attempted to figure out some way to lessen the effect of these factors but haven\u2019t come up with any sure-fire method that helps.\u00a0 Magical hours of the day, where certain influences seem higher than others (thus making particular operations more likely to succeed) are not consistently reliable.\u00a0 Astrological influences can be predicted but there too we find mitigating circumstances constantly popping up.\u00a0 Time is problematic no matter how much we try to avoid the negative factors inherent in its passing.<\/p>\n
Probably the most noticeable time problem in Pagan work is what has come to be known as PST \u2013 Pagan Standard Time.\u00a0 The term is code for a litany of problems that inevitably crop up at any planned event and put the schedule further and further behind.\u00a0 It\u2019s the \u2018excuse\u2019 as to why the ritual is late by a half hour and the lunch that was scheduled to be right after the ritual is later still by another forty-five minutes.\u00a0 Nothing seems to be on time at many Pagan events and it\u2019s all passed off as being PST.\u00a0 Of course, this problem isn\u2019t unique to Pagan events; most large events have the same problems.\u00a0 It usually stems from poor planning.\u00a0 To be more precise, it comes from not understanding how long it will take to do something.<\/p>\n
If it takes fifteen seconds to wash one dish, how long will it take to wash four?\u00a0 You say a minute?\u00a0 Wrong; it\u2019ll take probably closer to a minute and half.\u00a0 That\u2019s because once you\u2019ve washed the first dish, it will take a few seconds to get back to the beginning step for washing the next dish.\u00a0 Now, let\u2019s say it takes one person five minutes to wash a dozen dishes.\u00a0 How long will it take for two people to wash a thousand?\u00a0 About forty-five minutes?\u00a0 Wrong again.\u00a0 It will take better than an hour because of the time \u2018wasted\u2019 by the two people trying to interact in the same space.\u00a0 How do I know this?\u00a0 Well, I\u2019ve been the guy planning events enough times to know some of the pitfalls that happen because of not allocating enough time for things to get done.\u00a0 It\u2019s called experience.<\/p>\n
So, to get the dishes done in time, we need to get the dishwashers in the scullery an hour ahead of time, right?\u00a0 Wrong again.\u00a0 They\u2019ve got to show up on time, (good luck!), get on their gear so they don\u2019t end up soaked to the bone, and then set up that stack of dishes so they can get them washed.\u00a0 That adds at least another fifteen to twenty minutes.\u00a0 Then add another ten because one of the crew forgot something back at the tent and had to run and get it.\u00a0 Or maybe somebody had to use the bathroom.\u00a0 Or the alarm clock didn\u2019t work (well, it might have worked, but the person didn\u2019t get up).\u00a0 Okay, the dishes will take about two hours.<\/p>\n
Better add another twenty to that for cleaning up the scullery afterwards and putting the dishes away.\u00a0 Okay: two and a half hours, tops, right?<\/p>\n
We can only hope.<\/p>\n
You see?\u00a0 This is the sort of time problem that happens at gatherings of all kinds.\u00a0 And, like I said, it isn\u2019t confined to only Pagan events.\u00a0 But it\u2019s a good example of how we can misjudge the timing of things and end up with real problems.\u00a0 This same brand of misjudgment can wreck havoc with our spells and other kinds of magic.\u00a0 Experienced magic workers have an edge because they\u2019ve been there, done that, and have the scars to prove it.\u00a0 But even experience won\u2019t always help you to figure out when to start something or when to send the energy on its way.\u00a0 Whatever is a witch to do?<\/p>\n
Use your gut.\u00a0 That sounds pretty uncertain but sometimes it\u2019s the only way.\u00a0 Sure, you\u2019ll be wrong sometimes, but you\u2019ll probably be surprised at how often you\u2019ll be right.\u00a0 Our rituals and training are designed to make us into beings that are in greater harmony with our surroundings.\u00a0 And that has the effect of making us better able to go with our feelings, our hunches, our gut, and have things turn out right.<\/p>\n
Highly skilled martial artists seem to have an \u2018instinct\u2019 for knowing where and when the next strike will come from or how their opponent will move.\u00a0 It isn\u2019t something a novice is able to do; it takes considerable training.\u00a0 To someone watching a match, it seems \u2018almost like magic\u2019.\u00a0 And, in a certain sense, it is.\u00a0 But it is magic that (like all magics) requires a great deal of training and experience.\u00a0 After years of training, the martial artist learns to use his or her skills in timing and their level of ability takes a leap forward.\u00a0 Another way of say that would be: the martial artist learns to trust their gut.<\/p>\n
But even the most skilled among us can be wrong.\u00a0 We mistake a bit of indigestion for another signal and we make the wrong move or select the wrong moment to do something.\u00a0 Being able to know the \u2018real\u2019 gut feeling from the \u2018false\u2019 one is difficult at best and sometimes simply impossible.\u00a0 But often the gut is the only thing to go on.\u00a0 In one way or another, nearly every bit of magic requires us to make time-critical decisions.\u00a0 Using good timing is part of the art of magic.\u00a0 Fortunately, there are some things you can do to improve your sense of timing.<\/p>\n
Nearly every faith has its holidays.\u00a0 Pagans have what is commonly called the Wheel of the Year \u2013 the series of solstices, equinoxes, and quarterly seasonal celebrations used to highlight points in the timeline that help us learn the lessons of Nature and the seasons of our lives.\u00a0 Most of us also celebrate one or more phases of the moon each month.\u00a0 Our calendar is full throughout the year.\u00a0 Those who follow it consistently find that their lives begin to smooth out, that there are fewer problems that get in their way.<\/p>\n
This is no accident.\u00a0 By putting ourselves on this schedule, we begin to attune our lives to the processes of Nature, the forces that are constantly flowing in, through, and around us.\u00a0 The story that weaves the holidays together for Pagans provides a model for understanding the energies that predominate and empower our world.\u00a0 When we mark these days through worship and celebration, we force our bodies and minds to align more perfectly with those forces and make us move with their flow rather than against it.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not brain surgery; it\u2019s magic.<\/p>\n
Similarly, if we keep our days on a consistent schedule we will find that we have fewer disruptions and are able to get more done.\u00a0 Simply being consistent about when we go to sleep and wake up helps enormously to put our lives in order and we are healthier and more energized because of it.\u00a0 Scheduling our day so that we give ourselves plenty of time to get things done, even when it might seem we aren\u2019t cramming enough into each day, will actually allow us to produce more, enjoy more, and experience more than if we were to run around willy-nilly and try to accomplish more than we could do well.\u00a0 But remember that a schedule alone isn\u2019t going to do this for us; we have to maintain that schedule by staying on time.\u00a0 Actually, to be on time, you will need to be early.\u00a0 Very few people can be on time to the very second, so getting into the habit of being early means that you are allowing for the unexpected.\u00a0 When you plan on being early, you can take care of the unexpected bumps and potholes with greater confidence and still accomplish what is planned.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t have to take care of anything unexpected and you actually arrive early for your next scheduled event, you will be more relaxed and better able to accomplish what you\u2019ve set out to do.\u00a0 And you\u2019ll enjoy life much more.\u00a0 No more frantic, last moment scurrying.\u00a0 No more slapdash results.\u00a0 No more having to make excuses or feeling that you haven\u2019t given life your best.\u00a0 Although there are instances of seemingly being able to warp time with magic, in the long run you\u2019ll do well to figure on the clock running pretty consistently and each moment to be filled with what we call life\u2026 your life.<\/p>\n
You can\u2019t control the flow of time, but you can exercise some control over the events and energies that it brings.\u00a0 You can use time as an ally by respecting its power and not fighting the direction of its flow; keep looking forward.\u00a0 Your magic will function better when you keep all of your energies attuned to this inexorable force.\u00a0 When you stay aware of time and the role that it plays in all your endeavors, when you respect its power and learn to use it in your magic, you will benefit on every level.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll have a good time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Just like a good joke, it\u2019s all in the\u2026 (wait for it)\u2026 timing.\u00a0 Pagans put a lot of importance on timing and for good reason.\u00a0 We pride ourselves on being more than clever about getting stuff done.\u00a0 After all, that\u2019s what magic is all about: getting stuff done.\u00a0 And to get it done, you have to do it at the right time.\u00a0 You can\u2019t hit a moving target if you don\u2019t pull the trigger at the right time.\u00a0 You can\u2019t put the cart before the horse.\u00a0 And you can\u2019t catch the right train unless you\u2019re standing on the platform at the right time.\u00a0 In magic, where you are making small changes to get big results, timing is always a critical factor. Knowing when it is the right time to do something is important in any operation, but it\u2019s not always obvious.\u00a0 Part of the problem is there are thousands of unknown factors that happen without warning and we can\u2019t know exactly when or where they might come into play and mess with our best-laid plans.\u00a0 Magicians of all sorts have attempted to figure out some way to lessen the effect of these factors but haven\u2019t come up with any sure-fire method that helps.\u00a0 Magical hours of the day, where certain influences seem higher than others (thus making particular operations more likely to succeed) are not consistently reliable.\u00a0 Astrological influences can be predicted but there too we find mitigating circumstances constantly popping up.\u00a0 Time is problematic no matter how much we try to avoid the negative factors inherent in its passing. Probably the most noticeable time problem in Pagan work is what has come to be known as PST \u2013 Pagan Standard Time.\u00a0 The term is code for a litany of problems that inevitably crop up at any planned event and put the schedule further and further behind.\u00a0 It\u2019s the \u2018excuse\u2019 as to why the ritual is late by a half hour and the lunch that was scheduled to be right after the ritual is later still by another forty-five minutes.\u00a0 Nothing seems to be on time at many Pagan events and it\u2019s all passed off as being PST.\u00a0 Of course, this problem isn\u2019t unique to Pagan events; most large events have the same problems.\u00a0 It usually stems from poor planning.\u00a0 To be more precise, it comes from not understanding how long it will take to do something. If it takes fifteen seconds to wash one dish, how long will it take to wash four?\u00a0 You say a minute?\u00a0 Wrong; it\u2019ll take probably closer to a minute and half.\u00a0 That\u2019s because once you\u2019ve washed the first dish, it will take a few seconds to get back to the beginning step for washing the next dish.\u00a0 Now, let\u2019s say it takes one person five minutes to wash a dozen dishes.\u00a0 How long will it take for two people to wash a thousand?\u00a0 About forty-five minutes?\u00a0 Wrong again.\u00a0 It will take better than an hour because of the time \u2018wasted\u2019 by the two people trying to interact in the same space.\u00a0 How do I know this?\u00a0 Well, I\u2019ve been the guy planning events enough times to know some of the pitfalls that happen because of not allocating enough time for things to get done.\u00a0 It\u2019s called experience. So, to get the dishes done in time, we need to get the dishwashers in the scullery an hour ahead of time, right?\u00a0 Wrong again.\u00a0 They\u2019ve got to show up on time, (good luck!), get on their gear so they don\u2019t end up soaked to the bone, and then set up that stack of dishes so they can get them washed.\u00a0 That adds at least another fifteen to twenty minutes.\u00a0 Then add another ten because one of the crew forgot something back at the tent and had to run and get it.\u00a0 Or maybe somebody had to use the bathroom.\u00a0 Or the alarm clock didn\u2019t work (well, it might have worked, but the person didn\u2019t get up).\u00a0 Okay, the dishes will take about two hours. Better add another twenty to that for cleaning up the scullery afterwards and putting the dishes away.\u00a0 Okay: two and a half hours, tops, right? We can only hope. You see?\u00a0 This is the sort of time problem that happens at gatherings of all kinds.\u00a0 And, like I said, it isn\u2019t confined to only Pagan events.\u00a0 But it\u2019s a good example of how we can misjudge the timing of things and end up with real problems.\u00a0 This same brand of misjudgment can wreck havoc with our spells and other kinds of magic.\u00a0 Experienced magic workers have an edge because they\u2019ve been there, done that, and have the scars to prove it.\u00a0 But even experience won\u2019t always help you to figure out when to start something or when to send the energy on its way.\u00a0 Whatever is a witch to do? Use your gut.\u00a0 That sounds pretty uncertain but sometimes it\u2019s the only way.\u00a0 Sure, you\u2019ll be wrong sometimes, but you\u2019ll probably be surprised at how often you\u2019ll be right.\u00a0 Our rituals and training are designed to make us into beings that are in greater harmony with our surroundings.\u00a0 And that has the effect of making us better able to go with our feelings, our hunches, our gut, and have things turn out right. Highly skilled martial artists seem to have an \u2018instinct\u2019 for knowing where and when the next strike will come from or how their opponent will move.\u00a0 It isn\u2019t something a novice is able to do; it takes considerable training.\u00a0 To someone watching a match, it seems \u2018almost like magic\u2019.\u00a0 And, in a certain sense, it is.\u00a0 But it is magic that (like all magics) requires a great deal of training and experience.\u00a0 After years of training, the martial artist learns to use his or her skills in timing and their level of ability takes a leap forward.\u00a0 Another way of say that would be: the martial artist learns to trust their gut. But even the most skilled among us can be wrong.\u00a0 We mistake a bit of indigestion for another signal and we make the wrong move or select the wrong moment to do something.\u00a0 Being able to know the \u2018real\u2019 gut feeling from the \u2018false\u2019 one is difficult at best and sometimes simply impossible.\u00a0 But often the gut is the only thing to go on.\u00a0 In one way or another, nearly every bit of magic requires us to make time-critical decisions.\u00a0 Using good timing is part of the art of magic.\u00a0 Fortunately, there are some things you can do to improve your sense of timing. Nearly every faith has its holidays.\u00a0 Pagans have what is commonly called the Wheel of the Year \u2013 the series of solstices, equinoxes, and quarterly seasonal celebrations used to highlight points in the timeline that help us learn the lessons of Nature and the seasons of our lives.\u00a0 Most of us also celebrate one or more phases of the moon each month.\u00a0 Our calendar is full throughout the year.\u00a0 Those who follow it consistently find that their lives begin to smooth out, that there are fewer problems that get in their way. This is no accident.\u00a0 By putting ourselves on this schedule, we begin to attune our lives to the processes of Nature, the forces that are constantly flowing in, through, and around us.\u00a0 The story that weaves the holidays together for Pagans provides a model for understanding the energies that predominate and empower our world.\u00a0 When we mark these days through worship and celebration, we force our bodies and minds to align more perfectly with those forces and make us move with their flow rather than against it. It\u2019s not brain surgery; it\u2019s magic. Similarly, if we keep our days on a consistent schedule we will find that we have fewer disruptions and are able to get more done.\u00a0 Simply being consistent about when we go to sleep and wake up helps enormously to put our lives in order and we are healthier and more energized because of it.\u00a0 Scheduling our day so that we give ourselves plenty of time to get things done, even when it might seem we aren\u2019t cramming enough into each day, will actually allow us to produce more, enjoy more, and experience more than if we were to run around willy-nilly and try to accomplish more than we could do well.\u00a0 But remember that a schedule alone isn\u2019t going to do this for us; we have to maintain that schedule by staying on time.\u00a0 Actually, to be on time, you will need to be early.\u00a0 Very few people can be on time to the very second, so getting into the habit of being early means that you are allowing for the unexpected.\u00a0 When you plan on being early, you can take care of the unexpected bumps and potholes with greater confidence and still accomplish what is planned.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t have to take care of anything unexpected and you actually arrive early for your next scheduled event, you will be more relaxed and better able to accomplish what you\u2019ve set out to do.\u00a0 And you\u2019ll enjoy life much more.\u00a0 No more frantic, last moment scurrying.\u00a0 No more slapdash results.\u00a0 No more having to make excuses or feeling that you haven\u2019t given life your best.\u00a0 Although there are instances of seemingly being able to warp time with magic, in the long run you\u2019ll do well to figure on the clock running pretty consistently and each moment to be filled with what we call life\u2026 your life. You can\u2019t control the flow of time, but you can exercise some control over the events and energies that it brings.\u00a0 You can use time as an ally by respecting its power and not fighting the direction of its flow; keep looking forward.\u00a0 Your magic will function better when you keep all of your energies attuned to this inexorable force.\u00a0 When you stay aware of time and the role that it plays in all your endeavors, when you respect its power and learn to use it in your magic, you will benefit on every level. You\u2019ll have a good time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":1,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1698","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1698","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/43"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1698"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1698\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1694,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1698\/revisions\/1694"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1698"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1698"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/paganpages.org\/emagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1698"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}