I usually write and publish my writings way before this time but today I had a social event I was attending and just got home now. It was a night of magical shows at Los Angeles’ world famous Magic Castle.
My friend Jacqui has a nonprofit for the LA wildfire recovery efforts called Lotus Rising LA. I’ve been donating my recent proceeds from coaching and classes to Lotus Rising and as part of a celebration of Lotus Rising becoming a proper nonprofit, I was invited to spend a night at the Magic Castle with my wife.
Now, I’m no magician but I do appreciate a good magic show. But I’m interested in it at the YouTube level and occasionally street performances, but I haven’t checked out a proper magic show ever. This event really spoiled us because the Magic Castle is a member-only zone that you get to enter with either a guest pass or a host’s invitation.
Our host, Mike, was a greatly generous host who showed around not just the castle but all the different shows the castle had to offer. We got to see 4 shows, and because we were all sitting in the front line I got to participate in all of the shows. I thought it would be a lot more socially intimidating but the magicians were all very welcoming in their presence.
I’ll write more later about how fucking mindblowing these shows were, but something I noticed in the shows is this. Magic is, a lot of the times, about the techniques. Sleight of hand, misdirection, shuffling, all of these are techniques you can learn and practice. But because the Magic Castle is like the magic capital of the world, all the magicians here are like at the top of their games.
So at this level, it’s sort of insulting to think of magic as a series of techniques. The shows were actually a lot more about individual flair and storytelling. Because the techniques were practically perfect, the differentiating X factor was how the show was set up, how it led you through the experience.
Even if our lives aren’t a magic show, even if you aren’t a magician I think the same beauty applies in life. We spend so much of our time trying to perfect a craft or a skill, we sometimes forget to look at the bigger picture of things. With our lives, what kind of a story are we telling to others? With our intentions, what kind of story are we writing for ourselves?
For a very long time my story was that of suffering. I know I haven’t been through the worst experiences life had to offer, but my mind spent a very long time exaggerating the effects of the negatives of my life. There were times I wanted to quit everything and become depressed. But somewhere along the line I got lucky multiple times and got to where I am.
I think now I’m spending a lot of time how to be that lucky opportunity for other people. So that’s where my life story is headed towards. And at this point in time, I just want to express my gratitude towards you, my audience, who is keeping my magic show alive. Please stick around for more tricks up my sleeve.