Bringing magick into the ordinary…

I have an ordinary life, for what it’s worth. A job that pays bills that sustains life that breathes and bleeds like you. But outside of this ordinary life, on the other side of daylight, is a complex weaving of thoughts about death and the ways in which we are brought back together after it. These philosophies and fantasies fill my head and most days my ordinary life bores me. I’m left wondering about ways to bring my love for the occult into the places I frequent the most - an office. Despite the smell of office supplies and buzzing overhead lights, I try to invoke the smell of rotting wood in a historic building or the sensation of midday sun upon my face. These are the ways in which I make the 8 hour day a little more magickal.

First, I try to start my day with divination. I’m not a particularity early riser but I try at least once a week to wake up just early enough to pull a tarot or oracle card. I typically ask questions that have nothing to do with work but you could if you cared more than myself about it. Mostly, I ask for insight into my week as a whole, or messages from my spirits or ancestors. Either way, communication with the beyond begins before work and I carry it with me through the day.

I also bring with me to work whatever it is that I want (within reason, of course). Crystals for better communication or prophetic daydreams? In the work bag. A marble or a stone or a puzzle piece that brought meaning to me somewhere, at some time? In the work bag. I am not afraid to carry things with me to the office that bring with it magick and whimsy.

Smells are important to - they transport you. So I wear an oil for protection, or spirit communication or courage. Not too strong so that my coworkers are bothered but enough for me to not only smell ink or paper or the keys on a keyboard.

Lastly, I walk. Not everyone can do this; I’m very lucky. But as often as I can I walk to and from work. I have a car but the walk allows me time to myself in a way that has become incredibly valuable to my day to day routine. I start the week listening to an astrology podcast (CHANI usually) and the rest of the week I’m listening to my favorites…Florence, Stevie, etc…dark and magickal moods to set the tone of a rather boring day ahead.

As you can tell, I don’t like my day job. This is something I’m rather ashamed to say. I wish I had advice on how to find passion in the work you do even if it does not reflect your desires, but I don’t. I hope to find different work someday but until then I say - be the office weirdo.