I FORGOT MY MANTRA

10 Jan BIG MAGIC

What is Big Magic?

It’s that voice in the back of your head that wakes you up at 3 am, the wolfing hour, whispering to pursue that idea you had. It’s that song playing at exactly the right time and with just the right message. It’s bumping into someone unexpectedly at Whole Foods, bringing an opportunity you were hoping to find.  It is kismet. It is destiny. It’s written in the stars, and it’s also the name of Elizabeth Gilbert’s new book. I’m sure you heard of her international best seller called Eat, Pray, Love. Although some friends thought it was cheesy and unrealistic, I, on the other hand, ate it up, laughed out loud, and could relate to all of it. I thought the book was enjoyable but I’ll never see the movie starring Julia Roberts because I don’t want to cloud my picture of protagonist Liz.

What if I told you I started writing because it was written in the stars. Literally! Thanks to some Big Magic of my own, I was introduced to astrologist Gregory Martin. He happens to be the son of Sir George Martin, the “fifth Beatle” and Beatles music producer, who is responsible for all of those lush recordings and symphonic quality of music like the album Abbey Road. Gregory Martin has read over 25,000 star charts, including all the Beatles and Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Records/Airlines fame. The friend who referred me to Gregory is someone I trust, but I admit I was a little doubtful, thinking he’d check my Facebook profile and tell me everything I wanted to hear. I set up the reading and nervously waited six weeks, potential gloomy predictions weighing in my head. Was he going to tell me my kids would never amount to anything? What about a possible split with my husband, or a death in the family, or worse… would I get breast cancer and end up dying? Crazy thoughts were coming up and I wondered if I wanted to face my fears.  

Before I spoke with Gregory, I had been thinking about writing a book. For over a year, but more seriously in the weeks leading up to my reading, stories from my husband’s entertaining life had been organizing in chapter form inside my head. I hiked nearly every day just prior to the reading and kept the Abbey Road album on a continuous loop on my iPhone. Is it just me, or does anyone just replay music over and over again when looking for answers? I heard words and understood meanings I hadn’t heard before. Inspiration was coming to me through the words of McCartney and Lennon.

Two days before the reading, that friend who referred me asked, “Do you know who the astrologist is?” I said no. She told me about Martin and his legendary Beatles connection, and the hair on my arms raised, and I thought, how cosmic. Maybe this is all falling into place.

The reading with Gregory was mind- blowing. It wasn’t what I expected, and it wasn’t hocus pocus or basic. It wasn’t specific about my kids, or when I would buy those gold Gucci heels I have been eyeing, or the next trip I would take. It was a mathematical, astrological reading of my human potential. I listened as he talked about planets and houses, fixed stars, conjunctions and descendants, and all these high-level concepts I really couldn’t grasp, except I felt a massive shift in my energy.   I felt alive and ready to write. I had been dormant and self-doubting for so long. He encouraged me to tap into my creative side and told me – ”It is all written in your chart and it’s been there since you were born.” That, my friends, is BIG MAGIC. My desire, and destiny, to write was written in the stars all along, but it was up to me to bring it to life.  

Ps- if you are interested in contacting Gregory Martin to find your own Big Magic please email me and I will put you in touch with his lovely wife Cherie Martin to discuss. He currently resides in Paris but he gives readings via Skype or phone.  

Time to write.  If you haven’t already, check out this week’s Sotelties.