There's a book called, The Magic, by Rhonda Byrne, which is said to be a transformative guide that supports readers through 28-days of gratitude exercises. The daily exercises begin with "counting your blessings", listing ten things your grateful for and why, followed by a specific area of focus, which may include an additional exercise.
From 2020 until the end of 2022, I was primarily in Maryland, spending time with my family. Before I left, my younger cousin and I decided to try The Magic. She had something specific that she wanted to manifest, and I was curious about what the experience of the practice would be like. I'd heard a lot about the energy of appreciation and the power of gratitude, so having a firsthand experiment sounded interesting.
We both stuck to the 28 consecutive days of practice, and we were both impressed with what we experienced along the way, such as interesting synchronicities, noticing what we were thankful for throughout each day, and she even manifested what she intended. I felt satisfied with having stuck to the program, so to speak, but I didn't have a huge manifestation...although I did unexpectedly decide to return to California.
Three years later, I decided to circle back around to The Magic, but this time I did have a certain manifestation in mind. I was enjoying the process so much that I went beyond the 28 days, and as I am writing this, I am now on day 204. After the 28 days of specific exercises, I've continued with "counting my blessings" each morning, writing my lists of what I'm grateful for and why.
So, has it been magical after 200 days of The Magic? Did I manifest my desired outcome? I'll share my personal journey and what I've actually experienced.
Beginning My Second Journey with The Magic
When I decided to go through the book again, I figured I'd test out the manifestation component, intending to match my desire with the highest frequencies of my gratitude. The overall practice begins with the list of what you're creating, specific to:
Health and Body
Career and Work
Money
Relationships
Personal Desires
Material Things
Initiating the daily practices feels both structured and conjures a feeling of hopefulness, setting the stage for a mindset shift I didn't fully anticipate. The first few days were a mix of excitement and skepticism. Even though my cousin had landed her manifestation, I didn't feel the certainty that she had from the start. I was still dancing in my own limitations, while being thankful for what I already have in tangible ways. There was also a part of me that was more interested in what I would witness as my attachments, giving me an opportunity to become free from my limitations and support new alignment. My energy practice is enmeshed in all I do.
The exercises outlined in the book feel simplistic at first glance. The idea of writing lists of things I'm grateful for could seem redundant, as there was a lot of repetition. However, over time, these lists became a source of reflection and were changing the nature of my heart-mind intelligence. I could feel it and I began to notice the change in my perceptions while interacting with life. Each day was an opportunity to fine-tune my perception of myself, my life, and the world around me. I began noticing patterns in my thoughts and the subtle interplay between my emotions and external experiences. It was fascinating to see how much the simple act of writing could illuminate the intricacies of my inner world.
Early in the journey, I realized the importance of consistency. Similar to Reiki and meditation, I knew I had to remain diligent, committed to showing up for myself through the practice.
Each section, or day, of The Magic introduces a new layer of gratitude, encouraging us to look at various areas of our lives, such as seeing the gifts in challenging relationships. That was interesting, but it was the daily, repetitive practice of jotting down gratitude lists each morning that quickly became a ritual I looked forward to. Even though I often wrote similar things each day, the element of why gave me more clarity and understanding of what I found to be gifts in my life. These seemingly banal lists are what began transforming my mindset. As I noted down ten things daily, the attachment and desperation for my desires began to shift, and my heart became more full in recognition of what IS. It wasn't just about finding big things to be thankful for. In fact, discovering appreciation in mundane tasks or seemingly insignificant exchanges often provided the deepest insights.
The Energy of Appreciation: Finding Joy in Small Things
Throughout my journey, I found that the energy of appreciation enhances everyday moments. From the first taste of morning coffee to taking sweet, conscious breaths throughout the day, recognizing these small joys cultivated a deeper satisfaction and a sense of wonder in my life. I even started to emphasize, in my mind, what I love about the people in my life. Appreciation started becoming a twinkle in my eye, illuminating the beauty all around me.
This newfound sense of deep gratitude wasn't just regulated to things individually, as it became more embedded in my being. I just started feeling appreciative because I and we...and earth exist. It's one thing to hear about the benefits of savoring moments, but quite another to live those experiences regularly. And not because things in my life were perfect. I have challenges like everyone else, but we navigate and interact with them differently, even feel them differently, when gratitude is at the forefront of our experience.
There were days when I felt overwhelmed by the hustle of life, and moments of frustration when my intended manifestation wasn't materializing. However, every time I consciously acknowledged any gift in my life, no matter the size, it served as a gentle reminder of life's inherent beauty and that the enormity of gratitude isn't determined by the size of what we're grateful for. Flickers of appreciation for unexpected laughter in The Alchemy Circle or the comforting quiet of a clear, blue sky refined my ability to see and feel life with more tenderness. This practice started to become a way of life.
Tapping into Heart-Mind Intelligence
By the time I made it to 100 days of practice, I was disappointed that I hadn't seen any external result of the practice, but then I remembered how wonderful it had been to feel more appreciative in my life...just because. I had to acknowledge that The Magic had absolutely been connected to shifts I was witnessing within my heart-mind intelligence. And in turn, changing the way I was engaged with and showing up in externalized ways. So, no...I didn't get the "gift" I was hoping for, but I did receive a gift nonetheless.
The concept of heart-mind intelligence resonates with me deeply as a huge component in the practices within the system of Reiki. It involves tuning into the heart's wisdom to cultivate more compassion, less attachments, and acclimate to the love that IS unconditional.
After 100 days, I realized I was being gifted the experience of heart-mind intelligence in an entirely new frequency. As I began to explore this deeper layer, I realized this was also nurturing my intuition, heart-(higher) mind coherence, and was strengthen my connection to the Wisdom of Sophia, Magdalene, Auset and Ma'at.
It was as though a compassionate observer had taken root inside me, guiding me with insights and heart-centered teachings that stemmed from a deep sense of inner knowing. With every gratitude entry, I consciously engaged my heart and allowed truth to flow without thinking about it. With every meditation, I consciously engaged my heart, asking it for guidance and clarity. With every conversation, I consciously engaged my heart, allowing it to guide my mind and my word. It was like having an internal compass, steadying me through life's landscapes. This harmonization allowed me to feel and experience gratitude, not just as words but as heartfelt convictions.
Nurturing the Mind with Love and Appreciation
Practicing gratitude continuously has nourished my mind with love. It has decreased my stress levels, increased my ability to redirect my attention, and soften my mind and emotions when necessary.
Every day, as I turn my thoughts toward what I appreciate, my heart-mind smiles. My entire body and being shifts into peace and groundedness. This intentional practice of focusing on what I love supports a kind of mental and emotional resilience. Scientific studies have backed up my experience, showing that consistently practicing gratitude can lead to significant health benefits.
Gradually, the effects became visible not just internally but externally, too. My relationships improved as I started approaching interactions with a more open and loving mindset, and with less attachment to what would have been loud and triggering in the past. Gratitude, like love, is an interrupter and a healer.
Challenges and Breakthroughs
While the initial stages of gratitude practice were dotted with moments of exhilaration, hitting the occasional rough patch was inevitable. On tougher days, the thought of writing things to be grateful for made me want to have an inner-tantrum, visually throwing my journal on the floor. Some days are more challenging, as life has unexpected curve-balls...and sometimes you do want tangible evidence that the universe wants you to have what you want. Yet, these very challenges offered the greatest teachings. They were gateways, pushing me to surrender more to the Wisdom of the heart, and become more free from (and understand) my attachments.
Embracing The Magic in Everyday Life
Now, after over 200 consecutive days of The Magic, I can truly say that the practice of gratitude and appreciation has enriched my life. In fact, I feel that my mind and energy have shifted so significantly that I can feel myself aligning more fully with what will serve my current path and practice, beyond what I thought I wanted. The energy that can be cultivated from a grateful heart is undeniable, and it's a practice I intend to nurture moving forward. I'm shooting for 365 days of the written practice, but I will continue beyond, orally and through mindful observation.
Stay tuned. I will be back with an update after my YEAR of The Magic.
In gassho and gratitude,
Yolanda xo