The ancients knew the importance of finding magic in the every day. Theirs was a universe governed by gods and spirits. Many civilizations based their beliefs on the existence of a spiritual world, what we might now call a magical world, a place where good and evil played out in battles of sunlight and storms, where suffering people could pray their way out of starvation and adversity, where gods controlled the successful growth of crops, and where lovers could be swayed by prayer and magic. This, we have lost. Our folklore. Our magic. Our inspiration in the every day.

In an age where we are barraged with reality media, it has become an uncommon thing to look for what slips between words, for what is not readily apparent. Finding magic in the every day is a skill. For many it does not come naturally. Others know how this apparent skill can change your outlook, can inspire you, and help you begin to heal yourself and your world. Right or wrong, we need to believe there is magic out there-everywhere. The key is that magic in the every day may just be a reality-if you know how to find it. Here are ten ways to find magic in the every day.

1. Be brutally honest with someone who you feel does not understand you.

Our isolation causes us the greatest heartache. Often when we feel misunderstood, it is because we are not revealing ourselves. We are operating out of fear, hiding behind a mask that prevents others from knowing us. That sense of separateness is an illusion. We must assert that connectedness (though we may not feel it) through honesty. In some circles, this is called "Act as if." Act as if you were connected to this person. Take risks with those whom we feel disconnected. When we speak our truth, when we face those who we fear, that sense of isolation disappears. More often than not, that person with whom we share a new connection will be the purveyor of a gift, something that we have been waiting for or wanting to know about. This new connection may prove to be one of the strongest and most beneficial in our lives.

2. Practice intuition by realizing that a conversation starts the minute you look someone in the eye, and respond to that look rather than the words that follow. The arena of human communication is the best place to practice and develop one's intuition. Many people throughout their lives chase intuition, what some call magic, as though it is rare and elusive. In truth, it is available to all of us if we attune ourselves to it. By relating to a person based on empathy and energy rather than words, we are heightening our level of awareness and developing our intuition. Soon our intuition changes the way we experience our lives, becomes our natural way of being, and thus, enhances our ability to see magic.

3. Tell someone who is struggling that they already are what they wish to be. And give examples. The power of suggestion is undeniable. The fact is that we are language-based creatures. We give powerful meaning to the words of others. We must hear again and again about our success, before we can begin to internalize it. For ours is the voice that is always with us, it is the strongest. If you tell a child that they are not good at something, more than likely they will prove you right. This works in the opposite way as well. It is true that people grow into their beliefs about themselves. Many studies have shown that all it takes is one person in a child's life to assert the goodness and uniqueness of that child, and the powerful effect this has on the child's self-esteem. All too often we underestimate the power of asserting another's goodness. When we are weak, we need others to speak for us and tell us we are strong. When you do this for someone you are changing a life. You are the embodiment of magic.

4. Ask your children to hug each other good night and let them forget about you. Too often we focus on our children's devotion to their parents, but how often do we ask them to actively practice their devotion to each other? Sibling relationships are a template for social, societal and love relationships later in life. When expectations are raised and siblings cultivate a devotion to each other, when this becomes a natural expression of the way that families operate, then parents experience a magic unlike any other: a peaceful and loving household.

5. Break a sweat, especially when you're tired, to invoke the strength of your body. When we are feeling ill, our energy is low. This makes us prey to additional adversity. Anyone who has experienced a chronic or acute illness knows that a weak energetic system attracts negativity. When we take action and begin moving our body, despite the fatigue and exhaustion, even if its' just for a short time, we are changing our energetic state, which changes our emotional state. This translates into a new clearer positive energy that begins to infiltrate our lives. If we cultivate this practice of helping ourselves, more often than not, good people and situations will seem to show up and offer us healing.

6. Count the number of people you forgive each day versus the pounds on your scale. Take a break from the scale for one week. Instead of giving yourself a calorie quota, give yourself a forgiveness quota. Forgiveness, in addition to being a good spiritual exercise, puts your body and mind in a restful state, which is at the heart of a healthy body image and appetite. Many people overeat out of resentment. If you add forgiveness into your daily routine, you are removing one of the root causes of overeating.

7. Walk outside in bare feet in the mornings and the evenings. There is something to be said for grounding. Too much focus on the spiritual or magical world can create a sense of un-rootedness, a feeling of not being tethered to the earth, so to speak. Connecting with nature by walking barefoot outside two times a day can increase a person's feeling of being grounded which will provide a sense of safety, calm, and being in control of their destiny.

8. See painting, writing, or making music as a prayer to your soul and do a little of each every single day. Creativity is the soul's song. A wise person once said that the universe likes it when they work, but loves it when they sing. Any time you practice creative pursuits, any time you can move yourself into the "zone" you are raising your vibration. Creativity has a ripple effect and can be one of the quickest ways to experience a life change. It an open up channels that have been blocked and thus allow a powerful life force to bring in cleansing and healing, which in turn brings in new experiences, perspectives, and opportunities.

9. Imagine that your lost relatives were in heaven, tell them you love them and watch how the clouds in the sky change. Children find magic in the every day. They see shapes in clouds and create magical worlds full of wonderful adventures. Cultivating the sense of wonder of a child. Do this just for fun. Be like a child, just for a moment, and play with the forces of nature. This sense of awe may in fact bring you back to a time when magic was a natural part of your every day as breathing and can give you a brand new perspective.

10. Pay attention to uncanny coincidences, good timing, and chance encounters. Assume it all does, in fact, mean something. Try to find one "coincidence" a day. Write it down in a journal and see how it builds. The old adage-what you focus on multiplies-is true. Good things exist all around us all the time. But if we are not in a waking state, a state where we recognize all the little signs of magic, we will miss them. Count the things that happen in our favor, that make us feel like "someone up there likes me" and start to live in that reality.