Accessing the Magic in our World

"When you express gentleness and precision in your environment, then real brilliance and power can descend onto that situation.  If you try to manufacture that presence out of your own ego, it will never happen.  You cannot own the power and the magic of this world.  It is always available, but it does not belong to anyone." from Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior" by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

 These words jumped out at me today as I prepare for arranging flowers for a Drala program at the Brunswick Shambhala Meditation Center this weekend. This program brings attention to the sacred energy present in the world and how to access it. "Drala is not a god or spirit, but fundamentally it is connecting the wisdom of your own being with the power of things as they are.  If you are able to connect those two things, out of that, you can discover magic in everything."
This is what I also connect with in my work in designing space for others.  My work is not about making a self-conscious statement about either my own or the client's tastes, but noting with precision and awareness the qualities of the occupant and all others who will use the space and the properties of the environment to bring them into harmony or as Chogyam Trungpa says to "make your world available to others."  That is why it was so meaningful for me this past week to have a client say,

 Neal's Office Before

"I owe you a debt! I can't believe what a difference this endeavor has made and kick myself for not thinking to do something sooner. Even my office manager recently asked "what's gotten into you?" I am doing so much more with such a lighter heart and such a greater sense of joy. People need to know what this can do!!! I'm a convert!!!

I want you to succeed (pardon me for saying this), not for you. . . . but for the people you will help. I think this is important."

Neal's Office near Completion

Although I provided the assistance and focus for the project, the actual energy was there in his space and continues to feed him long after my involvement is gone.  Through gentleness and precision, we worked together to uplift his world and in so doing invoked the power of the phenomenal world around him so that it could continually feed him in his work.