Platform 9 3/4 or A Place to Start

Wow, what a week. I have felt such sadness at the loss of first David Bowie, and then Alan Rickman. Two beautiful, creative souls.

Death is inevitable; no one is leaving this life alive. So, it is permission to live and live deeply, fully, radiantly. Do what calls to your heart and makes you sing. Do things that put a smile on your face. Be weird, be silly. It means you are really being yourself. It is a gift you give to those around you, when you show up being you.

It's been 5 years since my gran died. The sadness I feel will always be with me, but I feel this has shaped me into a better, kinder, more compassionate person. After my gran died, I sort of became obsessed with Harry Potter. In my grief, I didn't think too much of it. After I started feeling less sad and overwhelmed, I finally thought to ask what the message was concerning HP. Well! I heard, "Learn to see the magic in everyday life."

I struggled with this; I just didn't understand. I see how bodies are miracles walking around each day. I see Nature and feel Its beauty is a gift. I have a loving family. But the fact of the matter was, things in my life just weren't working. (How did I know? I asked myself if my beliefs were workable, meaning, did I get the end results I desired?) I've had to cultivate emotional focus -- hard to do, for me. I've had to change my happiness set point; the default setting left me feeling really low each day. So what was all this about?

I bought a book, 'On Becoming an Alchemist,' about 6 or 7 years ago. I could seriously never make it past the first chapter. But in August, I picked it up again, thinking to donate it. Lo and Behold! I began to read and noticed the name Harry Potter appeared. Okay, I thought, let's pay attention.

Harry's first challenge on his path to becoming a wizard was finding Platform 9 3/4. In the non-magical world, it does not exist.

So where is it?

To an alchemist, The Between, is a magical place. Platform 9 3/4 represents The Between. Most of us don't think about what lies between us and anything else. But here is the deal;  The Between is a sacred container for your own relationship to Life. If your relationship to Life sucks, you are putting your bad attitude and negative beliefs into that sacred container and you are just getting more of the same negativity and 'tude. Who wants that?

We cannot change anyone or anything outside of ourselves, so the place to begin is within us. Look to your own beliefs about the things you don't like and question those beliefs.

To a Spiritual Alchemist, the Philosopher's Stone is your own open and loving, transformed and transforming heart.