--W.B. Yeats
Jana came across this quote recently and shared it with me as it's a very nice summary of the thesis of Hunting Magic Eels. Enchantment is less a matter of belief than a practice of attention. The world is full of magic, but we have to look with sharper senses.
But that brings to mind my recent post concerning the "imperative to virtue gap." We can't just tell people to "Look!" or "Look harder!" in an effort to sharpen dulled senses. Perception is an acquired capacity.
Consequently, much of Hunting Magic Eels is devoted to sharing a suite of insights and ideas about how we might practice better attention to see a world full of magic things. For example, from the liturgical traditions I talk about the importance of material reminders and surroundings. From the contemplative tradition I talk about prayer disciplines, such as the prayer of examen. From the charismatic tradition I talk about attending to the emotional aspects of faith along with practices of gratitude and praise. And, finally, from the Celtic tradition I talk about the power of nature and how poetry can be a practice of a sacramental imagination.
The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.
