Creating Magic in the Mundane Moments
Creating Magic in the Mundane Moments
Because the magic doesn’t just *happen*, it's up to you to create it.
Hi, I’m Kaitlyn 👋
I write about real life through the lens of astrology. My goal is to help as many people as possible learn to love themselves for who they are—dark parts and all. I believe the parts we were taught to hide are where our true gifts lie.
My focus is to inspire you to feel confident enough to shine without the fear, regardless of the expectations of others.
I recently spent three days in bed, nursing a migraine that squelched my appetite and had me wondering if this was the end—dramatic, I know.1 Usually when this happens, it’s because I’ve strayed from the path of presence and simplicity.
We spent the past month connecting with our hearts—leaning into play, fun, and heart centered action as the sun lit up the Leo area of our lives. I started dancing again, watched trash tv, painted, indulged in multiple massages, and romanced myself in new ways.
The transition from fire (Leo) to earth (Virgo) can feel a bit like waking up after eating way too much delicious food—the heaviness and the notion that something has to change—a sense that we need to “get back on track,” whatever that track is for you.
For me, this track is presence.
Leaning into Presence
As I sit in the middle of my living room, beads of sweat dripping down my hairline, all the way down between my breasts and beyond, I stop dead in my tracks from a deep cleaning/dancing session and think to myself, “when did we take the magic out of the mundane?”
As humans in our modern society, we tend to curl up our nose in disgust at certain jobs, chores, and tasks on our to-do list. I’d rather be having fun, or be anywhere else than here—that’s not the case for me most days, but of course I’m still human and have days where I don’t want to do any of it.
Something shifted in me a few years back when I noticed myself rushing through daily tasks like doing the dishes, vacuuming the floor, cleaning the windows, when I realized I could literally just decide to look at it differently.
Modern spirituality is something I roll my eyes at often when I hear of people trying to transcend the 3D world as if it doesn’t hold value—why else would we be here in a physical body if we weren’t meant to experience it? You’re here on earth and you’re already trying to get back to where you came from? Excuse me?
I get it. I was deep in an addiction to alcohol for half of my life—it’s not much different than the modern new age spiritual bypassing model, if you think about it.
But when I got created my second chance at life, I started to get curious about what I was running away from to begin with. Why was I deeply uncomfortable feeling the sensations of discomfort in my body? I felt like an alien since I was a child, and here I was running away from reality time and time again.
When I started to feel the feelings that I didn’t feel safe to feel before, I noticed my emotions as the spectrum they were, still feeling tempted to numb them out, because what the fuck is happening in my body? I didn’t like it. It felt unnatural to feel. But I was curious.
The more I meet my emotional body and physical sensations with curiosity, the more I learn about myself, and about the human condition.
Usually the things we’re running from are not the sensations themselves, but from the story we attach to them. We’ve taught ourselves (or learned from others) what is pleasurable, and what is painful or uncomfortable, but it’s just that—learned. What is painful to some is pleasurable to others, and vice versa.
It’s up to us to unlearn and rewrite.
As I clean my home today, I access my feeling body—I go slowly, feeling the muscles in my arms and back as I scrub the bathroom floor, I smell the god awful chemicals that I’ve been telling myself I’m going to nix and swap for a more natural solution (but again, I’m only human, so until then I will continue to fuck up my hormones, my lungs, and the environment). I feel the sweat dripping down my skin until it pools in a crevice along the way, until the crevice floods and the waterfall continues. I take breaks when a catchy song comes on as I trace my fingers up and down the skin of my legs, swaying back and forth with the beat. I listen to the words and allow myself the pleasure of singing without being heard (or maybe my neighbours can, but I don’t care), feeling the vibrations in my chest all the way up my throat and through my teeth, because it feels good.2
I don’t need to be sitting on a beach with my toes in the sand to feel good. I have access to my body again, something I didn’t have just five years ago because I was scared and numbing it with alcohol—the cousin to the chemicals on my bathroom floor.
Joy is presence—and it’s accessible at any moment. We just need to tap in.
We don’t need to speed through the mundane parts of life to get to the “more important things” or the “more pleasurable acts,” it’s a fucking miracle that you’re here right now, why not take full advantage of the short decades we may be blessed to have on this earth by enjoying every part of it—the good, bad, the ugly, dirty, messy, and ultimately boring parts of being human, because that’s what it means to be alive.
It’s never too late to rewrite the story, even if it’s by finding sensual pleasure in the temperature of the water as you sink into the act of washing dishes with love, because how is that any different than feeling the soft caress of a lover under the moonlight?
Meet the act with love, and you will be met with pleasure.
I spent enough time running away from my life, and now I take time to create the magic in the mundane. I no longer need to bolt at the first sign of discomfort, and I create the life I desire, simply by being present. I don’t need to wait for a week of vacation to enjoy my life, because life is happening everyday.
Someone messaged me the other day saying something along the lines of them feeling behind on their spiritual journey, to which I answered, “Honestly, I think the most spiritual thing we can do is just live our lives.”
You’re not missing out on anything if you find pleasure in exactly where you are.
Here are three practical ways to create magic in the mundane moments, starting right now:
Take a big belly breath - right now, do it with me. Breathe in as deeply as you can, feel the tension (if there is any, I’m going to make an educated guess that there is), exhale. One more time, breathe in, notice if the tension has shifted or softened, or maybe increased, exhale again. And one more time; deep inhale, hold it for a moment as you experience the pause at the bottom of the inhale, and let it all out with a sigh, or a scream. Shake it off.
Slow down - there’s no need to rush through the task at hand. When we wish for it to be over, we’re already losing. Take a moment to intentionally slow your speed down by at least half. Notice when you’re rushing through what’s right in front of you. One helpful way to do this is to come back into the body by noticing the sensations you feel. If you’re doing the dishes, tap into the feeling of the water on your hands; if you’re in the shower, feel your fingertips lathering the shampoo into your scalp; if you hear a catchy song, take a moment to tap your foot or sway with the beat.
Take a walk - after reading this (or right now if you’re feeling rebellious) put down your device and go breathe some fresh air. Step away from the screen for just a moment and take in the sensual world at your fingertips. Go outside, notice the scents, temperature of the wind (or lack thereof), sounds, and look at the sky.
What’s going on at LTDP…
Postcard send out: I’m selecting seven people to receive a postcard from my current home—Pai, Thailand. If you’d like the chance to get one via snail mail, comment on this note, or hit reply if you’re receiving this by email.3
New Moon Workshop: Join me live on Zoom, September 3rd at 8pm Pacific Time for our Virgo New Moon Workshop, where we will dive into the energy of the final new moon before eclipse season (a great time to plant seeds of intention)!
This workshop is open to everyone—and the replay will be available for paid subs only. Come live for the chance to receive a mini-reading on the spot.
Birthday month discount: In honour of my 32nd trip around the sun, I’m offering a special annual discount that will end in two days!
I’d love for you to join our growing community of paid subscribers! Your contribution allows me to continue bringing value to this space. It also gives you access to the Cosmic Classroom and future New Moon Workshops!
And if you’re not ready to pay, your contribution of hearts ♡ and comments bring me so much joy, because it helps let others know there is something worth reading here, while allowing me the pleasure of connecting with you more deeply.
The luteal → menstrual phase transition is wild, friends.
Funny enough, one of those migraine days I had scheduled someone to come do yard work and clean inside my house (I’ve never hired someone to clean inside, and I thought I’d give it a try). I ended up having to cancel the inside clean so I could rest, which left me with the job after I got better. The Universe works in mysterious ways…
I distinctly remember the first time I realized that it didn't matter where I was, or what I was doing, I was still there, as myself, carrying the same things with me. I was reminded of this realization when you said you don't need to be sitting on a beach to have access to how you want to feel right now.
Living without alcohol is, at first, like taking those baby steps back into our feelings. I think most of us figured stopping drinking was the toughest part but that was not the case, at least not for me.
I've also written about finding the sacred in our daily actions so I appreciate this gentle reminder, thanks Kaitlyn.
You're very welcome 🙏 I am certainly enjoying it today, a sunny dog walk, a cup of tea, folding clothes. So much more enjoyable