I don’t necessarily believe in magic as it’s commonly defined; however, I do believe in the magic that flows through each and every one of us. This magic is the power and energy of the quantum principles of focus, attention, and vibration. It may seem like magic—but in truth, it’s scientific. We are energy. We are vibration. And the flow of our vibration determines what we attract into our lives.

“We are surrounded by a creative medium which receives the impress of our thought and acts upon it.” — Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind

Sometimes it feels magical when we suddenly experience an unexpected success or joyful surprise. Yet, if we look closely, it wasn’t really unexpected at all—we’ve already paid for it with our “mental coinage.”

Yes, it’s magical because it operates beyond the world of conditional thinking. We struggle to make changes in the 3D world—moving physical objects, healing illnesses through medicine alone, or patching relationships using the same old thinking that created the problems in the first place. We even try to fix the world’s crises by exerting physical power or controlling others through our beliefs and bullying behaviors.

Everything in the physical world is temporary. Nothing lasts forever. Yet there is an eternal power that never dies and cannot be created or destroyed. Albert Einstein called it imagination. When we imagine what’s possible—and put our intention and inspired action behind it, releasing those invisible barriers of thought—our lives begin to feel truly magical.

“Imagination is the creative power that penetrates all things and receives the imprint of our thoughts.” — Ernest Holmes, Creative Mind and Success

I think of times in my own life when everything seemed to flow effortlessly. It didn’t happen by mere wishful thinking; my thoughts preceded my actions. I had to think rightly, believe in myself, and hold unwavering faith in what I was doing. When doubt crept in, my stronger belief overpowered it. That belief opened doors I might not have even seen otherwise.

“Faith is a mental attitude which is so convinced of its own idea that any contradiction is unthinkable and impossible.” — Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind

So, what is magical thinking? It’s not about waving our hands and expecting things to appear out of thin air. It’s about understanding how the universe truly works. I’m not saying such manifestations are impossible—after all, great mystics like Sai Baba demonstrated them—but their mastery was the result of a lifetime of disciplined thought and unwavering belief.

“To learn how to think is to learn how to live.”— Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind

For most of us, this is a journey. We must discard limiting beliefs, clear our mental closets, and replace them with the vision of the life we truly desire.

Right now, I hold many dreams for the remainder of my life. Here’s my formula:

1. Clarity

We must become clear about what I want and how I wish to live. Not to “get realistic,” but to dare to dream expansively and without limitation. We live in an unlimited Universe. Though it may sound cliché, it’s true—we simply forget to believe it.

“We cannot demonstrate beyond our ability to conceive, nor can we conceive of that which we do not believe may be possible.” — Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind

2. Expanded Thinking

We must step outside the mindset of those who only see what’s in front of them. Everything is created first in thought. When the Wright brothers dreamed of flight, they didn’t listen to the “impossibilities” of their time—they looked beyond the box.

“Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it.” — Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind

3. Action and Openness

Once clear and untethered from the conditional world, it’s time to act. Open yourself to resources. Seek answers everywhere. Keep thinking expansively. When doubt appears, reaffirm your limitless potential.

“There is a power for good in the universe, greater than you are, and you can use it.”  — Ernest Holmes, This Thing Called You

4. Feeling the Outcome

Each day, feel the reality of your desired outcome. Treat. Meditate. Affirm. And move your feet.

“Heaven is not a place, but a state of consciousness.”— Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind

We are living in challenging times. If you haven’t noticed, you haven’t been awake. Yet these are precisely the times when we must rely on the magic of our being—the ability to think beyond circumstances and live from the vision of the world we want to experience. It’s not easy when everything around us screams otherwise, or when loved ones are steeped in fear and despair. Still, it is our sacred responsibility—if we choose to accept it—to be the ones who hold the light. We are the creators, the visionaries, the midwives of a new world of magic. And when our work is done, we will look back and say, That was magic. But the deeper truth is that it was here all along—we simply couldn’t see it because our vision was clouded by belief in limitation.

“When one conceives of the invisible, one is dealing with that which is real, and when one sees only the visible, one is dealing with the temporary.” — Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind

There’s an old legend that when Indigenous people first saw ships approaching their shores, they couldn’t perceive them because such vessels were beyond their frame of reference. The ships remained invisible until their awareness expanded. Change your paradigm—change your life. The power of your paradigm either draws everything to you or keeps it away.

“Change your thinking and you change your life.” — Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind

So, do you believe in magic? Your answer to that question will determine everything that follows.

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Dr. Rita, Author, Founding Spiritual Director CSL Kaua’i, Founder of the Red Dress Movement