How to Cultivate Miracles
By Keith Varnum
I’ve been blessed with a life adventure full of miracles. When people read about the magic in my life, they often ask me, “Why have you had these fascinating extraordinary experiences—and not me?”
I suggest to them that a more accurate way for them to ask that question might be, “Why do you recall all these extra-ordinary events—and not me?”
I’ve been a life coach and acupuncturist for over thirty years. In order to help people uncover the root causes of their problems, I had to delve deeply into the underlying facts beneath the surface of their lives. I had to reveal some truth behind the superficial stories we tell ourselves. I had to discover the real scoop hidden by our socially acceptable explanations of how life works.
Surprise Findings
In this detective process, I found out that just as many extra-ordinary events occur in most people’s lives as occur in mine! So, then, how come most folks aren’t aware of the extra-ordinary in their lives? Good question!
One reason many people don’t feel their lives are filled with exceptional events is because they don’t notice the uncommon events when they occur! They literally don’t see what is going on right in front of their eyes. Why not? Another great question.
They don’t see the magic because they aren’t looking in the right place.
They don’t see the magic because they aren’t looking in the right way.
They don’t see the magic because they aren’t looking for magic!
What are they doing?
They’re looking for what they expect to see.
They’re looking for what they’re conditioned to see.
They’re looking for what they’re told is there!
Dullsville, PA
I’ve come to realize that I happened to grow up in an environment that nurtured my ability to see beyond the borders of the believable.
Firstly, the small, remote Pennsylvania mountain town I grew up in had to be one of the most boring places on Earth! Nothing ever happened out of the ordinary there.
In this nondescript village there were no fights, no drugs, no crime, no minorities, no crises—not even divorce or betrayal (that anyone talked about). No fuss, no muss—just white picket fences and 4th of July parades and apple pie. The only thing that ever changed in my hometown were the four seasons. And they were often almost the same—cloudy or rainy.
The Rest of the Story
Of course, there was the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey would say. The foundation of this typical small town America did have its cracks beneath the veneer of public harmony. But these deviations from the American Dream were never mentioned. Not between town folk. Not between drinking buddies. Not at the bridge table. Not on the golf course. Not at home. And not even to oneself!
Thus, on the surface of it all, all was well. … And extremely mind-numbing to a young kid!
So, just to entertain myself, just to pass the time on days just like every other day, I began to look for anything in my life, in my town, that was out of the ordinary—outside of the obvious, predictable everyday occurrences.
And Guess What?
What you look for, shows up. What you look for, you see.
I desperately wanted to see something different or new. I longed for anything unusual or strange. I sent my attention out searching for any element of life that was out of order, sync or sequence with the everyday humdrum routine.
And, sure enough, I found it! Everywhere I looked. … In my life. In other people’s lives. In school. On the street.
Everywhere I looked with the intention to see more than what’s expected, I saw more of what didn’t fit my expectations. When I looked outside the box, I saw life outside the box. And when I got outside my own limited paradigm, I could appreciate the view from other people’s paradigms.
I witnessed teenage friends—and myself—being “miraculously” saved from disastrous car accidents. I saw people (angels) pop out of nowhere to save townfolk in a desperate situations. I watched time contract (or expand) to fit the prayers of those in need. I observed synchronicities that guided me to the best course of action.
Mealtime Mystery
A second eye-opener in my youth occurred at every meal. My father was a lawyer and my mother a court reporter. Our family discussions at the kitchen table always centered on their legal court cases. Court cases by their very nature are centered around disputes, disagreements—differences of perception.
I was constantly being presented with a particularly curious and startling phenomenon. Three witnesses to a car accident: three different stories of what has occurred. Four people involved in dispute: four equally possible versions of the “facts.” I learned that the truth is in the eye of the beholder.
Or rather, the truths are in the eyes of the beholders!
The Prison of the Prism
I became aware of the prison of the prism through which we each view our world. The perceptual filters of our known paradigm literally create what we can see—and what we can’t see!
The Undoing of My Upbringing
These two unusual aspects of my upbringing had a profound influence on how I experienced everyday life. I began to see the cracks in the façade of the social matrix.
And I found a way to use these cracks in the social fabric to break on through to the other side. To view another world of options and alternatives. To enter a wider range of possibilities and adventures. I could see not only what was happening in other people’s worlds, but also what could happen in the world of infinite possibility (miracles).
How ‘Bout You?
What experiences or circumstances in your background have opened the door for you to expand your vision of what is possible in life?
Showtime
Would you like to recall the forgotten magic that has occurred in your life?
Would you like more everyday miracles in your life today?
My suggestion?
Make a conscious decision to welcome the uncommon.
Invite the unexplainable.
Be open for the new and different.
Treasure the strange and weird.
Celebrate surprise. And you will be surprised. … By a whole new world of wonder and amazement.