"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music."

- Aldous Huxley (1894 - 1963), "Music at Night", 1931

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I have recently learnt a secret which I will share ... Magic is Within Us All. ... Magic is MUSIC and Music is MAGIC.

Listen to the wind and the rain sometimes and the music of Nature … birds singing... frogs croaking … crickets chirping … take the time to listen to your own heart beat whilst meditating … listen to the rhythm of life and “ohms” of your very own being.

Whatever path one walks it would be even more mundane without the Music ... the Music that sings in our Hearts ... the Melody of Life and the Harmony of Soul.

Just to digress for a minute, recently I was given two books, one I have previously mentioned either in an editorial here or in forum posts. It was given to me as a gift from my Dragonfly. The title of the book was “A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle. It is a wonderful and amazing book. I am currently re-reading this wonderful tome and it has opened me up spiritually. I see everything very clearly now. The fog has been lifted which has helped me to really appreciate the other book I was given as a gift from my Dragonfly's mother, Denise.

This other book, I found to be truly inspirational. It is titled, “The Rollicking Ramblings of an Irishman” by Tony Kearney. It is a marvelously amusing read. The central theme of this manuscript is 'Obfuscating'. Something, I have been accused of doing by at least two magistrates in two separate court matters. I had never actually heard of the word before, and if I had never heard of the word, nor understood what it meant, how could I be a perpetrator of such a horrendous thing. So looking it up, way before I received this marvelous gift of the book, I found it to be a verbal tool of politicians i.e.: “Politicians do not lie, they obfuscate away!”

Now, “this is all well and good,” I can imagine my readers thinking, “but what has this to do with Music or Magic for that matter?”

Well, hold your horses, I am getting to it and before I am accused of confusing the matter, in other words obfuscating, I wish it noted that there is a reason for my wandering off the topic at hand.

For many months, I have been ranting and raving about the mean, malicious, vindictive and nasty people who take it upon themselves to make life difficult for not only me but also, for my kith and kindred.

They say that the pen is mightier than the sword, or in other words, the written word does more damage than the verbal expression. One thing for sure, it is evidence if used in court to prove defamation amongst other things. To be clear here “Libel” is the written defamatory statement and “Slander” is the verbal defamatory statement. It is often extremely hard to prove that someone has verbally defamed you especially if you have no witnesses to the actual slanderous remark besides yourself and then, it becomes a case of your word against theirs. Of course the court could rule that the spoken word was not slander at all and rather was more “abusive” and “derogative” in nature. I implore the reader to fully understand the complexity of both “Libel” and “Slander”. Especially, if a reader of this article, concludes at the end of reading this well researched and literary masterpiece, that it is defamatory material.

This is not my intent at all. My intent is to write an editorial which will have the reader understanding the basic fundamentals of human nature and how they can tune into the melody of the magical music within.

But again, I find I have digressed. Oops … sorry.

If my dear reader is becoming slightly miffed and frustrated with my meandering thought process then, clearly you are not really focusing on what I am trying to convey. I am attempting to teach you how to overcome the complexities of life and social order as best to harness the music within your very soul.

… Now, do you not think that is better than getting the rough end of a pineapple, or a poke in the eye with a burnt stick or even falling off a roof while clearing gutters?

…. Or, as a close friend said to me:

“I guess its all a matter of if a leaf falls to the ground and no one is around does it make a sound?

Yes probably something like this... SSSSSShhhieeeeeeTTTTTTt!!!  F**k f**k f**king hell... oh f**k f**k f**k! “

Now that I have seemingly, obfuscated, digressed and euphemised enough (not sure what these words mean? Then visit dictionary.com like I had to do – a very useful tool it is too), I will endeavour to steer the reader back to the subject at hand.

When overwhelmed by the misbehaviour of certain people in society; when frustrated with the vindictiveness of nasty cretins; when angered by the malicious and childish inappropriateness of buffoons (dictionary.com), a reading of a good book (like the ones I mentioned above) and listening to some beautiful and vibrant music quite often soothes the savage beast within,

These days, it works remarkably well for me … that and writing rollicking, rambling rants like this article. C'mon … I believe it much more civilised to put my thoughts of the frustrating, immature, nasty and vile behaviour of others to written expression rather than “go and take them behind a back shed” (like one pagan waug suggested he would do to me, as he believed that this was the “pagan” way of sorting out a disagreement) and thumping the bejesus out of them ...or waiting in a back alley with a baseball bat (another method the pagan who will go unnamed suggested) … to sort out the disagreement ...although I have contemplated many times sorting out my partner's ex-husband using the “Braybin” method.

I believe that I am more civilised, mature and above all intelligent than that and would rather rant and rave from here to eternity through my many rambling, rollicking editorials.

With apologies to my readers, I seemed to have once again slipped into the area of Digressions, Euphemisms, Non-Seqiturs and Tautologies (dictionary.com) and will earnestly try to avoid such from here on and stick to the topic of the editorial.

Over the last couple of months I have had a great deal on my plate and if it was not for my recent association with some remarkable and talented musicians, working on countless music videos and listening to some magnificent magical music, I feel I would have allowed the stress to take hold and may have found myself with a similar neuological disorder to a certain former associate who has it documented and which, he produced in a court action against him, to get his arse out of the fire.

I have discovered that Music is Magical . It embraces and envelopes you like nothing else. You can close your eyes and disassociate from the “cesspit of society”, the troubles, the dilemmas and even, the mundane.

This is tapping into the Magic ...the start of an adventure and journey to other realms.

Let's face it who wants to be caught up with the back-stabbing, obnoxious, onerous judgmental, rumour-mongering of people who will sneak into the ears of performers you hired only to spread malicious, unsubstantiated rumors about you …

Kind of reminds me of a scene from a movie which starred the late great Donald O'Connor … you know the one ...the one that has a talking mule whose name escapes me now … but I am sure it is a slip of the tongue away. It seems that some people will stoop to new lows and in a method so Un-Australian (but then, again they aren't even Australian) and in their own judgmental manner are willing to make an ASS of themselves (if not you).

Music is Non-Judgmental and the Magic of Music is that it holds no judgement on the listener. The listener actually, becomes ONE with the Music.

Dare I digress again? “Why not?” I can hear the readers all sigh in unison. “It's not as if you haven't OBFUSCATED all over the place already!” I hear you all mutter in resignation. “Go for it!”

I beg your indulgences dear reader, but how can one try to even fit a square peg into a round hole without first analysing the situation completely and digesting the fundamental principles which have brought me to this magnificent magical and spiritual secret that I am willing to share with you all, without examining the rudimentary reasoning and catalyst behind my great discovery?

The worth of this basic understanding hangs heavily on my shoulder. How can anyone fully appreciate the harmony within without first grasping the insidious nature of certain individuals around them. Such as the insidious, villianous behaviour of a person who joined an organisation only to financially rip the organisation off, to bring the organisation into disrepute, to act in such a totally heinous manner that they used the organisation to only financially benefit themselves and resort to activity which is akin to criminal to do so? Naughty, Naughty Cassaruna!

Then, again, having one ruthless, self obsessed and self absorbed individual in an organisation is better than having an entire executive committee of an organisation in total control and who are more interested in feathering their own nests and furthering their own social status than in the constitutionally protected rights of the members.

I am always reminded of the Wiccan Rede; the rules of three-fold and ten-fold; the law of Karma whenever I stop and allow myself a Pasa (sorry, Freudian slip), a passing thought on these individuals. As far as I am concerned , they have no music in their souls, they march to the beat of their own drum, sing their own songs and are totally out of tune with the rest of us … well, at least those who can FEEL the MAGIC arising in their being.

I have came to the conclusion that these people are not worth worrying about anymore ... nor am I going to worry about the cancerous growth which has attached itself to my partner,Dragonfly's bum, namely her ex-husband ...

Over the months, I have come to see the GOOD in many. Yes ...there are the cretins within the Community … and I mean the Community as a WHOLE … not just the Pagan Community or the Alternative Spiritual Community …

There are those amongst us whose very existence make those aforementioned cretins seem like ants and their mountains look like mole hills.

There are people who have found the Magic of Music and the harmony of existence who give of themselves … who do favours for people expecting no return favour, as they are greatly rewarded by just doing for others. People like my good friend Amethyst who will soon be launching her “PINK Candle” cause … people like my own Dragonfly who is the back-bone of The Ancient Ways Inc and who has been cordially invited to attend and participate in the conference discussing "Freedom of Religion and Belief in Australia" hosted by the Australian Human Rights Commission, and the Australian Multicultural Foundation … people like my good friend Sherostar … who despite her own troubles and tribulations goes out everyday in her capacity and work as a Social Worker to help others …

Even my humble self, who promotes musicians without thought of material gain and who is greatly appreciative, surprised and overwhelmed when he is given a gift of a Music CD for his efforts. Thank you Rob McDade, Witch's Mark, Hobbyhorse … and is also, presented with free tickets to concerts and invitations to attend pub gigs by other bands and performers who aren't even playing at his Druid's Dreaming gig …

I am humbled … and sincerely thankful not only for these gifts but also for all the new found friendships.

So, my dear reader, I at least have discovered that there is indeed MAGIC in Music … and from the sheer pleasure of listening to music … MAGIC.

Allow all music to embrace you … allow it to envelope you … listen to the rhythm of Life. Chant to your Deities ... sing to your Gods and Goddesses and you will find the Magic.

Always beguile yourself with MUSIC to stir the Magic Within You

Conclusion and another Digression

At the very least, I feel that I have proven to Mr. Tony Kearney, himself, if nobody else that I am worthy of becoming (like him) an honourary member of The Ancient and Royal Society of Obfuscators, as I have obfuscated better than any recent Australian politician I know of, any public servant, any magistrate and any other obfuscating Ratbag.

… and to be on the safe side, if I am not approved for membership, I have established my own Ancient Order of Magnificent Procrastinators and Obfuscators of which I am the founder and President.

Long Live the Grand AOMPOH!

Footnote: The reader will note above a link to AOMPO. Before you are tempted to join this auspicious Order you must present to the Grand AOMPOH (Moi) a essay of 25 words or more: "What you believe each word (procastinates and obfuscates) means and why you consider yourself to be one or the other." Ratbags ONLY Need apply ...trouble-making Trolls and Cretins need NOT!

If you want to change the world my friends change your thinking first.