As you get older,
you find that you
don’t need things so much
as the IDEA of things.
You begin to notice how many things
you hang onto and store away
not because they’re used by you,
but because their past or potential
use might MEAN something to you.
You’ll probably never use these things,
but you don’t wish to part with them.
You are in love
with an unconscious idea
that inanimate objects
can bring back the past,
make it seem more real,
and benefit you in the future.
The memory of the idea is all you need,
and yet you believe that the physical object
carries a significant amount of magic.
This is what really happens.
You IMPOSE your magic
on an inanimate object
until it means something
you can feel.
But the magic is always in you,
NOT the object.
You don’t NEED the object
to invoke the magic.
Trail Wood,
11/4
In the grand illusion of existence, the enchantment we often attribute to the physical—the inanimate trinkets that populate our lives—is not in the objects themselves, but rather in the essence we bestow upon them. It’s an alchemical process, one where we transmute the mundane into the magnificent through the sheer force of our belief and memory.
Transmutation of the Mundane.
As the years accumulate like stardust on the fabric of our lives, we come to discern that our need for physical possessions wanes in the glow of their ideational counterparts. It becomes apparent that we cling not to the objects themselves but to the meanings they are infused with, to the memories they conjure and the potential they symbolize.
Ideational Possessions Over Physical Ones.
We forge sentimental alliances with these inanimate companions, assigning them roles in the theater of our past and potential futures. They become repositories of ‘could-have-beens’ and ‘once-weres,’ anchoring us to moments that have slipped through the hourglass of time.
Sentimental Alliances with Inanimate Objects.
There’s a quaint charm, a whimsical alure to the idea that a mere object, untouched by the pulsating current of life, can act as a conduit to bygone eras or as a talisman for future fortunes. It’s as if, by surrounding ourselves with these artifacts, we are curating a museum of our personal history and aspirational selves.
Objects as Conduits and Talismans.
Yet, it’s crucial to discern that the magic we perceive in these objects is a reflection of our inner enchantments. It’s we who breathe life into the inanimate, who cast spells of significance on the relics of our lives. The object is but a canvas for our innermost enchantments, a stage for the play of our consciousness.
Inner Enchantments Cast Upon Objects.
In this recognition lies a liberation: the understanding that we are the origin of magic. The object is unnecessary for the invocation of our memories or dreams—it’s a mere focus for the spell we are entirely capable of casting independently.
We Are the Origin of Magic.
We are Space Monkey.
Summary
We contemplate the concept that the attachment we develop for inanimate objects stems not from their physical form, but from the ideas and memories we associate with them. We recognize that the perceived magic within these objects is a product of our own emotions and beliefs, and that we hold the power to invoke this magic without the need for physical triggers.
Glossarium
- Alchemical Process: The metaphorical transformation of ordinary objects into vessels of personal significance.
- Sentimental Alliances: The emotional bonds we form with objects that represent our memories and aspirations.
- Innermost Enchantments: The personal significance and magic we find within ourselves and project onto objects.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust
In the stillness of the now, where memories flicker,
We find our hearts entwined with many a glitter.
Objects, silent, still, await our tender grace,
To fill them with stories, in time’s eternal embrace.
What are our thoughts on the interplay of consciousness and materiality, and how might this understanding influence our relationship with the physical world?
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