Do you believe in magic? It doesn’t matter—they do.
The Power of Human Attention
Human attention is the most powerful substance on the planet. Look around you. Most everything you see was at one time in someone’s mind. The ability to channel that attention to create a new world is the most valuable substance on earth — and they know it, and they’re coming for it.
Some of them are using this knowledge for good and others for evil. Who are they, you ask? That’s less important than being aware of the methods they employ. They could be your spouse, they could be international gazillionaires with endless money and aims at shaping international politics or they could simply be you and your unconscious motivations. The point is, they’re after one thing: your attention.
Magic and Consciousness
At its core, magic is the art of manipulating human consciousness. Stage magicians exploit our tendency to fill in mental gaps, making us see what they want us to see. Marketers play similar tricks, weaponizing human consciousness at scale in this country beginning with Sigmund Freud’s nephew Edward Bernays. He realized that by playing with energy of core symbols surrounding liberty and freedom, he could get women to start smoking and men to go to war with their fellow man.
I’ve spent over three decades studying secrets: secret societies, esoteric teachings, and lost secrets. The word esoteric pretty much means inward, hidden or secret. It’s the opposite of exoteric, or outer, like exoskeleton. And, the silver thread stitching the esoteric teachings together is human consciousness. That’s right, many secret societies are interested in what it is, how it works, and its power when harnessed.
Never has the power to use technology to manipulate human awareness been greater than it is right now. Quite literally, you are reading on, or carrying in your pocket, something more powerful than the atom bomb. The right event on a global scale can seize the attention of almost 8 billion people almost instantaneously. Harnessing that power and activating it could either destroy or save our planet, depending on how it was used.
The Real “They”
“They” can wear many faces. Sometimes, “they” are indeed groups of people with sinister motives and nefarious endgames. These are the shadowy cabals and powerful elites that conspiracy theories often fixate upon — and yes, such groups do exist in various forms throughout history and in our present day.
But here’s the rub: while we’re busy looking over our shoulders for these external manipulators, we often overlook a far more immediate and influential “they” — the hidden forces within our own psyche. This internal “Deep State” of unconscious drives, fears, and conditioned responses often exerts more immediate control over our lives than any external group ever could.
For the sake of this article, let’s consider “they” as both: the external actors who understand and exploit human consciousness for their own gain, and the internal shadow forces that shape our perceptions and actions from within. Both reinforce separateness and scarcity in our world, whether through deliberate manipulation or unconscious patterns.
There are, of course, those who use their understanding of consciousness for positive ends, shifting awareness to uplift the vulnerable and ensure vitality for all. Yet even this dichotomy of external “good” versus “bad” actors is part of a larger illusion.
Quick spoiler: dive deep enough into the study of consciousness and magic, and you’ll discover a profound truth — ultimately, there is no “they,” no “other.” Secret teachings reveal that consciousness is One. The separation we perceive, the very notion of “you” and “me,” is an illusion created by our limited perception. In this light, there can’t be a “they” because there’s only It — the unified field of consciousness we all share.
Understanding this doesn’t negate the existence of those who might wish to control or manipulate. Rather, it invites us to look within, to recognize and address our own internal “Deep State.” By shining a light on these hidden corners of our psyche — the parts we often ignore or deny — we can begin to dissolve the illusion of separateness and reclaim our power.
The beauty is this: while we may have limited influence over external “theys,” we have the ability — and responsibility — to confront and transform our internal forces. This inner work not only liberates us individually but contributes to the collective awakening of consciousness. And that, perhaps, is the most powerful magic of all.
The Urgency of Now
Rarely in human history has the need for full human attention been so needed. Yes, there have always been (and are) wars on a global scale, but we are also facing running out of topsoil to grow food, microplastics threatening fertility, and innumerable question marks around A.I.
There’s a principle of polarity which roughly states that everything has its polar opposite, and that it’s a matter of degree. As it pertains to human awareness, this means that as we become more aware of the bad things that require our attention, we also become aware of the amazing potential of our modern world when we shift our awareness. All the tools are at our disposal. Reclaiming our magic and reshaping our reality starts with each of us.
Information as Water
In my last article, I discussed how information is like water. We live in a torrent of data. Both our water and information quality is poor and needs to be filtered, and certain mediums are more effective at removing the garbage from both. When it comes to awareness, we must filter that which we choose to let through, lest we feed our sense of separateness. I’ve always found Socrates’ simple three questions a good first filter: “Is it true; is it kind, or is it necessary?”
Additionally, if we don’t slow down the information that flows through our lives by putting small, intentional “dams” throughout our day and intentionally cultivate the soil of our minds, then the information will never sink in; it will glide over the surface like water over asphalt. For me, this means stopping to breathe mindfully, taking walks or spending time in the garden which gets me out of my head and into my body. Cultivating the soil of our mind means taking time to learn from someone else’s perspective and add amendments that nourish my thoughts and critical thinking skills.
Reclaiming Your Mind
Reclaiming the sovereignty of one’s mind begins with intention. You recognize that you have and are awareness. Until that moment of awakening happens, you are the captain of a ship with no clue where the rudder is. Only after, can you choose where to place your focus.
Will you use that power to only accumulate money, power, and resources for yourself? OR, will you focus on healing yourself, your soil, your community — knowing that the path to everything you’ve ever dreamed of lays on the other side of discovering the true gold — knowledge of self, which is: that you are not a person with a soul, but a beautiful soul, having a bodily experience in this time and place.
The Invisible Made Visible
There’s a reason “they” are often so difficult to pin down in conspiracy theories and people end up picking their favorite scapegoat. It’s because these invisible forces operate beyond the veil of base level human perception. It takes work and energy to find them, and meanwhile, we’d rather blame someone out there, rather than owning up to our role in the problem.
But, we don’t need to infiltrate a lodge in Bavaria to find them. Our own invisible sources show up as a deep longings for belonging, cravings for sugary foods that make us tired, rob our attention and steal our energy. As well as unresolved abuse and trauma that reinforces feelings of separateness and makes us feel unworthy.
But awareness shines a light on all that is invisible, and once you see their tricks, you’ll never unsee them. And, as you develop the courage and intention to change, you will remove those things which block your soul’s path and start filtering out the junk so you can bank your light and true healing can begin.
And when you heal you, you heal me and this planet. And for doing that work, my deepest gratitude. I see you.
