We all do it - plan to do a ritual or study that new book just to get caught up in our day and at bedtime realize we never even said the briefest prayer or meditated for even 5 minutes. And every day promise we'll make time that day... repeat.
So how do you make your days more magickal? How do you find the time?
Take a look at your current daily and weekly schedules - actually take some time to write them down. What do you do every day right now? Be honest - if you veg in front of the TV every night for 6 hours...write it down. Not sure? Take a week and carry a notebook with you to jot it all down.
Next comes evaluation. Look honesty at that schedule and see what is really serving you - do you HAVE to watch the news every night for 2 hours or can you watch the 30 minute evening recap or scan the headlines on the internet for 15 minutes? If there is a TV show you really enjoy and don't want to miss, schedule it in, take the time and enjoy it. If there is a show you like, not love - do you have to watch it when it airs? These days most shows can be viewed on the internet whenever you want to and DVRs can record anything when its on to watch when it fits in your schedule (tip: record it and you can quickly scan thru commercials watching an hour long program in 45 minutes or less).
Cut out the fat from the list you made and narrow it down to the things you really have to do (like pick up the kids from school - a MUST), and the things you want to do (a WANT).
Next prioritize. Make 2 lists: MUSTS and WANT. Don't worry about the "I should do..." as often those are the things you *think* you should do (or others have told you to do) but really don't need to. Do you HAVE to clean out the refrigerator every week like your mother used to make you do...or can it wait for once a month? Include in your WANT list all the rituals, meditation time, and study time you want to do.
Next, create the schedule you WANT. Go thru the list and estimate the length of time you think that task will honestly take. Figure out when you want to do them. Take into account your energy level - are you a morning person able to zip thru things best first thing in the morning? Or are you more of a night person coming alive and being more focused after the kids are in bed and its dark? Schedule the hardest tasks during your peak energy times.
Start small. Don't plan an hour long New Moon ritual when you know you are going to be exhausted by the time the moon rises. A 10 minute invocation said before bedtime can be just as powerful. Don't marathon reading that new book - read a few pages when you can (for years, the ladies room at work was my reading room - I'd read 2-3 pages every time I had to visit it). Look for those little holes in your schedule - the daily commute when you could listen to a book on tape, the times you are waiting for the kids to get out of school when you could read a page or 2, and prepare for them. Put a few books, notepads and pens in your car. Buy that book on CD you really want to listen to. Get a mini pack of Tarot cards or runes and carry it in your purse for a quick moment of reflection on your day.
Of course some things we cannot move - like the schedule set by your boss of when you have to be at work. But look for those times when you might be able to steal a few moments of magick - the 15 minute breaks many companies give you in the mornings and afternoons are great times to meditate or read a few pages. Find a quiet spot and take that time for yourself (setting a timer if needed). It's amazing how even 10 minutes of meditation can re-focus your day! Take a moment before you eat your lunch to appreciate the bounty of the Earth that brought that food to you. Every time you get in your car, take a moment and breath.
If you can keep a few things on your desk at work, see if you can find something for each element - a small water fountain (or just a cup of water) or that shell you found on the beach, a candle or small battery lamp, a potted plant, that feather you found on your walk....for years I had a potted plant on my desk with a shell, feather, and led battery light tucked into it. Only I knew what it meant, but it was very calming. Take a moment when you get to your desk to acknowledge that "altar" and the energies around you.
If you can, try to schedule a few things the same time every day - the easiest way to build new habits is to do it daily the same time of the day. Want to learn Tarot? Pull 1 card every day and study its artwork, think what it means to you and jot it down. During your daily bath or shower, reflect on the element of water and what it means to you. When driving to work, open the window or sun roof and feel the Element of air blowing past you. When walking into the office, think of the ground beneath your feet (even if covered by concrete, the Earth is there, below you, supporting you). Feel the sun streaming down on you and think about Fire. All these little daily things can become magickal if you just pay attention.
Keep a journal and put in what I call "magickal moments" - the hawk that flew low over my car when I was stuck in traffic. My cat hoping into my lap at just the right moment when I needed a hug. Whatever strikes you as being special. This is also the perfect place to keep and adjust your schedule.
Once you start looking for time to make magick, you will be amazed at how much you can find.
