Tension is more than physical, it is also an emotional state. We carry clouds of anxiety and depression around with us. Learning to release emotional tension and live in peace and happiness is a major goal for many religions, therapies, and philosophies.

One of the real secrets of magic is learning how to manage the energy of our emotions instead of letting that energy manage us. As we do magical practices, and follow the magical path, we find that we harness our emotions to form a source of energy for our magic.

A good place to begin is to create an interior place of serenity. This can be a memory of a perfect place you have visited, like a Mexican bungalow, or it can be strictly imagined, like a cabin in the woods on a cliff by the sea. Whenever you are anxious or agitated—at work, in a conversation, trying to sleep at night, grab a moment of privacy to relax, take a few deep breaths, and enter your calm space.

Affirmation
I enter my calm space at any time I desire.

Practice: Creating your calm space

Spend a few minutes each day building your calm space in your mind. Is it indoors or outdoors? Big or small? If it’s indoors, how many rooms does the space have? What is the furniture like? If it’s outdoors, are there trees and plants, is there a view? What is the weather like in the space?

Now walk around the space. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel?