In the Harry Potter universe, the Transfiguration class is about changing the property of one object to another.
And I know that there is no way for me to transform myself into a cat or turn the rat into an actual cup. But I could learn from the cat and channel-specific energy to myself.
It sounds like procrastination, but I find it is easier to concentrate after decluttering my desk. Because as I declutter, it is almost as if I have conditioned my brain to be organized and productive. Or having that seashell I collected from that vacation 7 years ago on my bathtub really makes the experience more soothing.
And I am certain I am not the only one. In Chinese culture, specific moves from kung-fu are often inspired by animal movements. Aside from coming up with innovative fighting moves, you also somewhat channel the animal you are “pretending” to be. Thus, you become as light as a dragon, as direct as the tiger, and as accurate as a crane.
Another activity I found recently is BUDOKON STYLE YOGA.
To put it in a nutshell Budokon Yoga is a hybrid practice between Yoga and Martial Arts.
Budokon yoga was created by Cameron Shayne in early 2001 and is now being taught by Cameron and his wife Melayne Shane in their school in Whitefish Montana and around the world.
It’s considered a science, an art and a philosophy which synchronises classical yoga with martial arts, calisthenics, animal locomotion and mind sciences.
https://www.sarahdrai.com/
So, I would learn about how to transform my mindset/my energy through different inspirations. From trying out the power poses in front of the mirror to creating a comfort corner where I am allowed to cry.
There are four branches of transfiguration:
- transformation
- vanishment
- conjuration
- untransfiguration.
And this is how I will implement that in my practice.
Transformation- Turns existing energy into something else. For example, when I feel immense anger, how can I turn that into something productive or soften it into something less dangerous.
Vanishment- I understand that sometimes feeling anxiety and sadness is actually very important. And a lot of times, they motivate me to do something (transformation). But when it becomes debilitating or I am in a time crunch, how do I vanish that?
Conjuration- For the past few years, I have experienced quite a lot of numbness. That is usually in a combination of lack of motivation. And those are usually a good time to conjure up some energy. To encourage oneself to do some hobbies or get some work done.
Untransfiguration- My therapist told me once that I was masking feelings and distracting myself from the real problem. Using activities and sometimes drinking to not face my problems. And I believe that is the perfect time to work on untransfiguration.
There is a chance that in the future I will update my understanding of Transfiguration as I learn more. This category is harder to translate in comparison to Herbology or History of Magick because both have some kind of real-life counterpart. That is why I feel like Transfiguration category would benefit from an introductory post to stop me from straying.
But that is it for now!
Let me know what you think about this kind of bringing element from magical books into real life. I am still learning, so anything would be helpful. Also, let me know if you have any suggestions!
Reference and Links:
Lucy's Wonderful Journey 