The Magical World Is the Rational World
@namastecharly
How do we find balance in a magical world, where so much lies beyond explanation—where intuition, senses, and emotions guide us—while still staying grounded in a reality where rationality seems to have become the new meaning of life?
We live in a magical world. Just take two seconds and step back: we’re on a tiny blue planet in the middle of the universe, building lives and feeling. If that’s not magic, then what is?
Over the past few years, I’ve noticed a growing divide between rationality and spirituality. I deeply believe that balance between the two is essential—not only to grow spiritually, but also to belong to the world around us and contribute meaningfully to it.
To start from a common understanding, I’d like to define—based on my own perception—what I mean by spirituality and rationality.
Spirituality is a personal practice that uplifts the spirit. It reconnects us with our essence, with others, and with all that exists, through compassion, kindness, and honesty. It starts within, but reaches far beyond the self. It’s not about “just thinking positive” in a world that’s hurting, nor about escaping reality under the guise of spiritual ego. Quite the opposite—it’s about embracing reality with clarity and sensitivity.
Rationality, on the other hand, seeks causes, effects, and logical connections. It relies on what can be proven, measured, or demonstrated. But through conversations with friends, I’ve come to realize that there is also such a thing as false irrationality—or even false rationality. Sometimes, an action or behavior might seem illogical to us, but it makes perfect sense to the person experiencing it. It’s not irrational—it just follows a logic we don’t have access to.
In this piece, I want to explore that constant oscillation we all experience between interpreting the world spiritually and interpreting it rationally. Why do we shift back and forth between these two seemingly opposing realms?
Personally, I’ve always been drawn to the magical side of life. I’ve always felt attuned to what some might call the esoteric—ghosts, astrology, numerology, ancient beliefs, mythology… I can easily explain a deep connection with someone in spiritual or energetic terms: we complement each other, there’s something powerful between us, etc. And often, no one questions it—because we’ve all felt that kind of connection, one that goes beyond logic or words.
But sometimes, even when we act from pure intuition, we still try to rationalize it. As if we have to.
But what if, sometimes, there’s no need to explain? What if simply experiencing something was enough? The choices we make that we can't logically explain—we call those “intuitive.” But what if intuition isn’t some mystical sixth sense, but rather a direct perception of our own inner truth?
And while we’re on the topic of senses—let’s talk about the so-called five senses. In reality, there are nine. I’ll list them quickly, but I encourage you to explore them on your own:
The five traditional senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
The four lesser-known ones:
Proprioception – our sense of body position and movement.
Equilibrioception – our sense of balance and spatial orientation.
Thermoception – our sense of temperature.
Nociception – our sense of pain.
So if we’re calling intuition the sixth sense—it’s actually the tenth.
But back to the core of it all. I find this topic hard to express clearly, so I’m speaking from my own feelings and questions, hoping it might resonate with you.
Today, we have so many so-called spiritual tools at our fingertips: daily astrology apps, tarot cards, numerology, guided meditation, religious teachings, even AI (which is oddly becoming a sort of spiritual tool in itself)… And sometimes, I wonder: aren’t we, paradoxically, using these tools to rationalize the irrational? To explain what perhaps wasn’t meant to be explained?
I’m deeply sensitive to others’ emotions, to the energy of spaces, to people’s unspoken feelings. I perceive the world around me with a kind of clarity and awareness. I know, deep down, when something is true. But the moment I try to put it into words, I analyze it. I overthink it. I rationalize.
What if there’s no real separation between the spiritual and the rational? What if our need to rationalize is simply a desire to be understood, validated, accepted?
More than once, I’ve caught myself trying to justify an intuitive feeling—or to dress up an experience in “magical” terms to make it seem more special, more valuable. As if something has to be extraordinary to be worthy.
For a long time, I believed I had to choose: either fully embrace spirituality and lose touch with the “real” world, or stay grounded in rationality and lose access to my intuitive, sensitive self.
Now, I’m learning to navigate both. These worlds are not opposites—they’re complementary. Sometimes, a rational approach will resonate more. Other times, only an intuitive understanding will feel right.
What if, instead of dividing these two perspectives, we tried to marry them? Maybe this integration—this reconciliation—could awaken a new way of living on this Earth, with more compassion, more listening, more harmony. A new dimension could open up.
-namastecharly
