Today’s
lesson was about focus, which I know I need to work on. Maybe I should start
taking yoga and doing some mediation at night. I used to do that when I was
super stressed year ago and while I’m not sure it helped with my focus, it
definitely helped making me fall asleep. I already know the breathing exercise
and the crap about acknowledging your thoughts, yet letting them go. Doesn’t
mean it’s actually easy to do, how is one supposed to let go of their thoughts?
They are always there floating around… At least I am trying to stay focused
when casting a spell, wouldn’t want something to backfire at me after all. It’s
the spells that require a sustained effort/focus that give me troubles. Well
I’ll work on it, nothing else to really if I want to improve.

The first
spell we saw this week was the Severing Charm. I thought it would be useful for
my sewing stuff, but now I’m not so sure. The textbook mentioned that the cut
could be ragged as magic might tear through the fabric instead of severing it.
All about focus again. I might wait until I’ve mastered the Charm and improved
my ability to focus before I use this spell on anything important. Anyways, the
Severing Charm’s incantation is Diffindo, pronounced “deef-IN-doe”. Fairly easy
so far. The wand movement is a V-shaped down and up, ending with a swish in the
direction you want to cut. Also not too complicated. I tried both separately at
first and then, took the advice from the book and went outside with a piece of
cardboard and a scrap of fabric. I also found a couple of branches in the
backyard. I figured I start with the cardboard since it wasn’t overly hard or
soft. My first cut wasn’t deep enough. I kept trying until I got it. Really
can’t remember how many tries it took for me to be satisfied with the cut. I
moved to the fabric (though I move it over the cardboard, which I mended when
needed – more practice on the Reparo, yay! – to see if I would cut too deep or
not) and concentrated on a gentle cut. This was actually easier. Maybe the fact
I was thinking, clean and easy repeatedly helped. I then tried the branches,
but like the cardboard, couldn’t get it cut in one shot. I guess my focus is
better with precision than depth. Makes sense when you think about it, Pretty
much all of my artsy hobbies demand precision. It’s pretty much the only time I
concentrate almost fully on something. Though I admit I once sewed two pieces
inside out because my concentration was starting to falter. That’s annoying! As
for the Diffindo, I’ll just keep practicing on branches. It’s perfect since
they can only be a certain length when you put them on the side of the road for
the city to pick up.

The other
spell we saw this week is the Softening Charm. The incantation is Spongify and
it’s pronounced “SPUN-jee-fye”. Easy! I don’t know why but it reminds me of
BUNGEEEEE! The wand movement is a S with a small swish half-way through. That
took some practice, but once you stop thinking of it as a “S” and more of as a
“curve-swish-curve”, it actually becomes easier. Cause then your brain is not
trying to cut the S in half with a swish, it’s just making a whole new pattern,
not related to the alphabet! I wasn’t sure what I could practice it upon when I
remembered the softball ball in my basement. So I went to get it (because it’s
cold in the basement, even in the summer, so there is no way I’m practicing
down there) and sat on the floor of my study room. Focus was again a problem
but not as bad as with the Severing Charm. Before I knew it, I had a
rubber-like ball. Though it didn’t last long. I tried some more and the best
was two minutes before the charm vanished. I’ll just keep practicing, but I
don’t quite see the uses I would get out of that charm. At least not yet…