Environmental magic supports mental health

What good can come from the “climate crisis” and the environmental crisis that comes with it? Positive actions can also benefit our mental health.

One of the pioneers is Megan Swan, a professional magician based in London, UK. She creates and performs “environmental magic.” This is a routine that uses magic tricks to communicate action against climate change and broader environmental damage. Megan, who has a BSc in Wildlife Conservation and also works for the British Veterinary Association, applies her scientific knowledge to environmental communication and behavior through magic.

To bring scientists and local artists together, my employer, University College London (UCL), funded Megan through UCL Culture to draw on both of our scientific knowledge to create new tricks. did. We workshopped ideas to understand how climate change and broader environmental science can be integrated into magic shows that provide a path to a better future. Megan piloted a routine for the MSc module on 'Climate Change and Health' which I co-ordinated. She then performed at UCL's Grant Museum of Zoology in central London, captivating not only the museum's specimens (bottled, stuffed, and skeletal specimens) but also the audience.

environmental magic

The different tricks are ordered according to a story of reality, problem, and solution. Megan's Solid Beginnings shows his four pom-poms attached to a string in a short tube, illustrating the indivisibility of people, health, the environment, and the planet. The connection and integration of pom-poms and tubes points to the reality that everything is linked, and subsequently that we ourselves are disconnected from our surrounding environment, leading to environmental anxiety. Suddenly restored relationships help us get through difficult times and do much better for ourselves, our mental and physical health, and the planet.

Another trick is to reuse discarded newspaper. Megan tears it up to demonstrate deforestation. She then played it amazingly to show us what happens when we plant trees.

Meanwhile, anthropogenic climate change is looming over humanity and the planet. Megan holds out a balloon to represent the atmosphere, a small black ball to represent greenhouse gases, and a long hand to represent the sun's energy. The miraculous interplay of this trio tells us how and why natural and man-made climate change occurs, and what we can and should do to stop the changes in our atmosphere. Masu.

The trick is designed to have almost zero waste. It's a fun, positive action, and the limited waste produced can sometimes become the scraps that form the basis of the next trick. Otherwise, all of Megan's props and materials, from pulling colored handkerchiefs out of empty boxes to lifting real-life environmental successes decades later, are sourced from eco-friendly suppliers. , fully reusable and always reused.

magical psychology

Why magic? The performance can be described as “misdirecting'', “deceiving our eyes and minds'', “manipulating our attention'', “casting spells'', “subterfuge'', or “changing our perceptions.'' It is often described disparagingly as “distorting our decisions” and “enforcing our decisions.” Includes “occult,'' “voodoo,'' “fantasy,'' and “witchcraft.'' Alternatively, witchcraft is seen as frivolous, childish, pretentious, pure entertainment, rather than weakening the magician's enemies.

Research in the psychology of magic shows that the wonder it evokes fosters audience engagement and enhances educational lessons. Attention, memory, cognition, and reasoning are affected by viewing magic tricks, so that's the point of them, and they can be designed and presented to support the constructive aspect. Megan does so by drawing our attention to actions that help the planet and humanity.

The challenges are enormous. So are our skills and resources. Our efforts and results must and can go beyond the scope of the problem.

Megan isn't used to finding success in the face of hardship. After a string of awards and notable appearances, in 2021 she became the youngest and first female president of the Magic Circle, a prestigious magic association founded in 1905, headquartered in London, and with 1,700 members. was selected.

This personal success is inspiring. It should convince us all that we are contributing to the success of the planet and humanity in stopping the harm we are causing. This success through creativity, fun, and action, as exemplified by environmental magic, benefits not only the health of the planet but also our mental health.

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