The Spell That Changed My Life Forever

I've made no secret that I was shy and introverted growing up. I knew I was different and unfortunately, my classmates knew that I was different too. They used cruel names to describe how I was different, something that although I knew was true, something that I could admit to myself, but not something that I felt I could admit to the world. I was deemed different because I was gay. This made me the target of bullies. They were different too, but different in a different way and so bullying me took attention away from them and gave them a greater sense of power. 

Growing up, I was shy and introverted, acutely aware of my differences. Unfortunately, my classmates were just as aware, and their awareness manifested in cruel taunts. I was different because I was gay, a truth I could admit to myself, but not to the world. This difference made me a target for bullies. They, too, were different, but their bullying served to deflect attention from their own vulnerabilities and bolster their sense of power.

Faced with this relentless bullying, I felt powerless. It was this very feeling of helplessness that drove me to seek magic. I craved control over my own life. I yearned for acceptance, for boys to like me, and, yes, I admit it, I also wanted to inflict pain on those who had hurt me. Ultimately, I was searching for a safe space where I could simply be myself.

In 1989, as a high school freshman, I was in Ms. Boulware's study hall. Leafing through the copies of The Enquirer and Weekly World News she provided, I stumbled upon an article that would change my life:

Secret Chants for Love, Money, Health, & Happiness

Your dreams can come true simply by chanting a few magic words to bring you money, love, health, and happiness. These chants were found in the ruins of an ancient Tibetan monastery by an archeologist from Nang Chang, China in the late 1980's. The chants had been handed down for generations long before the monastery was abandoned in 1011. 

The chants are short and easy to learn. they must be spoken after a period of meditation for maximum effect. These chants were tested on 2300 students in Nang Chang of which 1867 people reported the chants to have changed their lives. 

The Chants 

• To Bring Happiness - Repeat the words "Lo An An Ta Fa Ri" once a day for seven days. 
• To Bring Love- Sit quietly, open your heart to love and chant "To Do Si Ro An Wat Mono Ran" four times. 
• For Lasting Good Health- Chant "Chung Do Ama Rung Ning" and think happy thoughts for three days afterward. 
• To Bring Money- Cast out all selfish thoughts and think about all the god you will accomplish with your wealth. Repeat "Kung No Ro Ama Ni Lo Ta Wong" then times. 

The Weekly World News
April 11th 1989 

I eagerly copied the chants into my notebook, convinced that magic held the key to my happiness. I began with the Chant to Bring Happiness, starting on a Monday. Each morning, I tried to cultivate a positive attitude and chanted the mantra before school. Ironically, that week was one of the worst of my life. I remember standing by my locker, minding my own business, when a group of boys began pelting me with candy. I simply stood there, letting it happen, neither fighting back nor saying a word. I was so defeated at that point that I was contemplating suicide.

Yet, I persisted. I faithfully chanted the mantra every day for seven days, completing the ritual. I wasn't sure what to expect. Would I simply wake up happy on the eighth day? Or would my circumstances shift, bringing happiness with them? Regardless, I was confident that something would happen.

And something did. Happiness didn't arrive in a single moment, but rather in small increments over time. My situation gradually improved. The bullying lessened. My confidence grew. I made friends. Before I knew it, I was happy.

While I now understand that these “chants” likely held no inherent magical power, I believe that my belief in their power facilitated a positive change in my life. I genuinely credit this ritual with altering the course of my life. Had my circumstances not improved, I’m certain I would have attempted suicide. In fact, I’m so superstitious about the “happiness” mantra that I refuse to repeat it aloud, fearing that doing so might somehow unravel the happiness it helped me find.

Carolina Dean
Happiness Consultant 
12th House Books