Tag: mental-health
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Forest lessons…
As part of my working day, I have been taking my coffee breaks outside. And while I am currently at my cabin in Canada, this means that I have been sitting and watching the forest. Only, I am not the only one doing the watching. There is a wee squirrel who has been slowly moving…
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Are you listening?
One of the things that I love best about summer is sleeping with my windows open. When I am home in Ireland, I don’t always feel that I can do this, as I live in a town and in a single story house. I mean, who knows what marauders are out there at night? Things…
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The choices we make…
I am just back from the Festival of Writing and Ideas, which is a festival that brings together some of the leading minds, authors and artists of our time. Over three days, I soaked up conversations and inspiration, as well as the very wet landscape of Borris, County Carlow. My mind and my heart feel…
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The song of the land
Recently, I have been stopping quite a lot on my walks. It has nothing to do with my fitness levels, rather, it’s because the land has been singing to me. In Ireland, the month of May is a month of full bloom. The hawthorn, the cow parsley, the bluebells and even the wild roses have…
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Thank you, no thank you…
Two of my oldest Canadian friends have been with me for the past week and it has been absolutely delightful. We have traversed the Wicklow hills, roamed the halls of Kilkenny castle, explored Dublin’s fair city and ventured to the most sun soaked spot we could find: Inch beach in county Kerry. It has been…
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The joy club…
Along with a couple of my friends, I belong to a joy club. It’s a club that exists in Shambhalic form (we may not always be able to see it, but it’s there). It also acts as a beacon of steadiness. What I mean by that is whenever I am making a decision on whether…
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In service…
This past weekend was an exciting one. It was the very first weekend that the garden room in the Sanctuary was open for course participants and I was fortunate enough to both teach and be part of the experience. It was clear that the Sanctuary team paid loving attention to every detail in making sure…
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Searching, only to be found
This past weekend, I was up in Ards, Donegal. I had a few days of meetings as the Joy farm readies itself to embark on a social farming venture. As well, we all woke for the Dawn Chorus as our declaration of peace. It was inspirational to see some of you rising at 4.45am to…
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Before the world wakes…
I have been switching up my morning routine a wee bit. Almost by accident, not by virtue, I have been avoiding my phone and taking in the early morning light. I wish I could say it is because I have been cleverly and intentionally opening the blinds to let natural light reset my internal clock,…
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Embracing both/and
Recently, my daughter has been sending me gorgeous photos of spring time in Vancouver. She moved over there last September and just missed the long summer days and ocean breezes of July and August. Instead, she walked headfirst into the misty skies and darkness that can be associated with a coastal winter. Truthfully, she would…
My Silent Place 