Dancing at Lughnasa - A Story

It’s 1936 in the Mindy family’s small village croft in Donegal, a priest returns home after spending thirty years in a leper colony in Africa. 

His five sisters greet him but he is saddened because his mother has died. He is the only son - the only male in the family. His sisters have sent their pennies to him in Africa over all those years, knitting gloves and taking other poorly paid work. As a man, he should have been at home to support the family, emotionally and financially, but he doesn’t fit in with the repressed Irish Catholic society. He talks of goddesses and he plays with his young nephew! There is a thin veil of respectability in the family house that overlies a very embarrassing situation where an illegitimate child was born to the youngest sister - and another sister is having a love affair with a married man! 

The priest says, “I have come home to die!” The sisters have no money to bury him and are resentful! However, the priest slowly changes the lives of those around him - they begin to enjoy a more relaxed happiness in their lives, but the Bishop expresses displeasure with the priest and does not come to visit and tells one of the sisters that she will lose her job as a school teacher…. 

The Farmer's Best Wheat - A Story

Once, there was a farmer who grew excellent quality wheat, and every season he won the award for the best grown in his county. One year a reporter from the local newspaper interviewed the farmer and learned that each Spring, the man shared his seed with his neighbors so that they too could plant it in their fields...

“How can you afford to share your best wheat seed with your neighbors when they are entering their crops in the competition with yours?" the reporter asked....

“Why? because the wind picks up pollen from the developing wheat and carries it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior wheat, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of all the wheat, including mine. If I am to grow good wheat, I must help my neighbors grow good wheat"...

When We Two Parted - A Poem

 Byron

When we two parted
   In silence and tears,
Half broken-hearted
   To sever for years,
Pale grew thy cheek and cold,
   Colder thy kiss;
Truly that hour foretold
   Sorrow to this.

The dew of the morning
   Sunk chill on my brow— 
It felt like the warning
   Of what I feel now.
Thy vows are all broken,
   And light is thy fame;
I hear thy name spoken,
   And share in its shame.

They name thee before me,
   A knell to mine ear;
A shudder comes o'er me—
   Why wert thou so dear?
They know not I knew thee,
   Who knew thee too well—
Long, long shall I rue thee,
   Too deeply to tell.

Time - A Story

Once upon a time, on a remote island, there lived six beings: Happiness, Knowledge, Love, Sadness, Wealth, and Vanity. 

One day, their island started sinking. One by one, they built small boats and left, except for Love. 

Love did not want to abandon her beloved home. Only when the island was completely flooded, Love - standing up to her knees in water - decided to ask for help. 

Wealth was passing by in her boat when Love asked, “Wealth, can you take me with you?” Wealth answered, “Sorry, Love, I can’t. There’s a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There’s no place for both of us in here. We’ll definitely sink.” Next, Love asked Vanity, who was sailing by, but Vanity also refused. “I can’t help you, Love. You are all soaking wet and might damage my boat.” Sadness was rowing her boat nearby, so Love asked her, “Sadness, please, take me along with you.” “Oh, Love, I’m so sad that right now, I need to be by myself!” Sadness replied in a gloomy voice. Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so preoccupied with her own elated thoughts that she did not even hear when Love called her. 

Suddenly, Love heard someone’s voice. “Come, Love, I’ll take you.” She turned and saw an elder with tattered clothes that she had not seen before. Overjoyed, Love jumped into the boat. When Love landed on a dry land, she was greeted by Knowledge who had been the first to arrive. The elder climbed out of the boat and left without saying good-bye. “Who helped me?” Love asked Knowledge.

 “It was Time,” Knowledge answered. “Time?” Love was surprised. “Why Time?” “Because only Time is able to know how valuable Love is,” Knowledge smiled.

Sea Fever - A Poem

 Sea Fever by John Masefield

I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;

And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.

 

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.

 

I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

22nd July Feast Day

Today, 22nd July, is the feast day of Saint Mary Magdalene. It was in very recent years (2016) that she has she been made into a 'saint' by the Vatican, as previously, she was only commemorated because since the early days of Roman Catholicism, she was regarded as a prostitute, a person extremely reviled in her time. 

Now the Vatican have realised - after 1,700 years - that the woman described in the gospels as having seven devils cast out of her by Jesus, two important things, firstly that prostitution might have had nothing to do with '7 devils', and also that this woman gave her money to support Jesus and his disciples in his 3 year ministry. So did the Church think that Jesus was living off immoral earnings! 

Beware - The Fortune Teller!

Since ancient times, divination has been a treasured tradition in all cultures across the globe, and in today’s world, we have a huge selection to choose from. Anything can be used to make predictions! The flight of birds, the fall of dice, the shape of clouds – the list is endless!

     Firstly, and most importantly, you need to think of a question which you would like to have answered and secondly, you need to be very discerning when receiving your answer.

     Some people have lost their life’s savings after visiting a phony fortune teller who convinced them to invest their money in a bogus scheme, so beware, for this reason foretelling the future is no longer fashionable – and no longer legal! Especially seeking medical and legal advice is highly foolish! Many forms of divination offer something that is no more than chance average and no more relevant than the person performing the reading.

The Magdalene’s Story

We don’t know very much about the Magdalene. She is mentioned 12 times in the New Testament - the earliest of Christian writings. At no time is there ever any suggestion of her age, though she is usually shown as a young woman, equally, she could have been very old. She is one of several female followers of Jesus who assisted him financially when he was teaching and healing from Galilee to Jerusalem. As she ministered to Jesus and the disciples from her own resources, it can be assumed she had an independent source of wealth. She is not named after a father or a husband, but after a word meaning 'tower'. This could be a place name, or a name of distinction relating to her ability and kindness. Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward, Chumash, and Suzanna and many others also provided Jesus with resources, therefore they were vital to his ministry. 

The gospels tell us that Jesus healed her of seven demons. We do not know what these demons involved, perhaps illness or distress. Did she come from Migdal, a town in Galilee? It is not thought so, as there was no town of this name in the first century. 

 

Article

 On a recent trip to a major London art gallery, I heard a group of young people laughing and praising a large exhibit. On closer examination, I discovered it was a painting of a woman, with legs spread eagled for all to see her delicate private parts and her naked body was splattered liberally with blood red paint. This painting was described on the accompanying plaque as a celebration of women.

     Our minds, capable of absorbing so much, our daily bombarded by video shot images of gross distortion of the human mind and body, we hear expletives without adequate foundation. Television programmes cater and cause limited attention syndrome. Psychological manipulation is used for large corporations to appeal to our anxieties, needs and grades. We are justifiably fearful for the safety of our homes and ourselves. Our lives are controlled by consumerism and competition. We are losing our well-being. We are losing healthy relationships with our family and friends. We are losing ourselves also.

Tina Turner Peace Chant

Music Recommendation

 Buddhist Chant for peace with Tina Turner

PCA training 1989

My first essay on Carl Rogers - Person (Client) Centred Counselling. 

The purpose of this essay is for me to examine my thoughts towards the person centred approach (PCA) to group work, counselling and practice, to state why I have chosen this approach for my particular client group, and how and why I would specifically use this approach in my work. I will explain the way that core principles of congruency (authenticity) empathy, and unconditional positive regard conflict (even experienced therapists can be challenged in these three areas). I would like the reader to be aware that my attitudes are still in the process of development, and many of my ideas have not been formulated from books but for my own experience and therefore my position may vary at times from traditional theory. 

My reasons for choosing to use this counselling style (PCA) are that I believe it is the most gentle of therapeutic approaches and causes, potentially, the least damage. Often a client arrives to see a counsellor in a distressed or damaged state, and the object is to help this person in the gentlest, calmest and quickest way. I think PCA is the best first-aid particularly for delicate problems and events. I also think that there is less resistance than in psychoanalysis, so therapy can proceed at the clients pace without pushing, and this is both reassuring and empowering. Carl Rogers says the client “Can become more aware of their personal strengths, and can become increasingly autonomous and creative as the architect of his or her own life. Because of the total focus on empowering the individual, we have come to think of this method as a ‘person centred’ approach“ Carl Rogers. A Way of Being page 182

Your Gift Meditation

 

This is a free YouTube meditation written by Wendy Stokes and presented by Erica Longdon.  

Visit:  http://angelhandsheal.co.uk/welcome/

Dr Cliff Kendall - A Message

"I made the decision to go on hunger strike on 14/07/2019 hoping that I might add something to the push for more aggressive action regarding climate change and the ecological crisis. I don’t generally encourage hunger strikes; in particular I would criticise any young activists’ involvement as it may encourage people to get involved without appropriate maturity and support. I’m doing this with a lot of forethought and also, as a clinician, as someone who has some understanding of the risks involved. While I’m willing to encounter some risk and discomfort to make a point, I am continuing to take oral rehydration solution/vitamins and will reconsider my position if significant risks emerge.

What is Alchemy?

Alchemy was known as the 'royal art' and was the earliest form of chemistry. Khem was the original name for Egypt, the first country in history to specialise in the use of chemicals. 

Alchemy was burdensome and secretive, often working over stills and furnaces with poisons and unknown chemical reactions. Serious illness or death could ensue. These were the great adventurers of yesterday. It was considered to be extremely expensive and it bestowed great power, therefore its processes were kept secret and were considered magical. Wealthy patrons were promised marvellous things in return for their patronage, such as turning cheap metal into gold, and an elixir which would give eternal life.

When I was young, I was fascinated by mediaeval alchemy. It visited the British Library to read ancient texts and I saw illustrations of extraordinary monsters, crowned kings, wolves, lepers, strange marriages, peacocks, the slaughter of children, dragons, mermaids, and other wonderful and disturbing images. Could base metals ever be turned into pure gold? It is said in occult circles that Albertus Magnus in 1280, could change lead into gold but this, of course, is impossible (though the British Museum has a medallion that belonged to the alchemist, John Dee that was said to have been created from alchemical gold.) There was a lot of false claims because the alchemists were paid vast sums to research, and as their health deteriorated, they became more desperate to pretend they had found a great secret. 

The Salem Witch Trials

The Salem witch accusations began in 1692 in Massachusetts Bay in a small, isolated community. Those involved were mainly uneducated and brought up in a radical puritanical environment where the preacher regularly spoke of the devil. The first to succumb to this hysteria was a 13 year old girl named Goodwin who thought some missing linen had been stolen by a washer-maid. The washer-maid's mother, a church going Roman Catholic, fiercely defended her daughter. Goodwin's brothers and sisters started to have fits and said they sometimes saw the washer-maid coming down the chimney! She was the first to be accused, sent for trial, tortured and hanged.

Spiritualism Part Two

UK Spiritualism is experiencing a revival of books, TV stations, telephone lines, daily newspaper reports as ghost hunts, medical psychics, possessions, apports, missing children found, psychic art, psychic children and animals, channelled videos, and a hundred and one ways to conduct healing, add to the readings and messages from loved ones in Spirit and we have a huge revival taking place not only in the UK but throughout the world. 

Sir Patrick Spens - A Poem

A Poem from my childhood....

The King sits in Dunferline toun,
Drinkin the blude-reid wine
‘O whaur will A get a skeely skipper
Tae sail this new ship o mine?’

O up and spak an eldern knight,
Sat at the king’s richt knee;
‘Sir Patrick Spens is the best sailor
That ever sailt the sea.’

Fourth Force Field Analysis

Why are you here? Do you believe in yourself? Can you take positive action to create a good life for yourself and others? Are you clear about how to have a good and healthy life and future. Do you take risks? How resilient are you? Are you open to new ideas? Can you commit fully to life, relationships, work, and health? Do you have a strong support network? Do you identify and analyse problems and provide solutions? Are you accountable for your life? Do you exercise good judgment? Do you make sound decisions? Do you enjoy success? What are the payoffs for your life? Do you have a winning script? What is its title?

What do you stand for? What were you born to achieve? What is your life purpose? Do you live a soul-led life? How will you birth your inner journey?