There is a lovely idea in the Celtic tradition that if you send out goodness from yourself, or if you share that which is happy or good within you, it will all come back to you multiplied ten thousand times. In the kingdom of love there is no competition, there is no possessiveness or control. The more love you give away, the more love you will have.

JOHN O'DONOHUE

Excerpt from his book, Anam Cara,
25th Anniversary Edition.
Ordering Info: https://johnodonohue.com/anam-cara

County Clare, Ireland
Photo: © Ann Cahill

From the Stars

There are a group of people here among us who are known as Starseeds
For the most part they are observers and very introverted
They have never felt like they belong
But
Can I share something with you?
That is their superpower
They see things differently
They are here to bring in messages
If you are one of these people...instead of fighting to fit in...be uniquely who you are
We need your messages

Painting by Paula Jones Fine Artist

I recently completed "Enigma" and I hope you like it ... as usual it's full of hidden faces to find as well as some of my favourite things like peacocks, fairies and flowers.

Josephine Wall

Photo: Lisa Maree Williams | Credit: Getty Images 2015

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta.

At 9:45 AM, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, announced the death of Pope Francis from the Casa Santa Marta with these words:

"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."

EASTER BLESSINGS

"On this Easter morning, let us look again at the lives we have been so generously given and let us let fall away the useless baggage that we carry -- old pains, old habits, old ways of seeing and feeling -- and let us have the courage to begin again. Life is very short, and we are no sooner here than it is time to depart again, and we should use to the full the time that we still have.

We don't realize all the good we can do. A kind, encouraging word or helping hand can bring many a person through dark valleys in their lives. We weren't put here to make money or to acquire status or reputation. We were sent here to search for the light of Easter in our hearts, and when we find it we are meant to give it away generously.

May the spirit and light of this Easter morning and the special spirit and light of this abbey at Corcomroe bless us all, watch over us and protect us on our journey, open us from the darkness into the light of peace and hope and transfiguration."

JOHN O'DONOHUE
Dawn Mass Reflections at Corcomroe Abbey

Excerpt from his books: Walking in Wonder (US) / Walking on the Pastures of Wonder (UK)
https://johnodonohue.com/

Dawn at Corcomroe Abbey
County Clare, Ireland
Photo: © Ann Cahill

Happening

Out of a seed in the ground
comes a flower. Miracle!
Out on the branch of a tree
come blossoms in spring.
Out from the blossoms fruit grows
delighting senses.
And an offering of food.

Out of a woman’s opening womb
a child is born. New life!!
The complex miracle
of a human journey.
Out from parted lips
breath of a living voice
come songs of love.

Out of a generous soul
a heart with wings ascends.
Prayers and passions
of light and fire.
Out from spontaneities of joy
the blush of roses
come miracles of peace

* * *

David Sparenberg

David Sparenberg is a humanitarian & eco-poet, essayist, storyteller, and World Citizen. He lives in Seattle, WA in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Look
for David’s Free OVI eBook, In Search of Thomas Paine, available Spring 2025.

"When something unwanted falls into your lap, you have a negative reaction, such as anger, dislike, envy, upset, irritation, anxiety, depression, mental anguish, fear of death and rebirth.

"When such reactions arise as a display due to dynamic energy, identify them as such. Do not renounce them, indulge in them, refine them, transform them, look at them, or meditate on them.

Rather, rest spontaneously, in the single, naturally settled state of evenness, free of the resolution and proliferation of conceptual frameworks.

Mind as pure expanse of space, in which things vanish naturally and leave no trace, arises as intensity within, naturally lucid."

~ Longchenpa

From "Treasure Trove of Scriptural Transmission"
translated by Richard Barron
Image: https://dakiniasart.org/shop/guru-longchenpa-art-print-enlightenment/

"Malvhina". This beautiful sculpture stands in the centre of the town of Malvern, and was created by Rose Garrard in 1998.

She embodies many things important to Malvern's history and culture but the central concept is a trinity. Malvhina holds a kind of Celtic triskele in her hands from which pure Malvern water flows, as she stands at the confluence of three springs.

Her form was inspired by the ancient tribes who inhabited the Malvern hills, medieval religious statues as seen at the nearby medieval priory, and Pre-Raphaelite art, as the town and hills were a favourite place for painters who were considered a part of the movement.

A statue with real meaning, both artistic and spiritual, and often missed by visitors to the town.

Every minute someone leaves this world behind.
We are all in "the line" without knowing it.
We never know how many people are before us.
We can not move to the back of the line.
We can not step out of the line.
We can not avoid the line.

So while we wait in line...

Make moments count.
Make priorities.
Make the time.
Make your gifts known.
Make a nobody feel like a somebody.
Make your voice heard.
Make the small things big.
Make someone smile.
Make the change.
Make love.
Make up.
Make peace.
Make sure to tell your people they are loved.
Make sure to have no regrets.
Make sure you are ready!

I didn’t write this but I find it to be beautiful and amazing!

Hello everyone, lovely that spring has sprung.! Here is a recently finished painting called "Frolicking in the Foam" - what fun.! Hope you enjoy looking for the 19 hidden faces.!

Light & peace, Josephine.

TODAY is International Women's Day!

"Where there is a woman
there is magic!"

~ Ntozake Shange
Artist: Vanessa Craan, (Haiti/USA)

“A soulmate is an ongoing connection with another individual that the soul picks up again in various times and places over lifetimes. We are attracted to another person at a soul level not because that person is our unique complement, but because by being with that individual, we are somehow provided with an impetus to become whole ourselves.”

― Edgar Cayce
Art: “Keep It Alive” by Miles Johnston

Prayer for Unity, Healing, & Light 

Sacred Grandmothers, Elders, & Keepers of Ancient Wisdom,
We call upon your guidance in these times of great change.
May your voices rise like the sacred winds,
Carrying prayers of healing, peace, & illumination to all beings.
Help us remember who we are —
Children of the Earth, woven together by spirit & purpose.

Mother Earth, Heartbeat of Creation,
You who hold us in your embrace,
Teach us to walk gently upon your sacred body.
May we honor the rivers & oceans that cleanse,
The mountains that stand with strength,
The fire that transforms, & the air that carries our breath.
May we live in harmony with your rhythms,
Offering gratitude for the life you sustain.

Guardians of the Four Sacred Directions,
From the East, bring us clarity, the wisdom of the rising sun.
From the South, bring us warmth, love, & the fire of transformation.
From the West, bring us the waters of renewal, the depth of intuition.
From the North, bring us grounding, the steady strength of our ancestors.

Let the light of unity shine upon all nations,
May barriers dissolve, & hearts open wide.
May we remember that love is our greatest teacher,
& compassion our strongest shield.
Where there is suffering, may we bring comfort.
Where there is division, may we plant understanding.
Where there is fear, may we kindle the fire of hope.

In this sacred moment, we release the burdens we carry.
We call in healing.
We call in peace.
We call in the strength to stand as one.

With the blessings of the Grandmothers, the Elders,
The whisper of the wind, the embrace of the Earth,
The sacred waters, & the eternal flame,
May we walk forward in light, together.

So it is.

Much Love,
Grandmother Flordemayo

*Art by RC Gorman

Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin

In 1927, a heartwarming photograph captured the real-life duo behind the beloved characters of Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin. The image shows a young Christopher Robin Milne, the son of author A.A. Milne, alongside his cherished stuffed bear, named Winnie the Pooh. This tender moment reflects the deep bond between the boy and his toy, a connection that would inspire some of the most iconic children's literature of the 20th century.

Winnie the Pooh, originally a gift from Christopher's parents, became the inspiration for the character in A.A. Milne's stories. The bear's adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood, alongside Christopher Robin and a host of other memorable characters, quickly became a literary phenomenon. The photograph from 1927 shows a quieter, more personal side of this enduring friendship, offering a glimpse into the simple joys of childhood that would later be immortalized in the pages of books loved by generations.

The Milne family's life in the early 20th century, particularly the bond between father and son, played a crucial role in shaping the stories of Winnie the Pooh. This photograph not only marks a moment in time but also serves as a reminder of the power of imagination and the lasting legacy of the characters that continue to bring comfort and joy to readers young and old.

If you need good luck, my friend
Keep this simple habit
Right when you wake
On a new-month morn
Say “Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit!”

 Welcome, February!

Saying “Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit” aloud upon waking on the first day of a new month is an old charm to ensure good fortune throughout the month.

Art: Liberty Goodswen, “Three Hares Needle Felted Heart”

As you go to bed,
lay down your world-weary head,
and carry into slumber,
wishes you hope will lie ahead.

And in the earliest morning, when at first you wake,
say 'rabbit, rabbit, rabbit'
to usher in much better times
and a lucky break

Artist Judith Yates

The Truth Is We Outgrow Those Who Don’t Know How to Love Us

The truth is, we outgrow those who don’t appreciate us—those who are indifferent to our presence and comfortable with our absence. We outgrow those who allow the distance between us to grow, those who make us feel replaceable.

We outgrow those who aren’t genuine with us, those who say things they don’t mean. The ones who talk the talk but fail to walk the walk when we need them by our side. We outgrow those who only embrace certain parts of us, refusing to accept us in our entirety. Those who dismiss our wants and needs, too preoccupied with their own.

We outgrow those who make us feel like we’re not worth their time or effort. Those who could give so much more but choose to hold back. The ones who consistently place us last on their list of priorities. We outgrow those who are lazy in their love—those who retreat two steps every time we move one step forward.

The truth is, we eventually reach a point where we fully understand who we are, what we want, and what we deserve. We refuse to sell ourselves short. We refuse to repeat the exhausting cycle of offering our hearts to those who don’t know how to hold them. We reach a point where self-love outweighs any other love. We choose ourselves, even when others don’t.

We outgrow those who show us they’re not invested, who won’t try, and who treat us as temporary stops on their journey to something—or someone—else. We outgrow those who fail to make us feel cherished, who don’t value us the way we deserve to be valued.

The truth is, we’re capable of giving the world to someone we love. All we need in return is the reassurance that they won’t abuse it, that our hearts are safe with them, and that they won’t turn into another regret or another lesson learned the hard way.

We outgrow those who don’t know how to love us, saving our love for those who meet us with the same depth of care. For those who are willing to catch us when we fall. We outgrow those who offer empty words but no actions. We’ve spent years learning to love ourselves, and we won’t jeopardize that growth by staying with people who make us question our worth.

The truth is, we outgrow those who aren’t afraid of losing us—because they’ll never truly understand us, never see us the way we yearn to be seen, and never give us the love we’ve always deserved.

Artist Cynthia Gatein

We are divine beings in a state of recovery,
re-discovering our divinity,
winning back ourselves from states of delusion.
However, the mind is very much a key player
in the drama called life, because without it,
the consciousness cannot experience
the necessary friction for transcendence to occur.
And transcendence is the whole purpose of the game.
It is a kingly game when seen
with eyes of understanding.
If you stay stuck in personhood, life will kick your ass.
But if you are open to Truth, then you are continuously
expanding into greater and greater seeing.
Finally, you will exclaim,
‘I love this stepping out of the shadow of myself
into the bright light of my Self.’
If my words are true,
it is you who make them true.
They come alive inside you
because you listen inside your heart and accept them.
Not just the words, but what they point to
somehow recognises itself,
and the stagnant, the suppressed,
vanishes in the light of this real seeing.
The serpent-mind loses its tongue
in the presence of the real Self.
You are the Self.

~ Mooji

Kindness

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to gaze at bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
It is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.

 *

Naomi Shihab Nye
1952 –

Beautiful Art by Paula Jones Fine Artist

Peace Of Mind

My thoughts are far from the universe
Though I live in a world that's so diverse
My mind is in a deep space of fantasy
Where I can always count on my dependency.

I'm certainly not used to talking much
Nevertheless, I do think a lot
Trying so hard to maintain my sanity
Whilst living in this mixed entity.

I want to be able to escape from the mysteries
And leave everything behind as history
But certain parts never fail to haunt me
Coming in form of never-ending dreams.

All I want is peace of mind
To resign from the sad activities of mankind
If only I had the power to create absolute silence
To me, that would be nothing but pure excellence.

Debbie Woh