Yes, I say St. Patrick Week rather than day because when the 17th of March comes mid-week, it invites celebrations to start early and go through the following weekend. And, of course, it is not only about parades and green beer. Many places and events have Irish themes throughout the month. I know I am quite busy with Celtic presentations throughout March.
Read MoreThree Wee Gems is the title of the presentation I will be giving for Books Sandwiched In. This talk highlights three books about Ireland written by New York state authors that I especially enjoyed. All three have a deep and lovely sense of place, rich characters, and engaging stories. In very different ways, they each capture Ireland and the Celtic spirit that I so enjoy, enjoy writing and enjoy reading.
Read MoreOur tarot card for March is Equilibrium, certainly needed as we navigate this rapidly changing world and often challenging time. In the traditional tarot, this card is represented as Temperence, a Major Arcana card representing balance and moderation.
Read MoreI first visited Belfast in 1963. I was 15. The Troubles had begun and the divisions between Protestants and Catholics, particularly in city neighborhoods was intense. As we were shown around Northern Ireland, my cousins would skirt around the neighborhood featured in the movie to avoid danger. In fact, it wasn’t until a few years ago that I toured the Falls Road/Shankhill areas. The Peace Wall brought tears to my eyes. The fact that the gate between the neighbors is still closed at 10 pm for curfew left a pit in my stomach. The Peace Accord was such an amazing triumph; yet, the deep wounds of division remain for many.
Read MoreThe breath of sweet gratitude- what a beautiful line from poet John Mark Green.
The Celts have a way with blessings and gratitude that is beautifully captured.
Read more about gratitude in this blog.
Read MoreLet’s visit one more contemporary Irish statue that has been controversial and has been given a number of quirky, irreverent names. This one is in Belfast, Northern Ireland, not Dublin. Nonetheless, the Irish humor is unmistakable.
Read MoreReaders so enjoyed the blog on The Floozy in the Jacuzzi, that I felt compelled to share more quirky, even risqué nicknames. Let’s start with the spire that replaced the floozy on O’Connell Street. See how many I know of, comment others that you know.
Read MoreI’m preparing a presentation on Dublin, and thought you might enjoy this quirky story of mystery, humor and art. When I was strolling down O’Connell Street in Dublin, I discovered this strange sculpture near the Post Office. It was of a larger-than life, thin, wispy, ragged female form lying as in a bathtub-like container on the sidewalk. I could not figure it out so asked a number of passers-by.
Read MoreDeer had a special place in indigenous cultures as a primary source of food, clothing, and tools. As such, when an animal was killed, gratitude and reverence for its life were expressed. The spirit or medicine of the animal took on special meaning, often as a totem or guide for an individual.
Read MoreI live in the beautiful hills of the Finger Lakes, an idyllic piece of New York that looks a lot like Ireland or the Scottish Highlands. Although our hills are not green for as many months a year as in Celtic lands, this time of year they make up for it by bursting into resplendent color.
Read MoreCharming, inspiring, insightful and informational story of fictional characters visiting present day Ireland.
Travelers gather at the Shannon airport to begin a tour of ancient sites of Ireland. Timothy, their very Irish bus driver, calls their intended visit a trip to the very heart of the Celtic spirit-to thin places, as the Irish would say.
The guides offer morning spiritual connection, days of touring, and evenings with pub sing-alongs, dances, and storytelling. Each is drawn to a different aspect of Celtic spirituality and each experiences the powerful energies of the land.
A Canadian couple comes for the Celtic music; a woman from Boston comes to honor the Irish saints; another comes to connect with her childhood love of fairies. A young widower brings his teenage son in hopes of healing. A retiring professor seeks inspiration for the next phase of her life. A busy mom seeks quality time with her teenage daughter and another with her adolescent son. Few anticipate the degree of transformation they will experience.
Join them in learning about Ireland, these thin places, Celtic spirituality, and the emergence of the Divine Feminine as their stories unfold with healing and romance.
