This meditation involves paying attention to how we are in our mind and body, and goes further into the experience of our heart. An opportunity to turn to our source of compassion with imagery, energy and love. Also with light instrumental music to accompany to us.
Continue reading “Compassionate presence meditation”Author: Gavin Thomas Murphy
I’m Gavin, I'm from Dublin, I have a psychology and spirituality background, I have strong faith and I love the outdoors.
All kinds of rainbows
“I think you are born to do this!”
“You look like you’re
enjoying it!”
– Yes, I guess so friend –
The softening of the body
is out of this world
Writing for children: Hug freely
An illustration sketch by a Spanish artist made a deep impression on me while we were collaborating on a children’s picture book. Here I reflect on the artwork of a doting grandson and his ‘grumbling’ Granny, and how a child’s unreserved love can inspire us.
Continue reading “Writing for children: Hug freely”Confidence tools
Confidence is being open to connection. It includes openness to intimacy, acknowledging and allowing my real self and accepting my truth. I honour my strengths and weaknesses and I build courage to share my heart. It also includes calmly and assertively communicating my needs, despite pushbacks and challenges.
Continue reading “Confidence tools”Vanilla love
In this poem I continue to imagine the embodiment of parental love. It is an extension of my previous short poem (a Haiku) called Parental Bone-Weariness.
Continue reading “Vanilla love”Parental bone-weariness
A friend recently shared the poem ‘The Invitation’ by Oriah Mountain Dreamer in which the following words deeply resonated with me:
I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone and do what needs to be done to feed the children.
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Seeing our beauty (meditation)
An invitation to recall a recent situation when we saw our beauty and goodness through the eyes of another person. It includes paying attention to the stirrings in our hearts and using loving words to express what the person saw in us. Note: It’s best to let the scene gently emerge in our mind’s eye.
Continue reading “Seeing our beauty (meditation)”Zen spirit in poetry
Roshi Robert Kennedy SJ, an Irish-American Zen master and Jesuit, put the following challenge to us after we sat in silent meditation at the Earth + Sky Dojo (meditation hall) in Dublin. He said: “Why are you here? Why are you doing this? You need to know why you are doing it because Zen demands a lot from you.”
Continue reading “Zen spirit in poetry”
Cube meditation
“Once wandering thoughts are totally abandoned, magical displays are no other than that.” – Machig Labdron (1055-1149)
Sometimes we find that a nagging thought or heavy feeling overwhelms us. We see the thought or feeling as our only experience, as if nothing else exists, and it makes life very difficult. Using the image of a cube with its different faces or sides, this is a chance to take a step back and look at our inner experience from multiple perspectives.
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Zen lessons for living
I share three lessons from a recent Zen retreat (25 to 30 August 2022) with Roshi Robert Kennedy SJ at the Dominican Retreat Centre in Dublin. They include looking at our inner experience from a three-dimensional (3D) perspective and tuning into the primary elements of fire, air, water and earth. Click on the link below to watch the video ».
Continue reading “Zen lessons for living”
Gratitude In All Things 