Spring-series V.

„Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.”                                                                           Maria Rilke

Spring is green, tender, and alive. It’s the childhood stage of the seasons of transitions where innocence and purity permeate the atmosphere.

Spring seems to bring a rebirth to all of nature.  The blossoms arrive, the yellow daffodils and tulips show their colors, and the trees begin to display the light green shades of new leaves.  Our gardens begin to show signs of new life as the vegetables rise from the soil.  Spring means rebirth.

For animals, this season is a time of emergence and migration. Insects and hibernators emerge from their winter sleeping places.
Birds stake out their breeding, nesting and feeding territories so they may raise their young. The air is filled with birdsong.

Bees and bee mimics fly through the air to pollinate trees, shrubs and native flowers. Butterflies emerge after overwintering in tree crevices, as adults. Salamanders, toads and frogs emerge from hibernation. Frogs sing their mating songs.

„The day the Lord created hope was probably the same day he created Spring.”                                                    Bern Williams

Those famous Irish falls…

For some places, a certain time of the year beckons visitors. Like Paris in April. But if you want to visit Ireland, go in autumn.

There is a scent in the air particularly Irish.  Special, unhurried, and mixed with the warmth of a peat fire.
The Irish pubs that are filled with music take on a different feel, softer and more textured.  And, the roads to those pubs often belong to you when autumn comes takes over nature’s gate.

Autumn’s Ireland is lush and green and cool. It rains, but mostly intermittent showers.

Touring the southern and western coasts of the Irish Republic is especially wonderful in the fall.
The weather changes roll in off the coast as you pass through picturesque villages like Dunmore East and Ardmore on your way west toward the Ring of Kerry.

While that ring attracts most tourists, the nearby Ring of Beara is equally lovely. Allow at least a day to explore the large druid stone circle on the way to Gleninchaquin, a private park that allows visitors to hike over the huge falls there. It’s worth the muscle strain; the view from up top is breathtaking.

On the Iveragh Peninsula (Ring of Kerry) to the north, the fishing village of Port Magee is a picturesque place to stop and gaze eight miles out to sea at Skellig Michael, a rocky pinnacle once inhabited by sixth-century monks. If the weather cooperates, you can take a boat there and climb the steep, hand-carved steps the monks once trod.

Go inland to enjoy the thatched cottages in the village of Adare southwest of Limerick. Then go north and east, stopping for Dysert O’Dea Castle on your way to the Cliffs of Moher.

You won’t really experience the northwest of Ireland if you don’t visit Donegal Town. There the people are friendly, the pubs are lively and there’s great shopping, too. Wander down side streets to find genuine, old-fashioned Irish pubs if you want to talk to folks not in the tourist industry. It’s not glamorous, but it’s real Ireland.

The Rock of Cashel in County Tipperary is a huge medieval castle set high on a hill and once was the fabled power base of Munster kings. Inside, many ancient carvings remain in wonderful condition. At its foot crouches Hore Abbey, which visitors reach through a farmer’s field.

Consider experiencing Autumn in Ireland. Consider the air, the festivals, the time to be at peace and the time to be part of it all.  Visiting Ireland in the autumn is a natural combination.

Elemental truths about Brazil

Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil is the largest country in both South America and the Latin American region. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population.

The word "Brazil" comes from brazilwood, a tree that once grew plentifully along the Brazilian coast.

The official language of Brazil is Portuguese, which almost all of the population speaks and is virtually the only language used in newspapers, radio, television, and for business and administrative purposes.

Religion in Brazil was formed from the meeting of the Catholic Church with the religious traditions of African slaves and indigenous peoples. Today Brazil has got the 2nd highest Christian population in the world.

The world’s best and most delicious coffee is produced in Brazil.

Brazil has the biggest rainforest in the world, the Amazon forest.

Scientists have estimated that there may be up to four million species of plants and animals in Brazil.

Brazil has won the soccer world cup five times.

Brazil has one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, the Christ Redeemer statue, located in Rio De Janeiro.

The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is a world famous festival held before Lent every year and considered the biggest carnival in the world with two million people per day on the streets. The first festivals of Rio date back to 1823.

Quiet your mind!

Meditation is a great way to escape the grind of daily life. It has both mental and physical benefits, including reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, and getting you more in tune with your body. It can even boost your immune system! Here are some ways to achieve stillness.

Nature Meditation

Finding time to meditate is getting more and more challenging each day. But stillness helps to calm and tame the weary mind. Nature is one of the places that immediately brings us in tune with harmony and a deeper sense of place, peace and purpose. By tuning into an image or sounds, even if we can’t immediately access natural places, the mind can take us back to the silence and peace instantly.

Morning Lake Meditation

Have you ever seen a lake at sunrise? It’s very often still like a mirror. Before jumping out of bed, imagine sitting by a lake. No ripples or waves appear. The dawn sky is perfectly reflected in the stillness. This is the nature of the mind at rest. Still, pure and capable of reflecting the light and beauty around it. The easiest time to access this pure stillness is in the early hours of the day before the rush.

Birds At Dawn Reflections

Birds seem happiest and most active at dawn. They awaken with energy and celebrate the divine. They express their joy and excitement at the birth of a new day by singing and chirping for no reason except that they are content to be alive. Their nature is to be happy. Imagine the cardinals, robins, sparrows and other birds you love. Tune into their love of life as they awaken at dawn and allow their nature to inspire you to start the day with the same joy.

Sunset Pause for Peace

Sunsets attract crowds because of their spectacular displays. They give a moment to pause and watch the world turn from light to dark. It’s a moment to notice the movement of the day, to check in, to become quiet and slow down during the period of transition. It’s especially a time to notice the beauty and harmony of the natural world. In many places where people gather to watch the sunset together, a natural stillness and silence set in as the sun moves into the sea or below the horizon. This quiet space offers a time to reflect on the goodness of the day and be fully in the beauty of the moment.

Starlight Meditation

The light of stars can only be seen by the human eye at night. They take us out of our small worlds and remind us that we’re a tiny fraction of something big, cosmic and Divine. The way they pass through the sky with order and grace gives confidence that something purposeful and very wise is guiding the movements of each individual thing in the universe. Contemplate a star and its origin. The mystery and magic of it are awe-inspiring. Your life, your coming into being is no less of a miracle to recognize and celebrate.