In 2003 I sat overlooking the Western Wall in Jerusalem. It’s a remarkable place with palpable energy and consumed in ancient history, a history which imprisons many to a limited and violent past.

I had come to a meeting of a Peace Movement which aimed to unite people of all religions, all cultures and denominations. Every Friday morning this group sits over looking the western wall to simply demonstrate  ”being peaceful”. Anyone is welcome to join them.

As we sat, sometimes talking, sometimes playing music, sometimes being silent the sun light up the whole space. At one point one of the Founders of this organisation, an Israeli Jew spoke about the teneths of the organistion. He said “The first teneth we operate from is – that we don’t know. We don’t know the answers. You see most of the conflict in this world is brought about by everyone thinking they “know” and then fighting over it! So we decided we don’t know”

What a fantastic way of being, I thought. It’s a bit like the Buddhists when they talk about “beginners mind”. With such an attitude it opens us up to a new way of being, a way that is free from our limited past. It opens us up to creating a new world, a world where we truly love and care for each other no matter what our differences are.

Last week as we all know there was more violence in the Middle East, 9 people were killed on board a ship bringing aid to the Gaza strip. Another ship called the Rachel Corrie went from Ireland. It too never made it to the Gaza and its passengers were sent back to their respective countries.

Just after I was in Israel in 2003, I heard about Rachel Corrie (1979 -2003) and what happened to her. It was absolutely unbelievable to be honest. She was mowed down by an Israeli army bulldozer trying to stop a Palestinians house being destroyed (a pharmacist, accountant, their wives, and five young children).

Well as the teneth of the peace movement I visited in Isreal said “we don’t know”, I don’t know the answer to the conflict either but I do know like we all know, that violence creates more violence and imprisons future generations to a man made hell on earth. And no matter how strong any nation is with its weapons, I don’t believe there are any people in the world who want to live in fear. And no amount of weapons will ever get rid of fear, only love will get rid of fear!

We must learn to see that underneath our external definitions of what we are, we are the same. And we belong to one group and that group is called humanity! And again no matter how much weaponry we have we still have to learn to live with each other and to love one another. If we don’t we continue to imprison future generations to our limited and violent past. Let’s set them free instead!

As I thought about Rachel Corrie again in the last week I found a video of her when she was in 5th grade. Like many who have gone before, she too has a message worth listening too.

Also see

http://rachelcorriefoundation.org/

The Pipes, the Pipes are calling! So please go to www.aPipersTales.com and give this book your vote for Round 2 of the Next Top Spiritual Author. Thanks a million!

The competition is for a publishing deal with Hampton Roads, a main stream publisher in the USA. To get to the next round I WILL NEED YOUR VOTE before June 28th!

Have a look at the following video and if you feel it’s a book which benefits its readers and should be in mainstream circulation, please give it your vote by clicking on the link below it. Thanks a million!

Click here to Vote to have this book published

“It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness” – Chinese saying

There is no doubt that there is a glorification of misery in our world today. Many mornings as I walk past the local shop I see the glorification of misery emblazened all over newspapers and magazines. Yesterday one newspaper, which is choosing to attack one well known person, had as its headline “Big Fat Pig“!  I then listen to the radio and every miserable story you can imagine about the latest so called disaster to hit the world, is broadcast in a belief that we are all innocent victims of this miserable world!!!

The good news of course is that no matter what disaster has hit the world, man made or otherwise since Adam and Eve eat the apple, we’re still here! Not only are we still here, we’re still evolving, learning, growing, reproducing, eating, drinking, laughing, celebrating and much more. And I believe there is more love in the world. Not only is there more love but each of us can make sure that by the time we go to sleep tonight there will be even more. So here’s 7 ways to “light a candle in your day”

1. Be Still to Start Your Day – Before getting caught up in the busyness of the day, take 5 minutes to sit and “tune into” your day. Go somewhere in your house, your garden, your locality where you can simply sit and be still for 5 minutes. Realise that what lies before you is like a painters canvass and that you’re being offered a palette to create your painting for the day. Create a masterpiece!

2. Inspire yourself – listen to your favourite music, read your favourite books, watch your favourite movie. Whatever inspires you fill your mind and heart with it, particularly at the beginning of the day.

3. Inspire others - as you go about your day send your blessings/positive feelings towards those you meet – family, friends, strangers and most of all so called “enemies”. In Ireland there is an old saying when you meet someone which says “Dia dhuit” (which means God be with you). When you say it to someone,  that person would then respond by saying to you “Dia is Muire dhuit” (which means God and Mary be with you). How would you like to greet people today?

4. Offer someone a seat – have you ever been on a bus when its busy and given someone your seat? Sometimes we sit and wait, afraid that they may say “no thanks” and we’ll be rejected and sometimes then its too late. But if you ever have given someone a seat, how has it made you feel? Doesn’t it make us feel good? Be generous with people and always remember no matter how “bad” things are perceived to be, we always have something to give to others. Afterall a smile costs nothing.

5. Exercise – exercise as we all know is great! It fills our body with fresh oxygen, it puts roses on our cheeks, it makes us feel fully alive. No matter what your level of fitness find at least 20 minutes in your day to walk, run, swim, play tennis, cycle or whatever. Just do it!

6. Reclaim Your Power to Better Yourself and the World - there is such an emphasis on putting people down much of the time, in particular blaming people for what is wrong in our lives and our world. What if these people we blame are actually the source of our salvation? Who knows maybe everything is exactly the way it’s supposed to be in order for us to learn what we need to learn in this lifetime? Once we open ourselves to the possibility that this just might be true, we reconnect with our power to change things for the better. And when we change for the better the world changes for the better.

7. Do what you Love - some say we’re being selfish if we’re off doing what we love. This has to be one of the craziest beliefs in the world! I say it’s far more selfish to do what we hate and feel justified to be miserable because of it. Every day invest time in nourishing what you love. If you love gardening, spend time in your garden. If you love writing, write. If you love music, listen, play, create it! If you love being with your kids, be with them in mind, body and spirit. Whatever you love nourish it. Notice that as you do you connect with that wonderful loving part of yourself and thus are a far more loving person to be with. And as you lay to sleep at night you know there’s more love in the world because of you.

Create Your Masterpiece!

Sean M Kelly

PS: If you’d like to comment on this article simple click “continue reading” below

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Want to be deeply inspired right now and I mean deeply inspired? Then watch this short video prayer created by Shafin de Zane and inspired by Francesco Bernadone of Assisi (St Francis of Assisi). Simply sit back and connect with that place of peace which is within you. Be Peaceful! It’s a beautiful video. Thanks to Shafin for creating it. Be Inspired!

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I’ve never seen sand painting before and this 24 year old girl from the Ukraine is probably one of the best in the world and not surprisingly won the Ukraine’s got talent show.

The video is absolutely mesmerising! It brings you on a very moving graphic journey on how World War II affected the ordinary people of the Ukraine. Not only is the journey very moving but the magical way in which Kseniya Simonova, 24,  creates the journey with her amazing artistic talent is unbelieveable!

It’s just over 8 minutes and well worth experiencing every moment! (She draws the images on a table of some sort and they are projected onto a screen)

Be Inspired!

Here’s one fantastic video to begin the year with, in fact to begin the decade with! It’s one highly inspirational personal testimonial by Dewitt Jones on the power of vision and focussing on whats right with the world. You can watch a clip of the video at the following link, its great and a really long clip! Enjoy it all!

Celebrate whats right with the world – Dewitt Jones

(Thanks a million to Jenny Brice www.jennybricemusic.com for sending this video link) 

Imagine receiving 40 days of inspirational video clips and reflections directly to your email from some wonderful sacred sites in Ireland? The 40 days cover many different life enhancing themes such as meditation, stillness, following your heart, following your dreams, courage, forgiveness, inner peace, music, happiness, life purpose and more. It brings you to some wonderful sites in Ireland including – Glandalough, Glencree, Durrow, Wicklow, Dublin and other places.

Here’s a video which offers you an overview of what you’ll experience on the online pilgrimage. Enjoy!

To join the Free pilgrimage simply enter your details below:

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This is an ancient stone circle in Ireland. Dated around 1,400 to 800 BC. Created probably during the Bronze age. How did it get its name – Pipers Stones? Well you’ll have to watch the video to find out. Remember if you’d like to receive all 40 videoes and reflections from around Ireland subsribe for free on the right hand side.

Enjoy the video and the music!

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I once was lost but now I’m found

was blind but now I see

(to receive all 40 inspirational video clips and reflections simply subscribe for FREE on the right hand side of this page)

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This is day 36 of the 40 day online Irish Inner Peace Pilgrimage. It’s part one of the Art of Forgiveness theme. Remember forgiveness often begins by forgiving ourselves and by being kind to ourselves. To view all the videos and reflections on this inner peace pilgrimage subscribe for free on the right hand side. Enjoy!

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