The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary 317
Good morning everyone and welcome once more to Ballinwillin House Farm, gardens and RetrEat centre on day 27 of our latest lock down. This morning the neighbourhood is cold with the winter freeze but soon we will experience the death of winter and the birth of spring, but also this morning in Ballinwillin we mourn the death and passing of Joe Mulcahy our neighbour, a legend in the music business and a founding member of the famous Maurice Mulcahy Band. A band that gave huge enjoyment to thousands of people worldwide. This morning our prayers are with his family, friends and neighbours. Now destiny calls Joe to a place of music where his trumpet will sound again for all our spiritual enjoyment, where his heart will always remain generous, all heavenly doors will open to his musical light as you now quietly befriend your death and you have no need to fear. You are among your own orchestra in the big band with your pure white suit you are now equal to your destiny and nearer to Earths heart. Rest in peace Joe. Continue to pray, bless and power healing to all who need it and wear your smile.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 81
Today I am going to talk to you about the gravest. Our harvest commences each year in the first week of June, weather permitting. We usually cut and save hay as it suits our organic type of farming and my father always said “hay is warmer in the winter time for all animals” and I believe this to be right.
Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens. Another beautiful morning thank God. Another of a day in our life. Today I am going to talk to you about the gravest. Our harvest commences each year in the first week of June, weather permitting. We usually cut and save hay as it suits our organic type of farming and my father always said “hay is warmer in the winter time for all animals” and I believe this to be right. In the winter time when I roll out a bale of hay for the animals it is always exciting as there is a burst of flavour, wild herbs, flowers and grass. It reminds me of the opening of a nice Sauvignon Blanc and the aroma bursts out of you. That’s farming in my opinion and the excitement is the same for every bale of hay. So yesterday we cut our first crop of hay. It will take about 5 days or so and we turn it every day to dry it out then we bale it into big round bales and place them in the barn for the winter. How nice that we can bale this June flavour to be consumed over the winter months. That’s what makes Ballinwillin House Farm so special – only the best for my animals on the farm that bring me so much joy.
As I walked the fields yesterday of freshly cut grass there was a gently flow of fresh air and sun but as well as having to harvest the hay I was always mindful that I was harvesting the sounds, the moments, the history and the memories of the farm. I have been so lucky to have been taught that my first lesson for a home through the medium of nature and I was taught to walk lightly and naturally and mindfully along the land. I always say to visitors at Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens when they come to stay in the Bed and Breakfast that “The interplay between farmer and the elements is a poem without words”.
Continue to pray, bless and heal each other.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 80
. There are many trials and tribulations along the way but if one tries their best to include some mindfulness in their day just like what we did yesterday. This simple exercise could make a huge difference to your life and to those around you. In meditation we try and let go of the past, you try and stop being anxious about the future, you focus and enjoy the time that you have now.
Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens. Another beautiful day beginning not so hot so far as the last few days but still very pleasant. For the past 80 days I have been giving you an idea about life at Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens and how I cope and how I practise mindfulness during Covid19. How I cope and how I endeavour to help my family, friends and team to cope also. It is not easy as I am sure you all know. There are many trials and tribulations along the way but if one tries their best to include some mindfulness in their day just like what we did yesterday. This simple exercise could make a huge difference to your life and to those around you. In meditation we try and let go of the past, you try and stop being anxious about the future, you focus and enjoy the time that you have now. When you are stressed and being over burdened by things it is liberating to tune into the present and enter into the deep rhythm of your being. The art of breathing is how you will achieve this state of now. We all breathe in the same air. It is in the medium of interflow between all people. There is spirit in the air. Inhale it and claim it and come alive by being still and in the “now”. I look forward to joining you today on the final step of our 3 day mindfulness challenge and today the subject will be forgiveness so join in with me at 2pm.
Continue to pray, bless and heal each other and wear that smile.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 79
. What I notice these mornings is that the light is so great and brilliant and I think what we will do this morning is a short meditation exercise and simple breathing exercise whereby we relax, be still, sit comfortably and close your eyes if you are comfortable to do so and now you begin with a deep breath as the morning is the best and perfect time to do so.
Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens on this beautiful sunny June morning. What I notice these mornings is that the light is so great and brilliant and I think what we will do this morning is a short meditation exercise and simple breathing exercise whereby we relax, be still, sit comfortably and close your eyes if you are comfortable to do so and now you begin with a deep breath as the morning is the best and perfect time to do so. You simply breathe the light into you. You imagine a bright light over your head then visually using your breath you bring that light slowly down through your body. Through your head, neck, shoulders, stomach, legs and out through your feet. You can imagine a refreshing light. This will fill your body with a sense of lightness. When you breathe out slowly imagine you are breathing out the darkness in your life, clouds of heavy, dark, charcoal sadness can leave your soul on the outward breath and now you feel free and now you can go out into a new day a much lighter and happier person. My own belief is that we should not go out into a new day without first grounding, stilling and centring ourselves in the light. I recommend you practise this daily as I do.
Continue to pray, bless and heal each other and keep smiling.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 78
Another beautiful morning and we are being blessed and showered with dazzling sunshine at this time. It is the beginning of another new month of June which could be a very deciding in our future in Ireland.
Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens. Another beautiful morning and we are being blessed and showered with dazzling sunshine at this time. It is the beginning of another new month of June which could be a very deciding in our future in Ireland. We all enjoyed a very peaceful, relaxing and mindful weekend at Ballinwillin and I find peace and silence like a homecoming and it transcends all through and intellectual behaviour. Much of our own time and a lot of our mental energy is spent with work and trying to make ends meet and figure things out and when you look into your mind you see thoughts spinning round and round and you are going nowhere and accomplishing nothing. Now it is time to be still a while, control your thoughts, let a slow and warm light soothe into your mind and heart until you find that inner warmth that will spark your smile and ring that bell of being alive and in the now.
Continue to pray, bless and heal each other.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 77
I feel I must return to the subject of nature as it is deeply engrained on The Mindful Farmers mind. I feel when I am on nature my deepest prayers are formed here and it being Sunday I believe it is appropriate on this last day of May
Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens. Another amazing and beautiful morning – the last day of May 2020. The last day of beautiful May that we never again witness in this year, a year and a month that has brought great sadness and grief to many people but also a month that has brought great beauty and happiness to people and here on the farm, even though times are very difficult we have had great beauty in our plants, flowers, animal births and tremendous joy with our two wonderful grandchildren and again I feel I must return to the subject of nature as it is deeply engrained on The Mindful Farmers mind. I feel when I am on nature my deepest prayers are formed here and it being Sunday I believe it is appropriate on this last day of May. For those of you who believe that prayer is restricted to those only who are religious, pious or spiritual it is not so and neither can it be said that those of you who have no religion or beliefs are not in prayers. Prayer is the activity of the soul and each soul is so different and the Eternal is related to each of us in a unique way but the prayers of the soul speaks itself in each life differently and it is impossible and not right for any of us to judge the other. You may think that you know someone in society or life but we have no idea what is going on through their soul or destiny. We have no idea what narrative God is writing for us on this Sunday, the last day of May. We are all ready and in this drama of life but thank God we have not seen the script and will not and need not.
Continue to pray, bless and heal each other and keep that smile.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 76
But now we need courage to restart the economy and get peoples livelihoods and lives back on track. It is difficult for a lot of people to see that this darkness has purpose but when we meditate and pray and close our eyes we will gather a warmth around our hearts that we can share with each other and this warmth can create a spark and sometimes that is all we need
Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens on this beautiful May morning. While I was meditating this morning my mind bent towards the courage of all the Irish people who are doing such great work in keeping Covid19 at bay and minimised. It is not gone away but we as a nation are doing a great job in all sectors. But now we need courage to restart the economy and get peoples livelihoods and lives back on track. It is difficult for a lot of people to see that this darkness has purpose but when we meditate and pray and close our eyes we will gather a warmth around our hearts that we can share with each other and this warmth can create a spark and sometimes that is all we need – a spark to get us going, to nourish and feed the flame that will cleanse and clear the dark of its weight of festered fear. So from today on feel a new confidence, a confidence that will come alive in all of us and this confidence will lead you up on higher ground where your imagination will learn to engage difficulty as its most rewarding threshold and down through the ages we, the people of Ireland, this beautiful island, have proven that we are always able to find that demand flash of light and bolt of courage to survive any outer attack on our ways and lives. We must always remember to believe that the Irish hunger to survive and belong is at the very heart and core of our nature.
Continue to pray, bless and heal each other and wear that smile.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 75
This morning I would like to talk to you about “two worlds”. World no. 1 old world prior. Prior to Covid19. Busy from dawn to dusk. No time to focus on life, family, friends and who we are meant to be or where we came from. World no. 2 lock down Covid19. Now many of our ways are in ruins. Our work, our social life, our family structures are all in ruins. Society has almost broken down.
Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens on this beautiful May morning. Yesterday was a beautiful day with sunshine all day as the team at Ballinwillin House and I were delivering all over the country to Neighbour Food outlets and the great and lovely people hosting the various venues again a sincere thank you! This morning I would like to talk to you about “two worlds”. World no. 1 old world prior. Prior to Covid19. Busy from dawn to dusk. No time to focus on life, family, friends and who we are meant to be or where we came from. World no. 2 lock down Covid19. Now many of our ways are in ruins. Our work, our social life, our family structures are all in ruins. Society has almost broken down. Families in particular are totally disjointed. Families torn apart by loss, bereavement and separation. What if from this day forward we reshape, we rebuild our communities, we go back to the old ways, ancient, traditional. Consumerisim has failed us and left us empty and cold and very ill in some cases and in the most devastating way with loss of life. I believe, and again it is a personal belief, that technology, although it pretends to unite us, but where are the global villages now? Who delivers food to your door? The global village has no roads or neighbours. It is a faceless, impersonal landscape from where all individuality has been erased. If we are to learn anything from this pandemic we must be mindful to the fact that when all outer cultural shelters are in ruins we need to explore and reawaken the depths of belonging in the human mind and soul that will lead us once again to beautiful possibilities of community and friendship. We must return to who we are really meant to be as a race of beautiful island people and who we are meant to be with as communities.
Continue to pray, bless and heal each other.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 74
This morning, my mind diverted to thoughts of “solitude”. There are times in my life when I like to live in solitude, where I take time to recognise the presence, power and light of my soul. During this time I realise the shape of my soul is unique and I have a special destiny here and behind the facade of my life.
Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm on this fabulous May morning. This morning as I was meditation and bending my mind back to our session yesterday which I really enjoyed and thank you for joining me and I apologise again about the technical glitch at the end. I hope you got enough out of the session and I will do it again on Wednesday next. But getting back to my thoughts this morning, my mind diverted to thoughts of “solitude”. There are times in my life when I like to live in solitude, where I take time to recognise the presence, power and light of my soul. During this time I realise the shape of my soul is unique and I have a special destiny here and behind the facade of my life. There is something beautiful and eternal happening and that is my wish for all of you also, that we will all learn to see ourselves with the same delight, pride and expectation with which God sees us in every moment. That is the real purpose in life in my opinion and irrespective of our differences in religion, language or concept, there is no heart that is without this inner divine reference.
Continue to pray, bless and heal each other.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 73
I love talking about May – it is a fabulous month of energy, growth, flowers and birth on the farm. Even during this pandemic it performs in general with consistence in the midst of change and knowing itself through nature since time immortal.
Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens on this beautiful May morning. I love talking about May – it is a fabulous month of energy, growth, flowers and birth on the farm. Even during this pandemic it performs in general with consistence in the midst of change and knowing itself through nature since time immortal. This prompts the question that I am going to ask you this morning. How well do we know ourselves? Do we go through life like an aimless pedestrian not knowing the difference between delight or troubles? Does life happen on the surface? Is your mind separate from your life? Is there an unknown self breath and within your heart do you prefer the patterns of the dark and entangle yourself in unworthiness and misjudge what you do and who you are. One of the main aims of our mindfulness, meditation and forgiveness exercise is to bring us into the now. Know and recognise who we are and who we are really meant to be to see what we can do to the beauty of our souls and may our continued commitment to mindfulness release wellsprings of refreshment, inspiration and excitement. May every down find hope in your hearts and may every day fill the cup of your dreams and may every evening find you gracious and fulfilled and may you continue your lives blessed, sheltered and protected and may your soul calm, console and renew you and guide you safely home. Home to “ourselves”. Continue to pray, bless and heal each other and looking forward to joining you all at 2pm.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmer Daily Diary Day 72
Today Home doesn’t have to be modern, stately, state of the art, new architect designed building – for many, 4 walls is enough. I remember as a child our home was a very simple home but it was a home full of warmth and love. we have many fancy houses but how many qualify as homes? A real home is a place of shelter and love, warmth and I mean spiritual warmth.
Good afternoon everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens. Another beautiful fresh morning here this morning and it was beautiful and fresh out the fields earlier. Today I would like to talk to you about “home”. It came to me yesterday after our time together on the Mindfulness challenge that I am so lucky to have a beautiful and happy home. Home doesn’t have to be modern, stately, state of the art, new architect designed building – for many, 4 walls is enough. I remember as a child our home was a very simple home but it was a home full of warmth and love. Today we have many fancy houses but how many qualify as homes? A real home is a place of shelter and love, warmth and I mean spiritual warmth. We always said at home that after a journey “there is no place like home”. I think this is one of the sweetest phrases in any language “níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin. The home is the nest where intimacy and belonging faster identify and individuality. The home can also be considered a continuation of the human body which is our original and primary home on earth as it houses the mind, heart and spirit. To be who we are meant to be we need to be home. When a place to belong is assured the adventure of growth can begin with great promise.
Continue to pray, bless and heal each other. Prayers are working – no Covid19 deaths yesterday. Keep the prayers going and thank you for joining me yesterday on the Mindfulness Challenge. Continue to be mindful and we will all meet again tomorrow at 2pm.
God bless you all
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 71
We set up in the mindfulness garden of all places with slides, pools, pergodas, tables and chairs and the sunshine of course and the highlight of the day was the two main characters and actors, Ada Beth and JJ.
Good morning everyone and welcome to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens. A beautiful morning here this May morning and speaking of beauty and a beautiful experience we had yesterday and a very restful and respectful peaceful Sunday. We set up in the mindfulness garden of all places with slides, pools, pergodas, tables and chairs and the sunshine of course and the highlight of the day was the two main characters and actors, Ada Beth and JJ. They played all day and entertained us all day with their unconditional love and playfulness and to me this is a beautiful life. We were witnessing the lineage of our ancestors being acted out right in front of our own eyes in 2020. Each one of these incredible little characters are mirroring the essence of God through our ancestors we must never lose an opportunity to witness and appreciate these moments, for seeing such beauty is Gods handwriting and a special gift to us. It was a special day in a special way and we did in the sunshine what we were created to do – To Be Ourselves.
Looking forward to joining you later on our Mindfulness challenge.
Continue to pray, bless and heal each other
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 68
Today I would like to talk to you about “lost friends”. As life moves along and stands still for no one, we lose great friends who leave a huge void in our lives.
Good morning everyone and welcome once more to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens. Another nice morning here, yesterday was a very busy day. We were on the road delivering to our Neighbour Food friends and a big thank you to my team and to the wonderful and friendly host people. It is a pleasure to work with you all.
Today I would like to talk to you about “lost friends”. As life moves along and stands still for no one, we lose great friends who leave a huge void in our lives. We lose some within the dark weight of the night, many of these friends we journey through life with, we holiday with them, we socialise with them and some we go on a very, very deep journey with deep, deep below time with, in that eternal weave where nothing unravels. It is always very difficult when we lose friends we love from the shelter of our hearts. I always pray during and after meditation for lost friends but I always celebrate the gifts that they have brought to my life. May we learn and grow from the pain of such loss and we wish them peace where spirituality can summon beauty from a wounded space. You may feel at this time that I am very melancholy but deep within my heart and soul I am very much at peace and I hope this is evident to all who know and encounter me.
Continue to pray, bless and heal each other and keep smiling.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 66
Hospitality is love, it is openness to the unknown and the unfamiliar, it is being open to the complete stranger and to that what frightens us and to what we may not like. It is being prepared to accept people with different views and perceptions because as we all know, people differ in many ways.
Good morning everyone once again and welcome to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens. Another beautiful May morning. As I was leaving my morning meditation my mind angled towards what I would be doing before Covid 19 at this time of the morning. I would be going towards the kitchen to help Miriam organise breakfast for our guests. That’s something I really miss at Ballinwillin House Farm – our wonderful guests every morning and we are really looking forward to having them all back once the new normality returns and it will. So what I would like to speak to you about this morning is hospitality, what we Irish once perfected but then it faded. That is my honest opinion, especially during Celtic Tiger times, OK you might say I am being OTT but am I? How many houses today can you walk into without prior announcement? Question answered I think. The hospitality I am going to talk to you about is what we do here at Ballinwillin House and what I was brought up with in West Limerick. The open house. Hospitality is love, it is openness to the unknown and the unfamiliar, it is being open to the complete stranger and to that what frightens us and to what we may not like. It is being prepared to accept people with different views and perceptions because as we all know, people differ in many ways. We can start all enthusiastic but sometimes it is difficult to remain open when we come up against our own insecurities and that is why the spirit of hospitality needs to be cherished, fostered and cultivated. It is well worth it in the long term because as we well know at Ballinwillin House, hospitality, as well as being challenging, is live giving to many great people. True hospitality reaches the inner depths of people and carries across continents. It can be the love that clothes people on their journey homeward. It surrounds them and will never leave their memory, yearning once more to return.
Continue to pray, bless and heal each other.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 64
Think peace, think flowers, think plants, think roses and inhale their fragrance and perfume and you too will come up smelling of roses.
Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens. Another beautiful morning. Yesterday as we travelled around on our garden tour we saw the first rose of summer, peace, just after blooming. A young rose just after being planted last year in place of an old mammy rose that died the circle of life. So today I think it is fitting that I talk to you about peace. It is often said that one act of peace can effect peace throughout the world, just as an act of violence can touch us all. Because we are what our actions are, while we are making peace we are becoming and being peaceful and when you see the beauty and the fragrance if this beautiful rose and how it softens your heart and leads and heals you into the days and weeks ahead, that is the wish I have for you all into the future. Think peace, think flowers, think plants, think roses and inhale their fragrance and perfume and you too will come up smelling of roses. I will take a different line from Patrick Pearse when he said “the beautiful of this world hath made me sad” and I understand the circumstance it was quoted in. But, for me “the beauty of this world hath made me glad”. Be careful out there today now that rules have changed about movement, stay with the old rules for as long as you can. Don’t forget to sign in for my Mindfulness session next Monday 25th May. In the meantime, continue to pray, bless and heal each other.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 63
we will be doing a garden tour as we usually do on our restful Sundays. So for the next few minutes find a comfortable seat and relax and maybe have a nice cup of tea or coffee and we will all go together on this mindful garden tour and admire the beauty of nature
Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens. I was out earlier this morning moving deer to new pasture and it was a beautiful scene. Now we will be doing a garden tour as we usually do on our restful Sundays. So for the next few minutes find a comfortable seat and relax and maybe have a nice cup of tea or coffee and we will all go together on this mindful garden tour and admire the beauty of nature. When the tour is over I would like to talk to you about life today in our new world and living in our new world since Corona virus invaded our land. There is no doubt it is a challenge, a risk and an act of trust by everyone in our environment. Most of us grew up learning unconsciously that planning was a part of our future and our life. Be it at home or at school, the more prepared and careful you were the better you performed, and all this was true, but what is also true is that we can live in the here and now and if we live today fully it prepares us for a good tomorrow. It takes great courage to live today fully with all that is going on now and to fully experience today, its love, no regrets for yesterday and not planning too far ahead to tomorrow. To live fully in the now we must trust. It will be enough because we are exactly where we are supposed to be at this time. Living for the now, today can make us vulnerable but there is a prize – it also brings us great peace and serenity. When we surrender tomorrow in order to live for today we are happier and free. Now look at the garden and at this glowing day and beautiful plants and flowers and say and see what clothes could be more beautiful or sacred. Continue to pray, heal and bless each other.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 61
I was thinking this morning on my rounds of the farm “what about the traveller who is not travelling now?”. In the past 20 years people were travelling huge distances across the world for business, for pleasure, for holidays, even for weekends away. But now how do we manage?
Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens on this beautiful morning. Yesterday was a very busy day on the farm and delivering orders to the Neighbour Food markets and I would like to say a huge thank you again to everyone that runs the markets because we would be fully closed without you all! I was thinking this morning on my rounds of the farm “what about the traveller who is not travelling now?”. In the past 20 years people were travelling huge distances across the world for business, for pleasure, for holidays, even for weekends away. But now how do we manage? Every time you leave home another road takes you into a world you were never in before. New strangers, new people, new places, but now when we are cocooning at home we might visit old places that know us well. But do we know much about these places that are so near to us? Are we afraid to visit the dark, strange space that is so easy to travel away from? During this time when we are not travelling, take time to discover more of your hidden life and the urgencies that desire to claim you. May you travel inward in an awakened manner. Do not waste any inner invitations that await you and that may transform your life and those around you. May you travel home to yourself refreshed and live your new life to its fullest. Return to yourself rich and free now that you can balance the gifts of days which you can call your own to yourself.
Continue to pray, heal and bless each other.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 57
I always notice from living at the foothills of the beautiful Galtee mountain that around this time in May we always get a cold spell of weather and maybe it is Mother Natures way of reminding us that She is in charge and she will send the summer on her terms.
It is a lovely, bright fresh morning here on the farm but it is extremely cold. I always notice from living at the foothills of the beautiful Galtee mountain that around this time in May we always get a cold spell of weather and maybe it is Mother Natures way of reminding us that She is in charge and she will send the summer on her terms. This morning I am going to talk about who we are, the kind of people we are. This conversation was prompted by one of my followers yesterday. In my experience we learn who we really are at a very young age fostered in the home by parents, community and we also learn who we are from the way others acknowledge, accept and appreciate and believe in us. When we are acknowledged and affirmed our confidence grows. When we are accepted in spite of our limitations, we learn to see those limitations in perspective and not to be upset by them but rather rise above them. Our big challenge in life is to love others and respect others and to encourage them into living to their full potential and into growing to their full beauty. So when I say to you everyday to pray, bless and heal each other and be kind to each other you will do so eventually without even noticing. These beautiful practices will save the world.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 56
Sometimes people can be deeply wounded for various reasons by violence, abuse, depression and many other issues and may need professional help. In my situation o was lucky. I relied on prayer, love and dreams.
Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Balllinwillin House Farm. As usual on a restful Sunday morning I will take you on the garden tour so relax and settle in for the next few minutes and try and give yourself more time today to be yourself. Today I am going to talk to you about mindfulness and how I began practising mindfulness and meditation as a child and recovering from a very serious and suspected brain injury. Thankfully all went well and I slowly recovered but there was a lot of trauma in that recovery, fear, worry and above all being beaten and bullied in school because I was seen to be different headgear and a helmet for approximately 12 months. How I dealt with it by meditating on the farm by the river under trees and by dreaming and praying and with the help of a very loving mother and father and work on the land and dreaming about the future, my future, as a farmer albeit in an arcutious route. Sometimes when you are very young love might not be enough and without work ethic, skill, knowledge, it can be a hindrance. Sometimes people can be deeply wounded for various reasons by violence, abuse, depression and many other issues and may need professional help. In my situation o was lucky. I relied on prayer, love and dreams. The reason I am explaining my situation is that it may help people out there and sometimes people don’t have the adequate resources or channels and may need professional help to deal with the messages that spring through their minds on a daily basis. My point here is that it is an essential part of caring to be able to recognise when outside help is need. So, be mindful and watchful of people around you who are near and dear to you, friends, aquaintences, be prepared to help people especially in light of the darkness into light situation. When we meditate we help our mental well being and it leads us into being mindful which is an all day, every day state of mind. So today, I ask for you to search for peace, joy and love and if you are not finding it immediately, pray for it and it will come. Have a lovely Sunday.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 55
If this graceful old tree could talk and tell us what it has seen, if it could only talk! But this tree lives a life just like ourselves, busy everyday growing and striving to stay alive as it is attacked from all sides and all elements.
Good morning once again and welcome back to Ballinwillin House Farm. This morning when I talk to you I want you to get as comfortable and relaxed as you can, possibly find a nice quiet place, plant your feet firmly on the ground and close your eyes if you wish to do so. Yesterday I received a lovely message from Cathy regarding my favourite place and the beautiful old yew tree, taxus baccata. If this graceful old tree could talk and tell us what it has seen, if it could only talk! But this tree lives a life just like ourselves, busy everyday growing and striving to stay alive as it is attacked from all sides and all elements. From the moment it falls onto the ground as a seed anywhere, it may live for 1000 years but it must compete every second for water, nutrients, light and space and fend off cold, heat, drought, flooding and a host of parasites and predators of all kinds - the list is endless.I think we have it easy so that is what this old tree is saying firstly is that our life, your life “aint so bad!”
But what I believe is most important is what this tree doesn’t say that is important to me. It is, and all these trees, are my sounding boards. What I mean here is that since I was a young boy my parents instilled in me the importance of confidentially and all through my life I believe if you are told something in confidence it must die with you. It is an inner respect. That is the most important message I feel when I face this tree everyday. But there are many more messages but I wont go into them today. But as I face this beauty now I thank it for supporting me and my family with beautiful oxygen for my lifetime.
Continue to pray, bless and heal each other
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick
The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 53
Even though I have been practicing mindfulness for over 50 years, when you are attacked and the family is attacked and the very core of who you are and what you have achieved with your business, it causes so much stress it could kill and this is not said lightly. At times yesterday my heart was pounding so much I had to go to the meditation garden several times, more than I could count to recover.
Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm. I must confess that yesterday was the first day that I really felt stressed out and we all know now about the saga with RTÉ and Donegal fake news. Even though I have been practising mindfulness for over 50 years, when you are attacked and the family is attacked and the very core of who you are and what you have achieved with your business, it causes so much stress it could kill and this is not said lightly. At times yesterday my heart was pounding so much I had to go to the meditation garden several times, more than I could count to recover. I thought fake news was so far away it could never affect Ireland and that it was an American phenomenon but alas it is alive and well in Ireland. Now that is enough of that and I am healing and that is what I am going to speak to you about this morning. First I would like to thank all the people, there were hundreds, who called, text and supported us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Your support was huge and heart warming and we feel blessed with healing and support. When you receive a word of support it is like a circle of light drawn around you to protect, strengthen and heal you and you can feel yourself coming out and emerging from the trenches like a constant flow of emergence and the belief that healing is travelling through your body like the breath and following the breath it is peaceful. When we send healing to people we help them go beyond their present frontiers and their problems and a window opens presenting a bright blue sky. I urge you all to rediscover your power to heal. I know yesterday I was that soldier and I thank you all for digging me out of that dark trench.
Continue to pray, bless and heal each other.
The Mindful Farmer
Patrick