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Woodland Bard

John Willmott aka Woodland Bard, presenting my writings, music, videos, and performance events.

For Bealtaine 2014

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by John Willmott - May 01, 2014

Fae wood, buzzing bees

She opens the gates today

Summer's musing hum

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Diwali or Samhain on this Dark Moon Night?

by John Willmott - November 11, 2015

New Moon time today was 5:47 pm in Ireland and UK. A few people have brought my attention to today, 11th, November 2015, which is a Remembrance Day, New Moon Day, Dark Moon Day and a day of Diwali, which is a Hindu generated Festival of Lights. Diwali is a beautiful festival, the biggest and brightest of all of the Hindu celebrations, but why am I hearing a lot more about it from more people this year than ever before? Is this partially to detour attention from Remembrance of those fallen from battles? That is really a huge alternative topic that I will not include here. Hearing so much about Diwali actually causes me to have a 'flee from it' reaction, despite its beauty and relevance that I am certainly not fleeing from. I will rant about this for a wee while now before talking of that which is known as Diwali. With many thoughtful things that bring our attention to seasons, weather and the interactions of nature, and our part of all of this, seem to be paid

Mindfulness And The Natural World

by John Willmott - April 29, 2020

A lovely generous freebie for TODAY ONLY! For use on Kindle or your Kindle app on your devices. Mindfulness by Claire Thompson is probably familiar reading for a lot of you. If not, I believe it should be. Even being familiar it jogs a lot of reminders too. Very easy to read and flows very well. My one concern with books like these is that I still feel the writer is dealing with an Us and Nature situation. Maybe, I do this in presentations too. I always feel the real exercise and training is how to train our ego into not thinking ‘Us and Nature’ and break down that illusion that we are either superior to it, or humble guests of it. I tend to think it is not about connecting to nature, but about disconnecting from our refusal, or surrender, to recognise we are part of it all. I look at this ‘connect with nature’ thought we carry and think it is like the ridiculousness of the branding of ‘Organic Fruit and Vegetables’ leaving us to maybe think all other veggies are no

I Am Back - Visions For 2020

by John Willmott - February 19, 2020

Cut Down By Strokes I have been quiet because over Christmas I suffered two strokes. One on Christmas Day last year, and another more serious one during the early morning of the 27th December. After a couple of weeks in hospital I was transferred top the excellent St. John's Hospital Sligo for rehabilitation and lots of useful physiotherapy work. I was discharged and allowed home Friday 7th February, and was able to vote on 8th February. My current condition is that I am itching to get back into action but I still have some limitations that will heal over the coming months. I can walk around Carrowcrory Cottage without support, but still need a crutch to get around the gardens. I went around a supermarket a couple of days ago and was very comfortable shopping holding onto a shopping trolley. I want to get back to the local market though. Beyond Fatigue I had a more paralytic stroke 10 years ago but recovered from that quite quickly, and I do not remember the fatig