“Magical Moments”
Padraig Mannion
MD of Studio Rua
I’ve been in Dublin for 7 years now. That accounts for two college degrees, three part-time jobs, two film festival awards, one long-term relationship, three bikes, nine homes, countless loved ones and one start-up business. Most importantly, it contained two major life-changing events.
The first happened while I was at college. It devastated me, and left me in an emotional and spiritual rut for nearly four years. Over this time, the city became a very rough, dangerous and unwelcoming place.
My second life-changing event was like a gift; it came in the form of one very important lesson: Take Responsibility.
No blame, no resentment, no guilt, no shame. Forgive, love, and focus on the positive in life. No excuses. Take Responsibility and move forward!
With this I could own every moment I was in, and each one presented learning or an opportunity more profound than the one before.
You own it and you deserve it, go out and enjoy it.
Sören Klars
Software Engineer
I love that feeling of standing on a fork in my life’s path, looking at all the possible directions I could go in and what incredibly exiting things could happen on each path. But sometimes this is a tricky situation; I am afraid to walk on new roads, to leave the safe place I’m in, or I simply can’t choose. In these moments, I love to look back, realize where I am, where I came from and the path of tiny decisions in-between. This is a magical moment for me, to see how amazingly well things have unfolded for me in a dimension I never could have dreamed of. And when I see that, all the seriousness of the decision I’m facing is gone. I feel the shivering and tingling in my back and sense my ‘helpers’ are with me, saying, “Relax, man, we have your back!”
Mary O’Callaghan
Mindfulness Trainer / Psychotherapist
While living as a Buddhist nun in Nepal, I had the occasion to do a retreat high in the Himalayas about one day’s trek from Everest Base Camp. The retreat was intense and involved fasting every third day. The air was thin and I got by with little sleep. During the retreat, I had occasion to go to the outdoor bathroom during the early hours of the morning. The scene was breathtaking – the moon was full, I was high above the clouds and stars were shooting. In the midst of all of this splendour I was so seized by its beauty, there was nothing for it but to squat right there and have a pee. In that moment, I felt completely at one with nature. Spirit and instinct, sky and earth, inside and outside were a simple manifestation of this mysterious and awesome thing we call life.
Jess Bridgeman
Artist / Graphic Designer
For the past few years, I had been searching for the job of my dreams and couldn’t understand why I hadn’t found it yet. Everything else in my life seemed to just fall into place and the one thing I focused on most was the biggest struggle. I was exhausted. It ended up I just needed to get a job, any job, to pay the bills. So I let go.
As soon as I did, I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders. I realised how much pressure I had actually been putting on myself. Then I started to look at everything else in my life. My amazing boyfriend, beautiful dog, loving family, great friends I’ve made…I was actually walking on a cloud, basking in utter appreciation…and the next thing you know, I get the job: the job that ticks all the boxes and opens many doors.
Life is amazing right now! It feels like anything is possible.
Sarah Ruane
Psychotherapist
My magical moment happened on a visit home with my new boyfriend – the unveiling. I live at the foot of a mountain and as a little girl I used to dream of the day when I would bring my prince charming up there and share my special place. So that’s what we did! On with the hiking boots and up the mountain we went. It was perfect! The only sad piece was that my dad had passed on and was not there in person to meet us. So, on Sunday, we visited his grave. I said, “So, Dad, what do you think, will he do?” With that, a beautiful light shone down on our mountain, exactly where we were the day before. We believe that this was a sign from Dad letting us know he is still around and he does approve!
findingmylight@gmail.com
Joe Quinn
Auctioneer / Estate Agent
One magical moment was walking across the candlelit glass bridge in the Cultivate centre, into a room filled with the most amazing atmosphere, people and music. At the time an underground event called the Funky Seomra, a most incredible night of dance, liberation and Tea; and of course this would not be the event it is without the 300-500 odd dazzling souls that go every month.
Another moment was attending an enlightening weekly meeting called the Buddha Bag. These are brilliant events that celebrate life and I could not have imagined the amazing, wonderful, beautiful, vibrant, open, joyous, fun-loving, caring, INSPIRING, colourful, loving people that have, continue to and will come into my life.
I would love to take up the whole page and name you all but if you know me then I am talking about you. I wish to also thank my glorious parents for the most Magical Moment of all…LIFE.
