In our Summer 2021 issue, our much-loved regular columnist Judith McAdam offered us a heartfelt reflection on how we can transcend difficult times in our close relationships. Enjoy her wise guidance below!
Friendship
In our Autumn 2018 issue, eight of our readers shared with us what their relationships have meant to them. This season, it’s all about the bonds of love! You can pick up a copy of the magazine at our stockists across the country, or subscribe here to receive a copy direct to your door.
SPIRITUALITY & THE CITY
THE BONDS OF LOVE
Liz Lynch & Ciara O’Neill (couple)
Liz
It is hard to put into words how I feel about this wonderful woman. She is full of life, love and laughter. Ciara and I share a quirky sense of humour and I know that with her, I can always be fully myself, no matter how silly that is.
Ciara has great empathy for other people’s worries. I am lucky that she has made it her mission in life to take care of me. Ever since I started dating Ciara, I have felt enveloped by her boundless love and I hope she feels the same from me.
Ciara is very modest and doesn’t seem to know how wonderful she is. Her smile lights up a room and her laughter is infectious. I feel blessed every day knowing she is my wife.
Ciara
My wedding day was the happiest day of my life. I am so grateful to everybody who campaigned for marriage equality, and of course the wonderful Irish people who voted yes to love on that magical day in May 2015.
What I love most about Liz is her caring and compassionate nature. There is nothing she wouldn’t do for the people she loves.
Liz is the funniest person I have ever met and she makes me laugh every day. Meeting Liz is the best thing that has ever happened to me. She is my best friend and favourite person in the whole world. I know that she believes in me and loves me unconditionally, and that is the best feeling in the world.
Martin & Magda Janik (couple)
Martin
Magda is my soulmate. I know it isn’t our first life together: we have loved each other many times before. Her calmness, her beauty, her love and the amazingly multi-dimensional depth of her being makes each life so worth living. I had a dream about Magda after I saw her for the first or second time, and after that dream, I knew she was the one. We were 16 and 17 at that time. This year was our 25th anniversary of being a couple and our 20th wedding anniversary. Magda stands by me during our happiest and most challenging moments and I love her to bits. She is an amazing mum to our daughter Pola, who we both absolutely adore.
Magda
I love Martin: my husband and my best friend. Martin is warm, loving, kind and funny. He has a great passion for life and energy that always amazes me. He is intelligent, creative, and always eager to learn and experience new things, which makes our journey together very interesting. We always know what each other is thinking without saying a single word. Martin makes me feel loved every day and I love him for that. He is also a fantastic father to our daughter Pola, who adores him.
This year is very special for us as we are celebrating 25 years together and the 20th anniversary of our wedding. I am grateful for each of those years and excited about all the years to come.
Dave Weakley & Sara Weis (father and daughter)
Sara
My dad is a great person: very kind, hilariously funny and super talented as well. He is a wonderful human being. Because we both work in the field of music, we have a lot in common. I’ve learned a huge amount from him. His advice is very valuable to me. Music is such a difficult profession, it’s great to have people around you who understand that and who can be supportive. Both of my parents are hugely supportive – they both work in the arts – and they are wonderful. My dad is my inspiration. We have great craic together, and he’s just the best dad I could ever have asked for. His experience of getting out there and putting himself before an audience taught me how to be brave.
Dave
Sara is so talented. From a very early age, she always showed promise and excellence at singing and acting, and this promise has really borne fruit over the last few months. She recently began to put herself out there and start singing … and she is absolutely marvellous. I could go on forever about my tremendous admiration for her!
I’m incredibly proud of her. I know parents are supposed to be the role model for their children, but she is more of a role model for me. I’m a musician myself, and I derive a lot of joy from listening to her and watching her while she is performing.
Livia Devi & Carolyne Marks (friends)
Livia
Carolyne and I share a sacred space of beautiful heart-connection, love, joy, respect and appreciation. Her wisdom and life experience always guide me on my path. Her teachings about love, life and relationships have helped me to grow and evolve. We always have so much fun and laugher when we meet, enjoying life to the full!Her presence in my life is a like a warm ocean breeze on a summer day. The stillness, flow and richness of our connection its so cherished!
I am truly honored and grateful to have you as a friend, Carolyne.
Carolyne
My name is Carolyne and I am very fortunate! Why? I have a beautiful friend and her name is Livia. Yes, she is physically beautiful, no doubt about that: however, what I am referring to with the word ‘beautiful’ goes far beyond that superficial perspective. You see, as within, so without. My friend is beautiful in Soul. When we are together, there is simply harmony, peace and so much joy. At times, we have very deep, fulfilling and meaningful conversations and I love to grow with her this way, as well as simply sitting in silence and connecting on a very different level at other times. When out and about, we like similar things, laugh about the same nonsense and appreciate the world and nature with all our hearts. Being able to share this love of life with someone is a great treasure and a special gift.
Dont Forget to catch Dawn at Positive Nights on October 5th. Click here for tickets and more info!
By Dawn Cartwright
Whether you’re just hearing about Tantra for the first time or have been practising for years, it can be challenging to find simple practices that deliver all the intimacy and ecstasy Tantra promises in just a few minutes a day. These three practices do just that. They’re practices that unlock positive energy pathways in your body and relationships. Each is meant to be practised 5-10 minutes a day for 21 days. Three short weeks to greater intimacy and pleasure. Can’t beat that. You may wish to create a relaxing, sensual environment for each practice. However, don’t let that slow you down. I encourage you to start now. Yes, now, this very minute. A life of ecstasy awaits you.
Your Essence as Light Rays. Tantra Meditation for Solo Practice
Consider your essence as light rays from centre to centre up the vertebrae, and so rises “livingness” in you.
The Vigyan Bhairav Tantra. Sutra 70
Begin standing. Your body is open and soft, feet are parallel. Let go of the tension in your pelvis and legs, the way you’d feel just before jumping up into the air – isn’t that amazing? Next, place your hands on your lower abdomen, just beneath the navel and breathe into this space. Notice your spine moves naturally with the breathe, undulating up and down. Relax your spine so that it’s able to undulate freely. Press firmly into the ground with your feet as you exhale to give a feeling of strength and stability.
Expand your breathing 1-2 seconds, inhaling slightly longer without straining, exhaling slightly emptier. Continue like this 5-8 minutes. You’ll discover a subtle intensity building inside you, filling you with ecstasy.
Silent Harmony. Tantra Meditation for Practice with a Friend
Intone a sound audibly, then less and less audibly as feeling deepens into this silent harmony.
The Vigyan Bhairav Tantra. Sutra 42
Sit or stand facing your friend. Close your eyes. Then, begin to hum. You’ll hum loud enough for your friend to hear you. You’ll send the humming down into your body so that you feel the vibrations in every part of you.
At a certain point, the humming will take over and you’ll suddenly feel more energised, awake and playful.
After 3-5 minutes, hum more and more softly until the humming becomes stillness. In the silence, breathe into the sensations created by the vibration of the humming for a minute, then open your eyes. Invite your friend to do the same.
Smile.
Give one another a warm, supportive hug. Breathe softly into your navel and relax into your connection for 20 seconds.
Give your friend a strong squeeze and let them go. Experience the silent harmony.
The Fire in the Beginning. Tantra for Practice with a Lover
At the start of sexual union keep attentive on the fire in the beginning, And so continuing, avoid the embers in the end.
The Vigyan Bhairav Tantra. Sutra 48
Create a space for your practice in your bedroom or on a sheepskin spread on the forest floor. Take the time to feed all your senses with colours, textures, fragrances, sounds and flavours. Make sure there are plenty of pillows and blankets for comfort.
Invite your lover to sit facing you. Take a moment or two to settle into your bodies and the space you have created. Enjoy the sensual items you have prepared.
When you feel ready, place your hands on your knees and begin to circle your rib cage above your hips. Let your head, neck and spine follow the movements. Your lover will do the same. Relax and let go.
Your breathing will naturally deepen. Let your movements create an awareness of space inside your body. Feel your love and attraction. The spiralling movements will intensify these feelings, making them stronger. Circle in one direction 1-2 minutes, then change directions.
After 3-5 minutes, you’ll open your eyes and slowly move into an embrace, sitting with your legs wrapped around one another. Spiral gently together in your embrace, breathing in sync as sensations of love and attraction fill your bodies, merging you together as one.
Dawn Cartwright is a Tantric visionary, sacred writer, world traveler, and innovator in bio-energetic Tantra fusion. Dawn will offer: Sacred Sexuality. How We Love. 6 Nights of Tantric Bliss, October 6th – 12th and Fragrance of the Lotus Tantra Teacher Training 2018 in Wicklow. To book your place, go to: dawncartwright.com
By Elva Carri
Some months ago, I used a dating app to try and find a few new pals. I changed the settings to invite other single girls out there to head out dancing together, “Maybe we’ll meet men out there,” I thought, rather than sitting at home on the couch. I expected a few girls might like the idea. I did not expect I’d have a hundred messages within a day. This happy little adventure quickly evolved into over a thousand women in groups around Ireland who amaze, inspire and teach me things me every day. Sure there’s so many activities I’m exhausted from fun, but I wouldn’t change it for the world!
Within our private Facebook groups in Dublin, Meath, Belfast, Cork, Limerick, the South East of Ireland, Galway, and now London and New York, we’ve shared stories and troubles and laughed our heads off. And it quickly became not just single women, but all women. Word about the group got out through friends and colleagues and pretty soon there were activities of every kind imaginable planned.
But the most impressive thing has been seeing people jumping to each other’s aid whenever it was needed. I’ve seen girls support each other online, but I’ve also seen people visit other members they didn’t know in hospital, or meet them for a walk and a chat after a hard day. With over 1,000 girls in the Dublin group, I can’t even keep track of the moments that have made me well up anymore. It’s lovely.
girlcrew.rocks | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | GirlCrew for Boys