A New Year’s Blessing by John O’Donohue

 

I shared this blessing on Instagram the other day, but I wanted to give it a home here as well. If you do not have this profound book on your bookshelf already, I’d recommend getting a copy. My mom gave it to me and it remains a favorite no matter the season. Thank you mom, you continue to help me see the world with greater perspective and clarity.

Beannacht: A Blessing for the New Year 

“On the day when
The weight deadens
On your shoulders
And you stumble,
May the clay dance
To balance you.

And when your eyes
Freeze behind
The grey window
And the ghost of loss
Gets in to you,
May a flock of colours,
Indigo, red, green,
And azure blue,
Come to awaken in you
A meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
In the currach of thought
And a stain of ocean
Blackens beneath you,
May there come across the waters
A path of yellow moonlight
To bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
May the clarity of light be yours,
May the fluency of the ocean be yours,
May the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow
Wind work these words
Of love around you,
An invisible cloak
To mind your life.”

 

I love that last bit, the idea of these courageous but gentle words being wrapped around me like an invisible cloak. We are all superhero’s aren’t we? As a visual person, I am constantly moved by those who can create powerful imagery with words and John O’Donohue does so beautifully.

Alas, happy New Year to you, dear one. If this is your first or hundredth time visiting this space, I am thankful you’ve hopped over to soak some of it up. I am gearing to make a few changes to Homesong, just some slight tweaks I have been meaning to do for some time, and I am excited to share those with you soon. Cheers to a new start, a fresh page, and a promise of something greater, calmer, and more beautiful in this year to come.

x Amanda

 

  • Lane - Just lovely! Do you have any planners you especially like for the new blank slate? Thanks Amanda! Happy new year to your sweet family!ReplyCancel

  • Carie @ Space for the Butterflies - That’s beautiful, thank you for sharing – I love the image of a slow wind wrapping around you; the gentlest of warm breezes borrowed from a summer’s dayReplyCancel

    • admin - Carie, mmm yes. So lovely indeed. Thank you for sharing and Happy New Year to you! x AmandaReplyCancel

  • Melody A. - what a beautiful post, yes, we do need a cloak of love around each of us. thank you, just what I needed to read today being the 1st day of a New Year. Blessings to you and thank you. from IowaReplyCancel

    • admin - Melody, such a lovely image to carry with us. Sending you warm wishes in Iowa! I am from Cedar Rapids 🙂 x AmandaReplyCancel

  • Henriett - Dear Amanda, Thank you this post and all the others as well. You help me to find my way between the motherhood and myself, even that I live in Hungary. Happy New Year to you and your family!ReplyCancel

    • admin - Henriett, thank you so much for your kind words here. Happy New Year to you and your family from across the pond! x AmandaReplyCancel

  • Carli - This poem is magic. So happy to have read it this morning. Thank you for sharing! And happy new year to your sweet family from ours ♡ReplyCancel

    • admin - Carli, love that you found joy in this poem. You should consider thumbing through his books sometimes. They are just as meaningful. x AmandaReplyCancel

  • Homesong Rest Retreat | Happy New Year + An Update » Homesong - […] I want to share with you a beautiful blessing for the New Year written by John O’Donohue. I posted about it last year too, and it remains one of my favorite pages in his book, To Bless the Space Between […]ReplyCancel

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