Hello all!

Thanks for signing up. I hope yous all had a decent January. Maybe you did Dry January, maybe you drank your body weight in booze, I kinda fell in the middle. My father-in-law had his 65th birthday, so, yea, many vodka. My auld lad had his too and my auld granny in Ireland is 91. Spring lambs, although spring isn't until mid March. When we were growing up in Ireland we were informed St Bridgit's Day was the start of spring. I've no idea why they lied to us about that. And I was nearly 30 before I realised that fib. I'm not the sharpest hammer in the toolbox. But you knew that already.

The website's got a new look to it, it's far nicer looking now and handier to navigate around. Y'know, it's one of those things, you put something off for ages and ages and then once you go about it, it's just clicking a few buttons. Our minds are crazy aren't they? We build up things and put them off and when we do finally get around to it, it's not so bad...although I still have to tackle the homepage. Maybe next month eh!

I've been knee deep in reading up about meditation, archetypes and time travel shenanigans of late. Been watching The Man in the High Castle with the boss-woman and just recently watched Everything Everything All at Once. Quite different in their scope but all about the possibilities of different timelines that we're possibly part of. Mind-binding stuff although the second one is far more craic than the one where the baddies won WWII. 

Podcast!

In the second week of January, Tommie and I did a podcast. You can listen on Anchor here: http://bit.ly/40iCaCY or on Spotify here: https://spoti.fi/3JsvNqM.

We spoke about the dangers of cults; cultural shadows and their supposed existence gets a mention, I get the brain going on a thought experiment regarding (what if there are just) Two Archetypes and Tommie guides us in a non-duality mediation. 

Woodwork

Been chipping away at a bit of woodwork. I've just finished another Irish Celtic Cross with a Claddagh Heart. Of course, the Irish Celtic Cross is a design we're all familiar with and there's a book-load of symbolism to go with it. The significance of the Claddagh is less well-known outside of Ireland; a crowned heart held by two hands - the heart represents love, the crown denotes loyalty, and the hands are a sign of friendship.

This new one is made from cherry wood and I'm selling it for €100 plus 10 for postage so hit me up if you'd like one.

Also some Ogham script. Ogham is a very old Irish alphabet. This one says O'Murchu. Which is my surname in Irish. Unusually, you read it from the bottom. If you'd like your name in ancient Irish script, let me know, I can do these for €40 plus the 10 for postage.

The newest project; I've been given some old wagon wheels that I'll be turning into chandeliers. I've got plenty to learn doing this but should be fun and they'll be hung in the house in Bieszczady when finished. 

New articles on the website:

Philip K. Dick's Valis is mentioned above there but I'll add a wee bit extra here. Now, we all know who Phil Dick is, or was. For me it was mostly through the Hollywood films; Blade Runner, A Scanner Darkly, Minority Report etc. And to be honest, I was never a massive reader of sci-fi. Mostly it would be more fiction I'd be a fan of and it was only after reading Allen Greenfield's Secret Cipher of the UFOnauts that I wanted to delve more into PKD's writing. 

Greenfield's book revolves around the idea that in some sacred books there may well be ciphers that point at a greater truth. And PKD's name was mentioned. Since then I've become a massive fan, ridiculously so and what I love so dearly about Valis in particular is that he's trying to make sense of the mystical experiences he's had by delving deep into different traditions. 

I didn't review the book as such but wrote about the parts that really stuck out to me. You can read my article here: http://bit.ly/3XQ29jw. 

In my continuing PKD obsession I rewatched The Man in the High Castle with the boss-woman. Between me and you I get a bit nervous about suggesting WWII stuff with her, her being Polish and all it's a wound that you approach with care. Indeed, her grandad had been in something like seven difference camps during the war. He survived thankfully. 

This is well worth the watch and there's a lot in here; the baddies won WWII, the German dropped 'the bomb' on Washington and now America is split between the Germans and the Japanese with a neutral zone in the middle. In the book it revolves around a book but in the TV show there are these films that show up from alternative timelines where the Axis powers didn't win and these films are used to inspire a revolt. There's plenty of woo in here, I-Ching, mediation, crossing the boundaries of timelines and there's an Irish lad who's great craic.

The crux of it though is really are we living as good as we can? Circumstances lead certain characters to become high-ranking officials of the baddies and in alternative universes they're completely different. And it asks the viewers to ask themselves; am I the best version of myself. I very much recommend checking it out if you haven't already.

That's all from me then, thanks for taking the time to read the newsletter. If you'd like to donate or buy a book for me, the links are below, so I'll leave yous off, hope yous have a good February.

Speak soon, g'luck and take it handy!

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