Roy Donovan: Changing Mindsets/Shifts in Consciousness
Changing Mindsets/ Shifts in Consciousness: I recently attended a day of Reflection at Cabragh Wetlands (https://cabraghwetlands.ie/), near Holycross, Co. Tipperary.
The presentation was given by Bishop John Ryan SPS, retired Bishop of Mzuzu, Malawi, who is from Holycross. He holds a PhD in Maths from UCC, specialising in Goppa Coding. He writes a monthly article in the AFRICA magazine titled Beyond Science. He is very easy company, not an ounce of defensiveness in him and I can’t do justice to the simplicity of his presentation.
He contrasted two mindsets. The first is the mechanistic (like a machine)/reductionist (breaking things down) mindset which is the one most of us operate out of with its emphasis on control, power and predictability.
The second is the Quantum/Microscopic mindset. There is so much more to the world than what we can see, hear, smell, taste or touch. The mystics operated out of this mindset. The world beneath the world we see is surrounded by unseen forces. We operate out of this microscopic world, without understanding it, when using the Smartphone, Car key, Electric gates, Internet, AI etc. This Mindset emphasises how everything is interconnected and that relationships are at the heart of Creation. This leads more to putting on our imaginative and wonder hats.
Later, some of us went on the Cosmic Walk which is a brief history of the birth and development of the universe. Martin Long, one of the creators of this walk, emphasised how this Cosmic Walk presents a Creation Story that can unite every person on this planet.
It was also inspiring to see another group, over 50 men from the Men’s Sheds, immersing themselves in a full morning’s reflection on nature.
The Centre also offers Transitional & Primary school students ‘the opportunity to explore and appreciate their natural heritage through a variety of hands-on activities in our beautiful wetlands’.
Cabragh Wetlands is definitely worth a visit and you can also drop off at Holycross Abbey which is presently celebrating 50 years of restoration.
I would also recommend an illustrated Talk by Alf Monaghan, on Saturday 8thNovember 2025, 4.00pm in Knock, Co. Mayo. He is from Carrick-on-Shannon and has spent most of his life abroad. For many years he worked as an Economic Adviser to governments & developing agencies in the Middle East, Mediterranean, South & West Africa etc. Alf illustrates the early influence of Egyptian monasticism on Irish Christianity that came through the Atlantic trade route. He combines this nature-centred spirituality, that is deep in the Irish DNA, with Bishop John Ryan’s quantum mindset. The talk title is Monastic Ireland – Gift of the Nile. Please confirm attendance with Alf on 071-9637894.