Ben Wood /|\✝️🔶️💚☮️

'There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach' J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, #3)

"The Shadow is a small passing thing" 🧡

Patrick and David getting married.

I'm watching the Schitt's Creek wedding finale episode. Oh Lordy! 😭💖

two men in suits are standing next to each other and one of them is asking the other if he looks tired . ALT: two men in suits are standing next to each other and one of them is asking the other if he looks tired .

Everyday I see the PM drone on and on I think, "If power is where people think power resides, he's done". Who believes him? Who believes *in* him? What does he even stand for? Who knows?

Icon of Simeon and Jesus

'Simeon was the same being who, as Asita, had wept because in that incarnation he would not be able to see the Bodhisattva attaining Buddhahood. But it was granted to him to witness the further stage in the development of this Individuality...at the presentation in the temple' (Rudolf Steiner). ☸️✝️

a nativity scene with a star in the sky above it ALT: a nativity scene with a star in the sky above it

'The light [of Buddha] that shone out in India, setting men's hearts & minds astir as the religion of love & compassion, as a great world-conception...appeared again in the revelation to the shepherds! For it too was to stream into the revelation in Palestine' (Rudolf Steiner, Luke, GA 114). ☸️✝️

Simone Weil

Day 11 of #Mystic #Advent

Simone Weil (1909-1943): Mystic, writer, philosopher, political activist.

#Quotes: 'If we go down into ourselves, we find that we possess exactly what we desire'

According to Luke: The Gospel of Compassion and Love Revealed by Rudolf Steiner.

Some December reading: "According to Luke: The Gospel of Compassion and Love Revealed" by Rudolf Steiner 📚

An illustrated winter scene of four carolers singing joyfully outside a house on a snowy night. From left to right: one plays a violin, another in a tall feathered hat beats a tambourine, a third in formal attire sings while holding a pole decorated with ribbons and greenery, and a fourth figure in the background knocks on the open door. Snow falls gently, and warm light spills from the doorway, creating a festive, nostalgic Christmas atmosphere.

The Wren is a Christmas tradition in Newfoundland and Labrador, in some places and households, but isn't as well-known as mummering.
It involves an effigy of a small bird, a poem and a connection to St. Stephen's Day (Dec. 26).
This is the story of The Wren.

🧵 1/7

Graphic with title: SHARE OF TOTAL WEALTH IN UK There is a line at the bottom of the graphic that represents the UK population. Half of the line is coloured white and labelled '50% of the population combined'. An arrow points from this half of the line to a small pound sign labelled '4.6%' to represent that half of the UK population hold 4.6% of total wealth. At the other end of the line, a small section in green is labelled 'Top 1%'. An arrow points from this section to a much larger pound sign labelled 21.3% to represent that the wealthiest 1% in the UK hold 21.3% of total wealth. Green Party Promoted by Chris Williams on behalf of The Green Party, both at PO Box 78066, London SE16 9GQ

The World Inequality Report shows that 0.001% of the world’s population hold 3 times as much wealth as half of the world population.

The 1% in the UK have almost 5 times as much wealth as 50% of the population combined.

Inequality is a political choice. It's time to tax wealth.

Starmer in a recent interview with The Observer: “We’ve had Labour versus Tory at every election since the war. I’ve always wanted a Labour government but I’ve never worried about the future of our country under a Tory government. With Reform, I worry about what will happen to our country in terms of tearing our communities apart. Once you say that diverse communities aren’t British, that reasonable, compassionate people aren’t part of who we are, and that we don’t want to look after each other, and that only points of division count, you’re going in a different direction"

“I’ve always wanted a Labour government but I’ve never worried about the future of our country under a Tory government".

The social carnage caused by the Tories post-1979 didn't cause Starmer to worry about the future of the country? It seems unclear to me why he wants a Labour government.

Fiery-throated Hummingbird (Panterpe insignis): 10.9cm (4.3in). This is a medium sized hummingbird of the Talamancan montane forests of Costa Rica and western Panama. The adult bird has brilliant green body plumage and a dark blue tail. A remarkable photo taken by Alfredo Irizarry in Costa Rica.

The return of UK’s ancient stones as a place of worship Across the UK, some have turned to history, folklore and nature as sources of spiritual nourishment

The return of UK’s ancient stones as a place of worship www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

Labour press office: "Labour's mission in government will be economic growth".

R.H. Tawney

'Men will always confuse means with ends if they are without any clear conception that it is the ends, not the means, which matter—if they allow their minds to slip from the fact that it is the social purpose of industry which gives it meaning & makes it worthwhile' (R.H. Tawney)

"The most precious gift we can offer anyone is our attention. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers."
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Good Morning my friends! Become a gardener of humanity. Be the light. Be the love. Have yourself an amazing day ❤️

a painting of a path going through a field with blue flowers ALT: a painting of a path going through a field with blue flowers

Very Clement of Alexandria: 'He often used to say there was only one Road; that it was like a great river: its springs were at every doorstep and every path was its tributary' (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring)

R.H Tawney

'"Produce! Produce!"...Produce what?" Food, clothing, house-room, art, knowledge? By all means! But if the nation is scantily furnished with these things had it not better stop producing a good many others which fill shop windows in Regent Street' (R.H. Tawney, 'The Acquisitive Society')

The co-operative model works.

It works for the people who own the co-op, it works for the people who depend on it, and it works for local economies.

We spoke with @alexsobel.co.uk and Sharon from Be Caring in Leeds about the advantages of co-operation in care.

Starmer is lobbying Europe to join him in watering down the ECHR. This illiberalism will harm us all | Steve Valdez-Symonds The prime minister and his counterpart in Denmark want a concerted effort to weaken human rights across Europe. This isn’t pragmatism – it’s cruelty, says Steve Valdez-Symonds, refugee and migrant rig...

“Human rights were never designed only for safe, comfortable times. They were written precisely for moments like this: when pressure mounts, when scapegoating becomes tempting, when compassion is portrayed as weakness. These protections exist to prevent us from repeating history’s worst mistakes.” 👏

Drafting a syllabus for an Intro to Quakerism class, and here I am typing up units titled "Beginnings" and "The Second Period." Those blue Braithwaite volumes leave an indelible mark on the soul!

“Wow you believe in a god?? Do you also believe in fairies???”

Yes I do, next question

Who knew that Cardinal Richelieu was the previous owner? 😄

You cannot buy the revolution. You cannot make the revolution. You can only be the revolution. It is in your spirit, or it is nowhere.

Highlights from the Railways Bill session in Parliament pt4.

Here's Brighton Pavilion MP Siân Berry on the scandal of Rolling Stock Companies.

🤑Every time you buy a train ticket, approx 25% of the cost goes on paying the rent being charged by the ROSCOs to the train lines. @sianberry.bsky.social

a snowy hillside with a mountain in the background ALT: a snowy hillside with a mountain in the background

'I believe in the absolute value of truth. Each one of us may reach it by a different path. Some find it in religion, [for] some it is revealed in poetry, that shortcut to the soul of things. Some find it in the beauty of the natural world' (Violet Bonham Carter) 🔶️🌻

a painting of cranes standing in front of a mountain and a river ALT: a painting of cranes standing in front of a mountain and a river

2/2 Far better to cherish diversity, variety and the patchwork of human initiative, rather force people into a superficially unified plan. In the end, says Liberalism, you cannot be taught the Good Life. You can't merely inherit it. You have to find out what is true, beautiful & just for yourself.

the sun shines brightly through the leaves of a tree ALT: the sun shines brightly through the leaves of a tree

1/2 My sense is that at its core, Liberal politics is not simply about individualism, political checks & balances, or even markets. Much more central is the idea that persons & communities are ongoing experiments. It is morally injurious to force human experience into a fixed scheme, or shape.

YouTube video by World Inequality Lab World Inequality Report 2026

Today, we are publishing our World Inequality Report, which reviews the most recent #inequalitydata and exposes the magnitude of #inequality across time, space and all its dimensions.

👇Share this thread, share the report!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R67u...

Sunset tonight here in Glastonbury. Photo taken shortly before 4pm.

Painting of the Buddha

'The Buddhist version of poverty is a situation where you have nothing to contribute' (Michael Palin, Himalaya) ☸️

It's that time of year again when I listen to the BBC's stunning 1981 adaptation of The Lord of the Rings. 🧡