TO SING WITH BARDS AND ANGELS by Iona Jenkins ISBN:9781803410746 Iona Jenkins' book is a portal into the creative flow which, in Welsh and the language of the Druids, is known as Awen (akin to our Irish Abhann) and is translated as 'flowing spirit'. The author is a contemporary bard who writes in the poetic language of that flow. Not only does she access the spiritual, creative Awen, but she also lives in it, turning her life into a work of art, painted in vivid word colors. In this series of meditations and life reflections, the bard meets her muse, a rather intriguing angel, who gives her poetic and spiritual guidance. We are drawn right into her internal and external worlds to dance in their magic. As a writer, I see this book as a valuable tool to access creativity. One doesn't have to believe in angels. The meditation practices at the end of each chapter are an inspirational way to meet one's own muses, access the spiritual flow, and learn to sing with the bards from the Oran Mor (yes, again our Irish Amhran Mor), the Great Song of the Universe. The whole experience of this book requires an openness of spirit. It is not for skeptics. Orla O'Connell ~ Pagan Ireland Magazine Autumn 2023 issue , Iona Jenkins

There are some books which you just want to sit with, underline, read leisurely, and let sink deeply into your soul. This is one of those books. Iona Jenkins has led a fascinating life as a Labyrinth Keeper, artist, spiritual seeker (among many other things). In To Sing with Bards and Angels, she delves into her Celtic ancestry as a poet to captivating result. I can deeply connect with her journey as I imagine many others will as well. This book is filled with Jenkin’s stories of the experiences she has had while walking the spirit pathway. Most notable and the major theme of her book describes her encounters with an ethereal light being she identifies as an angel. Her guide appears in moonlight and its form and words fit within her cultural beliefs as to what an angel is. I love that she notes that she views her guide in this manner because of her own expectations. Her openness in allowing for other interpretations provides a permission structure for anyone reading and/or on their own spirit journey to understand such experiences in their own way whether it be angelic, otherworldly, imaginative, dreamlike, mythic or manifest in this reality. Following angelic guidance and finding her deep love of the Goddess in the “Garden at the Heart of the Universe,” Jenkins connects most deeply with her creative fonts or her Flowing Spirit in action. She welcomes us to join her. This is a book I am sure I will be reading again and again. FULL REVIEW LINK > https://feminismandreligion.com/2023/03/16/to-sing-with-bards-and-angels-by-iona-jenkins-book-review-by-janet-maikai-rudolph/ ~ Feminism and Religion , Review

.....If you want to read a book that falls somewhere between myth and memoir, that leaves you feeling better than when you started, more centered, more at peace, and that might even help you become more creative in all the things you do; normal, mundane, or magical ­– you should probably read this book. And if you walk away believing in magic - or goodness – a little more than you did before, well then, it was worth it, wasn’t it? ~ Veronica Raj (Reviewer), NetGalley

In what is a thoroughly engrossing and wholly heartfelt new book, To Sing with Bards and Angels: A Journey into the Creative Heart from author Iona Jenkins is a quite wondrous collection of free-flowing prose that is both evocatively crafted and spiritually creative. Offered as a source of inspiration only and not intended as a substitute for any for of counseling or psychotherapy (her words, not mine), the book is intended as a signpost towards a door of possibility for anyone aspiring to explore a creative spiritual path. Weaving paths between both our spiritual and creative lives, within the natural world and the world of the Spirit, Jenkins proffers - through personal stories, poems, suggestions and more - that the relationships between these worlds are not only intimate, but once revealed, inseparable. Simply put, Jenkins’ gentle wisdom illuminates the landscape of the heart and the song of the soul in each of us, and shows through simple exercises how to align our lives with the seasons, to commune with the trees and, amongst other things, how to more embrace the world of the animal kingdom around us. FULL REVIEW: https://annecarlini.com/ex_books.php?id=414 ~ Exclusive Magazine, Review

Iona Jenkins is an author, creative writer, and poet, and here she brings together her love of wisdom, sacred places, native landscapes, legends, the arts, and nature. She is also a Cygnus member and her book fits perfectly with the Cygnus spirit. It is beautifully crafted and a joy to read: part story, part poetry, with a few practical suggestions, optional meditations, and tasks at the end of each chapter to help us discover our own inspirations. while enjoying her narrative we discover how to connect with our souls by opening to the living world of Nature through simple exercises aligning our lives with the seasons, communing with the trees and embracing the wisdom of the animal kingdom. This book will really energize anyone who longs for a life filled with creativity and a spirituality that embraces both the beauty of the earth and the soul. ~ CYGNUS REVIEW Winter 2023, Issue 1 (www.cygnusreview.com), Iona Jenkins

A beautifully crafted book full of evocative poetry and wonderful prose. ~ Jack Scott, bestselling author of Perking the Pansies, Jack and Liam move to Turkey

Balm to the Soul. I can't imagine many things that would give you more of a lift than this book. The images created by its poetry and prose are truly magical. ~ Ron Powell, author Barry Island, Iona Jenkins

Revolutionary in its approach to supporting everyday people to access meditation, mindfulness, reset and retreat in nature. An absolute hug in a book. ~ Lucy Scott, psychologist, Iona Jenkins

The beautiful language is evocative and descriptive, making the experience of reading this book altogether memorable. ~ Jan Marsh author, Iona Jenkins

To Sing with Bards and Angels weaves together the fertile worlds of our spiritual and creative lives with the natural world and the realm of Spirit, illustrating with personal stories, poems, and suggestions for practice, how the relationships between these worlds are intimate, inseparable, and life-enriching. Iona Jenkins' gentle wisdom illuminates the landscape of the heart and the song of the soul in each of us. ~ Eimear Burke, Chosen Chief of the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids

Poet and artist, Iona jenkins has spun a luminous tapestry interwoven with conversations with her muse and wise inner guide, the Angel Astariel. This lyrical book, which moves back and forth over the borders between waking reality and the province of dreams is a joyful celebration of a life lived in harmony with the Spirit that flows through all things. Through the author's eyes, we experience the sensual magic of the sacred lands, from Arizona to Nepal and Italy, then back to her home in Wales, with its Druidic and Arthurian mysteries. Along the way, we discover how to connect with our souls by opening to the living world of Nature, through simple exercises to align our lives with the seasons, to commune with the trees, to embrace the wisdom of the animal kingdom. This book is sure to inspire everyone who longs for a life filled with creativity and spirituality that embraces both the outer beauty of the Earth and the inner beauty of the soul. ~ Mara Freeman, Author: Kindling the Celtic Spirit and Grail Alchemy. Director of the Avalon Mystery School

Some see visions and express them in words, marble, paint, clay, or music. But where do these visions come from? Tracing her own spiritual journey through Celtic mysteries, Buddhism, art, and meditation, Iona Jenkins suggests myriad ways to call down angels of inspiration to ignite your own creative forces. To Sing with Bards and Angels is a fascinating original book. ~ Vicki Mackenzie, author of several books on Buddhism including Cave in the Snow, Why Buddhism, and the Revolutionary Life of Freda Bedi