John O’Donohue  grew up in County Clare, Ireland, a landscape that profoundly influenced his work. He called the west of Ireland “a huge wild invitation to extend your imagination…an ancient conversation between the land and sea.”

In 1982, O’Donohue was ordained a Catholic priest and spent much of his time in solitude, contemplating the “the invisible world” – what we see with our souls, not our eyes. A topic he explored in his international bestseller Anam Ċara, which means “soul friend” in Gaelic.

In 2000, O’Donohue left the priesthood to focus on his writing. He passed away in his sleep in 2008 at the age of 52. Today, his work continues to inspire many to take a closer look at that which they cannot see. Below are some of his words on the divine, the soul and the invisible world.