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MAINSTREAM Second mobility call-2025/2026

Call for short-term mobility scholarship applications for PhD, Masters, and internship placement in the framework of the Intra Africa MAINSTREAM Project

MAINSTREAM Project:

Mobility 4 Agricultural International Networks Supporting Thematic Resilience and Enhancing Adaptation and Mitigation

Background:

MAINSTREAM strives to influence a common agenda for addressing education and skills improvement for the agricultural knowledge systems (focusing on climate change resilience) both at regional and country levels targeting transformations with the:

  1. Tertiary agricultural education community (networking, South-South exchanges, leadership and entrepreneurship programmes, etc.);
  2. Policy and industry actors

The project provides pathways for institutional modernization and internationalisation reforms, leveraging the consortia existing partnership on agriculture education and skills with other public and private organisations involved across the continent to drive innovative solutions and value addition in interdisciplinary agricultural programmes at master and doctoral levels and further inspire their inclusive implementation. The inclusion aspect shall particularly be seen with the African women population (often with intersectional vulnerability) who are underrepresented in HE agricultural programmes, even though they make up half of the farm labour force. Mobility scheme shall also be used to break cross-African gendered perceptions of agriculture that underestimate women and girls´ participation and to further provide for a gender-sensitive learning environment and institutional culture as well as for addressing infrastructure, support services and safety. MAINSTREAM aims to provide credible and standing solutions defying low academic and mobility of workforce across Africa, increasing the focus on applied research in climate-sensitive Agricultural Education and Training, addressing limited appeal and participation of vulnerable and underrepresented groups, including youth and women, in agricultural learning systems, and promoting a set of supportive cross-regional measures for policy considerations. Thus, the project facilitates agricultural programmes graduates to access meaningful community development engagements across the continent.

Participating Institutions:

  1. Mountains of the Moon University (MMU), Uganda
  2. Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), Kenya
  3. Université de Kara (UK), Togo,
  4. Université du Sine Saloum El-Hadj Ibrahima Niass (USSEIN), Senegal,  
  5. University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa
  6. Arsi University, (ASU), Ethiopia
  • Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf (HWST), Germany

Mobility Groups:

The Mobility of the scholarship is categorized into two groups- Target groups I and II

  1. Target Group 1: Applicants in this category should be registered/admitted in or  have obtained a degree (or equivalent) from one of the African Beneficiaries included in the MAINSTREAM Project, (i.e. Mountains of the Moon University (MMU, Uganda), Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST, Kenya), Universite De Kara (UK, Togo), Universite Du Sine Saloum El-Hadj Ibrahima Niass (USSEIN, Senegal), University of the Free State (UFS, South Africa) and Arsi University, (ASU, Ethiopia)
  2. Target Group 2: Applicants in this category include students registered/admitted in /         or who have obtained a degree (or equivalent) from any other university in Africa besides the above-mentioned institutions.  

 Mobility Level: 

  1. Masters or Doctoral level mobility:

Master students will receive a scholarship for a maximum period of six months in order to do research for their master theses or attend courses relevant to their study. The project will support a total of 70 Master´s students during the course of its implementation.

PhD candidates will receive a scholarship for a maximum period of twelve months to do research for their dissertation or attend courses relevant to their study programme. The project will support a total of 30 PhD students during the course of its implementation.

Please note that this mobility scholarship is a short-term opportunity to either attend some courses relevant to the students’ overall programme or conduct research that contributes to the overall attainment of the degree. It is NOT a scholarship for a full Master/PhD programme.

  • Traineeship mobility: 14 trainees’ opportunity for up to 3 months duration abroad attached to industry partners/farms. To qualify, you must be enrolled in a Bachelor/Master/PhD programme at one of the partner institutions in the MAINSTREAM consortium.

Mobility Flow:

The Mobility Flow explains the partnering universities that various groups of applicants can apply to.  Applicants registered/admitted in or have obtained a degree (or equivalent) from one of the partnering universities cannot apply to the same university or country.

A.    Target Group I Applicants 

The scholarship only supports Bachelor’s students (for Internship placement only), Masters students (for credit seeking, research mobility or Internship) and PhD students (for credit seeking, research mobility or Internship) who move from a project partner institution from one country to an institution within the consortium in a different country. Internship placement is only for Target group 1 students.

Table 1 highlights Eligible Institutions for Target group I

Applicants registered/admitted in or have obtained a degree from any of the following institutions Institutions Eligible to apply to
MMU JOOUST UK USSEIN UFS ASU
Mountains of the Moon University (MMU, Uganda)
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST, Kenya),  
Universite De Kara (UK, Togo),  
Universite Du Sine Saloum El-Hadj Ibrahima Niass (USSEIN, Senegal),  
University Of the Free State (UFS, South Africa),  
Arsi University, (ASU, Ethiopia)

*Please Note that the scholarship only supports students who move from an institution from one country to an institution within the consortium partners in a different country. Therefore, there must be mobility across different countries.

Key: ✔ means mobility is supported   ✗ means mobility is not supported

B.     Target Group II Applicants

Students who are registered, admitted to, or have obtained a degree (or equivalent) from any other university in Africa outside the consortium partner countries are classified as Target group II students. The following mobility is supported under the target group II mobility.

  • Masters’ students in this category can apply for either credit seeking or research mobility in the partner universities outside their own country.
  • PhD students in this category can apply for either credit seeking or research mobility in the partner universities outside their own country.
  • Please note that target group II students cannot be supported for Internship placement

Table 2: Study Programs from partner institutions supported by the project

Institution Country Type of programme Name of the programme Thematic field of study
MMU Uganda Master Master of Agribusiness Agribusiness
MMU Uganda Master Master of science in Agroecology Agroecology-sustainable agriculture
MMU Uganda Master Master of Natural Resources Management Natural resources
ASU Ethiopia Master Master of Science in Agribusiness and Value Chain Management Agricultural value chain
ASU Ethiopia Master International Master in Agricultural Management (IMA) Agricultural Farm Management
ASU Ethiopia Master Agricultural Economics Agricultural Economics
ASU Ethiopia Doctorate PhD in Applied Economics Applied Economics
JOOUST Kenya Master Master of Science in Food Security and Sustainable Development Agricultural science
JOOUST Kenya Master Master of Science in Innovation and Sustainable Development Innovation and development
JOOUST Kenya Doctorate Doctor of Philosophy in Food Security and Sustainable Development Agricultural science
JOOUST Kenya Doctorate Doctor of Philosophy in Innovation and Sustainable Development Innovation and development
USSEIN Senegal Master Agronomic Sciences Agricultural science
USSEIN Senegal Master Food Science and Technology Department Agricultural science
UK  Togo Master International Master in Agricultural Management (IMA) Agricultural Farm Management
UFS South Africa Master Master of Science majoring in Agricultural Economics Agricultural economics
UFS South Africa Master Master of Agriculture majoring in Agricultural Management Agricultural Farm Management
UFS South Africa Master Master of Science in Agriculture majoring in Food Science Food science
UFS South Africa Master Master of Sustainable Agriculture Sustainable agriculture
UFS South Africa Doctorate Doctor of Philosophy majoring in Agricultural Economics Agricultural economics
UFS South Africa Doctorate Doctor of Philosophy majoring in Agricultural Management Agricultural Farm Management
UFS South Africa Doctorate Doctor of Philosophy majoring in Sustainable Agriculture Sustainable agriculture

 

Scholarship Benefits:

  1. Participation costs (tuition and registration fees)
  2. Medical Insurance for the duration of the stay at the host university
  3. Monthly subsistence allowance (€890 for Master’s students, €1,230 for PhD students and €1,230 for trainees/interns)
  4. Additional support for scholarship holders with disabilities to participate in the mobility will be provided
  5. Modest Research support as agreed between the research supervisors and the coordinator at the host institution

Please note that the scholarship holder will have to pay for his/her own Visa, flight tickets and accommodation while at the host institution

Eligibility:

  • Interested candidates can only apply to approved specified programs in the appropriate university as indicated in the mobility flow.
  • Applicants should ensure that they meet the admission requirements for the program/university in the mobility flow.

Application Documents:

  1. A Completed online Application Form
  2. Detailed curriculum vitae providing information on academic background, and work experiences related to their programme of choice (refer to supported programmes in the table above)
  3. A one-page concept document of planned academic activities
  4. A copy of a national passport bio page
  5. Scanned degree certificates
  6. A motivation letter including how the mobility scholarship relates to their current study program or research (max 500 words)
  • Eligible candidates should not have already benefited from another MOBAF 2022- 2027 (Intra-Africa Mobility) scholarship.

How to Apply for the Scholarship:

To apply: 

Application Deadline: The deadline for the application is 17th October 2025 by Midnight GMT +1. Results will be announced by the end of December 2025

*Women and persons living with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply

Contact Details

For further enquiries or guidance on the scholarship call, kindly contact the following persons

Institution Contact person Email & Tel
MMU, Uganda Ms. Christine Kobugabe   Ms. Veronica Kabasomi ckobugabe@mmu.ac.ug +256782712034 veronica@mmu.ac.ug Tel: +256 782712034
JOOUST, Kenya Dr. Mary Orinda     Mr. Samuel Ohanga Maryakinyi2010@gmail.com morinda@jooust.ac.ke   sohanga@jooust.ac.ke;  samohanga@gmail.com
ARSI,  Ethiopia Mr. Sisay Yifru         Dr. Befekadu Chemere sisayyifru@arsiun.edu.et / sisayyefru@gmail.com Tel: +251 923679996   befekaduc@yahoo.com / befekaduc@arsiun.edu.et Tel: +251-911840705
UK, Togo   Dr. Famah Nazer   Dr. TCHABI Atti 1. sfamah@yahoo.com Tel: 00228  90 22 75 752. 2. attitchabi@yahoo.fr Tel: 00228 91 78 13 81
UFS, South Africa Prof. Corli Witthuhn witthuhnrc@ufs.ac.za Tel:+27 81 015 0640
USSEIN, Senegal Prof. Sylla Khalifa Babacar Dr. Pascal Faye  khalifa.serigne.babacar.sylla@ussein.edu.sn +221 77 531 84 66 pascal.faye@ussein.edu.sn +221 77 271 54 78

For general inquiries about the MAINSTREAM project, please visit the project website at https://mainstreamafrica.org/  or contact the project coordinator, Assoc. Prof. Violet Kisakye at kviolet@mmu.ac.ug

Download this call Here for offline reading

featured image call

Coming Soon: MAINSTREAM Short-Term Mobility Scholarships 2025/2026 (Phase II)

The MAINSTREAM Project (Mobility 4 Agricultural International Networks Supporting Thematic Resilience and Enhancing Adaptation and Mitigation) is pleased to announce that its Second Call for Applications for Master’s, PhD, and traineeship mobility scholarships will officially be launched on 15th August 2025.

This prestigious programme promotes academic exchange and applied research in climate-sensitive agricultural education across Africa, with a strong commitment to gender inclusion and the participation of underrepresented groups, especially women and persons with disabilities.

Participating Universities:

  • Mountains of the Moon University (Uganda)
  • Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (Kenya)
  • Université de Kara (Togo)
  • Université du Sine Saloum El-Hadj Ibrahima Niass (Senegal)
  • University of the Free State (South Africa)
  • Arsi University (Ethiopia)
  • Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf (Germany)

Opportunities to be Offered:

  • Master’s mobility (up to 6 months)
  • PhD mobility (up to 12 months)
  • Traineeship mobility (up to 3 months with industry partners/farms)

Full scholarship benefits will be provided, including tuition coverage, monthly stipends, travel insurance, and support for scholars with disabilities.

📅 Mark your calendars: Applications open 15th August 2025 and close 15th October 2025. Results will be announced by the end of December 2025.

Stay tuned for detailed guidelines and the application link on mainstreamafrica.org.

Women and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply!

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MAINSTREAM Project Announces 2024 Scholarship Beneficiaries

The MAINSTREAM Project has successfully concluded its selection process for the 2024 scholarship beneficiaries. Following a rigorous review and assessment of applications, 30 outstanding students from 11 different nationalities have been awarded mobility funding to pursue studies across partner universities. The selection process, which took place from December 3rd to 6th, 2024, at Mountains of the Moon University, ensured that candidates were chosen based on academic excellence, research potential, and relevance of their studies to sustainable agricultural development.

The MAINSTREAM Project provides financial support for students pursuing Master’s and PhD programs, as well as internship and research placements, across various universities within the partnership consortium. This initiative aims to enhance knowledge exchange, foster regional cooperation, and develop skills essential for agricultural transformation.

The following students have been awarded scholarships under the MAINSTREAM Project:

Scholarship Beneficiaries

Scholarship Beneficiaries

Name Scholarship Type Host University Nationality Gender Sending Institution

The MAINSTREAM Project remains committed to fostering academic excellence and cross-border collaboration in higher education. The selected students will benefit from high-quality education and training opportunities, equipping them with the skills and expertise needed to drive sustainable agricultural development in their respective countries.

For more information, visit the MAINSTREAM Project website or contact the project coordinators.

Signed: Prof. Violet Kisakye
Mountains of the Moon University - Uganda
Chair of the Selection Committee

Dr. Befekadu Chemere Beyenssa
Arsi University - Ethiopia

Dr. Nazer Famah Sourassou
Université de Kara - Togo

Prof. Corli Witthuhn
University of Free State - South Africa

Prof. Khalifa S. Babacar SYLLA
Université du Sine Saloum El-Hâdj Ibrahima NIASS (USSEIN) - Senegal

Dragan Brković
Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf - Germany

Prof. Christopher Obel-Gor
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology - Kenya

2ND JSCM 27-08-2024

MAINSTREAM Project Sets Stage for Scholarship Launch and December Physical Meeting

Mountains of the Moon University (MMU) hosted the second Joint Steering Committee (JSC) meeting of the MAINSTREAM Project on 27th August 2024, bringing together project coordinators from partner institutions across Africa and Europe. The virtual meeting, chaired by Overall Project Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Violet Kisakye, reviewed progress since the June 2024 session and finalized key preparations for upcoming student and staff mobilities.

Prof. Kisakye noted that the project remains on track, with all deliverables up to date on the EU portal. The committee reviewed and adopted the scholarship templates and call for applications, which will be released by 15th September 2024 to allow a 45-day application period. Applications will close on 10th November, paving the way for preselection before the final beneficiary selection during the December physical meeting in Fort Portal, Uganda.

The physical JSC meeting is scheduled for 3rd–6th December 2024, with participants arriving in Kampala on 1st December before proceeding to Fort Portal. The agenda will include three days of intensive project work followed by a day of site visits.

Among other updates, members agreed that host institutions will not train their own applicants but will receive students from partner universities. The institutional budget remains dedicated to supporting mobility, with scholarship funds to be disbursed directly to beneficiaries from the coordinating institution.

The committee will reconvene virtually on 8th October 2024 to monitor progress after the scholarship call goes out.

WhatsApp Image 2025-05-09 at 14.28.52_6b21edc4

MMU Hosts Welcome Dinner for Mainstream Project Partners Ahead of JSC Meeting

The Vice Chancellor, Mountains of the Moon University (MMU), is hosting our partners on the Mainstream Project to a welcome dinner at Ndere Cultural Center. The partners are in Uganda for a Joint Steering Commitee (JSC) meeting happening at MMU starting Tuesday 3rd December 2024.

The Mainstream project brings together different countries as partners including Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa and German to enhance agriculture studies in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Project aims at encouraging South To South exchange, funded by European Union, and with it’s core objective being students exchange among the different partners at Maters and PhD level as well as trainees or internship level.

The main objective of the JSC is to select students for the first mobility. Follow the MMU socials and website for more information about the same.

demo-attachment-457-person-with-long-curly-hair-PZ99QM2@2x

Women in Business

When, while the lovely valley teems with vapor around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us, as it floats around us in an eternity of bliss; and then, my friend, when darkness overspreads my eyes, and heaven and earth seem to dwell in my soul and absorb its power, like the form of a beloved mistress, then I often think with longing, Oh, would I could describe these conceptions, could impress upon paper all that is living so full and warm within me, that it might be the mirror of my soul, as my soul is the mirror of the infinite God!

O my friend — but it is too much for my strength — I sink under the weight of the splendor of these visions! A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine.

I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my talents. I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now.

When, while the lovely valley teems with vapor around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us, as it floats around us in an eternity of bliss; and then, my friend, when darkness overspreads my eyes, and heaven and earth seem to dwell in my soul and absorb its power, like the form of a beloved mistress, then I often think with longing, Oh, would I could describe these conceptions, could impress upon paper all that is living so full and warm within me.

demo-attachment-473-diversity-young-teens-people-friends-concept-PTZ4RGN

Diversity in the Workplace

When, while the lovely valley teems with vapor around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us, as it floats around us in an eternity of bliss; and then, my friend, when darkness overspreads my eyes, and heaven and earth seem to dwell in my soul and absorb its power, like the form of a beloved mistress, then I often think with longing, Oh, would I could describe these conceptions, could impress upon paper all that is living so full and warm within me, that it might be the mirror of my soul, as my soul is the mirror of the infinite God!

O my friend — but it is too much for my strength — I sink under the weight of the splendor of these visions! A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine.

I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my talents. I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now.

When, while the lovely valley teems with vapor around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us, as it floats around us in an eternity of bliss; and then, my friend, when darkness overspreads my eyes, and heaven and earth seem to dwell in my soul and absorb its power, like the form of a beloved mistress, then I often think with longing, Oh, would I could describe these conceptions, could impress upon paper all that is living so full and warm within me.

demo-attachment-474-business-PG3SVDZ

Plan Your Business

When, while the lovely valley teems with vapor around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us, as it floats around us in an eternity of bliss; and then, my friend, when darkness overspreads my eyes, and heaven and earth seem to dwell in my soul and absorb its power, like the form of a beloved mistress, then I often think with longing, Oh, would I could describe these conceptions, could impress upon paper all that is living so full and warm within me, that it might be the mirror of my soul, as my soul is the mirror of the infinite God!

O my friend — but it is too much for my strength — I sink under the weight of the splendor of these visions! A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine.

I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my talents. I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now.

When, while the lovely valley teems with vapor around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us, as it floats around us in an eternity of bliss; and then, my friend, when darkness overspreads my eyes, and heaven and earth seem to dwell in my soul and absorb its power, like the form of a beloved mistress, then I often think with longing, Oh, would I could describe these conceptions, could impress upon paper all that is living so full and warm within me.

demo-attachment-475-rainbow-mountain-PUWHUHP

Travel and Work During Spring

When, while the lovely valley teems with vapor around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us, as it floats around us in an eternity of bliss; and then, my friend, when darkness overspreads my eyes, and heaven and earth seem to dwell in my soul and absorb its power, like the form of a beloved mistress, then I often think with longing, Oh, would I could describe these conceptions, could impress upon paper all that is living so full and warm within me, that it might be the mirror of my soul, as my soul is the mirror of the infinite God!

O my friend — but it is too much for my strength — I sink under the weight of the splendor of these visions! A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine.

I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my talents. I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now.

When, while the lovely valley teems with vapor around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us, as it floats around us in an eternity of bliss; and then, my friend, when darkness overspreads my eyes, and heaven and earth seem to dwell in my soul and absorb its power, like the form of a beloved mistress, then I often think with longing, Oh, would I could describe these conceptions, could impress upon paper all that is living so full and warm within me.

demo-attachment-477-Businessman-at-the-desk-in-his-office-resting.

Rest During Working Hours

When, while the lovely valley teems with vapor around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us, as it floats around us in an eternity of bliss; and then, my friend, when darkness overspreads my eyes, and heaven and earth seem to dwell in my soul and absorb its power, like the form of a beloved mistress, then I often think with longing, Oh, would I could describe these conceptions, could impress upon paper all that is living so full and warm within me, that it might be the mirror of my soul, as my soul is the mirror of the infinite God!

O my friend — but it is too much for my strength — I sink under the weight of the splendor of these visions! A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine.

I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my talents. I should be incapable of drawing a single stroke at the present moment; and yet I feel that I never was a greater artist than now.

When, while the lovely valley teems with vapor around me, and the meridian sun strikes the upper surface of the impenetrable foliage of my trees, and but a few stray gleams steal into the inner sanctuary, I throw myself down among the tall grass by the trickling stream; and, as I lie close to the earth, a thousand unknown plants are noticed by me: when I hear the buzz of the little world among the stalks, and grow familiar with the countless indescribable forms of the insects and flies, then I feel the presence of the Almighty, who formed us in his own image, and the breath of that universal love which bears and sustains us, as it floats around us in an eternity of bliss; and then, my friend, when darkness overspreads my eyes, and heaven and earth seem to dwell in my soul and absorb its power, like the form of a beloved mistress, then I often think with longing, Oh, would I could describe these conceptions, could impress upon paper all that is living so full and warm within me.