Ireland - A Visit

Ireland has a tragic history of hardship, famine and poverty, yet the spiritual traditions of its people still flourish. The whole island was once known as “the land of mystics, scholars and poets” and to this day, the country people are steeped in the rich traditions of soul and spirit.

Throughout the summer months, Ireland is host to fine food, music, art and song festivals. Mayo, on the Atlantic coast, is no exception. This county has a stunning wild and desolate landscape that is appreciated by photographers, writers and holiday visitors. It has coastal and countryside walking, mountain climbing, golfing and bird watching. This is an Irish language speaking area and is known for its marvellous heritage sites, such as Neolithic stone circles and cairns, round towers and monastic ruins. Long before the Christian era, pilgrimages were made to holy wells and mountains which were venerated by processions and the reciting of incantations, petitioning for requests and the giving of offerings to the Gods and Goddesses.

The Grail

What is the Holy Grail? Many ask this question - and there are many interesting answers! However, we don't know what The Grail is, as it has never been found to our knowledge. It is described in many ways, and always as something with the greatest of abilities for healing and transformation! 

Wolfram’s title of the Grail in his poem is “lapis exilis” - the philosopher’s stone and it bears the inscription “Any Templar appointed by God’s hand to be master over foreign people, must forbid the asking of his name or race, and help him gain his rights”. Dated 1210AD This was a declaration of human rights 5 years prior to The Magna Carta. 

The Grail first features in a 1118 poem by Chretien, a name that means Christian so we know he wasn’t a heretic. He was a troubadour (a writer of courtly love and aristocratic or religious devotion), of the ancient town of Troyes in the Champagne region of France. The poem describes several motifs; a knight with a pure heart, a mysterious castle, a lame 'fisher' king, and an enigmatic procession of servants carrying items, such as a lance, a sword, and a woman who carries a dish that holds a communion wafer. 

Because the Grail Castle knights and the Knights Templar wore white, there could be be a connection between them. The Champagne region was a rich and important commercial area. Bernard of Clairvaux, the nine original Templars, and Chretien, all came from the Troyes region of which Chartres, once a Druidic grove, was the spiritual centre. 

Mary’s Story

Luke uniquely tells us the story of the mother, whereas Matthew’s account has the father as the central character - history was told always from the male perspective! We read of a girl named Miriam (or Mary in translations), who had come of age to marry, she would be around the age of 12 - 14 yrs old. We are told she was betrothed to a Joseph, meaning that they were engaged but she would be living with her parents, a home she would rarely leave until she married. They were of the House of David - a royal line when a corrupt puppet king sat on the throne of Judah. 

Suddenly, a supernatural messenger from God, an angel named Gabriel appears. Mary was agitated and disturbed by his presence, because this Angel has a name that translates from the Hebrew as the ‘strong man of God’! This unobserved girl, concealed in her family home, finds herself no longer isolated but in the presence of one who is spoken of as an angel who is called upon to incite war and who destroys the enemy! Here Gabriel acts as God’s instrument, and a young girl is confronted and alone with a male stranger to whom she is not related, and she refutes accepted customs!

Sustainable Living

To minimise your carbon footprint, 

Never throw away fabric. It can be recycled! 

Superdrug recycle your medicine blister packs. 

Use oat milk rather that cow’s milk.

Only buy locally sourced and sustainable fish, such as Cornish hake, Dover sole, and handling caught mackerel. 

Buy environmental toothbrushes, not made of plastic but made of bamboo. Body Shop still has refillable bottles for toiletries, etc. 

Ladder of Learning

There are 4 stages of the ladder of Learning. 

Unconsciously unskilled

Consciously unskilled

Consciously skilled

Unconsciously skilled

Lake Isle - A Poem

The Lake Isle of Innisfree by William Butler Yeats

I am sharing poems that I remember from my childhood...

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;

Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;

There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet’s wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

Friday the Thirteenth!

One of the biggest lies the patriarchal system has cast on the Divine Feminine is the demonization of the number thirteen. Missing from airplanes and hotels the world over, it’s become the scariest number within mass consciousness.

Possible justification for this comes from speculative claims that both The Last Supper and the Crucifixion allegedly happened on Friday 13th. But the patriarchy has always had it in for Friday 13th and this is likely a cover up for something that runs much deeper - The Divine Feminine.

Not only did the number 13 happen to be the luckiest number in the Goddess calendar, Friday 13th was the luckiest day of the year. In more ancient Pagan times, the year was not divided into 12 months as now, following a man made calendar, but 13, following the cycles of the Moon. The new month began every 28 days, in accordance with a woman’s menstrual cycle and the New Moon. This was the Goddess calendar. Then the church got involved and things changed. Looking to move power away from the Divine Feminine, it added two or three days onto each month and got rid of the 13th month.

February is the one month of the year that still only has 28 days, with an extra day thrown in every fourth year, which we of course call Leap Year - a time when women ad allegedly allowed to propose to a man, so a very distance connection to the Goddess there.

The Story of Drugs

 Hello, My name is DRUGS – I destroy homes, tear families apart, take your children, and that’s just the start.

I’m more costly than diamonds, more costly than gold, the sorrow I bring is a sight to behold.

and if u need me, remember I’m easily found, I live all around you, in schools and in town.

I live with the rich, I live with the poor, I live down the street, and maybe next door.

My power is awesome; try me you’ll see, but if you do, you may NEVER break free.

Just try me once and I might let you go, but try me twice, and I’ll own your soul.

When I possess you, you’ll steal, cheat, and lie. You do what you have to just to get high.

The crimes you’ll commit, for my narcotic charms will be worth the pleasure you’ll feel in your arms.

You’ll lie to your mother; you’ll steal from your dad When you see their tears, you should feel bad.

But you’ll forget your morals and how you were raised, I’ll be your conscience, I’ll teach you my ways.

I take kids from parents, and parents from kids, I turn people from god, and separate friends.

I’ll take everything from you, your looks and your pride, I’ll be with you always, right by your side.

You’ll give up everything… your family, your home… your friends, your money, then you’ll be alone.

I’ll take and take, till you have nothing more to give. When I’m finished with you you’ll be lucky to live.

If you try me be warned this is no game. If given the chance, I’ll drive you insane.

I’ll ravish your body; I’ll control your mind. I’ll own you completely; your soul will be mine.

Song for the Earth

 

Sharing this beautiful song for the Earth. You are welcome to share!

In Search of Silence

“silence is the absolute poise and balance of the body, mind and spirit. The person who preserves their selfhood is ever calm and unshaken by the storms of existence. If you ask ‘What is silence?’ The answer will be ‘It is the Great Mystery. The Holy Silence is His voice’. If you ask ‘What are the fruits of silence?’ The answer is ‘They are self control, true courage and endurance, patience, dignity and reverence. Silence is the cornerstone of character.’ 

The Psychology of Colour

Colour has meaning in all countries of the world, throughout al, times, and especially in our modern world. the Mother of Jesus is shown in blue, and sometimes gold, Mary Magdalene often in red. Jesus is often shown in red, why should this be? As a form of recognition and because colours have meaning! 

Pantone, the colour specialist, has defined the most fashionable colour for the entire year of 2019 as 'coral' (or what I describe as 'salmon' which has less connotations with the sad situation of our seas where coral is dying due to pollution and being mined for jewellery).  However, this is a flattering colour for those with fair and sallow skin and it makes attractive decor, if a little light for practicality.

Homeless Dog Adoption

Canine rehoming centres are full of homeless dogs this winter. Many were very expensive to buy as puppies, the most fashionable breeds cost up to £2,000! 

These, once loved dogs, can end up homeless for many reasons; those who bought a dog during lockdown are now returning to work and are not at home for long hours all during the week, and the increase in the cost of living, so the high cost of some dogs can no longer be afforded. Big dogs cost more to keep than smaller dogs and this means that larger dogs wait longer to find an new owner. 

What to look for when adopting a dog from a rehoming centre: First, research the needs of the breed - most have special needs of some kind. Some breeds are not easy to train, some can never be let off the lead, some need huge amounts of exercise, some need visits to parlours for clipping, etc., some struggle in the heat, some shed hair and might cause allergies, some are guard dogs and bark a lot, maybe too much for neighbours, some need expensive vet treatment if they have genetic illnesses. The rehoming staff will be able to advise on these matters and on any emotional needs, such as a dog that is unhappy to be left for long periods alone, or feels anxious around other dogs. 

Avalon Oracle of the Day!

THE LADY OF SHALOTT - LOVE - IDEALISM - ILLUSION - VICTIM.

"Look deeply into thine own eyes and allow yourself to fall into the beauty you see reflected". Who is the Lady of Shalott? She lives alone - downstream of Camelot - in a tower. She lives under the threat of a curse that she must never look out of her window but look only into her mirror where she sees life outside her tower reflected.

A lyrical ballad by the poet Alfred Tennyson is based on the medieval 'La Damigella di Scalot'. This lay tells the tragic story of Elaine of Astolat. She saw Sir Lancelot passing by the tower in her mirror and she couldn't resist looking out of her window. Then the mirror cracked! She decided to leave her lonely tower in pursuit of this beautiful knight. But she is rejected by him! The story tells us that she found a boat and climbed inside and sang mournfully as she sailed to her death! The curse was that she could never experience romantic love.

Sancto Claros and the holy well

Saint William Sancto Claros: this name was taken from the holy hermit, a Scottish divine named saint, William Sancto Claris, who had travelled to France, and he lived his days in prayer and meditation, in simple hearts by healing by the well on the river Epte. This was the same river where Rollo, the Viking had come to terms with the French king. The hermit was called Sancto Claros, meaning holy or clearly/ 

He was apparently scandalised by the loose morals of a lady of the region! He predicted she would come to a bad end! He could not be persuaded to hold his tongue and the lady, rather confirming his view of her as a child of Satan, the old hermit had her murdered. The loquacious hermit was beheaded. And because of this, Saint Williams Sancto Claro is represented as a headless figure, holding seven heads in his hands. Once again the motives of a holy man and decapitation had surfaced. The More family had taken this new name for this headless man of great sanctity. What was this symbolic reference to the ritual decapitation of a holy man who has shown himself to be filled with the spirit of God, that is Jesus the holiest of men? When I also recall that Catherine Sinclair had married the founder of the Knights Templer. Even before the excavations beneath the Temple were complete, certain families immediately connected with the poor Knights and had chosen the symbols for themselves, which appear to confirm their knowledge of the secret head, and the ritual that have been confirmed on the body of Jesus.