THE DAGDA'S
CAULDRON
"from Murias was brought the Dagda's Cauldron. No company ever went
away from it unsatisfied"
[excerpt from the Irish text societies translation of the Cath Maige Tuired.
Edited by E.A. Gray]
The Autumn Equinox is the second
point in the year where the days and nights are of equal length. It marks
the last of the festivals in the Samos half of the year. The wheel of
the year has turned, and the suns strength is waning. The end of the harvest
is gathered in, and we look within ourselves, to the harvest gathered
there.
The theme of the workshop is that of balance, and harvesting. We look
to our past incarnations, as a means to healing our present ones. We examine
any cords connecting us to others in a negative way, and learn the techniques
for dissolving them.
Throughout the year on the certificate course, at the cardinal solar festivals
of the Solstices & Equinox's, we are going to be working with the
four gifts which were brought to the land of Ireland by the Tuatha De
Dannann. Together they represent the soul of the land. These gifts are
emblematic of the four elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water. I believe
a store of lost knowledge can be retrieved by working with these gifts,
and in particular, the four elemental shamans, Morfessa, Esras, Semias
and Uiscias are powerful teachers.
On this workshop, we will be studying and journeying to the "Dagda's
Cauldron", where we will journey to the city of Murias to meet Uiscias.
I have worked with my ancestors for a number of years now, and 18 years
ago, one of them instructed me to journey to the four cities to train
under the tutelage of the four elemental shaman masters. She said I would
learn much there, and she was right. I believe Morfessa, Esras, Uiscias
and Semias have knowledge to pass on to those who would listen. This knowledge
is ancient wisdom that has been lost for many years. I believe the earliest
Irish shamans studied with these four, and the Celtic druids too. The
cath maige tuired tells us the Tuatha De Dannann themselves studied at
their feet. We are in good company!
As everything has its time and place in the wheel of the year, it is right
that we should study each gift at the appropriate seasonal time.
This gift is situated in the west, and is the element of water, so much
can be learned about this element through working with this gift.
We will also be journeying
to the SAILLE [WILLOW] ogham. On each of the eight festivals, we will
be undertaking the study of, and journey to, an ogham which resonates
with the energy of that particular festival or time of year.
AUTUMNAL EQUINOX,"THE DAGDA'S CAULDRON"
ELEMENT: WATER.
DIRECTION: WEST
THEME: BALANCE / BALANCE OF LIGHT AND DARK / END OF HARVEST /
CORE SHAMANIC PRACTICE:
*** TIME LINES
*** CORD CUTTING CEREMONIES
*** PAST LIFE WORK
OTHER WORK WE WILL BE COVERING ON THIS FESTIVAL:
*** OGHAM SAILLE/WILLOW
*** COLOUR
*** PLANT
*** GOD/GODDESS
*** MYTH THAT RESONATES WITH THIS TIME OF YEAR
We will be gathering together
at "Bruideann na re Lan" for the day long workshop.
All of the festivals are held the weekend closest to their calendrical
date. Exact dates will be given closer to the festival.
COST: 80 euro. Quality vegetarian lunch included. 11.00 a.m --------------
7.oo p.m
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