My grandfather followed the sound of a banshee across a field the night his young son left the body, but on another occasion I was actually saved by the same woman of the Sidhe when I was bitten by a brown recluse spider five times on my leg in my sleep. Not only did she awaken me in a terrible dream but also gave me the remedy in the same dream. The ensuing sickness over two years caused me to write an Irish trilogy. A Native American explained to me that spider medicine has everything to do with writing and bring the old back into the new. Many ancient families in Ireland have the banshee, a portent that is not always death but can be a life changer. X
What remarkable stories, Dwina, thank you so much for sharing them! I especially enjoy the sense of banshees bringing both news of possible death and the antidote. It makes me think of the remedy to snake venom being a homeopathic dose of the same venom... Deeply informative images no doubt...
I went to Mt Abu in India. There was a sign not to go up into the gardens at night. Having a bit of a rebel nature I climbed up into the gardens about 2am and had never seen so many stars in my life. I sat down to meditate, open-eyed, totally in a furthered bliss when I heard a strange noise right behind me and for a moment wondered if I should be scared but continued sitting still and did not worry. I felt safe. I heard the noise again after about 10 minutes, then saw this thing slither past me. I waited then ran back down to my room. Next morning I asked why we should not go up there. “Cobra” was the answer. So for about 15 minutes I had meditated with a cobra and the noise I was told was the hood opening ready to strike apparently. Last time I ever visited the gardens but never forgot the wonder of that sky at night and the glowing red light on top of the meditation hall. The remedy given to me for the spider bites also works for snake bites... I saw the Sidhe woman gathering a plant ‘marsh tea’ which is known as Ledum homeopathic remedy. X
Beautiful the ritual of Lament. Tears of the mother tears of the daughter. Alas my sister, in my part of the middle east we are no longer allowed to grieve. 'Haram,' my older cousin scolded me at my father's funeral five years ago, 'it is sinful to cry. It is the will of god. Wipe your tears.' I wanted to hit her with a chair. (I didn't). Our grandmothers ripped their hair and beat their breasts, our mothers cried and screamed, now we have to sit with shut mouths and crossed hands listening to the quran on tape (Don't get me wrong, there are some beautiful verses, but not all, as you know- things like punishment in the grave for example.) On the warring streets, we are made to rejoice the shahid. That's insane. Our bodies hold the grief. To think that in the old times we sat on the ground at the edges of graves, our vaginas kissing the earth, grounded, whirling our upper bodies in the lemniscat our arms as serpents rising - bleeding the pain into the mother - back to the mother - drinking up her healing love. To mourn together- cuts through ethnicity and faith - to dance for death and life. Perhaps forgiveness is found in collective ritual lamentation.
In these times of grief, Ive found being/working in nature to be healing (as I was glad to see you're doing too) - and another, which I almost forgot in sorrow - was dance - perhaps you did too. I hope not. I hope you're (always) dancing - through the sadness to joy. Thank you for the beautiful words and insights from under the Fig tree. It's wondedful to feel the resonance with others on this path. Blessed Bee.
Oh these words... honeyed words. They are a publishable piece in and of themselves. Thank you for such a generous and thoughtful response. I hear the honey and the sting in your reflections of lost customs, current practice, and the tension between both. I had no idea women's outer expressions of lament is now considered haram...Maybe forgiveness is indeed found in collective lament. And I must say, I certainly HAVE forgotten to dance. I haven't danced in weeks. Thank you for the precious reminder.
There are still keeners at wakes in Ireland and those who keep vigil staying awake and fasting by deceased relatives, turning mirrors to the wall and covering fire places. Thank you for your inspirational posts. Lamenting is very important in all cultures. Xx
Thank you Gabriela, your writing touches my soul, and opens my heart. You have reminded me how important it is to pay attention and grieve in this time of destruction. I am also struck by the sound of Keening, ancient gut wrenching, the Irish sounding so like Arabic (I don't speak either)
Thank you for that lovely message. And yes, the similarity is uncanny. Perhaps there was a cross-pollination between the Phoenicians of the Levant and the peoples of the British Isles in the Bronze Age. Or maybe it is a primordial sound that the soul expresses itself with organically in times of great pain, cross-culturally. A fascinating question...
Thank you Gabriela, for spending your energy creating such nourishing stories in these times. It’s so hard to know where to put ourselves. Your voice is at once like a balm and a call to find our own, aligned action. Wailing with you.
That is EXACTLY what I’ve been envisioning. I’ve just been quite unwell so haven’t had the energy to put it together yet. But I hope to feel well enough to organise just that!
I agree with you about Shift, but Mary is a good friend and she is well rooted and authentic person. Shift recently tried to interested me - I sent them away with a flea in their ear in such a way, they will not ask me again, I think!
I must say, I’m rather relieved to hear it 👏🏼 I just read that Dr Rocio Rosales Meza was asked to speak at their shamanic summit recently, but after calling on them to demand a ceasefire and having them refuse, she turned them away too. Thank all the gods some people still know a thing or two about honour and integrity.
Great post! Myself and Cáit Branigan have been restoring the mna chaointe (keening women) tradition with our students for some years. My colleague, Dr. Mary McLaughlin also teaches the tradition. You may find this interview with her very interesting: https://www.marymclaughlin.com/workshops/workshops.php
How fantastic! Thank you for sharing with me. Going to curl up with a cuppa and listen now. I don't love the Shift Network though, I have found their ethics to be rather questionable.
My grandfather followed the sound of a banshee across a field the night his young son left the body, but on another occasion I was actually saved by the same woman of the Sidhe when I was bitten by a brown recluse spider five times on my leg in my sleep. Not only did she awaken me in a terrible dream but also gave me the remedy in the same dream. The ensuing sickness over two years caused me to write an Irish trilogy. A Native American explained to me that spider medicine has everything to do with writing and bring the old back into the new. Many ancient families in Ireland have the banshee, a portent that is not always death but can be a life changer. X
What remarkable stories, Dwina, thank you so much for sharing them! I especially enjoy the sense of banshees bringing both news of possible death and the antidote. It makes me think of the remedy to snake venom being a homeopathic dose of the same venom... Deeply informative images no doubt...
I went to Mt Abu in India. There was a sign not to go up into the gardens at night. Having a bit of a rebel nature I climbed up into the gardens about 2am and had never seen so many stars in my life. I sat down to meditate, open-eyed, totally in a furthered bliss when I heard a strange noise right behind me and for a moment wondered if I should be scared but continued sitting still and did not worry. I felt safe. I heard the noise again after about 10 minutes, then saw this thing slither past me. I waited then ran back down to my room. Next morning I asked why we should not go up there. “Cobra” was the answer. So for about 15 minutes I had meditated with a cobra and the noise I was told was the hood opening ready to strike apparently. Last time I ever visited the gardens but never forgot the wonder of that sky at night and the glowing red light on top of the meditation hall. The remedy given to me for the spider bites also works for snake bites... I saw the Sidhe woman gathering a plant ‘marsh tea’ which is known as Ledum homeopathic remedy. X
Beautiful the ritual of Lament. Tears of the mother tears of the daughter. Alas my sister, in my part of the middle east we are no longer allowed to grieve. 'Haram,' my older cousin scolded me at my father's funeral five years ago, 'it is sinful to cry. It is the will of god. Wipe your tears.' I wanted to hit her with a chair. (I didn't). Our grandmothers ripped their hair and beat their breasts, our mothers cried and screamed, now we have to sit with shut mouths and crossed hands listening to the quran on tape (Don't get me wrong, there are some beautiful verses, but not all, as you know- things like punishment in the grave for example.) On the warring streets, we are made to rejoice the shahid. That's insane. Our bodies hold the grief. To think that in the old times we sat on the ground at the edges of graves, our vaginas kissing the earth, grounded, whirling our upper bodies in the lemniscat our arms as serpents rising - bleeding the pain into the mother - back to the mother - drinking up her healing love. To mourn together- cuts through ethnicity and faith - to dance for death and life. Perhaps forgiveness is found in collective ritual lamentation.
In these times of grief, Ive found being/working in nature to be healing (as I was glad to see you're doing too) - and another, which I almost forgot in sorrow - was dance - perhaps you did too. I hope not. I hope you're (always) dancing - through the sadness to joy. Thank you for the beautiful words and insights from under the Fig tree. It's wondedful to feel the resonance with others on this path. Blessed Bee.
Oh these words... honeyed words. They are a publishable piece in and of themselves. Thank you for such a generous and thoughtful response. I hear the honey and the sting in your reflections of lost customs, current practice, and the tension between both. I had no idea women's outer expressions of lament is now considered haram...Maybe forgiveness is indeed found in collective lament. And I must say, I certainly HAVE forgotten to dance. I haven't danced in weeks. Thank you for the precious reminder.
There are still keeners at wakes in Ireland and those who keep vigil staying awake and fasting by deceased relatives, turning mirrors to the wall and covering fire places. Thank you for your inspirational posts. Lamenting is very important in all cultures. Xx
I’m so very thrilled to hear that!! I find the image of turning the mirrors away particularly striking. Like opening the doors to the Otherworld...
Thank you Gabriela, your writing touches my soul, and opens my heart. You have reminded me how important it is to pay attention and grieve in this time of destruction. I am also struck by the sound of Keening, ancient gut wrenching, the Irish sounding so like Arabic (I don't speak either)
Thank you for that lovely message. And yes, the similarity is uncanny. Perhaps there was a cross-pollination between the Phoenicians of the Levant and the peoples of the British Isles in the Bronze Age. Or maybe it is a primordial sound that the soul expresses itself with organically in times of great pain, cross-culturally. A fascinating question...
Thank you Gabriela, for spending your energy creating such nourishing stories in these times. It’s so hard to know where to put ourselves. Your voice is at once like a balm and a call to find our own, aligned action. Wailing with you.
Thank you for that striking response. All my love!
Oh I wish we could have a ceremony like that! How we need it so badly!
Can you imagine a huge one? A global one?
We set the time and women all around the world start together from whenever they are, can you imagine??? Thank you Gabriela!
That is EXACTLY what I’ve been envisioning. I’ve just been quite unwell so haven’t had the energy to put it together yet. But I hope to feel well enough to organise just that!
Please DO! haha And when you do it, count me in for sure!!!!
wonderful!
I agree with you about Shift, but Mary is a good friend and she is well rooted and authentic person. Shift recently tried to interested me - I sent them away with a flea in their ear in such a way, they will not ask me again, I think!
I must say, I’m rather relieved to hear it 👏🏼 I just read that Dr Rocio Rosales Meza was asked to speak at their shamanic summit recently, but after calling on them to demand a ceasefire and having them refuse, she turned them away too. Thank all the gods some people still know a thing or two about honour and integrity.
Truly beautiful, Thankyou. 🙏🏻
Thank you :) xx
Great post! Myself and Cáit Branigan have been restoring the mna chaointe (keening women) tradition with our students for some years. My colleague, Dr. Mary McLaughlin also teaches the tradition. You may find this interview with her very interesting: https://www.marymclaughlin.com/workshops/workshops.php
How fantastic! Thank you for sharing with me. Going to curl up with a cuppa and listen now. I don't love the Shift Network though, I have found their ethics to be rather questionable.