“BEALTAINE BLESSING and NEWSLETTER 2015”
“Look! A swallow!” said Karen instantly, pointing across the car windscreen in the direction of our little visitor darting in the air above the field beside the motorway. Her summer had just been announced several days ago on our journey to Kilkenny by her first sighting of these migrant birds that have a taste for the season in Ireland. Our Ancestors would have looked to the skies too in their observation for a season’s dawning. They would have looked to the earth too, observing the signs of growth and colour. Halfway between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice is the cross quarter time of Bealtaine, the celestial announcement of summer season. As the sun’s height and dominance in the dance between day and night increases from Equinox to the climax at Solstice, halfway on that trajectory is the moment of Bealtaine, which in 2015 will occur on May 5th at 15.43PM (GMT). The communal celebration of Bealtaine is usually May 1st or the first Saturday in May.
For the next 47 days (or just under), we will live in the time and space of Bealtaine, the very word coming from the Irish Béal-tine, meaning “Mouth of Fire”. It may also be informed by Bal-Tine, Balbeing a Celtic Sun God who dies and resurrects and of course tine meaning “fire”. The sun is the Mouth of Fire in our local universe and the light, heat and radiation from it rises further and further towards peak ascendency for the next 47 days. Bealtaine literally is the time of growing illumination of our planet and asks us to embrace the phenomenon personally and collectively with celebration, reflection and ultimately synchronous alignment. How we do so, is our privilege.
Fire Festival on the Hill of Uisneach
Unsurprisingly, Bealtaine is one of the great fire festivals that ask us to be intimate with the energy of the sun. The fire’s power of light, heat, but also of transformation and transmutation call us now in our ceremonies and rituals. Still today in Ireland, some farmers will remember to build two fires and drive their cattle through them for protection and fertility at this seasonal time. Humans and other animals will step between the fires too. The balance of the two fires is important, our Ancestors saw the divine maleness in the sun calling the sun Lugh. They also saw divine femaleness and called the sun Áine. On planet Earth we essentially live between two fires, the fire of the sun above and the permanent fire of the Earth’s core. Bealtaine too is when the myth of the dragon flies into our consciousness to stir dormant potential and fertilise expression of our truth and power. For the dragon is the one who speaks with the Mouth of Fire and the dragon is the offspring born of intercourse by two extremely potent archetypes, the Eagle and the Serpent, one who flies the highest and one who knows the vibrations of Mother Earth intimately. What fire will come from our mouths when we allow that part of us that is energised by Eagle intermingle with that part of us that is energised by Serpent? Bealtaine is the time for those new illuminated, hot words, decisions, motivations and actions from us as we rise fearlessly high with vision while simultaneously supremely grounded.
(See below for ritual possibilities and recommendations to bring Bealtaine energy into your life and into your medicine bundle, your málanaofa)
What’s Happening At Slí An Chroí At Bealtaine......
Trainings – Seasonal Celebration – Brigid’s Way Pilgrimage - Men/Women Circles – Moon MnáMamaí Training - Introduction To Healing Shamanism - Conferences
MAY:
9th: BealtaineFire Festival @ Hill of Uisneach
4th:Moon MnáMamaí International On-Line Training Pilot
9th: Moon MnáMamaí Training Day 3, Dublin
9th& 10th:Gateways of the Mind Ireland, Dunderry Park
15th-17th: Healers Spiral West Direction, Dunderry
26th: Fir Le Chéile-Men’s Circle
JUNE:
6th: Introduction To Healing Shamanism
6th: A New Moon MnáMamaí Course
17th – 19th: International Sexuality Conference, DCU, Dublin
Diary date later in 2015...
The Medicine Spiral 2015-2016, begins Sept. 11th-13th.
MAY
BEALTAINE CEREMONIES:Saturday May9th, Hill of Uisneach, Co. Westmeath .We are once again honoured to be part of the Bealtaine Ceremonial Fire Parade at the Fire Festival on the Hill of UisneachSaturday, 2nd May. Come and join us at the magnificent sacred site in the Midlands, the sacred centre of Ireland for this day long mini festival honouring and rejoicing in the luminous and passionate energies of Summertime.
MOON MNÁ MAMAÍTRAINING:
International On-Line Training Pilot Mon 4th May
Karen is delighted to announce the pilot of the on-line training of international Moon MnáMamaí with women in California, Brazil and Australia joining in a Conference Call to birth this exciting course worldwide. If you wish to add your name to the growing list of those who want to start the training proper (proposed date end Sept 2015) please email Karen at
DAY 2 COURSE 1 TRAINING Above you have said “Training day 3”?
Sat 9th May: Venue: The Dublin Positive Health Centre, Dublin 2
Karen is honoured once again to teach, facilitate and mentor the wonderful gathering of current Moon Mná Maidens as they spread their wings to host their own Women’s Circles around Ireland to celebrate the joy of being a woman in all our unique beauty, grace and femininity to be the best we can be to join our menfolk for the betterment of our world today.
GATEWAYS OF THE MIND IRELAND:Sat & Sun May 9th & 10th: Venue: Dunderry Park, Co.Meath
(from the Gateways website) “In these rapidly changing times of environmental destruction, corrupt governments & widespread warfare its easy to disconnected and helpless.The Great Newsis that many people are now 'waking up' and taking action to bring this beautiful planet and all life back into balance and reocnnect with the dream of the land.Gateways Of The Mind - Ireland will focus this year on the importance of re-connecting to our true self, stepping into our own power and personal truths and in doing so help change the world on the micro or individual level which in turn will begin to effect the macro or collective level.This year’s event has an amazing line-up of powerful shamans, healers and teachers - each of whom will bring their own wisdom to bear on this important topic in an insightful, profound and also fun way.”
HEALERS SPIRAL “WEST DIRECTION” TRAINING
Fri 15th – Sun 17thMay Venue: Slí An Chroí Centre, Smithfield, Dublin 7
The fourth training circle of the 2014-2015 Healer’s Spiral is dedicated to the core shamanic healing ritual and ceremony that has helped humans for generations recover lost innate energies. Soul Retrieval is an extremely powerful technique for the restoration of the soul in the aftermath of trauma. The unique process for Soul Retrieval developed by John and Karen promotes strong, highly conscious bonding between the client and his/her previously lost soul part. The outcome is lasting recovery beyond survivorship of the original trauma.
FIR LE CHÉILE (MEN TOGETHER).:May.26th
7pm - 10pm. Donation €12. Venue: The Lantern Centre, Synge St, Dublin 8.
A warm, supportive, dynamic gathering of men, for men, by men. A time for men of all ages to gather beyond any agenda except to embrace the precious experience of open, non-judgemental sharing and witnessing, ceremony and ritual dedicated to the development of the sacred masculine within us all. Our experience of boyhood and manhood will be powerfully deepened by simple sharing of our experiences, past and present. From within the group each month, will be the opportunity to choose a communal expression (e.g. drumming) of how we are in the world at that time. This can offer a powerful release of energy that lances stress and gives voice often to what we find inexpressible about ourselves on a daily basis. One of the longer term aims of the circle will be to co-create a superior myth of manhood than the ones predominant in contemporary culture. As part of that aim comes the challenge to provide Initiation and Rites Of Passage to and for ourselves. Mentorship will be also be fostered. Taking place on the last Tuesday of every month.
JUNE
INTRODUCTION TO SHAMANISM:Sat. June6th, 10.30am – 5.30pm Cost €75. Venue: SlíanChroí Centre, Smithfield, Dublin 7. These very popular one day workshops bring the participant into gentle and deep connection with natural energies of the Earth. Gradually, through core shamanic techniques of the Irish tradition, there is a profound opportunity to achieve a calm centredness in our bodies, minds and Spirits. Not only is this day a traditional stepping stone from which many choose to bring stronger self practice and healing by taking the “Medicine Spiral” later in the year, it is also a “stand alone” day, in which participants can find respite and restoration along with new inner resources of strength and insight to address better current life issues that may be challenging. It is a day of warm, accepting community and safe and elegant leadership. Many return to this one day gathering for the uplifting charge that energises the Soul. No previous formal shamanic experience/training is necessary to attend.
MOON MNÁ MAMAÍ New CourseDay 1 Training
Sat 6th June: Venue: The Dublin Positive Health Centre, Dublin 2
Karen is delighted to announce, due to popular demand, the second training course for women who wish to learn how to host their own Women’s Circle in a powerful 9 month journey. This exciting work includes four day-long workshops, on-line mentoring, supporting notes and much much more equipping you to host key Moon Mná themes including related chants, cleanses and also how to pass on the Celtic Women’s Rites (Maiden, Mother, Crone, Faerie and Sílena Gig Rites.) If you wish to add your name to the growing list of those who want to start the training proper (proposed date end Sept 2015) please email Karen at
International Sexuality Conference, June 17th – 19th: Dublin City University, Dublin
(from the conference website) "Literacies and Sexualities in Cultural, Fictional, Real, and Virtual Worlds: Past, Present, Future Perfect?" All subjects related to the main theme of the congress are welcome, and may deal with real, imaginary, fictional or virtual worlds. For instance, avenues of investigation may include the following: Literacies, Sexualities and .....Activism, Cultures, Education, Governance, Health, Identities, Languages, Literature and the Arts and the Media.
Lyds can we somehow highlight Brigid’s Way urging people to book. Last year you had the banner across the top. Can we do it down here?With the new dates??June 27th-July 5th??? OR if you can’t change scratch out or cover over the last line
BRIGID’S WAY CELTIC PILGRIMAGE - SLÍ BRÍDE: Sat. 27th June – Sun. 5th July. Cost: €25 per day. From Faughart, in Louth to Kildare’s Wells. Join Karen, Dolores Whelan and Louise O’Donnell as they once again lead a Brigid’s Way pilgrimage this Summertime. This is an epic homage to the indigenous Irish Divine Feminine as epitomised in Brigid, whether you are called by her as pre Christian goddess or as St.Brigid. You can walk with them for part of the pilgrimage or for the entire journey. Visit their website to receive a beautiful introduction to the pilgrimage and to book your place.
SUGGESTIONS FOR SEASONAL RITUALS FOR BEALTAINE: Look to the Spirit of Fire in early May for celebration and alignment. Whether great bonfires or candles, seek to walk through two balanced Bealtaine fires, each time doing so with a clear intention. You can include other people and animals in the event and you can be a proxy for others who may be immobile or absent, (ensure you have their permission).
On the morning of May 5th, you may choose to be awake and present as an Earthkeeper, greeting the rising sun on the actual day of Bealtaine. Look to your drum or rattle or choose meditation to shift your energy so that you experience a mutual rising with Lugh/Áine, Sun God/Sun Goddess.
Use movement to shapeshift into the energies of Eagle. Discover the elevation and vision high above your life, (Medicine Spiral graduates, be drawn also to the “Eagle Flight” ritual for your LEM/Energy Body, learned in the East Direction). Know what it is like to be in contact with Mother Earth with the entire surface of your body as you shapeshift into the energies of Serpent. Experienced practitioners can do immrama (shamanic journeys), one to Eagle, one to Serpent. Use the combined energies of these pursuits to be a platform for drawing forth a life lived with a “mouth of fire”. Identify truths you are called to express, potential you are asked to realise, behaviours of empowerment you are asked to express, allow intentions and motivations inspired by potent fertility of many kinds, physical, mental, emotional and Spiritual.
BEALTAINE MÁLÁ NAOFA RITUAL: Consider having your mála open for the entire duration of sunlight, from dawn to dusk on an early day in May. Allow the contents to be illuminated and warmed. This is also a time to feed and cleanse your lianaofa with fire, passing them through the flame of your Bealtaine fire. This is a natural review time as a mála carrier. Is everything in your bundle ready and holding open receptive space for the energies of Bealtaine? Does your wrapping need to change or does any item not conducive to Bealtaine need to be shed, (perhaps into your Bealtaine fire)? If fire swept through your mála, what would it combust, transform and confirm? Be the agent of these energies, and bring purity to your mála. As our summer comes from the equator in the South, Bealtaine heralds strong South energies and you may like to consider a South Fire as you learned on The Medicine Spiral which has particular relevance to your three South lianaofa and asks you to revisit the teachings of the South Direction.
Thank you for reviewing our Bealtaine offerings & if you would like to learn more about the events, please visit our website, or . We look forward to extending a warm welcome to you this Springtime. If you would like to book a place on any of the events, please contact us by e mail () or by telephone (01-670 4905). Booking Forms can be downloaded from the website.
Le brínataise, (with the energy of compassion),
John and Karen.