Menu

2023 - Chanting Ohm for Peace - Tara

Reflections from Martin

My thanks to Nora J who was active with updating the web site, Anne who wrote a lovely reflective piece and from everyone who communicated through energy, word, text and photograph.

For most celebrations, it feels like a joyous celebration and you come away feeling, wow- that was inspiring, meaningful and nourishing. For me, this was not one of those celebrations. Parts of it were pleasant but it was a celebration that left me feeling "shaken, not stirred" and it certainly didn't match the image in my head during the planning stage.

On reflection I suppose I shouldn't be at all surprised as Samhain is traditionally a time of facing unease and facing darkness. That's all fine as an intellectual concept but the lived reality is much more unsettling and upsetting.

Plans to gather at the Lia Fáil were redrafted on the day as the weather was too cold and windy to stand in such an exposed spot so we headed to the woodland area instead. So sorry to anyone who missed the gathering as advertised.I hope anyone who did arrive at the stone still had a wonderful visit. En route we passed by the old fairy tree which had split in two and lies decaying. As this was a place of previous celebration it was an unscheduled stop to honour the ancestors, the tree being an ancestor for most of us present.

On entering the Autumn woods there was calm and shelter with a forest floor of autumn leaves. And unplanned we stopped at a group of Hawthorn which as Anne pointed out was pure Heart energy. Add this to a major powerpoint on the earth grid (Tara) and the fact that it was astronomically the cross quarter day for Samhain the energies may have been high enough to spark internal conflicts in the mind. I suppose the extra challenge was that if we could find peace in this tumultuous energy we could find peace in our own selves and thus be the change we wish to embody on the planet.

In preparation for the celebration I went and collected a bag of bright red leaves to define a circle. I had the bag collected and was back in the house when I got the really strong impression to go and get a rose and include it as a secret symbol. The rose has a thorny stem but beautiful and fragrant flowers. It struck me as a symbol of acceptance. We have to accept the rose without judgement to accept both its beauty and fragrance whilst it is supported on its prickly stem. One will not function without the other. Just as there is a relationship between Israel and Palestine, UK and Ireland, Russia and Ukraine and in ourselves it must represent the blossoming heart and all that we are, the bits we love and are proud of , but also the painful bits that made us who we are. Accepting this duality frees us from blame, guilt, anger and self harm.

The Ohming was soft and gentle and at times sweet and harmonious. So although the celebration may have brought up some thorns, it was also there to cultivate peace and support us in our growth and in facing our darkness. And maybe that's what I underestimated about the ceremony. The darkness. It's not a notional thing. We all share in it, in very real tangible and intangible ways. And the ceremony won't necessarily cure that, but it does act as a sign post and as a stark reminder that we are all kindly and patiently invited by the universe to deal with the darkness and master our fears. We are invited to be like the circle, the directions, the rose, the ohm and the water. Perfect. Síochain an tSéasúir.

Reflections from Anne

We met at the gate at Tara on a dry but windy evening. Martin had already been to the Lia Fail and felt the area was too exposed to the wind or rain, should we have rain. So he led us to the woods on the west of the hill. Passing by the Fairy Tree on the way, we head around the ditch and into the wood and stopped at the perfect spot. A grove of hawthorn trees, on a slope facing the west, where the sun would set. I’ve never seen hawthorn tall and thin. Amazing.

Martin set out the altar circle with deep pink rose petals. The earth underneath us was covered in hawthorn leaves and berries and also leaves from the lone horse chestnut tree in the south east. There was also a tall lone birch tree in the north. Magical circle as the hawthorn and rose represent love and healing, horsechestnut - protection and birch - new beginnings. There 11 of us.

We smudge ourselves passed the lantern around and opened the directions. We all put the water we’d brought from home into the big brass singing bowl in the centre and also placed our objects into the circle to be charged.

We then chanted the OHM for 33 minutes. The sound ebbed and flowed, the trees swayed in the wind, the sky turned amazing shades of pink as the sun set in a fiery strip in the west as we chanted. A large crow kept circling and watching from the tree tops. A blackbird joined in as the light faded and there were numerous small silhouetted birds flirting through the trees. A distant dog barked at one stage. As we drew to a close a bat flittered through the trees head south to north into the dark.

Martin picked up the singing bowl and started to circle it with the beater. I joined him and as we both held the bowl, I took a turn ‘stirring the outside. It was a very gentle sound but it built to a high sound as the water danced in it.

Then we faced outward sending peace out to world as we passed the bowl around and each person poured some water on the ground. We then closed the circle, took our charged item and dismantled the circle.

We headed back across the the hill to the carpark. When we arrived at the carpark, we learned that 3 people had met at the Lia and chanted from there while we chanted from the wood. Great connection with male and female energy. We also felt the connection to those who were joining us on the ethers.

Photo Story of the Event

Maguire's Window

Directions for the afternoon

Directions for this afternoon - 8th November 16.10 on Hill of Tara.

East - Fáilte East: I re-member the energies associated with the east:

I am; birth and beginnings, the rising of the Sun, Moon and Stars. The swiftness of wind and the breath of life, the startling beauty of the dawn chorus, the energy that sponsors inspiration, thought, creativity and logic.

Spring of the yearly cycle and dawn of every day. Element of Air.

Archangel Raphael the healer is associated with this direction and from our Celtic mythology we recognise Cesair, the first woman to set foot on Ireland's soil. Ogma of the Tuath Dé Danann, the champion of Lugh and inventor of writing holds this inspirational energy.

In this direction we look towards the peaceful and powerful Fourknocks. I bring this energy here and now.

I Place this feather to remind us of the energy of peaceful, inspirational air in ourselves.

South - Fáilte South - I re-member the energies associated with the south;

Everything that is born in the east grows and develops with the warmth of fire and the heat of passion.

I am; expansion and ripening, radiant warmth and kindness, compassion and love, strength and courage the zenith of the noon day and the summer of the yearly cycle.

In this direction the sun reaches its highest point in the sky on its yearly journey.

Element of Fire. Archangel Michael the liberator with his flaming sword is associated with this direction and from our Celtic mythology we welcome Anú, earth mother and goddess of abundance. She is the maiden persona of the triple goddess and mother of the Tuath Dé Danann. In Celtic Christianity St. Brigit of Kildare holds this warm nurturing energy.

This is the direction of the beautiful, peaceful Curragh. I bring this energy here and now.

I place this lantern to remind us of the energy of peaceful, friendly warmth in ourselves.

West - Fáilte West - I re-member the energies associated with the west whose element is Water:

Everything that is born, grows and develops must mature and ripen. I am the waters of the ocean and the salmon of knowledge.

I am that which gives us deepening, that which ripens and provides harvest. I am that energy of wisdom borne from experience that gives maturity of thought. I am the evening of every day and the Autumn of the yearly cycle. In Celtic mythology, Manannán mac Lir of Tír na nÓg carries this energy. You are the doorway to the wisdom of death and the underworld. Archangel Gabriel of mercy is also associated with this direction.

Peaceful Lough crew and the mythical Hy-Brasil lie in this direction. I bring this energy here and now.

I place this water to remind us of the peaceful, intuitive wisdom of water in ourselves.

North - Fáilte North - I re-member the energies associated with the north.

Everything that is born, matures and ripens must die and be reborn. I am the direction of coolness, darkness and rest. Home of the brilliant starry skies and the spectral aurora. Element of Earth, foundation and stability, meditation, sleep and peace. I am the soothing dark night of the daily cycle and the winter of every year.

North is Associated with Archangel Uriel the just. In Celtic mythology Midir carries the energies of the underworld or subconscious. From the Fairy city of Falias we have the stone of Destiny- the lia fáil. Silent supporting earth, home of the Ancestors, place of the subconscious, introspection and deep Peace. You are the Nadir to the noon zenith.

Sliabh Gullion the rocky remains of an ancient volcano, home of the Cailleach lye in this direction. I bring this energy here and now.

I place this stone to remind us of the energy of the peaceful, meditative stability in ourselves.

Centre - Fáilte Centre - I re-member the energies of all that has been said, as these are the energies of the centre, whose element is Ether.

Everything that was born, grew, matured and died passes to and from spirit. Everything that exists contains and is permeated by the ethers of the centre.

I am the omni-present, the centre of; me, this circle, Tara and the universe. I am the meeting space of, the inner and the outer, the above and below. I am the place where my soul resides in the heart of the creator. I am the source and destination of all directions. The place where I am deeply centred and at peace, part of all that is.

In Celtic mythology, Dagda, the good god of the Tuath Dé Danann holds this space, as does Maeve the goddess who confers sovereignty. And in Celtic Christianity we have An Spiorad Naoimh who animates all. In this direction we have heaven on earth and I bring that energy here and now.

I place this incense to remind us of the ubiquity of spirit and the energy of Ether in ourselves.

Bernadette Mac in Navan

This is my centre for peace. The buddha. Red yellow and orange roses from the teachers in St Ann's -today is their 70th birthday. The candles are the light in the darkness and the little bottles are Earth From the Holy city. Olive oil, holy incense and hóly water which I bought in a church there, and a scarf from the street market. I just felt they were important to focus on today along with the song.

The song is the Singing Field by Cloe Goodchild. She always says that the power of the voice and the frequency of sound is very healing, not to mention effective on so many levels. And this is true and as we sing our soul lifts to higher Realms which can bring up so much for each individual and it's necessary for that to happen in order for healing to take place.

Nora in Derbyshire

Enjoyed the beauty of Earth in it's autumn colours

11.11

Samhain ceremony is now closed. What is done, is done. With every ending comes a new beginning. We now make way for new opportunities and energies to enter our lives. 11.11 information

11am 11th November 2023 - A chance to join in with others across the earth to remember those past and to link with the 11.11 winter gateway in whatever way feels helpful for the highest good of all beings.

Anne shared these pictures looking eastward

sunrise on 11.11 and the sea nr Howth and Dublin.

Divali - start 12 November 2023

Samhain in 2023 felt as if it lasted for almost a fortnight - starting as we prepared for Halloween on 31st October through to Remembrance Sunday on 12th November.

And then we moved into the energies of the preparation for Winter Solstice. The nights draw in and the temperature drops. Inside we light the fire and sidelights, and maybe a candle or two.

Diwali is celebrated by Hindus and others. It symbolises the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". ...

From National Geographic - Diwali

Original Plan

Chanting Ohm for Peace - Samhain Síocháin Tara 2023 - Wednesday 8th November 16:10 - Lia Fáil, Hill of Tara, Co. Meath

Samhain was celebrated by our ancestors as the start of their year. It's a time of increasing darkness and at first glance seems counter intuitive to start something when all of nature seems to be falling apart and rotting, when the light is fading and cold starts to bite at us.

When life starts in the seed or womb, it starts in darkness. It starts invisible, imperceptible. The seed needs the cold, dark & wet to help break it asunder so that the life within can become the life without, to send out roots & shoots.

The Tree dies to the red berry
the red berry dies to the black seed,
the black seed dies to the dark earth
and what at first seems like a schism
a splitting asunder
a wrenching apart
is the start of a new life.

Humanity is also entering into a darkness with wars, famines and eco-catastrophes. Like winter, this will kill us or cure us. But one thing is certain. Life as we know it has come to an end. In other words we cannot continue on as we have been doing. We must change our actions, our habits, our minds and our hearts. We must embrace death. Death of the old. The old way is killing us, we must surrender and allow it to fall away dead.

Ironically, we will not die. We are immortal. We are as old as the gods. We have just temporally forgotten that. When we see that divinity in each other, we turn the world on it's head and bring heaven to earth. In Sanskrit we say Namaste, the divinity within me recognises the divinity in you. In Irish we say Dia duit and Dia is Muire duit , God be with you and God and his mother (Mary) be with you. Irish and Sanskrit share a common heritage.

Raja in Sanskrit and Rí in Irish (describing the action to reach) meaning a monarch.
Kali a goddess of death and in Irish we have Cailleach, goddess of death.
Atmen in Sanskrit is Anam in Irish meaning soul.
And is it any small wonder we have Ogham (ohm) script native to Ireland.

Further information on languages can be found at the following blog:
metrogael.blogspot - celts-and-hindus-cognate-cultures

Humanity shares a common heritage, we are all written with the same 4 DNA letters ACTG everything else is a mental or spiritual construct. We are one. During the Irish peace process, Tara and the Boyne valley was host to communities from North and South of the border. This ancient heritage predated anything in medieval or modern beliefs. Part of that shared heritage is a tri-spiral carving bearing an uncanny resemblance to the Sanskrit Ohm. Who knows, by looking at the symbols below and saying Ohm, perhaps we are reading the Irish symbol as it was meant to be uttered.

So, in the spirit of shared heritage and to embody peace and unity, we will be chanting Ohm for 33 minutes on Tara as part of our Samhain Celebration. Different people from all walks of life, all beliefs and none, coming together to sing, chant or hum and be present to the Divine.

Ohm is said to be the primordial sound of creation and to chant or sing it is connecting with a power that has permeated humanity since the beginning. Let us rebegin, afresh, start anew. Let us enter the darkness together, unafraid. A cascade of voices singing Ohm, all starting at different times mixing and dancing in different intonations and different pitches. Then something amazing happens, people start to harmonize and the sound pulls its self together and entrainment follows. Many people singing with one heart, one voice for one purpose. Peace.

That Peace and Peace and Peace be everywhere.

In our hearts, in our land, and in Palestine and Israel, in Russia and Ukraine and

in Our own homes and lives.

Add in some incense, candles, crystals and healers and this is our gift to ourselves and the world. A gift of peace for a new beginning. We are being the change we want to see in this world. During the ceremony we will invite people to place something special in the centre of the circle that has a positive energy.

When you take it back it will have absorbed all the healing vibes and peaceful loving energy that we generate.

We also want you to bring some water from your area to place in a bowl in the center of our circle. The water will be charged during the chanting and will be poured in the seven directions on the hill. Over time the water from each direction will join together as it moves towards the Boyne and on to the sea beyond our shores, bringing our lived experience of Peace to the collective.

All of good heart welcome. We look forward to meeting everyone for this Samhain Celebration and if you feel called to come, dress for the weather.

For people celebrating in absentia why not light a candle and link in as you listen, sing and chant Ohm. We also encourage you to pour water you have worked with onto the earth where you live. The earth and rocks are an integral part of our "psychological sense" of land ownership and perhaps if we saw ourselves as caretakers rather than owners we wouldn't be having wars over land.

What to Bring on Wednesday 8th November 16:10 Lia Fáil, Hill of Tara,Co. Meath

Suitable weather appropriate clothing. Water from your area. A special object you want to expose to the healing vibes that you can bring home. Namaste !