2024 - Caves - Connect
Calendar for Samhain 2024
| 1st November - Sunrise | Distance 'Connect' - Samhain Greetings. 2024 - Caves - Connect |
| 31st October to 1st November | New Moon Open Heart Healing Circle -
The Healing Circle Opens at 9pm 31st October 2024 and continues into the New Moon on 1st November |
| 1st - 4th November | Individual cave celebration over the Samhain weekend. Caves |
| 4th November - 8pm | 25 words meditation 25 words archive |
Preparing for the New Moon on 1st November 2024
Hello, everyone, as we approach the new moon on the 1st of November
2024 I feel a strong urge to prepare and take a breath in the days
coming up to that date. Today the 27th of October, the last day of
summer, where the days are getting shorter and the night draw in, a time
of change not only for the clocks but in our lives,
The change is all around us at this time and we can get distracted in
the outer world ups and downs as we are all connected and feel the
shifts taken place. So what can this mean you are asking for us at this
time?
I was inspired by a post of NJ on Tara celebrations of caves and thought it was definitely a time of going indoors and settling in as the winter comes knocking... a time of reflection, taking a breath and counting our blessings just like the bear who hibernates into the cave.
We do this also at winter time in one way or another - it is in our
nature. The soul tells us no matter what part of the world you come from
we have an inner season. In this season take a step back. Set a time
each day that works for you and create a gentle healing loving space,
whether it be in our home, your cave so to speak, or out in nature, to
gather what is needed for the long nights ahead. The new moon is now in
the sign Scorpio on the 1st and is a great number to start afresh in
setting new intentions, whatever that means for you at this time. So in
the lead-up to this date on the new moon ask yourself:
What is it I need to do to bring about change in my life?
Are these intentions realistic?
What needs healing ?
Am I speaking and walking my truth ?
Do i take time out and take a breath
These are just some questions we can ask ourselves in the days coming up to this new moon on the 1st.
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Pat shares Inspiration for a Cave celebration
Samhain Ceremony. Complete with a black cat and a black dog of course!
| Altar includes withered leaves (decay), pine cones (new life), a rock from the Burren (earth), crystals, candles (fire), frankincense, white sage incense ('cos why not?), and my drum. |  |
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Mound of the Hostages, Hill of Tara
A man-made cave. Known in Irish as Duma na nGiall. Dating from 5000 years ago, contemporary with Newgrange. The passage faces eastwards, aligned with Samhain and Imbolc sunrise, with a decorated stone just inside the entrance on the left. The mound was used for burials from the early Neolithic up to 1600 - 1700 BCE. Hill of Tara
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Pat, Marta and Anne recalled Owenygat and Rathcroghan
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and nearby... Keshcorran caves
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Aillwee Cave, Burren, Ireland suggested by Bernadette
A much visited tourist attraction. The paranormal investigation...
"The journey was not just a quest for potential paranormal activity but a unique exploration of elemental energies and the Fae – the otherworldly forces that some believe are stitched into the very fabric of Ireland's mystical landscape."
Aillwee burren experience.ie and A-paranormal-expedition-into-ireland-s-mystical-underground
Louise suggested Thirst House, Chelmorton, Derbyshire
Thirst was first known as Hob Hurst’s House as a goblin, aka a hob, was supposed to live there. In Derbyshire dialect, this became th’Hurst House, and then Thirst House. He was a friendly being who helped on the farm even mending items left at the cave. However, if annoyed, he would turn milk sour and become malevolent.
Delphi, Greece - from Marta
The Pythia and her consultants first bathed in the Castalian spring; afterward, she drank from the sacred spring Cassotis and then entered the temple. There she apparently descended into a basement cell, mounted a sacred tripod, and chewed leaves of the laurel, Apollo’s sacred tree. While in her altered state, the Pythia would speak, intelligibly or otherwise. Britannica.com - oracle / religion
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Samhain Shamanic Journey - “To the Caves of my mind”
One persons experience of their Inner Cave. The intention is to de-mystify the Journeying experience so that others may do it if they wish.
Let me give a little bit of background
to my understanding of Shamanic Journeying, just for context. It is
an ages-old practice, used by peoples all over the world & it
involves getting into a trance-like state – commonly brought on by
drumming, rattles, dancing, chanting etc. - & visiting “other
worlds” in which there are Power Animals, Guides, Spirits,
Ancestors etc. This is done both using one’s imagination and
especially “going with the flow” with whatever comes into one’s
mind. Use earphones and a recording of drumming which
can be found online with various periods, usually from 15 minutes to
2 hours or your own drumming using that famous
Indigenous Irish Shamanic drum, AKA The Bodhrán.
It is recommended to have an intention for a journey before starting. Typically, practitioners will visit the Upper, Middle or Lower Worlds & there are various ways of getting there often via a cave scenario and a canoe to visit the Lower World. My intention was to get some insight on the “caves of the mind", intending to actually visit the cave in question for a Samhain Ceremony and journey. But it was lashing rain so, setting up an altar in my sitting room, closing the blinds to simulate a cave, lighting some incense, off I went!
Imagining entering a cave on a beach near Dublin, heading for the canoe, there were steps at the back of the cave which had been un-noticed before. Climbing the steps, sure they led to the Upper World, moving/floating up them, going through clouds, exiting, heading towards a door in the distance. On opening the door, there was a capsule to get in, lie down, close the transparent lid and whoosh!. Not feeling a thing, there was a sense of travelling at an extraordinary speed.
"What’s this all in aid of?” ... an immediate answer: “It’s so that the human, mortal part of you can make some sense of what’s happening.”
Leaving the capsule, facing another door which, when opened, led to a beautiful,
calm, natural landscape, another thought:
“It’s still under
construction – think ‘Garden of Eden' – type scenario – again
so your simple brain can make sense of it”. (Note: These worlds are
partly figments of my not-so-simple mind, designing
them whatever way I wish).
At this stage, there was a beautiful
Goddess-Like Being who was sitting on a bench nearby. It felt like being ‘moved’
rather than ‘walked’ having transformed into an Energy Being in the capsule.
The Goddess/Guide communicated to me by thought: “What are you looking for?”
Answering by thinking: “I want to visit the caves of my mind and gain some insights.”
She sighed before answering: “Very well, I’ll show you something you should be able to understand, follow me.”
Following her to a cliff by the sea, not dissimilar to the launch place of my Journeys’ actually, but much grander – huge in fact, we stopped and she urged me to continue along the cliff and enter the cave. Entering a massive space, bigger than any cathedral, there were lots of other caves in the walls. At the back of the cave, crawling into one - “Fears” - although there were no signs anywhere, I spent a while contemplating fears experienced regularly but was interrupted – rudely – by being dragged out of the cave by the 'feet'. It was my Goddess/Guide, who had obviously followed me into the cave… and she wasn’t happy.
“Why would you seek out that cave when, if you look around you, right here, there are so many beautiful and interesting things to behold?” she asked.
She had a point. There were caves everywhere in the walls of the main cave, which itself was covered in crystals and all sorts of interesting, beautiful natural patterns. One of these caves was about halfway up the sheer wall in a very inaccessible looking situation. What was it?
“Ancestors,” she replied.
Scrambling up and entering the cave there were some ancestors – some recognisable, most not. During a chat with the Ancestors, a first insight...
“Just Be and all else will follow.”
(What they actually
said was: “With the
simplicity of an authentic present, a complicated future will unfold.
Just Be” … Why do they talk like that? Is it them or me? but there you have
it).
Leaving the ancestors’ cave, there was a cave for anything imaginable. Another interesting one about three-quarters of the way up the wall was definitely out of reach. Asking what it was, there was a pause: (She’s lovely, but very impatient with sometimes).
“That’s Time travel, as you know it.”
Intrigued, wanting to know more
about the mind.
At the very, very top of the cave, which narrowed to quite a small point, there was a bright light.
“Where does that lead?”
“It leads to the exact spot where you
entered this cave,” she answered and seeing my puzzlement, continued: “there is
no time but you’re not ready for that stuff yet. Go and visit the
Lower Realm now.”
Then she was gone. (She does that, very
dramatic altogether).
Into the canoe – which just appeared
out of nowhere of course. Then a Downwards journey. Coming to a familiar Lower World with its’ lake, forest and beach in
the distance, having tied up the canoe, into the forest,
heading for the wooden hut that is in a clearing.
Two Power animals were there waiting for me, a Seagull and a Black Panther. After a brief chat they told me to go outside and join the Old Man who was sitting on a large log there. Doing as advised, the Old Man immediately started to impart his Wisdom:
“Know that hoovering the house is every bit as important as writing a masterpiece,” he thought. Needless to say, I didn’t like hearing that.
“Has my wife somehow infiltrated my Shamanic Lower World and got to my Old Man Guide?”. He chuckled. (Yes, there is room for humour in these Worlds of course!)
It made no sense at the time but thinking about it later, it did. When hoovering the house, that is the most important thing in my Universe at that particular time. Which is why many of the wise folks in the past have said that you should do whatever you are doing as good as you possibly can. After all our time as humans is precious so we might as well try and make the most out of every second of our lives – even when we’re hoovering!
Silence for a while before the Old Man “spoke” again:
“Be under no illusion – doing nothing is doing something very important.”
At this point Seagull Guide landed on
my shoulder and advised "head for home". Hesitating... the
drumming in my earbuds hadn’t changed beat to alert me to go home
yet, but Seagull was insistent.
“Go home now, it’s time.”
Retracing the route, back to the canoe, into a cave, transported to the beach, back to my makeshift cave in my sitting room. Opening my eyes instantaneously, the drumming in my ears sped up, signifying the Journey was coming to an end after 30 (human) minutes. Watching and listening until all went silent, I was back. Back from the Journey to get an insight into the caves of my mind… And WHAT a Journey!!
Susan's American Autumn Colours
Nora's Copper Beech bushes were splendid
M & K carved their pumpkin in Nova Scotia |  |
Samhain 2024 - Mexico and Ireland
The cross quarter day that marks Samhain is the midpoint in the yearly cycle between Autumn Equinox and Winter Solstice. This date is usually the 8th November and is what many of the stone age cairns are most closely aligned to for sunrise. It means we have entered the cold dark winter quarter of the year which the Celts and those before them knew to be the beginning of the year. The period of dark before the rebirth. Halloween is the Christianised version of this festival, which in more recent decades has been rebranded as a modern take on ghoulishness, a far cry from the ancient beliefs.
Daniela and I decided to collaborate on celebrating Samhain in an authentic way using the themes from tradition. Daniela was celebrating in Mexico at the "Dia de Muertos" (Day of the Dead) and I in Ireland for "Samhain" (summers end).
We each noticed that anger was coming up for both of us, so we chose to channel that anger constructively.
It's a powerful healthy energy that can sponsor change and fuel beginnings. It's only when it is suppressed that it becomes explosive and dangerous.
I used the following template for my ritual which lasted about 40 mins.
Smudge, Light, Open Directions, Spirit Plate, Angry Apples, Contemplating the Ancestors and the native tongue Song, Close Directions.
I set up the center on a flat slab on an old stone wall that divides two townlands (liminal space). It also is fortuitously located under a tree and about 10 feet from my house.
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The spirit plate is a tradition of leaving out food on a plate to honour the ancestors. It contained bread for comfort, honey for sweetness, salt for the spice of life and wine for merriment.
The Angry apples bit was added to use the anger and get it out of the way before engaging with the core action of the ritual. It involved externally focusing all the anger into the apple which used visualisation and physically beating the apple. The anger now in the apple was buried to rot in the ground so that the anger energy would fertilise the soil and promote positive growth.
To contemplate the ancestors I lit two incense sticks, one for each branch of my family tree. I addressed them in their native languages so I spoke Irish, French and English. Then I let my mind wander. At first I thought about their struggles, their problem solving abilities, their success and their failures, their pain and their pleasure and how I was in some way the embodiment of many people. I was a product of their thoughts, deeds and actions. I thought how I may be influenced by them and what influences were theirs. .
And then I thought, a tree transports water and minerals from its
root tips to its highest leaves and the leaves move sugar to the root
tips. Its a two way conversation the tree has between the above and the
below. I too can influence my ancestors. It's within my gift to use
discernment to cultivate my positive conditioning and reject unwanted
conditioning. I can send light, forgiveness and love back through my
family tree and heal it and heal myself.
A healthy tree connects in with the mycorrhiza in the soil and gives
health bearing substances to its daughter trees and even if it chooses
to other non related trees. I felt this was going on between myself and
my ancestors but also between myself and Daniela. Healing the one heals
the all. It's a ho oponopono mindset which I love.
Daniela, who had no notion of the conversation I was having with the ancestors, was tuning in and had this to say ".....Martin heals so I heal and the other way around and we are connected to everyone else so we all heal". .........wow!
We are indeed all connected on the world wide web of energy!
To finish I picked one sad and one melancholic song to sing for the ancestors. I am stretched on your grave and The parting glass.
Daniela Letting Go of Anger
In some way it always feels like this celebration is about: Letting Go.
However,
this year my “letting go” felt wildly different. Inspired by my
friend Martin, I realized that this time I wanted to put emphasis on
LETTING GO OF DEEP-ROOTED ANGER.
Do you know what I mean? The kind of
anger that is not due to the idiot that ignored the red light in a
busy street, but the kind of anger that you are not even aware of
anymore. Anger that your mind might have forgotten, but not your
spirit or your body. The kind of anger that might even lead to
disease in the long run if left unprocessed. The kind of anger that
perhaps is not even entirely yours, but transgenerational,
yes…ancestral.
Before I go on, let’s make clear that anger in itself is not a bad thing. ALL human emotions are valid and have a purpose in our own personal development. For instance, anger helps us set boundaries which is an utterly important skill to have. Let´s not feel guilty for feeling anger since it is just a self-preservation instinct; a way in which our nervous system tells us:
“Hey! There is something harmful close to us, stop it, do
something about it!”.
Be angry, do something to resolve the
situation and let go.
I know it is a classical example of “easier
said than done” (believe me I know! I’ve been with my mother for
4 weeks now for the first time in a loooooong while and I know how
difficult it can be to let go of things both old and new).
That is
why I decided to dedicate this year’s Samhain celebration to let go
of the kind of anger that does no longer serve a purpose in my
journey and on the contrary, only poisons my soul if I choose to hold
on to it.
So, I found this magnificent tree that you see in the photo
(in the countryside of Mexico), and I felt it was the perfect place
to sit and meditate about this.
Under a tree which has healthy roots
holding it firmly to the soil, so that it can literally stand its
ground (the same way I want to do when it is necessary), while
letting go of the leaves that have already fulfilled their mission
and now shall depart for good, just like my anger towards so many
things, people, and situations.
I want LIFE to run through my
branches rather than poison.
This Samhain, under this tree, I let go of the kind of energy that hinders my personal growth and embrace the kind of energy that reminds me of the fact that I came to Earth to create for myself a life of peace, joy…love.
I invite you, dear friends, to do the same.
Happy Samhain and beyond! Daniela.
Smoke Faces
| Martin's fire |  |
