The Transition of Summer's End

[First posted 26 October 2010]

Faerie Cavern by "AE"

The time of Samhain/Samhuinn (literally, "summer's end") — the Celtic New Year — is upon us. It's difficult to really pinpoint when it starts and when it ends, although the definite pinnacle is November Eve, the night of October 31st, known today of course, as Hallowe'en, my favourite time of the year. It seems to begin with the thinning of "the veils" between here and there a week or more before 10/31 and lasts about that long afterward.

A certain amount of The Risen text is underscored by some key psychological concepts, notably one that we call underconscious (used instead of "unconscious") which is partially a way of denoting "race consciousness" – sometimes referred to as "the collective unconsciousness" of humanity. Within the overall sphere of race consciousness, which consists of the collected experiences of each and every individual human psyche (mind/self/soul) there are countless lesser spheres of  what could be called "tribal awareness,"  for lack of a better descriptor.

Keeping Samhain in mind, I experienced this access to race/tribal underconscious in a dramatic way for the first conscious time when I was studying Celtic spirituality with the Gaelic Shaman, Dr. Geo Athena Trevarthen (who was Geo Cameron at that time, many years ago.) There was perhaps a group of about 25 people who had traveled from all over the world for the rare opportunity to work with her on one of her even rarer visits to the U.S. There were more than a few who had studied within other shamanistic systems, primarily Native American, and a fair number of them had been "Harnerized" -- i.e., worked with Michael Harner, who is credited with having brought "shamanistic traditions to Western World awareness." And so, many of the participants arrived with all their Native American objects and tools, drums and flutes, and inspired dances, unaware that their ways and Celtic shamanism traditions were worlds apart.

It was fascinating to see how those individuals who were very gifted in Native American ways were unable to easily access -- if at all -- the realms of the Tuatha Dé Danann and of faerie. They were quite frustrated by not being able to achieve their usual trance modes and connect with the Great Father,  (the Dagda of the Celts). I, who had no Native American inclinations, immediately tranced into the Underworld with the first words of the Old Gaelic chant that left Geo's lips. It soon became clear that there were only a handful of us who were like this, and even more apparent as time ran on that we each of us had definite celtic ancestry, mainly Irish, Welsh and Scots. For us, it was like ducks in the water; for the others, it was like beating on an unresponsive door. Later, Geo met with us privately, as she had watched our growing realization of what was happening, and explained that it was our ancestral connection to the Underworld via this particular tribal consciousness that gave us such quick and easy access to their spiritual under-realms. She also cautioned us to always express our gratitude for this, and to be, above all, servants to those in need, embodied or otherwise.

One might rightly wonder if those who were able to utilize Native American traditions  had Native American  ancestry in some way. We took a quick census and found that there was only one person who thought they might, but didn't know for sure. The explanation was offered that their own spirits resonated with the spirits of certain Native American holy persons who still stayed close to the Earth; and indeed, it is well-known that many mediums -- American and non-American -- are assisted by powerful Indian shamans and warriors. But as to why a non-Celt couldn't achieve the same kind of resonance was a bit of a mystery, although some occult Irish mystics, such as the poet, painter and clairvoyant George Russell ("AE"), have quietly intimated that one must (somehow) have a direct DNA connection to faerie. (Little did they know when taunting me in my teens for being a "fairy"!) [See R.J. Stewart's essay on faerie, who advises to search for AE's The Candle of Vision: Inner Worlds of the Imagination]

A few years later on a very windy All Hallows Eve, I had the awesome privilege to join R.J. Stewart  and about 100 others in a private hours-long ceremony to usher in the New Year — specifically we had gathered to provide the service of helping those who had been been unable to complete their transition, wandering the earth in confusion and fear, cross over into the Risen realms while the veils were at their thinnest and then totally open for a few brief moments. Again, it was clear that amongst the fine gathering of a great variety of spiritual traditions, the Children of the Dagda found instant connection with one another and were able to join R.J. in building the "crystal lattice of light" needed for support and safety. The evening culminated in what was for me an astounding and dramatic event of watching thousands of unRisen find their way to the path we made and successfully leave the terrestrial realms.

August in the cabinet with Summerland Light - France 2014

Cha d'dhù in doras nach d'fhosgail doras! (No door closes without another opening!)