I have spend equal amounts of time living outside of Ireland, as I have living in it. I definitely feel a large part of my roots are there and I have always drawn great strength from that magical land throughout my life.
Ireland was one of the last matriarchal societies in Europe and before religion was introduced and pre Viking times, women held the same rights as men, they were the main warriors of the country with many of our ancient hero’s being trained by them. This was a time of balance as both the masculine and feminine energies of the land and the people were embraced.
There were no restrictions placed upon you because of your sex, both could own land, take up arms or work the land, both could have as many lovers as they pleased. The choice was yours, and having choice enabled that balance to thrive.
But eventually that balance was threaten by the arrival of more masculine energies and organizations. Religion arrived and with it the threat of hell and damnation if you didn’t convert. But no matter how hard they tried to drive home the idea of man being more important, the Irish would mot let go of their feminine side, so in the end they allowed Them to worship Mary openly, the mother aspect of the triple goddess.
Ireland is full of statues of Mary they are found throughout the countryside, small shrines with offerings of candles and flowers and often next to a sacred well.
Yes religion tried to convert them, but the feminine was too strong and so she held on. You are more likely to see statues of Mary in houses than Jesus, something that always empowered me growing up, seeing women being honoured when the church was always trying to enforce the hand of a male God!
Religion never felt right to me, I never believed what was preached to me in church, but yet I was fascinated with the figure of Mary and as I grew up and relearnt, or remembered I understood why. Mary represents the strength of people and our connection to the land.
Usually when you meet someone in Ireland they always want to know where you are from, as connection to the land is important. We ask this automatically, as well as make comments about the weather, all of which connects us and them to the earth.
And then there is the talk of fairy rings and sacred sites. One would never destroy a fairy ring, which is represented by flowers, mushrooms or trees growing in a circle. These are places that go untouched by human hands, these sites are respected and left wild. These stories and sightings allowed my imagination to sore.
I always felt so honoured and lucky if I found one as a child and now still as an adult. There is no denying that the earth creates magic and that all land is sacred. I am so grateful to have grown up in a Country which practised that. For sure we have other things not to be so proud of, but our connection to the land is strong, even after years of turmoil and suffering.
Ireland is full of magical places and megalithic sites that when you walk into them you can feel the shift of energy! I remember visiting a sacred well which was also hone to a Sheela Na Gig statue. This well was linked with Brigid who represents the maiden and the Sheela na Gig statue was on the outside of a very old church that was in ruins. Sheela represents the crone and within those ruins was a statue of Mary who represents the mother.
We all know that most churches where built on sacred sites and this one was definitely very sacred, you could feel the energy rise within this space. All connected to the earth by this well which nourished the land and the people.
It is no wonder I returned to Ireland to birth my 2 eldest daughters. I had a strong pull in my first pregnancy to return and connect with those energies and embrace my feminine side, embrace the goddess within, which all women need to do when birthing their young.
Ireland to me will always represent balance, even though things may be out of balance right now, it will return once we embrace all sides of who we are, once we embrace all energies and reconnect with the land.
This is my response to @whatamidoing’s Cross Culture Question: What is something you love about the country you grew up in?
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