375 - 20.10.26 - Oíche Shamna

Well, not quite. 

Tomorrow is Oíche Shamna - today is the 30 of October. 

From here on in the long nights begin in Ireland. The darkness returns and all the festivals of light come on. Beginning with Oíche Shamna and then, St Martins, then Advent and Christmas, New Year. We can also add Deepavali to that. The celebration of the hope that there will one day be spring once more. How many times has the planet been through this cycle. It is humbling. 

We are only here for a very short time and in that short time you'd think we would try and live with the humility and gratitude which we should given the gift which is our Earth.

I love this place. I love it. I began unplugging yesterday - maybe the day before, but I really had to unplug yesterday. To understand my purpose and to understand that this is alright, and more than alright.

Everything is changing rapidly. Very rapidly. But the human spirit, that will always be there. Always.

Well, as long as there are humans.

So I wanted to write a bit about Oíche Shmana. But before I do that I also want to say how delighted I am that I did do Irish three years ago. Maybe in the teeth of the pandemic, I decided, enough is enough - I am going to learn Irish. I am.

I am going to learn Irish because I have lived here long enough and I should know some Irish. I know some Irish now and when Irish comes on I am part of the conversation. I probably know the same about of Irish as many Irish people. Certainly to read and understand. Holding a conversation is another matter.

Well... Halloween.

The 31st is the last day before the real darkness arrives. Th clocks go back further confusing everyone during the last week of October and we end up confused about the time and where we are. It is part of the thinning of the veil. 

The magical places are places of refuge and difference. They are the hidden worlds in which we may contact and go to when we need to escape a little from the reality of the everyday. Life in Singapore is pretty much like this. (But not my life, of course.) 

Anyway... here we are... what can I say? When the Tuatha de Danaan agreed to enter the land, to live in the rivers and hills and mountains and the trees, to make way for the Milesans, they did the land a great favour. Before they left, the magic of land was everywhere, because of the early peoples who were there. The arrival of the Mileseans signaled a change in consciousness. Now began the Iron age. When thinking became conscious. I also think that I need to read about the Fianna - I really don't know anything about Finn beyond the fact that he tasted the Salmon of Knowledge. 

And then became the Odysseus of Ireland, but a lot less irritating. I don't want to go into a long diatribe about Odysseus, but he is irritating. Hero's Journey or no. Actually, thinking about it, I've been on a sort of Hero's Journey - voyaging out and then returning home. It's kinda mad really. My life has been a Hero's Journey. 

It's much better to look at it through that lens. I think everyone's life is a Hero's Journey, that is the point. BUT I had to leave Singapore to journey to my spiritual home, and I think  I have become a better person. It is super indulgent to think of it that way - which is why I probably never have. A bit inblisk, as the Norwegians say. But everyone is that way sometime in their 20s.

Anyway, the turning of the year. The Da Danaan, who have entered the land walk it for one night as they used to. During this time people dress up so they don't feel uncomfortable. There is also a nod to the power of other - that we do not know everything and it would be good to be part of the quiet listening. 

This holding of the liminal space, is such an important part of being human. 

Just a couple more things before I head for my run. First, I feel great today - it is as if I have cleared away the cobwebs and a new phase is on the way. Thank fuck. That was just awful. I know that everything is still in bloody retrograde, but yeah...at least I am prepared. 

Secondly, I had a good look at myself in the mirror and I am about a month away from where I'd like to be, so that's a little off the timeline, but by not much. So I will make sure that I help that with eating well. But the important thing is that I run every day - and swim as well. That's the important thing.

Gardening instead of walking i think. I think that the twice a week gardening and the run and swim on the other days was a good one.

Sunday: Garden and Stretch

Mon -Wed: Run and Swim

Thurs: Garden

Fri, Sat: Run and Swim

I feel great really. Much better than I've felt in ages. I miss Ireland, of course I do.

I think that the time for ritual is over in my life. It is weird because I feel like I am always able to step into the other world, but in a very conscious way, not a spaced out way. It is always there - for one specific purpose - for me to refresh myself with. To be able to draw sustenance from. 

In this time in my life I am about creating and building bridges, although I did recently throw boundaries around myself twice inside the space of two weeks. But it had to be done. Boundary throwing is always difficult, but that's life. 

Right. I am off for my run. And then my sit ups. Back to get the petrol done. Then one last run through the presentation. And then off to NAFA.