A Journey back home....

My recent journey back to Ireland, the land of my ancestral roots. I first visited Ireland when I was 7 years old. Interestingly, this is a time when shifting energies within our chakra system occur, a period when we become more rooted in the physical body. This made me pause, as I've always felt drawn to Ireland - it has always felt like home to me. These factoids didn't mean much to me until now, as this new perspective led me to ponder where home truly is for me.

My first stop on this journey was at the Sacred Center of Ireland, The Hill of Uisneach, pronounced "Ish-nook". The guide I know from years prior was moving up the hill in a direction she usually takes people first. However, I was drawn elsewhere into an area of a stand-alone tree that I had seen in a vision before my journey. So, we detoured. It was a Hawthorn tree, also known as the whitethorn. This native Irish tree blooms with white, sweet-smelling spring blossoms and bears red autumn berries, called 'haws'. It is often referred to as a "fairy tree" or "lone bush" and symbolizes love and protection.

These solitary trees are believed to be portals to the Otherworld, protected by the Aos Sí (faeries), making cutting or damaging them traditionally considered to bring extreme misfortune. They have many species, and the I Ching reveres the Hawthorne, considered magical, representing strength, self-discipline, courage, purpose, and patience.

This tree, as you can see, is surrounded by stones, placed many years ago for protection from the harsh weather. These stones produce limestone, which in turn feeds the roots of the tree. A way to protect and nourish the tree so it never goes without nutrients, being cared for by the Earth. This trip felt like I was protected and cared for; perhaps the Hawthorne appeared to let me know all as it should be.  

My landing in Eire was a day later than scheduled. My departure flight was delayed in San Francisco, so I never made my connection in New Jersey. I ended up landing in Ireland a day later. The day I was to have landed in Ireland was pouring with rain. As I stepped outside the airport in Dublin, I was greeted by the Sun shining upon my face with 69°F (21 °C). The amazing thing was that it stayed that way for my entire trip! Yup, no rain...

The pull to go back to Ireland was something I had to do, not fully understanding, but as I was underway, it all felt just as it should be. This journey helped me release much of the pain I was carrying, alongside the grief and recent loss of my mother. I felt my mom and grandma were by my side the entire time. Each day the Sun rose, I felt blessed by nature and them smiling upon me as I traversed her landscapes. The sun, the sky, and the moon, upon my arrival, continued to assist me as I made my way.

Arriving back in California, it's both cloudy and wet. Much like the expected weather in Ireland, but it’s here in California. The taking in of joy was brought to my attention more than once during my trip. They shone upon me, my light, the smiles, and the many connections I made were not lost upon me. I felt them deep in my root system. Did I go back to connect with myself in a new and different way, a time to let go of many ancestral pieces I didn't know I was holding?  When home in our body, mind, hearts, and spirit, all is right with the world, inside and out.

I traversed many landscapes, which brought me back to the last trip I had with my mom, before her sister's passing. Her sister, who remained in the west of Ireland, was getting ready to leave her Earthly body. My Mom and I took some time out to visit areas she never got to explore in her youth. We ended up in a small historical hut on our way to Belmullet, just outside her home village of Glenamoy. My mom read through the history logs, witnessing the loss of many within her village and those nearby. An understanding of the many struggles and lives lost, as she was spared hers. It was as if she went back in time, before her time, and saw the harsh events of her homeland, although her steadfast way of being never wavered, and her love and bond to her homeland were never lost.

We never know what we carry of our ancestors; it's when we can be with the pains we carry and allow them to be felt that it can then set us free. The ripple effects are endless, and can not only free you, but can also unlock, nourish, and feed your family tree. We never realize that we build stones around our hearts, not allowing ourselves to be truly fed. Sometimes we must stop and pause to see where the stones or defenses are preventing our hearts from receiving the love and joy the Universe has for us.

I found many impulses to open my hands to receive these blessings, which in turn allowed the joy to trickle in. I realized throughout the journey that there were many sacred sites where I was releasing the pains of many, both known and unknown. This world we traverse can leave us seeking ways to find balance, but many times it leads us away from our true home, our heart center. I found myself asking that my hands remain open, so my heart can be free to receive all the love and blessings of my spirit within me.

"May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the Sun shine warm upon your face:

The rains fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again.

May GOD hold you in the palm of his hand."

~Irish blessing

Grá do chàch (Love to all)...

Regina