A very old Irish poem, "The Cauldron of Poesy," attributed to the legendary poet, Amergin, speaks of three "cauldrons" that exist within each person – the Cauldron of Incubation, The Cauldron of Motion, and the Cauldron of Wisdom. We will explore the nature of these three cauldrons and how we can engage them in living meaningful lives that bring forward blessings for the people and the land. We will also look at the relationship between this framework and similar models such as the three treasures and the three Dantian of Daoist medicine and concepts of the threefold spirit.
In ancient Ireland, sovereignty was bestowed by the great queen who was the life of the land. The wedding to her came at Samhain. Join us as we explore the Otherworld queens who conferred blessing, life, fertility, and freedom and what they can teach us about the true meaning of sovereignty.
Stark and imposing in hedgerows and on windswept hills at Samhain. Resplendent with white blossoms at Bealtaine. The Blackthorn and the Hawthorn are deeply connected with the wild beauty of the Otherworld. Join us as we explore their myth, magic, and mystery.
There is often a thin line between poison and medicine. Nowhere is this truer than it is with potent plants of the nightshade family. Datura and Tobacco, which both send their intoxicating scents out into the cool air of night, each embody this mystery. Join us as we explore their magic.
Claims abound in today's psychedelic movement that microdosing is a great strategy for helping people live better lives. But does it run the risk of entrenching us more deeply in structures and patterns that don't serve the interests of all of life? We will explore the benefits and pitfalls of microdosing, looking at when it is an ideal strategy and when larger doses of psychedelics may be what's called for.
Fear is a natural and necessary human emotion. It is a signal that we or those we love may be in danger. And at the same time, out of context and out of proportion it can cause us to act rashly our paralyze us completely. In this class, we will explore herbs that can help us face fear in clear and grounded ways.
Stone sweathouses dot the Irish countryside. Little is known for certain about their traditional use, which faded in the wake of the Great Hunger. Combining the fragments of knowledge we can glean from history and folklore with an understanding of ancient Irish cosmology and with what we know of sweatlodges and saunas in other traditions, we will contemplate the role the teach allais may have played in Irish life and what a revival of the tradition might look like. Clear distinctions will be made between what we know and what we might imagine or intuit or surmise.
How do we give life to the visions and insights we receive during transformational experiences, psychedelic and otherwise, grounding them into our bodies and our lives? We will explore herbs and practices that help us carry our visions forward in a good way.
Our oldest understandings of true sovereignty arise from deep connection with the living spirit of the land. We will explore the role Psilocybe spp. mushrooms may have played in the emergence of these understandings, and the role they might play in re-imagining sovereignty in an emergent animist culture.
The sorrow of living in a world where forests are burning, seas are rising, and species are going extinct weighs heavily on our hearts. We will explore how psychedelics, the neurotransmitters of the Elders of Earth, can help us engage and move with that grief in meaningful and transformative ways.
