Celtic Shamanism 

Celtic Shamanism 

Shamanism is the oldest spiritual and healing practice on the planet dating  back 50,000 years. This tradition has grown out of humanity’s experience of  evolving out of the earth and our intimate connections to our mother earth.

When  we journey into the inner realms through the doors of perception using our  minds eye to explore the wondrous world of imagination, we can tap into the  greater store of wisdom that our ancestors have accumulated throughout the  milenia. This ancient wisdom can help us heal ourselves, each other and the  earth. 

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My Shamanic Journey

I am forever thankful and eternally grateful to the wonderful Eugene O'Halloran who was a Shemanic practitioner and who sadly passed away in 2016. Eugene introduced me to the Tuatha de Danann and the Celtic way and I was intrigued by his knowledge, wisdom, insight, intuition, his ancient soul and his ways of bringing this ancient knowledge into todays world. Not to mention his mischievous eyes and cheeky smile. 

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Eugene lived and worked on the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota and developed a strong bond and was initiated into the Lakota people. The stories he would tell fascinated me and left me longing for more. He had the foresight to invite members of the Lakota people to Ireland in 2008. For them to visit our sacred sites and meet and gather with our people. We spent 10 days sharing stories, chanting and drumming and learning that our stories were similar. Eugene was a wonderful teacher and practitioner  who worked with me at my own pace, gently but so powerfully. I still feel his guidance, protection and support as a spirit guide from behind our thin veil. 

What I Offer 

CELTIC WHEEL 

My work includes teaching, and holding space for workshops and ceremonys/rituals using the  Celtic Wheel as guidance which for me now is a daily practise and a life choice to work with nature. This includes listening to nature and mirroring the seasons into my mind, body and spirit, For example I used to struggle at the first sign of Autumn and resist the long dark evenings and the cold. But  understanding what is happening in nature and the reasons behind it helps me to understand that I too need to slow down and rest too and take stock at this time of year. By going with the flow and understanding the Celtic wheel I work with  nature, my nature and not against it. This involves ceremony and ritual work  around our 8 festivals; of which I facilitate 

1.Samhain – October 1 

2.Winter Solstice – December 1 

3. Imbolc, St. Bridgid – February 1 

4. Spring Equinox – March 21 

5. Bealtaine – May 1 

6. Summer Solstice – June 21 

7. Lughnasa – August 1 

8. Autumn Equinox – September 20 

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For Further information on location/ structure/ content of these workshops please contact me. 

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Ive always been curious about my lineage and ancestors. When I met Lemoine LePointe of the Sicangu Lakota  (who was the elder of the grpup) during this trip, a seed was sown for me to look deeper and learn more.  

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I followed Lemoine around like a shadow as I was intrigued and fascinated to learn from him and for him to share his wisdom and knowledge with me. On the ninth day he looked at me and said 'you know Deirdre, people come to us, my people, for answers but they forget - answers are within'.  

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He guided and explained to me that I had a responsibility to my ancestors and to myself to learn the old ways and traditions of my own heritage. As I learned I equally had the responsibility of passing on these teachings to the next generation; Since then I have not only acquired knowledge from my ancestral lineage but it has become a daily practise for me. I have studied and walked this path and continue to walk with the insightful Cait Brannigan – Bean feasta (Wise Woman) since 2014. This is a very personal journey but one that I am blessed to walk.

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Through questioning and researching my ancestral linage I learnt that my Grandfather played piano on a Sunday in an orphanage to children in Kilkenny. For him, having been in an industrial school, with his identical twin brother, from the age of seven to sixteen in Clonmel, he knew how lonely a Sunday could be. In ways for me I feel that History is repeating itself in the work that I do. 

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I also found out in my heritage that there was a keener (Caioneadh) from Waterford is a woman who laments for someone who has died to help bring community into grief in order for them to support each other. I feel it is in my blood to use my voice for healing.  

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Where appropriate I incorporate my learnings from this deep spiritual understanding as healing is at the forefront of my intention.

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Celtic Shamanism recognises that all life is implicitly connected and sacred by working closely with nature and the elements. I am more by my own definition and my children’s more a Bean Fiain (Wild Woman) as I like to walk barefoot as soon as Spring has sprung.

VOICE TONING, CHANTING AND MANTRAS 

WHAT IS THE SONG OF YOUR HEART?

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I am also drawn and inspired to work in groups or one to one’s using our own  voice. The human voice’s ability to heal, to express our innermost being and  spirituality, is often neglected, yet to sing is to touch the deepest parts of  ourselves, bypassing all barriers. I love to explore the use of the voice in  shamanic practice, using toning and keening to access our inner worlds, and  exploring the use of chant. Based upon the musical modes of ancient Ireland. 

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Through finding our voice we are stepping into the greater truth of who we are. Owning that and expressing our capacitities for the greater good of all that is.  By singing in my native gaelic tongue, I feel I am connecting with something that is deep rooted within me. I had the prinvilage of an artist residency on Inis Oirr, while working with the children in the school and facilitating workshops in Irish, we learnt songs in Irish and incorporated them to the beat of a drum. I also like ot learn and teach sean nós (old style Irish singing) and keening is of the upmost importance to me in order to honour, acknowledge  and keep alive our own beautiful traditions. 

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For Further information contact me. 

CELTIC CAULDRONS

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I also offer one to one sound healing sessions using our Celtic equivalent of the  7 chakra system called the 3 cauldrons. 

The three cauldrons are said to be located at the pelvic girdle, the heart, and  the centre of the head. My understanding is that the cauldrons loosely aligned  with the chakras as such: the base, sacral & solar plexus (the ‘physical’ chakras)  corresponding to the cauldron of warming, the heart chakra (the ‘bridge’  between the physical and spiritual) corresponding to the cauldron of motion  (e-motion), and the throat, third eye and crown (the spiritual/etheric chakras)  corresponding to the cauldron of inspiration. The three cauldrons are known  as the Coire Goiriath (Cauldron of Warming or Incubation), the Coire Ernmae  (Cauldron of Motion or Vocation), and the Coire Sois (Cauldron of Inspiration  or Knowledge).  

Bean Fhiáin

The wild Woman is only intimidating to those who are not yet free. She is a mirror all you are or all you have yet to become. she is a living invitation to claim your freedom. Your wings long to lift you on the wind. 

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- Wild Woman Sisterhood