Chasing Leprechauns
Friends ask what I’ll be doing in Ireland. My reply? Establishing residency….chasing leprechauns….exploring Celtic spirituality….connecting with wild energies of the Atlantic Ocean and the small island of Inis Mor…cycling….yoga….and of course writing and photography.
But mostly I’m hopping across the Pond because it’s calling me. One thing I have learned is that when ‘something‘ calls, I listen. And Ireland is calling me…strongly.
As I sit here on endless hold with Delta…who changed my flight and put me in a regular seat after I previously paid for Comfort.…I wrap up loose ends….pay bills, write out notes to my mom and the pet sitter and try to clear a space on my desk to give the appearance that I am basically an organized person. This is a pause before an intense day of travel through three different airports and several time zones.
I am looking forward to a time of unplugging and allowing the spirits of the land and Ocean to speak to my heart, to help me deepen to my own spiritual path and give clear direction on how I might further my work for this magnificent Ocean Planet. This is a Threshold experience.
John O’Donohue describes a Threshold: “When the grip of some long-enduring winter mentality begins to loosen, we find ourselves vulnerable to a flourish of possibility and we are suddenly negotiating the challenge of a threshold. A threshold is not a simple boundary; it is a frontier that divides two different territories, rhythms and atmospheres. It is wise in your own life to be able to recognize and acknowledge the key thresholds; to take your time; to feel all the varieties of presence that accrue there; to listen inward with complete attention until you hear the inner voice calling you forward. The time has come to cross.
I am ready to cross the Threshold that calls me. “The script of individual destiny is secret….each life is a mystery….life needed us and wanted us to be….to sense and trust this primeval acceptance can open a vast spring of trust within the heart. It can free us into a natural courage that casts out fear and opens up our lives to become voyages of discovery, creativity, and compassion.” John O’Donohue
Once I return there will be stories to share and images to express it all….but for now, there is only space and willingness to be taught by the Earth and Ocean…Wind and Stars. “Whatever comes, the great sacrament of life will remain faithful to us, blessing us always with visible signs of invisible grace. We merely need to trust.” (John O’Donohue)