For me and those who join me, travel in Ireland is always an otherworldly adventure. That’s the whole point, really. To step away from the ordinary and step into the extraordinary.

Coddiwomple. (v.) To travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination. I found this word on Facebook and discovered it’s a fantastic word not found in ordinary dictionaries. Perfect. We journey to Ireland with sacred purpose and intention yet we remain open to vagaries of mythic and mystical encounter. Without and within. However, distant travel is not required for, as John O’Donahue wrote,  “At its heart, the journey of each life is a pilgrimage through unforeseen sacred places that enlarge and enrich the soul.”

When Alice fell down that rabbit hole she was on a mythic and mystical journey. Joseph Campbell would name it her heroic journey. In the recent movie it is so clear that this is the story of Alice finding and fulfilling her purpose of slaying the Jabberwocky. Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! When she does, all the characters of Wonderland rejoice and at long last the Hatter is able to do the futterwacken dance of celebration.

I don’t know how the futterwacken would translate into Irish culture. But I think this would come close.

In your life may you coddiwomple. May you futterwacken. And may you dance!

Beannacht,
Judith – judith@stonfires.com