March 2, 2021
The Light Of Ancient Wisdom
Finally. The cottage was ready to rent. New doors and windows, fresh paint, new beds and bedding, furnishings and finishing touches in place. So when I was there in September I put the word out through my networks as personal recommendation is the only way I want to find people to stay at the cottage. The first two women were lovely but not in a position to contribute the small amount I am asking to cover utilities. Then I had lunch with Sara Jane, a friend who lives in Gort.
She asked if I ever work with Feng Shui. No. I know scant little about it beyond the basic definition of being an ancient Chinese philosophy that works with the flow of energy to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. It is the power of nature and the energy of the large magnetic field of the universe.
No. I had never worked with Feng Shui. Undaunted, Sara Jane suggested I go to the southeast corner of the cottage, as that is the direction of abundance, and do ceremony. Right. But I thought I’d give it a go.
Now, I’ve named all the bedrooms in the cottage after wise women ancestors. There’s the Biddy Early bedroom which always raises eyebrows and the question of who would want to stay in a bedroom named after Ireland’s most famous witch. There’s the St. Gobnait bedroom to honor her mysticism. And there’s the Augusta Gregory bedroom in honor of Lady Gregory, the author who lived in nearby Coole Park and opened her home to writers, visionaries, progressive philosophers, and even mystics of her time.
The Augusta Gregory bedroom is in the southeast corner of the cottage. I lit a candle and went in to talk with her. I told her that, like her, I want to welcome the same kinds of people to HazelWood cottage. I also mentioned that unlike her I didn’t have the means to host people without compensation. And I asked if she could help me out.
The next day Sara Jane emailed me. A friend of hers, a woman who writes and illustrates children’s books, was interested in staying at the cottage for a month. And she had the ability to contribute financially. In fact when Mary and I spoke and the issue of payment came up she argued that what I was asking was half of what she was willing to pay.
Was it Feng Shui and the power of the Dragon? Was it Lady Gregory? I don’t know. But it was a reminder of how the animating life force energy present in all things is honored by many cultures and spiritual traditions. If it was Feng Shui it was amazing to dance with the Dragon even briefly. There is a lifetime of learning and understanding in the Feng Shui tradition. It’s intriguing. But I will stay with the Irish tradition, my heritage. I am beginning to understand it’s a journey I started lifetimes ago. It’s a journey I will continue.
Beannacht,
Judith – judith@stonefires.com