Reclaiming Roots and a Writing Update

It appears my 2018 word is “Roots.” I’ve been embracing my Celtic roots in ever deeper ways, describing “root issues” as I write a book on the metaphysics of Lyme disease, and on the physical level, I’m preparing for a (root chakra) colon cleanse. During this Imbolc season of release in preparation for Spring’s creativity, I’ve gone deep into my soul soil, planting seeds and watching others sprout. I’ve traced the mycelium and traveled the paths of telepathy and dynamic interconnection.

Learning Welsh

A few weeks ago, I mentioned feeling led to learn Welsh, and indeed, that project continues. In addition to being the language upon which Tolkien based Elvish, Cymraeg (pronounced kum-R EYE G), aka Welsh has opened my mind and soul in unexpected ways. For one, I can finally pronounce most of the names in the Mabinogian — a set of tales that includes early Arthurian legends, along with some of the weirdest myths and magic you’ll ever encounter. I can also say, “It’s raining old wives and walking sticks” — in Cymraeg — and for some reason, this expression delights me to no end. I say it several times per day, no matter what the weather.

I decided to learn Welsh based on an awareness that cascaded through me after a dream making the Tolkien/Elvish connection. Later research confirmed that connection, so I followed through. I had asked for inspiration before going to sleep, and I tend to take action on dreams, especially if I have requested help with something. My training includes a combination of the free lessons on http://saysomethinginwelsh.com, YouTube videos for children, and various books about learning Welsh, Myrddin (Merlin), and the Welsh sources of Celtic mythology.

So far, so fascinating. In addition to the old stories, I had no idea that speaking Cymraeg was so subversive! The language almost died out due to English persecution, and it remains illegal to speak Welsh in Parliament. Unlike Ireland, Scotland and England, Wales does not appear on the UK flag. While a phrase sets apart Welsh people who speak Welsh (Cymru Cymraeg), no phrase exists for the Welsh who don’t speak Welsh, which, if you think about it, would normally be the unusual thing to label.

By some estimates, only 20% of the population in Wales speaks Welsh, and doing so brings with it political implications of sovereignty, national and cultural identity. At one time, people all over Britain spoke Welsh, and much of English history also stems from Wales and its stories. The movement to teach children and adults their own, native language develops passionate speakers all over the world, as reclaiming language brings with it a reclamation of everything that language represents. The national Eisteddfod (eye-STETH-fud) celebrates Welsh with poetry competitions, song and the bardic arts, and, apparently, a network of Welsh speakers stretches all across Wales, like its own alternate universe.

Each language uses the brain in different ways, so learning a new language opens dormant pathways. I knew this when I decided to learn Cymraeg, but I had no idea which synapses would reconnect. Over half my DNA comes from the British Isles and Ireland — even more if you figure the 11% Scandinavian comes from Saxons and the 8% Iberian Peninsula came from the so-called “Black Irish.” I’ve spent years delving into my Irish and Scandinavian roots, but not much time or energy on the high percentage of Welsh in my background. The language feels strangely familiar to me, like Sanskrit did when I first learned ancient chants.

When I first sang or spoke Sanskrit, my brain exploded like popcorn. Ancient memories lit up, and I could feel the center of my brain activate. Cymraeg feels more like a smooth ferry across half hidden waterways, like parting the mists of Avalon — or at least journeying back to a known, yet watery reality. Along with my language and mythology studies, I’ve upped my previous cooperation with the Sidhe — that ancient Faery race, also know as the Tylwyth Teg, the Good People, or the People of the Mounds. Those deepening connections precede the Celts, although Celtic culture may have the most lasting contact with them.

Writing Update

Deepening my roots in these areas not only sparks fiction ideas; it continues to inform my non-fiction book on healing Lyme disease. I struggled with how to structure the vast material I’ve gleaned from helping so many Lyme clients find meaning and healing of this profound dis-ease and Spiritual Initiation. Last year, I gave up on writing a non-fiction Lyme book, thinking I could more easily show than tell the healing process; however, giving up on the idea of a non-fiction Lyme book refreshed the entire project.

I’ve written about 25,000 words so far. I don’t know how long this book will be, but I decided long ago to self-publish it rather than going with a traditional publisher. One reason for self-publishing rather than going with a mainstream publisher includes flexibility in length. Sometimes less is more, especially with Lyme disease. It’s shaping itself into a book for reading and re-reading. That might mean saying things in several different ways to create more aha moments. It might mean keeping some areas as homeopathic doses.

In addition to feeling called to release this information sooner rather than later for the 100’s of millions of people suffering with Lyme disease, I sense this Lyme project as a gateway to writing fiction in a more concentrated way. I’m happy to continue offering private intuitive coaching and medical intuitive sessions, but I don’t want a publishing contract that requires me to “do the Lyme circuit” or commit to a book tour or lecture series. I go as I feel led, and right now, I feel led to finish writing this book!

The other reason for self-publishing is because the ideas I offer are not mainstream, and diluting or neutering them for a mainstream (or even a New Age-y) publisher would rob the book of its metaphysical potential for shifting lives. So much of healing Lyme disease means embracing counter-intuitive, Shadowy non-Sense in order to embody a new and magical life. The book twists and turns like Lyme’s whack-a-mole symptoms and Herxheimer reactions, but I’ve begun to recognize the method to this “madness” as the spiral dance found in Lyme coaching sessions. Backdoors and portals exist all over the place, wherever and whenever we stumble into them (11:11 as I type this). Will we allow ourselves to cross the threshold?

In terms of timing, I intend to finish and release the Lyme book sometime in 2018. I would love for that to occur by Summer Solstice, but I’ll settle for anytime this year, so long as the book feels finished. I’ll keep you posted, as my own spiral journey of writing, shooting down more roots and then blossoming, fruiting and leafing out all at once continues.

Reclaiming Roots in Other Ways

My sweet faery twin Tania Marie recently wrote about her own version of my Celtic roots reclamation — in her case Egypt and other parts of Africa. Interestingly, she has a Grand Canyon trip coming up soon, and the other night I watched a video about all the pre-Egyptian artifacts and temples found in the Grand Canyon. In many cases, these predate Ancient Egypt by 7000 or more years. As with me, her own spiral journey keeps synchronizing and deepening as she explores her origins — definitely soul level, possibly DNA since she had not had Ancestral DNA testing.

My half-Dutch husband has experienced a similar reclamation of his Dutch heritage, as Western Michigan is filled with Dutch people! He now works for a Dutch company with a Dutch name, and the headquarters sits kitty corner to an authentic Dutch shop with all sorts of treasures from Holland. He used to speak Dutch for work and spent much of his adult life in the Netherlands or Brussels, but our time in Goshen removed all that. Living in a place settled by the Dutch and with Holland, MI’s topography so familiar, feels like a corollary to all my Celtic and Sidhe rooting.

Many people in sessions either need to reclaim their roots or have already begun that process. It’s “up” right now for a lot of people, so if you feel that nudge in your own life, I suggest you take action, whatever your heritage(s). For some people, this translates as disrupted or unusual sleep patterns. Lisa Renee wrote a good piece on this back in January, called, “Time Shift Blog — Why Can’t I Get to Sleep?” Her articles always vibrate at a very high frequency, and not everyone understands what she says. Don’t worry if you don’t. I post the link for those who might grasp her message on an intuitive level even if the mental plane says, “Huh?”

Dr. Sharon Blackie’s long awaited sequel to “If Women Rose Rooted” also comes out this month: “The Enchanted Life.” This book supports both men and women, helping you to ground enchantment into the mundane. I haven’t read it yet, but I’ve been rereading “If Women Rose Rooted.” I can’t wait to see what she’s brought forth this time!

On the more physical level, you can get rooted by spending more time in nature, or by tending to the Earth Element in your life. David and I went snowshoeing for the first time this past weekend — a wonderful way to open paths you normally could not tread:

The Earth Element includes your root chakra (intestines, tailbone, issues of holding on or letting go, boundaries, stability, finances and sense of security or preparedness). I used to do colon cleanses once per year, but haven’t since Spring 2014, when I added structure to the Goshen garden. At that time, I felt led to haul all these busted up concrete slab eyesores from the neighboring apartments into our yard and form beautiful, structured, urbanite pathways:

The above photo shows that project three years later, but Spring 2014 meant hauling massive weights of “junk” into a new location and new form that turned my vision into reality. I find it interesting that life blocked me from doing anymore cleanses until Imbolc season 2018, four years later, when I’m hauling a different sort of “concrete blocks” into new location and form via this metaphysics of Lyme book.

Each of us will embrace these energies in our own way. I know in my life and from clients the intensity of these times. I created the February Specials to support these energies, so you have resources if you’d like more guidance or company on the journey. Potent times activate potential. When we embrace these energies, the process unfolds with more ease than when we resist it, but, as Tolkien said, “Little by little one travels far.” Be gentle with yourself. Saturn in Capricorn‘s supplying enough pressure for all of us!