Dreaming the Ancestors

In this episode, Sionnáin shares wisdom about the Irish caoine (keen), which is an old grief ritual performed at funerals by rural Irish women called the Mná Chaointe. This tradition reminds us that grief is a sacred, somatic, and communal experience that belongs to everyone. Although the tradition has largely died out in Ireland, it’s being remembered and revived by women like Sionnáin to help us...

In this episode, Veronica Stanwell joins me to explore the importance of gathering in council and community to meet these increasingly chaotic times. Together, we dive into what it means to reconnect with the roundhouse—the circular dwelling of our British and Irish heritage—and the profound wisdom that emerges when we become receptive to the ancestors’ guidance. Veronica also talks about the ance...

In this episode, Michaela from Rooted Feminine Wellness talks about women’s bodies, women’s health, and matriarchal healing. Together, we dive into some of the stories and beliefs that have been passed down through the lineage about our bodies, and explore what it means to break free from legacies of female deprivation. To live in a way that truly honors and nourishes our bodies is revolutionary,...

In this episode, we dive into the topic of Welsh spirituality and cultural appropriation. For anyone interested in honoring their Welsh or English heritage in heartfelt and respectful ways, this episode is for you as we talk about the importance of distinguishing these two distinct cultures. There’s currently a lot of interest in the “Celtic” traditions, which often leads people to the Welsh tradi...

There’s a lot of interest at the moment in connecting with our ancient past, and reviving the “Old Ways” of our earth-honoring ancestors. And while there’s so much we can learn from the past, it can be all too easy to romanticize or misinterpret our ancestral history.  In this episode Sam weaves together archeology, animism and academia to demystify Britain’s ancient peoples, offering grounded ins...

In this episode, Niall is deeply vulnerable in sharing about his own mental health journey and his discovery of what it means to be a man. He discusses the significance of the Mother Wound for men, and men’s deep longing to be initiated by the feminine. He also expresses the need for strong men who are committed to their inner healing, and becoming the men that the world needs. Niall recognizes th...

In this episode, Charlotte weaves together the story of alchemy and her journey to revive the folk medicine of her lineage. Her ancestors were apothecarists for many generations before being persecuted for their knowledge; a tradition that Charlotte has lovingly reclaimed. Although her lifelong interest in making medicines brought her to many different cultures around the world, it was in returnin...

In this episode, Lucy Ní hAodhagáin (they/she) shares how living in conscious relationship with the land has the power to revive our innate wildness, our sense of belonging, and the wisdom of the ancestors. In Lucy’s early life in Belfast, they would journey into the wild to feel a sense of safety and connection. Over time, their passion for the natural world and ancestral ways of life awakened th...

In this episode, Laura Murphy shares wisdom about her sacred activism journey and the ways in which she harnesses the ancient Irish practice of imbas forosnai (divine inspiration) in her work to create social change. The Irish spirit is a revolutionary one, and Laura speaks about the intersection of spirituality and activism in Irish history, highlighting the lives of key figures from the Celtic R...

In this episode, Carolyn Hillyer shares wisdom about living on the wild lands of Dartmoor and her process of reviving and reimagining the Proto-Celtic language; a language spoken by ancient ancestors across various parts of Europe, including the British Isles.  Carolyn’s work has awakened in me, and many others, a sense of what our Indigenous tongue might have been before the Anglo-Saxons came. Th...

Wales is a country full of legends and myths about the spiritual world; stories of sacred lakes, healing herbs, women of magic, and the mighty red dragon. The Land remembers these stories and the ancient ways of mystery and magic; traditions that have their roots in old Brythonic Britain. There are some fierce and magical women in Wales’s ancient mythology who embody the archetype of the Witch in...

In the midst of rapid technological advancements, there is an ancient whisper that calls to many of us...a calling to return to the wisdom of the earth and the sacred technology of nature. A calling to reconnect with the land in the heartfelt ways of our ancestors. A calling to remember the medicine of the plants and trees, and how to heal ourselves as we heal the earth. In this episode, Aoife Ní...

In this time of displacement, disconnection and overwhelm, so many people are longing for meaningful ways to belong. The questions that we hold close to our hearts are things like: What does it mean to belong to this earth? What does it mean to have roots? What does it mean to belong to my lineage, my ancestors, my cultural heritage? For those of you who feel this longing to belong, you know how d...

In this podcast episode I speak with Eimear Burke, a Druid and Seanchaí (storyteller) as well as the Chosen Chief of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD). We talk about the importance of Rites of Passage and how Druidry can help to inspire and inform rituals to mark moments of significance in our lives. In the Western world we sometimes lose track of the most important moments in our lives...

In this conversation, I talk with Nicola Goodall about the importance of midwives in the birthing process for mothers, and the ways that Scottish folk medicine weaves into the ancient tradition of midwifery.  Nicola shares her wealth of wisdom about the sacredness of birthing, and ways to support this important rite of passage for mothers. She also shares wisdom about the persecution of midwives d...

In this episode with Jen Murphy, we dive into the connection between mythology and the feminine body, with a special focus on the myths of ancient Ireland. As women, we are indoctrinated into so many false narratives about our bodies from a very young age...stories that can take us away from the true essence of who we are and our embodied wisdom. We are living in powerful times where we can re-wri...

In this episode with Dr. Karen Ward, founder of Moon Mná, we talk about the sacred connection between women and water in the ancient Irish tradition. There's a vital connection between women, water and flow which is encoded into our bodies. We flow with the menstrual cycle, connecting us to the cycles of Grandmother Moon who holds sway over the tides. We flow with the rhythms of our sexual fl...

In this episode with Kathy Jones, founder of the Glastonbury Goddess Temple, we speak about reclaiming the wisdom of the Goddess. For too long the Goddess has been forgotten, degraded and denigrated as patriarchal thinking has dominated our world culture. This has occurred in parallel with the oppression of women through the control of women’s bodies and physical expression, and the repression of...

Imagine living in a time when there was no artificial light. When there was true darkness in the sky, when there were no high rise buildings blocking your view of the celestial realms. A time when you knew exactly where the sun would rise at different times of the year. When you could recognize the planets and the constellations, and you would sit outside during the night and watch their movements...

In this  episode with Mary McLaughlin we discuss Ireland's incredibly rich culture and heritage when it comes to traditional music and sacred song traditions. Sacred songs have been important to our ancestors throughout history from all around the world. They hold an important piece of culture and tradition as they are passed down through the generations. They have the ability to bring people...