The psychologist and mythologist, Joseph Campbell identified a common theme connecting many ‘indigenous’ spiritualities – including Celtic Spirituality. Their stories tell about the hero or heroine who is ‘called’ outwards from the familiar place to experience something completely new. These stories teach us that it requires courage to step outside of the familiar and to follow the call of the heart. This is why it’s ’the Heroic Journey’. This heroic journey has much to teach us about our own life journey. Joseph Campbell said – ‘I don’t believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive.’
The heroic journey often leads the traveller into difficult and testing situations, but he/she returns from the journey a changed and more compassionate human being to share their gifts of wisdom and insight. The journey is also about the discovery of YOUR GIFT. The word in the Irish is DAN – which means both your poetry and your destiny – for your destiny is interlinked with the practice of your gift in this world. Because we are all individuals, no one can offer your gift to the world in exactly the same way as you can.
This workshop takes us on a personal journey and enables self exploration to uncover your giftedness and to hear ‘the call’ to the most exciting journey of your life – the Heroic Journey.
This workshop can be booked at any time throughout the year and is aimed at small groups of 4-12 people. The workshop is from 10a.m. to 1.00p.m. and is taught at Emain Macha/ The Navan Centre by the staff of The Centre for Celtic Spirituality.
If you would like to do this workshop, or would like more information, get in touch (details on the CONTACT page). If you submit your name and contact details then as soon as we have four or more people we will contact you again to arrange a date that suits everyone.
Cost: £15 per person. There is a coffee shop and restaurant on site where you can buy morning tea/coffee and lunch (refreshments not included).
The Journey (by Mary Oliver)
One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice -
though the whole house began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognised as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do -
determined to save
the only life that you could save.
So the heroic journey of finding your own voice and your ‘DAN’ begins…………………
