closing and coMmitting: grandfathers grief ritual and vow to lands
in the beginning of febuary i had a divination. a dear friend of mine is a diviner in the dagara tradition and i was happy to receive a divination through him.
one thing that came up during our session was the need for me to do healing work with the grandfathers. what that meant specifically for me was to work with the men in my bloodline who are now ancestors to create ritual space for them to work through the grief and pain they experienced in their time in their skin and, for many of them, are still experiencing now that they are no longer in their skin. i knew why this work needed to be done and was willing to engage what i already knew about rituals of grieving and mourning to do this work with the grandfathers.
during my divination session, the diviner- my dear friend, gave me details about what i needed to gather and set up ritually for the grief ritual with the grandfathers. he also told me that i would begin this work on my nipmuc homelands, where i currently live, and complete it in irland, another ancestral homelands of mine. as the time of my departure to ireland came closer and i prepared the grief ritual materials for the journey, it became clear where i needed to close this ritual- at the hill of tara. the hill of tara is known for many things in irelands mythical and documented history. the hill of tara is located in co. meath, once a province in ireland, and considered the heart of irland. (more about the hill of tara)
what a fitting place to close a grief ritual- a place to receive and alchemize their grief in to the center of love- the heart.
left: the path from the stone of destiny; top right: the sign before the well of the white cow; bottom right: the sign outside the rath maeve
i began the closing of the grandfather’s grief ritual at the well of the white cow. my friend who drove me from dublin to the hill reminded me, “you got this!” and waited in her car. i walked down the road for about 15 min and came to the well. when i approached it i offered my song and prayers of good passage and completion of this ritual. i sat at the well for some time and listened. and when it was time i collected water for the ritual endding and some to take with me. i continued down the road for what seemed like hours. it was hot and sunny and i was still a bit soul weary. i called on the black mother, the grandmother’s and asked queen mauve to show me to her. after 20 mins of walking, i saw the sign. it was pointed the direction opposite the rath and i spotted the rusty fence. the guide at the visiting center said i would need to climb over a rusted fence or two and some overgrowth to get to the rath of maeve. seeing that one fence and the overgrowth i knew i was there.
i thanked queen mauve and the grandmothers and asked the guardian trees and overgrowth to enter. i listen and when it was time i made my way though much of what was bramble and nettles to the flat part of the rath. it was vast and i knew i needed to make my rounds before going to the mound to complete the gandfathers’ grief ritual. i decided to do my rounds as a spiral and pass three times. when i got to the center i said my gesh and headed directly to the mound. i went directly through the path of nettle to the mound, there is where i completed the grief ritual of the grandfathers.
when i was done i felt a lightness, a shift in the air that was in and around me. there was a rope with a log tied to it. i closed my time on the rath being in the presence of my wise and well grandfathers on that swing. when all was complete there i made my final offerings of gratitude and thanksgiving and walked back to the main site of the hill to the stone of destiny.
i made my way to the stone on the path that kings and chiftens would, circling around to the right then straight up the banquet hall to the stone. at the stone, i did my three rounds, placed my left hand on the stone and said my gesh three times. the wind picked up behind me and then it stopped. i turned around and made my way back to my friends car.
she had been texting me and had a half of sandwich and sparking water for me. she knew exactly what i needed!
