KnotWork Myth & Storytelling

Our StoryThere’s a long, strange tradition in Irish mythology and folklore in which a powerful man tries to steal a valuable cow from an old woman (cailleach). Maybe it’s not so strange… It’s just one more example of how independent older women are considered a threat to the status quo. Marisa Goudy tells the story of Mona, the Cailleach who lived upon a hill that bore her name (Cnoc na Móna/Knocknamona). The original tale, found in a footnote in an 1860 publication of the Ossianic Society, a translation of a medieval Irish manuscript called the Imtheacht na Tromdhaimhe, includes few details. Marisa’s version imagines a new ending for tale that originally ends in a wise woman’s murder and the slaughter of a sacred cow.Our GuestLee Rankin is a farmer and founder of Apple Hill Farm, a successful and award-winning first-generation farm in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. She is an advocate for farmers through her leadership and involvement at a local and state level. She speaks, teaches and consults frequently as a first-generation woman farmer on the topic of alpacas, entrepreneurship, and the benefits of diversifying your farm portfolio through agritourism.  Lee is the author of Cookin' Up a Storm, The Life and Recipes of Annie Johnson now in its second edition. She is currently looking for a home for her memoir, Farm Family, the story of her journey of starting Apple Hill Farm as a solo Mom.Our ConversationThe power of being a woman with animals and land. In Lee’s experience where the majority of farmers are men, she’s so aware of the feminine expression of her farming, including a spiritual, sacred sense of “knowing.”Choosing when to preserve and when to innovate, as storytellers and as famers. Preserving the Randall Lineback breed of cattle; there are only 1000 across the US. Lee’s story of moving to what would become her alpaca farm in Appalachia with her one year-old son and a golden retriever. Stories of animal rescues, and also of animal passages.A powerful reframe on death and how this story could have ended as the original version did, with the death of Mona and the cow. Our desire to sanitize the death parts and give everyone a happy ending. This episode pairs so well with Laura Murphy’s story of the goddess Boinn who was closely associated with cattle and the concept of imbas forosnai, the inspiration that illuminates. (S.2 Ep.7).  Our MusicMusic at the start of the show is by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called "The College Groves." billyandbeth.comJoin Us in the Heroine's KnotThe Heroines' Knot is an online community for creative creatures on the quest for self-expression & collective renewal. Learn more and join us.1:1 Coaching OpportunitiesMarisa offers 1:1 coaching for Personal and Professional growth with her Healing for Heroines packages.She also

Our StoryThis original story of the Irish goddess Bóinn was written by Laura Murphy and is being offered for the first time here on KnotWork Storytelling. Laura takes what we have from the medieval manuscripts from the Christian monasteries and then follows her own divine inspiration, or the imbas forosnai you’ll hear so much about in our conversation.If you hear a phrase that plucks at the strings of memory, know that Laura has woven in a few lines from other great Irish writers who have inspired her, who have offered their imbas, including W.B. Yeats, George Russell (also known as AE), Ella Young, Padraig Pearse & Sinéad O’Connor.Our GuestLaura Murphy is an activist, healer and Poet in Residence for Herstory; the powerful movement in Ireland telling stories of modern, historic and mythical women.Laura is a passionate campaigner for Ireland’s Mother and Baby home survivors and other issues surrounding equality, environmental and social healing including the recent successful campaign to make Brigid’s Day a national public holiday in Ireland.Laura’s work is centered around the ancient Irish poetic practice of “Imbas Forosnai,” which means “Inspiration that Illuminates.” Comparable to the Buddhist concept of Enlightenment” or contemporary “Flow-State,” Imbas Forosnai is said to be a gift of the Goddesses Bóinn and Brigid. It was a practice mastered by the ancient poets of Ireland to bring truth to power and healing to society.Our ConversationThe long legacy of patriarchal suppression of the feminine that appears in Bóinn’s story, just as it did in the story of Eve and Mary Magdalene. There’s punishment for “tasting wisdom.” How did these stories change our understanding of the feminine across centuries?Laura’s experience with Lyme disease as a “lived experience of Bóinn’s ordeal.”Experiences in the dark chambers - Bóinn in Newgrange, Marisa’s experience at Oweynagat (the “Cave of Cats” at Rathcroghan in County Roscommon, which is said to be the birthplace of the goddess Morrigan). The spark of Imbas comes in the deepest, darkest spaces just as alchemy, the creation/discovery of the golden light, happens in the power of beholding the dark.Laura’s first deep experience with Imbas Forosnai: A sacred pilgrimage route that connects Brigid’s birth and death place and spans from Dundalk, the Hill of Slane, Tara, and Kildare. In a mystical experience as she crossed the River Boyne, Laura felt the gift of poetry flow through her. An Invitation to Go Deeper into Bóinn’s Origins & MythologyIn our conversation, Laura mentions her dear friend Anthony Murphy who has written a monograph that compiles all known references to Bóinn called “Bóinn: the Goddess of the River Boyne and The Milky Way.” It presents a full and untainted account of the mythology behind her.Also available is a prose-poetry masterpiece he wrote in a state of Imbas flow, inspired by Bóinn called Return to Segais.Laura had the honor of proof-reading both. In turn, she says, these books were instrumental in her connection with Bóinn and in Her healing. Both available at www.mythicalireland.comOur MusicMusic at the start of the show is by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called "The College Groves." billyandbeth.comJoin Marisa in the Heroine's KnotThe Heroines' Knot is an online community for creative creatures on the quest for self-expression & collective...

Please Support Our Show: Join us on SubstackLove KnotWork Storytelling? Your financial contribution helps me pay the amazing team that puts this show together. Find the in-depth show notes, get special supporter-only podcast episodes, and stay connected between seasons.Subscribe to our&nbsp;on our Substack newsletter Myth Is Medicine.Our Story&nbsp;The tale of Suibhne Geilt or “Mad Sweeney” comes to us from a medieval Irish manuscript and is sourced as far back as the 9th century. A warrior king driven mad by a saint’s curse, Sweeney spends years wandering Ireland, never able to rest or find a home. Marisa Goudy’s version of the tale is inspired by Seamus Heaney’s translation of the epic poem, Sweeney Astray.Our GuestDr. Michaelene Ruhl has been a psychotherapist in private practice for over 14 years and is the founder of Constellation Healing Arts where she holds safe and sacred space for people experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, and other life challenges. She also supports folks who have experienced plant medicine journeys via integration sessions.&nbsp;This year, Michaelene is launching the Sacred Immersion Training™ Program, which &nbsp; offers Healing Professionals the skills and insights they need in order to hold safe and sacred for themselves and others, particularly on plant medicine journeys.&nbsp;&nbsp;To learn more about Michaelene and her offerings, visit her website:&nbsp; www.constellationhealingarts.comFind Michaelene on Facebook and on Instagram.Our Conversation&nbsp;Michaelene, a psychologist and sacred healer, is like Saint Moling who welcomes Sweeney at the end of our tale. As a healer, you can’t save anyone, but you can hold their experience.The experiences of modern warriors and the difficult return home for veterans. Clinical trials for veterans with PTSD that include psychedelics&nbsp;Michaelene’s own journey with sacred plant medicineThe story takes place in the period when Christianity began to eclipse paganism and the “old ways” of the Celtic, earth-based faith. We’re at another moment of great chance when it comes to faith and belief. At this moment, when we move away from organized religion, we can create a new relationship with our bodies, the land, and with the plants.Sweeney is a violent man who embodies “toxic masculinity.” And yet, he is also the sovereign of the land who is trying to fulfill the duty as king.Michaelene’s sacred blessing: We don’t have to take our journeys alone. We are far greater than any suffering we could perceive, endure, or experiencesOur MusicMusic at the start of the show is by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental duo based on Cape Cod, MA: &nbsp;billyandbeth.comJoin Us in the Heroine's KnotThe Heroines' Knot is an online community for creative creatures on the quest for self-expression &amp; collective renewal.&nbsp;Learn more and join us.1:1 Coaching OpportunitiesMarisa offers 1:1 &nbsp;<a...

Our StoryA Irish sovereignty goddess whose origins lie with the mythical Tuatha Dé Danann, Áine is also a sun deity, a bean sidhe (woman of the Sí), and fairy queen. Our guest Jen Murphy comes to KnotWork with a collection of Áine tales.&nbsp; In a story from the mythological period, Áine has an ill-fated meeting with the unjust king Aillil Ólomm, who strips the land bare and threatens the goddess. Later, Áine is also found in a 14th century tale of Gerald, Earl of Desmond, also known as “The Wizard Earl.” Finally, a story collected in 1938 by the Irish Folklore Commission about a wise woman named Áine with two daughters who refuse to follow their mother’s marital advice, each with disastrous results.Our GuestJen Murphy is the creator of Celtic Embodiment, a cutting-edge modality that fuses the ancient wisdom of Celtic Mythology with the emerging field of Feminine Embodiment Coaching to transform modern life for women. Jen is a certified Feminine Embodiment Coach and holds a degree in Medieval Irish &amp; Celtic Studies and an M.A. in the Anthropology of Development. Coming from a lineage of storytellers and wisdom keepers on her maternal line, Jen is fascinated by the natural coalescence between our ancestral myths and our bodies as a potent brew to reclaim our sovereign power.&nbsp;Find Jen at www.celticembodiment.com/ and on Instagram: @celticembodiment Our ConversationThe ancient Celtic Sovereignty myth: the divine marriage (the banais ríghi). When the Sovereignty goddess unites with the king, she expects fir flaithemon, the prince’s truth. A worthy ruler needs to be just, truthful, and discerning. Parallels to Sumerian tales of Inanna and her partners.The importance of reciprocity - between people and land, between sovereignty goddess and kingThe ways that religion and politics collude together and exploit the landConnections to Arthurian Grail legend and “The Elucidation,”a tale that describes the rape of the Well Maidens that leads to the closing of the wells and creation of the Wasteland.Hospitality as a key aspect of mythology and cultureIreland as a “goddess obsessed” island. And yet, with all of the divine feminine magic, all of the Mother Goddess worship, it was not a Utopia for women. There were ways in which the coming of the church offered a haven for women, and monasteries became places of learning.Jen’s personal story of what it meant to see all part of herself, integrate the energy of midsummer, the deepest energy of the grandmothers, a death of a part of the self, and&nbsp; rebirth and integrationOur MusicMusic at the start of the show is by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called "The College Groves."&nbsp;billyandbeth.comJoin Us in the Heroine's KnotThe Heroines' Knot is an online community for creative creatures on the quest for self-expression &amp; collective renewal.&nbsp;Learn more and join us.1:1 Coaching OpportunitiesMarisa offers 1:1 coaching for Personal and Professional growth with her&nbsp;Healing for Heroines&nbsp;packages.She also offers&nbsp;Story Weaver Book...

Our StoryStoryteller Maura McMahon offers us a clip from her show, Launching Ships: A User's Guide for Your Face. She took to the stage at Green Kill Art Center in Kingston, NY in spring 2022 and was accompanied by musician David Gonzalez. You’ll hear the events in the final moments of the Trojan War, as that infamous horse full of Spartan warriors is allowed into the city gates after a ten-year battle.Our GuestMaura McMahon is a storyteller and spoken word poet whose collection of Irish tales, pirate adventures, and women's sovereignty songs have entranced and empowered audiences across regional venues in New York’s Hudson Valley for over 15 years. As a character performer, Maura has embodied Grace O'Malley, and the Grey Sea Hag as well as Hippolyta the Amazonian Queen. My family most loves seeing Maura when she appears as Mrs. Claus of the Hudson ValleyOur ConversationMarisa and Maura discuss what it means to tell the story of a character who inhabits a space in “Myth with a Capital M” and they explore:Telling this story was a creative leap for Maura, a storyteller most at home with Celtic tales. Two thirds of this story comes from the original sources, including Virgil and Homer, and one third is Maura’s creative invention. Ultimately, it is a reclaiming of Helen’s story told through her own eyes.Helen was renowned for her beauty, but what made Helen beautiful? People saw in her what they needed to.Helen played a pivotal role in so many men’s stories, and yet she retained her sovereignty, her power, and her sense of self.How this story emerged through conversations with a goddess and building a relationship with a character, and what that meant to Maura as storyteller and as an individual going through her own process.What it means to tell a story outside of your own lineage and your usual source material. During the creative process, Maura asked, “Who am I to tell the story of a Greek goddess?”Watch Maura’s entire show on Green Kill’s YouTube Channel.&nbsp; &nbsp;You can also hear Maura’s story of Máire Rua O’Brien, a 17th century Irish heroine in, “A Most Ferocious Lady of the Castle,” episode 3 of season 1 of KnotWork Storytelling.&nbsp;Our MusicMusic at the start of the show is by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called "The College Groves."&nbsp;billyandbeth.comJoin Us in the Heroine's KnotThe Heroines' Knot is an online community for creative creatures on the quest for self-expression &amp; collective renewal.&nbsp;Learn more and join us.1:1 Coaching OpportunitiesMarisa offers 1:1 coaching for Personal and Professional growth with her&nbsp;Healing for Heroines&nbsp;packages.She also offers&nbsp;Story Weaver Book Coaching&nbsp;for memoirists, thought leaders, and creative entrepreneurs at the beginning of their writing journey.Find more of Marisa's writing and get a copy of her book,&nbsp;The Sovereignty Knot&nbsp;<a href="https://www.knotworkstorytelling.com/episode/www.marisagoudy.com"...

Our StoryProbably the precursor to the King Arthur tales, the story of Tristan and Isolde includes star-crossed lovers, castles and the wilds, as well as questions of loyalty, duty, and truth. The versions we can access today are set in a fractionated England in the time after Roman rule. Ireland, still unconquered just across the sea, is key to the plot as well as the spirit of the saga.Our guest Sophie Strand is working on an epic novel about Tristan and Isolde. She ushers us through the relationships, betrayals, passions, and tragedies that are part of this long, episodic, non-linear story that refuses to conform to a textual, climactic narrative.Our GuestSophie Strand is a writer based in the Hudson Valley who focuses on the intersection of spirituality, storytelling, and ecology. Her first book of essays The Flowering Wand: Rewilding the Sacred Masculine was released in 2022. Her eco-feminist historical fiction reimagining of the gospels The Madonna Secret will also be published by Inner Traditions in Spring 2023. You can subscribe for my newsletter at sophiestrand.substack.com. Follow her on Instagram: @cosmogyny and at www.sophiestrand.com.Our ConversationSophie speaks mythologically, calling on stories and characters as diverse as David and Saul, Joseph and the sons of Jacob, Demeter and Persephone and more.This novel about Tristan and Isolde, set in Cornwall, perhaps as far back as the Bronze Age, is still a long way off from publication.Sophie’s original inspiration: the Ridley Scott film version of the Tristan and Isolde story at age 12. (A remarkable parallel to 12 year-old Marisa falling in love with Ireland thanks to the Tom Cruise movie, Far and Away!)Joseph Campbell thought of Tristan as epitome of the hero, but Sophie sees Tristan’s constant attempts to escape the Hero's Journey The trauma inherent in the hero’s journey and Sophie’s quest to diversify it, rather than eradicate it completely. Her work resonates with Marisa’s Heroine’s Knot and the desire to honor the life that happens even when we do not cross the threshold of typical adventure.The continuum between potion and poison and how dosage determines what is medicinal and what is deadly.The “mycelial intelligence of the internet” and how Sophie and Marisa found each other through an Irish organization called The Trailblazery, though they live only about 7 miles apart in the Hudson Valley.Metaphorical and mythic resonance with fungi which confuse our concept of species and relationship in compelling, necessary ways. Book recommendation: Merlin Sheldrake’s Entangled Life.How does our understanding of individuality, gender, and romantic love change when we see ourselves as holobiont?There’s an unfathomable biodiversity of knowledge, of ecosystems, and in our own guts. Sophie explores this idea further in the forthcoming The Flowering Wand: Rewilding the Sacred Masculine.Our MusicMusic at the start of the show is by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental duo based on...

Our Story&nbsp;You must meet Maeve, the Celtic Magdalen, the heroine of the four novels in Elizabeth Cunningham’s The Maeve Chronicles. From her beginnings on the Celtic Island of Women Tír Na mBán, to “Druid School” on the Isle of Mona, and then on to Rome, the Galilee, southern France, and then back to Britain when Queen Boudicca of the Iceni was battling for her tribe and her sovereignty, Maeve has see it all.&nbsp; Her sensibilities are both ancient and modern, and make her one of fiction’s most powerful, enduring characters.&nbsp;Elizabeth reads excerpts from Magdalen Rising, in which Maeve meets the Cailleach and gets her first sex-ed lesson from her warrior witch mothers and from Red Robed Priestess, the final novel in the series.Our GuestElizabeth Cunningham is a novelist, poet, musician, and counselor based in New York’s Hudson Valley.&nbsp; She is the author and illustrator of The Book of Madge, a graphic novel, and the source of her best known work, The Maeve Chronicles. Her earlier novels include The Wild Mother, The Return of the Goddess, and&nbsp;How to Spin Gold. Her debut mystery novel Murder at the Rummage Sale and its sequel All the Perils of this Night (which can also be read as a stand-alone thriller), and most of her previous novels, will be reprinted by Monkfish Book Publishing in 2023 and 2024.Visit Elizabeth’s website: https://elizabethcunninghamwrites.com/Buy The Maeve Chronicles.Our ConversationWhen I picked up the first “Maeve book” over a decade ago, I felt an instant jolt of recognition. I felt the same when I met Maeve’s creator, Elizabeth Cunningham at a writing workshop a few years later. Since then, Elizabeth has become a mentor and guide to me, helping me birth my own book (and all of my creative endeavors!)In our chat, we explore:* “Sovereignty, Maeve, belonging to yourself. Your own terms. Sovereignty is your birthright and your inheritance.”* “A story is true as long as it’s well told”:&nbsp; the power of contemporary fiction to shape the imaginal realm.* How Maeve’s story fits other beliefs about Mary Magdalene as disciple or as keeper of the divine blood line.* Maeve’s origin story and how she was born of the need for a “human goddess”&nbsp;* The romanticization of Celtic culture and Elizabeth’s reservations about writing about the Celts once she learned of their brutality and penchant for head hunting* Representations of different kinds of sovereignty in women: as lover, healer, mother, disciple, brothel owner* Sex work, prostitution, and priestesshood* Maeve’s first experience as a healer: a companion’s botched abortion* What it’s like to create a character who walks with you for more than 30 years: Elizabeth calls Maeve her Best Imaginary Friend ForeverOur MusicMusic at the start of the show is by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called "The College Groves."&nbsp;billyandbeth.comJoin Us in the Heroine's KnotThe Heroines' Knot is an online community for creative creatures on the quest for self-expression &amp; collective renewal. Learn more and join...

OUR STORYYour KnotWork Storytelling host, Marisa Goudy, reads a brief excerpt from her novel-in-progress, Above In the Bog. You meet two women of first century Ireland, Móna and Síle, who are out collecting tansy on a dark moon summer night. Their mission: gather the herbs to help a woman in their village abort an unwanted child.OUR EXPLORATIONMarisa wrote this section of the book sometime last year, but it is all the more timely as the US Supreme Court overturns Roe Vs. Wade and the right to abortion is in peril across much of the country. Marisa explores:The original inspiration for this scene: Manchán Magan’s Thirty-Two Words for Field: Lost Words of the Irish LandscapeThe 2018 referendum in Ireland that repealed the eighth amendment and gave pregnant people the right to abortion in IrelandThe 12th century Saint Hildegard of Bingen whose extensive writings describe how herbs can be used to induce abortion (and heal many other maladies)Modern herbal practices, which are similar to the practices from 1000 years agoHer own story, including the safe use of Mifepristone from a local Planned ParenthoodLughnasadh and the riddle of the selfless, sacrificial mother archetype: August 1 is the ancient Irish festival founded by the Celtic Sun God Lugh, in honor of his foster mother Tailtiu. She died after exhausting herself clearing the plane of Ireland.Our MusicMusic at the start of the show is by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called "The College Groves."&nbsp;billyandbeth.comJoin Us in the Heroine's KnotThe Heroines' Knot is an online community for creative creatures on the quest for self-expression &amp; collective renewal. Learn more and join us.1:1 Coaching OpportunitiesMarisa offers 1:1 coaching for Personal and Professional growth with her&nbsp;Healing for Heroines&nbsp;packages.She also offers Story Weaver Book Coaching for memoirists, thought leaders, and creative entrepreneurs at the beginning of their writing journey.Find more of Marisa's writing and get a copy of her book, The Sovereignty Knot&nbsp;www.marisagoudy.comFollow the show on&nbsp;Instagram,&nbsp;Facebook, and join our vibrant listeners' community.

Our Story“Lord Thomas and Fair Eleanor” appear in a ballad from the 17th century that has been passed across Scotland, England, Ireland, Canada, and the US for centuries. Marisa Goudy’s retelling of the tale is inspired by a version collected in the 1930s Irish Schools Collection of Folklore, found at Duchas.ie. It’s the tale of a love triangle with a bloody end. It’s the tale of a heroine caught at the crossroads.Our ExplorationThis final episode of season 1 of KnotWork Storytelling is a solo exploration of Fair Elen’s story. Marisa explores the history of the ballad and describes her own journey to finding the song: a failed attempt at finding a source for stories of Elen of the Ways, a figure purported to be a Celtic goddess of the crossroads.Marisa also examines the multiple layers of meaning associated with “sovereignty” and how her relationship with her 2020 book, The Sovereignty Knot, is a prime example of how any author or artist’s relationship with their creation changes over time.An Invitation to Meet the Heroine Within YouIn May 2022, Marisa is offering a free online workshop, The Heroine At the Crossroads: Meet the Heroine Within You &amp; Discover a New Discernment Tool that Will Help You Meet Any Challenging Situation.For details and to find a workshop date and time that works for your time zone, visit www.marisagoudy.com/crossroadsDuring our hour together, you’ll learn about the qualities that define a heroine and meet the archetypes of Sovereignty. They help you understand that there are countless ways to be a heroine and that there are always new ways to look at and approach the tangles of life.&nbsp;You’ll walk away with this new tool that will help you look at the energy you bring to every decision and will help you choose how to respond to whatever comes your way.Our MusicMusic at the start of the show is by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental Duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called The College Groves. Find out about their music and shows at:&nbsp;billyandbeth.comDiscover, Heal &amp; Write Your Own Stories: Work with MarisaBook a&nbsp;Healing for Heroines&nbsp;session: a unique blend of energy medicine, intuitive guidance, and the language of archetypes and mythology to help you work through the tangles of life so you can weave a new story.Explore Marisa's work and get a copy of The Sovereignty Knot:&nbsp;www.marisagoudy.comFollow the show on&nbsp;Instagram,&nbsp;Facebook, and join our vibrant listeners' community.Join the free Heroine at the Crossroads class in May: www.marisagoudy.com/crossroadsRuuPEhH9wOXwbWyweCrH

Our StoryOur guest Seán Pádraig O’Donoghue tells the story of his legendary ancestor, Donal O'Donoghue. O’Donoghue Mór was a great warrior, a generous chieftain, a man who kept the Old Ways. He conspired with the Otherworld and became an initiate of the deepest mysteries and the forbidden knowledge. As a result of showing his powers to his wife, O’Donoghue Mór was pulled back to the Otherworld. But, the stories say that he and his royal host rise every seven years on Bealtaine (May 1) and, when a member of the O’Donoghue family comes to their chieftain in times of great need, he will always offer his aid.Our GuestSeán Pádraig O’Donoghue is a poet, herbalist, writer, and teacher, and an initiated Priest in two traditions. He lives in the mountains of Western Maine.The Otherworld Well Hedge School offers weekly classes that weave together magic, herbalism, folklore, ecology, and history. His second book, Courting the Wild Queen, will be available from Ritona Press.Visit Seán’s website and on Facebook Our ConversationSeán and Marisa connect over their love of Irish mythology, culture, and history. They are also both children of Massachusetts whose ancestors are several generations removed from Ireland. In the course of their conversation, they explore:Bealtaine, the Celtic festival of fertility celebrated on May 1 and its significance on the Celtic Wheel of the YearA vision Seán had at Pulnabrone, the passage tomb in the Burren in Co. Clare. Archaeologists know this was a burial ground; Seán saw that this was a place where people came to speak to the dead at Samhain, but also a portal that called people together at Bealtaine so they could call those same spirits into the land of the living. There is but one gate, and we move back and forth through it. When we understand the nature of the gate, the ancestors and beloved dead are never far from us.A “chemical cypher” in the blossom of the whitethorn or hawthorn that echoes the cycles of fertility and decay present in the the human body.Marisa shares a story of the hawthorn bush that guards the cave at Rathcroghan in County Roscommon, Oweynagat.The power of being in both worlds, honoring the past as well as the realities and struggles of the contemporary world. The worlds keep reflecting one each other and asking us to see our reflections on both sides.Seán explores what it means to be an American living according to wisdom of the Irish ancestors with words from Thoreau: “Nevertheless, our wild apple is wild only like myself, perchance, who belong not to the aboriginal race here, but have strayed into the woods from the cultivated stock.”It is important to honor the place and tradition of the ancestors, but to disown the heritage because of the “accident of the time and place of birth” would also dishonor the tradition.The links between wildness and sovereignty, an understanding that draws distinction between being an autocrat or someone obsessed with individualismOur MusicMusic at the start of the show is by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental Duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called The College Groves. Find out about their music and shows at:&nbsp;billyandbeth.comDiscover, Heal &amp; Write Your Own Stories: Work with MarisaBook a&nbsp;Healing for Heroines&nbsp;session: a unique blend of energy medicine, intuitive...

Our StoryCana Cludhmor was a banfhile, an Irish woman poet of great renown. We know her story from only a few lines in Imtheacht na Tromdháimhe or The Proceedings of the Great Bardic Institution, found in the fourteenth century Book of Lismore. Only mentioned briefly in the manuscript, we know that Cana Cludmor walks away from a dissatisfying marriage, and finds herself at a beach where the wind is playing in the sinews of a whale skeleton. She falls asleep to this otherworldly music, and when her husband discovers her and hears the lovely sound, he is inspired to construct the first harp.&nbsp; This retelling by Marisa Goudy stays true to the original, but imagines the characters’ motivation (and adds the bit about the poet’s curse, the bloodied hands, and the healing at the end).&nbsp;Our GuestMaureen Buscareno is a harper, a music educator, a podcaster, and the founder of Moon Over the Trees Music &amp; Theater Productions.&nbsp; Maureen received her master’s degree in Ethnomusicology from Ireland’s University of Limerick. Passionate about bringing music to schools and to the community, Maureen received her master’s in music education from Columbia University. You can hear more from Maureen on her podcasts: HarpSong, Beat Your Heart Out, and Theatre Aesthetics.Our ConversationMarisa and Maureen connect as two American women with Irish heritage who both received master’s degrees in Ireland at about the the same time (though it took a Hudson Valley Women In Business gathering in 2021 to get them together!). In their discussion, they explore:&nbsp;The work of world-renowned composer and multi-instrumentalist Mícheal Ó Súilleabhain has been a profound influence on Maureen. He was her thesis advisor at UCL and reveled in the campus’s location on the River Shannon, likening students and faculty to ancient Druids becoming one with the land, landscape, sounds and sights of nature.“Fill Arís,” a poem by Seán Ó Ríordán that invites us back to the Irish language (even if it was a language spoken by distant ancestors)Marisa is dedicated to honoring the source of the story, which appears in an 1860 publication from the Ossianic Society. Modern versions of the story have turned the Cana Cludhmor, the banfhile (woman poet), into a “Celtic goddess of inspiration” and credited her with being the inventor of the harp. This article by Morgan Daimler traces the potential causes for the modern revisions of the story.The Celtic music revival in 1960sThree kinds of traditional Irish music: celebration, lullabies, lamentsThe sean-nós tradition, unaccompanied Irish language singingFor further information about the Irish harp and its centuries of tradition, seek out Anne Heymann and Nancy HurrellThe Trailblazery, which offers the online <a...

Our StoryInanna, Goddess of the Upperworld, is at the core of a 6,000 year old myth from ancient Sumer. Upon the request of her sister Ereshkigal, Inanna pays a visit to the Underworld. As she passes through each of the seven gates, more of her symbols of power, intellect, and wealth are stripped away. Upon arrival, Inanna is sentenced to death by her sister Ereshkigal. As is the way of myth, death is intricately connected to rebirth. Through the intercession of her father, Enki, God of Wisdom and Light, Inanna is revived and ascends to the Upperworld, renewed and transformed. At least… those are the basics. Pearl’s retelling of the story is a deep dive into contemporary dreams and timeless truths about the emerging of the feminine and the merging with the masculine.Our GuestPearl Gregor is an explorer and a seeker. She is a writer, dream coach, story teller, author of the three books in the series Dreams Along the Way, and an international public speaker.&nbsp; Pearl is a farmer, grandmother, a blogger, and a Crone of wisdom.&nbsp;Join Pearl to explore the deep mysteries of dreams, psyche and soul. You can read her books, or join her in her latest passion, a Dream Readers’ Myth Circle.Find Pearl at www.DreamsAlongTheWay.com and on Facebook &nbsp;and InstagramOur ConversationThis story of Inanna is woven with seven years of dreams that came to Pearl at midlife. We explore:Pearl had never heard of Inanna when images from this myth came to her in dreams. The book Descent to the Goddess: A Way of Initiation for Women Sylvia Perera appeared as a guide and confirmation.&nbsp;We need both the light and the dark, the masculine and the feminine, though the patriarchal mindset has shaped our perspective of what the feminine should beThe role of “strange women” in a woman’s dreamlife; the integration of the “strange” parts of the self and the movement into circles of womenThe process of “birthing a new world,” as described by Jean Shinoda Bolen in&nbsp; Moving Toward the Millionth CircleA perspective on “intersectionality”: Pearl’s experience with a diverse group of folks in one of her dream groups in which they explored the universal language of dreamsThe power of “collective dreaming.” “Were we living in an aboriginal community in these difficult times, we’d be getting together over the breakfast table to discuss our dreams.” Talking about dreams and mythology can guide the way.Learn more about Marisa’s online community, the Sovereign Writers KnotMore of Pearl and Marisa in the conversation series, Dream, Sovereignty, and Wise Woman WaysAs Pearl says, “Skip Descartes and what you learned in school, there is nothing logical about rebirthing an entire universe.”&nbsp;Our MusicMusic at the start of the show is by the wonderful Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental Duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called The College Groves. Find out about their music and shows at: billyandbeth.comConnect With Your Own Stories and Work with...

Our StoryAt a céilidh, a home-based social gathering in the Highlands of Scotland, a young man is asked to follow the custom of sharing a song or a story. He doesn't think he has anything to offer, but then he sets off on an incredible journey across the loch. This is a story of gender fluidity, transformation, and community.Our Guest Dr Michael Newton, who holds a Ph.D. in Celtic Studies from the University of Edinburgh. He has written many books and articles about Gaelic culture and history and is a leading authority on Scottish Gaelic heritage in North America.Michael is the founder of the Hidden Glen Folk School. Find Michael’s scholarly articles here.&nbsp;Our ConversationThis story is hundreds of years old, but it invites us to discuss some of the most important (and challenging) issues of today:Gender identity and gender fluidityIssues of toxic masculinity and why this is particularly important to discuss in relation to Irish- and Scottish-American communities where expectations of “manly men” and military prowess twist both the understanding of history and contemporary cultureThe long legacy of alcoholism and abuse that are part of the Scottish and Irish communitiesThe legacy of imperialism and colonialismOur MusicMusic on the show is by the wonderful Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental Duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called The College Groves. Find out about their music and shows at: billyandbeth.comConnect With Your Own Stories and Work with MarisaBook a Healing for Heroines session: a unique blend of energy medicine, intuitive guidance, and the language of archetypes and mythology to help you work through the tangles of life so you can weave a new story.Explore Marisa's work and get a copy of The Sovereignty Knot : www.marisagoudy.comFollow the show on Instagram, Facebook, and join our vibrant listeners' community.

Our StoryThis story, written by Marisa Goudy, is inspired by a piece simply named “A Story,” found in the Irish Schools’ Folklore Collection from the 1930s. It was collected by a student named Annie McLaughlin, as told by her father John Joe McLaughlin for St. Mary’s National School in Buncrana in County Donegal.The original tale, found at Duchas.ie, offers a retelling of a traditional story of three women who have been disfigured by endless work, carding, spinning, and weaving wool. It’s the story of a “useless girl who lived happily ever after.”&nbsp;In this version, Marisa imagines the scene in which the father, John Joe, tells the story to his daughter Annie. There really was a woollen mill in Donegal in the 1930s where they wove carpets for Buckingham Palace! In this retelling, details have been added to the original fairytale, which is an adaptation of a Brothers Grimm story.Our GuestNicole Burgess is a clinically trained Soul-Led Leadership Coach for ambitious highly sensitive professional women leaders. She is also the host of Soulfilled Sisterhood podcast and founder of the Self-Care Summit: Improve Your Bottom Line and Your Personal Life. Over the last seventeen years she has coached, guided and collaborated with over a 1,000 women. She helps women end overwhelm and self-doubt, so they can lead with calm, confidence, and connection.Learn more about Nicole on her website, nicoleburgesscoaching.com.Connect with Nicole on LinkedIn or on Facebook&nbsp;&nbsp;Our ConversationIn addition to being a coach and a podcaster, Nicole is a weaver and handcrafts have long been part of her life. We call together these threads in our conversation:- The process of weaving itself and the modern attempts to bring back lost arts- What it means to be "useful" or "useless"- How we celebrate the time it takes to make something by hand now, but how this tedious work was a burden to women in the past- How to escape the projections of others; the only evil in this story are other people’s expectations- A story with an ambiguous ending in which the not-so-virtuous heroine was victorious&nbsp;- The way that modern, high-achieving women are troubled by similar outdated belief systems as are presented in the story- The power of “the stool” which appears repeatedly in the story: how to allow yourself to pause, and make a conscious decision from stillness rather than feeling we need to be constantly busy&nbsp;- Fiber and cloth offer a powerful set of metaphors, but we also celebrate the meditative practice of working with your hands. Contemporary research shows that dand crafting is a great way to deal with anxiety.&nbsp;- Fite fuaite: an Irish term meaning “interwoven or inextricably connected.” Manchán Magan, a teacher, broadcaster, and ambassador for the Irish language writes about the Irish words for weaving at making.ie- The final word from Nicole: trust the process, but also take your action stepsOur MusicMusic on the show is by the...

Our StoryElizabeth des Roches tells her own story of La Quaintrelle and welcomes you to a gathering of four of the most elegant women you can imagine. This may seem like the stuff of fairy tales, but that doesn’t make this a children’s story. Ultimately, it's about calling in all aspects of the self and celebrating the power of delight and pleasure.Our GuestElizabeth des Roches is a Creatrix, seeker, and entrepreneur who accompanies women as they learn to connect to high frequency energies and openly express themselves in life &amp; business. She nurtures them at key moments in their spiritual evolution &amp; provides beautifully practical ways to make their greatest desires real.She offers Weave Your World, a transformative private mentorship; performs intuitive Energetic Threads Readings and is writing Creatrix Energetics: An Interactive Sourcebook.Discover Elizabeth’s world at www.elizabethdesroches.com &amp; sign up to receive her newsletter filled with insights &amp; opportunities. &nbsp;Follow her on Instagram.Our ConversationThis story traces elements of Elizabeth's own life, and also speaks to the experience of so many women moving through in their lifetimes. Together, we explore:- How to see the familiar trinity of the maiden, mother, and crone imagery in a new way- How so many stories are about fibers and threads, particularly The Fates who were so powerful when it came to determining life and death- The desire to reframe the stories that show wise, powerful women as ugly. Why do women have to be deformed in the process of creating realities?- Elizabeth's home in Brittany, France where faery and Celtic lore are so present and potent. The tale of Les Lavandières, the three Midnight Washerwomen who wash the shrouds of those who will die. - The gift of the three women in the story: Sovereignty, Love, Trust- A reframe on “luxury”: it’s not a yacht or golden table service. Instead luxury can be as simple as silence or sunshine.- The power of women and the salon across Europe, including in Ireland and France- You may be unfamiliar with the term la quaintrelle: A woman who emphasizes a life of passion expressed through personal style, leisurely pastimes, charm, and cultivation of life’s pleasures.Our MusicMusic on the show is by the wonderful Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental Duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called The College Groves.&nbsp;Find out about their music and shows at:&nbsp;billyandbeth.comConnect With Your Own Stories and Work with MarisaBook a Healing for Heroines session: a unique blend of energy medicine, intuitive guidance, and the language of archetypes and mythology to help you work through the tangles of life so you can weave a new story.Explore Marisa's work and get a copy of&nbsp;The Sovereignty Knot :&nbsp;www.marisagoudy.comFollow the show on&nbsp;Instagram,&nbsp;Facebook, and join our...

Our StoryIrish mythology offers us a tale of a pagan hero named Oisín who left his companions, the warriors of the Fianna, and followed a fairy woman named Niamh to her home in Tír Na nÓg, the land of eternal youth. After three hundred years, Oisín returned to Ireland and found that a man named Saint Patrick had arrived and brought along a faith called Christianity that changed everything.The story of the relationship between Oisín and Patrick is inspired by Lady Augusta Gregory’s story from her 1904 book, Gods and Fighting Men. Lady Gregory, the famous folklorist of the Celtic Revival drew her inspiration from the tales found in Acallam na Senórach/Tales of the Elders of Ireland, which is a compilation of four different medieval Irish texts. This story is written by Marisa Goudy and performed by Kevin Michael Murphy. This retelling dares to soften the ending, focusing on the friendship that might have existed despite Oisín and Patrick’s religious differences and the way we still celebrate Ireland pre-Christian heritage rather than the usual bitter lament about the end of the magical Celtic world.Our GuestKevin Michael Murphy is an actor and voice teacher based in New York City. As an actor Kevin has toured with the Broadway musical, The Book of Mormon. As a teacher, Kevin is the cofounder of the NYC Vocal Studio, and is currently on the voice faculty at NYU Steinhardt. Kevin's unique way of working with singers focuses on playfully exploring connections between the mind, the body, and the cultivation of one's artistic point of view. Kevin works with a variety of humans, some sing on Broadway in shows such as Wicked and Chicago, and others sing in karaoke bars and showers across America.And, of course, Kevin's confirmation name is Patrick.Find Kevin at www.NYCVocalStudio.com and at Instagram at @NYCVocalStudio and @KevinMichaelMurphyOur ConversationMarisa and Kevin first met at Camp GLP (Yay, Good Life Project!) and instantly bonded over Irish music, theater, and the power of song. In this conversation they explore:&nbsp;The phrase from the Irish language, fite fuaite, which means interwoven and connectedThe enduring yet ephemeral nature of theater: e cannot hold onto a performance, but we can hold onto to a storyThe time magic of story: what it means to tell a story about a 1500 year old friendship for future listenerReflection on how time changes the nature of friendship and the shifts in relationships through the pandemic yearsThe concept of the “Anam Cara,” and Irish phrase meaning “soul friend” which was brought to public consciousness with philosopher poet John O’Donoghue’s book of the same nameReflection on being Irish American Catholic kids and how that faith is part of our lineage rather than our lived livesKevin’s several times great aunt Eileen Huban was starred on Broadway in Irish productions, most famously in David Belasco’s Dark Rosaleen in 1919&nbsp;Our MusicMusic on the show is by the wonderful Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental Duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called The College Groves.&nbsp;Find out about their music and shows at:&nbsp;billyandbeth.comConnect With Your Own Stories and with Marisa’s WorkJoin Marisa’s online writing community, the<a...

Our StoryLeah and Rachel are two sisters from the Book of Genesis who were both married to the patriarch Jacob. Our GuestBlair Glaser is a writer, leadership consultant, and licensed therapist who has led many workshops for women, including "Women Writing to Change the World," at the renowned Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY. These days, she works primarily with women executives on developing effective strategies and teams. As a writer she has been a correspondent and columnist for Playbill Online and a wellness columnist for Feminist.com. In addition to writing for a variety of online publications including Shondaland, Greatist, Best Self, and The Muse to name a few, her article "A Man Blatantly Stole My Ideas. My Reaction Surprised Me." was syndicated from Huffington Post. She's read stories live at events such as Read 650, Generation Women, and won a prize for doing so at The Woodstock Bookfest.&nbsp;You can learn more about Blair’s work at www.blairglaser.com.&nbsp; Find her at @blairglaser on Twitter, @Blair.Glaser on IG, and on FacebookOur ConversationBlair frames her tale of Leah and Rachel within the context of where she first engaged with this story: at a major Jewish conference in New York City where she was speaking about stereotypes about Jewish women in the media. An orthodox rabbi who preceded her on the stage told this Book of Genesis story and offered an interpretation: in relationships, we fall in love with Rachel (the ideal), but we end up married to Leah (the real human being).&nbsp;&nbsp;We also explore:Women in the Bible as “shadows” of women&nbsp;How to navigate relationships when they stop being sexy and how to forgive ourselves and our partners for being human&nbsp;Jane Austen and the “marriage industrial complex” over the agesWhat might be lost as we reject partnership because so many are rejecting monogamyWhat it takes to read between the lines of history to find the foremothersThe focus on how we’ve come a long way, and that’s clear as Blair works with women leaders and watching them orient themselves toward a future of gender equity&nbsp;&nbsp;The secret of creative tension and how the true quest is to fight together, not in opposition&nbsp;&nbsp;Our MusicMusic on the show is by the wonderful Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental Duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called The College Groves.&nbsp;Find out about their music and shows at:&nbsp;billyandbeth.comConnect With Your Own Stories and with Marisa’s WorkJoin Marisa’s online writing community, the&nbsp;Sovereign Writers’ KnotExplore Marisa's work and get a copy of&nbsp;The Sovereignty Knot :&nbsp;www.marisagoudy.comFollow the show on&nbsp;Instagram,&nbsp;<a...

Our StoryThis is the story of Macha, a goddess, a fairy woman, a woman of the Sidhe, who took a human lover for a year. This story sets the stage for the greatest epic in Irish mythology, the Táin Bó Cúailnge. This story is often remembered for its curse, but really, it's the story of a birth. "The Birth of a Heroine" was written and performed by Marisa Goudy. Sources: The Metrical Dindsheanchas, which means "the lore of places" in Middle Irish and includes texts from the 11th to 14th centuries.Our GuestBarb Buckner Suárez is a Health Educator specializing in pregnancy, birth, and parenting. She’s taught thousands of couples for over 20 years about the benefits of embracing the vulnerability that comes with becoming a parent. Barb’s a Lamaze-certified Childbirth Educator, a Fellow in the Academy of Certified Childbirth Educators, a Certified Becoming Us Facilitator, and Mentor for Becoming Us Facilitators. She’s also a professed “brain nerd” and holds a Masters Level Certificate in Interpersonal Neurobiology.&nbsp;Barb just launched her new podcast Birth Happens. It's yet another way she is supporting expecting and new families in the most important work they will ever do: raising the next generation.Our ConversationThe way birth can feel “superhuman” and how it is even more remarkable than seeing a woman outrun the king’s fastest horsesThe symbolic power of cows and horses, particularly in the Celtic tradition and in relationship to birthThe weaving of human, superhuman, and, as philosopher, writer, activist Bayo Akomolafe calls it, the more-than-human world&nbsp;The brain science of “mommy brain” and how emotional and physical welfare takes up so much of the brain after birthThe quest for inclusive language, particularly when discussing mythology and when discussing birth.&nbsp; Barb talks about how she has changed the ways she uses “motherhood,” “fatherhood” and “pregnant person.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Why certain stories are remembered for the “wrong reasons” but can be transformed through feminist and other perspectives (As Gloria Steinem said, “ The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off!”Book recommendation: Gail Carriger: The Heroine's Journey: For Writers, Readers, and Fans of Pop Culture (she makes great points about how heroines and heroes are determined by their actions and situations, not by their gender)Connect With Our GuestLearn more about Barb's classes and coaching sessions which can prepare you and your couple relationship for the normal challenges and changes of becoming a family. Visit her website and check out her blog at https://bbsuarez.com/Find Barb on Facebook and InstagramOur MusicMusic on the show is by the wonderful Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental Duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called The College Groves.&nbsp; Find out about their music and shows at: billyandbeth.comConnect With Your Own Stories and...

Our StoryKelly Braffet reads to us from her novel The Broken Tower’s preface, which reads like a myth. These initial pages serve to (re)introduce readers to the characters and their struggles in a fantastic world of magical bonds, warring kingdoms, and a power beyond reckoning. Our GuestKelly Braffet is the author of the Border Lands novels, including The Broken Tower and The Unwilling, as well as the novels Save Yourself, Josie and Jack and Last Seen Leaving. Her writing has been published in The Fairy Tale Review, Post Road, and several anthologies. She attended Sarah Lawrence College and Columbia University and currently lives in upstate New York with her husband, the author Owen King.You can purchase a signed copy of The Broken Tower from Oblong Books &amp; Music or anywhere you love to buy books. Our ConversationIn the discussion that follows the story, we explore the themes from the book and the choices an author makes, particularly when creating her own fantasy world:Themes of power, not just the magical sort, and how this is central to all of Kelly’s workWritten in 2020 and 2021, this is a real “pandemic novel” that responds to the moment during it which it was writtenThe dual meaning of “Work,” which describes the magic in this world and the factories that make the book “a capitalist dystopia”The question of whose stories get told and feeling haunted by all the people whose stories were never toldThe conscious inclusion of differently abled people as well as well as folks across gender identities and sexualities&nbsp;The question “who am I writing for” and how the author’s choices can hurt certain readers, particularly those with marginalized identities.&nbsp;Why Kelly chose to create a mythic world that does not replicate our ownOur MusicMusic on the show is by the wonderful Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental Duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called The College Groves.&nbsp; Find out about their music and shows at: billyandbeth.comMore Ways to Untangle &amp; Weave Your Own Stories and Work with MarisaJoin Marisa’s online writing community, the Sovereign Writers’ Knot Explore Marisa's work and get a copy of&nbsp;The Sovereignty Knot :&nbsp;www.marisagoudy.comFollow the show on&nbsp;Instagram, Facebook, and join our vibrant&nbsp;listeners' community.

Guest and storyteller Jen Murphy is a Feminine Embodiment Coach, Mythologist and Anthropologist. She is the creator of Celtic Embodiment, a cutting-edge modality that fuses the ancient wisdom of Celtic Mythology with the emerging field of Feminine Embodiment Coaching, to transform modern life for women. I have the good fortune of being part of Jen’s yearlong program, the Celtic Women’s Voyage where Jen takes us on an imram, a mystical, embodied journey to the otherworld and to the realms within.Learn more about Jen and her brilliant work at www.celticembodiment.comJen comes to KnotWork with her own story, The Skerries Selkie, which is set in Skerries, County Dublin, right beside the Irish Sea. In our deep diving conversation, Jen and I explore:The parallels between the Selkie and An Mhaighdean Mhara, the mermaidHow important it is to reclaim the feminine from the patriarchy and recover the lost self&nbsp;The masculine and feminine energy that exist in all of us and how we leave behind seal skin (the feminine) when we suit up and head off to work and enter the masculine worldThe problem with “doing the feminine in a masculine way”Valuing doing over being, logic over intuition, linear over the cyclicalThe bean feasa, the wise woman who comes in to help and heal the mother who has lost herselfSisterhood, rupture and separation, the quest to return to companionship and the arms of the sea.The sacred geometry of the Celtic Embodiment logo, with all of its straight lines and spirals and how evocative it is of this story and these ideas.How systems of oppression can play out in the bodyAnimism: the belief that everything has a soul. The Brehon Law, the original laws of Ireland that protect trees, proving the way that everything had an essence and a soul.The way the body remembers. A book recommendation from Jen: Kimberly Ann Johnson Call of the Wild: How We Heal Trauma, Awaken Our Own Power, and Use it for GoodWhat it means to be a mother of sons (as well as daughters and non-binary children) in a culture with so much trouble with “toxic masculinity”Our show music is a compilation of traditional tunes, including "The College Grove," performed by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy: http://billyandbeth.com/Do you want to explore and tell your own stories? Marisa's Sovereign Writers’ Knot online community is accepting new members now. Learn more and apply to join this unique space for writers who want to dive deep into stories that are at once personal and universal.Explore Marisa's work and get a copy of&nbsp;The Sovereignty Knot :&nbsp;www.marisagoudy.comFollow the show on&nbsp;Instagram&nbsp;and join our vibrant&nbsp;listeners' community on Facebook.

Maura McMahon is a storyteller and spoken word poet whose collection of Irish tales, pirate adventures, and women's sovereignty songs have entranced and empowered audiences across regional venues in New York’s Hudson Valley for over 15 years.&nbsp;Her deeply engaging performative style is imbued with the Celtic spirit. As a character performer, Maura has embodied Grace O'Malley, and the Grey Sea Hag as well as Hippolyta the Amazonian Queen and Mrs. Claus of the Hudson Valley.Maura McMahon comes to tell us a story of a bold, complicated Irish woman of the 17th century who shares her beautiful name. She was first introduced to this story through a book by the wonderful folklorist Eddie Lenihan, Ferocious Irish Women.Known to history as Máire Rua O’Brien, our heroine was born a MacMahon at Bunratty Castle in County Clare and was a resident of the famous Leamaneh Castle in The Burren. This is a story of love and loss, of cunning and sovereignty.&nbsp;How and why does this story matter to us?What it takes to care for your children and yourself when you're endangeredThe question of what it means to be a heroine: does it have to be about being “ferocious”?Woman’s sovereignty and choice and how it can be found through partnership and outside itThe myth of redheads and their fiery temperamentThe enduring nature of strong women’s storiesAs a storyteller, refusing to drop the parts of the story are “ugly” or that the audience may not like, especially when the listeners have a sense of which side is right or wrong and you’re telling historical tales.&nbsp;Our show music is a compilation of traditional tunes, including "The College Grove," performed by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy: http://billyandbeth.com/Continue Your KnotWork journey...Explore Marisa's work and get a copy of The Sovereignty Knot : www.marisagoudy.comWrite your own stories in Marisa's online writers's community, the Sovereign Writers’ Knot. Follow the show on Instagram and join our vibrant listeners' community on Facebook.

In this week's story, you'll meet Mongfind, the Sovereignty Goddess turned queen turned witch who appears in the Book of Lecan, a medieval Irish manuscript compiled at the turn of the fourteenth century. Her story is part of the better known tale of Niall of the Nine Hostages, the founding father of the O'Neill clan.This story was written by Marisa Goudy. It is an adaptation from the translation of the original manuscript, inspired by the interpretation of the tale by Gearóid Ó Crualaoich in The Book of the Cailleach: Stories of the Wise-Woman Healer.This week's guest Meg Sweeten helps me uncover the layers of modern meaning contained in this ancient story. Meg is a certified meditation + mindfulness teacher.&nbsp; She is also the founder of The Soul Cabin, a practical online resource for inner wellness. This virtual space supports modern women looking to rekindle and maintain a connection to themselves, through all the seasons of their lives with: meditation, resilience techniques, nature-based practices, and soulful community. Find Meg Sweeten at www.thesoulcabin.com and on Instagram @thesoulcabinIn our conversation, Meg and I explored:How, in mythology, the power of earth and nature are even more meaningful than the human struggles and shifting perspective.&nbsp;&nbsp;The importance of honoring the land we live on, particularly North Americans. We may not know the stories of the native people whose land we now live upon, but the stories of our ancestors can still help us develop a relationship with earth and nature. As white Americans, we reflect on how the more rooted you are in your own lineage and family heritage, the more rooted you are, and the more able you are to confront white supremacy, fragility, and cultural appropriation.This story and all stories as a product of their times and the preoccupations of the storyteller.Tension between human will (the masculine) and the tides of nature (feminine).&nbsp;Shapeshifting characters and the way we shift the shape of characters based on our own experiences.The very modern feeling elements of this story: slavery, class, privilege. The difficult and shadowy elements of mythology, and how these heroines are very different from the simpler fairy tale princesses that are (theoretically) easy to love.&nbsp;&nbsp;The source of the Mongfind story, The Book of the Cailleach, calls us to recognize the power of names and naming, and why some characters are forgotten. Dive deeper into these stories of Ireland and the Celtic world and explore your own stories Explore Marisa's work and get a copy of&nbsp;The Sovereignty Knot :&nbsp;www.marisagoudy.comFollow the show on&nbsp;Instagram&nbsp;and join our vibrant&nbsp;listeners' community on Facebook.Join the Sovereign Writers’ Knot, Marisa’s online writing community for healers, heroines, dreamers, and wisdom keepers. New members are invited to apply through March 2, 2022: www.marisagoudy.com/sovereign-writers Our show music is a compilation of traditional tunes, including The Cape Breton Salute, performed by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy: http://billyandbeth.com/

My guest Kate Chadbourne is a singer, harper, and storyteller, an award-winning songwriter and poet, a scholar and teacher of Irish language and folklore with a PhD from Harvard, and a beloved performer at venues throughout New England.&nbsp; Kate is also the founder of The Bardic Academy, a school for writers, musicians, singers, and young scholars.&nbsp; Learn more about Kate as a performer, teacher, editor, and guide.Fadó Fadó in Éireann… In celebration of the Celtic festival of Imbolc, Kate offers us two tales of Brigit, Ireland’s patron goddess and saint. The first story describes Brigit as the Blessed Virgin Mary's best friend and the first celebration of Saint Brigit's Day. The second is a story of resourcefulness and kindness: when Brigit saves a fox and outfoxes a king.Following the stories, our discussion explore:&nbsp;Fite fuaite… an Irish phrase that speaks to the weaving together of ideasThe meanings of Brigit’s names: “Flaming arrow” and “life force, vitality.”&nbsp;A reframe of the concept “the universe is conspiring on our behalf”&nbsp; is that the universe is conspiring on our behalf because we are co-conspiring with it.“Conspiring” means “to be inspirited together.” In these stories, Brigit doesn’t ask God to take care of everything, she asks for the eyes to see the solution and she will do her part.&nbsp;A new perspective on prayer The power of the Celtic Wheel of the Year, which reminds us of our most treasured values as well as our connection to nature. Imbolc: the feast of Ewe Lactation. A great excuse to have the finest butter, cheese, and ice cream!&nbsp;&nbsp;Want to offer someone Brigit’s Blessings?&nbsp; Say: Beannachtaí lá Fheile BrídeOur show music is a compilation of traditional tunes, including The Cape Breton Salute, performed by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy: http://billyandbeth.com/More Ways to Untangle &amp; Weave Your Own Stories Explore Marisa's work and get a copy of&nbsp;The Sovereignty Knot :&nbsp;www.marisagoudy.comJoin our online writing community, Sovereign Writers’ KnotFollow the show on&nbsp;Instagram, Facebook, and join our vibrant&nbsp;listeners' community.

From your host, Marisa Goudy, word witch, writing coach, story healer, and author of The Sovereignty Knot: A Woman’s Way to Freedom, Power, Love, and Magic: I started this show because I know in my bones that mythology is medicine for our modern maladies. We use the ancient stories to understand our lives all the time. Thing is, we usually just aren’t aware of it.In this episode, I share my own story of my relationship to storytelling, including my early fascination with Irish culture and Celtic mythology that carried me all the way to an MA in Anglo-Irish Literature and Drama at University College Dublin.You’ll hear many stories from Ireland because those stories are dear to me and are closest to my expertise, but my guests are bringing tales from their own traditions and ancestral lineages. In future seasons, I hope to cast our story net further and further and call in storytellers, characters and plots from around the globe.When you subscribe to KnotWork Storytelling, you can expect: original stories drawn from mythology and folklore, that either myself or my guest have adapted we seek to balance the material from the original manuscripts and the tales collected by folklorists with the modern sensibilities that really make these stories come alivesome guests are brilliant oral storytellers who will perform their favorite pieces for youauthors whose fiction draws upon ancient origin legends, heroes’ journeys, and heroines’ talesExplore Marisa's work and get a copy of The Sovereignty Knot : www.marisagoudy.com Follow the show on Instagram and join our vibrant listeners' community on Facebook.Out show music is performed by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy: http://billyandbeth.com/