The Inspiration behind Lady Faire
September arrives as we continue to enjoy the warmth of the sun and the abundance that summer brings, yet there is a small underlying shift that brings with it a feeling of return. It begins to get dark earlier, kids go back to school, and there is even an obvious change in the traffic patterns due to the various shifting lifestyles. What are we returning to? Is it a return to ourselves, or a return to the roles that we play in our lives? It’s as if the summer is a time to take off our cloaks of identity and relax for a while, basking in the light of reprieve, but then as summer closes there’s that gentle or often harsh tug back into “reality”.
It was two years ago today that I embarked upon a quest that was to last for a year. Not wanting to put on that familiar cloak anymore, I chose to slowly make the descent back into the depths searching for those forgotten aspects of myself that needed to be re-discovered and re-defined.
The archetypes and ancient Goddesses of Avalon resonate with me deeply and they have always held a sense of familiarity that brings an unexplained comfort to my soul. Being immersed within the Holy Landscapes and Sacred Legends of the Celts somehow create a reliable inner source of stability for me, particularly in times of change. So I began the journey into Descent, turning inwards and entering into the arms of Rhiannon.
I believe that music has the power to contain the memories of our experiences better than any other. So in an effort to create a "spiritual photograph" for each leg of the journey, I wrote a song dedicated to each of the Goddesses that would be part of this transforming experience throughout the coming year. It is Rhiannon that marked the beginning of this Quest, and feeling accompanied and supported by all of Nature, I retracted back into Her womb. It is during this time that I wrote Lady Faire which was intended to both honor Her as well as capture the lesson She was holding for me during that time.
There are so many reliable sources that depict Her legend quite beautifully, but here is a very small excerpt from the first part of her story since it was the inspiration for the song “Lady Faire" and the part that was really speaking to me at that time.
" In the first branch of the Mabinogi, Pwyll first encounters the beautiful Goddess Rhiannon on the mound of Arberth. She is riding a beautiful pure white horse, wearing shining golden garments. As Pwyll continues to pursue her, she quietly continues riding remaining just out of reach. At whatever pace he rode, he could not overtake her and this continued for three days. On the third day, finally in despair he asked Rhiannon to stop and she did gladly”.
What lesson is contained within this short excerpt of Her story. The old adage “If you don’t ask the answer is always NO” comes to mind. How often do we ask for what we need or do we even know what that is? The word “need” often holds negative implications, for we may believe that it suggests some hidden vulnerability often accompanied with feelings of shame, making us feel weak and somehow less of a person because of it. So we hold our head high, think positive and continue to prove to ourselves and to the world that we are doing just fine. Very often that works and I do believe very strongly in the power of positive thinking, yet there are times in life when things just break down. Out of utter frustration, helplessness or despair what often emerges is that quest for wholeness and change. Perhaps it is that moment in between the light and the dark when we discover what we truly need. Ironically what we first defined as a weakness becomes a tremendous source of strength which aids in propelling us right out of our comfort zone and begins the process of transformation. Perhaps Rhiannon is telling us that we should pursue our heart’s desire, but if we are not getting it, we must wonder to ourselves “Did we ever ask?”
It was two years ago today that I embarked upon a quest that was to last for a year. Not wanting to put on that familiar cloak anymore, I chose to slowly make the descent back into the depths searching for those forgotten aspects of myself that needed to be re-discovered and re-defined.
The archetypes and ancient Goddesses of Avalon resonate with me deeply and they have always held a sense of familiarity that brings an unexplained comfort to my soul. Being immersed within the Holy Landscapes and Sacred Legends of the Celts somehow create a reliable inner source of stability for me, particularly in times of change. So I began the journey into Descent, turning inwards and entering into the arms of Rhiannon.
I believe that music has the power to contain the memories of our experiences better than any other. So in an effort to create a "spiritual photograph" for each leg of the journey, I wrote a song dedicated to each of the Goddesses that would be part of this transforming experience throughout the coming year. It is Rhiannon that marked the beginning of this Quest, and feeling accompanied and supported by all of Nature, I retracted back into Her womb. It is during this time that I wrote Lady Faire which was intended to both honor Her as well as capture the lesson She was holding for me during that time.
There are so many reliable sources that depict Her legend quite beautifully, but here is a very small excerpt from the first part of her story since it was the inspiration for the song “Lady Faire" and the part that was really speaking to me at that time.
" In the first branch of the Mabinogi, Pwyll first encounters the beautiful Goddess Rhiannon on the mound of Arberth. She is riding a beautiful pure white horse, wearing shining golden garments. As Pwyll continues to pursue her, she quietly continues riding remaining just out of reach. At whatever pace he rode, he could not overtake her and this continued for three days. On the third day, finally in despair he asked Rhiannon to stop and she did gladly”.
What lesson is contained within this short excerpt of Her story. The old adage “If you don’t ask the answer is always NO” comes to mind. How often do we ask for what we need or do we even know what that is? The word “need” often holds negative implications, for we may believe that it suggests some hidden vulnerability often accompanied with feelings of shame, making us feel weak and somehow less of a person because of it. So we hold our head high, think positive and continue to prove to ourselves and to the world that we are doing just fine. Very often that works and I do believe very strongly in the power of positive thinking, yet there are times in life when things just break down. Out of utter frustration, helplessness or despair what often emerges is that quest for wholeness and change. Perhaps it is that moment in between the light and the dark when we discover what we truly need. Ironically what we first defined as a weakness becomes a tremendous source of strength which aids in propelling us right out of our comfort zone and begins the process of transformation. Perhaps Rhiannon is telling us that we should pursue our heart’s desire, but if we are not getting it, we must wonder to ourselves “Did we ever ask?”
If you are interested in a deeper exploration of the ancient Celtic legends, here are a few wonderful resources:
The Mabinogi; and Other Medieval Welsh Tales, by Patrick Ford
From the Cauldron Born by Kristoffer Hughes
Avalon Within by Jhenah Telyndru
Celtic Audio Podcast: (great audio re-enactment of the Welsh tales)
The Mabinogi; and Other Medieval Welsh Tales, by Patrick Ford
From the Cauldron Born by Kristoffer Hughes
Avalon Within by Jhenah Telyndru
Celtic Audio Podcast: (great audio re-enactment of the Welsh tales)