Deoch Mass 10-30-2019 - Anniversary

I only have time for a short few words today, but I wanted to be here to mark the one cycle anniversary of this Mass. By the grace of Deoch’s inspiration, I have held thirty-two sermons in that time.

I want to express a sincere thank you to those of you who have shared this journey with me. I am genuinely humbled by every Aisling that has brought themselves to Suomi to attend this mass over that time. I am thankful that there is still a demand for religious worship in Temuair, not just those that come to this particular mass but thankful for those that hold and attend masses to the other Temuarian gods as well.

I must admit having my share of doubts in the early going when oftentimes this temple stood empty as mass time arrived, but those doubts vanished when even a single Aisling came wanting to hear word of Deoch.

The tradition of worship survives even in this old age. It is a remnant of the old ways of Temuair. Perhaps Aislings of today think it a quaint anachronism, something that no longer belongs, but it has always been a large part of my life here in Temuair and I am immensely grateful that many of you choose to uphold this old tradition with me.

I am not here for myself, I am here for all of you. It is my pleasure to serve you to the best of my ability. If there is some way I am able to do better, please let me know. For there is another cycle ahead of us, filled with the worship of Deoch.

 

Deoch Mass 10-23-2019 - Dreamers

Aisling. A term meaning ‘dreamer’ in the old tongue, given to describe those of us reborn with the Spark. Fitting, isn’t it? We Aislings have dreamed countless contributions to Temuair of all sorts and enriched Temuair with an identity it would not have had otherwise… a Legacy that will stand long after this land fades into the void.

But imagine for a moment that our name was given to us for a much more literal reason.That our existence as Aislings -- as dreamers -- was made possible by bringing the dream of another to the land of Temuair through the Aisling Spark. A dream that is fused with a Mundane to create… us, the Aisling.

This is a theory that Aisling Philosophers have been whispering since the first dawning: that this type of connection is the true nature of the Aisling Spark. It is a theory nearly heretical at its core, but doesn't the concept of Heresy, the idea that another existence can manifest into the minds of Aislings, which was formerly enshrined within the very laws of Mileth and Rucesion bely the possibility that this theory might reflect in a shard of truth?

There are interesting philosophical lines of thought to explore here, but beyond that… even if our lives are a combination of another’s dream and a borrowed body,… what does it matter?

I am an Aisling living in the lands of Temuair. It is an existence I have cherished for a long, long time… My life here is independent, unique, and unlike any other. Regardless of how I came into this world; Temuair and its people have fundamentally changed me over time. I have loved and lost, laughed and cried, rejoiced and been hurt more times than I can count. I am willing to accept that my life here sprang from a simple dream, but I refuse to accept the existence that I have built is just an afterthought.

This journey over the many decades has changed me so significantly that I bare almost no resemblance to the awoken dream that laid eyes on Temuair for the first time as a hybrid of new life created through the gift of Deoch.

I hope you, too, feel this way. That your life here is more than a dream destined to be woken up from and forgotten. Let your time here in Temuair change you and alter whatever expectations you had when you first saw with new eyes. This is the unique ability this land wields: providing those with a life they never expected.

Deoch Mass 10-16-2019 - Our Unique Voice

The first time I stood at the head of a Deoch congregation, I was little more than a handful of Deochs an Aisling. My mentors, Casiell and Carnaugh, saw I had a passion for Deoch and they encouraged me to start my own mass and help fill out an already robust Deoch Mass schedule.

When the sun of my first arrived, I came to the temple and stood with my back up against the very statue. To put it simply… I was terrified. The few people that were in attendance were all older and wiser than I, by far. What I offered as my sermon were stuttering, disjointed thoughts pieced together from my still nascent understanding of Deoch and my own place in Temuair. After it was over and the temple had emptied, I told my mentors that I felt as if I wasn’t worthy to hold worship in Deoch’s name in front of these people so much better with words than I was.

It is what one of them told me in my moment of most need that I want to share with you today. He said: ’As Aislings it is the unique voice that each of us has, not the words themselves, that makes us special.’

Not exactly a straightforward bit of sage wisdom, but it has been one that I have thought about in the many decades since.

In time I believe came to understand what he was trying to tell me. Every one of us, should we choose to find and use it, has our own unique voice that gives sound to our passions and emotions. Anyone can use words to any end, that in itself is not difficult. But when someone finds their unique voice, their words take on a transcendent power.

The voice of a poet can stir the soul, the voice of a politician rallys others to their cause, the voice of a teacher grips the imagination of their students.

My mentors heard my passion and guided me to use my voice as a preacher to inspire faith. I am grateful for their prompting, I am here today because of the belief they had in me.

As it was in my case, it is often times that others see our strengths before we can ourselves. Perhaps there is someone you know that needs a similar prompting to use their own unique voice? If you see the passion in another, encourage them and help them find where their voice rings true. It is the many unique voices in their suited place that brings harmony to Temuair. And there is always room for another in the choir.