Deoch Mass 3-9-2022 - Possibility (Part 1)

The pairing of the Spark of Deoch and Mundane creates a new life… we, the Aisling. There is much discussion around this process and what exactly this “Spark” is. There are those in the past that suggested it imbues the newly created life with the Inspiration of Deoch, making Aisling beings of endless creativity and imagination.

It is no surprise that many came to this conclusion. Those first few decades were a renaissance of new thought, writings, and art to which Temuair had never witnessed before in its long history. There is little wonder that many revered Deoch for gifting us with such prowess.

As time went forward it was noticed that many new Aislings had no aptitude or desire to be creative and instead took on singularly martial roles. Leading us to question what we had considered a truth; that perhaps Deoch did not include his divine inspiration as part of his contribution to this Spark he helped create.

Many lost faith, not understanding why new Aislings did not have this gift that so many of the first Aisling possessed. The loss of idealism led to them leaving this dream for a time or, in some cases, forever.

So if Deoch did not include a touch of his divine Inspiration into his and Danaan’s creation… what was the gift Deoch imbued within the Spark? To my mind, that gift is the gift of ‘possibility’. Apart, the Mundane is rooted in drudgery and the Dreaming Spirit caught by the Spark just a formless consciousness of a creature burdened with expectation and experience of their waking world. With the joining of the two into our Aisling form, we are given to endless possibilities and the freedom to decide what that means. A fresh start to where anything is possible.

This is the great gift of the Spark and the true nature of The Aisling.
After all, what is more divine than another chance at life? Even if it is only in dreams.

Deoch Mass 3-2-2022 - Reaching to the Future

Sometimes letting go of the past is hard. It is familiar; comfortable. Our personal history is filled with lost moments that often ask to be remembered because they once held a special significance.

It is a mistake to think that moving forward means forgetting the past. It matters little if the road you have traveled has been pleasant or arduous; it is a part of you regardless. So, in that way letting go is never a function of forgetting for you cannot forget the past any more than you can trim away parts of your soul. Instead, letting go is loosening the grip from a fist to a gentle touch; a grasp so tight on the past cannot reach for the future.

This is especially true for those that currently live in hard times… the desire to reach out to cherished memories is strong. Our remembrance to the people we knew, places we’ve been, and to those that we loved form a powerful tether to situations that now only exist in memory.

There is a great risk in this because memories can become warped idealized versions of themselves and cause one to struggle with reality. This is the result of the mind gripping tightly to a memory made fantasy, making ‘the perfect the enemy of good’, as it were… unable to accept anything less than the ideal. It is only through opening the hand of acceptance that one can see the possibilities the future still holds.

Let us take this concept and apply it to the Temuair of today. There are those that fight so hard to bring back a version of Temuair that is long gone… and in some cases never really existed at all because many idealize the ‘golden age’ of Temuair that they first dreamed.

I found out long ago that fighting against the tide changes of Temuair is a sure way to burn out and be taken by the waves. Acceptance doesn’t mean forgetting, but it does allow you to see the possibilities of the future. If you truly care for the Temuair of the past and its legacy, then do not attempt to command the sun to rise in the west. Instead see the light of Danaan still reflecting from the moon and use that Light that remains to inspire Temuair in its twilight like those that did when this dream was young.

 

Deoch Mass 12-29-2021 - End of another cycle.

We stand here today at the end of the 23rd cycle, nearly 185 years since Deoch finished The Spark and created the first Aisling. In these rare days before a cycle turns over, I like to take a moment and appreciate our continued time together here in Temuair.

Here is a simple message that I wrote many decades ago that I have oftentimes repeated during my last mass of each cycle as a way to look back before moving forward...

I want you to think about the time you have spent walking Temuair in this past cycle… about the faces you have encountered; about the friendships you have made or rekindled. Those memories and those feelings wouldn’t have otherwise been made absent your presence here. Know that you have enriched the lives of others, in a way that is uniquely your own. In times of great darkness, draw strength knowing that there are those that you have encountered in this existence that remember you fondly and appreciate your companionship.

To that end, think of those that have come before. Those you did not see these past eight Deochs. Although they are not with us, let them occupy your minds during this time of remembrance. The memories you have made together and the feelings that you shared. These moments are the thread of our lives. Vital are these past threads as they helped weave you into the person you are today; countless interconnected strands forming a multicolored tapestry created little by little during your time here in Temuair.

Go into this new cycle thinking about the future, what lies ahead as we continue to navigate an uncertain fate here in this dream. There is still time to make an impact in the community if that is something you aspire to. Still a chance to contribute your own distinctive addition to the legacy of Aisling kind; a legacy that has been built up by so many that came before. 

Let us be thankful for one another and for this gathering place. Let us look to Deoch for guidance in the upcoming cycle. I look forward to being with you all in the time ahead; let us continue to shine the Spark for as long as the gods deem this dream drift the aether.

Deoch Mass 12-8-2021 - Stories

The very first Aislings told stories. They would gather in taverns, fairs, the glade, and of course in temples; there they would share their inspiration with one another.

Why? Not merely because it was a good excuse to sit around and down pints of mead, rum, or wine… although it was _also_ that. And a mighty fine excuse it is. But… no, they did it because it was in their nature.

Telling stories is at the very core of the Aisling Spirit. Whether they take the form of heroic myths, fae inspired poems, tales of the gods, or just our shared history; the stories Aislings tell have enriched Temuair through the cycles in a way that Mundanes no longer can.

Stories grow out of our lives, like the roots that grow out of trees. This land is filled with the unseen roots of stories. The stories that Aislings have told through the ages have grown the narrative of this world. The legacy of our kind.

Sadly, storytellers have become a rarer breed over time. Without them, we lose our unique identity and Temuair becomes like any other land drifting in the domain of dreams.

That makes it more important than ever to tell our stories here and now. As much as our bodies require food and drink, so too do our souls have need of stories for sustenance. Without them, the Aisling spirit starves and the lush backdrop of Temuair ceases to grow.

I ask you to support those storytellers that still carry the bounty of the Spirit. Support them until you, yourself, find the voice to tell your own stories; joining with the chorus of all those who came before.

For all the stories that we have yet to tell and the ones we will yet create with one another, let us bow our heads in prayer.

Deoch Mass 12-1-2021 - Fulfilling Needs

Those that awaken in Temuair come seeking something; guided here by needs left unfulfilled in their waking life. That life, perhaps, perfectly enjoyable and pleasant outside of one missing aspect… or, instead, a life less idealistic with many hardships and unfulfilled needs. No matter what circumstances draw the dream spirit to awaken your Aisling self, this land offers an opportunity at something missing from the waking world.

This may be the way Temuair connects so strongly with those who have dreamed here. Having one’s needs fulfilled creates a powerful attachment. Between friends, between lovers, and between places. There are few things more satisfying… more comforting… than having one’s missing needs fulfilled.

Some of these spring from a need to test our mettle: the need to adventure, for challenge and competition. Others come from the desires of the heart: the
need for friendship, companionship, and belonging. Taking the time to search them out, Temuair can fill these and many more.

As time passes, needs change as they inevitably do. Such is their way, altering in ways both subtle and drastic. With these changes you may find yourself dreaming less and less of Temuair. Fret not, it happens to us all with time. The spirit finds other ways to fulfill certain needs and old ways fade into the aether. Or maybe this land becomes less adept in the ways it once was strong… Temuair itself is also ever changing.

But it is Temuair’s ability to fill our needs that brings many of us back here time and time again. For there are always new needs looking to be fulfilled in familiar ways and, of course, the everlasting need to look back upon our past… to places that helped us along the way.

Deoch Mass 11-24-2021 - Counting Blessings

The Eulogy is upon us. That time honored tradition where the many races of Temuair come together to worship an aspect of our Lady Danaan and remember Her sacrifice to seal away Chadul. It is a ceremony so revered that you’ll even see many long lapsed Aislings return to Temuair briefly to take part in the rites.

This is a time of remembrance and thankfulness not only for Danaan but also in our everyday lives. The worlds in which we exist, be they in this dream or otherwise, can be filled with so much darkness that a reminder to take a moment to remember the Light in our lives is a welcome one.

When I look back upon my life here in Temuair, I recognize the many blessings I have been given. I have been a part of three wonderful guilds that have been as family to me. I count a great many Aislings as friends and colleagues, their friendships have made me a better person over time. I have also been fortunate to have found love, perhaps the greatest of all the blessings.

And then there is being blessed with people like all of you here, those who humble me by coming to hear words in Deoch’s temple. Temuair has brought me a wealth of inspiration and been an enrichment of my life, and for that I will always be thankful.

So, what is it that you are thankful for? Take a moment to count the blessings of Light in your life; sometimes just setting aside a moment to do so can put things back into perspective.

Recognize the Light in your life; stave off the darkness that tries so hard to engulf us all. Let this be the lesson we carry forward from this time of Eulogy.

Deoch Mass 11-3-2021 - Temuair's Continued Existence

 

Certainly Temuair has changed in a myriad of ways since the time I was sparked. There are times of reflection when I weep for those bright days of the past, for friends decades missing, and for the culture of the time that helped mold me as a fresh, impressionable Aisling.

From time to time you will come across a voice that will suggest Temuair would have been better off destroyed at the tail end of that golden era rather than be allowed to stagnate for these many decades since. Although I long for the Temuair of my youth, I do not share this profound negativity.

I have ‘returned’ to this land more times than I can remember. Those returns are usually precipitated by a hint of nostalgia, bringing my dreams back to Temuair so I can experience the countless locked away memories of a sentimental old man. I am most grateful for the ability to dream here whenever I wish and experience that rush of emotions once again remembered.

But also, every time I have returned, I find there is still Light here in Temuair. For certain, the days of my youth were as bright as Danaan’s sun. But it would be a mistake to say there is none of that old style ‘Aisling culture’ still beating in Temuair even now. I often find my mind impressed and my heart warmed by those that continue to hold the traditions of old. And even by those who have developed their own new traditions all their own for which they call Temuair ‘home’.

If you find that your memories here in Temuair are worth revisiting someday, consider taking up the mantle of service. Any position, no matter how little, contributes to the greater whole. Or, should your waking mind be too preoccupied to expend such dedication in this dream, then please instead send a ‘thank you’ to those that do take up that mantle.

Thank your political leaders, arena hosts, teachers, members of the Suomi Troupe, contest hosts, knights, and yes even the Rangers. For it is the collective dedication of these people that Temuair continues to exist.

It is my hope that this land will continue to survive into the very distant future. Allowing me to continue reliving old memories and even making a few new ones whenever I desire to dream of Temuair.