Gestare Art Collective

As I set my altar for this journey, the first art I made as a co-researcher on Barbara's dissertation research team became the central piece. This multimedia piece created on a square board was made from an early 1800's map of the West Coast of the British Isles, thick hemp string, and found shells from the beaches of Southern England where I grew up. I placed a doll from our January 7 Gestare retreat day on the altar to accompany me on my journey. Dropping into the art I began a journey of inquiry into my ancestral origins. Sounds and images came forth from those ancestors of blood and name who were merchant sailors, traders of fine glassware in the 1800's. Ancestors about whom I know nothing but this one story. Ancestors of whom we never spoke.

I have thoughts arising about my collage making idea for my now finished dissertation and oral exam - 2D artifacts, honouring my completion. I realize it’s the ritual “feasting” of these trances, the artwork is in this process (beyond this writing), generating a Dakini mandala of the colours blue, yellow, red, green, and white with separate pages.

Trance begins. I fly over to Belfast. Then a green hill or the Mountains of Mourn appear and I land there. I see the goddess Brigid. This is her “time,” as Imbolc is her festival, so I want to be with her today. Knowing it’s close to my birthday, she is my “saint,” a patron goddess. She is in a long, green robe, swathed in velvet with power emanating all around and from her being. She holds a tall staff in her hand. I am now wearing a long purple dress and cape. We walk together up the hill to the bonfire lit in her honour. She is the goddess of this land, of fires and creativity, growth and birth, the new life of the year. This is a season of “birth” as we watch the first spring days arrive, and the birth of the new lambs. We walk into a small cottage. A table is laid with the things for my collage. First she says, “you MUST trust yourself.” Trust it—follow your heart. She says she knows this sounds trite but its true and that you know how to do this. “The purpose of all this is to be an inspiration for others, allow that and the falling away of ego as you already have and are. It is a good time to travel to Ireland. Bring your Grandma’s key with you. You will find something you have been missing.”

“Make the collage.”  Trance ends.