FUINN II: THE POETRY OF PRACTICE
by contemplativeinquiry
I’m a Pagan Druid, happily placed in a tradition that values poetry and seership over dogma and system building. I experience my practice as a sort of poetry. In this poetry of practice, I am held in a compelling myth of origin, an ever-now origin, and I have found a new way of working with it.
My new collection of Fuinn (Ceile De chants in Scottish Gaelic) includes a very simple one which goes A Hu Thi (ah – hoo – hee) repeated over and over again. The Ceile De interpretation, a Celtic Christian one, is that this chant “represents the three stages of the unfolding of creation … A– the Great Mystery draws in its breath … Hu – that breath is breathed out, and creation is born from out of the Mystery … God becomes matter … Thi – the Divine nature, beingness and intention acts within the field of intention … Some Ceile De would say that this final stage represents Christ Consciousness.”
It’s a bit different for me. I’ve been working with this Fonn daily for a couple of weeks now. I don’t chant. I use slow deep breathing with a silent awareness of the sounds. I find that for me, the A sets up a sense of latency, a subtle pulse and vibration on the brink of becoming. I feel it in the quality of my inbreath, as a kinaesthetic song. Hu the outbreath feels more vigorous and intentional; there’s a real sense of movement, expressed as exhalation – the breath moves out from my body, through my nostrils. Thi breathed in feels like the delighted expression of a new reality, one that I share in, distinct yet inseparable as a sentient being. This generally brings up feelings exhileration, gratitude and joy. It leads me on to the use of another Fonn as a contemplative and devotional prayer, which I wrote myself using my collection of Fuinn as a model.
A Brighde, A Brighde, solus an domhain; A Brighde, A Brigdhe, Brighde mo chridhe
A Vree-jah, A Vree-jah, solus an dowan; A Vree-jah, A Vree-jah, Bree-jah mo cree
Brighde, Brighde, light of the world; Brighde, Brighde, Brighde my heart
Brighde is the breath, the practice and the Fuinn. When writing my Fonn I wanted to build a felt sense of Brighde as cosmic birther, initiator into being, with a seat in my heart. Her name evokes power and the prayer invokes relationship – identified as She is with primal generativity and the deep powers of life and land, and also One who inspires skill and accomplishment in those She supports and fosters. Through my experience of relationship and connection, deep levels of feeling and intuition are satisfied, in some way met. I feel empowered, with a sense of having more resources available to me. Why would this be? I don’t really know. What I do know is the value of practice as poetry, and the magic it holds.
The Ceile De can be found on http://www.ceilede.co.uk
I’ve done similar, silent things with awen chanting when I wasn’t in situations to vocalise. Solitary chanting can feel a bit weird, also.
Yes – and the chant is free to resonate deeply within rather than being pushed outwards. So there is a different feeling tone, a different kind of effect.
‘Her name evokes power and the prayer invokes relationship – identified as She is with primal generativity and the deep powers of life and land, and also One who inspires skill and accomplishment in those She supports and fosters.’
Thankyou for sharing these words. I connect with this goddess as Brigantia, mainly as goddess of the fire of inspiration but would like to make a deeper connection with / gain a deeper understanding of her as goddess of ‘the deep powers of life and land’ – this makes alot of sense to me.
And I would agree that poetry has alot of power to work magic too 🙂
Thank you for those thoughts Lorna. I find them very affirming.
Ah, Bride – how I love her. I like the Bride/Brighid chant, and will adopt it – thank you. (Yes, I too chant inwardly.)
I lead a retreat on one of Her islands (Iona in the HeBrides) each year, and a weekend retreat at Imbolc, too, in her honour. (Do you happen to know Julian Cope’s work, as in ‘The Modern Antiquarian’? He has some interesting things to say on Bride.)
Thank you for this, James, and the link to the Celie De site, as in the ancient order of Culdees. There are Culdees still who practise in this way on Iona, I’m told.
I’m glad to have found your blog.
Thank you Roselle. This is very helpful and encouraging. I’ll have a look at ‘The Modern Antiquarian’. My partner Elaine has a copy and I already notice that there’s a whole section on ‘The Bridgit Landscapes’.
James, I love your Brighidine fonn! Have you associated it with a known melody, or did you simply allow its rhythm to suggest one of itself? I too resonate very much with the Ceile De and its fuinn practice, and especially enjoy the fonn highlighted here also. I could really feel your described response to your adaptation of it here! Thank you for sharing this. I love chanting along with these cds.
Many thanks for your appreciations Erin. A Hu Thi was on a CD. I spoke the A Bridhe one aloud, as a prayer. This developed a formalized rhythm but I didn’t actually sing.
I have that cd, yes, love that chant and appreciated reading your working with it. I would like to try your prayer.
I am very happy for you to use the prayer Erin. Blessings, James
Reblogged this on Her Eternal Flame and commented:
A wonderful chant in Gaelic to commune and internally connect with the Light of Brighid, by James Nicol of Contemplative Druidry. 🙂