One of my favorite things about traveling on pilgrimage to ancestral lands and sacred sites is to be able to connect to the women of that land—the women who hold the secrets of the ancestors of that place in their bones.

When I traveled to Ireland for the first time for the autumn equinox in 2017, I was fortunate enough to be connected with one such woman—Karen Ward.

Karen is a Celtic Shaman and facilitator of Celtic Women’s Circles (called Moon Mna) based out of Dublin, Ireland. She is a powerful healer who I have learned so much from being in ceremony with over the past year.

I invited Karen to come on video for today’s post to share more about her work with the moon, the traditional Celtic sun festivals, the power of this time of year, Irish myth and legend, and to share a creation of hers I’m truly in love with and hope you will enjoy too.

To join us in our little chat, click play below:

A bit of what we talked about:

2:20 – My experience of having the Celtic soul awakened in me
3:05 – The meaning of moon mna and Karen’s practice with Grandmother Moon
5:50 – Why so many folks are called back to Ireland and the way the country is addressing its shadow
6:50 – Grief held in land and healing the trauma of the Tuam babies
10:55 – The power of the season of Samhain and being with shadow
12:35 – Fire as a symbol of hope before the cold winter
14:00 – When our western minds try to rush through time and avoid a slower pace
17:09 – Connecting to earth energies no matter your ancestry (this is not just for folks who identify with the Celtic ways)
18:42 – An Cailleach, the old crone and keeper of this time with her grandmother energy
22:00 – Myths of the goddesses of Ireland and how we can apply them to our lives
24:00 – My connection with Sheela Na Gig, the ancient naked woman who reminds us of our wildness
26:00 – Karen’s Moon Mna Diary Journal (which I’m featured in for September!)
35:33 – The importance of acknowledging the heartlines of your ancestry

Thank you so much for sharing your time and wisdom with us, Karen!

You can order your very own Moon Mna 2019 Diary Journal right here.
You can also follow Karen on Instagram @moonmna and on Facebook (she does wonderful videos on the full moons!) here.

Now we want to hear from you!

What did this conversation bring up for you? Share in the comments below.