Good morning, junebug!
It’s JUNE! This morning, I want to share an ancient Irish legend with you. This is the story of a curse, of the hero/warrior/demigod it is thrust upon, of a beautiful and mystically-talented princess, of friends, of foes, and of true love.
This legend lives in the Fenian Cycle, which is a collection of some of the earliest Irish literature we have access to, containing ancient myths and stories of the Tuatha Dé Danann (Irish pantheon).
These sorts of legends are teeming with energetic lines of activation, general themes, and specific synchronicities for so many different people, woven throughout. You will not identify with every aspect of it. You will more than likely feel incredibly and undeniably witnessed by the cosmos in chunks of it, though.
Our primary demigod’s name is Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. Now I particularly find this ~fun~ because his first name is, technically, my surname. McDermott = “of Diarmuid.”
His curse? A love spot on his forehead that causes any woman who gazes upon him to fall in love. It might sound like a dream, but it really is a torture chamber when you stop to think about it. Such a spot makes the self invisible, unable to ever be sure of love as something true, as opposed to an attraction to the magic of his surface aesthetic. The spot disappears the substance of the demigod beneath, no?
There are many surviving variants of this story, and I (of course) prefer the versions in which Princess Gráinne is considered the most promising student of the Druids, and feels equally as burdened by the ~main curse~ (there are multiple curses at play in the long-form versions of this story… go figure) as Diarmuid does.
Anyway, you can find a quick and dirty version of this legend here:
I listened to this longer version of the story from the podcast “Tales of the Tuatha Dé Danann” last year while wandering around the VMFA, and I can’t recommend it enough. I much prefer it to the 7 minute version above, though they haven’t released the final installments of the saga yet. Great sound design, and incredible storytelling. ORAL TRADITION is more than just telling a story out loud… there are energetic codes flowing through when an initiated story keeper shares. So perhaps explore the longer version while you chore around this week!
Old stories always awaken something quiet and big and eternal in me. I find that quite grounding. Maybe let this one do that for you.
xx Meg
Every morning at 6 am, you’ll get a divine little gumdrop in your inbox from me. This is a daily practice I do with clients when they study with me for 6+ months and I’m so excited to translate this sort of divination and medicine for you all here.
These are short, sweet, potent little nuggets from me to you, to help you start the day out mindfully and magically… think single card pulls, channeled messages, inspiring or poignant quotes, passages, or poems, journal prompts, ritual ideas, science facts, paintings to scry into! Some of them might seem pretty robust, and others might be super simple.
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Meg McDermott is a multidisciplinary artist, musician, writer, and educator. She studies and channels ancient medicine for the modern era to facilitate deep healing and self-discovery. Her work seamlessly blends sonic landscapes with visual art and potent language, creating immersive experiences that bridge traditional wisdom with contemporary life. Through her teaching and artistic practices, she empowers others to reconnect with their inner wisdom, find holistic well-being, and serve the greater good.