Celtic Spirituality: Part 1 (A Shudder In The Loins)

Описание: Celtic Spirituality (c. 2001) is a recording of John Moriarty's presentation to a symposium on the depths and meaning of his lyrical prose, rooted in Irish mythology, and its relevance to contemporary spiritual and ecological thought. Focusing on the analysis of two specific texts (A Shudder In The Loins and Ollamh Fódhla ) first published in his book Dreamtime (1994), the talk was recorded live in Glendalough around the year 2000.

A Shudder in the Loins is a poetic meditation on the encounter between Crunncu, the solitary farmer, and the mysterious woman who enters his life, Macha, the horse goddess. The title comes from W.B. Yeats' poem "Leda and the Swan" (1923), metaphorically "a shudder in the loins" refers to the moment of conception. As the narrative evolves Crunncu becomes deeply bewitched by Machas' presence in his house. When she reveals her divinity to him he rejects her in his religious indignation. Moriarty reads the text to the audience in segments, providing commentary as the reading progresses, offering insights into the connection between mythology, sexuality and religion.

0:00:00 - Introduction
Inspired by the naming of his friend's godchild, a young girl called Macha, Moriarty tells the audience he will do a piece on the Celtic myth of the Horse Goddess. His aim is to examine folklore as a source of revelation, offering insights into the human mind that neither science nor contemporary studies can fully uncover.

0:04:40 - Three Stories
As a prelude to the story of Macha, three Celtic folklore tales— The Sleeping King, The Selkie and the Fisherman, and a variation of The Fox Wife — are examined. Each narrative invites reflection on profound questions: What do stories awaken in us? What do stories know about us? What do stories know about the world?

0:23:30 - Interlude
Concluding the point of the stories might open doors for us into the parts of our minds that the modern world no longer cherishes. There is a short interlude before introducing the story of the horse goddess.

0:26:50 - The Curse of Macha
Summarizing the story of Macha as told in the Ulster Cycles. Macha, forced to race while pregnant by the king of Ulster, wins but curses the men of Ulster. She dooms them to suffer labor-like pains in times of great need, leaving them vulnerable in battle.

0:37:30 - Macha Visits Wild Crunncu
Crunncu, a man struggling with his own untamed nature, lives in seclusion, avoiding gatherings and the structures of society. His life takes a dramatic turn when a woman—otherworldly, untamed, and linked to horses—enters his home unbidden and declares, “I’ll be a woman to you.”

0:55:40 - Who is She?
Crunncu grappled with the mystery of the woman who had entered his life, unsure of her nature or intent. He compared her to mythic female figures—Corn Caillech, Scáthach, Badb Catha, and Sheela-na-Gig—yet she remained an enigma. Awake and asleep, he pondered her presence, especially as she reared like a horse in his dreams. A horse, unbroken, frequently stood in his doorway, deepening his uncertainty.

1:12:10 - Crunncu Dreams
Crunncu dreamed of a tall standing stone, resembling a man's or a god's suffering member, shuddering from its roots and releasing a powerful scream. Awakening beside the mysterious woman, he realized that, in an inexplicable way, he had finally been a man to her. Shaken with terror at what had occurred, he felt his very foundations crumble. When he despaired, saying he was ruined, she responded with calm certainty: "Walk through the ruins."

1:18:40 - Crunncu's Litany
The woman urges Crunncu to embrace the unknown, calling it divine. When she reveals her name as Macha, he reacts with religious fury, insisting that Macha’s name belongs to no one but the true goddess. He reveres Macha as an untamed force beyond human control, beyond culture and religion. In his rage, he renames the woman "Nag" and declares she must earn Macha’s favor. He exalts Macha as both life and death, wild and sacred, beyond any myth or ritual. When the woman declares that he has already “covered” Macha, he is horrified. As she leaves, he hears hooves and realizes, too late, that she was Macha all along.