Third Realm - UnderWorld

Oughterard Newsletter February 2004

Claire Faherty

In an age so distant that the age is unknown, the world was inhabited by gods, and the lands and oceans were divided amongst them. One tiny piece of land, a very rich and magical piece of land, became known as Eire, and was ruled by a goddess named Brigid and three gods of Dana: Brian and Luchar and Lucharba — the three druids from whom the Tuatha De Danann are named.

In Irish mythology, the Tuatha De Danann are the gods and goddesses of ancient Ireland. They arrived on the Emerald Isle on the first day of May. “In this wise they came, in dark clouds. They landed on the mountains of Commaicne Rein in Connachta, and they brought a darkness over the sun for three days and three nights.”

In the Irish Faery Tradition it is believed the De Dananns came from the OtherWorld, the Heavenly Realm. There were four cities where they acquired knowledge and science, prophecy and magic, until they were expert in the arts of pagan cunning.  The four cities are: Falais, Gorias, Findias, and Muirias. From Falais was brought the Lia Fail, which is in Temair, and which used to utter a cry under every king that should take Ireland.  From Gorias was brought the spear which Lugh had. Battle would never go against him who had it in hand.  In his travels, Lugh journeyed into the fire, taking up proprietorship in the southern cross of Ireland.  Eventually, his spear was passed to the Dagda, and removed from this world, to be kept under the protection of the gods in the UnderWorld, until such a time when it could be returned to the Plains, into the worthy hands of a wielder of enlightenment.

From Findias was brought the sword of Nuadu: no man could escape from it; when it was drawn from its battle-scabbard, there was no resisting it.  In his travels, Nuadu journeyed into the eastern light, where he took up providence as a Commander of the Noble Order of Tara, where, ever since, he has fought in earnest to keep the sword of victory sheathed: For the unhappy knight who cannot sheathe the Sword lives in perpetual warfare and so the fruits of victory are destroyed.”

From Muirias was brought the cauldron of the Dagda; no company would go from it dissatisfied. Today, this cauldron is commonly referred to as the Holy Grail. 

Each of the Four cities of the Heavenly Realm had a sage: Morfessa, who was in Falais, Esrus in Gorias, Usicias in Findias, and Semias in Muirias. These are the four poets from who the Tuatha De Danann acquired their knowledge and science, wizardry, and magic. In Ireland this knowledge and science, wizardry, and magic evolved into the Bardic College.

The Faery Tradition is based on the De Dananns’ ancient Bardic system of understanding the universe (i.e. the OtherWorld, Land of Faery, and the UnderWorld), which today might be considered the shamanic tradition or roots of the Irish Faery-Faith, a pre-Christian, pre-Celtic spiritual tradition.

There are three distinct realms or dimensions in which the Faery Tradition are placed.  The first realm, is referred to as the OtherWorld,  – The Heavenly Realm. This is where the Tuatha De Danann originated.  It is above our universe, of which our world or universe often reflects bits and pieces.

The second realm is the Plains – this world, and to Faery-Faith practitioners it is specifically thought of as Eiré (the heart center of our planet). In this realm the De Danann once dwelled, and at such a time a thin veil of mist shrouded the earth. This was a magical mist, a doorway through which the gods could easily slip into their magical or alternate reality, and on in which we humans would often magically find ourselves from time to time. 

In the Plains dwell the astral elements and elementals, dragons and wizards, sorcerers and priestesses of the gods, but as humankind developed and began to separate itself from the gods and magic, the Plains and all its magical creatures began to recede farther into the mists. In time the gods frowned upon our world and removed themselves from it by closing the doorway and moving into yet another realm of existence – the third realm or the UnderWorld.

In the UnderWorld is found a glimpse of the ancient primal land to which our planet is aligned and which the earth can be a reflection of, if humankind were to remain sensitive and open to the natural world. But most importantly in the UnderWorld now dwell the Tuatha De Danann, or the remaining few who have chosen to retain a connection to earth’s creatures with hope of assisting our continual evolutionary process, of which we are only a fragment.  

 

 

This page was added on 29/06/2011.

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