Episode 6

Lost in the Wild, At Home Within: A Story of Mad Sweeney | S 2 Ep 6

Published on: 31st August, 2022

Our Story 

The tale of Suibhne Geilt or “Mad Sweeney” comes to us from a medieval Irish manuscript and is sourced as far back as the 9th century. A warrior king driven mad by a saint’s curse, Sweeney spends years wandering Ireland, never able to rest or find a home. Marisa Goudy’s version of the tale is inspired by Seamus Heaney’s translation of the epic poem, Sweeney Astray.

Our Guest

Dr. Michaelene Ruhl has been a psychotherapist in private practice for over 14 years and is the founder of Constellation Healing Arts where she holds safe and sacred space for people experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, and other life challenges. She also supports folks who have experienced plant medicine journeys via integration sessions. 

This year, Michaelene is launching the Sacred Immersion Training™ Program, which   offers Healing Professionals the skills and insights they need in order to hold safe and sacred for themselves and others, particularly on plant medicine journeys.  

To learn more about Michaelene and her offerings, visit her website:  www.constellationhealingarts.com

Find Michaelene on Facebook and on Instagram.

Our Conversation 

  • Michaelene, a psychologist and sacred healer, is like Saint Moling who welcomes Sweeney at the end of our tale. As a healer, you can’t save anyone, but you can hold their experience.
  • The experiences of modern warriors and the difficult return home for veterans. Clinical trials for veterans with PTSD that include psychedelics 
  • Michaelene’s own journey with sacred plant medicine
  • The story takes place in the period when Christianity began to eclipse paganism and the “old ways” of the Celtic, earth-based faith. We’re at another moment of great chance when it comes to faith and belief. At this moment, when we move away from organized religion, we can create a new relationship with our bodies, the land, and with the plants.
  • Sweeney is a violent man who embodies “toxic masculinity.” And yet, he is also the sovereign of the land who is trying to fulfill the duty as king.
  • Michaelene’s sacred blessing: We don’t have to take our journeys alone. We are far greater than any suffering we could perceive, endure, or experiences

Our Music

Music at the start of the show is by Beth Sweeney and Billy Hardy, a Celtic Fiddle and multi-instrumental duo based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The traditional Irish reel we play at the start of the show is called "The College Groves." billyandbeth.com

Join Us in the Heroine's Knot

The Heroines' Knot is an online community for creative creatures on the quest for self-expression & collective renewal. Learn more and join us.

1:1 Coaching Opportunities

Marisa offers 1:1 coaching for Personal and Professional growth with her Healing for Heroines packages.

She also offers Story Weaver Book Coaching for memoirists, thought leaders, and creative entrepreneurs at the beginning of their writing journey.

Find more of Marisa's writing and get a copy of her book, The Sovereignty Knot www.marisagoudy.com

Follow the show on InstagramFacebook, and join our vibrant listeners' community.

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About the Podcast

KnotWork Storytelling
Untangling Our Myths, Reweaving Our Stories
In each KnotWork Storytelling episode, we'll explore a different story from mythology, folklore, or history, particularly from Ireland and the Celtic World. Then, my guest and I dive deep into why these ideas and characters still resonate today.

Your host is Marisa Goudy, author of The Sovereignty Knot: A Woman’s Way to Freedom, Power, Love, and Magic. She is a Word Witch, a Story Healer, a Writing Coach, and a has an MA in Irish literature from University College Dublin.

Join us as we wander through these ancient storylines as we set out on a quest to learn from the past, better understand the present, and craft a sustainable future.

Every episode reminds us that ancient stories are medicine for our ancient maladies.

About your host

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Marisa Goudy

Marisa Goudy is a story healer, a writing coach, and a word witch. Her book, The Sovereignty Knot: A Woman’s Way to Freedom, Power, Love, and Magic, was released in 2020.
Marisa nurtures writers and storytellers in her long-running online writing community, the Sovereign Writers’ Knot.
On this show, Marisa combines her passion for story with her love of Irish literature, culture, and folklore and her fascination with the Celtic world. She has a particular love of stories of heroines, goddess, and women whose tales were forgotten by history.