By Donna Eden
I remember as a little girl, maybe 3 or 4, I couldn't wait to go to bed because I would visit the place where I used to live before I was born to the parents I now loved in Hollydale, California. I don't know if I was dreaming or astral traveling, but it felt incredibly real. I would be transported over many miles and find myself walking in fields or along the seacoast. I loved those nighttime journeys. As I got older, the longing to actually visit this place, which I knew to be Southern Ireland, grew. So I started to save my money when I was 17.
At 19, I signed up with the International Students Association for a 3-month visit. To keep expenses down, they grouped 5 of us girls together and arranged for a rich experience of the country. We went by ship and were met by two college boys whose job was to introduce us to the country. It felt remarkably familiar to me. When we got to our first town, Cobh, in County Cork, I would know what was around the next corner. I was so excited that I would blurt it out. And sure enough, when we turned the corner, there was the landmark I'd just described. The other girls started taking bets on whether I would guess correctly!
It was an amazing three months. I even kissed the Blarney Stone! There was a deep knowing in me about the Celtic healing arts. In fact, I believe to this day that I am deeply influenced by that tradition even though I've never studied it formally!