Aisling.Life The Journey

The journey to choosing the domain name Aisling.Life was a deeply personal and spiritual one, guided by a profound connection to both artistic expression and the mysteries of life and death. As an artist, singer, songwriter, and poet, every creation is an exploration of the human experience, and it was with great care and, I believe, with the guidance of a higher power that this name was selected.

My own life has been touched by a remarkable and extraordinary event—an experience of being on the threshold between life and death. In those moments, I had an out-of-body encounter, a glimpse into what lies beyond the physical realm. It’s an experience that defies easy explanation and speaks to the undeniable presence of a divine force in our lives.

With the name Aisling.Life, I pay tribute to a tradition deeply rooted in Irish culture—the “aisling.” In this tradition, Ireland itself appears to a poet in a vision, often taking the form of a woman from the Otherworld. She is a timeless figure, sometimes young and beautiful, other times old and haggard. This ethereal presence is commonly referred to as a “spéirbhean,” a heavenly woman.

The aisling poems are rich with symbolism and meaning. They lament the state of the Irish people while prophesying a revival of their fortunes. These prophecies are often intertwined with the hope of the Roman Catholic House of Stuart returning to the thrones of Great Britain and Ireland. The aisling tradition itself developed from earlier forms of poetry, including those that celebrated the arrival of spring, the bounty of nature, and love.

My choice of Aisling.Life embodies the convergence of these elements—the artistic and spiritual dimensions of life and the connection to a profound Irish tradition. It’s a reminder that there is more to existence than meets the eye, and that divine influences can guide us in the most unexpected ways.

My connection to the name is further deepened by my own experiences, such as predicting the rise of Donald Trump to the presidency—a prediction that was met with skepticism by family and friends until it became a reality. These occurrences only reinforce my belief in the presence of a higher power at work in our lives.

In the aisling tradition, the female figure weeps for her true mate who is in exile, beyond the seas. This mate, depending on the era, could be the Old or Young Pretender. The aisling poems end with the promise of redemption upon the return of the King’s son. This promise of restoration and revival resonates with my own belief in the enduring presence of a guiding force in our lives.

The aisling tradition has a long and storied history, with poets like Aodhagán Ó Rathaille and Eoghan Rua Ó Súilleabháin breathing new life into it, tying it to the Jacobite cause. It became a form of expression for the Irish, a testament to their yearning for a brighter future.

One of the most famous aisling poems, “Mo Ghile Mear,” composed by Seán “Clárach” Mac Domhnaill, laments the defeat of the Jacobite rising of 1745. It captures the spirit of the time, the mourning of a nation, and the yearning for a rightful king.

The aisling tradition continued to evolve and find relevance in modern times. Figures like Seán Gaelach Ó Súilleabháin adapted it to reflect the experiences of the Irish diaspora, the events of the Easter Rising of 1916, and the Irish War of Independence. This dynamic quality of the aisling tradition reminds us that it is not bound by the past but can adapt to the present.

My own artistic journey has been influenced by this tradition, as I explore themes of life, death, and the human spirit. Aisling.Life is a representation of that journey, a domain name that serves as a reminder of the profound and timeless forces that guide us in our creative endeavors and our existence.

It is with gratitude and reverence that I embrace the name Aisling.Life, and I invite you to embark on this artistic and spiritual journey with me, where the ordinary can become extraordinary, and the inexplicable can find its place in the world. In the aisling tradition, we find not just poetry but a reflection of the human soul’s eternal quest for meaning and purpose.