Lean In 27: Healing; Nature, Nurture and being happy with Eilis Haden-Storrie

Welcome to Lean In, a podcast that explores ordinary people’s extraordinary lives through honest storytelling. My guests share with me their journey of discovery, laughter, personal experiences and healing.

If you are going through a change or challenging period in life, Lean In is the space where we can surrender to the cycle together.

 

During my family trip to Ireland in 2019 I had a strong desire to connect deeply with the ancient and contemporary healing modalities that embed themselves throughout the culture and tapestry of Ireland.  And, as Grace would have it, I met the most beautiful soul to be my guide and show me through the eyes of bonesetters, faith healers, physicians, academics, herbalists, writers and poets, the magic of what they refer to as the “thin place”, the UNESCO-protected area in Ireland called the Burren. What eventuated out of that trip was a huge awakening for me and I am delighted to share the incredible wisdom, research and healing journey of my dear Irish friend, Eilis Haden-Storrie.

 

Eilís is a trained mediator, counsellor and researcher who has spent many years making a modest contribution to Northern-Ireland peace programmes.  Her home in the Burren is guardian to a plethora of sacred sites and the highest density of pre-Christian holy wells in Ireland. There are endless monasteries, castles, churches, old ritualistic pagan sights and stone circles that hold the legend of the healing power of Ireland. Eilís has learned the value of compassion and reciprocity; giving back to mother earth and to those of us who share in its bounty and I was so lucky to get to walk this land with her when I was there.

 

In her book; Nurture, Nature & Being Happy, Eilis explores the history of healing from the time of pagans who revered both earth and sea, to early Christian monks who brought their herbal rituals with them from as far away as Jerusalem, to locals who used cures such as blood-letting and poultices to mend the wounds of their animals and families. She looks at where we are now in the healing world and how we can navigate science and folklore in our search for vibrant wellbeing. 

 

In this episode we talk about Eilis research and her own personal healing journey. What it really takes to not only heal ourselves but also the land in which we live. Her personal healing journey has required deep trust, commitment and faith and we dive deep into all aspects of that and more.

 

We dive into;

• The stories of the monks coming to The Burren in Ireland to grow their herbs in the 13th century monastery Corcomroe Abbey.
• The history of healing in Ireland and how it has changed over the years.
• How Gerry, a traditional bone setter surprisingly healed Eilis chronic back pain (against her beliefs) and how it is still healed to this day.
• Folklore beliefs in Ireland about generational healers and who out of the families will have “the gift”.
• How an anaphylaxis sting from a jellyfish caused an auto-immune response in Eilis and the holistic journey she underwent to heal her mind, body and spirit.
• What it means to “sit with our personal pain”
• The multidimensional experience of pain and how we can approach it from many  different ways outside of modern medicine.
• How important it is to remind ourselves “you’ve got this” when we are in our pain bodies.
• How Pain is both horror and beauty and our job is to embrace it all, to be fully present with it all.
• The healing journey is an ongoing commitment
• Coming together in times of a pandemic crisis.
• The research of traditional folklore & herbal medicine in Ireland and how it has lasted throughout the ages.
• How important it is to stay connected to nature throughout our lives and always “give back” as much as we can.

 

You can find out more about Eilis and her incredible work;

 

Website/Blog

Book

 

And….

If you are feeling as though you need a little extra support, nourishment, guidance and understanding in your own healing journey right now then please join me and jump on a FREE 15 min nourish and support call with my extraordinary team of wholistic health practitioners.  This is time to focus solely on you, your personal experiences right now and how you can move forward with your own health, wellness and healing.

 

To book in a call today and receive my ‘Nourish + Support’ 10 meditation series bundle (all completely free) please visit us at http://naturalinstincthealing.com/nourish/

 

An offering my heart to yours to get us through this challenging and uncertain time.

 

Stay safe friends,

 

Love Kate