Welcome to me.
Welcome.
Welcome all of you.
Welcome whether you're listening at home and you've used your imagination to create
a chalk circle around you so that nothing can disturb you. Proto Celtic Musings in the Penultimate Pod of the Season.
Episode Length: ~30 minutes
Season 1, Penultimate Episode
Episode Summary
A beautifully vulnerable and wandering conversation by the fire as Sarah prepares to close Season 1. This intimate episode explores connecting with the earth through ancient languages, the weight of legacy in storytelling, and the deep listening space that comes before major creative work. Sarah shares her discoveries about Proto-Celtic, reflects on the power of live storytelling, and offers glimpses into the upcoming Tatterhood retreat - all while admitting she feels a bit unpolished and "defragged."
Key Topics & Highlights
🌍 Speaking the Language of the Land (3:00 - 8:00)
* Felix Padel learning Welsh because "that was the language that the earth spoke there"
* Exploring Proto-Celtic as a hypothetical language from 600 BC
* Working with Carolyn Hillier's Proto-Celtic dictionary
* The power of sound: Awen - the three syllables of inspiration in druidic tradition
📚 Proto-Celtic Word Exploration (8:00 - 12:00)
* Strenganyl - Umbilical cord
* Munna - Urine (used to tan hides for leather)
* Bundo - The earth beneath the feet
* Noko - Hill
* Kuo - Hollow
* Creating an oral working group for songs, poems, and stories
🎭 The Craft of Storytelling (15:00 - 20:00)
* Seeing Sally Pom Clayton perform - mastery and magic in action
* The difference between weekly podcast storytelling and polished performance pieces
* Working with instruments: horse thigh bone ocarina and upcoming wind wand
👑 Preparing for Tatterhood (20:00 - 25:00)
* The retreat is full, initiation energy already beginning
* Tatterhood: born riding a goat with a wooden spoon
* Deep listening space with the women choosing initiation
🎙️ Live Podcasting Discovery (18:00 - 20:00)
* Long Sutton Women's Institute - 100 years of meetings
* The Lost Lady Society's live podcast format
* Plans for Season 2 live recordings and touring
📖 Angela Carter's Legacy (25:00 - 30:00)
* The Virago Book of Fairy Tales and Carter's deathbed notes
* "Every real story contains something useful" - Walter Benjamin
* "No one dies so poor that he does not leave something behind" - Pascal
* Fairy tales: "cunning and high spirits"
Musical Moments
* Bean pod percussion from a dying friend in Wales
* Horse thigh bone ocarina - announcing presence to the elements
* Upcoming wind wand for Tatterhood's dramatic entrance
Notable Quotes
"He learnt Welsh because that was the language that the earth spoke."
"No one dies so poor that he does not leave something behind."
"I felt ashamed in front of them for the person I was... the unmet places, the unlooked after places, the suppressed places."
"There's magic here. Beyond the words, woven in this podcast, there's been a presence of deep magic."
Seasonal Transition
* End of Season 1 approaching
* Spring energy: some emerging from underworld "with dirt in their mouth"
* Moving toward awareness of legacy and footprint
* Deep preparation and listening before major creative work
Upcoming Events
Tatterhood Retreat - This weekend (full)
* Working with the story as initiatory experience
* Creating awareness of living legacy
* Next year's retreat available
Support the Podcast
Patreon: Mooney's Mythic Podcast - support Sarah's important work as a storyteller in these times
Resources Mentioned
* Book: "No Season But The Summer" by Matilda Leyser (Persephone journey)
* Book: "Sacrificing People" by Felix Padel
* Book: Proto-Celtic dictionary by Carolyn Hillier
* Book: "The Second Virago Book of Fairy Tales" edited by Angela Carter
* Artist: Willow Freeman Toddington (instrument maker, Dartmoor)
* Storyteller: Sally Pomme Clayton
* Collective: The Lost Lady Society, Somerset
This episode beautifully captures the liminal space between seasons - both literal spring and podcast seasons. Sarah's vulnerability about feeling "defragged" creates an intimate atmosphere while her exploration of ancient languages and legacy shows the depth of her commitment to the storytelling craft. A perfect bridge episode that honors what's been while preparing for what's to come.Welcome to Mooney's Mythic Podcast.
