Fingal's Cave on Staffa Island, Hebrides

Yesterday I awoke early and instead of getting up began to meditate and fell back into a state of half-dreaming that I find to be very potent for receiving messages, symbols and visions. In this dream/vision I found myself at the most beautiful cove protected by huge volcanic towering columns of stone. It was full moon and the sea was flowing in, around the shore were skulls on staffs. When I woke up I knew that I had seen those cliffs before and remembered a trip to the spiritual island of Iona in Scotland. From Iona you can see an island in the distance. I knew instantly this island known as Staffa was the home of the cove that had appeared in my dream.

In the mouth of the cave looking out to the Isle of Iona

Staffa was named from the Old Norse for staff or staves, a pillar island whose volcanic basalt columns reminded the Vikings of log staffs. As I began to look at images of Staffa i was drawn to photographs of the island's main sea cave, Fingal's Cave as they captured the energy or essence of the dream. The dream's message was about recognising the beauty and majesty of the natural world in comparison to our addiction to being indoors or looking for 'magic' in man-made tools or items. The original gaelic name for Fingal's Cave is An Uamh Bhin - 'the melodious cave'. In 1832, composer Felix Mendelssohn was so inspired by the sound of the waves in the cathedral-like cave that he wrote Hebrides Overture opus.

I am still working with the message of this powerful dream, a vision sent to me by my Scottish ancestors - no doubt symbolised by the skulls, the bones of my ancestors on the staffs (Staffa - hinting at the name so that I could find it quickly) on the shore. Make time for your dreams, they are very special, potent and helpful.

May your dreams tonight lead to you to the wild places of own heart and blood.

Oceans of Love, Julia