The AM section 3: Finding the right audience.  

The "Audacht Morainn", an Irish text compiled and committed to writing around 700 ce, is an excellent example of native Irish, pre-Christian wisdom, uniquely suited for a seeker in the American Pagan community where there is no central authority, no real bureaucracy, and where personal relationships are central to community.

It is constructed as the advice of a dying Druid to a new king, containing the distilled wisdom of a lifetime of learning to help a new king govern.

This is section 3.

Ma théisi co rríg

Reisi co Feradach

Find Fechtnach

Fó béu

Bith sírflaithech

Suidiu lánflatho

Luifith il-túatha

Táthat co muir

Moigfith a chomarbe,

Comlán co ngreit.

If you go to a king,

Hasten to Feradach

Find Fechtnach.

Good, vigorous,

He will be long-ruling,

In the seat of full sovereignty.

He will move many tribes

Of thieves(?) to the sea.

He will increase his heir,

Filled with valour.

Morainn advises his messenger to go quickly to the young king Feracach Find Fechtnach and lays out the reasons why his wisdom should be delivered there. He starts with the qualities "Good, vigorous" and from there predicts a long reign, displacing lawlessness, and increasing his descendancy who will be valorous. It is Morainn's last testimony, the last chance he has to hand off the insight of a lifetime and guide the future of a kingdom. It is imperative to send it to the right person. 

Each of us has precious wisdom and experience and it matters that we share that with the right audience. Every person's voice is unique. Every life is a story that no one else can live. But there are days when it may seem like there is no one else to listen or that somehow our story will be lost and not outlive us. In a culture that places the highest value on calculated numbers that measure attention, in audience numbers and social media reach, how can we deliver the precious gift of our knowledge into the right hands? 

Morainn counsels to deliver his wisdom into the hands of someone "Fó" good. fine, decent, honorable. This is a reminder to take care of what means the most to us, to take care of ourselves, our voice, our storied lives. The best of us is wasted in the hands of the unserious, and careless. We can leave them behind and surround ourselves with the people who value our voice. We are not meant for everyone. We will not gain by playing ourselves to an unappreciative audience. 

Feradach is also "béu" vigorous, having the force of life. We will be closer to our aims when we share the wisdom of our lives with people who are likely to take action in their own. A vigorous ruler will be moving outwards, leaving their mark on the world. We don't need to sing songs to the concrete. There is a space where our music can change the winds, reshape the world.  

Morainn has, as a Druid, the power of foresight. He predicts that the young king will rule for a long time. Most of us cannot predict what will happen with our songs and our advice. If we see the opportunity to offer wisdom to someone who will be in a position to use it for a long time, our teachings will have an economical effectiveness. But for most of us, especially in these times of upheaval and change, the best we can do is position ourselves to offer our teachings to those who are best able to use them, for however long they may be able to do so. 

Legitimacy comes into play. Morainn's target has a secure claim to his place in the world, with the power to make choices and demands. This kind of cultural acceptance provides a buffer against impulsiveness, and loss. This is true opportunity, the space to experiment and learn, to grow and even make mistakes. 

Morainn predicts that Feradach will displace "many tribes of thieves". Interestingly this speaks to the displacement of the lawless but not vengeance or bloodshed. The unwanted tribes will be pushed to the sea, moved off of the land to seek their place elsewhere. This theme of dealing with wrongdoing in a strong repulsion and boundaries continues through the text. The notion of thrusting wrongdoing outward and preserving the space of one's own kingdom begins here. 

In the ancient concepts of royalty literal fertility was central, although in the native Irish culture direct line descent was not the rule for early kingdoms. The heir to the seat of power would be drawn from two or more royal families, sometimes alternating. Fosterage of noble children in other noble houses was expected. These practices created bonds of loyalty and shared culture. These children, direct descendants and fostered, were educated and taught the values of the house and culture. Bravery was valued, but valor is something more. 

Merriam Webster defines valor as "strength of mind or spirit that enables a person to encounter danger with firmness." It is beyond simple courage. There is a thoughtfulness and a spiritual quality to valor. Morainn foresees a broad nobility with strength of mind and spirit. No doubt he believed that his wisdom would help in this development. 

We have no kings in our time. There are many practices of the earlier ages that are best left in the past. But the AM is helpful to the self-governed spiritual seeker. Throughout our lives we will find reasons to reflect on where our energies and affections are spent, who we value and reward with our time and who we waste ourselves on. These are not our last words or our last moments, but we can reflect on the care that the dying Druid took to ensure that his words went to the right person.