Around the coastline of my adopted county of Argyll are places rich in the folklore of the Celtic sailor-saints. For them, voyaging was about mission. It was the very stuff of faith and life. It was the living embodiment of trusting in the living God.
Tides ebbed and flowed to His ordinance.
Storms came to test and to admonish.
The journey was blessed only by His provision
But arrival was never certain.
One of the accepted practices of these monks seems to have been Peregrinatio, or ‘Holy voyaging’, which in practice meant to get in a boat, and simply to set sail. No destination planned, simply trusting to tide, wind and God. The destination of such a voyage was not geographical, but rather spiritual. The goal was to arrive at ones ‘place of resurrection.’ Arriving at journey’s end inevitably meant an actual physical place also however- and it is these places that still hold the memory of these voyages in Argyll- in the place names, the folk lore, and also in the marks and mounds in the earth out on exposed headlands, or on tiny islands.
I am part of a Christian arts group called Aoradh, and we have evolved a tradition of using some of these islands for wilderness retreats in the spring of each year. Last year we headed out to Eileach an Naoimh, part of a chain of islands called the Garvellachs- the place where St Brendan was thought to have established a monastery, and where St Columba went away to escape the throngs on Iona. There is a report of this trip here.
We are planning a trip again over the bank holiday at the beginning of May (beginning Friday the first of May) possibly to the island of Scarba, so if you are UK based, and fancy joining us- let me know! There are some more details of the things we get up to on these trips here.
The beauty of these wonderful small spaces, in which we become larger, is blessing beyond belief. It turns me all poetic…
St Brendan
Lord stain me with salt
Brine me with the badge of the deep sea sailor
I have spent too long
On concrete ground.
If hope raises up these tattered sails
Will you send for me
A fair and steady wind?
Chris Goan