Hello, My name is Scott Maylen Somerville or "Reishi". I am an Irish-Canadian, 7th generation since our people left Ireland as refugees of the Great Famine. I heard once from a friend that it's traditionally known every 7 generations brings a renewal in ancestral consciousness and I feel very much to be experiencing that. My generation saw the reactivation of a spiritual awareness that is re-integrated with ancestral consciousness which was lost for a time through this period of exile and assimilation into the colonial scheme of the Crown in Canada. With ancestral guidance, last year in 2020 I embraced the Bardic lifepath and started traveling across the country (just in Canada, so far) writing music from the inspiration of Awen and reflecting the souls of the people and the land with an intent to inspire stronger bonds of symbiosis between the two. May not be a Bard by traditional standards but I am on the path of embodying what I have come to believe is the core intent of the Bard, guided by the wisdom of Druids and Faiths, to bridge the people with the realms of nature and spirit through song. This journey led me to the Fairy Creek Blockades, and Indigenous-led ancient forest protection camp which has become the largest civil disobedience event in Canadian history as over 1200 people have been arrested for protecting this untouched grove from clearcutting. My time there initiated a deep ancestral awakening, when in one ceremonial moment a Celtic matriarch and I were both struck by shared past life visions of when we defended our ancestral lands from the very same Crown which was destroying our ancestral forests centuries ago. While I was at Fairy Creek, or Ada'itsx as it is known by the Indigenous Paachedaht peoples, I came to intuitively pick up on the natural roles of Bards in the reality of land defense, which involved learning the "frontline songs" which were most commonly sung to evoke the spirit of the movement right where police were clashing with land defenders. One such song we sang went like this: "Do you hear the voices of the ancestors calling - they say wake up, wake up! they say listen, listen! - may the mountains not be broken - may the rivers reach the ocean - may the trees stand tall, may the fires burn - for our service, we all shall learn." Another went like this: "We shall be known by the company we keep - by the ones who circle round to tend these fires - we shall be known as the ones who sow and reap - the seeds of change alive from deep within the Earth - it is time now, it is time now that we thrive - it is time we lead ourselves into the well - it is time now and what a time to be alive - in this great turning we shall learn to lead in love." The Bardic awakening also involved playing gentle healing music for people who were suffering from the police violence and stresses of the conflict, using sound intentionally to heal. Since my involvement music has also been a way to continue telling the story of this historic movement and propel the inspiration beyond to others who can start taking steps to protect the ancient ecosystems of their areas. I wish very much one day to journey to Ireland and continue this journey of Bardic awakening and learn more of the ancient ways from others on a similar path in my ancestral homelands. I am very excited to see what is emerging on this website with His Royal Highness Prince Díolún's efforts towards the Society of Ancient Irish Religion, and I am curious to keep up with this momentum. Blessings to you. Happy Harmonies, Scott "Reishi" Maylen Somerville