A western druidic lineage 

'The Merlin', as in "The Merlin of Britain", is a title of a green western lineage of spiritual sages. Merlin, understood as the wizard-prophet to King Arthur, belongs to this ancient lineage, as do many others down the ages, often working in obscurity. Columcille (or Columba) also belonged to this lineage. His father was a Druid, and Columcille arguably took much pre-Christian symbology into Christianity (Columba, the Last Irish Druid, Chris McClintock, Aesun Publishing 2012). He founded a monastery on the Scottish island of Iona in the 6th century. It was here that I was able to tap into this lineage.

Cernunnossource of the Merlin lineage.

The original source of this lineage is Cernunnos, known in Old Irish literature as Uindos, elsewhere as Herne (Hermes), Hu Gadarn, and Hesus (Jesus). He is the most ancient Celtic deity, called the “Lord of Wild and All Things” and "wild god of the forest." He is ever discreet, serene, and humble. He has been depicted as holding a torc in his right hand and a ram-headed snake in the left.

The heart of Cernunnos is gentle, with a deep and tender care for the forest and all its inhabitants, the wild animals in our mind. He is more a Lover and Protector, than a Fighter. Cernunnos shows traits and symbols more in common with the patron god of healers and magicians, the god of wealth and Lord of Death in his union with his consort, the Lady of Life. He is above all the archetype of natural innocence.

Inner alchemy

We may sometimes feel intensely conflicted by emotions suddenly stirred up by life-situations. These emotions contain of themselves an innate wisdom, but to find this wisdom asks the courage to enter fully into the emotion as it arises, without acting it out or denying it. In a sense, the courage of a warrior. These energies may then serve as mirrors in which we can transmute passion into the wisdom of being. The emotions are understood as impersonal expressions of nature, of the elements - fire, water, air, earth and space. Opening to the rawness of the inner elements transmutes them into wisdom as egoless being, which is peace.

“Awakening is humility; you stop pretending to be this or that, you stop pretending to be the author, you stop pretending to rule your life; you realize that the current of life is here and you give yourself to that current without wanting to direct it."
- Éric Baret
There is a quiet light that shines in every heart. It draws no attention to itself though it is always secretly there. It is what illuminates our minds to see beauty, our desire to seek possibility and our hearts to love life. Without this subtle quickening our days would be empty and wearisome, and no horizon would ever awaken our longing. Our passion for life is quietly sustained from somewhere in us that is wedded to the energy and excitement of life. This shy inner light is what enables us to recognize and receive our very presence here as blessing. We enter the world as strangers who all at once become heirs to a harvest of memory, spirit, and dream that has long preceded us and will now enfold, nourish, and sustain us.
- John O'Donohue