In ancient scripts, King Solomon spoke about metaphysical keys of which, he proclaimed, wisdom to be the holy grail; more precious than any material wealth one can only be buried with. King Solomon recognized the creative arts as a key for transferring knowledge for the keys to creation contain a divine spark, worth more than any amount of gold or a precious jewel. 

The keys mentioned by King Solomon are hidden, each protected by a cosmic opal jellylight, filled with a rainbow spectrum, a shining prism born from a single point of light & it is contained in each & every cell in the human body. The more one lets go & allows everything to happen, the universe will dance around them for that is pure self-mastery, to be the “I Am” one with the universe in space & time. 

Folklore, the passing on of wisdom, a system of stories told through the native tongue also contained healing magic, for Bards, the creators of the beautiful haunting stories we hear today, were revered parts of a court; Bards were shamans, poets, musicians & creatives, the antidotes for inner healing & enlightenment hidden deep within the stories original context. 

Our soul's journey often starts with a hunger for meaning, stemming from grief, the loss of a loved one, an illness, or perhaps the search for our true identity; our place in this expanding cosmos. 

To understand the true message contained within folklore, one has to delve into a sea of metaphors to decipher the healing qualities. Folklore is passed down to young children at an early age; wisdom comes much later. Bards were reverent in the spoken word holding captive ears as each word resonated & fluctuated, each octave embodying & encompassing our very being; wisdom from our ancestors.  

In the Salmon of Knowledge, lore from the Fenian Cycle, the message is about the transfer of knowledge, reincarnation & the cycle of life. It is also about the struggle, we know this from the life cycle of the salmon that travels upstream to spawn, an incredible journey. It goes through great leaps traveling against the current because of something innate. You cannot have folklore without acknowledging shamanism, as it is part & parcel of pre-Christian Ireland, metaphors such as water are used to represent the emotional body, time is also at play here for the salmon was hunted for many years yet the knowledge transferred instantaneously. The salmon’s fruits are its eggs, propagation, and seeds for future generations. Folklore is a way our ancestors sowed the seeds of knowledge, as a way of passing on wisdom. 

The Hazel is considered a magical tree, the highest-ranking spiritual tree in Ireland; its fruit has been used for centuries for food, & medicinal purposes. Wands & staff are also crafted from branches as it is seen as a portal to the fae realm.

The Hazel tree is represented in the ninth month in the Celtic calendar (August fifth to September first), the full moon in this month calls on one to harness creativity, the life force within. Just as in the Tree of Life & other ancient stories of mystical trees around the world the tree represents our ancestors & its fruit; knowledge.

The nine hazelnuts represent the keys, for trees see & record yet they stand rigid only bent by the wind, their fruits a gift. Just like the salmon we too sow seeds in the stories we recount. Our actions, thoughts & words: The circumference of sound, determines our fate. No matter one’s beginning in life, we can look to Fíonn MacCumhaill & his upbringing, for he was fated from birth to walk through life carving his path, yet he was never really alone; he was destined for greatness. There was always an invisible force guiding him. That force guides each of us in searching for our souls' freedom.

I believe the knowledge of the universe is in every single one of us, unlocking it is the key to wisdom & enlightenment, the creator has chosen those he wishes to share this knowledge with, worthy souls, people not willing to give up in life no matter the struggle. One does not need to look anywhere else other than within for that is where lies our greatest treasures. Just as a diamond is created under pressure, so is our soul's freedom for if we find a way through life’s obstacles, we harness an inner strength that nothing can shatter. 

Finding the keys is part of our journey, which starts deep within us, unlocking instances or events that have caused injury to bring trauma to the surface where it can be felt, & then released. In the blink of an eye, we can release the painful memories that keep our nervous system in disarray, & our souls captive, the “I AM” is freedom of our body, soul & spirit. 

The keys that King Solomon wrote about are steps of ascension from which true knowledge of the universe is born, and the number of the acorns of the fated salmon’s body, it was believed the salmon held the soul of Fintan mac Bóchra, a seer & known as “the wise”. There's no mistake that the salmon was used in shamanism, the salmon reigns as the king of fish; its cycle is inspirational to all souls wishing to awaken.

The thumb to the mouth is a natural response we do as children when self-soothing. When burned by the flesh of the cooked salmon Fionn instinctively put his thumb in his mouth which is when the transfer of knowledge occurred.  Fionn saw it, felt it & tasted it, the knowledge was in his eyes, Fintan mac Bóchr saw it before Fionn recounted the story to him for his pupils were dilated, and the light of the universe within them. From the day we are born to the day we continue our journey beyond the veil, we are perfect whole & complete, we see that in children's eyes, they are pure innocence as is our inner child, the light of which keeps us alive, for we are all children looking to awaken.  

The keys of ascension are about awakening ourselves to this. The well that the nine hazelnuts fell into, represents our emotional bodies, perhaps past lives too, akin to the well, we have to look deep within to heal, for what is within, is reflected without. Nine represents a masculine strength, a force to harness, longevity**& completeness. It is one of a chieftain, a warrior, willing to sacrifice himself without pity for the fair & just. 

We all have stories that are innate within us, we are beautiful souls perfect in the creator's eyes, and the more we create & shine the more angels rejoice for we are all the masters of our destiny, the captains of our ship. There is a man in the sky who holds a book entirely out of light, every action thought & word is also written with light for here the threads are woven through time.  

Whether or not you choose to look to folklore it still holds its value in the healing of the physical, emotional & spiritual body, this does not pertain to Irish Folklore, all cultures have stories of empowerment, and our role on this earth is to heal so we can shine brighter than any star.