In The Mists of Avalon: Aisling

Aisling

The aisling (Irish for 'dream, vision', pronounced [ˈaʃlʲɪŋʲ]), or vision poem, is a poetic genre that developed during the late In an aisling, Ireland appears to the poet in a vision in the form of a woman, sometimes young and beautiful, sometimes old and haggard. This female figure is generally referred to in the poems as a Spéirbhean (sky-woman; pronounced 'spare van'). She laments the current state of the Irish people and predicts an imminent revival of their fortunes, usually linked to the return of a Stuart pretender to the English throne.

    The form developed out of an earlier, non-political genre which was essentially an Irish form of the French reverdie, in which the poet meets a beautiful, supernatural woman who symbolises the spring season, the bounty of nature, and love. The first and greatest of the aisling poets was Aodhagán Ó Rathaille, "athair na haislinge" (i.e. father of the aisling). In his hands, the aisling is a powerful mode of political writing. In the 18th century, the form became something of an empty formula and became the target of jokes. Probably the most famous example of aisling poetry is Róisín Dubh.   [From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aisling ]

    "O'er mountains, moors and march, by greenwood, lough and hollows, I tracked her distant footsteps with a throbbing heart. Though many an hour and day and did I follow on and follow,
Till I reached the magic palace reared of old by Druid art."
     _____Aodhagan O Rathaille, "Gile na Gile" (trans. CM)

    This poem is an aisling (ASH'ling), a vision experienced by a person in a lonely place who becomes aware of an otherworldly or beautiful woman who comes for a purpose, usually to invite him to visit her, find her, or perform some service for her.
    The ancient aisling poems show the Goddess of the Land appealing for a champion to right her wrongs. One of the last poets to write a genuine Irish aisling was W. B. Yeats, whose poetic an dramatic writings depict Ireland as Kathleen ni Houlihan, an old woman wandering the road in rags, prophetically uttering words of transformation.
     These later poems are expressions of the poet's vision of the land; he is able to envision the appearance of its spirit and the condition of the group-soul of the land. Within our own lives, we can also become aware of the problems that beset our country by seeking out an aisling vision of our own.

Envision your country laid out before you; in soul-flight visit whatever part of it seems to you to represent its sacred heart. Stand there and ask for an aisling vision of your land's condition. How does the spirit of your land appear; and what things does it show you? Remember that your land may be either a mother- or fatherland - that is, its indwelling spirit may be either female or male. Do not get hung up on gender, but attend with all your attention to the vision that you have. What needs to change? What attention can you help throw upon the problems you have been shown?
[From: The Celtic Spirit by Caitlin Matthews]

When I think of the 'soul' of this land (USA) where I live I think of this image: