The Fruit of the Otherworld

"Every high and lonely thought that thrills my spirit through
Is but a shining berry dropped down through the purple air,
And from the magic tree of life the fruit falls everywhere."
-- A. R. (George Russell), "Connla's Well"

Over Connla's Well grow the nine hazelnut trees of wisdom that drop
their nuts into the water. The salmon of knowledge eats of the nuts
and is found by Fionn mac Cumhail (FINN mak KOOL), who, like Taliesin
(Tal-eeESSin) , becomes omniscient. This experience changes the very
nature of perception, returning the ordinary senses to perceive in
more subtle ways.
This story, in its various permutations, stands as an explanation
of how the fruit of the otherworld comes to ripen in our world. The
fall of the hazelnuts into the waters of Connla's Well is an image of
the abundant generosity of the otherworld to our world. The ideas
that come to us in moments of inspiration arrive in our heads so
instantaneously that we may be tempted to give credit for their
arrival to ourselves. The generosity of inspiration is frequently
seen percolating throughout the world. When the nuts of the nine
hazels fall into our world, they fall in many places simultaneously,
ensuring that the fruiting wisdom will germinate in at least one
location in our world. This explains the seemingly coincidental
discovery of inventions or the realization of ideas in several places
at the same time: the same idea is in the air, ready to be pulled out
of the ether. Only the most promising, dedicated, and attentive
become the stock upon which the otherworldly fruit is grafted, for
the benefit of all.

"Give thanks for the fruits of the otherworld that you have received
and
helped ripen. Be aware when the nuts of wisdom are falling into your
lap; run with the inspiration. "
[Source: "The Celtic Spirit: Daily Meditations for the Turning Year"
by Caitlin Matthews]