3 Cauldrons + 3 Witches
Foreword: I learned about the Celtic Cauldrons and was given Teachings about the 3 Witches, which has redirected my energies. As a result, we are leaving the chakras for now to dive into the Celtic Cauldrons and the 3 Witches, and begin investigating Celtic cosmology.
The cauldrons are a metaphysical teaching from a “legal” (magic/spell/prophecy/tuar) document attributed to the Irish filidh (a poet/bard) Amirgen Glùingel / Glùnmar (White Knees) from the 8th century. Amirgen was a Milesian Ollamh (master) and Chief Ollamh for Conchobar (CRU-na) Mac Nessa, the King of Ulster.
An Intro to Celtic Cosmology
Welcome to the foundations of Celtic cosmology and belief at Beloved Presence. The 3 Cauldrons + the 3 Witches are a toolbox of affordances. They are a framework with which to understand ourselves and our place in the world.
Affordances are handles we can use to make our way through this magickal chaotic world with a sense of understanding and purposeful direction.
Affordances allow us to catch hold of the infinite, chaotic, changing Universe and attempt to take a ride with Creation in harmony and resonance.
Justin Kirkwood does a great job of explaining affordances and metaphysics in this Tiktok.
But first - the elements and directions.
Before we get to the Cauldrons and the Witches, let’s introduce ourselves to the basic cosmology of our insular Celtic ancestors.
The 9 Dùile
There are 9 elements (or dùile) and 9 directions to the Celtic world. 3 times 3 speaks to me. 3 is a magick number.
Dùile (pronounced dool) are elements, but they are also ‘expectations’. Dùile hold a sense of hunger, wanting and desire. The dùile exist to satisfy your needs and to lead you further and forward into greater searching; then the dùile satisfy those needs which lead to further seeking.
Seeking and satisfaction are foundational to Celtic world view.
We are within.
Celtic animysticism views the individual as existing in an entirely subjective, connected universe.
Fite Fuaite as you know. Lol.
Every point of direction is fundamentally from within and of Creation. The individual living the experience of Life is the point of origin of all Celtic direction.
This is in direct contradiction to Western, colonial, scientific materialism, which offers an objective world view from above and outside. Western society views Creation, the Universe, existence - as some sort of map that can be unfolded and examined and then put away in our pocket. The Western viewpoint places the individual as a disconnected observer of the “rules + running” of an objective “outside of self” Universe. “God” (The Great Spirit / Mystery) is a watch-maker who left his creation on a table for us to stumble upon and dissect at our leisure.
Not a fan.
I reject this viewpoint outright, as it doesn’t bear up under the weight of Being and Belonging to Land + Spirit. Land + Spirit repeat unequivocally that we are integrally woven and sewn into the fabric of existence and we can only ever see from a point within the Creation which is being observed.
The Great Spirit/Mystery is the Creation and there is nothing outside.
We are the Creation and we are always looking at ourselves.
The Celtic directions assume that there is a central seeker that is in relationship with the ways of directing attention. At the centre of all directions - is you.
The 3 Witches
The 3 Witches came about through conversation with Muireann. She explained the Cauldrons in terms of growth and development of personal power and freedom - which results in the experience of magick.
Magick: draodhachd (DROO-gught) Gaelic / draiocht (DREE-ocht) Irish.
This also means Druidry - Draoi. Celtic animistic practice.
Magick isn’t a supernatural power given to us from some power outside. Magick is a way of moving through the world in Presence and awareness.
Be here now-ness.
Magick is being clear about intention and expectation and allowing creation to serve to you what will help you along the way.
What will bring you forward and further? What dùile is required to move you to expansion?
The 3 Witches fits into the Celtic cosmology of self as the centre of experience.
There is the Magickal Child, the You Right Now, and The Cailleach.
There are 2 ages of self; before and after the now (now being the third age of self). This is the placement of the perspective self throughout our whole lifetime - regardless of where we go or what we do or how old we get - there is always a before, and an after, and a right now.
These are the 3 Witches. There is always a past, a future and right now.
This is an elegant and beautiful, eternal and moving framework of reference. It is both stable, fixed and constantly changing. The presence of the seeker is baked into the structure of the framework.
The 9 directions affirms and supports the position of the seeker in the center of orientation with Creation. We are all in the center of our orientation with Creation.
The 3 Witches and the 3 Cauldrons are rooted in the foundation that there is no objective truth or objective reality outside our relationship with Creation. Reality and Creation are decided by each of us in a process of perspective and deciding what is our relationship with the Seen and the Unseen.
What is your relationship with Spirit and the World of Form? with Land and Spirit together, fite fuaite gu bràth?
The Universe is unfolding as we see Them and we are deciding what IS as we see. All spirals are happening at the same time. This is a holographic fractal Universe and everything is happening at once. Everything, everywhere, all at once.
The Magick Map
Click on either of the images below to learn more about the 3 Cauldrons and the 3 Witches and how to use them as an oracle tool to gain clarity and insight into your life and situations.
This teaching goes further than the Map with The Practice below. Don’t skimp on The Practice - it is essential to do the work in the physical world and not just keep the teachings in our heads. The teachings need to come out into the world and root in our bodies and in the Land.
Over the next few weeks I’m going to dig deeper into each of the Cauldrons and the Witches individually. If this is of interest to you, please consider joining the HSH. Monthly or yearly, no obligation.
Omg, I cry. Typical. lol
The Practice
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The Winter Solstice is a beautiful, deep time to connect deeply with Land and find your bearings.
This is the time of connecting to what you bring to the world by rooting into Place.
What are you ‘pregnant’ with that needs to be born into the world?
What do you have to contribute to the whole?
This does not have to be perfect or “right” or fully formed or completely known. To begin is to bring consideration and allowance to the pathways that give the most aliveness to your Spirit.
As my Elder Jane says, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any direction is a fine place to start.”
Words means things and can be a tool of understanding and clarity:
to carry, bring forth, give birth to, produce, endure without resistance, support, hold up, sustain
read about Bear according to Anishinaabe 7 Grandfather Teachings
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To get started, we need grounding. I keep coming back to the truth that nothing happens in the World of Form that isn’t rooted into our bodies and grounded into Land.
Begin every self-reflection and interior discovery with a grounding exercise. Be connected to Land and your Body while you dive into the dark waters of Self.
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Our Ancestors are available to offer wisdom, guidance and understanding - especially when it comes to standpoint and bearings.
They can give us deep recognition about the lineage energies that are working through our life.
You may want to record this exercise so you don’t lose the wisdom given. It will just fade away if it’s not recorded.
do this exercise after grounding, after getting focused and centered and aligning awareness with now
cut out 2 sets of footprints
set them on the floor facing each other
stand on one set facing the other set of footprints
with gratitude, ask for an ancestor to come assist with finding your bearings, with rooting to place in your body
when you’re ready, step into the other set of footprints - these are your ancestors footprints
you now share ground with your ancestor and communication will occur
listen to what your ancestor has to communicate with you
communication from the unseen may come in unexpected ways
it is vital you remain open and allowing of whatever way your ancestors chooses to communicate
it is your responsibility to accept what is happening as real and true
no one wants to share with someone and then be dismissed or disregarded - so don’t do that to your ancestors. Honestly, they’re so sick of our sh!t. lol.
give them thanks and ask what they would like in reciprocity
You will receive as much information as you are ready and willing to accept. Your ancestors are thrilled to do this work with you because it heals the whole lineage.
Click here for belief and acceptance support resources.
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Making art, any art - is a great way to get into the mothaitheacht/mothachadh state of perceiving and awareness.
Watch the video for ways that you can use art making / mark making to connect to ancestors and greater wisdom.
Watch the video here.
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Always give thanks to Anam + Ancestors for their relationship and wisdom offerings.
Ask how you can be reciprocal in the World of Form.
Follow through with the Ancestors’ ask.