Song of the Cauldrons

The Song of the Three Cauldron

January 1, 2023
Gundestrup Cauldron

Gundestrup Caudron
The National Museum, Copenhagen

In the 13^th c. a startling discovery was made – at least to those who study things Irish – appended to an 11^th c. Latin codex of Brehon Law was a Gaelic poetic catechism of sorts dating to just after the time of Patrick, a Christianized version of even a much older Druidic catechism (that might have had its origins in the regions near Armagh, thus, certainly something that Patrick was aware of and might have even used. The original translator of the Gaelic into English, called the poem, “The Three Poseys.” Today it is more commonly known as “The Song of The Three Cauldron.”

The Song intersperses poetic verse with questions and answers; verse, questions, and answers having to do with the role of three cauldrons given to us at birth:

Coire Goiriath (in the belly): The Cauldron of Warming (nuture) – from which flows the “utterance of Word.” It is the Vital Energy, or God-Image, within all Cration.

Coire Ernmae (in the chest): The Cauldron of Vocation is in us upside down, moving to the upright position as it is filled with the flow from the Cauldron of Warming, although it is quite possible for the flow to spill out if we do not exercise our own volition to turn the cauldron right side up. [Peace with the numinous/God]

Coire Sóis (in the head): The Cauldron of Knowledge is also in us upside down, moving to the upright position as it is filled. Again, we can resist or aid its filling.

We are told that the Cauldron of Knowledge sings…

     - with insights of grace,
     - with measures of knowledge,
     - with streams of inspiration;
     - an estuary of wisdom,
     - a confluence of knowledge,
     - a stream of dignity

This is peace with self.

The song we are told spills over through the mouth into the world and gives …

Exaltation of the lowly,
mastery of eloquence,
royal discernment,
sovereign insight,
a poetic lineage
to cherish students;
[it is] where laws are regulated,
where meanings are recited,
where musical runs are chanted,
wwhere the free-born are taught,
where the bound are set free,
where the nameless win fame;
where praise is related
by measured regulation,
by measures of immunity,
with eloquence of sages:
a confluence of scholarship.

Later the poet tells us, in what has often been called “The Celtic Beatitudes,” that the Cauldron of Vocation gifts us with the ability to gift others…

The Cauldron of Vocation
gives and is replenished,
promotes and is enlarged,
nourishes and is given life,
ennobles and is exalted,
requests and is filled with answers,
preserves and is made strong,
arranges and receives arrangements,
maintains and is maintained.

Here is Peacemaking at its best! A peacemaking that begins with out own inner peace and then, and only then, successfully promotes peace in the world – and in so doing ennobles our own inner peace.

Our closing words are from The Lorica of St. Patrick…

God’s Song to give me speech,
God’s Hand to guide me,
God’s Way to lie before me,
God’s shield to shelter me,
God’s host to secure me….

A sermon delivered at Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Cleveland, 2008