These varying thoughts that span centuries of exploration teach us that there is an abundant source of inspiration and guidance out there where folk have made tentative steps to approach the cauldron. The interpretations of these authors permit us to freely explore meaning and significance that is appropriate for our journey into transformation. Although it is easy to academically dismiss attributions of this kind, they do have visionary merit and can be used by current practitioners of the mysteries. These seasonal correspondences can be utilised by means of ritual, used for meditation and developing relationship with each sequence of the chase. All explorations are worthy of investigation; they cause us to be further involved and strengthen our relationship with the material and its archetypes.
• • •
Perhaps the first thing we notice when we look at the tale from an occult point of view is the obvious elemental correspondences; the chase takes place within earth, water, and air. This fact alone is immensely significant, and it is tempting to cause these components to fall in line with modern Pagan concepts, but as you will see our concepts can also be challenged. Within current Druidic practise there is the concept of land, sea, and sky, and this falls neatly into the elements described in the tale at hand:
• Land/earth—the hare and greyhound sequence
• Sea/water—the fish and otter sequence
• Sky/air—the wren and hawk sequence
Pagan ritual consists of honouring four elements, each of which occupy a cardinal point within the circle, or sacred space; these “quarters” form meaningful correspondences that practitioners invoke and connect with during ritual. The use of the four elements in Pagan ritual is influenced by their usage as the four classical elements of ancient Greek philosophy and science. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the Celts honoured them in the same manner. In fact, there is some evidence to imply that only the three elements of earth, water, and air were acknowledged. This is not a discourse to negate the current practise of honouring four elements, but rather a challenge to the current assumption that all four are sequentially present within the tale, for as you will discover, they are not. It is somewhat tempting to assign all four classical elements to the chase sequence—understandably so, for three of the elements are sequentially present. The corresponding animals emulate the qualities of these elements, but the fourth is missing or not so obviously placed. The general school of thought has thus far dismissed the obvious sequential inconsistency and assumed that the element of fire is represented by the corn and hen sequence. Admittedly this is a tenuous link to say the least; fire is not mentioned, and the digestive fire or the metaphorical fire of conception is a further tenacity that simply hides a more magical meaning.
It is sometimes easier to make assumptions than go to great efforts to explore exactly what is going on, but as we have seen previously, the act of learning and of being learned is a sacred rite in itself. Within the Celtic mind, Fire is what brings about the transformation of the other elements; it instigates change and was present at the beginning of creation. “I was gleaming fire when I was caused to exist” said Taliesin in the Black Book of Carmarthen, reiterating the fact that fire underlies the other elements. If we explore the significance of fire and its interactions, we gain a deeper understanding of its nature and how it was perceived in the Celtic mind. The Celts conceptualised everything in a tripartite fashion. Just as our apparent space has only three dimensions, they believed that only three primary elements existed and that they arose and were transformed by means of fire. Now we are more than aware that our physical universe was created by an explosion; fire initiated its commencement and caused the other elements to spring into being. I quote the eloquent Jean Markale, who explains that
when a solid burns, it becomes gaseous; earth becomes air thanks to fire. When a liquid burns, it becomes gaseous; water becomes air thanks to the activity of fire. When a gas burns, it becomes a different gas, whether it is a liquid, for example (the hydrogen and oxygen that create water), or a solid: air becomes air, earth, or fire through the activity of fire. For fire is the very principle of action.100
The Greek philosopher Heraclitus challenged the classical assumption of the existence of four equal elements by claiming that fire gave rise to the other three. He believed that fire was the fundamental element. Therefore, with this in mind, fire underpins all things in the physical universe; it is the primordial element that encapsulates all the energy contained within the other three. They are all changed by the action of fire.
Taliesin describes how he was gleaming fire before he was caused to exist, and his subsequent existences contain all aspects of the elemental world. He originated as fire, and those flames cause the subsequent transformation of the other elements. Interestingly, some of the manuscripts claim that Taliesin was found during Beltane, perhaps the greatest fire festival of the Celts. This is the feast of Bel, the shining one, or “he of fire.” This festival is the celebration of light and heat and flame, and it is recorded that the druids built enormous pyres and would drive herds of animals between them for cleansing. The fact that it is either Beltane or Samhain when Taliesin is found is in itself demonstrative of the connection each author had to the subject matter. To one author, fire may have been of immense significance to the meaning of the tale, whereas to another it may have been the liminality of Samhain. When we examine the tale, we find the presence of fire throughout. Initially we encounter it as the flames lit beneath the great cauldron. This fire causes the transformation of the water within to boil into steam, and water becomes air because of the action of fire. Earth dissolves into water as the ingredients are transformed by the action of fire. A metaphorical fire is present in the searing heat of the three drops that alight on Gwion’s thumb. Subsequently the fire of all knowing and its sheer power to transform is imbued within the innocent. The simple yeoman’s son travels through land, water, and air because of the action of fire. Fire underpins the entire process.
The subject of the elements is an interesting discourse, for it challenges our own concepts of the elements and how we honour them, but not in a manner that negates their usage. To further explore this idea serves to deepen our relationship with the very real components of Pagan practise. After all, we are not dealing with mere concepts when we call each cardinal power; we are dealing with forces that are awesome and present. To explore them in a manner that challenges our current working practise serves to further our understanding of them and why they are included in our rites to begin with.
Prior to exploring the remaining three elements involved in the chase sequence, it is pertinent to contemplate what has been said concerning fire. This concept may well be new to you; you may find it an interesting discourse that differs from the normal elemental functions in modern Paganism. You may, on the other hand, completely disagree with it. However, take some time to meditate on the ability of fire to cause the transformation of the other three elements.
exercise
“With seven created beings I was placed for purification; I was gleaming fire before I was caused to exist.” These words by Taliesin sing of the mysteries of fire. How do you perceive fire and how do you relate to it? Look to the ball of fire in the sky and feel its heat upon your skin; what causes such a thing to perpetually burn? What understanding do you have of the physical properties of fire? Fire can be a metaphor—it may represent your passion, your vigour and zestfulness. Identify the fire aspects of yourself and how they are presented to the world at large. In Celtic traditions, the “fire in the head” is a common theme whereby the light of spirit shines from the radiant brow to inspire and transform. What is the nature of your own “fire in the head”? How brightly does it shine? Chant the words of Taliesin over and over until the mind is lost in the rapture of fire: “I was gleaming fire before I was caused to exist!”
Earth/Land
Immediately after Gwion ingests Awen and awareness descends
upon him, he senses the wrath of Cerridwen and goes forth in the shape of a hare. Cerridwen wilfully changes her form and pursues him. The subsequent chase takes place in the realm of earth, or land. It is within this sequence that the teachings of earth are transmitted to the initiate. He goes forth as one of the Britain’s most enigmatic and symbolic of animals: the hare. The moon gazer (as the hare is lovingly referred to) is the epitome of the divine feminine by means of her association with our satellite.
Traditionally the element of earth is placed in the northern quarter of the Pagan ritual circle and is the embodiment of security, hardness, coldness, darkness, and stability. It is the reign of the Earth Mother and the metaphorical location of the gods and the ancestors. Gwion’s initiation into the mysteries of earth is not restricted to this planet alone but expresses the meaning and teaching of all matter in the entire universe. There is a temptation to consider that this reference to land is related only to our planet and her qualities of nurture and security. But there is a vast universe out there with an infinite amount of planets that also sing of the universe’s secrets. We may not be able to physically see or visit them, but they are there, and their gravitational pull affects our homeworld just as we affect them. Therefore, the message of earth/land during the chase encapsulates the mystery and meaning of the entire physical universe. Gwion Bach eventually transforms into Taliesin, who further elaborates that he has been all things, even the light of distant stars. It is by means of the mystery of earth/land that he receives this omnipresent quality.
When we look to the stars, we are looking at our point of origin; every single molecule of carbon in our bodies was forged in the searing, incomprehensible heat of stars. Nothing is entirely new but rather in a constant state of recycling. Our corporeal forms, our earthly components, are made of the stuff of stars in precisely the same manner as the substance of our planet; we all come from the same place. It is only the arrangement of molecules that causes us to appear different. With this in mind, we are inexorably connected to the earth beneath our feet, for we share the same birth; we have never been separate from it. It is this knowing that deepens our relationship with the globe which we inhabit and causes us to appreciate and understand the significance of origin. We are the impeccable dance of molecules and atoms, forever locked in a galactic embrace until the moment our sun implodes upon itself. Even then, the dance will begin again—a new star will be born, a new stage will spring into being. Nothing is ever lost; it is simply recycled. As each molecule sprang forth and coalesced, life arose from the primordial soup, and we are now its sum totality.
Our relationship with the world can be as superficial or as profound as we choose. For many, it is sufficient to skim the surface and dash through life without even a glance at the magic that surrounds them. To others it is not enough, and to hear the song of spirit compels one to observe through different eyes. The mystery of earth/land and the chase in animal form serves to teach us all these mysteries, the whys and whatnots; it causes new eyes to open to a universe of mystery. Our relationship to this element is complex, for it has two distinct aspects to it. On one hand, we have the universality of earth/land and its presence throughout physicality. On the other, we have the apparent aspect that relates to the element as it directly affects our lives. We move constantly through earth/land, interacting with it, changing it, and being transformed by it. It holds our communities and our homes. Where we are located on the earth serves to identify who we are and the history of our people. Earth/land serves to display the cycle of moon and sun and the unfolding faces of the season; it is the element that causes us to connect to the natural world.
EXERCISE
Ponder on this aspect of the chase: visualise the pursuit of the hare by the hound. What does the landscape look like? How does it appear in your vision? Is it indicative of the landscape you inhabit? What is the song of your land? Consider the aspect of the hare. They differ in relation to rabbits in that they do not burrow beneath the ground, they are fully present in the light of the sun, and they gaze towards the moon at night. What does it mean to be in the form of a hare; what teachings does she relay? Be imaginatively immersed in the chase—feel the pounding of your hind legs against the land, the hot breath of the greyhound behind you. Sense the fear and trepidation and the coursing of survival hormones that flood the bloodstream. Write your experience in your journal.
Consider the land upon which you live. Choose an appropriate day for this walking meditation, then gather your journal and thoughts and embark on a journey into earth. When you move from one location to another, how do you do it? More often than not, you will move by means of an internal automatic pilot. Our lives are busy; we are constantly moving from one place to another, performing chores, our minds preoccupied by duty and purpose. Today, walk consciously. Make every step matter; sense it and the ground upon which you move. How does it appear, and what is its nature? Perhaps you are moving through the suburbs or the countryside, or perhaps you are near water. Are there tall buildings around you? Is your view of the sky impeded?
Sense the ground beneath you and the facets of earth that surround you. Everything that you look at originated from the same place that you did. Listen to the sounds of your landscape as it sings the songs of being. What are their lyrics? What do they tell you of their nature and their interaction with one another? Nothing is truly inanimate; everything is in a constant state of flux and movement. Can you sense this? Do not be a passive observer of your environment; instead, question your relationship with it and how you interact with it. Sense the people who share the landscape with you and how they are the sum totality of the people who went before them.
Challenge your knowledge of your landscape. Jot down the following questions into your journal and attempt to answer them by reflecting on the properties of the land you inhabit:
• How many generations of your family have occupied this land?
• Where do your blood relatives originate from?
• Who are the native peoples of your landscape? What is their history?
• Are there monuments to people long past? What is their nature and meaning?
• When was this place initially colonised? What structures exist that sing of its history?
• What do the given place-names of your locale mean?
• How do the seasons affect it? How does it change with the cycle of the year?
• What are the most striking features of your landscape? How did they arise?
• How did the land evolve? Was it by glacial action or volcano?
All these things serve to deepen our relationship; our eyes open to the meaning of earth/land and our connection to it. The chase initiates this perception and the sense of being at one with the element that sustains our physical forms.
Water/Sea
At the culmination of the teachings of earth/land, the initiate becomes weary; the legs leaden and the claws of the hound draw ever closer, the snapping of its powerful jaws like a chill wind against the hind legs. The hare sights a river ahead and is forced towards it. With a final pounding leap, the furred creature takes momentarily to the air before diving into the crystal-clear water. As the surface breaks, the fur vanishes, to be replaced by scales; the initiate goes forth in the form of a fish. Its gills open to hasten the absorption of oxygen from the surrounding water, its heart beats to a different tune, and its auditory senses no longer operate in the same manner. But its heartbeat quickens as it senses the crashing of the hound against water, then the sleek form of an otter appears beneath the river’s surface, its claws ever deadly and its jaws poised in readiness. The chase continues through the realm of water.
It is believed that it is the presence of water that provides the stage for life to develop. To discover water on another planet would indicate the possibility of alien life. Our blue planet is awash with this magical, life-giving element; it causes our skies to be filled wi
th fluid-soaked clouds. It causes the greening of the earth and the nurture of vegetation. Without water, no life would be possible. Within earth we explored the physical molecules that make up the hardness of our bodies, our bones and flesh, yet they constitute only a small percentage of our entirety; water makes up the rest. We are indeed creatures of water. The Celts believed that water affected both the spiritual and physical dimensions, and it is perhaps this belief that gave rise to the numerous healing springs and wells of Britain and Ireland. It was believed that water contained elements of the spirit and hid other worlds beneath its surface. Not only was water an element that encouraged or facilitated healing, it was believed that it could also heal the spirit. Hence shrines and temples were erected near significant stretches of water or at the bending of a river or where fresh and salt water mixed.
The river Severn in the British Isles is perhaps one of the most famous rivers in the islands and is known for being sacred to the goddess Sabrina. Temples to her were built along its course, from its origin in the west of Wales to the current monuments in the Shropshire town of Shrewsbury. In Gloucestershire Sabrina meets the sea, and twice a day the Severn Boar, a gigantic wave of tidal water, courses its way inland, affecting everything in its path. Tutelary deities of rivers and springs are recorded in the current names of many of Britain’s rivers and springs. Where thermal waters erupted from the ground, ornate temples and baths were constructed to benefit from their healing properties and to honour the deities of that place. Every spring, every brook, every stream and river, pond and lake was believed to be the habitat of divine creatures. Our ancestors noted these places to be immensely sacred, especially banks and estuaries where land and water collide. But these rivers were more than simply sites devoted to local deities; they epitomised the well-being of the land and of its tribe. Primarily fertile, the waters were sacred on many levels; they sustained the land and also provided a link to the unseen worlds.
From the Cauldron Born Page 21
