#folkcraft

[60d5-f4v0r173]

i made a few deformed lil love bears

[littlefoxhearthstead]

Safe, Sustainable, and Respectful Smoke Cleansing

Smoke has been used across cultures for centuries as a way to mark transitions, clear stale air, and create a moment of grounding. In many folk practices, the rising of smoke has always been tied to intention: a way to reset a home after illness, bless a new space, honour ancestors, or welcome the change of a season. Although the specific rituals and teachings differ widely between regions, the…

Safe, Sustainable, and Respectful Smoke Cleansing

[faerytreealtars]

｡𖦹⋆ The Celtic Cauldrons within our Sacred body ᨒ

Recently, I have been wondering if there is a similar concept within the old Celtic beliefs to that of the Indian Chakra system. A few years back, I had researched and learnt about the Chakra's and I could see their logical basis and how their use could aid in betterment of the body, spirit and mind, but at the same time they never felt quite right in my practice. As I was falling asleep the night before, my Celtic ancestors brought this thought back to my mind and urged me to Google it so I did and what I found was the concept of the three Celtic cauldrons - now I'm still not one hundred percent certain if this truly dates all the way back to the ancient celts or is a rehash of different beliefs put into a new form but I do prefer the concept behind them over the Chakra system so I am noting down here all I learnt.

In Celtic tradition, the body contains three powerful centres known as the Three Cauldrons, which correspond to our physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects. Similar to the chakra system, these cauldrons facilitate self-understanding, while also recognizing a timeline of awakening linked to life experiences. Each cauldron resides in a distinct part of the body and collectively provides a framework to comprehend our "three souls": the lower self, the middle self, and the higher self, with each cauldron varying in fullness depending on one's relationship with these aspects.

The first cauldron is referred to as the Cauldron of Warming: Your Primal Centre. It is located within the pelvis and the womb space

This is our foundation, where life begins, and we find our primal instincts. It’s linked to our health, our subconscious and our survival instincts. The cauldron of warming connects to the Lower Self, which is the part of us that is more animalistic and connected to our physical and energetic environment. The lower self comes from the ancestors, and their knowledge lives through us via what's known as “the red thread” or the “river of blood” (a maternal lineage or bloodline). We’re born with this cauldron already upright, filled with life force energy that fuels our physical existence. It’s called “warming” because it’s the first to warm up and sustain us. When this cauldron is warm and upright, you feel safe, energetic, and alive. When it’s cold or depleted, you might feel anxious, dissociated from your body, or creatively stuck. Often this is caused by chronic stress, illness, or trauma.

The second cauldron is referred to as the Cauldron of Motion/ Vocation: Your Human Centre, and is located within your chest and heart space.

This is the place of your lived experience and sense of self. It holds the full spectrum of emotions, and your ability to connect to others and the world around you. It’s where our passions stir and where our sense of purpose is felt. Its name, “moving”, is in reference to the calling that propels us forward (what moves us) and shapes who we are. This cauldron acts as a bridge between that of our lower self to our higher self. It corresponds to our "middle self" the part of us that is human, with the ability to reason.

At birth, it's tilted on its side and starts to turn upright as we gain emotional maturity and a healthy sense of self. When the cauldron of motion is warm and upright, you move through life with emotional fluidity and grace. When it’s cold or upside down, you might feel numb, overly reactive, or like you have walls up around your heart.

We tend to it by not stuffing down our emotions, by expressing ourselves in healthy ways, and by embracing creativity and open-mindedness. Grieve, celebrate, dance, cry, sing, make art.

The third and final cauldron is referred to as the Cauldron of Knowing: Your Intuitive & Spiritual Centre and is located within the head and mind space.

This cauldron holds spiritual insight, intuition, and divine remembrance. It’s the place where we align with our purpose, and we open ourselves to guidance from the unseen realms via dreams, visions, and psychic downloads.

This cauldron connects to the Upper Self, the part of us that is eternal and most connected to the great spirit. It's believed that we’re born with this one upside down and empty. Over time, as your spiritual path evolves, it fills and turns upright.

When this cauldron of wisdom is warm and upright you usually feel deeply connected, intuitive, inspired, and guided. When it’s cold or inverted, its common to feel hopeless, disconnected from magic and purpose .

We tend to this cauldron when we establish a spiritual practice, seek wisdom, heal deep core wounds, or simply sit in stillness and allow higher awareness to whisper through. 

These Cauldrons are closely linked to the concept of the Celtic realms of earth, sea and sky, also shown within the triquetra symbol, which, when all parts are in harmony, symbolise eternity and interconnectedness to the divine. It is stated that the concept of these three energy centres was first found in a poem called The Cauldron of Poesy, written by a bard named Amergin Glúingel, who was a bard and judge for the Milesians in the Irish Mythological Cycle.

So that is all I have learnt so far. This system certainly resonates more with me and my practice. The Druids were a very secretive collective and did not allow any extensive writings of their teachings and learning to be noted down. Celtic bards received some of the same education as Druids or would have been educated by Druids, as it was a role some Druids could also fulfil, in which case this bard, Armageddon Glungell, could have left some information about these secret teachings behind in his poem.

Sources:

The Three Cauldrons: A Celtic Map of Your Energy Centers

Three Celtic Cauldrons' Wisdom - Shamantalk s2 ep 1

Cauldron of Poesy

[faerytreealtars]

｡𖦹⋆ A Personal Ramble ᨒ

Practising Witchcraft and having AuDHD or at least, the common *term for what “ails” me would be described as AuDHD means I have struggled to keep a consistent practice, and in the past, I couldn’t help comparing my efforts with others I saw online, not a good thing to do I know but yet such a very human trap to fall into. This only made me feel worse, of course and made me further cruel to myself within the mind space to be better than where I was, to push forward as if it was some race, but doing so only made me lose the joy in doing my craft, so of course I would have to take a break until the joy came back. Recently, though, I have become more aware of myself and my path. I know now it is unique to me and cannot be measured against others. I am also learning to view my cycles of energy and focus like that of the moon. I am able to love and admire her in all forms. I don't criticise her when she retreats to replenish, I appreciate what she shares from full to waning and including dark, so I should have the grace to give myself the same love. Not to see it as a hindrance when I am in my “dark” form, for it is a calling for rest, and not to push or rush myself when I am in “full” form, for there will always be a time when such a form comes back around again. There may be times when I stumble back into my old mindsets, but I will try to look at the moon and remember what it is I wrote here.

*The reason I say term is because language and its meanings are always changing, we can never be 100% certain in the definitions we give to things, Fifty years ago I would have simply been called  “strange” or “odd” (though technically I still do get called that!) now we know more and thus can be diagnosed with AuDHD, but in twenty years it could be called something more advanced or maybe with certain groups trying to push their agendas, us females with such conditions will simply be called ‘hysterical’ and get diagnosed with hysteria again! Who knows, perhaps the Gods do…

[faerytreealtars]

｡𖦹⋆ 10 Days of Reflection: Defining Magic & Witchcraft ᨒ

Day Two: What does witchcraft mean to you? Ex: is it a craft, a calling, a way of life, a skill?

~ Witchcraft means a lot to me. The path appeared to me when I was in a bad place in life, and if I had never accepted it into my life, then I know I would be feeling less of my whole self for it. So, due to the circumstances surrounding my ‘initiation’ (if you can call it that), I see it as both a calling and a craft, perhaps a way of life, but I resonate more with it being a calling and a craft to learn. As I mentioned earlier, witchcraft found me when I was facing a bad time; it rekindled my hope and urged me to continue my journey. It was a calling to reclaim power within myself and take that which is old and bring it new life in these modern times. I also believe it is a craft, for it is an area of creative expertise that requires consistent action and dedication to learn and study to grow our skills within.

[faerytreealtars]

｡𖦹⋆ 10 Days of Reflection: Defining Magic & Witchcraft ᨒ

I want to do the 10-day reflection questionnaire by @pathandpractice, even though I'm a little late to the party. I do believe it will help me grow my own understanding of my path and the role I shall take within it, so I thank you for creating it!

Day One: How do you define magic? Is it energy, intention, relationship, will, or something else?

~ I have always viewed magic in everything, even from a young age, but now I have more words and understanding, so I would describe my view of it as an energy that is always present. We can use our will and intention to ground it, transform it and direct it to do as we hope and wish. I had to retake my physics final GCSE way back when I was a teen, and due to that, it is ingrained in my mind that energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be transformed from one form to another, and that is how I see magic as well and thus why I believe magic is already alive in everything from the tangible to the intangible. Then again, I believe science is merely magic we have understood, made "logical" and thus have forgotten the wonder in its creation - makes me think of a quote I saw once about how fairy-tale characters/creatures rarely notice the magic of their realm because that is the mundane to them or something along those lines, I forget the actual words but I hope you get the meaning.

[faerytreealtars]

Fáilte!

.☘︎ ݁˖

Dia dhuit, You may call me Feá | 24. She/Her. Changeling. Solitary Witch. Celtic Irish Pagan. I collect stones, I scry through the flames, I make sure to talk to trees, for they are the wisest of friends.

.☘︎ ݁˖

Honouring those before. My practice is one of nature and old Tradition, using the folk magic of my native land, Ireland and the beliefs and workings of the Celts to help me find the path that feels most aligned to me.

Beyond the Hedge. I work and connect with beings of nature, from Plant Spirits to Aos Sí, Sacred animals to Ancestors. For we humans are part of and become even more intertwined with the land after we give up our mortal bodies.

The Fire and the Flame. I call in many of my Celtic Deities but the one that is most connected to my heart is that of Brighid. She is my patron Goddess and the one who inspires and protects me.

The Weaving of Fate. Part of my practice is divination. I use the cards, cast charms and scry to help guide myself on this path of life.

Balancing the elemental. As my practice is very nature and land-based. Working with the genius loci in all their elemental forms. Earth. Air. Water. Is very important within my craft.

Off the Path. When I am not practising my craft, I enjoy reading many books, mainly about fantasy worlds inspired by faeries, folktales and faerytales. I, too, enjoy crafting my own tales inspired by all that intrigues and excites me. I like to let my mind become free of thoughts by playing cosy video games, mainly ones that are story-driven or filled with cute and magical creatures. Gardening and helping to nurture seeds to new growth that benefits the local wildlife and me as well is another hobby that I enjoy. But the truth is that mundane is magical to me, so I never really feel that I am not being a "witch".

.☘︎ ݁˖

As this is my personal witchcraft blog, anything I write is a reflection of my personal practice and experiences. I am not trying to speak for other practitioners or their experiences. Just as snowflakes are all unique, our practices and paths can never be compared as exactly alike.

So, If you’ve read all of that, and still feel like sticking around I welcome you happily and hope to connect more soon!

I like to think of myself as a kind person, but kindness does not imply weakeness so let it be know that I will not put up with rude or cruel behaviour towards me or another upon my blog or posts. Bullying, bigotry, sexism, and similar behaviours are not welcome on this blog. I won't be wasting my energy by arguing, and I will not hesitate to block people.

.☘︎ ݁˖

Other Blogs:

@faelynin - this is my main blog, it is mainly where I reblog posts of nature, fandom and arts that bring me joy.

@faeryfables - I'm still needing to fix this blog up, but I am intending to use it to share my works of writing.

[tabinoashiato]

民藝　とをる　Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan