Hear me O Earth Citizen - I speak to you now as Taliesin, for I am the Wizard Bard inviting you to take part in the ancient tale of my transformation. And as I weave this mythtelling, see thru me, the archetype of your own evolution - for soon we must all stir the magic brew with ‘the White Crafty One, Cerridwen’, my true mother. And so go with me into the Other-world place of the Dark Crone…See there the one called Cerridwen, the keeper of the Cauldron, mixing Her potion - which must be stirred for ‘a year & a day’ - to produce the ‘Three Drops of Inspiration’ Yes, according to the legend, Cerridwen, has two children - one represents light & the other darkness - Her fair daughter being light & beautiful; & her son, the dark, deformed one. And so, Cerridwen, the Great Maker of Magical Elixirs, decides to create a healing potion for her son as a gift to empower him. Into it She pours the waters of prophesy & inspiration, &, carefully observing the movements of the Moon & Sun & every star, She is able to add each herb, each root, at their peak, even the foam of the ocean, all at proper times… Then, on the eve of the potion’s readiness, She prepares to meditate before She presents the enchanted brew to her son. And so She employs a blind man to tend the fire, & leaves me, a young apprentice boy, then named Gwion Bach, in charge to stir it. Being a curious lad, I decide to look into the cauldron…no harm in that. Just then the ‘Three Drops of Inspiration’ leap out of the pot & scald my hands - Ow, wirra, Ouch that hurt. Being a boy, I put my finger in my mouth to suck away the pain - & whoosh - instantly I acquire all the knowledge of the Craft! The cauldron erupts after this, alerting Cerridwen, & thus begins a great shape-changing chase between Cerridwen & myself… I quickly use my newly gained powers from the brew to change myself into a hare, & hop off as quickly as my lucky legs can carry me…Cerridwen takes the form of a greyhound & follows in swift pursuit…But just as She is about to catch me, I change into a fish & slip into a river…Cerridwen quickly becomes an otter & continues after…About to be caught again, once more I change my form, this time into a bird, & fly off into the sky - only to discover that Cerridwen is close behind, having taken the shape of a hawk… Fearing for my life, I notice a pile of wheat on the land below & changing myself into the tiniest of grains, I drop into the pile…Cerridwen's sharp eyes see what I have done, & taking the form of a black crested hen, She pecks at the grain until She finds & eats the seed that had once been me as Gwion… However, this only serves to impregnate Cerridwen, rejuvenating my evolution within Her. She gives birth to me nine months later…a boy of astounding grace & beauty… Yes, according to the legend Cerridwen wraps my infant self up in a leather cloth & desiring to test the power of the enchantment, tosses me into the raging river - where I am rescued by the fishwife to the Queen, who, struck by my enchanted beauty, names me Taliesin, which means "Radiant Brow"… Before ever there was a Merlin, I was, & I grew to be a great Bard & Wizard. Some say I am the wisest & most profound of all the Gaelic poets, but I tell you now, that I was once just a curious apprentice, perhaps as you are now; until I was reborn of Cerridwen's womb, Her Cauldron of Transformation… And know this, you too can become your true Self when you are reborn of Cerridwen’s inspiration; which can come from many an unexpected corner… Plans may shift; projects may morph into different arrangements. Do not be too quick, to hold or judge - instead, let things inform you as they take their own shape at your will. Adapt & change & Transform - & don’t forget to stir, & stir, & stir… See you my dear apprentice, in the striving ~ Taliesin
Cerridwen's magickal cauldron (named Awen - the Cauldron of the Deep, refers to the Divine Spirit, or poetic or prophetic inspiration), it is an ancient feminine symbol of renewal, rebirth, transformation & inexhaustible plenty. It is the primary female symbol of the pre-Christian world, & represents the womb of the Great Goddess from which all things are born & reborn again & yet again. Cerridwen made a potion called Greal (from which the word 'Grail' has arisen). The potion was made from 7 metals & 12 plants for inspiration & knowledge. Her link as the Mother of Poetry is seen in Her reborn son Taliesin, & in the Welsh word that makes up part of Her name, Cerdd, which also means poetry… The ‘Three Drops of Inspiration’, which the cauldron produces after brewing for ‘a year & day’ - is a common passage of time in Celtic lore, a standard before an initiation, or marraige into the mysteries of divine creative inspiration can occur. Her shape-shifting chase after Gwion is meant to represent the different levels of our own initiation rites. The chase can also be seen as representative of the changing Seasons, & the many transformations our souls must make, into different forms, & over different lifetimes, before we can discover the very reason for our existence, so that we can bring those gifts more & more into manifestation… But Cerridwen also signifies the inspiration which comes from all unexpected corners. We must be open to going with the flow, to meeting synchronicity where we find it - to creating poetic justice & making lemonade from life’s sour lemons… ~hag
Thanks to all who joined in for our Autumnal Equinox / Michaelmas Festival with Mysteria Mystica Americana (MA) Including special guests Michael Draskovic, & music & speech with Ultra-Violet Archer Here is the Link to our online Community gathering
Here is a link to recordings of our past offerings
Farm Day & Michaelmas Festival at Zinniker farmSaturday 28 September 2024 – 1 pm Biodynamic Prep making, 5 pm Potluck, 6 – 7:30 pm Sound Healing & other festivities celebrating the Season. RSVP only contact Hazel@CogRite.com Stay tuned for details
4 - 6 October 2024 Annual Southeast Biodynamic Conference - Celebrating the 100-year anniversary of biodynamic agriculture. Hosted by Jeff Poppen ‘the Barefoot Farmer’ Long Hungry Creek Farm in Red Boiling Springs, TN
17 October 2024 - a Sukkot / All Souls / Full Hunters Harvest Moon "When you sit in the Sukkah, 'the shade of faithfulness,'
Join us at the Goetheanum for the performance of Rudolf Steiner’s Four Mystery Dramas 26-31 December 2024
If you want to support the Spiritualization of the Earth thru the Biodynamic Farming done on Zinniker Farm, you are invited to become a paid subscriber, with all donations going directly to the farm
Greetings Friend, you currently a free subscriber to Cognitive Ritual. Thank you for receiving my workings freely offered. For the full experience, upgrade your subscription. ALL donations go to support Zinniker Farm - The oldest Biodynamic Farm in America! Together we can spiritualize the Universe. XOX ~hag
|
Monday, 23 September 2024
‘Three Drops of Inspiration’
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment