The Cauldron Born
Three days ago while thrift shopping I came across this amazing cauldron!
However, the night I brought it home, I had the most terrifying dreams - nightmares and feelings of terror I hadn't experienced since being much younger. The dreams could have been brought on by any number of things but the recent appearance of the cauldron seemed of suspect. So, in an effort to cleanse it of past energies, I community-sourced to see about how to respectfully making the cauldron ready to be welcomed into my home in a way that invited in good energies.
Community sourcing revealed:
Due to iron/metal being a strong holder of energies, the cauldron should be cleansed.
Cleanse over an open fire (though stove top could do)
putting a leaf, resin, or other cleansing herb in the water
Sing a song
Season with oil
Cleanse with Florida Water
Bury in snow
What I ended up doing:
Filled with water to the very brim, placed a selenite stone to help draw out and cleanse energies. Set an intention: That the cauldron bring magic, healing, creativity, and inspiration.
After releasing the initial water, physically cleaning with a scrubber.
Set over a fire to dry out and then putting oil on and around the cauldron to season it.
Sang songs, but a few verses from Damh the Bard's The Cauldron Born kept surfacing:
Lady, stir your Cauldron well,
Chant your words and sing your spell.
Deep within the darkened hall,
Hear the Goddess Ceridwen call.
Photo of the final steps for the evening.
(Note the two little lights on either side in the background, as if to trace a pentagram.)
I intend to cleanse the cauldron twice more; hopefully once at a friends, and then a third at Dreamland.
Additional things I learned about is black salt, or the residual iron pot remnants/scrapings that is collected and then subsequently used in other rituals since it contains the energy and intention that the cauldron was used for. Black salt is normally used to drive away negative energies and evil spirits and can be used to remove jinxes, curses, hexes, or provide protection.
