MAGICAL CAULDRONS AND TEAKETTLES

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 When people picture a witch, they often imagine an old woman stirring potions at a cauldron. Shakespeare’s Three Witches of “MacBeth” comes to mind. MacBeth goes to see these witches in a clearing in order to secure his kingdom. He hears them chanting their spell, “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble.” (Note 1.) The witches are using the cauldron as a magical tool to brew their potions and cast spells.

 

As a tool of magic, the cauldron has many mythological qualities. As one of the Four Treasures of the Tuatha de Danann, the Cauldron of the Dagda (the Good God) (Note 2.) provided eternal abundance through food. The Lord of Abundance, the Dagda allowed no one to leave his hall hungry. One of the Thirteen Treasures of Britain, the Cauldron of Dyrnwch the Giant would not boil meat for cowards. This Cauldron (Pair Dyrnwch Gawr) separated the heroic person from the others. The Cauldron of the Head of Annwfyn also would not cook food for a coward. Moreover, this cauldron was the holder of mysteries. In the Mabinogion, the Cauldron of Rebirth (Pair Dadeni) would return the Dead to life, although they could not speak. Other cultures such as the Greeks have their myths about cauldrons as well.

 

In magical practice, the cauldron has many uses. Representing the Divine Feminine, the cauldron is the Womb of the Goddess, which makes it a tool for transformation. As Ceridwen, a Welsh Goddess, makes magical potions in her cauldron, so can the modern wizard. A cauldron full of water can be used for scrying. On an altar, it can represent the Four Elements, according to Doreen Valiente, the mother of modern Wicca. (Note 3.) The cauldron is a tool of creation, abundance, and transformation.

 

In “The Witch’s Cauldron,” Laura Tempest Zakroff lists items that could be considered a cauldron. Since the utensil itself has undergone many changes through time, modern things can substitute for the traditional cauldron. She writes, “the cauldron is first and foremost a container. It is shaped to hold things and is designed to conduct and retain heat.” Zakroff compiles nine uses for a cauldron – container, maker (cooking), transformer, purifier, gateway (connection between realms), marker (guide), drum, divination, and rebirth (renewing life). Things such as the bathtub, washing machine, and tea kettle fulfill many of the uses that Zakroff lists. A stockpot, Dutch oven or crockpot could also be considered a suitable substitute.

 

Pondering Zakroff’s list of uses, I decided that a tea kettle is a worthy substitute. After all “cauldron” also means “kettle.” To me, the brewing and consumption of tea is sacred and transformative. In Japanese Tea Ceremony, the selection of the kettle is as important as the selection of the tea cups. Since the kettle brews the magic potion known as tea, I chose mine with great care. It does hold all the elements as Valiente detailed in “Witchcraft for Tomorrow.”

 

To consecrate my tea kettle, I first clean it with hot water, and let it air dry. Then I ask the Roman Gods to bless it – Vesta of the Hearth for the kettle. Fons for the water, and Libera and Liber for the tea. Then I make an offering of tea to the Gods by spilling the liquid on the earth. Then the kettle is ready for magical use.

 

Notes:

Note 1. The full chant is:

“Round about the cauldron go;

In the poisoned entrails throw.

Toad, that under cold stone

Days and nights has thirty-one

Sweltered venom sleeping got,

Boil thou first i’ th’ charmed pot.

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

Fillet of a fenny snake,

In the cauldron boil and bake;

Eye of newt and toe of frog,

Wool of bat and tongue of dog,

Adder’s fork and blind-worm’s sting,

Lizard’s leg and owlet’s wing,

For a charm of powerful trouble,

Like a hell-broth boil, and bubble.”

(“MacBeth,” Act IV, Scene 1.)

 

Note 2. The Cauldron of Plenty is also known as the Undry.

 

Note 3. Valiente in “Witchcraft for Tomorrow,” writes “need water to fill it, fire to heat it, the green herbs or other productions of the earth to cook in it, while the steam arises from it and spreads it aroma into the air.”

 

Works Used.

Ellis, Peter Berresford, “The Mammoth Book of Celtic Myths and Legends.” Constable & Robinson Ltd: London. 2002.

Greer, John Michael, “The New Encyclopedia of the Occult.” Woodbury (MN): Llewellyn. 2003.

Michelle, Heron, “Elemental Witchcraft.” Woodbury (MN): Llewellyn. 2021.

Sjoestedt, Marie-Louise, “Celtic Gods and Heroes.” Dover: New York, 2000.

Zakroff, Laura Tempest, “The Witch’s Cauldron.” Woodbury (MN): Llewellyn. 2021.

Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon, “Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard.” Franklin Lakes (NJ): New Page Books. 2004.