There is a fifteenth century poetic tract (found within an ancient Irish legal manuscript) that describes the body as containing Three Cauldrons rather than Nine Duíle. These Three Cauldrons are known as the Coire Goiriath (Cauldron of Warmth), the Coire Ernma (Cauldron of Vocation), and the Coire Sois (Cauldron of Knowledge). The authorship of this metaphysical treatise is attributed to Amergin, the Milesian Ollamh and to Nede Mac Adne, Chief Ollamh for Conchobhar Mac Nessa. The relative positions of these cauldrons within each person was thought to determine the overall health of a person as well as the state of their mind and psyche.

According to this tract, the Cauldron of Warming is the wellspring of Life for each of us. It is placed upright at birth and remains that way throughout our lives. This cauldron represents the fires of emotion, vitality and power that sustain all of our activity within the Three Worlds. The Cauldron of Warming is warmed by the Breath of our Spirits. It is empowered by the vitality of our Blood. The Mind is the well from which Spiritual focus flows to regulate and control the nature of our inner fires. These three fundamental characteristics of the Cauldron of Warming are also duíle of the body: The Breath, the Blood, and the Mind. Within the threefold Cauldrons we see a threefold division of the Self. It can be shown that each Cauldron contains three Duíle.

Érma - movement, vocation, aptitude
goriath - warming, incubation
áiged, soís - spiritual knowledge

The Cauldron of Vocation seems to be inverted in unskilled people, though it too can be turned by joy or sorrow. A person need only become aware of their "gifts" to turn this cauldron on its side. Within such people, there is a giving and receiving of vocation. These people are very active within the physical world. One might say that the evidence of their gifts is very fluid. The Cauldron of Vocation represents the connection between the Self and the MiddleWorld of Land. Before we can fill the Cauldron of Wisdom, we must train ourselves in a Vocation. We must experience the many flows of the world around us. I equate the following elements of the self to the Cauldron of Vocation: The Hair/Skin, the Flesh, and the Bones. Our physical bodies must be made healthy to support the higher aspects of the Self and to allow us to be able to exist as both creatures of Thought and Spirit.

The Cauldron of Knowledge was said to be upside down in a person at birth . This is understandable, since we normally forget our previous lives from the shock of passing through the Otherworld. A person could spend an entire lifetime refilling and changing the position of this particular cauldron. It was thought that the cauldron would become upright after a strong major emotional event, such as, extreme sorrow or extreme joy. In such an "upright" person/position, the Cauldron of Knowledge was capable of holding much more knowledge and wisdom. I personally equate the Cauldron of Knowledge to the dúile of the Head, the Brain and the Face. The Head is the container of knowledge; the Brain is where Wisdom is held; the Face is were we gather, perceive and present information about the world around us. The Cauldron of Knowledge represents the connection between the Skyworld of the Gods and the Mental/Spiritual/Physical aspects of the Self.

The Three Cauldrons of Warming, Vocation and Knowledge represent the Druid's approach to the concept of "Chakras", in my opinion. They seem to have an almost direct correspondence to the three Gunas of Vedic tradition as well: Tamas - Ernma, Rajas - Goriath, Sattva - Sois. These three sets of qualities represent: Experience, Existence and Consciousness in the Vedic culture and are considered to be the three parts of Wisdom in Celtic culture. The state of one’s being and the emphasis that we each place upon the individual Cauldrons, determines just who we are, and just how deeply we are involved within the activities of each of the Three Worlds.

I'd suggest using the following ideas as a guideline for establishing your own connection to the Three Cauldron and the Nine Dúile. The effects of these correspondences of the self to the Cosmos, are enhanced through chanting and the use of their related godnames during both ritual and meditation:

Coire Sois -
Knowledge of Knowledge - Sky
Knowledge of Incubation - Sun
Knowledge of Vocation - Stars
Coire Goriath -
Incubation of Knowledge - Moon
Incubation of Incubation - Wind
Incubation of Vocation - Sea
Coire Ernma -
Vocation of Knowledge - Nature
Vocation of Incubation - Earth
Vocation of Vocation - Stone

Each cauldron contains three dúile that uniquely defined within it, while some of the dúile also serve as connections to other cauldrons (and the worlds themselves). Each element has its associated deity. These are the god/desses of your people by whom you swear and hold faith and maintain power. I have a list of deities with whom I have established contact (some more than others), though my list might be very different from your own. I suggest meditating and journeying using each element and each cauldron to discover the rulers for your own cauldrons.

Each of us comes into being through the waters of the Coire Goriath which sustains the flows of life: Breath, Blood and Mind. To achieve success in our endeavors (or vocations) we must seek for ourselves in the three foundations of: Instinct, Experience and Sensation. To be uplifted in the spirit we must obtain the awareness of: mystery, perception and inspiration. Use these concepts to guide you in your search for self and your quest for the keys to power.

In ourselves and our meditations (and to achieve synchronization of the du/ile - elements with the cauldrons), I use the following equivalencies as a starting point for quieting, focusing and empowering myself:

Coire Sois -
Sky - Head - The Dagda
Sun - Face - Ogma
Stars - Brain - Manannan
Coire Goriath -
Moon - Mind - Bóann
Wind - Breath - Brighid
Sea - Blood- The Morrigan
Coire Ernma -
Nature - Skin - Cernunnos
Earth - Flesh - Anu
Stone - Bones - The Cailleach

Ruling above these all is the synchronized experience of "All That Is," which I call Danu. Below these, is the "Power of Chaos," which I call Domnu. The flow and connection between them throughout self and life is the fire of the Sacred Tree, whose name is Bi/le.

You might have different names for these aspects of yourself and your existence, but these are the gods of my people. They are experienced and assisted by many other deities in the life of the tribe.

To meditate on them, one must quiet the cauldrons, starting first with the Cauldron of our Vocation (the body, our foundation in existence): the bones, the flesh and the skin. This is a matter of relaxing in a comfortable place and position without outside threats or distractions. The next cauldron to be addressed are the actions and flows of life found within the Cauldron of Warming: the blood, the breath and the mind. To do this I slow my breathing to the breathing of sleep and the newborn (that is to say, I let it become natural and automatic); next I use my heart beat as a drum for journeying (slowing it to the point of silence, which is the edge of journeying); the mind is last and with it I must use the blackness of the void as a repository of thoughts and actions that would distract me. When the Cauldrons of Vocation and Warming are well positioned and aligned, then we can turn the Cauldron of Knowledge for fulfillment and elevation. One way I do this is by letting myself vibrate with expectation and outreach. This is accompanied by similar vibrations from my body (a kind of "goosebumps" electricity) and my center of flow (the heart opens as if it is being filled by emotion). It is at that time of total darkness within the ordered nothingness of the void, that an aligned being can connect as a manifestation of Bi/le between the Void and Cosmic Order (Not-Being and Being). This is when the fire of inspiration comes to the darkness and offers oneself into the Otherworld of Knowing. You will see a golden pathway before you, not unlike that of death and it will take you to your place in the spirit web of all creation. From there you may drink of the waters of Segais and eat of the Hazelnuts of Wisdom. Beyond this, I may not say for there, there is only Truth, while here, each word only contains the seeds of Truth, thinking falling far short of knowing.

Using the deity names of your gods, the elements of the self and of existence, should suffice to allow you to create your own amru/n for meditation , journeying and empowerment. Soon, I will attempt to reconstruct and more fully describe such a meditation, when we discuss Amrún in the following chapters.