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| about coiri trei
The phrase, Coiri Trei is Gaelic for Three Cauldrons . This name was inspired by the Cauldron of Poesy; originally composed by a sacred poet (fili) of Ireland in the 7th century and preserved in a manuscript circa 16th century. The composer explains the roots of poetry arising from three internal cauldrons; the first reference to the Irish wisdom tradition. The three cauldrons are The Cauldron of Warming, The Cauldron of Motion, and The Cauldron of Wisdom. This poetic philosophy is united with our understanding of Celtic Reconstructionist traditions in the Pàganachd agus Págánacht or Irish and Scottish models; the collective history and theories became the basis of theology for Coiri Trei . Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism attempts to revive pre-Christian beliefs and practices employing both academic research and a healthy dose of educated guessing. We pass up eclecticism, favoring a system of study that revives what “once was” into something functional and realistic for our spiritual growth. Praises, satires, and carefully crafted stories of both legendary and historical matters were composed by skilled craftsman of the spoken word. The filidh were not only retainers of poetry, they were a conduit between the mystical and the mundane. Their inspiration came from nature, and nature was the home to the Déithe; the gods, goddesses, and spirits, honored by the early Gaelic people. The filidh not only had the responsibilities of composing poetry, they were also responsible for making use of these poetic energies and turning them into magical instruments. Filidecht is the child of these early traditions; the sacred poet-craft of the early Irish and Scottish traditions as practiced by Coiri Trei . Druidism, in the CR model, is a grade reserved for those interested in community service, employing talents or professions that reflect the early Pàganachd agus Págánacht traditions. The customary “three grades” of Bard, Ovate, and Druid are replaced with community acknowledgement, achieved after many years of study in philosophy, language, history, mythology, and even personal and group counseling. Community acknowledgement is very traditional because community opinion usually determined the reputations of individuals based on personal merit and honor. This is an important source of inspiration for Coiri Trei on the matter of virtue. It is unfortunate that people will find ways of exploiting faith or spiritual movement to promote the cause of hate and control. Consequently, the elder members of CR traditions and Coiri Trei specifically are not racially motivated. Any and all people of any background may participate in these studies as long as they come with a sincere calling and commitment to our way of life. They can do so on their own or within a group. In addition, people should remain open-minded and ready for the opinions of other, well-practiced members of the CR community who are human. You should not be afraid to ask questions. In addition, Coiri Trei is not the finish line on the path…we are students like everyone else. We encourage debate and are happy to know when we're wrong so we can learn to make it right. Please email me for information on our studies and Yahoo group – we'll send you an invitation as soon as we can.
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