Celtic Divination The Book of OGHAM

The Origin of the Ogham

When is the Ogham one? Not hard: the whole of it. When is it two things? Not hard: vowels and consonants. When is it three things? Not hard: vowels, diphthongs and consonants. When is it four? Not hard: the three groups of consonants and the ten principle vowels. When is it five? Not hard: vowels, diphthongs and three groups of consonants. When is it six? Not hard: the three composite letters of the Ogham nG, Sr, Qu. When is it seven? Not hard: the three additions to the Primer, Ho, Forsaid and Arnin.

- The Book of Ballymote, 1391

According to our contemporary myth the Celtic alphabet known as Ogham was invented, by Ogma Sun-Face, son of Breas. In comprises three sets of five consonants and one set of five vowels, a total  of twenty letters.  Ogma, or Ogmius as he was known in Gaul, was described in the second century by the Greek writer Lucian as the Gallic god of Eloquence, and Goidelic Ogma also has the epithets "honey mouthed" and  "eloquent". The golden speech of Ogmius was recorded in Gallic artwork as a fine gold chain linking the tip of  his tongue to ears of a group of followers. In the Book of Ballymote, the invention of Ogham was achieved when  "Ogma Sun-Face raised four pillars of equal length", and it was upon these pillars that the characters of the letters were etched.

From the best of my research Ogham probably is not part of ancient tradition and beyond any doubt the concept the original Celts using trees to represent their months is absolute nonsense.  Now that I've done my scholarly duty I can say that I don't care.  Ogham offers a very rich magical tool and since most of modern paganism is an attempt to "rediscover tradition" in a way we can use it in our modern lives -- I'm voting for keeping the Ogham. 
 

Ogham Keywords

	B	Beith	Birch	ban (white)	Besan (Pheasant)	Beginnings, Vitality, Growth	Betula pendula
	L	Luis	Rowan	luisne - (flame)	lachu (duck)	Protection, Nurturing, Insight	Sorbus aucuparia
	N	Nion	Ash	necht (clear)	Naescu      (Snipe)	Overview, Awareness, Actions	Alnus glutinosa
	F	Fearn	Alder	flann (red)	faelinn (gull)	Foundation,  Inner Strength, Principles	Salix alba
	S	Saille	Willow	sodath (fine-colored)	Segh (hawk)	Intuition, Emotion,  Hidden Influences	Fraxinus excelsior
	H	Huathe	Hawthorn	huath (terrible)	hadaig (night-raven)	Compensation, Sexuality, Misfortune	Crataegus spp.
	D	Duir	Oak	dubh (black)	droen (wren)	Strength, Endurance, Truth	Quercus robur
	T	Tinne	Holly	temen (dark-gray)	truiteoc (starling)	Balance, Justice, Challenge	Ilex aquifolium
	C	Coll	Hazel	cron (brown)	Corr        (Crane)	Understanding, Essence, Creativity	Corylus avellana
	Q	Quert	Apple	quair (mouse colored)	querc (hen)	Recovery, Choice, Immortality	Malus sylvestris
	M	Muin	Vine, Bramble	mbracht (variegated)	mintan (titmouse)	Inwardness, Patience, Harvest	Rubus fruticosa
	G	Gort	Ivy	gorm (blue)	geis (swan)	Development, Tenacity	Hedera helix
	NG	NGetal	Reed	nGlas (green)	nGeigh (goose)	Harmony, Surprises, Adaptability	Phragmites australis
	STR	STraif	Blackthorn	sorcha (bright)	Stmolach (thrush)	Control. Coercion, Force	Prunus spinosa
	R	Ruis	Elder	ruadh (red)	rocnat (small rook)	Change, Break Down, Transition	Sambucus nigra
	A	Ailim	Fir	alad (piebald)	Aidhircleog (lapwing)	Objectivity, Perspective, Secrets	Abies alba
	O	Onn	Furze	odhar (dun)	odoroscratch (scrat)	Synthesis, Wisdom, Gathering	Ulex europaeus
	U	Ur	Heather	usgdha (resinous)	uiseoc (lark)	Passion, Success, Dreams	Calluna vulgaris
	E	Eadha	Poplar	erc (red)	ela (swan)	Overcoming, Will Power, Sensitivity	Populus tremula
	I	Iodho	Yew	irfind (very white)	illait (eaglet)	Death, Mortality, Transformation	Taxus baccata
	EA	Ebadh/Koad	Grove/aspen	nGlas (green)		Center, Middle, Focus
	OI	Oir-	Spindle			Fire, South. Harmony, Space	Euonymus europaea
	UI	Uilleand	Honeysuckle			Earth, North, Conflict, Resistance
	IO	Phagos	Beech			Water, West, Learning, Spiral	Fagus sylvatica
	AE	Peine	Pine			Air, East, Manifestation	Pinus sylvestris

Days of the Week Letter: Tree: Day: B Birch Sunday S Willow Monday T Holly Tuesday N Ash Wednesday D Oak Thursday Q Apple Friday F Alder Saturday

	
  Aicme Correspondences

First Aicme= Beltain, Sword of Nuada, that defines the Dawn of Spring.

Second Aicme= Lughnassadh, Spear of Lugh, Fires of Summer.

Third Aimen= Samhian, Cauldron of the Dagda, Mannan's Ferry Boat to the Realm of the Dead, the Autumn.

Fourth Aicme= Imbolic, La Faal (Stone of Destiny), Cold Winter Earth.