Big wee Hag ([info]landunderwave) wrote in [info]celtic_ogham,
@ 2006-08-16 16:57:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Hi everybody, I don't know if it's a must. But I'd like to introduce myself. ^^

I'm Silvia a 23 year old girl from South-West Germany. I'm interested in Celtic Reconstructionism, so this is the reason I came here.

I'm very interested in ogam as a form of divination and I hope to to find friends here to discuss their meanings.
I've ordered a book about ogam (Ogam: The Celtic Oracle of the Trees: Understanding, Casting, and Interpreting the Ancient Druidic Alphabet by Paul Rhys Mountfort) and want to make some rune stones for myself. I hope they' ll get a personal touch then.

I don't know if the book is good for beginners. If you have other suggestions for better books also regarding stuff I could use for the rune stones, please tell me.

Looking forward to get to know you.

(Hope you excuse my bad english, too.)

(Post a new comment)


[info]quabazaa
2006-08-16 03:46 pm UTC (link)
Hey, welcome! :) Your English is great, don't worry!!!

I found the PR Mountfort book very helpful, and I also made my own ogam. I think for me, I found meditating on the trees, having experiences with them in various forms was something that helped me more than any book ever did - to feel the energy that the ancients were talking about.. :)

(Reply to this)(Thread)

[info]landunderwave
2006-08-16 04:07 pm UTC (link)
Thank you very much for the warm welcome ^^

(Reply to this)(Parent)

[info]spottedcheshire
2006-08-16 05:32 pm UTC (link)
hallo!

I have made my own futhark runes out of deadfall antler slices. I used india ink and a thin-tipped paintbrush, after studying some online pages I found and meditating beforehand. I haven't yet made ogam sticks but am intending to. your book probably mentions this, but oak, ash, yew or rowan are good woods for ogam, though they were traditionally made from oak. just be sure to ask the tree spirit before cutting :) unless you can find deadfall branches, which would be best. and you can try meditating on what materials would be the best for you personally.

good luck and blessings upon you :)

(Reply to this)(Thread)

[info]landunderwave
2006-08-16 05:58 pm UTC (link)
Thank you very much for your advice! How shall I ask the tree spirit? Is there anything I should regard specifically?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

[info]spottedcheshire
2006-08-17 03:54 pm UTC (link)
you're very welcome :)

just a quiet respectful request... tell the tree what you want the branch for, and listen for a moment.... the spirit will let you know, but you have to attune to it. sometimes I have difficulty, especially if it's not a wood I have a connection with... which is why I did my runes from antler pieces. :D

(Reply to this)(Parent)

[info]erynn999
2006-08-16 05:42 pm UTC (link)
Mountfort is okay. Remember that the tree ogam is not the only one out there, and that the "tree calendar" is an invention of the 20th century, not an ancient Irish practice. There are many ways to approach the ogam, though there are not really any books about these other approaches that are easily accessible.

You might find my website of some interest -- I've been working with ogam since 1986 and am currently working on a book about ogam due out in 2007. I use methods other than the tree ogam, based on the meanings of the words rather than the trees associated with them, so in reality working with the ogam by this method is more akin to work with the Norse runes, each of which has a thing or concept associated with it.

http://www.seanet.com/~inisglas/ogam.html

(Reply to this)(Thread)

[info]landunderwave
2006-08-16 06:01 pm UTC (link)
Thank you very much. My problem is that I've ordered the book at the end of July it hasn't got here yet. *sigh* They say it will be here at the beginning of September. It is absolutely annoying that english book orders take so long till they get to germany.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

[info]erynn999
2006-08-17 12:31 am UTC (link)
I'm sorry you're having such difficulty getting the books into the country in a timely manner. It must be terribly frustrating.

If you want to make your own, I would suggest hazel, if it grows around you. That's the letter associated with wisdom in the tradition. Oak is good, and usually easy to find, but a harder wood to work with. Carving them on twigs rather than discs or ovals will most likely be easier, as the shapes are designed for that anyway. Using a wood burner, if one is available, might turn out very attractive looking ogam feda.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

[info]purpleglamour
2006-08-16 10:35 pm UTC (link)
We make runes from wood, as it is the original material for runes meant for divination (first mentioned in Tacitus' "Germania" sometimes close to year 100). I haven't had time to update the English site with runes of yew and purple beech yet, but feel free to have a look if you want another site for runic/wooden inspiration:

http://www.erilar.net/EnglishIndex.html

In time we will have Ogham sticks as well. If I can convince my partner in runes. ;)

(Reply to this)

[info]erynn999
2006-08-17 12:34 am UTC (link)
Oh, also, if you're interested in Celtic Reconstructionist religion, you might try the [info]cr_r community. There are a lot of knowledgeable folks there. We also have a FAQ in English now up on the web at http://www.paganachd.com/faq/intro.html

It does have some reading lists and a few questions that address ogam, as well as being a good general source about the tradition.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

[info]landunderwave
2006-08-17 09:31 am UTC (link)
Thank you! Wow this is great. I hope they accept my application.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

[info]erynn999
2006-08-18 03:41 am UTC (link)
I just talked to a couple of the comm's moderators and they'll let you in.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

Create an Account
Forgot your login?
Login w/ OpenID
English • Español • Deutsch • Русский…