Ogams

I've been thinking about that possibility, leithinclaun, that they're just for mnemonic devices for memorizing the letters. Which makes me wonder if something like that was done for the English alphabet, would it make sense to turn it around into a divination method? Food for thought.

This is why I'm in favour of using Ogam the way that it works for *you*. There's nothing wrong, ultimately, with Celtic Tree Ogam stuff, as long as we're clear about where it comes from. We just don't know if/how Ogam was used, so using it is always going to be an individual thing. We can be strongly informed by the kennings and other, older sources, but we still have to make decisions about how we use it. Informed decisions, but they'll still be personal in the end. (IMO.)

I've actually been doing some work with the post-Romantic tree Ogam stuff over the past couple of years. I've been meditating with each of the trees, and doing some spirit-work and journey-work relating to the connections between the trees and the kennings. I'm trying to develop my own system of using the Ogam, in the process. Sometimes I find I like the tree associations, and sometimes I don't. I've been doing paintings about my personal responses to each fid and trying to create mixed systems that make sense to me. It's an ongoing project!

This is the painting I did for Ailm, for example - which turned out not to have very much to do with either the kennings or my personal associations, but is still Ailm for me. 

Yes yes yes this precisely! It's not that I dislike the tree ogham in and of itself, per se (though I do rather dislike how it's often presented as The Truth And The Way, the only option, and the historically informed method, because none of that is true). It's just that it doesn't work for me and that a lot of other Gaelic polytheists with a more historical bent are also dissatisfied with it for similar reasons. It's so nice to have a group of other ogham enthusiasts who are interested in the more historical reconstructions—but we still don't know how it was used, and we have to make those choices for ourselves.


That sounds like a fantastic idea! I bet they'll be beautiful, you should show us pictures when you're done. c:

I think the best way to begin is by just starting with your crafting! Do whatever feels right for you. I think making them using your method will give you a good chance to think on each letter and start working out what it means to you. There's no right or wrong way to do it, so just go for it! In my experience Ogma is very understanding of a certain amount of fumbling around while you try to figure out how to orient yourself. It's an ongoing process and we're trying to reconstruct something that's been lost to history. It takes time.

I'm thinking of finding a month to go through the Alphabet and think real hard on each letter, coming up with any associations that I can based off the kennings. It'll also help me recognize them more easily and draw connections.

So... Back when I was less aware of what I was doing, I got a set of staves where each letter was carved into the wood it was supposed to symbolize. Now knowing that's ahistorical, I've been wondering if I should still use them or not? 

Ah, thanks for the clarification! I think I'll keep using the staves then, they are pretty cool.

I know that the wikipedia has the kennings list, along with a list of the sound values of each letter. Complete with a lovely phoneme list corresponding to each letter. And god knows I love those phonemes.

As for the texts like the Book of Ballymote maryjones has it. Behold: maryjones.us/

That site has lots of nice freely available stuff.