The Ogham Tract is one of the most
interesting and useful texts to study for those interested in Irish mythology
and divination. Within the text the mythological origins of Ogham are outlined
and several different types of Ogham are discussed, although only the Tree
Ogham and Word Oghams are gone into with any depth. The sections detailing
these two types of Ogham are invaluable, however, for those who seek to use the
Ogham for divination since they attach significant meaning to each letter, and
these meanings can be used as the basis for a system of symbolism.
The first section looks at the
mythological history of the Ogham, using the typical question and answer style
so often seen in Irish texts. The first question asks about the place, time,
inventor and cause of the creation of the Ogham and the answer, while
apocryphal, are illuminating. We learn that the Ogham was created in Ireland
during the time that Bres ruled the Tuatha de Danann, before mortals came to
Ireland, and that it was invented by the god Ogma to prove his inventiveness
and to give the educated something the uneducated didn’t have. This tells us
not only that the Ogham is believed to have divine origins, but also that it is
believed to have been created as something to be reserved for a select few. The
second questions asked relate to why it is called Ogham, who are the “father”
and “mother” of the Ogham, what was first written in it and why “b” is the
primary letter. The name is explained as a play on words from og-uaim meaning
perfect alliteration and is an allusion to the poets’ art and possibly the very
mnemonics that are used to remember the meanings of each letter in each type of
Ogham. The father of Ogham is, of course, Ogma, and the mother is said to be
his hand or blade; this is a beautiful description of the balanced act of
creation involving both passive design and active carving. The final answer contains another fascinating
bit of mythology, that is that the first thing written was “b” and that it was
written as a warning to the god Lugh that his wife was about to be kidnapped to
Faery. Interestingly it is said that “b”, which in tree Ogham is associated
with birch, was written seven times on a switch of birch; this not only reinforces
the connection between the letter and the tree but also offers a possible magic
charm to be used.
After this section the divisions of Ogham
are discussed, with the idea of dividing the Ogham into four groups of five. It
also mentioned that they can be separated into three groups of eight based on
the Tree Ogham, divided by chieftain
trees, peasant trees, and shrub trees. A second origin of Ogham is
mentioned, the school of Fenius, which adds three dipthongs to the twenty
consonants and vowels. Then a brief outline of the Tree Ogham is given,
followed by the more in-depth description of the Tree and Word Oghams, and then
very brief descriptions of many other types of Ogham.
By studying the trees associated with each
letter and then the descriptions given for each correspondence to the Word
Ogham a clear pattern of symbols can be developed for use in divination. Using
the Ogham for divination can be effective and useful if the symbolism of each
letter is fully understood. Many people err in only looking to the Tree Ogham
for meaning when divining with the letters, when in fact the other types of
Ogham reinforce and add detail and depth of meaning providing clearer readings.
Ogham can easily be used as the primary means of divination for both personal
daily use and at ritual, but it is important to understand the meanings of each
letter as fully as possible. Interestingly the “Boy Ogham” is actually a method
of divination in and of itself that uses the mother’s name written in Ogham to
predict the gender of her unborn child by dividing the name at a certain point,
which is unfortunately not specified in the text.
The Ogham Tract may at first seem of
interest only to those seeking to learn about divination since that is what
Ogham is most known for these days, yet the tract contains valuable mythology
as well. Studying this text is useful to anyone because it expands our
knowledge of Irish mythology with small details and also highlights the
exclusive place of Ogham literacy when the Tract was written. And of course it
is invaluable for those seeking to use the Ogham for divination as well. No
matter what your focus is, if you are interested in studying the Ogham, this text is useful and should
be studied.
further reading on the Ogham:
Ogam: Weaving Words of Wisdom by Erynn Rowan Laurie
Ogam: the Celtic Oracle of the Trees by Paul Rhys Montfort
Ogham, the Secret Language of the Druids by Robert Ellison
Celtic Tree Mysteries: Secrets of the Ogham by Steven Blamires
The Book of Ogham by Edred Thorson
