Project Ogham

I’ve decided that I really want (need) to begin working with the ogham on a much deeper level. I’m not sure exactly how this is going to work out, in regards to what methods I’ll be using, or if I‘ll be doing them in order, but I know I want to focus on one feda (letter) a month. However, instead of focusing solely on the crann ogham (tree ogham), I’m going to combine it with the éan ogham (bird ogham). Why? I have three reasons actually:

1. I have the sneaking suspicion that more abounds about the lore of trees than birds (both here in my locale and in the Gaelic countries) and I don’t want to miss out on the copious amounts I could learn from there.
2. I have a strong affinity with our feathered friends, and here in our tiny valley (which I‘ve aptly named Gleann Préachán, or ‘Valley of the Crows‘, though sometimes I call it Gleann hÉanlaith, ‘Valley of the Birds‘) it is positively teeming with their presence and song. Being near them makes me happy, and I often sit on the porch and talk to the ones that fly up to me.
3. To me, birds and trees are simpatico (able to exist and perform in harmonious or agreeable combination). Birds, though not all, reside in the sheltering arms of the tree and some depend on them for sustenance—berries, nuts, fruits, sap, bugs under bark, and acorns. In turn, some trees rely on birds—the and wind—for cross pollination and to help in perpetuating their life cycle by knocking fruits to the ground which germinates seeds.

When I see birds, I think of trees and vice versa. It just feels right to focus on them both. Since I am focusing on two things during the span of one month, I know this is a cycle I’ll be repeating numerous times (if not for the duration of my life) in order to learn all I can from them. The first cycle, however, will be documented here—though not fully. There is a great deal, I’m sure, that will remain with me or shared only with friends.

Also, I do realize some modifications might have to be made for trees or birds that are not in my area, but I want to try as hard as I can to keep that to a minimum. Our land is part of the Appalachian foothills, which scientists have said were once a part of the Caledonian mountain range in Scotland before the continents broke apart, so I’m hoping there will be things in common.

I'm still culling the resources I will use for this project, so more on this later.

PSA: oh, the lack of research hurts.

I didn't mean for my next post to be a rant and I will get around to posting about Lá Fhéile Bríde but I'm at the end of my tether with this lazy research I see in neopagan books and on websites.

Today's aggravation came up as I was was doing some research on the phrase brón trogain as referring to August/Lughnasadh. I decided to Google it and the search came up with the following as one of the results:

"I especially like the ancient name of Bron Trogain, sometimes translated as "earth sorrows under her fruits."" (Source)

*blinks* Um ... what?!

eDIL has...
Brón = 'sorrow'
Trogain (trogan) = 'earth', 'August', 'Autumn' or 'raven'/'female raven'

You can also see talk of it on OLD-IRISH-L here. It simply means 'the sorrow of the earth', and it is referred to in The Wooing of Emer as 'the beginning of autumn'.

Please tell me what this has to do with "under her fruits"? Why!? Why must some neopagans insist on twisting meanings and words to fit their goddess lore AND CALL IT ANCIENT?!

*headdesk*

I wish I could save everyone from bad research but I know it's all in vain. Just a warning to any NeoPagans who may come across my blog: never take neopagan books as gospel. Do your own research and ask questions.