Welcome back to my continuing series on Celtic Ogham divination. Enjoy!Ogham Letter: Straif (the "st" or "str" dipthong)
Plant: Blackthorn
Month: Samhain
Color: Red
Element:
Bird: Thrush
Animal: Wolf, Black cat or Toad
Planet: Depending on the source: Saturn, Mars or Venus
Deities: Morrigan, Eris, Scathach
Crystal: Obsidian
Old Irish: sraib
Brace yourself! Take stock, batten down the hatches, and count your blessings, because wWhen Straif appears in your reading, it's an indication that rocky times lie ahead. The situation is clouded with confusion and strife; seek clarity by pulling the veil from your eyes that prevents you from seeing the truth. It's a strong, complicated energy (kind of like the Morrigan - don't mess with her!) that reminds us that our own negative attitudes can make a situation worse if we don't recognize and learn to move past them.
But don't dispair! The fruit of the blackthorn may be bitter, indeed, but after a hard frost it turns sweet. Blessings come after the challenge is overcome!
Blackthorn is a relative of cherry and plum, and the source of sloe (anyone a fan of sloe gin?). It's a twisting hardwood popular for walking sticks. Because it grows wild, some think of it as representing independence. It's also thought to be the plant from which Jesus' crown of thorns was made. Also known as the "witch tree", its thorns were used in spellworkings. It is associated with the dark aspect of the Goddess, the shadow self, the part that we'd rather not deal with but we'd better if we're to grow and overcome. :)
Click the "ogham" tag to see the rest of this series!
Slan,
Carolan
www.carolanivey.com
Coming soon: Legends, book 2: A Ghost of a Chance
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