Ogham Prompts - The Gazetteer
Directory of my 20 modules of 'Ogham Prompts' course
Currently, all of these 20 modules are on Substack and mixed in with my other articles. I am tempted to move them into their own home somewhere, and there will be a book version as soon as I can get to that. Through 2024 I will expand the content of each module for you
Meanwhile, here is a ‘gazetteer’, a directory of links for an attempted easier reference.
Before that a reminder of what I am doing with ‘Ogham Prompts’.
Us humans have languages with words that join symbols together, and those words can be used to form sentences, paragraphs, essays, articles, and chapters for books.
Before there were words joining symbols there were just the symbols. Those symbols were ‘prompts’. Using our senses and imagination we used those prompting symbols to create visions in our minds to help with understanding and decision making. Our textbook language makes that easier, but with linear written langugauge we get lazy at using and communicating our senses.
As ‘ogham’ is a symbols based language that scholars have tried to knit together to be like our linear language since medieval times, I have attempted to go back to just the symbols.
I have also been fascinated by the work of early language researcher, Damian McManus, and similar language researchers who believe the old Medieval scribes did a lot of clumsy interpretation.Â
If we go through Ogham symbols like people teach today, matching to trees, its not a set of 20 trees. Four of them are not trees, vine, ivy, reed, and heather. But when the language researchers looked into this, they discovered their core words to describe trees. So through Ogham Prompts I describe these language progressions.
So ‘Ogham Prompts’ is 20 tree prompts. There is some fiction in this as I look at Ogham symbols as being very related to four seasons of our lives. Celtic Romance author Robert Graves introduced a sort of astrology style calendar using Ogham symbols. So it’s 5 symbols for each season, 5 notes, and five notes is also a Pentatonic scale. One day I will write an article on that relationship.Â
But that is really all of the fiction, other than the folklore stories I include with each tree. Once past the folklore I share how each tree is important to our lives for growing or managing the trees near us, crafting our tools and furnishings needs, fuels for our fires, and food and medicines that each tree may provide.
I release these 20 modules about one every 18 days and that fills the 365 days solar cycle, that is 366 days this year. So each module, split into 2, 3 or 4 parts, is fitting for the time of year I post or update them.Â
I also include divination rituals and practices for each tree that is also relevant to the time of the season we are in.
As well as introducing the main prompt at the start of each module I also suggest additional prompts at the end of each module.Â
‘Ogham Prompts’ I only make available to paid subscribers on the Substack platform, which is €5 per month or a heavy discount of €30 a year. When I release a book version of ‘Ogham Prompts’ it will be close to that price, but through Substack you also get access to all of my other paid supporters content, and the video, podcast and other update extras, and get my book at a big discount when I release it.Â
So here is my 20 modules Gazetteer. If you are not a support subscriber yet, when you click the links theywill explain how to become one.
The first 3 prompts I did not write up complete module features for, so I will get that sorted out now and update the links here when I do
2) Beith (bayh) The Birch, main prompt ‘birthing’
The symbol of Birch is a lovely way to pass through St. Brighid’s Day, and what we call Imbolc, our new awakening time of each solar year cycle.
Our first note of our Budding and Blossoming Spring.
2) Luis (loosh) The Rowan, main prompt ‘loving’
Luis is from an ancient word, or prompt symbol, describing flame and relating to Rowan’s red berries. The Rowan Tree is also a very fitting symbol and prompt for around Imbolc and early Spring. Though there are rarely berries on Rowan at Imbolc, there is an association to Brighid and flames.
The ‘loving’ prompt is about our first ‘sensual’ connections to what is around us in SpringÂ
Our second note of our Budding and Blossoming Spring.
folklore  story poem  mythology  cultivation & uses  food & remedies  divination & prompts Â
3) Fearn (fyarn) The Alder, main prompt ‘sensing’
Our abilities for sensing seem to increase and become more in tune with what is around us as Spring opens. That is very useful as traditionally this was a lean food time, so there used to be quite a dependence of foraging for young shoots in plants and trees. This time also seems to attract visual prophecy within us.Â
Our third note of our Budding and Blossoming Spring.
folklore  story poem  mythology  cultivation & uses  food & remedies  divination & prompts
4) Sal, or Saille, (solyeh, or sally) the Willow, main prompt ‘balancing’
Our experiencing of the ebbs and flows of sorrow and joy though our days and life and learning to balance this to create a wholesome well rounded life
Our fourth note of our Budding and Blossoming Spring.
5) Nuin, (nin) is it the Cherry Tree? … main prompt ‘beauty’
After challenges and anxiety, establishing peace, calm, and sustainability from both.
Our fifth note of our Budding and Blossoming Spring.
6) Huathe (hoo-uh, or ooah) The Hawthorn, main prompt ‘mating’
Our season for encouraging flirting, courting, and even mischief.
Our first note of our Fruiting Summer.
7) Duir (dehr) The Oak, main prompt ‘accountability’
Being present to all things at all times, and also applying mediation, fairness, and resilience.
Our second note of our Fruiting Summer.
8) Tinne (ting-yuh) The Holly, main prompt ‘courage’
And also being honest and considerate with our affirmations, prayers, and wishes.
Our third note of our Fruiting Summer.
9) Coll (coll) The Hazel, main prompt ‘nourishing’
Also the giving and receiving nourishment beyond food. Also famous in folklore are the nuts of Hazel trees being sacred nutrition for the Salmon of Knowledge, or enlightened wisdom.
Our fourth note of our Fruiting Summer.
Part 1 Â Part 2 Â Part 3 Â Part 4
10) Quirt (kyert) The Apple, main prompt ‘connecting’
To me, Apple carries a divination prompt for accepting our inspirations and dreams as being our memory, added wisdom and trusted guide. Also, Apple being the awakener of dreams stored in our souls that inspire us with revelations that manifest throughout our awakening days.
Our fifth note of our Fruiting Summer.
11) Muin (mwin) is it the Buckthorn Tree? … main prompt ‘flowing’
I regard Common Buckthorn as a wonderful prompt for breaking inhibition, accepting lessons learned, interpreting dreams, and journaling. All of these qualities are wonderful for this time of open trading at this start of early harvest distribution.
Our first note of our Harvesting Autumn.
12) Gort (gohrd) is it the Furze? … main prompt ‘revelations’
Also a wonderful prompt for becoming aware of our unseen yet present spirit guidance, maybe the sidhe, an maybe guidance from memories of ancestors. All that may happen when we feel our ‘soul’ is cleaned and our visions are clearer.
Our second note of our Harvesting Autumn.
13) nGetal (nyaytuhl) is it the Broom? … main prompt ‘honesty
How much honesty do we allow when we interpret our dreams?. I feel the Broom prompts encourage us to allow visions from our prayers and wishes to unfold without question then live with and work with them. Certainly never questioning whether we are worthy to actually ‘receive’ these visions.
Our third note of our Harvesting Autumn.
14) Straif (stayf) The Blackthorn, main prompt ‘surrender’
To me, Blackthorn carries a divination prompt for becoming aware of how our individualities fit in a balanced way with everything else around this. How to do this without losing our sovereignty, without being selfish, and without becoming subservient to all that is around us.Â
Our fourth note of our Harvesting Autumn.
15) Ruis (roosh) The Elder, main prompt ‘conscience’
A divination prompt for listening to our ‘inner voice’, maybe our invisible friend, that guides us through choices. This is not to mix up ‘conscience’ with realms such as guilt and blame.
Our fifth note of our Harvesting Autumn.
16) Ailim (ailm) The Pine, main prompt ‘service’
This not of surrendered service but of our ‘service’ due to us feeling comfortable and at home with our surroundings. This is also a prompt of our experiences of evolving from personal darkness into a shared light with everyone and everything around us.
Our first note of our Regenerating Winter.
17) Ohn (onn or oor) is it the Ash? … main prompt ‘accepting’
To me, Ash carries a very emotion shifting divination prompt for us to learn and apply tolerance and forgiveness that brings us calm, clarity, more vision, truth, love, wisdom, and a more confident understanding of divinity.Â
Our second note of our Regenerating Winter.
18) Ur (nyay or ooer) is it the Elm? … main prompt ‘clarity’
The ‘clarity’ prompt may seem strange considering the description of Elm being of the damp and dark. But our clarity often seems to be what rises from the unknown from the dark and maybe damp ‘underworld’ that arrives with us ‘filtered’ by the challenges it passes through.
Our third note of our Regenerating Winter.
19) Eadha (ay-da) The Poplar or Ehduth (ee-dad The Aspen , main prompt ‘transparency’
Going beyond clarity, rising from the unknown from the ‘underworld’. Poplar and Aspen seem to prompt a full understanding that really nothing is hidden from us. I tend to translate this as us maturing more and becoming at one with all things and owner of none
Our fourth note of our Regenerating Winter.
20) Iho (eedoo or eehoo) The Yew, main prompt ‘wisdom’Â
I interpret ‘wisdom’ as becoming attuned to cycles and resurrection, Becoming wise to an awareness that there are no ends, or beginnings, just the ebbs and flows of cycles.Â
Our fifth note of our Regenerating Winter.
Part 1 Â Part 2 Â Part 3 Â Part 4
Thank you for following Ogham Prompts. Message me about these at any time, and comment freely below each prompt too.
I look forward to developing these prompts a lot further for you.