Oghams and Their Meanings

Oghams and Their Meanings

The trees listed below were among the trees revered by the ancients and as such were used in divinations by the Druids. They believed that the trees were inhabited by the spirits of their ancestors or had a spirit of their own. The Oak, Thorn, and Ash trees were called the faery triad and it is said that the faeries dwell where the three are seen growing together. Based on their love and respect for the trees, the Druids fashioned their alphabet after them, and it is called the Ogham (owen or oh-yam). They used it for writing, in magickal performances and for divination.

The trees were divided into three classes, by order of importance to the druids. The Chieftains were first. Then the peasants and the shrubs. Two of the symbols are not actually trees but point out the power of the sea and the groves. If you wish to use them for divination, you can make your own. Just paint or engrave them on something made of wood. Then you place them in a bag and draw out three (some draw up to seven). Then toss them on the floor. The closest ones represent the present, next the past and the future. You can also carve these symbols into candles or draw them on things for protection or spellcrafting if you wish.

The celtic people also had a calendar which we call the Celtic Tree calendar fashioned after the trees with each month corresponding to a particular tree. In the following posts, you will find information about each tree by month and it’s meaning when used in divination.