Reading a Map
Searles O'Dubhain
The Ogham are formed by strokes on slips of wood. Some are to the
right. Others are to the left. Still others go across the center of a
slip of wood while the most powerful are complex forms of the other
symbols.
The aicme of the Ogham are divided and organized according to the five
parts of Ireland (and the world), as well as in three levels according
to the Briatharogam. Each level has its own master or author as well
as a corresponding cauldron, symbol and world that is more
characteristic of its many meanings. An attempt will now be made in
the following text to explain what is meant by these statements.
Each part of Ireland was recalled by Fintain to have been enumerated
and detailed by Trefuilngid Tre-Eochair with qualities that are
specific to it. Féige Find (Fionn’s Window) demonstrates these five
divisions aptly.
The North is the battle aicme. The East is the place whence comes
prosperity. The South sings of harmony. The West is the home of
knowledge, while the Forfedha are the Dúile Feda (The Book of Woods)
and the symbols of mastery. Battle is waged with the Ogham fedha that
are associated with the right-hand strokes or flesc. Prosperity is
received with the receiving or left hand strokes. Harmony is an
attempt to bridge the gap between giving and receiving. It seeks a
balance with strokes that cross athwart the centerline but does not
always attain an even balance. The song continues. Knowledge bridges
the gap in balance and fulfillment. It’s fedha span the druim or
centerline in perfect symmetry. Its strokes are perpendicular to the
druim and contain both left-hand and right-hand strokes in the wood.
The Forfedha are complex strokes that exist to the right and left of
the centerline with two that span it evenly. Each of the characters of
the Forfedha can be seen to be symbolic of the major festivals of the
year. The first two fedha in the Forfedha are Eabha and Onn. They are
complimentary signs evenly written on the center line. One is a cross
on the line while the other is a diamond or box. The cross represents
gathering or coming together. The diamond represents joining in a
passage. Gathering is a thing of the hearth and home, the immediate
family at Imbolc. It is the return of light from darkness. The diamond
is the joining of winter to summer at Bealtaine. It is the space
between the two fires.
The two fedha that occur next are ulieann and ifin. These usually
occur to the right of the druim. One is smoothly written as a right-
hand spiral while the other occurs as double “X’s”. The spiral is the
age old symbol of transition and changes while the two X’s are
indicative of strife and competition. Ifin the time of the year for
games, battle and working outside at Lughnasadh. Uileann is the
binding and transforming pattern of the Feast of Age,
The lone fedha of the Forfedha that exists to the left-hand side of
the druim is Aemancholl. It is a game board of fate wherein omens and
bounty for the coming year are to be determined. It is edad across
edad (in one meaning for edad, it is coming peril; in another, it is a
friend; yet another marks edad as being judgement). In all of its
meanings, the orientation of the four strokes of edad are found in
aemancholl. If the space between peril and friendship are filled with
good judgement by the king when he plays the game of wood wisdom with
the dark hunt’s lord, then prosperity is foretold. If the in-between-
spaces are filled with falsehood then doom is portended. The brother
of birch competes in the battle between dark and light at this time of
year. It is the time of Samhain.
This is one way of seeing the meaning of the woods on the circles of
Féige Find. It is a way of seeing how life expands outwardly from the
center yet returns to us again each year at its center. The other two
ways of seeing the meanings of the fedha in relation to one another
are on the Stream Strand of Ferchertne and the Wheel Ogham of Roigni
Roscadach. The first is a downward spiraling journey into a well. The
second is the ways in which the skies are divided by the seasons and
winds. One concerns hidden, fearful truths that must be embraced and
understood. The other is there for all to see in lighted mysteries and
shadowed awareness. One is a discovery while the other is fated. These
will not be further pursued or discussed until sufficient awareness of
one’s present surroundings and truth come to maturity. Students must
make their own imrama to survive their immersion into the well. They
should also study the science of swine and cattle herding to follow
the stars. Only after drowning in the sea and following the paths and
wanderings of beasts can a human hope to make their way through the
three worlds.
The strokes of the Ogham are on wood, yet they exist also on metal,
stone, paper, antlers, amber, chalk and in the minds of Druids and
their students. They are the keys to knowledge and markers on the maps
and ways of the Three worlds.
Searles O'Dubhain
Lady Azure, Baroness of the North Pole
> Armies of Wood (copyright Samhain 2009 by Searles O'Dubhain)
>
> The Ogham are formed by strokes on slips of wood. Some are to the
> right. Others are to the left. Still others go across the center of a
> slip of wood while the most powerful are complex forms of the other
> symbols.
>
> The aicme of the Ogham are divided and organized according to the five
> parts of Ireland (and the world), as well as in three levels according
> to the Briatharogam. Each level has its own master or author as well
> as a corresponding cauldron, symbol and world that is more
> characteristic of its many meanings. An attempt will now be made in
> the following text to explain what is meant by these statements.
>
> Each part of Ireland was recalled by Fintain to have been enumerated
> and detailed by Trefuilngid Tre-Eochair with qualities that are
> specific to it. F�ige Find (Fionn�s Window) demonstrates these five
> divisions aptly.
>
> The North is the battle aicme. The East is the place whence comes
> prosperity. The South sings of harmony. The West is the home of
> knowledge, while the Forfedha are the D�ile Feda (The Book of Woods)
> F�ige Find. It is a way of seeing how life expands outwardly from the
> center yet returns to us again each year at its center. The other two
> ways of seeing the meanings of the fedha in relation to one another
> are on the Stream Strand of Ferchertne and the Wheel Ogham of Roigni
> Roscadach. The first is a downward spiraling journey into a well. The
> second is the ways in which the skies are divided by the seasons and
> winds. One concerns hidden, fearful truths that must be embraced and
> understood. The other is there for all to see in lighted mysteries and
> shadowed awareness. One is a discovery while the other is fated. These
> will not be further pursued or discussed until sufficient awareness of
> one�s present surroundings and truth come to maturity.� Students must
> make their own imrama to survive their immersion into the well. They
> should also study the science of swine and cattle herding to follow
> the stars. Only after drowning in the sea and following the paths and
> wanderings of beasts can a human hope to make their way through the
> three worlds.
>
> The strokes of the Ogham are on wood, yet they exist also on metal,
> stone, paper, antlers, amber, chalk and in the minds of Druids and
> their students. They are the keys to knowledge and markers on the maps
> and ways of the Three worlds.
>
> Searles O'Dubhain
Kinda like Lucifer and the "Left Hand".
The Right Hand is the Hand of Strength and Valor.
The Warriors sit at the Right Hand of the Table.
The Left being closest to the Heart is reserved for those closest to the
heart, the seat of Love and Respect.
Only the Valued Guest and Beloved of the Heart sit at the Left Hand.
�
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