The Cauldron: A Pagan Forum

Firstly, I want to start this thread by asking a favor: if anyone sees anything like this for sale, let me know. I've fallen in love and can't get back up:



On to topic: Do any of you use Ogham for divination purposes? What techniques do you use?

We can expand this to Norse runes as well. I've been curious about those too. Are they used similarly?

On to topic: Do any of you use Ogham for divination purposes? What techniques do you use?

We can expand this to Norse runes as well. I've been curious about those too. Are they used similarly?

-drools- I don't even know how to read ogham and even I'm coveting that set.

Here you go

(i used reverse image search)

Check Etsy. I've seen similar sets there, and even if you don't see exactly what you want, many artists will do custom orders.  I've also seen sets in which each stave is made from the kind of wood the ogam feda represents, which I think are seriously cool.

When I do divination, I often use ogam.  I have 2 sets made of stones that my husband made for me, one of which uses the 3 current system Erynn Laurie lays out in her book, as well as a set of wooden staves I bought, which I don't use often.

I tend to use Erynn's system, as detailed in the book Juni (I think) mentioned upthread.  I modify some of the interpretations based on what I learned in an ogam workshop I took with Alexei Kondratiev years ago. But I find Erynn's system to be very effective, especially the 3 current system (which is kinda sorta like the suits in tarot), which adds a lot of texture to readings.

I agree with Juni that ogam tends to deal best with more emotional and spiritual kinds of questions. I use Lenormand cards for more concrete, practical kinds of questions. And sometimes I use both.

For me, the hardest part of ogam is that the symbols are so similar. I have a very difficult time reading them without checking the book. With other forms of divination, the symbols have a lot more variety, and I can remember them more easily. Even runes, which do have some that look similar. But I find ogam almost impossible to memorize.   Once I know which feda it is, I know the interpretation, though.

Other than that, it's just a matter of practice.

By the way, if you Google Erynn's site, you'll find an inexpensive ($5 last time I checked) booklet that is a very abbreviated overview of her interpretations. I think it's called "Not Your Mama's Tree Ogam" or something like that. While it's great for getting a general sense of the system, it's NOT a substitute for the book. There's so much more in the book -- definitely worth the price, if you're interested in ogam divination.

No! It's mine!

Imagine Stuart from Mad TV kicking you away....that's me :p

Naomi, I'm curious about why you phrased this as "trouble".  Are you coming from a recon perspective, which would likely reject using ogam for divination since there's little, if any, evidence for that historically?  Or do you see it as a problem for a different reason?

I'm just curious. :-)