Celtic Tree Calendar - Ogham Alphabet Page 1

The Moon is humanity's oldest calendar. Evidence of ancient peoples

keeping time by the phases of the moon have been found carved into rocks
and cave walls the world over. The famous tree calendar of the Celts was
such a time-keeping device, and, like other tribal cultures, the Celts found
names and associations for their moon which were developed and codified
over many years of ritual and experimentation. Each moon phase was
assigned a corresponding tree, each tree being sacred to either feminine
energy and to the Goddess, or to masculine energy and to the God.
The lunar tree calendar of the Celts has long been a source of controversy
amont Celtic scholars. Some even claim it was never a part of the old Celtic
world, but was an invention of author/researcher Robert Graves. The Druids
are generally given credit by other researchers for creating this system.
There seems to be no scholarly evidence to prove otherwise, yet many Celtic
Pagans feel that the system pre-dates the time of Druidic influence over
Celtic religious matters. It is probably reasonable to believe that the truth
lies somewhere in between these three extremes. It is most likely that the
tree system was in place, with minor regional variations before the time of
the Druids who experimented with it, discovered the magickal properties of
each tree, and codified all the information into the system we have today.
The trees the Druids selected for the thirteen months were already trees
which were sources of magick and myth in Celtic folklore. Several of the
trees are said to be attractive to faery folk, and others were sources of
magick herbs or medicines.
Today the counting of the Celtic tree calendar begins with the full moon
nearest Yule. Perhaps it once began with the full moon nearest Samhain
since, until the influence of the Norse, Samhain marked the beginning of the
Celtic New Year. When you have pinpointed the full moon closest to Yule,
count off the thirteen moons of the lunar year and mark them with their
Tree Calendar names.*

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Celtic Tree Calendar - Ogham Alphabet Page 2

MOON MAGICKAL
POLARITY NICKNAMES
NAME PROPERTIES
Moon of
Birch Inception; Protection of children;
Feminine
Moon Moon of purification; creativity
Beginning
Moon of Vision;
Healing; Personal
Rowan Spirit Moon;
Masculine Empowerment;
Moon Astral Travel
Divination
Moon
Prosperity; Protection;
Ash Moon Feminine Moon of Waters
Healing
Moon of Utility;
Moon of Spirituality; Teaching;
Alder
Masculine Efficacy; Weather magick; Duty;
Moon
Moonof Self- Mental Prowess;
Guidance
Romantic Love;
The Witches'
Willow Healing; Protection;
Feminine Moon;
Moon Fertility; Magick for
Moon of Balance
Women
Moon of
Restraint;
Hawthorn Fertility; Peace;
Masculine Moonof
Moon Prosperity; Binding
Hindrance;
Summer Moon
Moon of
Strength; All positive purposes;
Oak Moon Masculine Moon of Magick for Men;
Security; Fidelity
Bear Moon
Moon of Protection; Prophecy;
Holly
Feminine Encirclement; Magick for Animals;
Moon
Moon of Polarity Sex Magick
Moon of the Manifestiation; Spirit
Hazel
Feminine Wise; Contact; Protection;
Moon
Crone Moon Fertility
(Property dependent on
the type of vine)
Blackberry - Prosperity;
Protection; Sacred to
Brid
Vine Moon of Blueberry - Spirituality;

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Moon Celebration Dream Magick

Grape - Fertility;
Inspiration; Prosperity;
Binding
Thistle - Courage;
Protection; Strength
Moon of
Buoyancy; Healing; Protection;
Ivy Moon Masculine
Moon of Cooperation; Exorcism
Resilience
Moon of the
Home;
Reed Hearth Moon; Fertility; Protection;
Feminine
Moon Winter Moon; Love; Family Concerns
Moon which
Manifests Truth
Elder Moon of Exorcism; Prosperity;
Masculine
Moon Completeness Banishing; Healing

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"The Ogham (pronounced owam), or sacred Druidic alphabet, contained

hidden secrets for magic and divination. Only the initiated could understand
these occult meaning. The ancient Celts had a kinship with trees which is
shown in this magical alphabet and in their tree calendar. Further proof of
their respect for trees is in the old Celtic word for oak (Duir); the word
Derwydd or Duirwydd (oak-seer) was probably the origin of the word Druid.

The Celts beleived that many trees where inhabited by spirits or had spirits of
their own. This idea most notably applied to any tree with a strong aura
around it. They also believed that certain trees had a healing influence on
humans. From this ancient respect for the power of trees came the
expressions 'touch wood' and 'knock on wood'.

Oak, ash, and thorn were called the faery triad of trees. Where they grow
together,it is still said that faeries live.

The ancient Celts used the Ogham alphabet in performing magick. They also
threw divination sticks engraved with the signs of the Ogham alphabet.

For divination, paint or engrave the symbols on one side of some flat sticks.
Ice cream sticks or tongue depressors work well for this purpose. The
symbols can also be drawn on cards and read as you do tarot. Choose seven
sticks without looking. Concentrate on your question while holding them in
both hands. Then gently toss them on the ground or floor in front of you. The
closest sticks represent the present; the farthest represent the future. Any
sticks that touch or overlap have a direct and enhanced influence on each
other.

The Ogham signs may also be carved into candles or used in writing out
requests to be presented to the gods during rituals."**

The trees of the Ogham alphabet were divided into three classifications,
which had nothing to do with their physical form. They merely represented
their order of importance to the Druids. Chieftains came first, followed by
peasants and shrubs. Two symobls, the Grove and the Sea, are not actually
trees; their inclusion points out the Druidic acknowledgments of the power of
both the sea itself and a group of trees. The last five letters are called the
Crane Bag and were given by the sea god Manannan.**

Beth - Birch

Month: November

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Celtic Tree Calendar - Ogham Alphabet Page 5

Color: White
Class: Peasant
Letter: B
Meaning: New Beginnings; Changes; Purification.

Luis - Rowan

Month: December
Color: Grey and Red
Class: Peasant
Letter: L
Meaning: Controlling your life; Protection against control by others.

Fearn - Alder

Month: January
Color: Crimson
Class: Cheiftain
Letter: F, V
Meaning: Help in making choices; spiritual guidance and protection.

Saille - WIllow

Month: February
Color: listed only as bright
Class: Peasant
Letter: S
Meaning: Gaining balance in your life

Nuin - Ash

Month: March
Color: Glass Green
Class: Cheiftain
Letter: N
Meaning: Locked into a chain of events; Feeling bound.

Huathe - Hawthorne

Month: April
Color: Purple
Class: Peasant

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Letter: H
Meaning: Being held back for a period of time

Duir - Oak

Month: May
Color: Black and Dark Brown
Class: Chieftain
Letter: D
Meaning: Secrity; Strength

Tinne - Holly

Month: June
Color: Dark Grey
Class: Peasant
Letter: T
Meaning: Energy and guidance fro problems to come

Coll - Hazel

Month: July
Color: Brown
Class: Chieftain
Letter: C, K
Meaning: Creative energies for work or projects.

Quert - Apple

Month: None
Color: Green
Class: Shrub
Letter: Q
Meaning: A choice must be made

Muin - Vine

Month: August
Color: Variegated
Class: Chieftain
Letter: M

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Meaning: Inner development occuring, but take time for relaxation

Gort - Ivy

Month: September
Color: Sky Blue
Class: Chieftain
Letter: G
Meaning: Take time to soul search or you will maake a wrong decision.

Ngetal - Reed

Month: October
Color: Grass Green
Class: Shrub
Letter: NG
Meaning: Upsets or surprises

Straif - Blackthorn

Month: None
Color: Purple
Class: Chieftain
Letter: SS, Z, ST
Meaning: Resentment; Confusion; Refusing to see the truth

Ruis - ELder

Month: Makeup days of the thirteenth Moon

Color: Red
Class: Shrub
Letter: R
Meaning: End of a cycle or problem.

Ailim - Silver Fir

Month: None
Color: Light Blue
Class: Shrub
Letter: A
Meaning: Learning from past mistakes; Take care in choices.

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Ohn - Furze

Month: None
Color: Yellow Gold
Class: Chieftain
Letter: O
Meaning: Information that could change your life

Ur - Heather and Mistletoe

Month: None
Color: Purple
Class: Heather is Peasant; Mistletoe is Chieftain
Letter: U
Meaning: Healing and development on the spiritual level.

Eadha - White Poplar or Aspen

Month: None
Color: Silver White
Class: Shrub
Letter: E
Meaning: Problems; Doubts; Fears.

Ioho - Yew

Month: None
Color: Dark Green
Class: Chieftain
Letter: I, J, Y
Meaning: Complete change in life-direction or attitude.

Koad - Grove

Month: None
Color: Many Shades of Green
Class: None
Letter: CH, KH, EA
Meaning: Wisdom gained by seeing past illusions.

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Celtic Tree Calendar - Ogham Alphabet Page 9

Oir - Spindle

Month: None
Color: White
Class: Peasant
Letter: TH, OI
Meaning: Finish obligations and tasks or your life cannot move forward.

Uilleand - Honeysuckle

Month: None
Color: Yellow-white
Class: Peasant
Letter: P, PE, UI
Meaning: Proceed with caution.

Phagos - Beech

Month: None
Color: Orange-brown
Class: Chieftain
Letter: PH, IO
Meaning: New experiences and information coming

Mor - the Sea

Month: None
Color: Blue-green
Class: none
Letter: AE, X, XI
Meaning: Travel

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Celtic Tree Calendar - Ogham Alphabet Page 10

*From "Celtic Myth and Magick" by Edain McCoy

** From "Celtic Magic" by DJ Conway

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