Kootenay Ogham Trees

 My Mom is teaching me how to read tea-leaves. When she was young, her Grandmother read tea-leaves to her. I checked in our geneology photo album and my Grandma Weaver came from Scotland. After her mother died when she was twelve, in 1901, she went to work in a teacup factory, and maybe learned more about tea-reading there. Some of her Scottish ancestors came from Fearn, which is right at the top of Scotland. There are tons of stories of spae-wives and witches from there, and lots of Norse and Old Celtic beliefs. Spae-wives are herbalists, healers, and fortune-tellers.

Researching Fearn led me down another rabbit-hole - I've been reading all about the Celtic Ogham Tree Alphabet, and came across a couple of alphabets made by people in the States, using trees more common to their area. 

I was inspired to make my own with trees from where I live because I have just discovered my own 'sacred grove' on my mother's farm - a Grandmother Poplar Tree, sending out suckers from her roots, now stands with her sons and daughters in a perfect circle around her:

I'll be working on the Kootenay Alphabet for the next while, choosing trees and making cards so I can make an oracle deck.

I'll do them in 5 batches, as the letters are split into 4 'aicmi' (families) and 1 'forfeda' (additional letters).

A Connection Reading

 I'm still obsessing over connecting with my kids but not actually doing anything.

I did a reading with Maia Toll's Wild Wisdom Late Winter season and oracle cards, in a spread that is similar to the Mah Jongg oracle spread. It was surprisingly helpful - giving some structure, which I feel like I need, lol.

Her Late Winter season starts with a ritual of planting seeds of intention. I have planted some peas, and I may plant something else, but as I tend the seeds, I'm to tend my intention to connect. 

I'm thinking that when I check the peas each day, I will also send a text. When I water the peas, I will send an email. When I put them on the windowsill to sit in the sun for a bit, I will send a photo.

**Update: I have sent a text and an email this week already, so definitely found the structure I needed!

The next thing in the book is 'tending the flame' - the spark of creation (or wanting to connect) is not enough, one must blow on the spark ever so gently to build it into a flame. 

Again, a clear message that I need to DO things to keep the flame alive, to keep the connection going. Relationships require work, continual little actions that show you care. 

The crystal for this season is Mica. The one part of all she wrote about Mica that resonated with me was the bit where she says that Mica can handle heat - including the heat of anger. Something that holds me back is fear of both my anger and other's anger. I will have to have some Mica on hand to remind myself that I can handle it.

The spread started with a center card - one that had been left behind during the shuffling phase so when I found it I assumed that the universe was telling me that this one was important. It was the Hearth card, meaning center, community, nourishing relationships, protection. Ties in with the 'feeding the flame', doing acts of connection. Another affirmation that this is something that I need to do.

I just put one card in each of the 4 directions, instead of the traditional 3 cards in each spot when doing a Mah Jongg oracle reading.

In the East position, the personality position, I had The Maker card, from the Late Winter season. It's about interacting with the physical world, creatively. I do totally DO things if I'm comfortable, passionate about it (like my goddess project or oracle readings), or I need to help someone. So I CAN do connection things if I remember this.

In the South position, what will happen in the near future from present circumstances, I had the Seed card, from the Late Winter season. She writes that the seed is sent out by the mother plant with a love letter that says "I see you clearly. I have faith in you. This is what you will become." And to grow, the seed needs to have sunlight and water - what do my kids need to grow, what does the connection need to grow? What is the sunlight and water in this case? With the structure from the peas/intentionality, and the love letter, I think that the connections will blossom.

In the West position, the obstacles, I had The Sun card - the summer solstice. The book warns that many give up before they master the lessons they have learned. In my case, I learn many things but I give up before I put them into practice. I NEED to take action.

In the North position, the future, I had The Harvest card. Here it says that the hard work, the careful tending, the many little things you do will come to fruition, and to savor the results of your labors. I can feel the love already, lol. 

So, all in all, a very positive reading and a kick in the butt to get going. 

Today I am the Goat Shepherd

 I have been super busy lately. My Mom had a bad spell and I've taken over her farm chores and the making of dinners for the next while until we have test results back and she is less tired all the time.

It's been great for getting me outside - every morning I take the goats and dogs out to the field and sit while the goats graze and the dogs dig and run and bark.

I wrote my first poem in a long time:

Today I am the goat shepherd

on my Mother's farm.

I walk the muddy paths,

the herd trailing along behind me.

I bask in the first warm sunny day of February.

We all stop to lift our heads,

so that we feel the sun on our faces.

We rummage around in the melting snow

for the first signs of Spring:

- trickling water

- bits of green grass

- the smell of wet soil

- birdsong all around us

I stop in the poplar grove,

cuddled between the trunks of the trees.

I look up to see their branches

intertwined above me,

nestling me in their arms.

I have found a sanctuary for my soul in this field, 

held close in the embrace of the trees,

surrounded by peaceful animals,

and warm sunlight,

and new life.

My heart fills with the wonder

of the world around me.

I recall the words of Heȟáka Sápa (Black Elk), 

a Sioux holy man.

"Perhaps you have noticed 

that even in the very lightest breeze

you can heat the voice 

of the cottonwood tree; 

this we understand

is it's prayer to the Great Spirit, 

for not only men,

but all things and all beings

pray to Him continually

in differing ways."