Fehu

1st Rune of the 1st Atett
Modern Letter – F

Rune Cards by Chaotic Shiny Productions

Also known as –
Germanic name: Fe (Fehu)
Norse name: Fé
Anglo-Saxon name: Feo, Feoh
Icelandic name: Fé
Norwegian name: Fe

Icelandic Rune Poem	Translation
Fé er frænda rógok flæðar viti ok grafseiðs gata aurum fylkir.	Wealth source of discord among kinsmen and fire of the sea and path of the serpent
Norwegin Rune Poem	Translation
Fé vældr frænda róge; føðesk ulfr í skóge	Wealth is a source of discord among kinsmen; the wolf lives in the forest.
Anglo Saxon Rune Poem	Translation
Feoh byþ frofur fira gehwylcum;sceal ðeah manna gehwylc miclun hyt dælan gif he wile for drihtne domes hleotan	Wealth is a comfort to all men;yet must every man bestow it freely, if he wish to gain honour in the sight of the Lord

Correspondences

Symbol: Livestock
Keywords: Wealth, Abundance, Success, Security, Fertility.
Colour: Light Red
Herb: Nettle
Gemstone: Moss Agate
Tree: Elder
Myths and Deities: Freya – goddess of fecundity and love; Brisingamen.

Interpretation

The core meaning of Fehu has always been associated with abundance and its creation thiugh its nature has changed over time. Originally Fehu was associated with cattle, money on the hoof. In of themselves cattle represent a posession but they also represent a source of income, not just in the form of milk and milk. Bone, hoof, horn, skin… all can be a source of income for those with an eye to expand and improve their finances and this is the message that underpins Fehu.

Fehu is a rune of abundance but it is an abundance through effort and determination, there is no room for laziness or reckless behavious, such as greed. Fehu indicates that positive beginnings lay ahead, the energy and potential are there so long as they are managed correctly.

Fehu portents that it is possible to obtain a favourable outcome in a project, task or any new beginning but it also indicates that it is possible to preserve and even improve those situations already in place. It also suggests what a person may want to do with their wealth and their material possessions.

If reversed Fehu can be interpreted as a warning again indulging in whims and unnecessary expenses as such things put at risk your financial future. It may also mean that you are feeling frustrated in areas of your life, despite the outside appearance of success. Step back and search out the cause of this sense of disappointment, considering all aspects of the objective in relation to other areas of their lives such as home and family.

Magically Fehu can be used in the process of making a purchase or in obtaining a favourable outcome in financial matters such as a job or bank interview. It is also suitable to incorporate into creative projects or other scenarios where native talents are on display due to the runes connection with creation and success.

Fehu, fehu, fehu
F f f f f f f f f f
Fu fa fi fe fo
Of ef if af uf
F f f f f f f f f f

Fehu Galdr

Sources and Further Reading

Interpretations and Correspondences
Arild-Haue.com
ElderFutharkRunes.blogspot.com
Magicalspot.com
RationalHealthan.com
Runelore.it
WhispersoftheWyrd.wordpress.com
ZoryaWellness.com

Rune Poems
RagweedForge.com

Lammas 2022

It is the time of the first harvest. Whether it is celebrated as a time of friendly competition and games, as with Lughnasadh, or a time to celebrate the first fruits of our labours as with Lammas it is a time of celebration. Usually the weather is better, indeed if it had been but two weeks ago it would have been a perfect time for celebrating a job well done, but the weather in the UK is far cooler and somewhat damp in comparison. Still, there is much to be thankful for so let us share in a lovely poem and hope it brings a little transformation into our lives with its words.

A Poem for Lammas

We harvest the seed and the grain from the soil.
And transformation now surrounds us,
There is joy among the chaos, roses as well as bread
Lets share our rewards and bless the earth,
Release sparkles of thankfulness
With our smiles spread a glint of hope,
Let our spirits belong to the world
Move forward  together light and bold,
As summer recedes and winter draws near
Hold on to any chance that breaks,
Bless the departed the newly arrived
Let black clouds of hate drift on by,
In the noisy confusion of life
Keep gratitude within our souls.

By ©teifidancer

Field to Food ©cocoparisienne

Freyr’s Aett

Also known as Freya’s Aett this is the aett of the farmer and nurturer. The first three runes contain the most archaic symbols connected to life and survival in an agricultural and pastoral world, the material concerns and risks to our very survival. The fourth, fifth and sixth runes are in turn associated with the search for meaning in our existence through intellect whilst the seventh and eight seek to realise this meaning in the world as happiness.

Ultimately this is an aett of contrasts; wild and domesticated, life and death, fire and ice. These contrasts need to be experienced by the initiate in order to prepare them to move forward in their journey and meet the aett of Heimdall.

Freyr is the phallic Vanir god of agriculture, weather and all good things and pleasures which can be bestowed upon moral man. He was the ruler of Álfheimr, the realm of the Elves.  He is the brother of Freya, Goddess of Love Sex, Magic and War, with their names mean “Lord” and “Lady” respectively, and this, along with the opening of this aett with the letter F in the form of Fehu, explains why this rune is associated with both of these deities. Additionally Fehu is the rune associated with the wealth of the agricultural world, a wealth closely associated with Freyr himself.

The runes of Freyr’s Aett are Fehu, Uruz, Thurisaz, Ansuz, Raidho, Kenaz, Gebo, and Wunjo.

When considering a reading make note of how many runes of the Aett of Freyr appear in the reading. A high number may indicate that you are highly focused on material matters and ensuing you have them present in your life. This may be a positive thing but it may also indicate you are not emotionally connected to the matter at hand, an imbalance which may indicate that that you are at risk of acting without thought in order to achieve the material results you long for.

The First Aett represents the ‘Life Cycle’.

Fehu is the potential of life, ideas, concepts, a seed.
Uruz is the beginnings of life, a foundational act, education, planting of the seed.
Thurisaz is the germination of life, beginnings of movement, application, a seedling.
Ansuz is the birth, connection, a finished product, growing plants.
Raido is growth, reaction, changes caused by a product, harvesting of plants
Kenaz is a period of adolescence, seeing results from the changes of a product, knowledge, knowing what the process plant is to be used for.
Gebo is the life lived, the outcome, benefits of the changes by a product, money from the sold plant. 
Wunjo is the legacy of life, using the benefits to better the product, wisdom, putting part of the money back from profits, surplus seeds for future planting.

Sources and Further Reading

Mind Unfolded Frey’s Aett
Travelling Within the Nine Worlds Frey’s Aett

The Aetts

The 24 runes of the Eldar Futhark are usually separated out into three separate groups, known as Aetts (Ætt singular / Ættir plural). The division can be viewed in a number of different ways, such as a degree system of initiation or the divisions of tribal society (Farmer, Warrior, Priest/Chief). Each aett contains runes which represent similar functions and overlapping meanings but which are complementary in character over all. 

The nature of the aett brings meaning to the runes selected in divination, indicating the nature and scale of the meaning. For example both Fehu and Ingwaz represent wealth but as Fehu is part of the Aett of Frey it is associated with the physical material of wealth, such as the cattle of the farmer or income of the nurturer, where as Ingwaz is the wealth of the Priest/Chief, the wealth of property or disposable income. This overlapping extends to concepts such as light, death and danger (though to varying degrees), protection, fortune and healing.

It is clear that the runes have been, at times, taught in this structured way as each set ends of a positive note which indicates expansion and a form of advancement to a new level. The implication is that each set was taught to those at a particular level of understanding and that they could only advance after passing through the degrees of tribulation. It is also interesting to note that the number of “negative” impactions contained within each aett decreases within each group, with Aett of Freyr containing the highest number and the Aett of Tyr the just one, lending credence to this concept of the aetts representing degrees of initiation.  

Sources and Further Reading

Mind Unfolded The Three Aetts
The Three Aettir in the Elder Furthark
The Three Aettir
Elder Futhark Runes

Dog Days

The Dog Days have truly arrived in the UK. High heat, the fall of supposedly mighty political figures and ongoing supply chain issues all reign. So whilst I nurse my hangover and melt in the corner I will ponder the fall of Troy and the heliacal rising of Sirius which proceeded it.

Orion’s
old hunting dog
rises early in the east,
late summer heat promptly
rouses as well, basks upon his
wrinkled hound skin. He slowly circles,
lies back down on a faded front porch
and gradually closes just one eye,
scratches his pale haunches,
then sinks deep into doldrums
of buried bones he could
still be chewing.
Distant histories; guarding
vast nations and deepest dreams
of nocturnal hunting feats where,
while tracking Sirius visions,
he rushes on in Canis major,
rides dim star-chasmed skies,
stalks hot and sultry seasons
all while reciting Homer’s Iliad
verse which stretches out
in scorching reverie,
resolved to take
Achilles down
in the ancient
heat of
Troy.

© by Elizabeth Perdomo.

View at EarthSky Community Photos. © Nikunj Rawal 
Gir National Park, India, November 21, 2020. Note the brightest star at the bottom, Sirius with Orion above. 

The Runes

Origins and History

The alphabet known as the “Runes” is a writing system developed by the northern peoples of Europe including the Norse, Scandinavian and Germanic Peoples, including the Anglo Saxons. This alphabet system usually contains 24 letters, though some later versions have more letters. The oldest of these alphabets is the Elder Futhark which emerged approximately in the 1^st century BCE as a result of interaction with the Romans, though the purpose of the writing system is variously given as a secret spy language, a magical language or a format of graffiti and everything else in between. This then evolved later in Scandinavia in the 8^th Century CE into the Younger Futhark, and then later into the Anglo-Saxon futhorc, both of which were the featured written language of the early and high middle ages in many areas across Northern Europe and Britain.

The form of the Runes is deliberate in its straight lines, reflecting that the surfaces upon which is was commonly written upon were hard like stone, wood and metal. Thought a skilled craftsman can create elegant curves in time it is much quicker to chisel or scratch out straight lines, meaning that anyone who knew the alphabet could quickly inscribe a message or marker on any surface. Most often these messages related to memories, either of a person or an important event. There are over 3000 examples of runic inscriptions across Scandinavia, appearing on things such as gravestones, cenotaphs and memorials as well as located within caves and dwellings in the form of a very familiar memorial “Arne woz here”.

The Mythical Origin of the Runes

It is from the Poetic Edda (also known as the Elder Edda) that we understand the origins of the Runes as a magical system experienced by the god Odin. In the story known as Havamal (Sayings of the High Ones) Odin is said to have learned the runes through an act of self-sacrifice in which he fasts both of food and waters and hangs upside down upon the World Tree.

Odin said:
I know that I hung on a high windy tree
for nine long nights;
pierced by a spear -Odin’s pledge-
given myself to myself.
No one can tell about that tree,
from what deep roots it rises.

They brought me no bread, no horn to drink from,
I gazed toward the ground.
Crying aloud, I caught up the runes;
finally I fell.

Though the poem only refers to 18 runes are referred to as being used for magical purposes, though none are named or described either in appearance or specific purpose. It is therefore from the Rune Poems that we get this information. Similar in nature to Psalm 119 in that they are single poems which are split into individual stanza describing the nature and meaning of each rune, sometimes referred to as the kenning (a knowing). These poems were likely to initially have started as an oral tradition, used as a mnemonic to aid in remembering their individual meanings and usages  as well as important cultural sayings and customs. They come down to us through much later, usually monastic, sources so whilst it is possible to date the order of composition it is not clear when the poems themselves were in fact composed. Of the extant poems the Old English Rune Poems is the oldest,  with the surviving 10^th century CE document likely to be copies of a 7^th century CE document, followed by the Icelandic Rune Poems being found in the 15^th century CE Arnamagnæan manuscripts, and the Norwegian Rune Poem preserved in a 17^th century copy of a 13^th century manuscript.

When compared across the three forms the meanings associated with the individual runes vary, as does the order and number of runes included. This goes someway to explaining some of the apparent confusion when researching the meanings of individual runes. That being said, because of the popularity of Norse Traditions in modern times, and by extension the Runes as a divinatory and magical system, there has been far more done to create a sense of consensus in comparison to say the Ogham.  

Closing

As elsewhere I will be creating a series of posts exploring the Runes, including posts for each rune in its turn, as well as posts looking at the Aett’s and rune based magic. These posts will end up in the menu.

In the meantime here is some suggested reaching

The Runes of the Elder Futhark
Norse Mythology – Runes
Ragweed Forge – The Rune Poems
Sunnyway.com Runes, Alphabet of Mystery – archived website

The Fight for Reproductive Rights

It’s finally happened.
America fell into the time vortex and has rewound the reproductive rights of women back to the 1950’s with the revocation of Roe v Wade.

The leaked opinion not withstanding the outcome at the federal level was not all that surprising, with some states well placed to criminalise women for making choices about their body, but it doesn’t make it any less devastating.

As a Brit looking across the pond I sometimes forget how decentralised the governance of the United States actually is. Governmental oversight, at the national level, is limited and whilst it would probably be the ultimate answer to major issues like gun legislation and health care it is something that is strongly resisted in the States because of its and identity. The idea that the UK High Courts could reverse a law associated with access to health care and reproductive choice and leave it to be decided at the regional level is thankfully foreign to me but this is the reality facing many Americans today.

Taking the fight into the magical real is a step that many have already taken, and it is defiantly something that need to continue. The Hands Off, Laws Off Ritual by Michael M Hughes is just as relevant today as it was when Magic for the Resistance was published in 2018, if not more so as Michael has done a wonderful job at updating the language of the ritual to make it inclusive. The ritual has also been updated to reflect the who’s who of the anti-abortion movement, which is great for an outsider like myself, but I would encourage magical practitioners to also consider starting closer to home. These laws are now being decided by state legislature so it is here that you need to focus your magical attention, not only to cast down those who assail these rights but also to empower and support those who advocate on your behalf.

I think PGM IV. 2708-2784: Invocation of Hekate, the “love curse” which seems to have partially inspired Michael’s original ritual, also serves in its more complete form as well. With slight tweaks in language, such as removing the she’s and her’s in preference for the neutral “they”, and replacing all the “relationship” language for that of allyship, it can be the words to accompany the magical actions of the original ritual. The consecration of an image or logo with consecrated oil or menstrual blood and speaking to it remains but rather than burning the image place it within a shrine to Hekate so that she may both influence and protect the target as they work to your ends.

PGM IV. 2708-2784 Adapted

Open your ritual in the usual way and light incense as you invoke Hekate;

Come, giant Hekate, Dionne’s guard, / O Persia, Baubo Phronue, dart-shooter, unconquered Lydian, the one untamed, sired nobly, torch-bearing, guide, who bends down proud necks, Kore, hear, you who’ve parted / gates of steel unbreakable. o Artemis, who, too, were once protectress, mighty one, mistress, who burst forth from the earth, dog-leader, all-tamer, crossroad goddess, triple-headed, bringer of light, august / virgin, I call you fawn-slayer, crafty, o infernal one, and many formed. Come, Hekate, goddess of three ways, who with your fire-breathing phantoms have been allotted dreaded roads and harsh/ enchantments. Hekate I call you with those who have died in back alleys and upon the stairs, hissing wildly, despair in their hearts.

Do the consecration as per your usual practice or according to Hands Off, Laws Off Ritual.

Go and call to (NN) and never let eyelid come glued to eyelid, but let them be sore distressed with wakeful cares for me. And if someone comes to them and they speak against my rights let them thrust their hatred away and take me into their heart. 

But you, o Hekate, of many names, o Virgin, Kore, Goddess, come, I ask, O guard and shelter of the threshing floor, Persephone, O triple-headed goddess, who walk on fire, cow-eyed BOUORPHORBÊ PANPHORBA PHORBARA AKTIÔPHI ERESCHIGAL / NEBOUTOSOUALÊTH beside the doors, PYPYLÊDEDEZÔ and gate-breaker; Come Hekate of fiery counsel, I call you to my sacred chants. MASKELLI MASKELLÔ PHNOUKENTABAÔTH OREOBAZAGRA who burst forth from the earth, / earth mare, OREOPÊGANYX MORMORON TOKOUMBAI” (add the usual),

In frenzy may (NN) come fast to my aid, remembering my rights and the rights of those who bear children, emboldened in heart by the great force of love. 

THENÔB TITHELÊB ÊNÔR TENTHÊNÔR. / Many-named One, KYZALEOUSA PAZAOUS; wherefore, KOLLIDÊCHMA and SAB set their soul ablaze with unresting fire. Both ÔRIÔN and MICHAÊL who sits on high: you hold the seven waters / and the earth, keeping in check the one they call the great serpent, AKROKODÊRE MOUISRÔ CHARCHAR ADÔNAI ZEUS DÊ DAMNAMENEUS KYNOBIOU EZAGRA” (add the usual). “IÔ, all-powerful goddess/ and IÔ all-guarding one; IÔ all-sustaining One, ZÊLACHNA: and SAAD SABIÔTHE NOUMILLION NATHOMEINA, always KEINÊTH, stalwart THÊSEUS ONYX, prudent DAMNAMENEUS, / avenging goddess, strong goddess, rite of ghosts, Persia SEBARA AKRA. Haste quickly. Let (NN) now stand as my ally.

Close the ritual in your usual way.

Eamhancholl

Beech
Letter: X (Xi)

Forfeda Flash Card – Vicky Newton

The appearance of Eamhancholl in a reading indicates that you are entering a time of cleansing. This might be a physical clean out of belongings but also an emotional and spiritual cleansing. On a physical level take time to consider if you are holding on to things needlessly or if there are things you can pass on to others to their benefit. Emotionally ridding ourselves of clutter and baggage brings us freedom from fixed ideas and things that hold back our emotional and spiritual development. Take this opportunity to evaluate your spiritual path and ensure that you are still interested in the studies you are perusing. Feelings of being stagnant and adrift in your spiritual journey, in conjunction with the appearance of Eamhancholl, is a good indication that it is time to make a change. More generally Emahancholl occurring in a reading is an indication that you are encountering negative energies and you may wish to undertake cleansing rituals to purify your home and yourself on all levels; body, mind and spirit.

Beech

Scientific name: Fagus sylvatica
Family: Fagaceae
Origin: native

The monumental beech tree is another of the majestic and instantly recognisable trees of the British woodland. With its vast spread canopy and towering height of 40m in mature trees it is an inspiring sight whether stood alone or amongst the trees of the forest. The grey bark of tree is smooth and thin, often marked with horizontal etches and its reddish, torpedo pot red leaf buds are the easiest way to identify this tree in winter, unless the tree has held on to its leaves in winter and it is sometime want to do. Beech is monoecious, meaning both male and female flowers bloom on the same tree. Both types bloom between April and May, with male catkins hanging from long stalls from the end of the twig whilst the female flowers grow in pairs which turn woody once pollinated, eventually producing one or two beech nuts in the autumn.

Beech Tree by 1195798

Magical Correspondences

Planet: Mercury, Saturn
Element: Air, Earth
Birds: Bluebird
Color: light blue
Deity: Hermes/Mercury, Odin, or Chronos/Saturn, Ogma, Thoth

Eamhancholl Eamhancholl Eamhancholl
Eamm Haan Colll Eamm Haan Colll
Eeeeeam Han Colll Eeeeeam Han Colll
Eamhancholl Eamhancholl Eamhancholl

Suggested Galdur

Magical Uses

Carve a wish or the name of something that you wish to manifest into a beech stick which is then buried in the ground. This is particularly effective in relationship to prosperity and plenty.

Carry a beech wood charm to bring good luck and success or place powered beech wood powder in your right shoe to help you walk towards your future fortune.

Water gathered from a beech hollow can be used in spell work, particularly blessings and spells for beauty and self worth.

Use a beech wood wand during works focused on ancestors worship or generally when you need to boost the energy of your working.

Mythology and Literature

Beech trees have a long association with the practice of writing and, by extension, knowledge and wisdom. Beech wood has been used as the basis of writing tablets as well as sliced into fine leaves to form the pages of a book. It is no wonder then that beech tree is then associated with gods of wisdom and communication such as Ogma, Odin and Mercury/Hermes. Even today the Swedish word ‘Bok’  means both book and beech whilst in German ‘Buch’ means book and ‘Buche’ means Beech.

In a more occult sense the beech tree is associated with liminal spaces and the u Underworld. This is part due to its serpent like root system which dives deep into the earth. On the other hand the medieval Welsh poem “The battle of the Trees” by the Bard Taliesin, refers to the beech as a tree which “prospers through spells and litanies”, explaining its association with magical practice and lore. Folklore in Germany associates the beech tree with new birth, with the hollow of a beech tree serving as an alternative to the cabbage patch. Unlike the stork and cabbage patch the baby is said to magically appear in the beech Halloween, perhaps drawn up (or down) in to life manifest.

Another very practical use of the beech tree is as a source of winter fodder. Beech nuts were a preferred source of winter feed, particularly for swine.

When the long, varnished buds of beech
Point out beyond their reach,
And tanned by summer suns
Leaves of black bryony turn bronze,
And gossamer floats bright and wet
From trees that are their own sunset,
Spring, summer, autumn I come here,
And what is there to fear?
And yet I never lose the feeling
That someone close behind is stealing
Or else in front has disappeared;
Though nothing I have seen or heard ,
The fear of what I might have met
Makes me still walk beneath these boughs
With cautious steps as in a haunted house.

The Beech Wood By Andrew Young

Madru: Das Baum Tarot from Acclectic Tarot

Sources and Further Reading

Mileage may vary. The Forfeda are a later addition to the ogham alphabet which are sometimes including in divination sets. There is a diversity of names and meanings ascribed to the symbols of the forfeda and what is offered here is my own interpretation. Please take the information provided here in conjunction with other sources of information.

Tales Unfold – Forfeda
Magick and the Green Dragon
Living Library Introduction to the Forfeda
Learn Religions
Druid Garden
Druidry.org
The Goddess Tree
Thomas Marty Shamanic Healing
Woodland Trust

Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice © Nanou22

This was when the whole world measured time

This is when the light would turn around

This is where the past would come undone

and the spinning earth will mark a new beginning

Let’s go back in time, to when it all began

To the breaking of new dawns

Where moments bright with fire, would light the chanting song

Where pagans worshipped sun, and danced among the trees

Wore strange masks of covered straw, and blessed cold ash with awe

Wreaths hung upon the door against all spirit’s, dire and when the winter’s grasp let go, the sun reversed the pyre

This was when the whole world measured time

This is when the light would turn around

So that spring arrives, and seeds will sprout and grow

Oh, radiant sun, stretch the day, shorten night Return earth’s darkness into light

This is where the light will turn around

And this was where the past would come undone

Summer Solstice by Carrie Richards

Iphin

Gooseberry
Letter: Io (Ph)

Forfeda Flash Card – Vicky Newton

When Iphin appears in readings it highlights our sense of grief and or remorse for his previous situations have played out and suggests that this may be clouding our judgment in the here and now. Our ability to view things intellectually can be hindered by our emotions and there is a danger in allowing our heart to rule our head. The process of dealing with, and releasing, your grief will bring resolution to the situation at hand. This might be through mended and renewed relationships to the release of creative and transformative forces that can be used to change you for the better. The key message of Iphin is that in order to grow you must step outside of your comfort zone and find the place where it you are able to meet your own needs whilst respecting the needs of others.

Gooseberry

Scientific Name: Ribes uva-crispa
Family: Grossulariaceae
Origin: unclear
Habitat: Urban and agricultural settings including hedgerows

Wildly cultivated for its fruit the Gooseberry can also be found in the hedgerows and mixed Woodlands of the British Isles. It is not clear if the plant is native to the UK or was introduced in times past but as it appears well settled in countryside without out-competing other species it is certainly comfortable here.

Leaves are rounded with three to give lobes with flowers appearing as a creamy white bell. The wood is dark in colour and often covered in protective spines which not only protect its seasonal fruit but make an excellent boundary plant.

The best way to identify gooseberry is during the fruiting season as it is hard to mistake it for anything else during this time. Fruit appears between June and August and can range in colour from tart green all the way through to red and purple. They usually have a light covering of hair over their outer skin, though they can develop in to full-fledged spines in larger fruit.

Gooseberry © GLady

Magical Correspondence

Planet: Venus
Gender: Feminine
Themes: transformation, change, releasing grief and grievances
Deities: Brigidh, Arianrhod
Sabbat: Beltane

Magical Uses

Iphin Iphin Iphin
Iii F-in Iii F-in Iii F-in
Iiiiii F-in F-in F-in
Iphin Iphin Iphin

Suggested Galdur

Incorporate dried fruit in to healing charms or spells to increase a woman’s fertility.

Gooseberries make a good food offering to deity, particularly Goddesses.

Make a jar of sweet gooseberry jam or jelly as a peace offering to someone who is upset with you. 

Mythology and Literature

There is little regarding gooseberry in folktales and lore but there are a number of things we can derive from its traditional healing uses. Its use as a way of treating women recovering from childbirth and complicated menstrual problems has lead it to be associated with goddesses concerned with fertility and childbirth, particularly Arianrhod and Brigid when considering Celtic pantheons.

 The Ogham Tract refers to Gooseberry as “the sweetest of woods” and “most wonderful of tastes”. It has variously been associated with the fae and with ancient shamanic practices, depending on your research source.

Quiet woods was our haunt
Below the gooseberry bushes
Where we found out we were in love
Gooseberry picking our pretense
from prying, eyebrow-lifting parents
Whose disappointment and disapproval would have killed us.
Dappled light shone on our first tentative kiss
Giggles echoed along the corridor of tree trunks
We touched thin, undeveloped bodies tenderly, shyly.
Prohibited love, we were both just fifteen
On hugging our long curls interlocked, yours blonde, mine mousy brown
Our lip gloss; yours bright red, mine pink, joined like glue.
Best friends became lovers in the silent woods
There was nothing wrong with our love
Yet we hid it for so long.
We carried gooseberries in our hoods on the way home.

Gooseberry Picking by Della Perry

Sources and Further Reading

Mileage may vary. The Forfeda are a later addition to the ogham alphabet which are sometimes including in divination sets. There is a diversity of names and meanings ascribed to the symbols of the forfeda and what is offered here is my own interpretation. Please take the information provided here in conjunction with other sources of information.

Tales Unfold – Forfeda
Magick and the Green Dragon
Living Library Introduction to the Forfeda
Living Library Iphin
Learn Religions
Writing with Tarot
Sentiment Metaphysics
Wildfood UK