For this discussion, I decided to choose an Ogham at random. Learning Ogham is on my list of things to do for 2021 so why not?
I did the random Ogham draw and ended up with Ngetal, or Broom.
Symbolism with Ogham comes in the form of the meaning of the symbol and the plant it is tied to. There isn’t any symbolism (as far as I know) in the way the symbol is drawn. This is just a letter.
It’s interesting that I chose this one because it appears to have two meanings – one that isn’t historically accurate (Reed) and one that is (Broom). I’m obviously going to go with the one that is more historically accurate.
According to Ogam Weaving Word Wisdom by Erynn Rowan Laurie, nGétal is the primary letter of healing.
When nGétal appears in divination, it suggests that health is or should be a pri-
ority now. It may indicate the danger of injury when paired with h-Úath or other
challenging feda. In positive readings, it may suggest that an injury or illness is
healing, or that a course of treatment for a chronic health problem may be going
well. It can be a reminder to watch your health or to get something checked on that
you might otherwise consider minor. It is a very hopeful fid to draw for those who
are ill, as it implies active and progressing healing and the restoration of health and
wellbeing.Magically, this fid is excellent for all types of healing work, and useful for heal-
ers to call upon when doing any work with their clients. I have an image of this fid
surrounded by calligraphy of its word ogams in Old Irish and other meaningful
symbols that I put on my altar when doing healing work to remind me of the power
of this fid and invoke its healing qualities.In specific healing work it can be useful to anoint the afflicted part with blessed
water, colored body paints or healing substances like herb powders or oils to aid
with the flow of energy by drawing this fid on the skin. This anointing can bring the
energies of the fid into the client’s body energies in a very powerful way, aug-
menting their healing process. - From Ogam Weaving Word Wisdom
When looking at the meaning and interpretation of nGétal, I then turn and look at the plant itself. As I did with Beith-Birch || The Ogham Staves, we can tie the meaning of the Ogam to the historical use of the plant.
Broom was used historically for many different healing properties. It was used as a…
cathartic
diuretic
emetic
labor inducer
antiarrhythmic
In homeopathy, Broom is used in the management of…
arrhythmias
head congestion
throat congestion
diptheria
The plant possesses mild activity against a limited number of human pathogens.
In vitro and animal studies have demonstrated some antioxidant activity, and use as a topical preparation to protect against ultraviolet light damage has been explored.
The connection between the letter, its assigned plant, and its meaning is fairly obvious. This is one of the reasons I really enjoy Ogham!