Next up on our ogham journey is Straif. Not sure what ogham is? Here is a quick refresh…
Ogham is an ancient Irish inscription alphabet that was used to inscribe headstones and other important markers. In mythology, it was created by the God Ogma (OH-muh) to warn Lugh about a plot to steal his wife. Today, Ogham is used in magic and divination.
If you want to learn more about what ogham is in general, I wrote about that here: Irish Tree Language - The Ogham 
I also have a video explaining the origin story of ogham that you can watch here: https://youtu.be/CWEm2pcAFc8
Straif (strahf) is the fourth fíd of the third aicme. The word literally translates to “sulfur” and it is connected to the Blackthorn tree. The connection with sulfur is important here as it brings us to the main concept of Straif: transformation. How is sulfur connected with transformation? Well, it is the main ingredient in alchemy (the process seeking to transform other metals into gold) and it was used in the dying process to create a wide variety of colors. When we take a look at the word oghams associated with Straif, we will see how this connection of transformation goes deeper into spiritual and religious practices.
According to Weaving Word Wisdom, there are three traditional word oghams associated with Straif. These are:
- tressam rúamnai - strongest of red, strongest reddening dye
- mórad rún - increasing of secrets, increase of secrets
- saigid nél - seeking of clouds, i.e. its smoke above it
We can read part of these word oghams from The Ogham Tract.
Tresim ruamna, strongest of red, that is str with him in Ogham. Straif, sloe, according to fact; for in the sloe red for dyeing the things is stronger, for it is it that makes the pale silver become azure, making it genuine (?) silver. It is it which is boiled through the urine into the white gold so as to make it red. Tresim ruamna is the sloe according to fact. Hence it was put in the letter named str, owing to identity of name between them, i.e., straif is the name of each of them.
Now that we have seen the word oghams, we can extend the association of transformation to more than just dyeing clothing and making gold. Erynn Rowan Laurie says that these word oghams connect back to divination, secrecy, and the occult, as well. We know that the Druids held much of their knowledge in secret, only passing along the information to those who needed to know and only through word of mouth. The Druid tradition was an oral one so understanding secrecy and how to interpret signs from the natural world was extremely important.
If we think back to the word “sulfur” and the process of dyeing fabric, sulfur is only part of the process. It is using what we already know to help us transform and progress in what we do. Straif is a fíd of mystery and secrecy, but it does not mean hiding everything from those around us. Instead, it is understanding that sometimes we need to explore the mysteries first before we can understand and reveal them for ourselves.
The Blackthorn Tree
Straif is connected to the Blackthorn Tree or Sloe. In Irish, it is known as Draighean. It is usually found on roadsides and hedgerows, used as decoration both as the plant and with the wood of the tree. If left untrimmed and ungrazed it can form very dense areas of scrub cover that are almost impossible to pass. The flowers of the Sloe are white and, early in the year, form a stark contrast against the tree’s dark-colored bark.
The folklore for Sloe is conflicting which should come as no surprise. Most folklore has conflicting stories depending on where you look. In practical application, the wood of the Blackthorn is often used for walking sticks because of its hardiness and stability. It is also used for the traditional Irish club or shillelagh.
In more spiritual applications, the wood of the Blackthorn was used for protection from malevolent spirits and the trickster energy of the Sídhe. It was often carried on the person or kept at the bedside. However, the wood was also considered unlucky to cut or bring indoors, thus the conflicting information from folklore – if you know anything about Celtic mythology and folklore, this should not be surprising. There are contradictions everywhere! Anyway, it is said that Blackthorn trees were also protected by the Sídhe, so depending on your beliefs, Blackthorn would either keep the Sídhe away or bring about their irritation.
In Divination
The very vague connection of Straif to transformation leaves this fíd open to wide interpretation depending on the situation and other feda that show up with it. However, there are a few concepts that tend to be pretty consistent in readings where Straif is involved.
Here are some keywords I’ve come up with in my studies for Straif regarding divination.
- transformation
- secrets
- occult mysteries
- shape-shifting
- divination
- omens and signs
- transcendence
- awakening
- spiritual work
- deity work
At the end of every fíd in her book, Erynn has questions and linked concepts to think about for each one. For Straif, she writes the following…
What part of my life requires total change? How am I being transformed?
A Personal Note
Straif is not a fíd I have a lot of experience or connection with. Honestly, it actually has a sort of negative connotation to it for me personally. This could be due to the word reminding me a lot of “strife”, but it may also be due to my aversion to change and personal transformation. I hope to work more with Straif in the future and may even connect with this fíd during Samhain.
Sources and Further Reading
– Celtic Ogham Symbols and Their Meanings
– The Ogham Tract
– [1] Weaving Word Wisdom by Erynn Rowan Laurie
I’m glad you enjoyed the post!