Ogham Tuesday: Broom/Ngetal

The ogham for this week is blessedly literal: Broom, which is both a shrub and the tool made from it. An omen of simplicity and care in action, it also speaks to the physical labor that supports magical intent. As in, sweep the floor before you do a ritual cleansing. 

As a perennial, brooms can spread aggressively. Depending on where you live and the variety of broom we’re talking about, it can be considered invasive. It can also get really…well, straggly, if it’s not maintained properly. Conventional wisdom says to cut back about a third of the old branches each year to keep the body of the plant vigorous and flowering densely, a habit that also keeps it from spreading out of control. You won’t have to look very deeply for those metaphors, will you? 

Of all the ogham, this one seems the most Zen to me. “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” Or maybe, “Everyone wants to change the world, but very few want to wash the dishes.”

Broom calls us to take care of ourselves and to work with intention toward health and healing, using the tools available to us. 

Keywords include: self-care, declutter, essentials, tools, cleansing, work, rest, carry, sweep, simplicity, focus, foundational, habits, intention, will

Guidance might be: 

• Take the time you need to accomplish your work effectively. 

• Value the ordinary efforts that support extraordinary results. 

• Pay heed to what you’re sweeping toward and away from yourself. 

Cautions and questions might be:

• Where can you remove clutter or distractions so you can focus on the work at hand?

• What tools are available to help you right now?

• Is there a repeating care task that you usually treat with disdain?

What connections do you see? 

Blessings,

Nicole

~ Nicole (Nikki, sometimes Saffron Hare) is founder and general manager at Nine Fires Press. Her Druidic practice has included solitary, small-group, and congregational worship, with a focus on liturgy and seership. She is studying for her Master Gardener certification, rehabbing an underground home in the Midwestern US, and loves to fall in love with bad ideas.

 #ogham #omens #divination #druidry #pagan #9firespress #oghamtuesday