Ogham Tuesday: Gorse/Onn

Romancing, Pursuing, Indulging

Onn/Gorse is the 17th letter of the Ogham alphabet.

The bright yellow flowers of the Gorse plant speak to the focus on passion of the Gorse/Onn ogham. Onn is the 17^th letter of the Ogham alphabet and represents a vowel sound that lies somewhere in and around the long [o] sound and the [aw] sound, as they are pronounced in U.S. English. I will absolutely not be making a joke about passion and the lip-shape of this vowel sound.

Passion brings to mind sexy-times, and that can be literally what the ogham says to you in a reading. The Old Irish word for this ogham actually refers to the ash tree, which was often used to build the type of need-fires used at Beltane, through which folks drove cattle or which they leapt themselves in hopes of increasing fertility. True Gorse was, coincidentally, used as livestock fodder. Gorse flowers were also given as gifts to potential lovers on May Day. How did Onn come to be associated with Gorse, then? I suspect that in our modern era, as Ogham became a divination system, folks had to attach something to the Onn letter because Ash was already in use for a different letter.

Beyond romantic passion, though, Gorse has much to say to us. When Gorse pops up in a reading or omen-pulling, it's asking for your passion, your oomph, your all in whatever you’re doing. Work project? Don’t stint your

energy. Exercise regimen? Don’t give up. Just washing the dishes? Follow through all the way to putting away and hanging up the wet towels.

Our current social and political landscape leaves us crying out for passion and joy even in the small things we do. Especially in the small things we do. Put your energy, love, and passion into the things you do and don’t let those powers rob you of everyday joys. Creating everyday joys is how we stay grounded and hopeful. Those joys and passions are the things we will use to create the world we want to live in.