Ogham Tuesday: Spindle/Óir

Like Beth mentioned, Spindle is an ogham with nuance. In the same context as Broom, Spindle relates to home life and chores, but more specifically in the sense that our efforts are part of a larger process. 

The European spindle tree is unfortunately invasive in my area, so I can’t plant it, but before we understood how aggressively it spread, I definitely liked the shape of it as a small tree and its vibrant color in autumn (it’s commonly called “burning bush” around here). 

Spindle packs a lot into a small, shrublike shape, whether it’s forming a screen with its dense branches , feeding pollinators with its unassuming flowers or bright berries that split into the seeds birds will distribute widely, or dazzling with intense fall color. 

When I see Spindle in a reading, though, I’m not usually thinking of the tree so much as the spindle used for spinning textiles. But I’m reassured that, due to its hardness and pale color, spindle wood is ideal for making decorative items like candlesticks and ornaments. It’s also historically been used to make ACTUAL spindles. So there. 

Spindle, for me, is a signal that I need to put in some prep work, and that some things need to be done before other things. It also reminds me that my role isn’t necessarily that of the initiator or finisher of a project. My effort doesn’t have to be glorious, but it still occupies an essential place in the process. 

Keywords include: home, tools, community, simplicity, effort, practice, prayer, humble, craft, accommodations, service, gratitude, underestimate, survival, prepare, inherent, value, contribution, hearth

Guidance might include:

• Don’t fret about any other steps except the one right in front of you, right now. 

• Seek clarity about how your current part in the process supports next steps. 

• Be mindful of how the seeds of your work will propagate across future ventures. 

Questions or cautions might include:

• Who (or what) is counting on you to deliver this effort? 

• Are you receiving the support you need to do your best work?

• In what way can you transform raw material into something useful? 

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