Obeah means sorcery, and refers to a number of folk magick traditions both within specific faiths, or practiced as a separate tradition combining aspects of African traditional religion with western ritual magick.

Usually the term “occult” refers to a supernatural practice or witchcraft, but an occult can be any group of people gathered together for a certain purpose, faith, or goal that the members strongly believe in. An occult isn’t always dangerous to join but as any group you should always know the terms of membership and what it stands for being for agreeing to join.

The Celtic Ogham alphabet dates from the fourth century. The alphabet is named for Ogmos, the Celtic god of knowledge and communication. Ogmos was associated with the Gaulish Ogmios and the Greek Hermes.

The ogham alphabet has twenty letters, each named for a different tree sacred to the Celtic Druids. Each letter is made up of one to five straight or angled lines incised on a straight base line. Because the number of letters, and the number of lines that make up each letter, some scholars have theorized that the ogham may have originated as a system of hand signs. Examples of Ogham writing have been found all over the British Isles, and even as far away as Spain and Portugal. All surviving examples exist as stone carvings, usually on tombstones and road markers.

Although it is commonly used by modern Druids and other NeoPagans as a divination system, there is no real relationship between modern and historical divination systems. When used as a divination method, the letters are usually notched into straight twigs and used much like runes.

Usually around March 2oth Ostara is the Spring Equinox when the days start to become longer and the first real buds of spring start to bloom.

It is the celebration of spring and winter’s end, of re-birth and life taking form after the harsh months of winter have finally come to an end.

It is the goddess in her maiden form young and beautiful renewed from her rule as the crone.

In my family Ostara is the “time of training” for those old enough to begin their journey in the craft. We also celebrate by making a small feast of all our spring time favorites lemonade, sandwiches, chips and we have a picnic outside under the clear sky before we start working on re-planting our garden and asking the goddess to bless it.