Here I am on the bandwagon this week. After the delay last week with Gort, Beith was a bit of a reprieve. Beith is the first letter of the Ogham, and with her affiliation with the Birch tree, it was also the first material used to write Ogham. I’m excited that Beith has decided to approach me this week, as this means I am finally introduced to the first Aicme of Ogham, of which Beith, or Beithe, is one.

Attributes and Associations

Beith. Beth. BEH. Her meaning is Birch tree. As I said, birch is known as the first material Ogham was written on and Beith is considered the first Aicme and first letter of the Ogham alphabet. In Old Irish, Beith is spelled as Beithe, which is related to Welsh bedw(en), Breton bezv(enn), and Latin betula. Her Proto-Indo-European root was gʷet- ‘resin, gum’ and the phonetic value is b. In the mythological origins of Beith, she is known to protect people from the fae, with the myth being Lugh writing Beith in order keep his wife from being carried off by fae. Medieval kennings of Beith have the meanings of: “withered foot with fine hair”, “greyest of skin”, and “beauty of the eyebrow”. More as a future reference, Peith, which is also known as the last and latest letter of the Ogham, under the Forfeda group, is considered a variant of Beith. With a phonetic value of p, also called beithe bog “soft beithe”, p being considered a “soft” variant of b. It likely replaced Ifín, one of the “original” five Forfeda. Prior to the addition of the Forfeda to the original twenty letters, both p and b were probably symbolized by the same letter: Beith.

Beith also has many attributes we are already familiar with, while finding her own ground. Beginnings, birth, blessings, creativity, fertility, growth, healing, inspiration, protection, purification, release, and renewal. She is associated with Taliesan as well, but also wood nymphs. I feel two gods are well associated for her in Cerridwen and Lugh. She also seems to find strength in the cold and mountainous, and with older souls. Perhaps even with the crone aspect. She has a close association with humans and the human condition, bright and brilliant bursts of creativity in short spans of time. In it’s attribute of renewal and inspiration, Beith is often known as the Ogham of new beginnings, and the clarity to find them.  Beith has a positive, pure energy and can find good use in meditative and cleansing practices. New projects and new adventures benefit from the utilization and presence of Beith or Birch as a physical aspect.

The Contract

She is here. Beith has come and will not be ignored. Larger than life and blinding light of goodwill. She will not be denied, and you probably won’t want to. Beith has come to inspire and I can feel that force within me. I itch to write and work on my many diverse projects that have languished in the dark corners of my mind. Now is the time and Beith has brought that positive light to inspire them.

Beith tells me to understand that my efforts thus far are worthwhile and should be fostered further. My healing process has begun, but it can’t be taken for granted. It must grow and I must continual understand that every day is a beginning and another step. I must constantly cultivate that beginning and that healing to continue. Life is short and easily disrupted, and the strength I’ve found can only be kept by holding on. Birch grows in the hardiest of terrains and that bright tree can find fertile soil in the most barren seeming of minds. That means me as well and that leaves a smile for anyone. A beauty in many forms, it takes patience and care to keep.

The most human of the trees, short of life and malleable to new forms, Beith tells us we are all valued and diverse. I can be inspired to many new beginnings, and my efforts are valid and true, but I myself, as a human, must keep working at the effort of that new beginnings. Beith can help me on my way.

The drawing for next week is Coll.