Beithe/Birch (First Aicme)
Beithe/Birch
᚛ᚁ᚜
Spring heralds forth,
new growth, new ventures.
Forever silvering as time
feathers its husk.
Pronunciation: B-eh
Sound Value: B
Tree(s): Birch, Silver Birch
Keywords:
old ventures completed, beginnings, renewal, change, cycles, fertility, intention, new ground
Kennings:
The Fair Haired-Morrainn Mac Moín, Silver Skinned-Ogham of Óengus
Elemental attribution: Air
Calendar attribution:/ December 24th — January 20th
Secrets of the Fid:
Beithe much like Fehu from the Elder Futhark serves as our doorway into this grove of learning. Whereas Fehu teaches the value of wealth outside the body; Beithe starts inside the body to see the wealth inherent and how that translates into the cycles of spring and renewal. Birch is one of the earliest trees to start showing its leaves in spring, and is self propagating as well: it quite literally brings about its own change and growth, and as it ages the silver hair of the bark symbolizes a new gateway, or things to be seen as it is beloved to be connected to the otherworld or realm of Fairy.
What does this mean for us? As (mostly) human beings we routinely require a push in the direction we need to go, and yes sometimes a good ol, “this is Sparta!” kick to really get us to listen, and that is where Beithe comes into play for us. We are beings of mimesis and require validation of seeing a sign of something being done so that we may actually do said thing. And as many hunters and foragers can attest, where Birch points you follow.
Divinatory meanings upright:
Beginnings, new possibilities, potentials, renewal and rebirth; a favorable sign in most matters-not always without adversity.
Divinatory meanings reversed:
Blind alleys, wasted effort; creative blockages; remaining fixated on the past or on things that have been lost, longing for the impossible.