Seeking Help Concerning the Mastery of Sacrifice

[odubhain]

In my work with Ogham I have derived meanings for two of the Ogham Fedha that are closely tied by the letter "A": Ailm and Emancholl. One is the regular vowel in Irish while the other is its diphthong "AE or AI." In my system for divination, "A" represents the action that ties us to knowledge and being while "AE" is in a group that expands or looks beyond these actions to the source that indicates mastery of that knowledge and awareness.

The specific meaning of A in terms of the dúl of blood is "sacrifice" yet the meaning of "AE" for blood is also "sacrifice." My question is what is the mastery of sacrifice? Is that love? Is it an understanding of life's purpose? Is it some other awareness of the needs of the individual relative to the greater needs of one's family and tribe? FWIW the other dúile that are adjacent to the meaning I'm seeking are first "Mysteries" and then "Offerings." What is it that bridges between mysteries and offerings? I guess what I'm seeking is how offerings become the food of the gods in order to empower the workings of ritual in terms of outcomes.

The other vowels and diphthongs (fedha and forfedha) have similar relationships in the various characters of the two aicme. Some are the mastery of the other while some are the completion through an opposite of the other. They all represent a kind of set theory/Venn diagram of one's states of being at any time. I use them to represent both the person involved in a divination as well as the forces/principles of the Cosmos acting upon them (below/above, within/without, personal/global, etc.).

I have my own ideas about what the meaning is but think that the opinions and ideas of others will burn away the dross from my thinking and will more clearly identify where the center of the essence is to be found. Your ideas, beliefs, feeling and opinions are sought and welcomed.

Searles O'Dubhain

By shear coincidence, as I was posting this request to another venue/group the Google validation for the posting was "entarb" which reminded me of the dreamer seeking imbas under the bull-hide of the sacrifice.

[Deerwoman]

I'm sorry, I didn't really understand your question. Are you seeking information on the mysteries behind the Ogham character Ailm, or are you seeking to know "what is the mastery of sacrifice?"


What is it that bridges between mysteries and offerings? I guess what I'm seeking is how offerings become the food of the gods in order to empower the workings of ritual in terms of outcomes.Through my research, the mystery is change/transition equals gateway to the Otherworld, to the Gods. Change by burning, breaking, dying, cooking, brewing... Change is needed in this world in order for something to be sent to the Otherworld. When a bull is slain as sacrifice, it's death is the transition, the cooking of its flesh for the propitiants to eat is also a transition. To me, another mystery of sacrifice is in the sharing. When the ancients sacrificied food, they shared it with the God who was receiving the offering - it was a way of communing and gaining a connection with their Gods.

Cannabalism was not a practice of savagery, but instead was a form of respect - you become what you eat, you gain what you eat, you gain closeness with people you eat or share food with. Many cannabals practiced the eating of their dead loved ones - not necessarily of the flesh, but of the ground bones mixed with prepared foods. Eventually this became taboo, but the belief that when people share food, the food connects them, has lasted into present day - hence all the secular holidays revolving around family and food.


By shear coincidence, as I was posting this request to another venue/group the Google validation for the posting was "entarb" which reminded me of the dreamer seeking imbas under the bull-hide of the sacrifice.The parts of a sacrificed animal are held especially sacred and powerful, granting many desirable attributes to the user. It makes sense they would sleep under the sacrificed bull-hide - connecting the offering with what they wish to receive in return - a divinatory dream.

.... As for the meanings behind the Ogham, I would ask Skilly-Nilly.

[odubhain]

I'm sorry, I didn't really understand your question. Are you seeking information on the mysteries behind the Ogham character Ailm, or are you seeking to know "what is the mastery of sacrifice?"

Thanks for your help inanswering my questions.

I'm specifically seeking an English word that corresponds to the mysteries of blood dúl for the Ogham fidh known as Emancholl. I had originally considered this to be sacrifice but think that it should be someting synonymous with "mastery of sacrifice" or even "authority or enabler of sacrifice" associated with the spiritual aspects and not strictly with the physical aspects.

I don't think that Skilly-Nilly will be much help to me in this matter as she and I seem to have communication difficulties but I've actually learned more from mistakes than from being right in the past. Learning is all about becoming new and expanding. That's why I originally posted the question so that I could get new viewpoints about the qualities associated with a mastery of sacrifice.

Searles O'Dubhain

[Deerwoman]

"mastery of sacrifice" or even "authority or enabler of sacrificeHmmm, priest? mana? baraka? communion?

The purpose of sacrifice is communion with the Gods, something is exchanged between mortal and God - from your definition it sounds like you are referring to the religious leader performing the sacrifice - but I think the mystery is in what is exchanged between realms - the immaterial, undefinable. I do not think there is a word in English, but mana and baraka are as close as the concept comes in language that I have found. It is mortal belief, mortal energy & magic that feed the Gods - it would make sense that an action which proves belief creates the connection between man and God, an action like sacrifice.

[odubhain]

Hmmm, priest? mana? baraka? communion?

The purpose of sacrifice is communion with the Gods, something is exchanged between mortal and God - from your definition it sounds like you are referring to the religious leader performing the sacrifice - but I think the mystery is in what is exchanged between realms - the immaterial, undefinable.

I'm actually referring to threefold concepts of physical, mental and spiritual concepts. The idea is not limited to a priesthood at all. It is apart of being, much like the qualities and elements.


I do not think there is a word in English, but mana and baraka are as close as the concept comes in language that I have found. It is mortal belief, mortal energy & magic that feed the Gods - it would make sense that an action which proves belief creates the connection between man and God, an action like sacrifice.

I was thinking of things like sanctity, sacredness. lifeforce, truth and creation/magic. The purpose of sacrifice is to give food or offerings to the gods out of creation in hopes that the destruction of one thing leads to the creation of another. The three deities of many Indo European traditions symbolize these concepts of destruction, creation and ongoing being/existence.

To master sacrifice to me, means being able to transmute life from death in much the same way that the Dagda was able to do this feat with different ends of his staff. It is a deep understanding of the journey through death to life again.It probably also requires one to experience the joys and the agonies of extremes in living in order to properly orient one's cauldron and to then possess a mastery of sacrifice as the Druids of old professed to have.

Searles O'Dubhain

[Deerwoman]

I was thinking of things like sanctity, sacredness. lifeforce, truth and creation/magic. Which are some of the meanings behind mana and baraka....

You're a bit too hardcore philosophical for this witch... I'm off to play in the mud.

[Kraheera]

In two words, Meaningful Change. Sacrifice must be meaningful, otherwise it does not put you into the communion with divinity at all.

At least that's what I've come to understand of it.

[odubhain]

In two words, Meaningful Change. Sacrifice must be meaningful, otherwise it does not put you into the communion with divinity at all.

At least that's what I've come to understand of it.

That's good. The purpose of sacrifice is to be food for change in much the same ways that facts and theories are food for thought. If the change food works then one is indeed in touch with the powers that cause change. In some philosophies these are the great truths. In others they are deities. In still others they are spirits. Sometimes, just the act of giving something up frees us to accept other things. I wonder if understanding this truth is a way of achieving mastery.

When I say mastery I don't mean bossing or ruling over. I mean being good at a thing to the point where it becomes a part of one's self. In some religions it is taught that one must give up attachment to achieve enlightenment. In another, one gives up trying to rule others so that one can rule one's self. In yet another one gives one's self entirely to spirit to become a part of greater spirit. I know I've simplified these concepts but for me everything comes down to its simplest form when understanding occurs. At that point, complexity can be re-engaged and the most intricate of matrices can be developed.

Thanks again for your ideas. They are food for thought.

Searles O'Dubhain

[odubhain]

Which are some of the meanings behind mana and baraka....

You're a bit too hardcore philosophical for this witch... I'm off to play in the mud.

Well, I'm not just one thing or another but hopefully many things. Come back sometime and free the philosophy from the many traps that inhabit minds so that bodies may play and spirits soar.

Searles O'Dubhain

[skilly-nilly]

In my work with Ogham I have derived meanings for two of the Ogham Fedha...

The specific meaning of A in terms of the dúl of blood is "sacrifice" yet the meaning of "AE" for blood is also "sacrifice." My question is what is the mastery of sacrifice? What is it that bridges between mysteries and offerings?

I guess what I'm seeking is how offerings become the food of the gods in order to empower the workings of ritual in terms of outcomes.
Searles O'Dubhain


I'm sorry, I didn't really understand your question.
.... As for the meanings behind the Ogham, I would ask Skilly-Nilly.

Thank you so much :nicetie: !


I'm specifically seeking an English word that corresponds to the mysteries of blood dúl for the Ogham fidh known as Emancholl.

I don't think that Skilly-Nilly will be much help to me in this matter.
Searles O'Dubhain

I didn't really understand the question either, so you're completely right that I wouldn't be much help.

What did occur to me was 'there's no ogham for blood'; then I thought 'but there could be if there was an Ogham of Body Parts'; I thought about that for a moment... the ogham 'spleen', the ogham ' islets of Langerhans'... well maybe not.

To me, blood is like sea-water. The important part of sacrifice is intent. And mastery of it is knowing what to offer up.