Wait, what does this have to do with music? Or zodiac?

Well, there is a Celtic zodiac. And it’s gorgeous. I’ll start with a picture of a Hawthorn from my back garden. Ours is pink, but they sometimes bloom white or a mix.

In Celtic zodiac, the tree that is blossoming as you were born is the influence over your life. There’s an animal apiece, but that’s for another post.

Here’s where it’s even more lovely. Each tree is a letter in Ogham. Ogham is an old Celtic runic alphabet, usually found on monumental inscriptions dating from the 4th to the 6th century AD, and in manuscripts dating from the 6th to the 9th century. I’ll mainly be focusing on tree Ogham, or ogham craobh, for this, but all of it is fascinating.

you can see it below:

Hawthorn is the tree that overlaps with part of Gemini (May 13 – June 9). Some overlap into the other signs with Oak or Ash.

How are Hawthorns illusionists? They deal with duality. That tree may be covered in gorgeous, abundant blossoms, but those hide lethal thorns. Even though they are beautiful, they should never be brought inside the home, even the branches. This is partially due to the fact that the cut branches give off the same chemical components as those found in rotting flesh.

The Hawthorn is imbued with male energy, and yet it is historically a symbol of fertility and associated with the female goddess aspects (mother, maiden, crone). It is a perfect symbol of harmony between opposites, the sides of yin and yang. Those born under the blossom of the Hawthorn can live seemingly mundane lives, with a hidden (or not-so-hidden), inexhaustible, creative flame.

Naturally curious, an excellent listener, and extremely socially adaptable, with a particularly keen insight, Hawthorns are marvellous at comforting both themselves and others. Hawthorns match well with those born under Ash and Rowan.

The linked animal for this tree is the Seahorse, another versatile, adaptable creature, with hidden talents. Full of tricks and surprises, a Seahorse is happy to soak up all the information in their immediate surroundings, and needs a steady creative diet to remain buoyant. Seahorses are happy to float along until they find something worth grabbing on to with their tail and anchoring on. Another interesting aspect of the Seahorse, is its ability to camouflage – something that dovetails nicely with the duality of the Hawthorn.

A Seahorse needs to be enchanted by whatever they choose to do. Here are a few more keywords to describe them:

• Witty
• Diverse
• Restless
• Curious
• Creative
• Versatile
• Charming
• Intelligent
• Energetic
• Intelligent
• Adaptable
• Energetic
• Expressive
• Persuasive
• Perceptive
• Resourceful
• Independent
• Communicative
• Unconventional

I took some of these ideas for 12:12:12, but overall it is a fascinating area of study. I love the idea of looking to trees and honouring a person in that way.