Ivy: Gort

The names of the Celtic tree months come from some of the letters of the Ogham. The Ogham is an ancient alphabet believed to have originated in the 4th century (possibly as early as the 1st) in what is now the southwest region of Ireland. 

The Celtic month of Ivy, August 8 - September 4, is associated with:

Ogham: Gort – (gor' it) represents the labyrinth into our heart center, the spiral to our inner knowing, the path of our soul. Gort is the Irish name of the twelfth letter of the Ogham alphabet, meaning "field", which is closely related to Welsh garth meaning "garden."

The energy of Gort is sacred and personal, yet connected to universal oneness. Joseph Campbell's "The Hero's Journey" discusses the monomyth that follows a protagonist on a quest where they face a huge challenge that causes them to develop skills and/or new knowledge, then returns home transformed. Earlier writers explored the hero's journey as well, but regardless of who originated the concept, it is a timeless narrative that can be found in nearly every type of storytelling and is widely used by novelists and screenwriters in a multitude of variations.

If we consider our own life's journey, we can choose a pivotal moment and reflect on how we were living one way before the big obstacle or change, and how we were forever changed by surviving and learning from it. Astrologers point to our first Saturn return, which occurs in our late 20s, and is often a period of time that causes a person to feel like they've become an adult.

Personally, my Saturn return began when father died unexpectedly and, as his only child, I had to make the decision to remove him from life support, plan his funeral, and settle his meager estate. Next, my grief and self-reflection led to ending a relationship, which meant I had to move, and I ended up needing to work three jobs--all in a matter of months. Just as things were somewhat stabilizing, I had emergency gallbladder surgery, which cost me two of my three jobs because while I was healing I couldn't lift heavy patients or clean my clients homes. I was left with relying solely on my spiritual work for several months. On New Year's Eve 1999, I walked a brand new labyrinth as bells rang out for the year 2000. It was the first time I ever experienced the profound awareness that comes from slowly, meditatively, spiraling into the center of a labyrinth. Despite everything I'd been through, I left that unique New Year's Eve event with a deep inner knowing that everything would turn out okay, especially if I followed my spiritual path. As I did so, my clients grew to be a full time income source, I met a new love, we got engaged, and 364 days after that labyrinth walk, we got married. This December will be our 24th anniversary.

If you get the opportunity to walk a labyrinth, I highly recommend trying it. Regardless, Gort reminds us to take time to spiral inward and to connect with what our heart knows.

Do what lights you up,
Sadie

Please note: Some people start the tree calendar with Birch in January, which follows the solar calendar. However, I learned them in an older tradition, which aligns with the 13-month lunar calendar. It's up to you to discern what feels right for you, of course.

See also: 

Leo 2024
Virgo 2024
Ivy August 8 – September 4
Ivy: Gebo
Ivy: Opal
Ivy: Spider
Ivy: Labyrinth
Celtic Tree Months