Celtic dictionary: Ivy

September 30 - October 27 - "Moon of Buoyancy"

Because of its ability to climb and cling to almost all surfaces, the Druids regarded the Ivy as being the symbol of resolve and strength. Known to be able to strangle trees, this plant was believed to be an omen of death, but also of spiritual growth. The image of Arianrhod, the Goddess of the Moon, was affiliated to the Ivy and rituals to this deity were supposed to open the doors to the Otherworld. Used correctly, the Ivy allegedly healed headaches and muscle cramps. In modern days, however, there is a reluctance to using Ivy for medicinal purposes. Symbol of the journey of the soul, the Ivy inspired the offering of assistance to others so that a helping hand be offered in return. It was seen as the more powerful sibling of the Vine, but due to its ability to enthrall even the mightiest of trees and its ominous nature, the Ivy was also regarded as the Vine's enemy.

The Ivy is an extremely versatile plant, that can grow virtually everywhere, from fertile soil to arid wasteland, using even the tiniest of cracks and crannies as support and being able to even penetrate through brick and plaster. A very hardy plant, the Ivy is highly regarded today for its decorative role on dull buildings and it is known to be the only plant that will not dampen the walls.

The Ivy person can be of two distinct types. And it is as such with every tree in the zodiac: a first type called 'the new moon', related to the first two weeks of the sign, and 'the full moon' that obviously goes to the last two weeks of the respective sign.

Somehow resembling the Rowan, the 'new moon' Ivy individual has a tendency towards radical thinking, although combined with a more refined temperament than the Rowan counterpart. However, the Ivy individuals are prone to oscillating between two extremes in what their success is concerned. The 'full moons' are known as being generous persons, although they can get rather slippery when their financial status is questioned. When put in high positions, the 'full moon' individuals can rule with an iron hand, being quite ruthless, for which reason they are often involved in altercations and lawsuits.

Overall, the Ivy individuals are very energetic and sport a large array of talents. Although sociable and easy-going, the Ivy characters are quite restless. They can make friends with great ease and loathe offending others. If at first the Ivy persons may seem indecisive, they are really strong-willed and will handle challenging issues with amazing optimism. The Ivy individual has a strong creed in the natural balance of all things. Loyal and very responsible, the Ivy character will unfortunately attract people with little (if any) degree of morals, therefore he or she ought to be careful who real friends are. The Ivy-es also have an ill-boding type of luck and do not make for the brightest of students. Very sensitive persons, the Ivy characters fall in love at the drop of a dime and get over it just as fast. However, they make very caring and generous parents.

The Ivy character should always consider linking with others every time opportunity arises, that the more involved he or she is in the group consciousness, the more can be discovered about the inner self.

The Ogham symbol that is associated with the Ivy is Gort.

The lucky gemstone of the ones born under this sign is the Opal, known as Queen of Gems. With colors ranging from white, through red, green, milky blue, to brown and black, the Opal is a mineraloid that has a very high concentration of water. Due to the frail and delicate nature, the Opal is worn as a jewelry set in rings, pendants or earrings. Early in history, the Opal was believed to help lessen inhibitions and emphasize feelings and desires otherwise present only in the subconscious. Legend has it that the eerie beauty of the Opal is the result of the combination of the beauty of all other gems. The gem was a favorite stone amongst thieves, since it was believed to be able to render the wearer invisible.

The flower of the Ivy is the Woody Nightshade, also known as Bittersweet, Mad Dog's Berries or Blue Hate. The leaves of the Nightshade closely resemble those of the Belladonna, purple in color, but the berries are red instead of black. The flower blooms throughout the Summer and can usually found growing in hedgerows. Traditionally, the Woody Nightshade (not to be mistaken for the Deadly Nightshade) was placed on the body of the lovers in order to dispel the memories of former sweethearts.

The celestial body associated with the Ivy is the planet Persephone, believed by some astronomers to lie somewhere outside of Pluto.

The Ivy deity is Arianrhod, the Goddess of the Full Moon. She lives in a palace called 'Caer Arianrhod' (or simply Aurora Borealis) and she apparently helps women come to terms with their feminine powers.

Three animals are the representations of the Ivy: the Boar, the Goose and the Butterfly. The Boar, a war-like figure in the myths of the Celts was known to be dexterous and merciless. The Celts' weapons of war were more than often adorned with the image of a Boar. The skin of this animal was believed to heal battle wounds. The Goose was both the bringer of joy or sadness, luck or omens of death. The Celts used the Wild Geese as symbols of the God Spirit and buried them in the graves of warriors. Wherever Butterflies could be seen around the Otherworld, it was a clear sign that no negative energies were present anywhere near. The Butterfly was also seen as the capability to look at problems with increased clarity.

There are also other lesser influences for each sign of the Celtic zodiac. These influences can be traced by the specific date of birth within the major sign. In the case of the individual born under the sign of the Ivy, there are four influences, similar to the 'ascendants' in the European zodiac:

 

September 30 - October 3 - The Hazel

October 4 - October 13 - The Rowan

October 14 - October 23 - The Maple

October 24 - October 27 - The Walnut

 

The approximate equivalent of the Ivy sign in the Western/European zodiac is the Libra (September 23 - October 22).