Yggdrassill, the world tree that supports and binds together all the layers of the universe, is an Ash tree. The Ash is the major oracular tree in all the Northern cultures. Just as in Beith, the rune and the ogham use the same symbol and have very similar meanings. Nuin is the ogham, As is the rune of the Ash tree. The meaning is that messages have been or will be sent, and to be alert to them. Unlike the other oracular trees, the messages being sent by Nuin are always of great importance and can be life changing. We can expect when we choose this card that some event will occur that will affect more than ourselves.

Although in general it is a dangerous temptation to put ourselves in the hero spot or star role of an unfolding story, often the message of Nuin is that we do have a decisive part to play in larger events. We may be able to bring a needed skill, knowledge, or attribute to an important effort; or we may be called upon for an action or sacrifice. In the Northern mythos, Odin is the archetype for sacrifice. He gave one of his eyes in exchange for a drink of water from the well of knowledge at the base of the world tree, and hung on Yggdrassill for several days and nights to learn the meanings of the runes. Thought and Memory, the two ravens, fly over the Middle World and return to sit on Odin's shoulders to tell him what they have seen. Thus, knowledge of the Middle World and understanding of the Spirit World are his rewards for personal sacrifice.

The demands that follow this omen can be serious, but they will not be beyond our strength. We must look inside ourselves for what we already know but have not yet perceived. Ash trees produce distinctive seeds, or keys. These are the symbol that we have the keys to understanding available to us. We should be prepared to follow honest advice, and to think globally about the effects of our local actions. The card reversed tells us to avoid insularity and biased opinions.

Wands are made of ash wood, in order to open a channel from the Spirit World to the mundane world. Wands or staffs are one of the magical weapons, but one which has always resonated with magic. Even in the days when arrows, bows, and spears were unremarkable tools of war, wands and staffs had a glamour around them. They can, now as then, only be used with knowledge and understanding. Ash wands, leaves, or keys can be used in spellworking to show our readiness to receive messages but we cannot, of course, force the cosmos to direct itself along the path we choose. This ogham reminds us of our very small part in the all, and we should remember this in our dealings with others and with the greater world.