Beltane Emergence Moon
In moving myself toward the way of this retreat, I have consulted a two-volume work I bought a year ago and have not used with any intent, the Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary. It was difficult to learn how to use it, at least for me, and it took me a good while to get my bearings, but I finally found a section that had some rich associations with What is your walk?
A listing under the more general category of travel contains words related to travel in a specific direction.
Here is a complete listing of words, in historical order, that have meant or mean travel in a specific direction in English: begang OE. lode OE-1400. way OE. one’s way c 1205. trade c1375-1564. course c1380. trace 1400-1768. raik c1400-1425. race c1400-c1480. track 1570. voye 1578. tract 1616-1865. career 1642-1651. gate 1735. line of march 1835.
Under this listing then comes other phrases or words with a direct relation to travel in a specific direction. Where there is more than one word, they are listed in historical order, though I chose not to put in dates. (too fussy)
1. aim
2. compass course
3. easting, northing, westing, southing. (naut.)
4. counter-course
5. collision course
6. stepping
7. round, beat, route
8. rithryne (OE) straight/right
9. zigzagerry, tack, zig-zagging, darning
10. compass, circuit, circumference, compassing, ymbangt (OE), circuiteer
11. ascent, slope, breasting.
12. descent
13. deviation from straight course: aeflast (OE), ymbswaepe (OE), turn, wrying, circumference, extravagancy, extravagation, outstepping, deviation, detour, left. digression.
14. straying/going astray: gedwolfaer (OE), stray, vagation, out-way going, gate will, will gate, straying, tavering, estraying, wandering. strayer, stray, straggler, strayling. missing. disorientation. bewildering. estray.
(Albert Bierstadt – Estes Park, Colorado, Whyte’s Lake)
