Reading The Trees18:10 Jan 25 2018
Times Read: 466
Birch(Bieth)
Birch Lore-The traditions relating to the birch are ambiguous. On the positive side itis seen as protective,guarding children against the weakness that may overshadow them in early life. At one time, however, it was used to whip children(hence "birching"),though this probably reflects the need to drive out evil spirits rather than a desire to punish. In the same way, birch twigs were used to "beat the bounds" or "boundaries" of a piece of land: those who were born in a place needed to know the exact dimensions of their land, so were shown where the boundaries lay. Birch's bright trunk and silvery shade has ensured a lasting association with bodies of light, for sun,moon and stars all appear in the traditions relating to it.
Rowan(Luis)
Rowan Lore-It is thought that the rowan got its name from the Norse word runa, meaning 'charm'. It has had an association with protection from ancient times, and is often found growing close to houses and churchyards to ward off evil presences. Traditions speak of the rowan as an especially powerful protector against witchcraft, and that to bind a piece of red thread around a twig of rowan can turn aside the strongest spell.
Alder(Fearn)
Alder Lore- When cut, the sap of the alder assumes a rusty colour, which gave rise to the idea that the tree was bleeding. In the ancient world this was seen as an indication of the tree's generosity, that it was giving of itself to help defend the land.
Willow(Saille)
Willow Lore-One of the oldest trees in Europe, the willow has a set of ancient and well defined traditions. It loves water and generally grows close to rivers and streams, which is reflected in its Celtic name, saille: sal means 'near' and lis, 'water' = a tree that grows by the water. This element was always seen as a means of crossing between the worlds, and journeys were taken by boat(either in actuality or vision) to the otherworld in search of inspiration and wisdom.
Ash(Nuin)
Ash Lore-The dual powers of the ash are its strength and its rootedness in wisdom, and both of these aspects are clearly reflected in this tree's mythology. Three of the five scared trees of Ireland are ash trees, for instance. Yggdrasil, the world ash of Scandinavian myth, is the tree that supports the world, and wisdom itself is drawn from its roots, protected by the ancient keepers of destiny called the Norns, It is also seen as the steed of god Odin, who hung himself on the ash tree in order to discover the runes from all of humanity.
Hawthorn(Huath)
Hawthorn Lore- The hawthorn's history is inextricably linked with traditional May Day celebrations.At the time of the old Celtic festival of Beltain, the beginning of summer was celebrated with wildness and passion.
Oak(Duir)
Oak Lore- The oak has been called the first among trees-not surprisingly, since it is often the tallest and most imposing in any grove. In Britain it is frequently called the royal oak, while to the Druids (whose names means "Oak Wisdom") it was the central tree of their mysteries, acknowledged in Ireland as the tree sacred to the Dagda, father god of Celtic tradition who, like the oak itself, never failed to give hospitality to all who asked for it.
Holly(Tinne)
Holly Lore- Holly is one of the most ancient plants associated with midwinter. Its evergreen leaves and scarlet berries suggest both its immortal status and its connection with the sacredness of blood, and for this reason it was considered one of the strongest trees,connected with protection. To wear a sprig of Holly insured the wearer against the wiles of the faery people.
Hazel(Coll)
Hazel Lore- For the Celts, the hazel is deeply connected with wisdom, and the fruit of the tree (known as "the food of the gods") has an important place in the iconography of learning. Irish traditions speaks of the sacred salmon who swim in a pool surrounded by nine hazel trees. When these trees dropped their nuts into the water below, the salmon ate them and then carried them to the sea and back in their annual spawning run. This endless cycle was seen as a metaphor for the passing of wisdom from age to age and from person to person.
Apple(Quert)
Apple Lore- Apples are associated with immortality and the paradise of the otherworld. Beneath this lies a fear of the visionary gifts of the fruit, which give people too much knowledge.
Blackberry(Muin)
Blackberry Lore- The oldest references to this letter(Muin) describe it as a vine - which is a curious idea, since there were no native vines in the Celtic world. Most commentators see the blackberry as being nearest in nature to the vine, both growing rampantly wherever they are found and spreading across the ground or over walls with equal ease. In some cultures the blackberry is said to be the bush into which the angel Lucifer fell when he was thrown out of heaven. This has led to the blackberry having a less friendly set of associations so called 'blackberry winters'.
Ivy(Gort)
Ivy Lore- The form and shape of ivy, together with its spiralling growth pattern, have caused the shrub to be associated with the movements of the stars and constellations. Ivy has long been held to be sacred to the moon, just as holly is seen as devoted to the sun.
Fern(Ngetal)
Fern Lore- Like some of the others in this sequence, the fern is not really a tree at all. However, its magical properties are well attested, and we should bear in mind that our modern arboreal categories have not always been as they are now. The fern is seen first of all as a preserver, offering shelter to those in need, although it has other properties as well. Belief in its magical power derived from the idea that the fern bloomed and produced seed for a breif period during the night of the summer solstice.
Blackthorn(Straif)
Blackthorn Lore- The blackthorn's magical power is well attested. Wizards used to carry staffs made from blackthorn, and (because it suggests a link with magic) in parts of Ireland it is still seen as unlucky to carry a staff made from the wood.
Elder(Ruis)
Elder Lore- The elder has strong associations with witchcraft and transformation in Britain. Witches were rather fond of turning themselves into elders, a transformation that seemed to give them even greater strength. Some say that to sleep beneath an elder tree is to wake in the otherworld, while it is also believed that if you stand under the tree on Midsummer's Eve you will see the faery troop go by.
Scots Pine(Ailm)
Scots Pine- The Scots pine is one of the oldest trees native to Britain. However, though our most significant contact with it today is probably at Christmas when various pine or fir species are brought into the house and decorated the tree once had a far wider significance. The idea of decorating a tree is itself a memory of a far older tradition, in which a pine was felled and decorated with shiny objects, either as offerings to a particular god or as a reminder of the starry heavens caught in the tree's branches.The pine was also considered to be a strong protection for women in childbirth.
Gorse(Onn)
Gorse Lore- Gorse flowers virtually all year round, and wherever it is seen its golden colour is particularly heartening. 'When the gorse is in bloom, kissing is in season' - this implies that love is permanently in the air. The yellow flowers of the gorse in full bloom, along with its evergreen leaves, inevitably link it with the sun and life's eternal nature.
Heather(Ur)
Heather Lore- Heather, especially white heather, is synonymous with good luck, potency and longing, and when planted in a circle around fruit-bearing trees the trees will produce far more fruit. Pink or purple heather is believed to be stained by the blood of the Pictish warriors who fought and died in Scotland and the Borders.
White Poplar(Edadh)
White Poplar Lore- One can see why the Ogam word lists use 'animation' for the poplar, since its leaves seem to tremble constantly. White poplar, rather than black, is said to be lucky and to have curative properties - sacred to the semi divine hero Hercules.
Yew(Idho)
Yew Lore- The yew is most likely associated with perseverance because of their connection with tales of doomed love, in which only the lovers' tenacity keeps them together, and sometimes results in their reconnection beyond the grave.
Aspen(Eabhadh)
Aspen Lore- Like the poplar, the aspen is known as a 'shivering tree' and, because of this, in folklore they are often linked with healing ailments that cause people to shake.
Spindle(Oir)
Spindle Lore- The spindle gets it name from its primary purpose - the making of spindles for use in weaving. This has given t a powerful association with the weaving of destiny, bringing into its sphere the deities connected with the sacred arts of spinning and weaving. The Norns and The Fates had close connections with the spindle, who wove and cut off the threads of life.
Honeysuckle(Uinllean)
Honeysuckle Lore- Honeysuckle folklore centres around love and courtship. In Lowland Scotland, a young man visiting his sweetheart always carried a stick cut from the honeysuckle, as it was said to bring luck to the venture and to indicate honourable intentions.
Gooseberry(Ifin)
Gooseberry Lore- The gooseberry's thorny nature meant that in Germany it was planted around cowsheds to fend off witches or faeries. The spines themselves can be seen as a symbolic statement of the fruits of ancient wisdom that in the Mysteries are protected from casual discovery.
Beech(Phagos)
Beech Lores- The beauty and femininity of the beech is obvious - traditionally, it is called the 'Queen of the Woods', sharing a place of honour with the kingly oak. Local British traditions associate it with serpents. It is said that no harm would ever befall a traveller sheltering beneath its branches, while prayers uttered in its shade were bound to be answered, just as any curse spoken there was said to be more effective.
COMMENTS
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Agdistis
20:30 Jan 31 2018
What's your source for this? I don't doubt you, but I've only ever seen Kithani before.
ErebustheDead
02:45 Feb 01 2018
My sources come from actual vamp houses and from actual ancient scripts