Celtic Tree Month of : Alder

Alder 3/18-4/14

The alder is native to Europe & Britain, it is found growing in swampy land near banks of streams & river.  It's a cousin of birch & hazel & generally grows near them in forests.  It needs the rivers to proprogate itself,  it grows up to heights of 70 feet; it matures after 30 years.  It grows up to 150 years old.  The ripe seeds falls in October and November.  

In the Norse legends the month of March was called the "the lengthening month of the waking alder", the specific time was called "Lenct", & was a time of enforced fasting as the last of the winter's provisions became scarce.  This practice eventually became known as Lent, once the church came into power.  

In Irish legend the alder was the first male created, & the first female was made from the rowan tree.  It's also known as the faerie tree, said to grant access to the realms.

Correspondences: 

Irish: Gaelic Name:  Fearn
Ogham/ Rune: ; |=, Ansuz
Ruling Planet:  Venus
Abilities: Divination, prophetic, Protection of self & country, 
Seasons:
Spring, Autumn
Aspect: Colors: PurpleHeart Chakra
Birds:  Hawk, Seagull & Raven
God/Goddess:        Cronos, Vernostonus, Bran, 
Element:   Water & Fire

Ogham/ Rune: ;

Ansuz means the mouth, the voice of the Goddess, signals, true vision. The other Rune is Isa standstill, time to turn inward. 

Uses: These are some ideas of how to incorporate Alder into your life

• The bark, fruit & leaves can be used as a dye
• Black Alder's inner bark can be used to make a wound wash especially for deep external wounds, & as a tea for internal injuries
• Fresh bark is an emetic (vomiting agent)
• If your going to be faced with an argument or dispute, bring a piece of alder bark with you for protection

Old Healing Lore:

• Make a tea of the leaves or bark and use on burns or inflammation
• Freshly picked leaves are great insect repellents
• Native American Tribes used the alder for a variety of purposes from treating diphtheria, to cramps & vomiting, and for rheumatic complaints,  the innder bark & leaves were used for fevers, to stop internal bleeding. It was also used a wash for sprains, bruises, headaches & back pain.

Magical

• Alder makes you confront your fears.  In the Ogham when Alder turns up. it is time to use the alder shield to protect you from the excess of emeotions. Call on alder's spirit to face down fear & anger

Lore:

• Once used in the shields of the warriors, the alder tree is associated with a local warrior hunter God named Vernostonus in Scotland, his name translates to "The Red One" since when cut the tree bleeds red.
• Tyrol (a German belief) states that the tree is associated with the dead & magicians after a young boy witnessed a dead woman being brought back to life when the wood was supsitited in her body for a part that was missing.  
• In Scotland, there are tales of peope being taken by the faires and alder logs being left in their place. One such tale is of a groom who dies then returns to his bride and tells her he has been taken by the fairies when his tomb was opened, in place of his corpse was a log of alder.
• In Irish tales it is associtaed with the white fairy horse  & water sprites. 

Fun Facts:  

• When cut the wood turns from white to red making it look like blood
• Before there were insect repellant or glue traps, wet alder leaves were gathered and strewn on the floor, insects got stuck to teh leaves and died
• Alder was once used to create musical pipes, which were believed to be so harmonious that the top branches of Alder trees became known as the "oracular singing head of Bran" the raven god. 
• The whistles made from Alder was believed to be able to 'whistle up' the North Wind
• As a water tree, the Alder doesn't rot, so it was used to make boats, canal gates, bridges & platforms and piles. Out of water the wood will split making it an unlikely choice as fence post.  In Scotland it is nicknamed the "Scottish mahogany" as it was used to make furniture.  

Learn More Here then check out the resources below.


Resources:
Tree Legends for the Tyrol Lore
Celtic Tree Mysteries by Stephen Blamires
A Tree in Your Pocket by Jacqueline Memory Peterson
Alder Image (Your dictionary.com)
Druid's Herbal of Sacred Tree Medicine

Welcome the New Month!!

Celtic Tree Month of : Reed

Reed/Broom/Furze  Oct 28 - Nov 23

Also called "Physician's Power".  Although not an actual tree, the profusely growing reeds were used in everyday aspects as well as spiritual aspects of the Celts of the British Isles.  Used within the building of homes, the reed which is a natural insulator helped during the winter months to help keep the cold at bay, they also lasted for years as parts of the thatched roofs and for this was ascribed the protection aspect.  

The reeds were also crushed and used as 'rushes' a floor covering, they helped to give off a cleansing smell to the home, hence the purification aspect.  During windy days, when the winds blew through the reeds, it created a tone, which the hearer believed was a message being sent from the Otherworld.  Flutes, pipes, & whistles were carved from Reeds and were used especially bu the Bards of the time, as it created a special sound when played.  Reed also had other practical applications, it was also used in broom (hence it's other name), arrows, mats, baskets, and perhaps even writing implements 
   
Irish/Gaelic name: giolcach/ giolc
Ruling planet:  Pluto, Moon, Sun, Mars
Abilities: Protection, communication, purpose, purification, clarification,
Seasons:Autumn, Spring
God/Goddess:  Lugh, Cernunnos, Mannannan Mac Lir, Epona, Morrigan, Callieach Bheur
Aspect: Masculine

Correspondences:  

Bird: Cormorant, 

Element:  Fire

Ogham/Rune:  n Getal, nGeadal

Uses: These are some ideas of how to incorporate Reed into your life

Old Healing Lore:

• A decoction of the young branches and seeds, can be used to aide in relieving gout, sciatica (longest nerve in the body becomes inflamed or overstimulated); as well as painful joints, frequent bouts of fever and it is believed to also help in relieving malaria symptoms.  
• It also works as a diuretic and a kidney cleanser as it aides in breaking down kidney stones. 
• When the reed is heated over a fire, a oil appears which can be used to relieve toothaches.
•  If the oil is collected and allowed to cool it's a good way to cleanse the skim of lice

Caution: If the dose is too strong, or too much is taken it can cause violent vomiting.

Lore:  Most older homes of the UK have a gorse bush hedging, these helped during the early days of laundry care as it held the clothing in place(they didn't fly away). The hedging could also be cultivated to be used as burning timber, although as a "wood" it burnt ouy quickly.  
 although like the plants of the mint family once planted and rooted this plant took over and was very hard to remove.

When the Winter came, gorse was mashed and used to help feed the cattle, feral/free ponies also ate the gorse bushes.  You can also use it to protect newly planted vegetable gardens or newly sown seeds from birds.  
Magical Uses:

• Use to sweep your ritual area to purify and protect it.
• Burn the shoots and blooms to help calm wind in elemental spells

Fun Facts:

• In the olden days, when the Scots and Irish were travellers of the land, they would change winter camps not by the date on the calender but the appearance of the gorse flowers.
• In Wales, gorse is supposed to guard against witches
• Gorse is added to bridal bouquets to bring in fertility aspect to the new couple
• The flowers were used as a dye, & was made into whiskey; the Danes used it to make beer
• The gorse was once used to capture gold flecks from the rivers, after they were covered in gold the branches would be burned and the nuggets captured and used.  

Resources:
Druidry.org
Celtic Tree Mysteries by Steve Blamiers
The Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom by Caitlin & John Matthews
My personal book of shadows
Victorian Farm


Happy New Month

Celtic Tree Month of: White Ash

Ash Feb 18- March 17
With the Norse tradition, it is called the World Tree or Yggdrasil. this is one of the trees most sacred to the Druids along with Oak, & Thorn. 
In Magickal workings the Ash tree appears when you have walked your path for a while and slowly become bored (perhaps your not being challenged enough), it is here where one must pick up the Ash tree spear and 'check the peace' (not to start a war) but to bring yourself out of your boredom.   The spear as well as the ash symbolize  the magician's willpower

Irish: Gaelic Name    

Nion or Nuin

Ogham/ Rune: 
Nion, Hagalaz

 Ruling Planet: 
Sun

Abilities: 

Marriage bed of opposites, quick intellect, clarity, inner and outer worlds linked; protective, prosperity, sea rituals, health

Seasons: Summer

God/Goddess:  Olokun, Eshu, Ogun, Ososi, Neptune, Mars, Uranus, Neptune, Thor, Poseidon, Woden, Gwydion, Lugh

Aspect: Masculine

Correspondences:

Element: Fire

Ogham/Rune 
 Nion: is the symbol of connectivity, and creativity; transitions between the worlds

Hagalaz ( H, Hail) Wrath of nature, destructive, uncontrolled forces, especially the weather, or within the unconscious. Tempering, testing, trial. Controlled crisis, leading to completion, inner harmony. Hagalaz Merkstave (Hagalaz cannot be reversed, but may lie in opposition): Natural disaster, catastrophe. Stagnation, loss of power. Pain, loss, suffering, hardship, sickness, crisis.

Uses: 

These are some ideas of how to incorporate Ash into your life

Old Healing Lore:

• In early Britain, the juice of an ash stick was generally give to newborns to help protect them from harm. As the tree was linked to rebirth and new life, it was believed to protect children who passed through any splits's in the tree trunk.
• the bitter bark of an ash branch was used to ease intermittent fevers.
• the bark from the root was even more potent and in early medicine was used in treating arthritic rheumatism and liver diseases.
• an infusion of ash leaves gathered when they give off their sticky substance in May or June and powdered after drying can be used to treat rheumatism

Magical:

• This is the best time for magick that focuses on the inner self
• Ocean rituals and honoring of Ocean Gods
• Prophetic dreams, place leaves underneath you pillow to encourage these dreams.
• Spiritual journeys
• Make tools (magical & mundane)  from this wood are said to work more productively than any other tools. Odin's spear was made from the Ash tree. 
• it is also associated with magical potency
• To attract a member of the opposite sex, carry the leaves with you.
• place in a bowl beside your bed with water and some ash leaves to keep away illness change the water daily and place fresh leaves again in at night.
• Seek balance between the spiritual world and the mundanes, as it all connects you to others.
• make a protective charm by carving a solar cross (equal armed cross) into a piece of ash and wear it to protect against drowning while at sea
• use as a spear to represent the power that resides in water in ocean/sea rituals
• Hang over doors to ward off harmful influences from entering the home
• use the leaves in protective sachets, and spells, as well as scattering them to     the four corners of your property to protect it.
• use to make healing wands, cut the branches at midsummer
• use the leaves in love rituals,
• when out camping place the bark or twigs around your camp bed, as this will keep snakes away from your bed (as they don't like the tree)
• burn at Yule for prosperity
• You can carve puppets from the roots of the Ash tree
• according to Scott Cunningham in the old days a garter was made from the bark of a green ash tree (a young tree) and worn as protection against the powers of sorcerers and conjurers.
• In Maypole ceremonies, use an ash tree

Lore:
In the Scandinavian mythology, the World Tree was where the Gods met and conducted their business.  The World Tree symbolized the Universe, and as such was highly revered, it reached the heavens, the middle world and was also of the underworld as it's roots spread out so far.  Odin hung himself for nine days as a sacrifice from the branches of the tree It is also from this tree that the first man was made.


Odin's followers the Berserker(s) were initiated by a spear consecrated to Odin and made from Ash.  Thor's followers who were less bloodthirsty than Odin's ruled the sky, crops, and the weather. Thor's power was symbolized by his Hammer, and his Ashen Spear. The Vikings were later called "Aescling" which meant Men of Ash, because of their reliance on the magic of the ash tree. Many of their sea faring vessels where constructed of oak, but had Ash for all of "magical" parts.


In Celtic myth the Ash is seen often at reflecting pools of wisdom or near wells. In the older legends the most famous spear belonged to Lugh of the Long Arm; which he brought from the Otherworld city of Gorias. 
 In the Irish tale of Saint Patrick he used an Ash tree spear to drive the snakes from Ireland. This probably is also why it's good to use the twigs to create a barrier around your camping site, since they don't like to go near the tree. When Christianity came to Ireland, many of the ancient sacred trees where said to have been felled, as a symbol of Christianity's power over Paganism, in fifth century AD.


In Greek myths the Goddess Nemesis carried a ash branch as a symbol of the divine instrument of justice of the Gods. Nemesis is the daughter of Oceanus, which strongly shows the correlation between Ash and the Ocean, and it's life sustaining abilities.


Fun Facts:

•  the tree would also prevent other trees from growing around it by 'souring' the ground, which made it the only tree in a area. 
• ash wood is quick growing, doesn't split when being worked and it the toughest and most 'elastic' of all timbers. An ashen joint will bear more weight than any other, which is why it was mostly used in wagon, coaches, oars, & furniture

Information gathered from a variety of sources including:

A tree in your pocket, by Jacqueline Memory Paterson

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham

Celtic Tree Mysteries by Stephen Blamaires

Patti's Blog

Rune information from My Book of Shadows

Tree Legends

Happy new Month

Celtic Tree Month of: Rowan

Rowan  Jan 21 - Feb 17
Irish: Gaelic Name: Luis
Ogham/ Rune: l= , Nuathiz (need)
 Ruling Planet: Sun
Abilities: Protection against enchantment, protection of ley-lines, & of stone circles. highest pure magic, Control of all senses, Healing, Psychic powers, Success, To do with the element of Fire
Seasons: Spring, Autumn
Rowan: Sorbus aucuparia Deciduous 
God/Goddess: Brigid, Thor, 
Colors: Red, Grey
Aspect: feminine (in the Scandinavian traditions) Masculine (in the Celtic and Druidic traditions)

The Rowan tree is a small tree that grows up to about 30 feet, the branches of the tree rarely die, which allows the tree to maintain it's shape through out it's life time.  Rowan is a part of the rose family along with Hawthorne, Apple and Wild Cherry. this tree loves high altitudes and can be found as high up as 2500 feet, which led to it being dubbed "the Lady of the Mountain". 
It has many alternate names including: Witch Tree, Mountain Ash, Tree of Quickening, Thor's Helper and Witch Wood.

Correspondences:
Purple, green
Herbs: Snake root, rosemary
Element: venom, earth
Goddess: Norns, Sif 
Animal: Swan, vole

Ogham/Rune
Luis  in old Irish means, Luis means "blaze", or even Lus which means "herb", the other association is caetheand which means "Rowan"
Nauthiz  means: need or constraint, necessity. resistance which leads to strength, self initiated change, patience and difficult learning situations. 
Uses:
As Food:
The berries are great for winter food for many birds, which is why it is also called the 'bird-catcher tree'.
For humans, particularly in the UK, the berries of the Rowan tree are used to make jams, or jellies which are used with game like deer, boar, or wild birds.
They can be substituted for coffee beans, and have been used to flavor liqueurs and in cordials.
The berries are best when they have been collected after first frost, as this helps to cut down on the parasorbic acid which can cause kidney damage, if eaten raw. These berries must be either frozen or cooked to make the acid become neutral. 

Magical:

• The Rowan tree has been a favorite of many as a perfect wand, as it is used for protection and high magic.  It also repels negative energy which makes it a perfect wand which won't need to be cleansed as the protection magic is contained within the wood itself.
• Rowan wood is also great for use as runes
• Wear a sprig of Rowan as a charm against charms or enchantment
• Can be used in metal diving and dowsing
• Add berries and bark to healing bath sachets as well as power, success and luck sachets
• Crack the berries and inside is a tiny pentagram, which is why it is named "Witch Wood". carry a small amount of berries to increase psychic powers
• Burn berries and bark in incense used for scryings and divination.

Lore:
In Wales, branches of the Rowan tree would be hung above the beams of the front door to guard and protect the home.
Within churchyards, Rowan trees were planted to ward away evil and protect the property. And it was planted in many cemeteries, since the tree generally lived to about 100, it was believed to protect those buried beneath it.

The Rowan is sacred to Thor, because of the legend that states that the tree bent over a rapidly flowing river in which Thor was being swept away in and helped him back to shore, which gave it it's name of Thor's Helper.

More Information is found here in my video:


Information Gathered from:
My book of shadows, "A tree in your Pocket" by Jacqueline Memory Paterson, Patti's Blog, and Tree Legends. Rowan tree at Wikipedia.com
Celtic Tree Mysteries by Steve Blamires (Currently reading)


Happy New Month
Be Blessed

Celtic Tree Month of : Birch

December 24th-January 20th
Irish/Gaelic name: Beith
Ruling planet: Venus
Abilities: Healing, new starts and beginnings, mysteries of the young goddess. To do with the elements of AIr and Water Protection, creativity and fertility
Seasons: Spring and Autumn
Silver Birch Betula alba (pendula) deciduous.

Whenever a fire happens Birch is the first tree is the first to grow back. It's a a hardy tree which can live for up to 100 years. 

Some magic lore from paganwiccan.about.com:
Tie a red ribbon around the trunk of a Birch tree to ward off negative energy. Hang Birch twigs over a cradle to protect a newborn from psychic harm. Use Birch bark as magical parchment to keep writings safe.


Here are my videos about Birch and the Celtic tree month:

This is video two:

Have a blessed and Sacred Month my loves.

Happy new month