
Trees have been with us since the dawn of time: ever watchful,
silently standing guard, save for the occasional sound of the leaves
as they whisper in the wind. As I stand before a giant sequoia in King's
Canyon National Park I am in awe of something with a far greater wisdom
and beauty than I can imagine. Trees have been symbolic throughout history
and have been magickal not only to Witches, but to those of many other
religions. Archaeological finds have provided evidence of the powerful
religious significance of trees to our early ancestors. Sprays of mistletoe
and boughs of oak trees having been found in many an ancient coffin.
Per eyewitness accounts during the Roman occupation of Britain and Gaul,
the druids held their ceremonies within groves of trees because they
believed it a sacrilege to worship in a man-made structure. Some Gaulish
altars have a tree image as the only decoration. The Germanic god Odin
underwent a voluntary self-sacrifice and endured a great suffering in
an ash tree, where he discovered runes. The Welsh god Lleu at his death
transformed himself into an eagle and took refuge in the branches of
an oak tree, which could neither be flooded by rain nor burned by fire.
It was said he suffered many tests and trials in the tree. Those are
just a few examples of the importance of trees in our varied and rich
history, mythological or otherwise. The vast amount of different types
of trees far outnumbers the pages allotted in this discussion, and so
I will focus on the history, folklore, and magickal uses of the Nine
Sacred Woods used in ritual fires: oak, pine, holly, hazel, juniper,
cedar, poplar, apple, and ash.
During the Bronze Age, many Indo-European cultures associated
the oak tree with weather gods. The significance of the weather gods
being in their effect on the harvest, which was essential to human survival.
The oak was particularly associated with gods of thunder and lightning
due to the fact that it is struck by lightning more often than other
trees. This is because its roots are at least as deep as its branches
are high, and it has a tendency to grow above subterranean watercourses.
The oak also had associations with war among many cultures from ancient
times: its wood was used to construct fortifications or battleships,
and the oak's thunder god might be called upon to use his power of lightning
to strike an enemy. The oak tree, at other times, seems to have a more
powerful, but caring and paternal quality. It is home to a multitude
of insects, birds, and mammals. The ancient Gauls and Romans associated
the oak with Mars Silvanus, the god of agriculture and healing. Eventually
Mars was transformed into a war diety and the culteral history of the
oak reflects this transition from the farmyard to the sword. There are
two important legendary figures associated with the oak: King Arthur,
who gathered his knights around the Round Table (which is said to be
made of oak), and Robin Hood, who lived among the oak trees of Sherwood
Forest. Both of these men symbolize a balance between the two qualities
of the oak tree: the caring, paternal qualities and the ability to fight
ruthlessly when justice demands it. There is much in the way of magickal
uses when it comes to the oak tree. It is a tree ruled by the sun, associated
with the element of Fire, and it bestows the qualities of protection,
healing, financial success, sexual potency, fertility, and general good
luck. Oak branches are traditionally burned in midsummer fires and used
to make wands and staves. To protect against evil you can make a cross
out of oak twigs tied together with red ribbon. To help in healing an
old wound, an old custom states that you should take a dressing that
has been on the injured body part, sprinkle it with oil of Rue, and
place it inside the hollow of an oak tree during the waning moon. The
wound will be transferred through the tree to the ground and dispersed
into the earth. The acorn is also a powerful magickal tool, which can
be carried to prevent pain or illness, or worn as a talisman of fertility,
immortality, and longevity. The Gaelic word for oak is duir,
from which we have made the word door. A door can be both a gateway
and a protector from outside influences. The oak opens the door for
a strong spirituality that is able to survive the tests of time.
The pine, comprised of more than ninety species of trees,
has played an important role in many cultures, most notably the Native
American’s. The Navajo used the needles from the pinyon pine as
a ceremonial medicine, and the Hopi applied the “gum” from
this same tree to the forehead as a protection from sorcery. The Ponderosa
pine is used by the Kawaiisu to hang a baby boy’s outgrown cradle
so that he will grow strong like a tree. The pine represents a balanced
life existence to the Iroquois. Other cultures revered the pine tree
as well: the Vikings used pine for their ships, Scottish clan chiefs
and warriors preferred to be buried under this tree, and pine was used
for the wall panels of royal burial chambers in Phrygia (modern western
Turkey). Taoist monks cherish the pine for its nuts, which according
to Taoist tradition, can bestow eternal life. In the ancient Mediterranean,
the pine was associated with life force, vitality, death, resurrection,
and particularly with the spirit of vegetation. Many pine trees were
dedicated to Pan in Greece, or Attis in Phrygia. Attis is the son of
the mother goddess Cybele, and at his death she transforms him into
a pine tree. During his annual spring festival, a decorated pine was
carried into the village. In the magickal world, pine is valued for
its associations with fertility, purification, and immortality. During
Yule and other winter rites, pine is burned and its branches are used
to sweep the floor in preparation for rituals. Crushed and dried pine
needles can be mixed with juniper and cedar and then burned to purify
the home. Pine cones are carried as fertility charms and pine nuts are
eaten for the same effect. It has been an old custom to place fresh
pine boughs on a coffin during funeral rites to symbolize immortality.
The pine grows in a circular shape, which symbolizes energy cycles like
the year’s seasonal wheel. It’s wood is soft, symbolizing
a strength that is gentle but firm.
The holly tree, for Wiccans, is often a reminder of the
battle between the Oak King and the Holly King, which takes place twice
a year. From midwinter to midsummer the Oak King rules the land, and
from midsummer to midwinter the Holly King does. In medieval Christianity,
John the Baptist was associated with the oak, and Jesus with the holly.
In fact the word “holly” comes from the Anglo-Saxon “holegn”
which means “holy”, and so holly made its way into some
church ceremonies, as a substitute for palms on Palm Sunday and as a
Christmas decoration. Some say the Druids used holly to decorate their
homes, as it was a sign to the woodland spirits that they would find
a safe haven from the storms of winter. To many ancient cultures, holly
was symbolic of male energy, and ivy was representative of the female
essence. Thus crowns interwoven of holly and ivy were made and given
to newlywed couples. Magickally speaking, Holly is said to be a tree
of protection. It is planted around the house as a general safeguard,
and in particular can be used to protect against poison, evil spirits,
and dangerous wild animals. You can use an infusion of holly to sprinkle
on newborn babies as a protective charm. Holly, associated with Saturn,
Mars, and the element of Fire, is a warrior tree, with thorns to defend
it. A spear of holly will give focus and direction to spiritual struggles,
will help to sharpen the wits, and give courage to succeed in your quests.
The hazel tree was considered to be the “tree of
knowledge” by the ancient Celts and was often referred to in poetry
of Irish Celtic tradition. In Welsh myth, King Arthur and his companions
search for the child Mabon (the child of the Great Mother), and after
a long journey find him underneath a hazel tree. The Latin name for
the hazel, sylvestris, is associated with the ancient Latin forest god
Silvanus. The hazel tree got a historical kudos in 1463 when Pope Pius
II praised them by saying that they provided ideal walks for poets,
as well as a home for the muses and nymphs, and perhaps even Diana herself.
Magickally speaking, the hazel tree is associated with the element of
Air, and is said to bestow fertility, protection, and wisdom. The power
of the hazel can be used to enhance intuitive knowledge and creative
impulses. Traditionally the forked branches of hazel were used to search
for hidden objects, water, and persons guilty of robbery. Binding two
hazel twigs into an equal armed cross with red yarn will bring good
fortune. The wood of the hazel is also said to be an anti-lightning
charm. One can use hazel twigs to form a circle on the ground for psychic
protection or to delineate sacred space. An old tradition states that
tree pieces of hazel wood driven into the walls of a house will protect
it from fire. In England the hazelnut was used in love divination on
Samhain. The hazelnut is sweet and compact and can be said to symbolize
concentrated wisdom.
The juniper tree was highly regarded throughout Europe
and many legends and folk tales represent the juniper as being a gateway
to other dimensions, for example the dwelling places of fairies or giants.
The Brothers Grimm collected a German tale called “The Juniper
Tree” which tells of a dead child whose soul rises from the juniper
as a bird. The juniper was, and still is, used as a place of offering
to the local nature spirits. Estonians traditionally worshipped the
patron god of livestock under the juniper. One way of communicating
with the spirit world is the smoke offering (smoke carries blessings
up into higher dimensions) and juniper smoke has been part of Celtic,
Germanic, Slavic, Baltic, Finno-Ugric, and Asian ritual. Tibetans also
offer juniper smoke in their temples for the blessing of all. Historically,
the Middle Ages were a time of widespread deforestation in Europe, and
one of the reasons the juniper is so rare today is that at that time
its acidic juice was found to be an effective contraceptive, and so
the Church encouraged the felling of junipers to protect the birth rate.
The juniper has an abundance of healing properties, and infusions made
from the tree can be made to treat a variety of medical problems, such
as kidney and liver problems, arthritis, gout, stress, and respiratory
congestion.
The cedar was known as the World Tree itself in southern
Mesopotamia around the fifth millennium BCE. It was said to be the abode
of Ea, the god of wisdom and the principal deity of that culture. Because
of this the cedar became an important tree for oracles and prophecy.
Babylonian tablets tell of initiation rites delivered under the cedar
tree. Even thought the cedar does not grow in Israel and Judea, it was
equally celebrated there. The Hebrew name for cedar, erez, occurs over
70 times in the Bible. Japanese tradition believes that trees have souls
and old Japanese legends speak of ancient cedars that oozed blood when
cut by an axe. The cedar is known as the tree of faithful love. There
is an old legend that tells of a secretary named Hanpang who worked
for King Kang of the Sung dynasty. King Kang lusted after Hanpang’s
wife, Ho, and had Hanpang thrown in jail where he died of grief. When
Ho learned of her husband’s death, she lept from a high terrace
to her own death to escape the king’s passions. She left a last
request that she be buried with her beloved husband, but the angry king
instead buried them apart. During the night, however, two cedars grew
from the two graves and within days their branches and roots were joined.
Magickally speaking, cedar is especially effective for burning at Yule
and at winter rites. It bestows qualities of prosperity, protection,
and healing. As an incense it purifies an area and banishes nightmares.
When hung in the house, cedar repels lightning and protects the home
from negative energies. Placed in the wallet or purse it will attract
money, or burn it to attract financial success and increase psychic
powers. Cedar smoke can be used to consecrate wands. Cedar is an herb
of the sun, its element is Fire, and it is said to be sacred to Astarte.
For the Lakota nation, the poplar is the sacred World
Tree. During their sun dance ceremony, a poplar is cut and lowered to
be re-erected in the center of the dance circle, and it must never touch
the ground while it is being carried. Green branches, eagle feathers,
and a buffalo skull decorate the tree during the rite. In Greek myth,
the poplar seems to be associated with the dead. The white poplar was
said to have originated on the banks of a river in the Greek underworld,
and a grove of black poplars in the northern Peloponnese was sacred
to Persephone; other groves were sacred to Hecate. Both are goddesses
of the underworld. Homer mentions the black poplar being at the entrance
to Hades, the realm of the dead. Magickally, poplar can be used as a
wood in ritual fires and has been used to make shields by ancient peoples
who believed its wood offered protection from death and disease. The
quaking leaves of the aspen were thought to be having conversation with
the wind. The wood of the poplar is used for protection and endurance
and is used to help one hear the guidance of the spirit as it moves
within and without.
Throughout time, the apple tree and its fruits have been
associated with love, courtship, and fertility, hence its association
with temptation in Christianity. However, despite popular belief, the
apple is not mentioned in the Biblical account of Adam and Eve. During
the Middle Ages and for many centuries that followed, many a fairytale
would tell that the eating of an apple would ensure offspring. In Transylvania,
there exists a custom in which a red apple is waved at the bride during
her wedding. A medieval love charm from Germany suggests writing certain
letters on a love apple and then giving it to the object of your affection
to eat. The apple was said to be sacred to Demeter, the goddess of corn
and sustenance, as well as Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Apple wood
has traditionally been used to make wands for love magic. The peel of
the apple can be dried and placed into sachets to attract love, while
the fruit itself can be eaten to ensure fertility. In magickal spells
the juice of the apple can be used in place of wine. Apple seeds and
bark may be burned as incense. Apples are said to strengthen the powers
of healing, garden magic, and immortality. Apple cider can be offered
as a libation to the newly turned earth of your garden or fields.
The ash tree was highly valued by our ancestors for its
healing powers and versatility as a building material. Mythologically,
the Melaie (nymphs of the ash tree) were said to be daughters of the
clouds and sea spirits. In later Classical times the ash was sacred
to Poseidon, one of the ocean gods. Pieces of this wood were taken aboard
ships as good luck charms not only in Classical times but years later
in the 19th Century when Irish immigrants were crossing the Atlantic
to America. The finding of a first-century druid staff made of ash,
and decorated with a solar spiral, was found on the isle of Anglesey,
showing an association between the ash tree and the druids. To the ancient
Celts ash symbolized creation, balance, and destruction: forces that
were said to be the sacred dimensions of every life’s journey.
Magickally, ash is suitable for making wands or the staff of a witches
broom. A staff of ash over the door guards the entrance from evil influences
and ash leaves under the pillows induce prophetic dreams. Ash leaves
scattered to the four directions will protect a house or a certain area.
It is said one should carry a leaf to gain the love of the opposite
sex. Ash is linked with the element of Water and thus is associated
with many of the water gods such as Poseidon, Neptune, Woden, and Thor.
In conclusion, trees and humankind have had a symbiotic
relationship throughout time: trees have offered shelter from the cold
and the heat, have provided us with a multitude of fruits, leaves, flowers,
and roots for food and medicine, and provided wood with which to make
tools, weapons, houses, boats, and bridges. Perhaps most significant
was that they have provided fuel for fire. Tree lore has reflected the
entire spectrum of human existence through the ages: from birth, death,
and rebirth to the age-old struggle between good and evil, as well as
the quest for truth and enlightenment. Native North Americans call trees
our “standing brothers and sisters”. We share with them
an upright vertical orientation. We walk and they stand. We move and
change, and they remain the quiet centre of being.