Tree Magic - Traveling within the World2024-03-28T09:51:08Zhttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/forum/topics/tree-magic?groupUrl=healingherbsplanetsandflowers&commentId=2185477%3AComment%3A198294&groupId=2185477%3AGroup%3A17274&feed=yes&xn_auth=noHuman Odyssey
Trees have bee…tag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2014-02-10:2185477:Comment:1982942014-02-10T18:57:30.480ZDept of PMM Artists & thingshttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/Artistsandthings
<p>Human Odyssey</p>
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<p>Trees have been revered as sacred monuments since the prehistoric era. Our ancestors may well have been inspired by their annual cycle of decay in the autumn followed by a luscious rebirth in the spring. To the primitive mind, these trees became symbols of life, death and rebirth.</p>
<p>There was one tree in particular which achieved mythical status throughout all world cultures. It is known today as the 'World…</p>
<p>Human Odyssey</p>
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<p>Trees have been revered as sacred monuments since the prehistoric era. Our ancestors may well have been inspired by their annual cycle of decay in the autumn followed by a luscious rebirth in the spring. To the primitive mind, these trees became symbols of life, death and rebirth.</p>
<p>There was one tree in particular which achieved mythical status throughout all world cultures. It is known today as the 'World Tree' and according to our ancestors, it was truly epic in scale. Its branches were said to reach as high as the heavens, while its roots plunged deep into the abyss of the underworld. Because of their association with celestial realms, these trees were regarded by many priests as gateways to other dimensions.</p>
<p>• Yggdrasil was said to connect middle earth (Midgard) to eight other realms (some made of fire and ice, others of darkness and light)<br/>• The World Tree of Mesoamerica was seen as a gateway (aka axis mundi) connecting the planes of the Underworld and the sky with the terrestrial world<br/>• The 'Sky Tree' from Hungarian mythology had a series of branches which reached out to seven worlds. Each branch was said to touch the sun, the moon, the clouds and other celestial spheres.<br/>• The Dawn Tree from Baltic mythology was depicted with a golden trunk, copper roots and silver leaves. The trunk represented life in the present, while the past was embodied in its roots (life that has passed). The branches, however, represented future choices yet to be made</p>
<p>It should be noted that in nearly all depictions of the ‘World Tree’, a great serpent is said to reside at its base. These serpents typically guard a forbidden knowledge which only a select number of mortals have ascertained:</p>
<p>• It was Adam and Eve who attained wisdom by eating fruit from the tree of Knowledge (Judaism/Christianity)<br/>• It was under the Bodhi tree that the Buddha was said to have gained enlightenment (Buddhist mythology)<br/>• The Kabbalah represents the tree of life (the other legendary tree of Christian mythology). Legend says that to learn the secrets of this mystic tree is to know the secrets of life itself<br/>• The Druids were priests of the natural world whose name was said to mean 'knower's of the oak' (Celtic mythology)<br/>• The Cosmic Tree of Latvia was a highly symbolic image. It was said to hold birds in its branches (enlightenment), mammals at its base (instinct) and serpents in its roots (wisdom)</p>
<p>The most common theme found in world mythology is the 'Tree of Life' which is said to both create and prolong life. In many cases, our ancestors believed that these great trees gave birth to the Gods and even to to humanity itself. Many pilgrims have searched for this mythical tree throughout the ages, but only the most worthy have been able to find it:</p>
<p>• In Tengrinism, it is said that humans were descended from Trees, as well as other spirit entities and lesser gods who lived for hundreds of years.<br/>• A tree of life belonged to the Goddess Iusaaset who was said to have conceived the lineage of Egyptian Gods through the trees life giving properties<br/>• The Kalpavriksha tree from Vedic mythology was said to produce an abundance of life giving fruit for those who wished for it</p> Bre Geier Bre Geier 11:08in…tag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2014-01-25:2185477:Comment:1964142014-01-25T18:46:17.905ZDept of PMM Artists & thingshttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/Artistsandthings
<p>Bre Geier <br></br> Bre Geier 11:08in the evenin' Jan 24<br></br> Tree Folklore</p>
<p>When we "touch wood," we may not realize it, but we are using the last<br></br> remnant of ancient belief in the power of the Tree Gods. Every ancient<br></br> culture had its gods who lived in sacred groves, and who had to be placated<br></br>
before the trees could be used for fuel, building, or tools. It is said that<br></br>
at one time a squirrel could travel the length of England without descending<br></br>
to the ground. Many…</p>
<p>Bre Geier <br/> Bre Geier 11:08in the evenin' Jan 24<br/>
Tree Folklore</p>
<p>When we "touch wood," we may not realize it, but we are using the last<br/> remnant of ancient belief in the power of the Tree Gods. Every ancient<br/>
culture had its gods who lived in sacred groves, and who had to be placated<br/>
before the trees could be used for fuel, building, or tools. It is said that<br/>
at one time a squirrel could travel the length of England without descending<br/>
to the ground. Many trees had religious significance and many were believed<br/>
to have magical properties.</p>
<p>When the Christian religion was introduced things became more complicated,<br/> for the tree-worshippers could not take the risk of ignoring the old gods,<br/>
even while embracing, in the main, the new deity. Christian beliefs and<br/>
Pagan rites and ceremonies became gradually fused together in a strange<br/>
mixture of superstition, faith, and fear of magic. Thus a tree like the<br/>
elder, for instance, said to be a witches' tree," and feared, could be used<br/>
as a magical preventive against evil, and then explained by the belief that<br/>
its powers were due to the fact that Jesus' cross was made from elder wood.<br/>
This kind of intermingling of Pagan and Christian belief appears over and<br/>
over again in old legends and stories.</p>
<p>The majestic oak was regarded as a very powerful magic tree, and people<br/> believed that the tree would scream and moan if it was cut down. Charms and<br/>
spells used in divination often involved the oak tree and its acorns.</p>
<p>Hawthorn, too, was a tree of magic powers. Everyone knows the legend of the<br/> Holy Thorn at Glastonbury, which blooms on Old Christmas Day. A Holy Thorn<br/>
would gush real blood if anyone attempted to chop it down. If you sit under<br/>
a hawthorn in May, the fairies will have power over you. Hawthorn and<br/>
blackthorn were often burned as firecharms as part of fertility rites. The<br/>
seeds of hawthorn, boiled in wine, were said to be able to draw out thorns<br/>
and splinters. Today it is still used as a cardiac tonic, and the young<br/>
blossoms make a very fine fragrant wine.</p>
<p>The rowan, or mountain ash, is a strong protector against evil. More<br/> powerful still was the elder tree, home of the "Old Lady of the Elder," a<br/>
wicked spirit who waited to gain control over those who loitered beneath the<br/>
branches. Furniture made from elder wood would warp and crack, and if used<br/>
for a baby's cradle, the spirit would attack the child. But it could be<br/>
used for good purposes, too. As a charm, it could identify evil spirits.<br/>
It keeps flies from the house, and was used to treat snake bite, dog bites,<br/>
and toothache. It is still used medicinally today, in the form of<br/>
elderflower lotions and ointments, which are excellent for skin complaints,<br/>
and bruises and sprains. Both the berries and the flowers make very good<br/>
country wines.</p>
<p>Lastly, if you ever need to dispose of Dracula, the stake driven through his<br/> heat must be made of elder.</p>
<p>Ash was another highly prized tree, and could also repel evil spirits, as<br/> well as killing snakes. It was considered to have great curative powers. A<br/>
lock of the sufferer's hair pinned to the tree would cure whooping cough,<br/>
and<br/>
a live mouse or shrew nailed up in a little hole in the bark would cure<br/>
sheep diseases. To cure toothache, you should sit under an ash tree and cut<br/>
your toenails.</p>
<p>Ash was also used in love charms and divination, and to find an ash leaf<br/> with an even number of "leaflets" was extremely fortunate. An ashen bundle<br/>
was often burned as a Yule log. Medicinal uses of the ash included<br/>
poultices of the leaves to cure snake bite, decoction of the leaves to cure<br/>
jaundice, dropsy, and gout, and the seed kernels for kidney stones.</p>
<p>Holly trees are a good source of domestic protection if you have one in the<br/> garden, and yew and hazel were both considered magical trees. Hazel<br/>
protects from lightning and shipwreck. Cows' milk yield can be increased by<br/>
giving them hazel leaves to eat. Hazel twigs are used by water diviners<br/>
even today.</p>
<p>Birch, from which witches' broomsticks were made, was another "magic" tree.<br/> Brooms made of birch, or birch twigs in the house, could give protection.<br/>
But some care was needed, for if an unmarried girl were to step over the<br/>
birch broom, she would become pregnant. The tars and oils derived from<br/>
birch are still used in the treatment of eczema and other skin complaints,<br/>
and a fine wine can be made from the sap, if the tree is tapped in the<br/>
spring when the sap is rising.</p>
<p>One of the best trees to plant in your garden is the bay tree, which will<br/> protect from all kinds of harm, and which is a healthy influence on your<br/>
home, your family, and pets. It is well known for its culinary uses, and<br/>
used to have a variety of medicinal uses, including inducing a speedy<br/>
delivery in childbirth. The berries produced an oil which was good for the<br/>
joints, the nerves, and the arteries, but now it is only used as a remedy<br/>
for rheumatism.</p>
<p>Fruit trees and orchards have a wealth of folklore all to themselves.<br/> Sacrifices were made to the gods who lived in them, and special fertility<br/>
rites were carried out to ensure good crops. A last memory of these remains<br/>
in the apple howling or wassailing ceremonies still carried out in parts of<br/>
the West Country.</p>
<p>Further back in time, at Christmas, and Twelfth Night, Easter, Beltane, and<br/> at Midsummer, great fire festivals were held--a mixture of Pagan and<br/>
Christian beliefs and ceremonies. Their purpose was to save the crops from<br/>
evil spirits, and to safeguard from hail, lightning, and storms. Fires and<br/>
feasting also served to welcome back the Sun God at the end of the dark<br/>
winter, for with his coming the cold Earth would reawaken and bring the<br/>
renewal of fertility associated with the coming of spring. Powerful magic<br/>
indeed</p> tag:travelingwithintheworld.ning.com,2014-01-14:2185477:Comment:1944062014-01-14T18:05:16.294ZDept of PMM Artists & thingshttp://travelingwithintheworld.ning.com/profile/Artistsandthings
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<p>The Magick Of Trees<br></br> <br></br> Trees have been considered to be magickal for many centuries. They have<br></br> been the homes of wood spirits and the keepers of sacred circles. Many<br></br> tales of the part trees have played in witchcraft and the occult were<br></br> told to young children, such as the admonition to avoid old oak trees<br></br> or<br></br> groves of oaks. These were places witches met and were filled with much<br></br> power. Even today some of the old tales live on in superstitions such…<br></br></p>
<p>The Magick Of Trees<br/> <br/> Trees have been considered to be magickal for many centuries. They have<br/> been the homes of wood spirits and the keepers of sacred circles. Many<br/> tales of the part trees have played in witchcraft and the occult were<br/> told to young children, such as the admonition to avoid old oak trees<br/> or<br/> groves of oaks. These were places witches met and were filled with much<br/> power. Even today some of the old tales live on in superstitions such<br/> as<br/> 'knock on wood'. So you may ask if there is any truth to these tales,<br/> for all legends have some basis in truth. Well for the Wiccan or<br/> Neo-Pagan trees are a source of power because they are rooted in the<br/> Mother Earth and they reach to the heavens. This is the essential<br/> posture we humans seek in trying to reach a state of balance during<br/> meditation. We visualize a stream of energy from the Earth flowing up<br/> into us, as a stream of energy flows into us from above. Trees are in<br/> this state all the time and are therefore a very natural source of<br/> power<br/> for magick. Most any tree can be used for magickal purposes, though<br/> certain trees seem better suited to certain forms of Magick.<br/> <br/> There are lists called tables of correspondences, which contain<br/> specific<br/> colours, smells, tastes, plants, and sounds associated with certain<br/> emotions and concepts. There are also trees listed in some of these.<br/> Examples of trees used in certain situations include the following:<br/> <br/> APPLE...Healing, Prosperity, Love, Youth<br/> BIRCH...Protection, Fertility New Beginnings<br/> CYPRESS...Past Lives<br/> MAPLE...Divination, Love<br/> OAK...Healing, Strength, Money<br/> PINE...Purification, Health, Prosperity<br/> WILLOW...Enchantments, Wishing<br/> <br/> As you can see, for those of us who live on the Eastern Shore of<br/> Maryland, there are many trees which we can use in magickal work. So<br/> how<br/> does one tap into this wealth of power. One way is to let the tree help<br/> in 'recharging' you after a long day or after an extremely emotional<br/> event. A simple procedure for doing this follows. Pick a tall, straight<br/> tree such as a pine. Generally you should try to feel the tree's spirit<br/> to see if it seems welcoming to you. Once you've found a tree you feel<br/> comfortable with, walk once around it clockwise saying 'Great tree,<br/> Ancient of the Earth, Will you grant and give my strength rebirth?' Now<br/> sit on the ground with your back straight and pressed against the tree.<br/> As you sit, feel the power running between the Earth and sky through<br/> the<br/> tree. See your body surrounded by the aura of the tree and feel this<br/> power filling you with renewed strength. You may at this point even<br/> begin to actually 'hear' the tree speaking to you. A wise person will<br/> listen to it's wisdom. Once you feel rested and renewed, rise slowly<br/> and<br/> thank the tree for helping you regain your balance and strength. A gift<br/> to the tree is not inappropriate. One way of doing this would be to<br/> bury<br/> a coin or something of value at the base of the tree. Care should be<br/> taken not to injure the tree in the process of burying the item. This<br/> is<br/> but one way of having trees aid you in your daily life. There are many<br/> others to be found in various books on Earth/Nature magick. I hope you<br/> will explore the many possibilities further. The only advice I can<br/> offer<br/> is to remember you are dealing with a living spirit and that you should<br/> avoid harming the tree. Have fun with your experiments and enjoy the<br/> new<br/> friendships to be found in trees.</p>