Faery Trees

Oak leaves were used by the druids for divination, through the rustling of the leafs. They were also used in smudge form to purify the atmosphere.

Catching a falling oak leaf is said to free you from flu and colds all winter.

HAWTHORN

Solitary Hawthorn trees which grow on hillsides or near sacred wells are said to be markers for the fairies and this is where if you are lucky you can enter the fairy realm. Some believe that to sit under one in the month of May could lead to you being lost in the fairy realms forever.

The blossoms have long been used to decorate maypoles.

One old custom is to make a plait crown from the blossoms, which should be left outside. If this were lucky enough to be blessed by the fairy spirits, by dancing around it, which would bring the maker of the crown good fortune.

However the blossom was never to be taken into the home, as this would bring illness and misfortune whether it had been blessed or not.

The hawthorn itself on the other hand has long been used in the home for protection, especially in the kitchen. A charm carved from hawthorn was said to protect the kitchen against fire, while a globe made from its twigs placed in the kitchen on New Year was also beneficial as long as this was replaced with a new one each New Years.

Travellers would carry twigs of the tree to protect themselves against psychic attack, and misfortune. It is also said to be a cure for depression, the seeds being used to cure gallstones.

Hawthorn protects against lightning, it also wards off evil spirits stopping them from entering the home.

NEW BEGINNINGS

Since the spiritual revolution in the sixties, tree have once again become more important, both in our physical life, as without them we wouldn’t even be able to breath (they seem to act as a filter, removing much of the CO2 from the atmosphere, without which we would need to be wearing factor 2000 sun-block due to the ultra-violet radiation, and also in our spiritual lives.

The Wiccan tradition for one has adopted the three fold powers of the fairy tree, recognising these special places harnessing the powers of the natural hot spots of spiritual energy, probably in much the same ways as they had been used for thousands of years before.

In fact as the old spiritual and mystical pagan traditions are being studied more in depth, the fairy tree is becoming more and more prominent within these traditions. Reintegrating the long held beliefs which have always protected the trees, for fear of bad luck being bestowed upon those who chops one down, much of the time without even understanding the reasons why they are held in such high esteem. People seem once again to be taking on board the spiritual lessons of the wise old fairy trees.