Under The Witching Tree

Unb er
Wit chin Tree
A Folk Grimoire of Tree Fore

and Fracticum
Corinne Boyer
D isclaim er
T h e c o n te n t o f this b o o k is based on histo rical in fo rm a tio n

along w ith the a u th o r’s ow n experience. A s such, any
m edicinal or ritual use o f the trees and p lan ts involved is
th e sole responsibility and choice o f the reader. It is their
responsibility to be e d u cated on p ro p e r p lan t id en tificatio n ,
h arv estin g and rec o m m e n d e d dosages, w hich is bey o n d
the scope o f this bo o k . T h e a u th o r and p u b lish er th ere fo re
take no responsibility, legal o r otherw ise, fo r any m isuse
o f the plants th at com es as a resu lt o f p o o r ju d gem ent or
m isin fo rm a tio n by the reader.
Illu stra tio n and P h o to C redit In fo rm a tio n :

A ll p h o to g ra p h s taken by C laude M ah m o o d
W estern Red C edar Illu stra tio n by N icole G raf, 2016
A ll o th e r illustrations are co pyright free and taken from
the H a n d b o o k o f P la n t and F loral O rn a m e n t- Selected
from the H erbals o f the S ixteenth C entury, by R ichard G.
H a tto n , D o v er P ublications, 1960 (1909)
T his b o o k is dedicated to all practitio n ers, be they p erso n al

o r pro fessio n al, th a t use plants in th eir m agical, healing
and ritual w ork. To th o se th a t are now, to th o se w ho have
b e e n and to th o se th a t will be.
C o n te n ts
Introduction 13
The Black Earth Medicines of Autumn 16

Elder 19
Hazel 33
Rowan 47
Apple 59
Walnut 71
An Altar o f Winter Charms 78

Yew 79
Pine 87
Holly 99
Spruce 107
Western Red Cedar 115
Springtime Forest Rite- 122

Birch 125
Willow 137
Alder 149
Blackthorn 161
Cottonw ood/Poplar/A spen 171
The Deer Sorceress o f Midsummer 180

Hawthorn 183
Oak 197
Ash 209
Linden 221
Maple 229
Appendices-
A: Plant and Tree Visitations 239
B: Drying and Storing Plants 243
C: Rendering Animal Fat at Home 250
D: Infusing Fats/O ils with Plants 255
E: Making Wine and Mead 259
F: Making Salves/Ointments 268
G: Making Elixirs, Cordials and Infused Wines 271
H: Making Fumigations 275
Bibliography 277
Index 281
About the Author 288
Photoplates
between pages 144-145
1. A n altar o f Elder tree medicine

2. Eeaves and flowers o f Elder in bearf a t
3. A n E lder Charm fo r Second Sight
4. H aêl catkins
5. A length o f twisted H a êl
6. A cross o f Rowan, bound in red, and threaded Rowan berries;
traditional churns o f protection
7. M aking a Rowan tree protective charm
8. A p p le tree blossom
9. A p p le tree with spirit portal
10. English Walnut
11. Charms made from crosses o f Yew wood with quart ‘.j
12. The author peeling pine bark
13. A charm o f Cedar, Raven and Deer
14. The author in the Birch tree
15. European W'hite Birch tree
16. A ld e r tree with hollow split
17. Black Powder with hare’s fo o t
18. The author holding Cottonwood buds
19. Divination incense
20. The Hawthorn in flower
21. The mighty O ak tree
22. O ak leaf Tern and Moss
23. A n A s h tree charm to keep away fire
24. A Einden sweeping tool
25. Big E e a f Maple F/ower
26. Maple trees in the moonlight
27. Maple Faerie tree
28. Above: an altar o f tree materia magica
29. Witches’ H a ir lichen in the forest
30. Forest o f Enchantment
All p h o to g ra p h s taken by C laude M ah m o o d

Specific Recipes and Charms within the Book, created by
the Author:
Alder Wood Binding Spell 157

Alder Elixir 158
Alder Leaf Wine 158
Crab Apple Syrup 68
Wassail Recipe 68
Birch and Lodestone Love Charm 134
Birch Healing Poppet 135
Elder Tree Charm for Second Sight 28
Elder Flower Ointm ent 30
Elder Berry Mead 29
Hazel Interred Oracular Powder 43
I lazel Wood Divination 44
Cutting the Cord- A Holly and Oak Severing Rite 105
Funerary Fumigation 96
Pine Bark Elixir 96
Protective Charm for Newborn Babe or Child 56
Rowan Hawthorn Berry Spiced Wine 57
Spruce Tree Ancestor Offering Rite 112
Winter Forest Balm 113
Yuletide Spruce Tea 114
Walnut Leaf Wine 76
Midsummer’s Eve Walnut Liquor 77
Western Red Cedar Smudge Bundle 121
Cedar Tip Solar Infused Oil 121
Yew Ancestor Talisman 85
Willow Charm for Turning Back Grief 145
Witches Fever Break Oxymel 146
Cottonwood Pain Salve 179
Divination Incense 179
Black Earth Protective Powder 168
Sloe Gin 169
A Witch Bottle to turn back a Jealous Enemy 194
Hawthorn Berry Honey 195
Hawthorn Elixir 196
Divination by Oak Spirits 207
Wood Wife Ointm ent 237
Linden Sweeping Tool 227
1-inden Flower Mead 228
A Charm to Keep Away Fire 218
A cknow ledgem ents
I wish to acknowledge and thank my dedicated teachers and

friends: Carol Trasatto, Joyce N etishen and Elise K rohn. You
have all supported me and taught me m uch about the ways
o f plants. You have all inspired me. A nd to my teacher, the
late Bob ‘Sandm an’ Coalson, for the pipe, the drum and the
dreams. T hank you to my m any students, friends and plant
lovers in the Olympia area w hom have supported my work
over the years, it has been such a joy to share the magic
together. A special thank you to Marcus and Catamara, for
their enthusiasm and com m itm ent to the incredible world o f
plant magic. A nd I am grateful for Troy Books, my publisher,
for their com m itm ent to traditional ways, preserving folklore,
and to producing beautiful books.
Perhaps m ost importantly, I want to thank my family. It is
they w hom have been so directly supportive in the day to day
during the years in creating this book and in creating our life
together. To my children Samuel and Violet for their patience
and tolerance, and for their many walks in the forest. To my
father David for his wisdom, ever helpful eyes on my work,
understanding and acceptance o f my wtid ways. To his kindness
I am forever indebted. To my Uncle Steve for his passionate
love o f the forest that m et my own, since I was a child. To
my incredibly patient, helpful and supportive husband Claude.
Words will never express my gratitude. W ithout you, this work
would have never been possible. A nd to my late m other, Jo
Ann. You knew all along. Your strength and fortitude still
inspire me every day. Your love o f words and good writing do
as well.
A nd thank you to the beings unseen, to the trees wild with
deep roots, to their imm ense beauty. A fter all, it is they w hom
have inspired m e for m any m oons, they w ho saved me in their
magical shelter all those long years ago. To the horseshoe in
the tree trunk in the Indian woods. A nd lastly, to Rebecca,
Lady o f Snakes. Your hand is on every page.
11
...a n old trunk shattered with age or storm,
moss-grown or hoary with lichen,
would, to the primitive wanderer in the forest,
assume a supernatural aspect,
especially i f seen when the shades o f night were falling,
or blurred by mists.
A lexander P o rte o u s, The Forest in Mythology <& Folklore
Deep in the darkest pa rt o f the forest, fra il blackberry bushes

and pale violets grew in patches of sunlight, but Marusia could
not fin d what she was looking fo r ... Marusia remembered what
her mother had said: “Never enter the forest on the fa r side o f the
village, fo r that is the forest of Baba Yaga!
E rn e s t Sm all & Blair L en t, Baba Yaga

I f ' INTRODUCTION Щ
h at magic is gathered from the old trees, from the
spirits there, from the forest itself? T he haunted
pathw ays th at lead into the dark forest have always
been shrouded in m ystery and fear, evoking a timeless
curiosity. I rem em ber as a child the way the w oods behind
our house called to m e, they spoke to m e, the trees had
such presence, such personalities. Trees do m ark the passage
o f tim e and m em ory. G uardians o f fo rg o tten hom esteads,
old apple trees gnarled and thick with lichen hold rainw ater
pools in hollows. A lder copses next to the cem etery fill w ith
m ist and are still, during w indy m idnight hours. Lightning
struck oak trees tran sfo rm spirit paths on tw ilight evenings
o f the full m oon nearest solstice time. Trees o f all sorts n o t
only offer incredible m aterial for o n e’s ow n folk apothecary,
they offer direct in struction and tutelage for those seeking to
learn ab o u t seasonal and earthen mysteries. O n ce discovered,
a wild place hosting a d om inant tree in the landscape can
be visited again and again, offerings m ade and intentions
spoken. W hile it is true that n o t all trees are safe o r friendly
to a hum an com panion, their roots do grow th rough an
ancient substratum and feed u p o n the enchanted ways o f
old. T h e inten tio n o f the p resent volum e is to touch on
these old ways and draw u p o n them even still, in a m odern
tim e and place.
O n e o f the reasons to w ork w ith trees is th at they, along
w ith all o f the natural w orld and her resident spirits, bring
b o th light and dark m edicines for the altar, for the am ulet
pouch, for the cauldron. T h e pow ers that trees hold are
n o t only healing, protective and whim sical b u t also fierce,
frightening, deadly, and elusive. T he N ew Age tendency
to sugar coat and white wash traditions has certainly been
U nder the W itching Tree
veneered o n to the realm s o f the plant w orld. Folklore

graciously sheds light into the darker corners o f these ways,
ever helpful that they are even now during m o d ern times.
L et us then peel the veneer aside and peer into the full
com plexity o f the history o f tree lore and magic, into the
rustic folkways th at hold blood, bark and branch w rapped
in red cloth.
T h o se folks o f the past sought o u t trees and plants for
m any m ore applications than the typical m odern herbal
m edical practitioner. N o t only for tinctures and salves,
b u t for charm s, am ulets and for use in healing o r cursing
rituals, for love magic, for divinatory aid w ere trees once
em ployed. N o t only for com m on colds and coughs w ere the
trees o f value, b u t for the transference o f com plicated and
little un d ersto o d childhood diseases, for the cleansing o f
ghosts, for the conjuration o f spirits, for the m ourning o f
the dead and for the p ro tectio n o f new born babes, pregnant
w om en, and animals. T h e rem edies involved extended far
into the hum an condition. T h e reliance on forests was m ade
m ore intim ate by those seeking magic and cures, rather than
m aterials alone. T he trees were respected and feared for
their powers. T hey were an interface in w hich to relate to
and co ntact spirits o f the O th e r world. T h a t they rem ain.
T h e trees o f old have long sto o d and w itnessed great
changes in the landscape. T h e occasional charm er or W ise
W om an no longer visits the forest w ith knife and basket,
w ith cakes and cream , m uttering incantations under her
breath — at least n o t in the m odernized world. Few people
even recognize different tree species or know o f any use
for them beyond industrial and p roduction based purposes.
T h eir magical and m edicinal history is obscured and hinted
at only in w orks o f fiction and media. T hese ways o f haunted
trees and healing charm s are n o t so very far behind us -
this is a p ertin en t tim e to salvage and reawaken the alm ost
lost lore, to bring it to life once again. For those people
interested in the ways in w hich trees were n o t only utilized
for the practical use o f everyday folk m edicine, but also the
14
Introduction
ways in w hich they w ere applied in traditional magic, this

b o o k is w ritten.
T he lore and ways presented in this volum e prim arily com e
from N o rth e rn and W estern E urope and N o rth Am erica. I
have been selective w ith the m aterial, including w hat is m ost
related to m edicinal and m agical/spiritual m atters, excluding
the m any m aterial uses o f the trees. I have included som e
folk tales and lim ited mythology, w here I believed it was
insightful for the particular tree at hand. I have also included
my personal ways o f w orking w ith the trees, along w ith som e
recipes and charm s that I have created and form ulated over
the years for num erous purposes. This book is the first part
o f three volum es, and represents my w ork o f nearly two
decades o f experiencing and learning from and about m any
trees and plants. My poetry is included at the beginning o f
each section to encom pass the pow ers o f the seasons, relating
to n o t only plants, b u t to the m ateria magica o f those times
and their energies. My hope is that this volum e, along w ith
the subsequent ones relating to wayside and garden plants
that are forthcom ing, becom es a w orking grim oire for those
interested in using the trees directly, w orking with them in
their natural settings and experiencing their p o ten t powers
and capabilities. My hope is that it will inspire old magic that
is operative in nature, in the m ysterious enchanted w orld
o f the forests, w oods, edges and hedges. May you seek out
the trees, spend tim e in their shade, and hear their stories
firsthand.
O ne will notice that I do n o t include any inform ation
pertaining to botanical description or plant identification, as
there are ample resources o ut in the w orld dedicated to this
inform ation. It is assum ed then, that people will seek out
the appropriate resources to m ake sure to properly identify
the plants and trees, before using them for any magical or
physical work.
Folklore is a living body o f knowledge, always shifting
and changing depending on the people that are interacting
w ith the material. O nce the m ethodology o f folk magic and
15
m edicine is learned, once the param eters are understood, one

can apply this while learning directly from the tree spirits,
and understand the ways being taught. W orking w ith the
m aterials th at the land itself offers up, in com bination w ith
w orking directly w ith spirits, be they ancestors, deceased
practitioners, plant spirits, anim al spirits, a n d /o r land spirits,
is a m o st effective and em pow ering way to in fo rm a personal
and professional practice. I do believe that you, the reader,
will find the m aterial enclosed as interesting, intriguing and
as helpful for your personal w ork as I do. May you breathe
life into the rem edies, rituals and recipes w ithin these pages,
may you find ways to make them your own.
C orinne Boyer, M aple M ist W ood o f W estern W ashington,

M idw inter 2015
T h e Black E a rth M edicines o f A u tu m n
Walker o f Caves, black wool

A n d obsidian glass ornaments
Wearer of midnight fu r and
Ravens feather cloak,
The ancient beings among us
Dangle with the claws o f crow

The wings o f bats, the charred bones
A n d jarred seeds - poppy, Datura,
The fr u it of dark elderberry wine
Fixed offerings lost in a deep pool
Flack soil carries the breath

O f the D ark moon, her age old
Medicines are upon my altar
They are beneath my foundation
Stones accursed and blessed with night
16
Introduction
]black butterflies and owl talons

In Dreams, the cauldron of water
A n d dark poison leaves
This is my becoming — I see
A n d I am born from this place
Where the moths live and feed

In the shadows o f rotting leaves
The darkness of the womb
It holds me and form s me
I t is my long lost sanctuary
Gifts from the Lady hooded and cloaked

The fru it of the blackberry, my wine
The heart of the blackbird, my food
The darkened Indian pipe, my fam iliar
The silvery coal, my amulet
The Shroud that will carry me

Into the starless night, brings
Medicine of the serpent, my ancestor
Who resides in the dark watery crypts
A n d creates from sleepless darkness alone.
17
ELDER
Sambucus spp
n the fo rg o tte n m eadow, long stands the brittle bone

elder tree, w hich graces the rustic co u n try p e rso n ’s
kettle w ith heavy blue and black fru it for healing
syrups and wines. B ut w h at o th e r m agic com es from this
tree th at shim m ers in the darkness, w hose w o o d is ensouled
by the w itches o f old? O ld crone tree o f the dark edges
w ith her p u n g e n t p e rfu m e __ T he elder tree, a spirit o f the
w itch ’s realm , w atches from her autum nal hom e, her roots
in the swam ps. Tales told o f this shapeshifting spinster
and m agic m aker are dark and strange. M arked by Saturn,
the elder tree is c o n n ected to death and severe protection.
She was b o th resp ected and feared by co u n try people in
tim es past.
T h e elder tree has been associated w ith folk m edicine
for ages. E very p a rt o f the p lan t has been used m edicinally
and the w hole tree was co n sid ered to be a supern atu ral
natu re spirit since ancient tim es. T h e classic E u ro p ean
species and the tree m o st referen ced in herbal m edicine
and folk m agic is Sambucus nigra o r the black elder. T he
berries are a d istin ct shiny black, evoking a m ysterious
curiosity.
H ere are som e o lder beliefs su rro u n d in g this gracefully
dark tree. O ld co u n try nam es for the elder tree include
Pipe T ree, Frau E llh o rn o r E llen, B ore Tree and B our
Tree. B ecause o f its shiny black berries, an old R om any
nam e fo r elder was ‘D evils Eye.’ T h e L atin nam e Sambucus
derives fro m the w ord for ‘h a rp ’, w hich was th o u g h t to
be an an cient use fo r elder w ood. T he c o m m o n nam e
‘eld er’ m ay derive from the old Saxon w ord, eller, m eaning
‘to kindle.’ T he hollow stem s w ere used in olden tim es
19
to blow o n to dying or sparsely lit em bers, reviving the

sm old erin g fire. I t is in te restin g th a t we refer to older
peo p le as ‘eld ers’ in E nglish. T h e elder tree was previously
classified as being in the honeysuckle family Caprifoliaceae,
b u t has recen tly b een m oved to Adoxaceae family, a new er
categ o ry th a t certainly m ay change again.
T h e b e lie f th a t a spirit inh ab its this tree has survived
even in to relatively m o d e rn tim es. Specifically, a w itch
spirit was th o u g h t to in h ab it the tree. T h e re are num ero u s
references to the b e lie f th a t a w itch lived in the elder
tree and could shape shift back and fo rth fro m h u m an to
tree. A n old nam e for this natu re spirit was ‘Hyldemoer,’
w hich m eans ‘E ld e r M o th e r’ in D anish. I t was co n sid ered
unlucky to cu t the w o o d dow n fo r fire w o o d or building
m aterial in d iffe re n t p a rts o f E u ro p e. In E n g lan d , it was
said th a t b u rn in g elder w o o d w ould brin g th e devil in to the
h ouse o r th a t the p e rso n b u rn in g the w o o d w ould b ecom e
bew itched. I f you w an ted to cut dow n the tree, you h ad to
ask p e rm issio n to escape possible ill fate. T h e ap p ro p riate
way to ask was to say so m eth in g like ‘T a d j elder, give me
some o f thj wood, Then I will give thee some o f mine, when I
become a tree. ’ A n o th e r way to say it: ‘L a d j Ellhorn, give me
of thj wood, and I will give thee of mine when it shall grow in the
forest’. A D an ish cu sto m was to spit thrice b efo re cu ttin g
or trim m ing an elder tree, to drive away evil beings. H edge
cu tters w ould refuse to trim an elder tree for fear o f being
follow ed by bad luck. Spirits w ere believed to dwell in
these hollow trees, specifically in the joints. T his w ood
had a will o f its ow n —if it was placed on a b u rn in g fire,
it w ould cause it to go out; if it was used for fu rniture, it
w ould b e n d and w arp; if skew ers w ere m ade from elder
fo r roasting, it w ould tu rn the food bitter.
T h e old ea rth G o d s o f P russia w ere believed to live
u n d e r the elder tree and if offerings w ere m ade to it, little
m en w ould com e, bringing grain and doing housew ork. I f
one sto o d u n d e r the elder tree on M id su m m er’s E ve, the
Faerie king and his fellow faeries could be seen riding by.
20
E ld er
T his m ysterious tree was never to u ch e d a fter dark in the

Fens in E ngland. In D en m ark , elder trees w ere believed
to m ove a ro u n d at n ight and could be fo u n d p eerin g into
w indow s o f th o se sleeping. It was also said th at faeries
in the fo rm o f an cesto rs lived in the tree. I f a cradle
was m ade o f elder w ood, the baby sleeping in it w ould
be e ith e r sto len by faeries o r the E ld e r M other. O r the
baby w ould be p in ch e d blacked and blue by the faeries.
E ld e r was a tree associated w ith w itch c raft fro m early
tim es, fro m aro u n d 900 A D o r before. In Irelan d instead
o f an ash b ro o m stick , w itches ro d e on b ro o m stick s m ade
fro m elder w ood. C o u n try folks w ould som etim es refer
to it as ‘w itch w o o d ’. A nam e fo r the b erries was ‘H o ld a ’s
B erries’, w hich refers to the trees c o n n e ctio n w ith M o th e r
H o ld a o r H ulda, an ancient w in ter death spirit fro m old
G erm an ic culture.
T h e re w ere o th e r associations w ith elder and death. I f
an elder stick was p lan te d over a grave and it grew, it was a
sign th a t the deceased was happy in the afterlife. T h e old
Jew ish C em etery in Prague was p lan te d w ith elders. It was
c o n sid ered dangerous to sleep u n d e r an elder tree because
the leaves apparently let o u t a fragrance th a t if inhaled,
resu lted in death. T h e flow ers w ere know n to attract
snakes and it was re p o rte d th a t ad d er snakes slept in the
dry ro o ts o f the elder tree. P olish people w ere know n
to bury th eir sorrow s and sins u n d e r elder trees, so th at
they passed in to the und erw o rld to w here they belonged.
Som e so rt o f in ca n tatio n was used to pass the energy into
the elder tree, in to the earth , th en into the realm s o f the
dead. A n old saying goes: Hawthorn blooms and elder flowers
f i l l the house with evil powers. T his is a c o n n e ctio n to n o t
only the w hite flow ers o f b o th plants, w hich in tim es past
w ere highly unlucky to b rin g in d o o rs as they w ere o ften
u sed for funeral rites, b u t also to the su p ern atu ral energy
associated w ith b o th trees.
T here are m any exam ples o f the elder tree being used
in folk magic. H ere is an old spell for using elder bark, for
21
healing a skin infection called Erysipelas (an older nam e

for this was St. A n th o n y ’s Fire), w hich causes acute fever,
chills and raised red patches on the face, arm s and legs: T he
blood o f a bullfinch is p u t in a new vessel w ith scraped
elder bark, th en the w hole is laid on a cloth, w hich is b o u n d
over the eyes overnight. T he perso n suffering repeats this
incantation: I have two eyes, I have two feet, Tain from my eyes go
into my feet! Go from my feet, go into the earth! Go from the earth
into death!’ A n o th e r elder rem edy for the sam e ailm ent was
to find a piece o f elder w ood o n to w hich the sun never
shone and cut it b etw een two knots and w ear it on necklace,
as an am ulet.
To m ake an enchanted walking stick th at w ould never
break and w ould b ring p ro te c tio n to the one w ho used it,
one could h arv est elder w ood on All Souls D ay and hollow
o u t the pithy branch to enclose these m agical ingredients
— seven vervain leaves, pow dered wolves eye, a dog’s heart
and tongue, three green lizards, three swallows hearts and
the fillings from ironstone. T he stick was th en capped w ith
an iron ferrule.
C arrying an elder w o o d am ulet was u sed to p rev e n t
rh eu m atism and silently sticking a piece o f elder w o o d in
th e g ro u n d was d o n e to rid o f fever, byw ay o f transference.
A D a n ish rem edy fo r to o th ach e: Take a stick o f elder
w o o d and p u t it in your m o u th . T h e n stick it in the wall
w hile reciting th e w ords: Depart thou evil spirit. N in e pieces
o f elder w o o d w ere stru n g o n to a necklace and w o rn was
a cure fo r epilepsy, as long as the necklace never to u ch ed
the g ro u n d . A ch arm to cure convulsions in children was
to find a m agical elder th a t had b een seeded by birds on
the to p o f a po llard ed willow. T h e fath er o f th e child
m u st th en , on a full m o o n , g a th e r the twigs and m ake a
necklace for the child. A w art could be cu red w ith elder
by pricking u n til a d ro p o f b lo o d cam e fo rth . T his was
d ro p p e d o n to an elder leaf and the leaf was th en buried,
a sim ple tran sferen ce charm . I t was know n in som e parts
th a t leaves g a th e re d on th e auspicious May E ve w ere used
22
H lder
fo r w o u n d healing specifically. Interestingly, horse people

w ould som etim es carry an elder tw ig as an am ulet against
saddle sores.
E ld er w o o d was historically used for p ro tectio n ,
exorcising illness and fo r spirit conjuration. I t is a tree that
falls u n d e r S aturn’s dom inion. W histles m ade from elder
w o o d w ere used to sum m on spirits, m agical pipes that
they are. E ld er was also used for darker magic, the leaves
and bark w ere included in hex pow ders. T h e flow ers and
berries w ere used in protective m ixtures. A very intense
c o u n te r curse included m aking a ‘fro g ’ o u t o f grave dust,
p o w dered black spiders and elder sap. T his p o p p e t was
to be b ap tized in the v ictim ’s nam e and pricked daily w ith
pins for nine days to m ake th em very ill.
E ld e r was th o u g h t to p ro te c t th e h o m e and farm as
well. It was used as a c h arm ag ain st lig h tn in g , w reaths
o f b ran c h e s w ere h u n g up in G e rm a n y a fte r su n set to
p ro te c t the farm . O n the Isle o f M an, elder w o o d was
fixed above w indow s and d o o rs to p ro te c t the house.
A n elder tree p la n te d n e x t to a co ttag e was su p p o sed
to p ro te c t a h o m e fro m w itch c raft, lig h tn in g and flies.
P easan ts w ould m ake w re a th s o f elder to p u t up on the
in fam o u s W alpurgis n ig h t in G e rm a n y so th a t they could
see w itches rid in g on b ro o m s, d rag o n s o r goats. O n e
p ro te c tiv e rite u sin g elder cam e fro m Styria, A ustria. O n
B e rth a N ig h t (January 6 th), th e D evil was kn o w n to have
g re a t pow ers. I f a m agical circle was m ade, one could
sta n d in th e c e n te r o f it w ith elder b erries th a t w ere
g a th e re d o n St. J o h n s N ig h t, th u s b e in g p ro te c te d against
his in flu en ces. It is likely th a t th ese b erries w ere g reen
and u n d e r ripe, ho w ev er th e ir pow ers w ere fo r m agical
ra th e r th an m edicinal use.
E ld er was used in d ifferen t ways to find m alefic witches.
A G e rm a n b e lie f was th a t an elder stick b u rn ed on
C hristm as E ve w ould som ehow reveal w ho the w itches
w ere in the nearby neig h b o rh o o d . A C olonial A m erican
belief was th a t if a piece o f elder p ith was dipped in oil,
23
lit and floated on w ater, th at it w ould p o in t to any w itch

p resen t. A n o th e r in terestin g belief was th at anyone w ho
was b ap tized and an o in ted w ith the juice o f green elder
b ark aro u n d the eyes could see w itches.
Folk Medicine ■$'

O ld e r folk m edicinal uses o f elder w ere many. It has
b e e n called ‘th e m edicine c h est o f the c o u n try p e o p le ’
an d we can see why, w ith such a lo n g h isto ry and so m any
applications. E ld e r flow ers and b erries have b een used
fo r cen tu ries fo r colds, flus, fevers, and sto m ach troubles.
It was th o u g h t th at because the flow ers b lo o m e d aro u n d
th e su m m er solstice, th a t m edicine had som e o f the
w arm in g pow ers o f th e sun. A n eld er flow er d e c o ctio n
was a c o u n try rem edy to take at the first signs o f sickness.
P eo p le have u sed th e b erries fo r w ine, in p a rticu la r b rew ed
or in fu se d w ith w arm in g m ulling spices, such as clove,
c in n a m o n and nutm eg. T h e flow ers and leaves w ere o fte n
u sed in in fu se d lard fo r to p ical p u rp o se s such as repelling
insects, b u rn s, w o unds and eczem a. A ru stic split fo r a
w o u n d c o u ld be m ade fro m a hollo w ed o u t elder b ran ch
filled w ith m oss. A n old Irish rem edy fo r helping to
p re v e n t a scar a fter a b u rn w as to apply a salve m ade
fro m g ree n elder rin d (bark) m ixed w ith sheep suet. E ld er
flow er w ater was u sed cosm etically to rem ove freckles
and help w ith sun b urns.
T h e N ativ e A m ericans h ad m any m edicinal uses for
the red and blue elder in the Pacific N o rth w e s t, and in
o th e r p a rts o f N o rth A m erica. G en erally speaking, w ith
th e blue elder Sambucus cerulea, the leaves w ere u sed for
a w ash externally applied fo r b lo o d p o iso n in g , taken for
new colds and as a purgative. A n in fu sio n o f th e flow ers
was taken in tern ally fo r fevers, headaches, m easles, colds
and sto m a c h tro u b les. A d e c o c tio n o f the b ark was used
as a w ash fo r pain and fo r sw elling, o ld sores, itc h in g
skin and also fo r bruises. Som e specific in fo rm a tio n gives
m o re o f a range o f th e uses. T h e H o u m a tribe used a
24
E ld er
d e c o c tio n o f the b ark as a w ash fo r pain and an herb al

steam b a th was m ade w ith the leaves and flow ers by the
K aw aiisu tribe fo r headaches and colds. Similarly, the
O kanagan-C olville tribe to o k th e dead stalks and used
th em in a steam b a th for rh eu m a tism and arth ritis. T h e
fresh b ark co u ld also be applied topically fo r to o th a c h e.
T h e K a ro k tribe u sed a w ash m ade fro m th e bran ch es
in a c erem o n y fo r a sick child, called the B ru sh D ance.
T h e M o n tan a In d ia n tribe u sed an in fu sio n o f the flow ers
tak en in tern ally fo r lung tro u b les. T h e Y okut tribe used
fresh b ru ise d leaves as a po u ltice fo r b urns. A n infu sio n
o f the flow ers was given to babies w ith a fever and for
te e th in g by n u m ero u s tribes.
W ith the red elder Sambucus racemose var. pubens generally
speaking, a poultice o f the leaves and bark was applied
fo r pain, rheum atism and swellings. A poultice o f the
p o u n d e d leaves was applied for boils and abscesses. A n
infu sio n o f the ro o ts and b ark was taken as a purgative
and for colds. A few m ore specific uses o f n o te — the
Q u in au lt tribe used the b ark applied as a poultice w h en a
w om an sta rte d breastfeeding. T h e N itin a h t tribe com bined
red elder bark w ith black tw inberry Oonicera invulucrata for
nervous breakdow ns. T h e Q uileute used the b ark or roots
fo r w om en during labor, taken internally in an infusion. A
m edicine was m ade fo r th o se affected by w itch craft o u t o f
red elder bark, juniper ro o ts Juniperous spp. and cow parsnip
ro o ts Heracleum spp., by the G itksan tribe. T h e K w akiutl
tribe used the b ark in a steam b a th fo r w om en to help relax
th em after child birth.
Personal Practices -A'

Magically, w h en w orking w ith the unseen, the elder spirit is
exceptional fo r aid in seeing in to the O th e r realms. W hen
used fo r divination w ork, dream w ork, trance w ork or
during ritual w here spiritual aid is sought, elder w ood as
talism an o r charm is revealing. She is a tru th teller. Calling
to the elder tree w itch during night tim e walks o r sits
25
brings her w isdom in to the p rese n t situation. E ld er can

be used fo r sorrow , a very c o m fo rtin g co m panion w hen
traum a o r loss arises. G rie f is lifted and this old wise tree
spirit lends h er helping h a n d o r m aybe a bony sh oulder to
cry on. Seek o u t this tree fo r th a t p u rp o se, drinking the
flow er tea and taking naps in the elder m o th e r’s shade to
p ro m o te p ro p h etic dream s.
E ld er leaves and flow ers, if they are still in bloom , can be
g ath ered after dark on M idsum m ers Eve, w ith appropriate
offerings m ade. T h ese can be dried and used later for
fum igations, am ulets pouches o r protective pow ers w here
w isdom and access to h id d en realm s is sought. Also, the
earth fro m aro u n d the ro o ts o f an old elder tree can be
‘h a rv e ste d ’ w ith perm issio n from the tree and in ten tio n s
explained. T his earth can be u sed in charm s, pow ders o r
any m agical p rep a ra tio n w here the aid o f the elder tree is
needed. T h e berries can be b u rn e d in fum igation m ixtures
during the w in ter m o n th s w hen extra p ro te c tio n and
in fo rm a tio n is sought.
T h e local blue elder S. cerulea is th e elder th a t I use
m o st for m edicine, the cream y h o n ey scen te d flow ers
and the heavy clusters o f lavender d u ste d berries. T he
flow ers sta n d in sta rk c o n tra s t to black S.nigra an d red
elder d. racemosa flow ers, w h ich have m o re acrid and
so u r u n d e rto n e s, th o u g h can be u sed just the sam e.
R em em ber th a t the leaves, bark, stem s and ro o ts o f elder
are co n sid e red toxic to take in tern ally in m o d e rn tim es.
E ld e r flow er and b e rry tea can be u sed fo r any kind o f
cold a n d /o r flu, b e fo re , d u rin g and after. T h e flow ers and
b erries are b o th d iap h o re tic (p ro m o te s sw eating), diuretic
and slightly laxative. B o th the b erries and flow ers m ake
a delicious syrup a n d /o r w ine. A n eld er flow er in fu sio n ,
m ixed w ith ro seh ip s and sage leaves, is m o st helpful
for seasonal allergies. W h en using the d ried b erries in
tea, d e c o ct th em fo r 10-15 m in u tes to b rin g o u t their
full m edicine. A favorite c o m b in a tio n includes dried
e ld e rb erry d e c o cte d w ith ro seh ip s, D ouglas fir tips (pine
26
E lder
o r sp ru c e could be su b stitu te d ), stinging n ettles, clove,

allspice, cin n am o n and o ran g e peel. A n o th e r tea th a t I call
‘D a rk H o llo w T ea’ co m b in es dried eld erb erries, ro aste d
dan d elio n ro o ts and stinging nettle leaves. T h is d eco cted
fo r a tim e w ith m ilk and ho n ey added is excellent fo r cold
rainy nights.
T he infused fat o r oil m ade w ith freshly w ilted elder
leaves and flow ers can be m ade in to a salve. T his salve
can be used for skin irritations and sensitive skin. I t has
the ability to take the itch away and so o th inflam m ation,
also being excellent for chaffing, and eczem a. Fresh elder
leaves ru b b e d on the skin (though n o t the face) m ake a
quick and helpful insect repellent.
T h e b erries o f the red elder are k n o w n to be toxic unless
c o o k ed and the seeds stra in e d o u t b e fo re con su m in g ,
th o u g h they w ere traditionally d ried and eaten in sm all
q u an tities m ixed w ith o th e r b erries by N ative A m erican
tribes. I do n o t m ake m edicine w ith these. T h e berries
o f the blue o r black elder how ever can be m ade in to
an excellent elixir sim ply by covering the fresh b erries
th a t have b een fro z e n and th e n thaw ed w ith b ran d y and
honey. T h is m ix tu re is to be in fu se d and stirre d daily
fo r 1-2 m o n th s. W hole spices can be added, such as
cloves, cin n am o n , ginger an d allspice if desired, b u t it is
w o n d e rfu l o n its ow n.
To h arvest the elder flow ers, w ait u ntil they are fully o pen
and fragrant, o fte n in early June. T h ere is a three-w eek
w indow roughly. Snip the flow er heads into a basket. To
reach the high clusters, use a fruit h o o k or a trim m ing tool
th at has an extended pole. R em em ber to leave a significant
am o u n t o f flow er clusters fo r b erry p ro d u ctio n . T h e leaves
used for external p u rp o ses only can also be h arvested
at this tim e as well. Lay your flow er clusters to dry and
in a b o u t three weeks, strip th em from the largest stem s
and store them in glass jars in the dark. T h e sm ell will be
intense w ith som e species during the drying process, it will
lessen in a w eek or two. I f you are going to m ake an elixir
27
o r w ine w ith the flow ers, I personally p refer to dry th em

first, th e flavor is better.
To h a rv e st th e b erries, w ait u n til they are fully ripe,
w ith no g ree n on the fru it at all. Use the sam e m e th o d as
fo r the flow ers, b u t w atch th em closely, as you will o fte n
be c o m p e tin g w ith the birds and o th e r creatures. E ith e r
dry the b erries on the stem s and strip th em o ff w hen dry,
o r freeze th em im m ediately to m ake in to o th e r p o tio n s at
a later tim e. Always rem ove the stem s b e fo re pro cessin g
th em in to m edicine, as they are know n to be toxic. A
few rem ain in g tiny stem s in the flow er b u n ch es are o f
no w orry, b u t it is im p o rta n t to rem ove as m uch o f the
larger and o b vious ones as p o ssib le w ith o u t taking h o u rs
to do so.
Many thanks to the Elder Witch,

She who sees in the dark, may we he so inspired to learn from
her ways and Midnight A r ts ever towards the truth. A tree that
offers everything fo r our healing and magical apothecary, may we be
always respecful o f her powers and potency.
E lder Tree Charm fo r Second Sighted*

T his ch arm brings to g e th e r b o th the se rp e n t and the
elder tree, linked they are in folklore and in fate. O n an
au tu m n full m o o n , go to an old elder tree in som e wild
place. P o u r on libations and offerings (elderberry w ine or
m ead is a p p ro p riate here) and ask the tree spirit for som e
o f her w o od, in re tu rn o f course for the w ood you will
grow w h e n you are a tree someday. It w ould be ideal to
take a b ran ch w ith o u t the use o f m etal, b u t this requires
leaving a nasty o p e n w o u n d to the tree, so I use sharp
p ru n ers. M ake sure the b ran ch is ab o u t the thickness
o f your thum b. U p o n retu rn in g hom e, cut o u t an elder
‘c ro ssro a d s’ piece for the m ain am ulet by choosing the
sp o t w here the o p p o site branches com e o u t - a fo u r way
split in the b ran ch essentially. Set this aside. T h e n cut the
28
E ld er
rest o f the b ran ch in roughly one inch chunks. Take a

leath er awl and h ollow o u t th e pithy centers —only use live
w o od, n o t any dead pieces. String them o n black rib b o n ,
the o ld er the b etter, and k n o t th e m th ree tim es betw een
th e pieces. Sew a p o u ch fro m black w ool and m ake it w ith
a flap to attach a b u tto n to keep it closed. A ttac h the string
o f elder ‘b e a d s’, m aking sure it is long e n o u g h to go over
y our head.
N o w take elder earth h arv ested from aro u n d the roots
o f an old tree and dried elder leaves harv ested in darkness
o n M idsum m er’s E ve (ideally m idnight) and pass them
th ro u g h the sm oke o f d rag o n ’s b lo o d before placing them
in to your p ouch. Similarly fum igate your crossroads am ulet
piece and a snake skin. I f found near an elder tree, all the
m ore pow erful. W rap the elder piece w ith the snake’s skin
w hile reciting this incantation:
Elder crone, elder crone, lies sleeping with the snake,

Four ways and back again to see the mirrored lake,
Л n d on that lake a gnarled hand, be sure to point the truth,
For under worlds and over worlds I seek to see —forsooth!
T h e n p u t the w rap p ed piece in the p o u ch and seal, while

passing th ro u g h the aforesaid sm oke. W ear this po u ch
w h en seeking to see in to o th e r w orlds during any ritual or
cerem ony th at requires such, also sleep w ith it u n d er your
pillow fo r p ro p h etic dream s and use during any so rt o f
divination work.
Hlder Berry M ead ^

To m ake 1 gallon o f m ead, you n eed ab o u t a gallon zip
lock bag full o f b erries in clusters. Freeze the berries, and
th e n thaw them ; it m akes strip p in g th e stem s o f f easier
and starts the process o f break in g dow n the berries. Strip
all o f the larger stem s fro m the berries and as m uch o f
the sm aller stem s as you can. Place th e p rep a re d berries
in a m edium sized sto n e crock. Take 3 p o u n d s o f honey
29
and a b o u t 3 qu arts o f w ater, boil th em on the sto v eto p

for a b o u t 10 m inutes, stirrin g to dissolve. A dd it to the
crock and stir in the berries. N o w add a selection o f
spice, if desired; a little fresh orange peel, allspice berries,
cin n am o n chips, w hole cloves e tc ...B u t go easy, you can
o verpow er this. You can also infuse the spices later, after
the w ine is done.
W ait until the w ine is com pletely cool (overnight),
sprinkle w ine yeast on to p o f the m ixture and w ait 15
m inutes b efore stirring it in. C over the crock w ith a linen
cloth th a t is tied o n w ith a string and ru b b e r band, to keep
o u t fruit flies. Stir tw ice a day w ith a w oo d en spo o n that
is n o t used for cooking. A fter ab o u t 10 days, filter and fill
w ithin 2 inches o f the to p o f a clean gallon glass jug and
fit w ith an airlock. Store this in a place th at is n o t to o h o t
or too cool, in the dark. B ottle after 6 m o n th s and w ait a
year b efore drinking. I f it d o e sn ’t taste good, keep waiting.
T his w ine is a tonic in the w inter m o n th s and during w et
cold w eather. I t is also app ro p riate as a libation offered
for w hen w orking w ith a n c esto r’s, dark m o o n m agic o r for
ritual use on All H allow ’s Eve.
Hlder Flower Ointment I'F

Take fresh elder flow er clusters and elder leaves, equal
p arts. W ilt th em fo r 12 h o u rs and in fu se th ese in eith er
re n d e re d lard o r c o c o n u t oil in a do u b le boiler. T h e key
is to really satu rate the fat w ith the scen t and light g reen
c o lo r o f the p lan t, w ith o u t having any m o ld tro u b le s by
rem e m b e rin g to stir and stra in it o u t a fte r your in fu sio n .
H e a t th e d o u b le b o ile r up every day fo r a b o u t 10 m inutes,
stir th e m ixture, th e n tu rn o f f th e h e a t an d let it sit o u t
a n o th e r 24 hours. Strain the p la n t m aterial o u t w ith in
th ree-fiv e days. A d d c h o p p e d o r g rate d beesw ax to it,
h e a tin g to m elt it all to g e th e r in a do u b le b o ile r to m ake
a salve. A typical ratio is to add 1 oz. beesw ax to every
1 cup o f fat. T h is salve can be u sed fo r skin irrita tio n s
o f any s o rt such as eczem a, itchy rashes, b u g bites,
30
E ld er
chaffed skin, m ild b u rn s and ch a p p ed lips. I t can also be

u sed fo r an o in tin g candles, to o ls o r o n e se lf d u rin g the
w in ter m o n th s or rituals th a t focus on d eath aspects o r
divination.
31
HAZEL
Cory Ills spp
"Ье hazel tree enchants and divines w ith an old

(pow er co n n e cte d to b o th w hispering w ater and
serp en ts w ith gleam ing g o ld en eyes. ‘O ld M o th er
H azel’ I like to call her, fo r w h en visiting the large
m oss covered clusters o f hazel in ou r forest, I can see
her h e a rth and cauldron, I can see h er cottage or ‘H azel
H o u se ’, w elcom ing m e for a spell at h er m ossy stum p
table, for a drin k o f brackish w ater and h azelnut bread. A
b eautiful bush-like tree th at dangles golden tassels in the
early spring, follow ed by g reen th en b row n sm o o th nuts
w rap p ed in p ro tectiv e green husks in the au tu m n tim e, this
tree o f the faerie tales has b o th light and dark attributes, a
m ystic o f the forests and w oodlands indeed.
In my hom e here in the Pacific N o rth w e st, th ere is the
native hazel, Corylus cornuta. She is m ore spraw ling and
eerie looking th an the E u ro p e a n hazel, definitely evoking
a su p ern atu ral p resen ce and w isdom . T h e cultivated
E u ro p e a n hazeln u t trees Corylus avellana a n d /o r Corylus
maxima are o fte n to be fo u n d on old farm s and in gardens,
w hich are also called filb ert and co b n u t. T hey grow into
very large and h an d so m e clusters, d ro p p in g their golden
tassels a b o u t a m o n th earlier th an the native trees here,
just in tim e for C andlem as. T h e ir straig h t poles at varying
stages o f g ro w th have b een u sed in coppice crafts in
B ritain fo r th o u san d s o f years by w o o d sm en and even now
th ere is a grow ing revival in m anaging a w o o d lan d in the
trad itio n al way. All species o f hazel trees have delightful
secret, if one takes the tim e to find it. A fter the tassels
have un fu rled , look above som e o f th em fo r a tiny and
b eautiful scarlet flow er, like a starb u rst. I t is incredible
33
and con jures up joy fo r springtim e after the d e p th s o f

w inters sleep.
H a 2 el was know n as a life-giving tree from old Irish
beliefs and also th o u g h t o f as a faerie tree. Irish legend
tells th a t nine h a 2 els grew over a sacred Celtic well and
over the River S hannon, w hich is the lo ngest river in
Ireland. A t certain tim es these h a 2 el trees p ro d u ced red
nuts. I f the salm on cam e up the river and ate the nuts that
fell in to the w ater, they w ould g et red spots. I f one could
catch and eat these salm on, they w ould acquire w isdom
and sup ern atu ral know ledge, as the m ythical w arrio r F inn
M cC ool did. A n o th e r folk tale exam ple featuring hazel
as having otherw orldly pow ers com es from the original
C inderella fairy tale from the B ro th ers G rim m . It tells o f
how a h a 2 el sapling grew up from the m o th e r’s grave and
h er b o n es had tra n sfo rm ed it in to a pow erful w ishing tree
th at sheltered doves, w h o m acted as C inderella’s protectors.
T h e tree also b ro u g h t her the m agical slippers and a golden
dress to w ear to the ball. T h ere was no fairy go d m o th er,
b u t a h a 2 el tree instead.
Two incredible old recipes for engaging w ith Faerie spirits
included the ha 2 el tree. I will share them here.
F ro m th e 1600’s: To Unable One to See the Fairies: A p in t

o f sallet oyl and p u t it in a vial glass; amd first wash it with
rose water; the flowers to be gathered towards the east; Wash
it till the oyl becomes white, then p u t it into a glass, and then
p u t thereto the buds of hollyhock, the flowers o f marigold, the
flowers or tops o f wild thyme, the buds o f young bagel, and the
thyme must be gathered near the side of a hill where fairies are
use to be; and take the grass o f a fairy throne(ring); then p u t all
these into the glass and set it to dissolve three days in the sunne
and keep it fo r they use. ’ — taken fro m A Witches Guide to
Gardening, D o ro th y Jacob, 1964.
A n o th e r one from 1406, co n tain ed in B odlein Ms.

A shm ole: Fairy Spell — F irst get a broad square crystal or
34
Haêl
Venus glass in length and bredth 3 inches, then lay that glass or
crystal in the blood o f a white hen, 3 Wednesdays or 3 Fridays,
then take it out and wash it in Holy aqua and fumigate it.
Then take three haêl sticks or wands o f a year growth, peel
them fa ir and white, and make so long as you write the spirits
name orfairies name, on every stick being madefla t on one side,
then bury them under some hill whereyou suppose fairies haunt,
the Wednesday before you call her. A n d the following Friday
take them up and call her at 8 or 3 or 10 oclock, which be good
planets and hours fo r that turn. But whenyou call, be in clean
life and turn thy face towards the east, and when you have her,
bind her to that stone or glass. ’ — taken from The Anatomy
o f Puck, K atharine Briggs, 1959.
Folklore and m agical use abounds w ith the hazel tree.

T his tree has a c o n n e ctio n to w ater, its w o o d was the
traditional forked stick o f the d o u ser or ‘w ater w itch ’ as
they w ere called. O th e r w oods for dousing included willow
and alder. D o u sers are certain peo ple th at have a special
ability to find a deep w ater source using the forked w and
in a specific way, to show w here to dig a well, they still exist
today. I t was said th at by using a hazel w and specifically,
one could locate buried springs o r even silver o r gold. If
a ro d was cut on M idsum m ers Eve, w hile ap p roaching the
tree backw ards and done w ith b o th hands betw een o n e ’s
legs, one was en sured to be able to find hidden treasure
w ith it.
A n o th e r source o f in stru ctio n on how to cut and use
a divining rod, is presented here, taken from Secrets of
E ast Anglian Magic, by N igel Pennick. It com es from an
eighteenth century co u n try almanac:
Cut a ha%el wand forked at the upper end like a Y. Peel off
the rind and dry it in a moderate heat; then steep it in the juice
of Wake-Robin or Night-Shade, and cut the single lower end
sharp, and whereyou suppose any rich mine or treasure is near,
place a piece of the same metal that you conceive is hid in the
35
earth to the top o f one o f the fo rks by a hair or veryfine silk or

a thread, and do the like to the other end. Pitch the sharp single
end lightly to the ground at the going down o f the sun, the moon
being on the increase, and in the morning at sunrise, by natural
sympathy you will fin d the metal inclining, as it were, pointing
to the place where the other is hicT.
T h e hazel tree has a co n nection w ith snakes from old

tim es. In Sw eden it was believed th at a snake could n o t
approach the hazel tree and it w ould lose its ven o m if
to u ch ed by a hazel w and. T h ere was an o th er belief th at St
Patrick drove snakes o u t o f Ireland by using a hazel wand.
A cure from D a rtm o o r for w hen a dog is bit by a snake tells
th at a circlet m ade from hazel should be placed around his
neck. A m agical cure from the Balkans was to cut a young
hazel twig at sunset on St. G eorges day (April 23), then
use it to ru b a snake bite w ound and draw a magical circle
around it. In general, if a circle was draw n around a snake
w ith a hazel staff, the snake could n o t leave it. Children
travelling in the Black F orest in G erm any w ere given hazel
sticks to keep th em safe from snakes. Related to this, a
G e rm a n belief states th at a crow ned w hite snake, the hazel
serpent, lives b en eath the hazel tree. F ro m Wales — if a
snake is fo u n d u n d er a hazel tree on w hich m istletoe grew,
a precious sto n e could be found in its head.
T h e snake is a traditional sym bol o f w isdom and the
hazel tree also has been called a tree o f w isdom in Celtic
m ythology. H ere is a traditional E nglish charm for an adder
snake bite: M ake a cross o u t o f hazel w ood and place it
u p o n the bite, w hile reciting these w ords three times:
‘Underneath this haêlin mote, theres a braggoty worm with

a speckled throat, nine double is he: N ow from nine double to
eight double, A n d from eight double to seven double, and from
seven double to six double, A n d from six double to five double,
A n d from five double to fo u r double, A n d from four double to
three double, A n d from three double to two double, A n d from
36
Nagel
two double to one double, A n d from one double to no double,

N o double hath he!’
A long w ith snake lore, there is also a bit o f lightning lore

associated w ith this tree. H azel had a connection w ith T hor,
the N ordic G od; it was thought to be the actual em bodim ent
o f lightning (along ■with rowan, haw thorn, holly and
m istletoe). T here was the belief that hazel trees are never
struck by lightning and therefore o ften give p rotection from
it. A belief from Som erset tells that you should m ake a cross
in the hearth ashes w ith a hazel twig on May D ay and put
the branch outside the house to p ro te c t it from lightning.
A fter the first th u n d ersto rm broke in the spring, G erm an
farm ers w ould make the sign o f a cross w ith hazel twigs and
place them over every heap o f grain as an act o f protection.
Branches o f hazel were often p u t in w indow fram es during
a heavy rain to pro tect from lightning. W est o f France, b o th
the Robin (a bird symbolic o f fire) and the hazel were used
in a lightning charm o f sorts. O n Candlem as day February 2,
a cock R obin was killed and a hazel stick was driven through
the body and the w hole placed into the fire —this gruesom e
custom was done to keep the hom e safe from lightning for
the following year.
To fall asleep under a hazel tree w ould give one prophetic
dreams. A G erm an alchem ist once said that connecting w ith
nature spirits is ‘easily gained beneath hazel branches’. Hazel
twigs could be used for w eather magic, w ith an excerpt from
a seventeenth century w itch trial reading ’the devil gave a bagel
branch to a witch and told her to beat a stream with it, upon which
a downpour followed.’ A n o th e r p a rt o f the d o c u m e n t reads:
A witch-boy flogged the water with a hagel switch until a small
storm cloud rose up from it. N o t long thereafter, a rainstorm began
A w ood spirit inhabited the hazel tree and the nuts were
th o u g h t to be connected to w itches from olden times. An
old saying ‘Sorceress, Witch, H agel Stick’ was a taunt directed
at w om en w ho paid attention to magic and w itchcraft. In
G erm an ballads, the hazel tree was addressed as ‘Lady H azel’,
37
and children were threatened w ith Lady H azel com ing to get
them if they dared to pick unripe nuts.
F rom the Balkans, hazel w ood was revered and used in
traditional w itchcraft. A hazel w and was and is still often
carried by witches. F rom ancient m yths com e the use o f a
hazel stick to kill the Devil, revive the deceased, and to turn
people into o th er creatures. F rom this area also m entally ill
people were m ade to walk three tim es around a hazel tree
to help cure them and people m ade confessions o f their
transgressions to the nearby hazel trees rather than to a
priest.
A ritualistic am ulet m ade in the Balkans is called the
‘M ilitary H azelnut’. This is a brilliant and detailed example
o f operative folk magic. It was traditionally m ade by the
m an w ho needed it, w hen he was sum m oned to w ar o r on
a long and dangerous journey. T his inform ation is relayed
from Balkan Traditional Witchcraft, R adom ir Ristic, 2009.
T h e folk ritual involved the m an in need going to a hazel
tree the night before A scension D ay betw een m idnight and
cock crow, clean shaven and dressed in clean clothing. He
is then to undress and face the east, and bends dow n near
a previously chosen hazel branch and attem pts to pick one
o r even better three flowers (catkins I assum e, though by
May they w ould likely be passed) w ith his buttocks. T hen
he finds the first nearest fern bush and picks one ‘ flower’
(Possibly a frond w ith spores) again w ith his buttocks. U pon
returning hom e, he waits until the following m orning and
assem bles the am ulet while sitting on the threshold o f his
hom e. A healthy hazelnut is chosen, including the shell, and
a hole is drilled into it, to help rem ove the insides. T hen
he places w ithin the shell the following: a little m ercury, a
duck’s feather piece, incense, a m arble, a piece o f grass that
was n o t cut during harvest tim e, a piece o f gold, clipping
o f a fingernail from an illegitim ate child, a small bone from
a w ren and the flowers th at he picked w ith his buttocks.
T h e flowing w ords are then recited: Just as no one can catch
mercury, as the scythe couldn’t cut this grass, as the water didn’t wet
38
Haêl
this feather, as the rust cannot harm gold, the bullet cannot harm
me— let it go to bloomingferns. ...just as the marble is strong, and
cannot be harmed bj the knife, let me be strong. Just as the incense
chases away evil, let it stay away from me. Just as the bastard is
born happy, so I want to be lucky. L e t me stay alive, clean and
sacred like the stars in the sky and the morning dew. This am ulet
is sewn into the m an’s clothing or he can carry it w rapped in
som ething in his pocket.
N ecklaces m ade o f hazelnuts have been found in
prehistoric tom bs, tho u g h t by som e to be am uletic in nature.
H azel rods o r a rosary m ade from hazel nuts was believed
lucky and could be hung in the hom e as a p rotection charm .
W elsh custom s also believed that keeping the nuts would
bring prosperity and good fortune. Specifically burning the
nuts in the hearth after they becam e old was a way to keep
the prosperity in the hom e. H azel was a fertility sym bol in
M edieval times. T he nuts were throw n at G reek weddings
and in D evonshire, brides were given little bags o f hazelnuts
as they left the church. T h e Rom any bridegroom carried
w ith him a hazel w and decorated w ith ribbons to ensure
fertility o f the m arriage. Torches o f burning hazel sticks
were carried at R om an weddings to bless the m arriage w ith a
peaceful union. A piece o f hazel w ood that was found m ade
into a spiral byway o f the honeysuckle Lonecera periclymenum
or ‘w oodbine’ was used for love magic and after being cut
and kept, it was th o u g h t that this w and w ould ensure and
bring good courting circum stances to the person in need.
A n old saying was ‘A good nutting year, plenty o f boy
babies’. T here was the superstition how ever from Som erset
that if you ‘go n u tting’ on a Sunday you w ould m eet the
devil and surely have a baby before the wedding. ‘G oing-
a-nutting’ was another way to say ‘lovem aking’. H ildegard
o f Bingen w rote that hazel was used for male im potency
— good sym pathetic magic at w ork here. H azelnuts were
given to animals occasionally in their feed was a way to
b o o st production. C hildren w ho were b o rn in the A utum n
time in Scotland were considered lucky, as green hazelnut
39
‘m ilk’ could be their first food and give them the pow er o f
prophecy. A n elixir o f hazel milk was given to w eak children,
m ixed w ith honey, also from Scotland. In Cam bridgeshire,
bringing hazel twigs into a nursery w ould ensure th at the
baby’s eyes w ould tu rn brow n - rem em bering here that blue
eyes in som e places were th o u g h t to be wholly unlucky and
able to cast the Evil Eye u p o n others.
H anging hazel twigs w ith catkins on them around the
fireplace in early spring was tho u g h t to help sheep at lam bing
tim e, as the catkins look like little lam b’s tails, im itative magic
at w ork here. Soil from under the hazel was given to cows
that had lost their cud, thought to be helpful in bringing it
back up. H azel was used to p ro tect horses in Ireland, and
there are different magical cures for b o th horses and cows
involving hazel. For a horse that had overeaten, twigs and
branches could be tw isted around its legs and feet to relieve
the discom fort. A nd for calves th at were sick and near death,
a length o f hazel m ade to m atch the length o f the calf could
be tw isted into a collar and placed around its neck - a Welsh
cure. It is certainly true that goats and cows love dried hazel
leaves as fodder during the w inter m onths.
W ands m ade o f hazel were the classic m agician’s wand,
an o th er nam e for hazel being the ‘w ishing ro d ’. T he
Scandinavian G o d O din was believed to have a sacred hazel
w and decorated w ith reddened runes. To draw a magical
circle, the sorcerer had to use a hazel w and th at was 19 V2
inches long, cut w ith the m agician’s b lood stained atham e at
sunrise. In som e lore, the w and had to be cut from a tree that
had never fruited and m ade during the first night o f the new
m oon, an h o u r before dawn. T hey were w rapped in a silken
cloth w hen n o t in use and a slim w and, n o t a thick chunky
one, was desired. T his hazel w and, along w ith a bloodstone,
was used to sum m on spirits, originally a M edieval practice
found w ithin the ‘Black B ooks’. A lso from M edieval times,
a hazel w and could be used in court som ehow to find out
m urderers and thieves. A charm to bring back the ghost o f
a hanged m an specifically used a hazel w and to p p ed with
40
Haêl
b o th St. Johns w ort and an owl skull. A hazel rite from a

Cyprianus dating from 1858 describes a way to use a young
hazel branch to obtain magical w ords by conjuring spirits
o f the dead. C arrying a hazel stick was an Irish p rotection
charm against faeries and evil, and a sim ple p ro tectio n act
was to draw a circle around o n e’s self w ith a hazel stick.
T here have been hazel rods and leaves found in gravesites,
used for p rotecting b o th the dead and the living. Celts w ho
had died from G erm any w ere som etim es laid to rest on
hazel branches.
D ouble hazelnuts were considered very lucky. I f shared
w ith a friend, and eaten in silence, b o th people could m ake a
secret wish. D ouble nuts were used for throw ing at witches
in Scotland, probably on account o f their protective virtues.
C arrying the double nut w ith one was a simple am ulet for
toothache and rheum atism both. A w art cure for hazel that
involved transference magic advised to go to a live hazel tree
and cut notches in the tree, for as m any w arts as one had, and
as the notches then grew closed and healed, the warts w ould
disappear. Swedish folklore claim ed that carrying hazelnuts
w ould m ake one invisible. A Welsh wishing cap could be
m ade from hazel twigs and leaves, co n stru cted quickly at
m idnight on the new or full m o o n and w orn for g o o d luck.
W eather lore o f the hazelnut said, the thicker their shells,
the h arder the w inter to com e. H azel is know n to be under
the dom inion o f M ercury, according to astrologers o f the
past.
H azelnuts were associated w ith All Hallows Eve. A long
w ith apples, there were different love divinations in w hich
they w ere utilized. In E ngland this night was called ‘N u t
Crack N ig h t’. O ne way to use them in foretelling was if the
nuts w ere placed in a fire and jum ped up in the air, it was
a sign that o n e ’s lover is unfaithful. A n o th er interpretation
was th at the hazel n u t nam ed after the destined suiter w ould
glow the brightest. T he following rhym e com es from Л
S u ffo lk Calendar and gives som e instruction: Two h a êl nuts
I threw into the fla m e, Л п й to each n u t I give a sweethearts name;
41
This with the loudest bounce me sore amasfd, That in a flame o f

bright color blasfd, A s blasfd the nut, so may the passion grow, Tor
twas thy nut that did so brightly glowP.
Folk Medicine
T here is n o t m uch in the history o f the hazel tree that lends
itself to m ore m edicinal purposes. T h e dried husks and
hazel nuts were m ixed w ith red wine and given for m enstrual
problem s, according to one source. T h e nuts w hen roasted
and sprinkled w ith p ep p er were recom m ended as a cold
treatm ent, being eaten before retiring at night. F rom Ireland,
the bark was used for treating cuts and boils, w ith an old
rem edy for burns involving the application o f ashes o f the
b u rn t w ood.
A m ong N ative A m ericans, w ithin the Iroquois tribe,
hazelnuts w ere eaten for hay fever and for prenatal strength.
N u t oils m ixed w ith bear fat were used to im prove the hairs
condition and a w ash o f the bark was used for loneliness,
am ong som e o th er interesting uses. T h e T h o m p so n tribe
ate the buds to im prove singing. O th e r tribes used poultices
o f the boiled bark for healing w ounds and as an astringent
w ash for infection.
Personal Practices ■F
In my personal practice, hazel has connected m e w ith my
distant ancestors in particular w hen used in a ritual way in
the autum n tim e, w hen the veil is thin betw een worlds. In
this circum stance, by developing a relationship w ith the
tree by giving it offerings and sitting w ith it on num erous
occasions, m uch w isdom can be gleaned. O w ls are also a
bird o f the second sight and w hen com bined w ith hazel in
a ritual space, often doorways open th at were unperceived
previously. This can be achieved by w orking on the dark
m oon in N ovem ber and setting the altar w ith hazel branches
and yellowing leaves, hazel nuts in the husk along w ith an
owl skull and feathers on black cloth. A fum igation o f
hazel leaves, alder leaves, m ugw ort and frankincense can
42
Haêl
be used and trance achieved by w hatever m eans be o f

the practitioner. Visiting the owl in the ancient hazel tree
in non-ordinary reality is called for w ith the intention o f
seeking o n e ’s distant ancestors, if the land m ass they are
from is know n, all the better. In fo rm atio n will unfold and be
gleaned from this act and recognized w ithin the practitioner.
H azel w ood can be carried successfully as a p o te n t am ulet
for anxiety and for fear during tim es o f stress. H azel is
also one o f the im p o rtan t trees for divination work. It
certainly has oracular pow ers and the ability to clarify
m uddy situations. This tree o f plenty can also be used in
fertility magic for w hen trying to conceive a child, by having
the male p a rtn e r eat the nuts regularly and using the nuts as
p art o f a fertility ceremony. H azel staffs encircled by honey
suckle, n o t only can be em ployed for love magic b u t also
for a walking staff that com bines the hazel w ith the serpent
sym bology —these tw isted staves are o f m uch value.
H aêl trees watch from the forested hillside ravine and bless
wisdom among the birds, animals, babies and fortunate humans.
M any thanks to this tree o f knowledge and insight, may the Eye
be clear when drawing upon her powers o f old, hidden and divine.
H a f e l Interred Oracular Powdered

This pow der is to be com pounded while the m oon is waxing
during the autum n m onths. G ath er and pulverize in a brass
m o rtar (or iron — ceram ic will break) — Holly berry (5)
dried, O pal raw, R attlesnake vertebrae (5), D ragons Blood
pow der, G rave Y arrow dried, Petrified W ood, Poppy Seed,
M istletoe B erry dried, Clear Q uartz, Fertile E arth. W hen
fully pulverized, Place in a glass vial w ith a horse to o th and
cork. Seal the cork by dipping it into beeswax. Pack the
w hole w ithin dried hazel leaves in an anim al h o rn and seal
w ith clay dug from the earth by your ow n hands.
W hen the next m o o n is full, take the h o rn and go alone
to the forest to find an old hazel tree, o ff the paths. Tell no
one o f your errand. Bury this horn, pointed side upwards,
43
u n d er the hazel tree during twilight. Give offerings to the

tree and ask it to enhance the concealed pow ders interred.
T he hazel tree in term en t will bestow clear seeing w isdom
u p o n the pow der. R eturn in one full year, on the full m oon
to unearth this magical pow der and use in divination rites
o f all sorts, by sprinkling it around the w orking grounds or
w earing in a pouch around o n e ’s neck, and also by sleeping
w ith the substance u n d er the pillow. N ever take the to o th
o u t o f the vial. W hen the pow der is gone, retu rn to the same
hazel tree and bury the tooth. Use a different tree for the
next batch o f powder.
H aêl Wood Divination

W hen the m o o n is full and you have need to so rt the tru th
o u t from m any possible truths, do this. Have already cut
and dried a single slender piece o f hazel w ood, after m aking
appropriate offerings and stating your intentions to the tree,
this done ideally on a previous full m oon. W ith the dried
w ood, light a single candle in the dark and debark the w ood,
cutting it in to nine pieces about 2-3 inches in length, using
som e force, as the w ood is tougher w hen dried. Pass each
o f the lengths o f hazel w ood, along w ith a w ooden box
big enough to hold them through an oracular sm oke, such
as frankincense, St. Johns w ort, m ugw ort, dandelion leaf,
yarrow flower, m arigold (calendula) and bay leaves. In the
box place the blank pieces and close it, im agining all o f the
possible outcom es to your situation for a time. T h en rem ove
the pieces and in black ink transcribe each possibility on a
different hazel piece, leaving one intentionally blank. Close
the box and say these w ords thrice:
Ha%el divine, oracle come

Bring me truth where there is none
Sort the staves from clouded shield
L e t there be one truth revealed
Trom wisdoms eye behold the truth
Unveiled in dark, by light forsooth!
44
Haêl
Shake the box and draw one piece out w ith closed eyes.
W hatever tru th be revealed, save the one hazel piece and
b u rn the rest. May the selected tru th be recognized and
com e to fruition. I f it be the blank one, then none o f the
possibilities w ithin are the truth. B urn the w hole lot and try
again the next full m oon.
45
ROWAN
Sorb us spp
о com e upon a large old row an tree w ithin a wild edge

o f w oods is to go back in tim e, to a place uncanny
and ‘in betw een’ worlds. This magic charm tree boasts
grey lichen encrusted bark, often w ith m any trunks that
eventually grow tall and offer up scarlet berries to the birds
and stars. T he deep green fern like leaves are truly striking
and the buds them selves look like dragon claws m ight, while
curled up and at rest, covered in a w hite fuzz protecting
m aroon pointed clusters. N o d o u b t O therw orldly, the fiery
row an tree gives m uch for the magical form ulatory, based
on the folkloric and magical uses o f the past.
‘Row an’ o r ‘M ountain A sh ’ this tree is often called. Sorbus
is the genus o f the row an tree, the nam e com ing from
G re e k /R o m a n times. It originates in the Latin Sorbum,
w hich refers to the fruit, the ‘sorb apple’. Rowan is in the
rose family, Roseaceae. O lder com m on nam es for this tree
included: Q uicken, Q uick Beam, Rune Tree, Sorb Apple,
T hors H elper, W hitty Tree, W hispering Tree, W itch W ood,
W itching Tree, W itch Bane and m o re ...th e nam e ‘C are’
com es from Cornwall. T he w ord ‘row an’ com es from an
old N orse w ord m eaning tree or charm , тип. T he origins o f
that w ord stem from G erm anic language and are thought to
m ean ‘turning red ’.
T he E uropean species is S.acuparia and the A m erican
species is L. Americana. T h e species in the Pacific N o rth w est
is ,5. sitcbensis, the Sitka Rowan. O ften the E uropean species
is planted ornam entally and it is delightful to find these trees
all over neighborhoods. Little do people see the value o f
them beyond their attractive flowers, berries and foliage —
they w ould indeed be surprised by their magical history.
47
Rowan is unrelated to true ash trees in the Fraxinus genus,

b u t the co m m o n nam e ‘M ountain A sh ’ came from the leaves
looking som ew hat similar to ash tree leaves in the way they
are divided. Also, im portantly, b o th trees were beheved to
be very protective, particularly from fire and evil magic.
Historically, the row an tree was seen as magical throughout
m any E u ro p ean cultures and was endow ed w ith exceptional
supernatural powers. Som e Irish lore — there was one Irish
legend that believed that the first w om an sprang from a
row an tree and the first m an from an alder tree. T he rowans
red berries w ere beheved in Ireland to be the food o f Tuatha
de Dannan, the m ythical people from early Irish mythology.
T he berries had the pow er to sustain for nine meals, and
som e sources state that eating three berries w ould give a
perso n aged one h u n d red years back their thirty-year-old
self. O n C hristm as Eve on the N o rth coast o f Ireland, there
was at one tim e an ancient row an tree full o f torches that
could n o t be extinguished by w ind o r w eather, so pow erful
the protective properties o f the tree were.
Row an was associated w ith lightning, tho u g h t to be the
actual em bodim ent o f lightning and had a strong link in
Scandinavian m ythology to the G o d T hor. I t was sacred to
T h o r because in legend, it helped him cross a flooded river,
as he clutched a branch o f it. T h e wife o f T h o r herself
was tho u g h t to be conceived in the form o f a row an tree.
T here was an old custom to include a plank o f row an w hen
building a ship, to bring in the protective pow ers o f T h o r
while at sea.
T here are m any protective charm s associated w ith rowan
w ood. It was thought that row an trees were revered by
D ruids, as old stum ps are often found near stone circles
and places that w ere believed to be cerem onially used by
them . Rowan trees still grow near ancient stones and burial
places according to som e sources, long have they given their
berries and barks to the magical arts. In Scotland, there was
an old custom w hen building a house to use row an w ood
for the cross beam s o f the chimney. I t was protective from
48
Rowan
n o t only lightning but also fire. In Ireland rowan w ood was

incorporated into the ro o f thatch for p ro tectio n from the
same. E uropean Rom any people and circus show folk alike
w ould often incorporate a piece o f row an w ood into the
building o f their caravans, for protective properties while
traveling. Rowan w ood was also hung on cradles o r fashioned
into the cradles rockers them selves to p ro tect babies and
infants from being ill-wished and from dark faerie spirits
w ho m ight abduct them in exchange for a changeling.
A n o th er old protective custom — it was im p o rtan t to stir
the fire on G o o d Friday w ith a row an stick, no iron should
touch the fire on this day.
T here are m any references to rowan being hung in barns
to p ro tect livestock from w itchcraft and disease. It is hard
for m o d ern folks to im agine that losing one cow or even a
pig could spell disaster and starvation for a w hole family.
E ven 150 years ago in rural areas unless a family was well to
do, they w ere largely dep en d en t on w hat they could p u t up
for the w inter, hence the m any protective spells and charm s
found for anim als w ithin the lore. O ne old custom tells that
a circle o f row an was used as a collar for securing cattle after
nightfall and that every tim e the cow was visited by a bull,
this collar was to be passed around the chim ney crook three
times. In Strathspey Scotland on the first o f May (Beltane)
and on N ovem ber first (Samhain), sheep and lam bs were
m ade to pass through a h o o p m ade o f row an w ood for extra
p ro tectio n during this tim e w hen the faeries and w itches were
believed to be m ore present. M ares w ere fed a handful o f
row an berries to help them b irth their foals w ith o u t h arm or
m isfortune. T he handle and cross o f the b u tter churn staff
could be m ade o f row an w ood to avoid the milk from being
bew itched. A charm to help lift a curse u p o n a milk cow was
to heat w hatever m ilk was available from the anim al and stir
it w ith a row an stick, while adding pins and rusty nails as the
milk cam e to a boil —this is similar to ‘w itch b o ttle ’ charm s
in its rationale. W hen a cart (or an animal) was stopped
on a road byway o f magic, it could be resto red to travel
49
by w hipping it lightly w ith a row an stick. F rom nineteenth

century Sweden, m oney could be p ro tected from thievery by
placing two row an sticks th at w ere cut in May over it, in the
fo rm o f a cross, along w ith salt and som e rye bread. This
was done to ensure the m oney could n o t be taken w ithout
the ow ners know ledge o f it. Similarly, from the eighteenth
century Swedish speaking p a rt o f Finland com es the use
o f laying two row an sticks in a cross in the place w here an
object was m issing from . T he pow er o f the row an w ould
bring back the m issing object immediately.
T his tree was specifically associated w ith averting the
pow ers o f the dark witch. A n old saying from H erefordshire
tells: The witty (Rowan) is the tree on which the devil hanged
himself. M any people are also familiar w ith the old saying,
this variation from Teesdale, England: Black luggie, lammer
bead, Rowan tree and red thread, Put the witches to their speed1.
T h e ‘black luggie’ was a dish m ade o f black oak and the
‘lam m er b ead ’ was an am ber bead - b o th substances, along
w ith row an and the color scarlet, were protective in nature.
In Scotland, a protective am ulet was m ade by w rapping
this same w ritten rhym e on paper around a row an twig and
tying it w ith a red silk thread. Rowan w ood could be laid
over the d o o r threshold to keep w itches from entering,
particularly around May Eve. O n ‘W itchw ood D ay’ May 2 in
Yorkshire (though m any references state that May 3 was H oly
R ood D ay o r Rowan Tree Day), row an w ood was cut in a
cerem onial way and placed above the doors o f the hom e for
p ro tectio n from w itches for the following year. In Cleveland
U K , in order to procure the rowan w ood for the p rotection
on May 3, one had to find a row an tree that s h e /h e had
never seen before. T h e n twigs and branches had to be cut
w ith a knife from the household, and the route hom e had
to be different than the one taken. O n May Eve in Ireland,
a row an stick could be stuck in the m idden (the m uck heap
sym bolizing fertility) o r in the four corners o f the corn field
to p ro tect the farm . In parts o f Scotland, row an branches
were burned in fro n t o f hom es in an unspecified ritual to
50
Rowan
keep w itches away. Rowan w ood was fashioned into a rustic

charm by m aking an equal arm ed cross that was w ound
w ith red thread, w orn betw een the seams o f the clothing
by Scottish highland dairy maids ‘against any unforeseen
danger’ and also tied to the tails o f cows on those m ost
auspicious nights o f the year. T h e scarlet berries were strung
o n to red thread and w orn as protective necklaces as well.
In H erefordshire E ngland, the row an was planted near a
dwelling to avert the Evil Eye. E ven carrying a piece o f the
w ood in a pocket could pro tect a person or traveler. Since
it was believed th at no evil spirit could approach a rowan
tree, people th at were carrying o u t dangerous errands could
place the bark in their pockets in hopes for extra protection
during their journey. I t was believed that if a branch o f
row an touched a w itch, the D evil w ould appear and drag her
back to Hell. A n o th er older belief was that the first smoke
th at came up through the chim ney on the m orning o f May
first was able to be used by w itches to bring bad luck to the
family o f the hom e. O ne way to avert the w itch’s power
on the sm oke was to b u rn a bunch o f row an leaves up the
chim ney before kindling a fire. Yet another belief associated
w ith row an and w itches —one could shake a branch o f rowan
at w itch cats to make them disappear. H aving a row an tree
planted in the garden was supposed to keep dark witches
away. A first hand saying from Lincolnshire tells: ‘There’s a
special twig on a Witchin Tree, which, i f you can get it an ’ keep it
alters on you, then you can witch, as well as being safe from being
witched’. A row an stick driven into a grave could stop ghosts
from rising and row an trees were planted in graveyards to
prevent w itches from disturbing the dead.
All o f these p ro tectio n charm s and properties are further
concentrated and enhanced if the tree was w hat was know n
as a ‘flying row an’. This is w here the row an was planted in
another tree tru n k by som e bird or animal, and is grow ing
o ut o f it. It then was th o u g h t to be endow ed w ith extra
supernatural power. Amazingly, there is a flying rowan here
on our little forested hom estead, so I can attest that it is
51
‫יי‬
possible to find one! It is small but pow erful, grow ing out o f
a cedar stum p, wild and alm ost unnoticed, save for the bright
red clusters o f berries th at com e on during late summ er.
In Scandinavian folk magic, the flying row an featured
in m any charm s and spells. It was (and still is by some)
believed in Sw eden th at a piece o f flying row an harvested
on M idsum m er’s Eve was the m o st protective thing against
trolls (ancient supernatural beings) and dark magic.
R ow an b e rrie s o n th e tre e a c te d as a p re d ic to r o f
so rts. A n in te re s tin g p iec e o f lo re fro m S c o tla n d tells
th a t to o m any ro w a n b e rrie s o n th e tre e fo re te lls a p o o r
g ra in h a rv e s t. A G e rm a n b e lie f is th a t m an y ro w an
b e rrie s m ea n s m an y c h ild re n b o r n th a t year. R ow an is
ru le d by th e su n o r M ercury, d e p e n d in g o n th e so u rc e
c ite d . In th e lan g u ag e o f flow ers, th e cream y c lu ste rs o f
th e ro w a n tre e sy m b o liz e d p r o te c tio n , h o s p ita lity and
beauty. T h is tre e is a g o o d o m e n all a ro u n d . A firs th a n d
a c c o u n t fro m th e b o o k Plant Tore — by Roy V ickery,
tells o f a w o m a n in E n g la n d w h o was ta u g h t th a t th e
ro w a n tre e w as th e h o m e o f th e g o o d faeries a n d th a t
it w as a lucky tre e to p la n t in th e g a rd e n - she was
g ifte d w ith a ro w a n tre e by h e r m o th e r a fte r she g o t
m a rrie d . S om e years ago a s tu d e n t o f m in e to ld o f h e r
L a tv ia n g r a n d m o th e r w h o p la n te d ro w an tre e s o n the
fo u r c o rn e rs o f h e r p ro p e rty fo r p r o te c tio n h e re in the
US. T h is is a lovely e x am p le o f p la n t m agic th a t is still
alive w ith in living k n o w led g e.
R ow an c o u ld be u se d to rescu e p e o p le w h o had b een
tak en by th e faeries. T h e m e th o d was to take a long
ro w an po le to th e faerie rin g and place its en d in the
m iddle o f th e circle. W h e n the invisible captive is felt to
pull o n th e ro d , tw o stro n g p e o p le sh o u ld pull w ith all
o f th e ir s tre n g th to pull th e p e rs o n b ack to this w orld.
T h e row an w o o d was b eliev ed to be disliked by faeries,
ca rry in g a row an w o o d cross was a g o o d way to keep
away th e ir u n w a n te d a tte n tio n s, th o u g h th e re was a
b e lie f th a t g o o d faeries w ere kind if a child w ould carry
52
Rowan
row an b e rries in th e ir p o ck ets. F ro m Ire lan d , a w alking

stick m ade o f ro w an was su p p o se d to p ro te c t fro m the
faeries as w ell, as was w earing a sprig o f row an in o n e ’s
h at. To g e t rid o f a changeling, a child ‘o f the fae rie s’,
a fire o f row an w o o d co u ld be m ade and the su sp ec te d
child p a sse d th ro u g h the sm oke; th e ch an g elin g w ould
th e n d isa p p e a r up the chim ney a n d th e real child w ould
be re tu rn e d to the family. O n a c c o u n t o f the row ans
w h ite flow ers, b rin g in g th e m in to th e h o u se w ould b rin g
in b a d luck. It was also c o n sid e re d b a d luck to tra n sp la n t
a row an tree o r to cu t it dow n.
M aking charcoal from row an and using it for the
tran scrip tio n o f m agical sym bols com es from an old folk
tale, T he M aid o f the G old en Shoon. A n o th e r m agical
p ro to c o l com es from a S cottish legend ab o u t a m an
nam ed Willie Millar, w ho w ent to explore the D ro p p in g
Cave, a place th a t was believed to lead to the U nderw orld.
H e sew ed row an sprigs and w ych-elm into the hem s o f
his jacket, to o k a bible and a bottle o f gin, along w ith a
sta ff o f B lackthorn th at was h arvested on a full m oon. He
w ore no iron. T h ese protective m easures surely could be
u n d ertak en nowadays, while going to any h au n ted place
full o f un certain spirit power.
T here was a Scandinavian charm for finding buried
treasure th at used a row an twig. It was to be harvested
w ithout the use o f iron on the Eve o f M aundy T hursday
at dusk, or on a Sunday before the sun came up, at dawn.
It was n o t allowed to touch the ground, else its powers
w ould be lost. U sing a needle or awl that had been pierced
through a black toad, the blood o f a w hite hen was applied
and m agical/planetary symbols were w ritten u p o n the w ood
w ith it. (See Scandinavian Yolk Relief and legend, by K videland
R. and H enning K. Sehm sdorf, University o f M innesota
Press, 1988 p.319, for the specific sigils) T hen, if this magic
w and was placed over w here treasure was buried, it was told
to tw ist and turn, giving a sign to the practitioner to indicate
w ealth under the ground.
53
Folk Medicine ^
In folk m edicine, the row an tree h ad its uses as well,
th o u g h they are m uch few er than its m agical uses. T he
bark was c o n sid ered purgative, th e b erries w ere used for
scurvy and cleansing o f the blood. A n in fu sio n o f the
leaves in Irelan d was a rem edy fo r rh eu m atism , th e dose
being one w ine glass full. A lso, carrying a row an tw ig was
an am ulet used to w ard o f f rh eu m atism . A P olish rem edy
states th a t row an berries th a t w ere fro st n ip p ed (to rem ove
the sourness) and in fu sed in vodka fo r 6 m o n th s could be
taken fo r u p se t stom ach. A R om any rem edy fo r unw ell
children was to give th em little cakes in w hich row an
berries w ere dried, g ro u n d up, and in c o rp o ra te d into. T he
b erries w ere also eaten to rid o f w orm s, so this could be
the logic here. T h e leaves have b een u sed as a poultice for
sore eyes fro m o ld er practices as well.
T h e p lan t was c o n sid ered astrin g en t, so u r and bitter.
T h e b e rry juice was diluted and gargled fo r sore th ro ats
and laryngitis. I t was also d iluted and used as a w ash for
cuts and as a d isin fec tan t fo r w ounds, as was a d ecoction
o f the bark. G enerally speaking, N ative A m ericans used
the S. sitchensis b erries to ru b on th e scalp fo r d a n d ru ff,
u sed an in fu sio n o f th e b ark and b ran ch es for rheum atism ,
w eak kidneys and fo r sto m ach tro u b le s and used the
w arm ed w o o d for earaches.
T h e berries them selves are sour, slightly bitter and sharp
tasting b u t despite this have been used in E u ro p ean countries
in different preparations for food and drink. Traditionally in
Britain, they were m ade alone into a jelly o r jam for serving
w ith red m eat or wild game. T here are w arnings about eating
too m any berries; apparently they can cause u p set stom ach
and diarrhea w hen eaten in excess — the very ailm ents that
they are know n to help w ith in sm aller am ounts. They seem
self-regulating to m e, as the berries are n o t som ething that
one w ould just eat o ff the tree for the pleasure o f it; they are
quite intense tasting w hen eaten raw.
54
Rowan
Persona/ Practices
This incredible tree is for extrem e protection, in particular
while traveling and for any so rt o f p rotection for the hom e
and family. B ranches o f it can be gathered while in full
berry and dried, then hung above w indow s and doors o f the
hom e, w ith one being hung safely near the chim ney as well.
T hey can also be hung above the bed, along w ith St. Johns
w ort and a hag stone tied w ith a red ribbon for protection
while asleep, w hether from nightm ares or from any creepy
energies th at rem ain in a bed ro o m from som e forgotten
tim e past. I f one feels that the ill-wish o r Evil Eye is upon
them , row an is the first plant that com es to m ind. An am ulet
m ade from the w ood, leaves and berries is certainly called
for to be w orn about the person at all times.
Every late sum m er is a w onderful opportunity to make
rowan necklaces strung on red thread to hang in the hom e
and to give to loved ones for the year. Scarlet wool thread
can be used to string them , it is easy to pierce the ‘sorb apple’
through the pretty star on the b o tto m o f the fruit. H ang
them to dry in a w arm kitchen, out o f the light. Wear the
necklace w hen extra protection is needed, taking care to
rem ove it from getting wet. Rowan crosses suspended by
the strung berries on red thread can also be hung around the
hom e, in particular near windows. H anging one in the vehicle
is a good charm while traveling, applied w ith an appropriate
incantation. T he red berries can be given to a w om an in labor,
w rapped in scarlet silk for protection against evil influences.
All the better if the rowan tree they are harvested from grows
next to a haw thorn. D ried rowan leaves are helpful for adding
to o utdoor ritual fires on the auspicious nights o f the year,
before beginning a cerem ony or divination.
T he berries can be m ade into wine, liquors, and preserves
or dried and incorporated into foods. T hey offer their ow n
special earthy flavor to preserves and wines, n o t to m ention
extra protective pow ers to these preparations as well. T he
berries can be harvested in early Septem ber, w hen they are
55
fully scarlet, before any discoloration occurs. They should

crush easily and be relatively juicy. Som e o f the Am erican
varieties and native trees have orange berries, rather than
red, and I do n o t find them as palatable, if you could call it
that! W hen eaten fresh, the berries are so sour and bitter, it
is hard to imagine enjoying them . H ow ever, w hen processed
w ith heat and som e so rt o f sweetener, the sharp berries
add a delightful earthy flavor from the hedgerow s and wild
edges to the w inter palette. I personally find th at they taste
b est w hen m ixed w ith apples and spices such as cinnam on,
cloves, allspice a n d /o r star anise.
M anj thanks to the enchanted rowan tree, with its wood and
berries in our pouches may we stand unaffected by the ill-wish and
the faerie stroke, by the dark touch of enemies. May safe passage
bless ourjourneys long and short while the rowan lends its branches
to altars, hearths and charms, the burnt orange wine scattered on
the earth fo r offerings during those transition times of year.
Protective Charm fo r Newborn Babe or Child N

R ow an w o o d is very p ro tectiv e fo r n e w b o rn babes
and children, in p articu lar these little ones th a t are so
vulnerable to the E vil Eye (m o d ern p eo p le call this ‘bad
en erg y ’). O n the full m o o n , m ake a sm all equal arm ed
cross o f row an w o o d b o u n d w ith scarlet thread. M ake a
grey p o u c h fro m real w ool and e m b ro id er o n it one o f the
signs for the H oly Trinity. B raid a co rd w ith red w ool yarn
and in tro d u c e seven blue glass beads, to be attached to
the p o u ch in o rd e r to hang it. In to the p o u ch place a piece
o f real am ber, a com pletely in tact snail shell, the row an
cross and a ra b b it’s fo o t. A sk the pow ers o f the protective
in g red ien ts to keep safe the specific nam e o f the babe
or child, using the m iddle and last nam es as well, ideally
if know n. I f possible, enclose also a piece o f the babies
dried um bilical cord. C lose the c o n te n ts w ith a silver bead.
H an g the ch arm above the baby’s cradle o r child’s bed.
N e v e r o p en o r take the p o u ch ap art and keep the po u ch
56
Rowan
from being lost, eventually to be given to the child w hen

they are an adult for safe keeping.
Rowan Hawthorn Berry Spiced Wine ■P

To make 1 gallon o f wine, you need about a gallon bag
full o f berries, roughly h alf haw thorn h alf row an berries.
Freeze the berries, and then thaw them ; Place the prepared
berries in a m edium sized stone crock w ith 3 pounds o f
organic cane sugar, sm ashing all together w ith a w ooden
pestle. Bruise about 10 cloves, 12 allspice berries and 1
tablespoon o f cinnam on chips and add it, also a few star
anise crushed lightly. A dd about 4 quarts o f boiling w ater
and stir to dissolve.
Wait until the wine is com pletely cool, sprinkle the wine
yeast on top o f the m ixture (cham pagne yeast is good or
K1V-111) and wait 15 m inutes before stirring it in. Cover
the crock w ith a linen cloth that is tied around the edge
w ith a string. Stir twice a day w ith a w ooden spoon that is
n o t used for cooking. A fter about 10 days, filter into a clean
gallon glass jug and fit w ith an airlock. Store this in a place
that is n o t too cool or too w arm , in the dark. B ottle after 6
m onths and wait a year before drinking. I f it doesn’t taste
good, keep waiting. It is a delicious wine for drinking and
for offerings both. Especially indicated for All Hallows Eve
celebrations.
57
APPLE
M alus spp
h en a p p ro a c h in g old apple trees, one gets a feeling

o f nostalg ia m ixed w ith reverence. T h e gnarled
tru n k s w ith ashy peelin g b a rk are o fte n hom e
to a large hole, a p o rta l to a n o th e r w orld. A few large
lonely trees are so m etim es th e only visible rem ain in g
evid en ce o f a lo n g fo rg o tte n h o m e ste a d , w ith a h an d fu l
o f scarlet b u t d e fo rm e d fru its rem a in in g lo n g in to the
w in te r m o n th s. To see an old o rc h a rd o f apple trees
co n ju res old farm stead s, ro o t cellars full o f apple b u tte r,
apple cider, d ried apples and w in te r keepers. C rocks
o f apple cider vinegar, apple b ran d y and apple w ine...
T h e apple b lo sso m its e lf in th e sp rin g tim e is one o f the
m o st b e a u tifu l flow ers. T h e p in k b u d s u rro u n d e d by grey
g ree n dow ny leaves, o p e n s w ith ice w h ite flow ers, tip p ed
w ith p in k b lush. N o d o u b t, this tree has b e e n h eld in
high e steem in m ythology, religion and p o e try fo r ages.
In th e w itc h ’s g a rd e n , it b elo n g s as healing w o o d and
e n c h a n te d fru it o f love, such a sim ple sw eet o ffe rin g fo r
m any ap p licatio n s o f folk ways.
T h e m o d e rn ap p le M alus domestica as we k n o w it was
b ro u g h t to N o r th A m erica by E u ro p e a n c o lo n ists. Its
p a re n t w as originally a w ild A sian species, M alus sieversii.
T h e re are m o re th a n 7,500 ap p le cultivars th a t exist. T h e
w ild c ra b a p p le M alus sjlvestris is nativ e to B rita in and
b o th th e w ild crab ap p le and th e d o m e s tic a te d ap p le can
b o th be u se d fo r fo o d o r m ed icin al p u rp o se s , th o u g h
th e crab apple is m o re a s trin g e n t and less sw eet, also it
is m u ch sm aller. A p p le is in th e ro se family, Koseaceae,
th e flow ers th em selv es re se m b lin g so m e th in g o f a w ild
rose.
59
A pples have long been celebrated in m yth, story

and poetry. T hey are one o f the m o st co m m o n plants
m en tio n e d in fairy tales, as m agical and e n ch an ted fruit and
trees. T h e w itch ’s p o iso n apple in the classic tale o f Snow
W hite certainly com es to m ind. A pples w ere particularly
im p o rta n t to N o rth e rn peoples o f E u ro p e. G o ld en apples
are c o m m o n in these old tales. It was told th a t w hen one
o f the people o f the Sid appeared to invite a hum an to visit
the L and o f Y outh and Paradise, he w ould brin g a bough
o f apple w ood, either laden w ith golden fru it o r silver w ith
flow ers. A pples have associations w ith long life, w isdom
and im m ortality. A Scandinavian G o d d ess Id u n a was
associated w ith apples th at grew on the Tree o f Life. It
was told th a t Id u n a guarded a m agical box o f apples and
w h e n the G o d s felt old age approaching, they had only to
taste the ap p le’s juice to b ecom e young once m ore. A t one
tim e, the dark fire spirit L oki assisted in abducting Iduna
and stealing h er box o f m agic apples. T h e G o d s becam e
old and w ere unable to co n d u c t the lands as before, so
th re a te n e d L oki to resto re Id u n a and h er apples, w hich he
eventually did.
A n o th e r Polish tale tells o f an ad v en tu ro u s young m an
w ho uses the sh arp n ess o f the L ynx’s claws th a t he fixes to
his hands to find the go ld en apple tree. H e clim bs to the
su m m it o f a glass m o u n ta in w ith the Lynx claws to w here
the g o ld en apples grow, in o rd e r to free the princess th at
he loves fro m an e n c h an tm e n t. In a G e rm a n folk tale, a
girl h a p p en s u p o n a d w arf babe in need. T h e dw arfs ask
h er to help care fo r the baby fo r a tim e and she consents.
A fte r her tim e is up, they gift her w ith an a p ro n full o f
apples, w hich tu rn to gold as she leaves the th re sh o ld o f
th e underw orld. A pple as a gift o f w ealth or longevity
features in so m any old tales, we can u n d e rsta n d w hat an
im p o rta n t sym bol it has been.
I t is believed th a t the m agical and m ysterious D ru id s
h ad a rev eren ce fo r th e apple tree, as th eir sacred
m istle to e g rew o n its gnarled b ran c h e s covered w ith
60
A p p le
lichens (and also o n oak trees). T h ey w ere to ld to have

c u t th eir divining ro d s fro m th e apple trees. To dream o f
apples foretells a lo n g and healthy life, success in trade
and a lo v er’s faithfulness. I t w as a lucky o m en to see the
sun shining th ro u g h th e b ran ch es o f an apple tree on
C hristm as day, m eaning a g o o d apple c ro p to com e. O n
a n o th e r n o te , som e old g a rd e n e r’s lore tells never to p lan t
an apple tree n e x t to a row an tree Sorbus spp., because one
will kill the other.
A line fro m W illiam Shakespeare, ‘When roasted crabs hiss
in the bowl, then nightly sings the staring owl.1‫־‬gives testam en t to
the crab apple ripening in late fall, as the lonely owl retu rn s
to its w in ter hom e. T h ere was som e su p erstitio n about
apples th at are still on the tree at this m ysterious tim e o f
year, th a t w ere n o t g ath ered at the initial fru it harvest. It
was best to leave this last b it o f fru it to the pixies, and it
was th o u g h t th at they b elo n g ed to the land o f Faerie. To
see an apple blossom on a tree in fru it was a death om en,
usually foretelling a d eath in th e family.
A p p les h ad a d e e p c o n n e c tio n w ith love a n d lu st fro m
early tim es, due to th e F o rb id d e n F ru it a so c ia tio n in
p o p u la r C h ristia n c u ltu re. T h e re are a few in te re s tin g
b its o f lo re re la tin g to b o th ap p les an d eggs, th e tw o
b e in g sym bols o f fertility. D u rin g M edieval tim es, it
was b e lie v ed th a t th e D ev il w o u ld v isit y o u n g w o m e n
an d c o p u la te w ith th e m in th e ir sleep, e ith e r unw illingly
o r w illingly, d e p e n d in g o n th e w o m an . A s a to k en , he
w o u ld leave e ith e r an ap p le w ith a w o rm in it, o r an egg
n e x t to th e b e d in th e m o rn in g . T h is m agical g ift could
be u sed to p ro c u re g re a t w ealth. A C e n tra l E u ro p e a n
b e lie f w as th a t g ifts o f eggs a n d ap p les w ere given to
faeries a fte r th ey h a d in te rc o u rs e w ith th e D evil. In
G erm an y , it w as u n lu ck y to take e ith e r ap p les o r eggs
o n a journey, p ro b a b ly b e c au se o f th is c irc u la tin g lore.
A p p les w ere k n o w n as a F aerie fru it in th e N o r th e r n
c o u n trie s, a u sp ic io u s in th e ir ow n rig h t b e c au se o f this
c o n n e c tio n .
61
A pples w ere used in tim es p ast for divination gam es

p ertain in g to m atters o f love, in p articular aro u n d H allow een
tim e. We still see threads o f the apples im p o rtan ce in
A m erican culture w ith the gam e ‘b o b b in g for apples’,
usually do n e around h arv est festivals or H allow een parties,
this com es from an old S cottish folk custom w here the one
to get a m o u th fu l o f the floating apple w ould be m arried
w ithin the follow ing year. F ro m C ornw all, large red apples
know n as ‘A llan A p p les’ w ere given to friends and family
m em bers to bring g o o d fo rtu n e and luck in m atters o f
love. O n the E ve o f A llantide o r All H allow ’s, the apple
was placed u n d er the pillow to brin g p ro p h etic dream s
o f m arriage possibilities and th en eaten in the m o rn in g
to ensure the dream s om en. A n o th e r m ore w idespread
exam ple o f a love divination gam e was for a p erso n to peel
an apple, keep the peel in one piece and to th ro w it over
the left shoulder. T h e shape o f the peel should foretell the
initial o f o n e ’s future m ate. A n A m erican version o f this
gam e was to hang the peel on the d o o r th resh o ld , the first
p erso n to enter afterw ards being the future m ate. I f the
peel broke, it was bad om en; sp in ste rh o o d o r b a ch elo rh o o d
w ould follow. A n o th e r version o f this gam e was played
o n O c to b e r 28th, a double Saints day. H old in g the w hole
apple in your right hand, speak these w ords: ‘St. Simon and
Jude, On you I intrude, By this paring I hold to discover, W ithout
any delay, To tell me this day, The first letter of my own true loved.
T h e peel is th en cast over the left shoulder, and in te rp re te d
as stated above.
T h e apple seeds w ere also u sed in divinations, called
pips. I f a w om an c a n n o t decide o n a suitor, she can take
apple pips, and nam e th em one by one as she d ro p s th em
in to the fire. W hichever pip ‘p o p s ’ will show the m an’s
b u rstin g love fo r her, and give h er a clue on w ho to b est
pursue. T h e ap p ro p riate rhym e to speak is T f you love me,
pop andfly; I f you hate me lay and die’. T his applied o f course
to the apple pips. C o u n tin g the seeds in an apple could
also give valuable in fo rm a tio n p e rta in in g to love. T h e old
62
A p p le
rhym e goes: ‘One I love, Two I love, Three I love I say; Four I
love with all my heart and five I cast away; S ix he loves, Seven
she loves, Fight they both love; Nine he comes and ten he tarries;
Eleven he courts and twelve he marries. ’
A pple is still a to k en o f love in m any places, associated
w ith love and family. A cco rd in g to astrologers o f the past,
it is ruled by eith er Venus o r Jupiter. In Serbia, if a m aiden
accep ted a g ifted apple fro m a m an, she was th en engaged
to be m arried. A lso fro m the sam e region, m etal coins
w ere p ierced in to an apple tree d u ring a w edding by the
couple, so th a t they w ould n o t have financial problem s.
O n M idsum m er’s E ve in Sicily, a g o o d day fo r divinations,
girls w ould th ro w apples in to the street from their above
w indow s and w atch to see w ho picked up th eir apple. I f
a w om an picked it up, it was a sign th a t the girl w ould
n o t m arry th a t year. I f th e apple was n o t picked up at all,
it was an om in o u s sign th a t the w om an w ould b ecom e a
w idow eventually. I f a p rie st picked up the apple, the girl
w ould rem ain a virgin fo r the rest o f h er life. O nly if a
m an picked up th e apple was it a g o o d o m en o f love to
com e.
H ere is an old Love charm :
‘On Friday early as may be, Take the fairest apple from the
tree, Then in thy blood on paper white. Thy own name and
thy true loves write. That apple thou in two shall cut, A n d
fo r its cure that paper put, W ith two sharp pins o f myrtle
wood, Join the halves till it seem good, In the oven let it dry,
and wrapped in leaves o f myrtle lie, Under the pillow o f thy
dear, Yet let it be unknown to her, A n d i f it a secret be, She
soon will show her love fo r thee’ (Paul H u so n , Mastering
Witchcraft, 1971)
It com es as no surprise th a t apples w ere used in different

love charm s from Scandinavian folk m agic as well. O ne
spell from the n in ete en th century Sw edish speaking p a rt
63
o f F inland told to th ro w an apple betw een the legs o f a

stallion m ating a m are, or a ram m ating a ewe; this apple
was th en to be pierced w ith a nail o r a needle th at had been
dedicated to the D evil. I f given to a girl, it w ould com pel
h er to love and lust for the practitioner. A n o th e r exam ple
was to take an apple and m ake a small un n o ticed hole in
the flesh, th en dripping three dro p s o f b lo o d from the left
finger into this opening. T his was th en given as a magical
charm , and once co nsum ed, w ould bring on intense love
from the one w h o m it was given.
T oasting and offerings to the apple trees in the fall
o r w inter is an ancient practice, originating in E urope.
A n o th e r w ord fo r this is ‘W assailing’ and it was often
do n e on C hristm as eve o r E p ip h an y eve. T h e p u rp o se o f
this ritual was for fertility, helping to keep the orchards
productive and fruitful for the follow ing season. O ften the
largest and m o st productive apple tree was saluted and the
offerin g was usually w ine, apple cider, o r b eer w ith roasted
apples in it, som etim es w ith cakes in it. E veryone in the
h o u se h o ld was to be p rese n t for the rite to be successful,
including pets and sick people. C ertain w ords and rhym es
w ere spoken and the to ast m ade to the tree, ensuring next
year’s plentiful harvest. T h ere are o th e r traditional custom s
th a t go w ith the folk ritual o f W assailing, depending on the
place and tim e period, such as m aking loud noises after
the to ast by clanging m etal po ts and pans o r in later times,
sh o o tin g m uskets o r guns. T his was done to frighten away
any evil spirits th at m ight blight next year’s crop.
T h e re are d ifferen t m agical rem edies involving apple
trees and apples. A N ew E ngland rem edy fro m 1879 for
curing ague, reco m m en d s th a t a p e rso n take a piece o f
yarn m ade from three colors and go alone to an apple tree.
T h e p e rso n should th en tie the yarn loosely to the tree and
their left hand, and while using their rig h t hand, quickly slip
th eir h a n d o u t o f the yarn and ru n away w ith o u t looking
back, this being an exam ple o f transference magic. A n o th e r
tran sferen ce ch arm fo r curing w arts from D ev o n sh ire was
64
A p p le
to cu t an apple in to two pieces, ru b h a lf o n the w art and

give it to a pig to eat, eating the o th e r h a lf yourself. A
sim ple ch arm for rheum atism was to carry h a lf an apple in
your pocket. A n in terestin g rem edy com es from Irish wise
w om en and faerie d o cto rs —the ro o ts o f an apple tree that
bears red apples and the ro o ts o f an elder tree, to g eth e r
boiled in w ater if d ru n k fasting had the pow er to expel any
spirit th at has po ssessed a p e rso n ’s body o r soul.
A sim ple transference spell involving the apple tree
taken from the A m erican grim oire L ong L ost F riend, Jo h n
G eo rg e H o h m an , 1820:
‘A Good Remedy fo r the Toothache — S tir the sore tooth with

a needle until it draws blood; then take a thread and soak it
with this blood. Then take vinegar and flour and m ix them so
as to form a paste and spread it on a rag, then wrap this rag
around the root o f an apple tree, and tie it very close with the
above thread, after which the root must be well covered with
ground’
A n old apple m agic story: A m an from W arw ickshire

knew o f a w om an w ho supposedly had m agical pow ers,
and on one snow y m o rn in g he visited her. She offered to
prove h e rse lf by fetching her sister, w ho lived ten miles
from the cottage. She to o k an apple and p u sh ed 12 pins
in to it, w hile m uttering a charm that he could n o t hear.
A ro u n d n o o n tim e, her sister w alked into the cottage
saying so m ething b ro u g h t h er there, so m ething she could
‘n o t resist’.
Folk Medicine I'F

A pples w ere a m edicine food, in p articular during the fall
and w inter m o n th s, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’, as
the co m m o n old saying tells. A pple fiber and pectin were
know n to be cleansing to the intestines and w hole system .
T h e type o f apple used is n o t usually specified in folk
practices, w h e th e r it be crab o r dom estic. A pples were
65
used to regulate b o th diarrhea and constipation. T his use

po in ts to apples having a norm alizing effect on intestinal
im balances. T he tradition o f eating applesauce w ith pork,
b e e f o r goose com es from the belief th at apples help w ith
digestion. It was th o u g h t th at cooked apples w ere m ore
laxative and raw ones m ore astringent.
R o tten apple pulp was used as a po u ltice fo r sore
eyes, w eak eyes and styes. I t was also used topically to
treat fro stb ite and to tre a t m um ps. A Suffolk rem edy
used crab apple juice (verjuice) fo r treatin g bruises and
in o th e r p a rts o f E n g lan d it was used fo r sprains. G reen
apple cores (w ithout seeds I presum e) could be eaten
fo r arth ritis, w hich was an A m erican folk rem edy. I t was
th o u g h t th a t eating apples could cure rh eu m atism , such
as w ith arthritis. A n o th e r A m erican originated rem edy
was to use apple juice to cure d a n d ru ff, m ade in to a hair
rinse by m ixing o n e -p a rt apple juice to th re e -p a rts water.
A pple cider vinegar was used topically fo r p o iso n ivy
rash, to help staunch bleeding, fo r ringw orm , shingles and
varicose veins.
A n A ppalachia m ountain folk rem edy for stom ach
ailm ents used apple b ark in an infu sio n and crabapple
b ark steep ed in w hiskey was used fo r arthritis. F o r asthm a,
an infusion o f apples was m ade by p o uring boiling w ater
over apple slices and steeped. A pples and row an berries
w ere deco cted and m ixed w ith b ro w n sugar to sw eeten,
d ru n k for w h o o p in g cough. It reso n ates th a t apples have
an affinity for the lungs and the digestive tract, as they are
so o th in g and cooling for in flam m ation in general.
Personal Practices
M agically this w o o d is healing and p ro m o tes love in the
family and hom e. A w and m ade from apple w ood can be
used for love m agic and fertility m agic specifically, it also
can be used for p ro te c tio n o f the hom e. A pple w o o d ’s
in n er bark m akes a lovely incense and can be added to any
m ixture p ro m o tin g p ro te c tio n or healing. T his is a perfect
66
Apple
w ood fo r the p ro te c tio n o f babies and children - family in

general. H anging apple branches over a baby’s cradle is a
g o o d way to em ploy it. A pples feature an im p o rta n t p a rt in
o u r small traditional All H allow s E ve gatherings, as a tool
for divination and as offerings fo r the spirits.
I em ploy an apple doll th a t p ro te c ts o u r ho m e and
h e a rth n a m e d a p p ro p ria te ly B aba Yaga. H e r face is
carv ed w ith an apple (dried o f course) and she has tw o
d iffe re n t c o lo re d q u a rtz eyes a n d to o th p ic k te e th . H e r
b o d y is m ade fro m h azel w o o d (a n o th e r w o o d o ffe rin g
g re a t p ro te c tio n to th e d o m estic realm s) a n d she is
stu ffe d w ith lin d e n leaves an d s h e e p ’s w ool. H e r hair is
b raid e d fro m h o rse hair. She was e n sp irite d by passin g
th ro u g h a b lac k b e rry b ria r a fte r d ark th re e tim es, w ith
life fo rce and a p p ro p ria te in ca n tatio n s b re a th e d in to
her. She is p u t to b e d every ev en in g and w oken up every
m o rn in g and is c h arg ed w ith w atch in g over o u r hom e
w h e n w e are away. O fferin g s o f w ine and pancakes are
m ade to h e r on a reg u lar basis.
T h e w ater g a th e re d fro m th e hollow s o f old apple
trees can be u sed fo r folk healing, a n o in te d o n th e skin
and th e place grieved. T h is d o n e o n a full m o o n is all
th e m o re effective. B urying ch arm s u n d e r an apple tree
is h e lp fu l w h e n p e rta in in g to m atte rs o f tra n sfe re n c e or
healin g th e body, also fo r a griev in g h eart.
U sin g apples raw fo r th e ir cleansing p ro p e rtie s is
h e lp fu l d u rin g th e au tu m n and w in te r m o n th s. T h e y can
be g ra te d a n d m ixed w ith raw b e e t, sun choke w ith a little
lem o n an d olive oil fo r a liver tonic. T h ey h elp keep the
m o u th a n d gum s clean — a g re a t den tifrice. T h is seem s
especially tru e fo r m o re so u r and a strin g e n t apples.
C o o k ed fo r a so o th in g fo o d , th ey are easy to d ig est
and loved by all. A p p lesau ce w ith c in n a m o n and carob
p o w d er tak en fo r d iarrh ea is a g re a t rem edy fo r children.
F o r fevers, sw ab d o w n th e p e rs o n a fflic te d w ith dilu ted
apple cid er vinegar. C rab apple syrup can be taken and is
h e lp fu l fo r sto m a c h ailm ents and in d ig e stio n .
67
Many thanks to the apple trees that come alive during the
autumn months, as darkness sets in — Crones make shadows
across the fields and forest, with hanging lichen rags and
tattered leaf cloaks, offering fr u it fo r winters larder and wood
fo r protective amulets. May the spirits have their share also
o f these enchanted globes, which by firelight hold oracles of
the hearts future.
Crab A p p le Sy rup 'A

M ade from lovely pink crab apples the c o lo r o f this syrup
is gorgeous, th o u g h any crab will do. C ut crab apples in
half, discarding any w o rm eaten o r b row n spots. T hese tiny
apples have a lo t o f g reat flavor w hen you add a sw eetener.
A dd w ater to cover and co o k the apples, covering the p o t
a fter it com es to a boil and low ering the heat. Be careful n o t
to b u rn them . C ook for ab o u t 20 m inutes to help break the
p ulp dow n. Strain th ro u g h a fine sieve. Take your liquid,
add double the am o u n t o f cane sugar, w arm it back up to
in co rp o rate and b o ttle it for use as syrup. U se a small m ason
jar, because o f the natural pectin in the apples, it will gel
up in the fridge. O r you can boil h ard fo r a w hile and get
crab apple jelly, w hich is a traditional B ritish con d im en t for
m eat and gam e. T h e syrup can th en be taken fo r stom ach
troubles, such as ind ig estio n or diarrhea. M ixed w arm w ith
sparkling w ater, it m akes an excellent crab apple soda,
special for All H allow s E ve festivities.
Wassail Recipe 'A

A dapted from Celtic Folklore Cooking, Joanne Asala, also
called ‘L am bsw ool’.
12 small tart apples, 6 pints ale, 1 cup brow n sugar, 1

teaspoon cinnam on, 1 /2 teaspoon ginger, 1 /2 teaspoon
nutm eg, 6 w hole cloves crushed, zest o f 2 lem ons, 2 pints
o f red wine — Core the apples and roast dry in an oven,
until soft. C om bine about 1 /3 o f the ale w ith the spices,
sugar and lem on peel, sim m ering over low heat for about
Лрр1е
15 m inutes. A dd the rem aining ale and wine to incorporate,

heating to w arm b u t n o t boil. P our in m ugs and spo o n in
the roasted apple pulp, serving w ith a spoon or cinnam on
stick. Make offerings to the orchard trees during the twelve
days o f Christm as o r on Christm as Eve w ith appropriate
incantations.
69
ft WALNUT
Juglans spp
Щ
ith stren g th and dark beauty, the w alnut tree w ith
fragrant leaves and nuts has a m ysterious and
om inous history, as related th ro u g h folklore. T he
dim shadow s b en eath the large branches creep and change
during tw ilight hours, the tw isted ro o ts enhanced w ith a
v enom ous patina. T h e old m agic th at lies sleeping is at
tim es aw oken, on certain eves o f the year, for the ghosts
o f w itches and w izards h a u n t this tree, as it is told in the
old tales.
W alnut giants a d o rn m any an o lder h o m estead. B oth
the black Juglans nigra and the E nglish w alnut J. regia are
com m only fo u n d here in N o rth A m erica, o fte n in pairs.
T h e E nglish w alnut J. regia is n o t truly native to B ritain, b u t
is th o u g h t to have been in tro d u c ed from the R om ans and
grow n th ere from ancient tim es. T h e black w alnut is a tree
o f my ch ild h o o d , the fragrance o f the green b itte r husks
ro ttin g o n the e a rth still rem ains p o te n t in my m em ory.
A ssociations w ith love and fertility are plain enough, b u t
as the tree o f the D evil, we can w o n d er at the w alnuts
m agical w orkings o f old. T h e ob serv an ce th a t o th e r plants
will rarely grow in the w alnut tre e ’s shade (particularly the
black w alnut) certainly c o n trib u te d to its m ore sinister
associations.
W ithin the realm s o f love, w alnuts them selves were
associated w ith m arriage, the nuts w ere strew ed at R om an
w eddings in tim es past. A G e rm a n custom was for the
b rid eg ro o m to plant a certain n u m b er o f w alnut trees
b efo re a m arriage could place. T h ere is an old receipt for
separating the two halves o f a w alnut and placing w ithin
the m arriage bed before co n su m m atio n occurs. T h e n the
71
Under the Witching Tree
n u t halves w ere to be placed back together, cracked and

eaten by the couple to assure resulting fertility. H ow ever,
from R om ania com es a m agical use o f w alnut for a bride
w ho w ished to avoid being w ith child too soon. D uring
the w edding, she could secret in to her b o so m how ever
m any ro asted w alnuts as years th a t she w ished to rem ain
w ith o u t child and after the cerem ony bury the nuts. A love
divination co n cern in g the w alnut tree — on All H allow s
eve, at m idnight, one is to walk aro u n d a w alnut tree
th ree tim es. T h e n looking up th ro u g h the branches, the
p erso n co n c ern e d should ask o u t loud for som e nuts. A t
th at m o m en t, the face o f th eir tru e love should appear
to them . A n o th e r m arriage divination from B elgium to be
done on M ichaelm as day c o n cern the nuts —som e nuts are
em ptied and the shells p u t back to g eth e r and are placed
w ith an equal n u m b er o f w hole nuts still in their shell. A
b lindfolded girl th en random ly grabs a w alnut, and if it is
a full nut, St. M ichael has blessed h er w ith an approaching
happy m arriage.
T h e ancient G reeks ascribed the w alnut tree to
P ersep h o n e, Q ueen o f the underw orld. T h o u g h the nuts
w ere lucky and used fo r love p u rposes, the tree itself was
accursed in m any parts o f E u ro p e. In G erm an y the black
w alnut was th o u g h t particularly sinister. W itches were
said to favor m eeting u n d e r w alnut trees in foul w eather
and from Italy the w alnut tree was the gath erin g sp o t for
w itches on M idsum m er’s Eve. W itches w ere believed to
sleep u n d er w alnut trees and dem ons to dance in their
branches. Som etim es dem ons could be heard w hispering
and snickering w ithin its shade. F ro m Som erset, this
tree was one belonging to the D evil and was n o t to be
appro ach ed after dark. T h e w alnut tree had associations
w ith the serp en t in som e places. Pagan rites in B enevento
Italy w ere p e rfo rm e d u n d er a certain old and hau n ted
w alnut tree, one th a t had the effigy o f a viper ben eath it.
Eventually, w hen the tree was u p ro o te d , a se rp e n t was seen
craw ling o u t o f its ro o ts and was believed to be the Devil.
72
Walnut
A large g h o st tree was said to take its place in later years

w hen the w itches Sabbat was held there, after dark.
In Serbian culture, the E nglish w alnut tree was and still
is considered a p o rta l to the U nderw orld and o fte n planted
in graveyards. T h e nuts them selves are used as offerings
for the dead and m ale w itches in p articular p e rfo rm magic
u n d e r the trees. It is an essential tree in the cult o f the
dead and for an cesto r com m union. It is believed by som e
th at a g reat h o rn e d spirit appears u n d e r the w alnut tree at
n o on. People and w itches alike have a g reat resp ect for the
w alnut tree. T h e leaves w ere placed on graves in tim es past
and the w alnuts them selves w ere used as an o ffering for
deceased ancestors, placed in the co rn ers o f room s during
the C hristm as season.
T h e re are som e in te re s tin g s u p e rstitio n s asso c ia te d
w ith the w aln u t tree. P lacing a w aln u t b e n e a th the
chair o f a w itch w o u ld m ake it so she was un ab le to
m ove. D re a m in g o f a w aln u t tree spelled m is fo rtu n e or
u n faith fu ln ess. F ro m Italy cam e the b e lie f th a t he w ho
p la n te d a w aln u t tree w ould die young. I t was a terrib le
o m en if a fam ily’s w aln u t tree died or was blow n dow n
— m is fo rtu n e co u ld be ex p ected . A Sussex b e lie f tells
th a t sleep in g u n d e r a w aln u t tree co u ld dam age the
m in d o r even re s u lt in death . Som e lo re tells th a t by
sleeping u n d e r th e w aln u t tree, p ro p h e tic dream s could
be receiv ed a b o u t o n e ’s fu tu re lover, b u t th a t the risk was
n e v e r aw aking fro m the d eep slum ber. I t was unlucky
to have black w aln u t w o o d o r nu ts at sea, risking the
a ttra c tio n o f sto rm s. I t was believed th a t p lan tin g a black
w aln u t in an o rc h a rd w ould kill all o f th e apple trees
a ro u n d , b rin g in g th e m blight.
F ro m E a s t A nglia, th ere was re p u te d to be a g o ld coin
in the ro o ts o f th e w aln u t trees th a t w ere pro fessio n ally
felled. W alnut did have som e p ro te c tiv e p ro p e rtie s
a scrib ed to it. O n E a s te r Sunday in Bavaria, fires w ere
m ade in the ch u rch y ard w ith flin t and steel and fam ilies
w o u ld b rin g w aln u t bran ch es. A fte r bein g partially
73
b u rn e d , th e fam ilies w ould re tu rn th e b ra n c h to th eir

h e a rth s to p ro te c t the h o m e fro m lig h tin g d u rin g the
follow ing year. A n o th e r lig h tn in g asso c ia tio n fro m
F ran ce, w aln u t leaves c o u ld be g a th e re d on th e m o rn in g
o f St. J o h n s day, Ju n e 24, b e fo re su n rise and used as an
am u let fo r lig h tn in g p ro te c tio n . Ju m p in g th ric e a ro u n d
th e M id su m m er fire w ith a w aln u t b ra n c h and th en
h a n g in g th e c h a rm e d b ra n c h over th e co w sh e d w o u ld act
to p ro te c t it, also fro m France.
F ro m a 15th cen tu ry leech d o m com es this cure to
p ro te c t one fro m evil spirits and m adness:
‘ Upon midsummer night betwixt midnight and the rising o f the

sun, gather the fairest green leaves of the walnut tree, and upon
the same day between sunrise and its going down, distill thereof
a water in a still between two basins. Л n d this water is good i f
drunken fo r the same malady ’.
C arrying a w alnut w ith three segm ents was a preventative

in Italy against the E vil Eye, w itch craft, lightning and
fever. It was believed in som e places th a t if som eone gave
one a bag o f w alnuts, all o f their w ishes w ould com e tru e
th ro u g h o u t th eir lifetim e. A strologically, w alnut is believed
to be ru led by the sun.
Folk Medicine ^
In folk m edicine, in a ch arm for ague from Flanders
(N o rth e rn Belgium ) a large black spider was caught alive
b etw een tw o w alnut halves and im p riso n ed , and th en w orn
aro u n d the neck. W earing a w alnut in a bag aro u n d the neck
was also a ch arm for the pain o f to o th ach e. P o iso n herbs
w ere th o u g h t in som e places to be ineffective w ith the
a n tid o te o f the w alnut. F ro m a tw elfth cen tu ry m anuscript
w alnuts could m erely be placed am ong baneful herbs in
o rd er fo r the p o iso n to be destroyed. As the w alnut is
likened to the brain, the D o c trin e o f Signatures suggests
its use fo r b rain disorders, including m adness. U sing the
74
Walnut
ashes o f the nuts m ixed in to red w ine was a cure for

baldness and was th o u g h t to tu rn the hair fair.
M ad d o g an d v e n o m o u s b ite s w ere tre a te d w ith th e
u n rip e n e d juice o f w a ln u t, m ixed w ith honey, o n io n and
salt, fro m an o ld recip e. T h e a s trin g e n t leaves w ere
u sed so m e h o w fo r earach e. A s th e sh ad e o f th e w aln u t
tre e w as b e lie v ed h a rm fu l b e c au se o f th e leaves, in se c ts
w ere th o u g h t to dislike w aln u t. L eaves w ere sc a tte re d
a ro u n d th e h o m e a n d sta b le to k eep away m ites and
fleas. C o a c h m en w o u ld use a s o lu tio n m ad e fro m the
leaves to sp o n g e o n th e ir h o rse s to d isc o u ra g e in se c t
p ro b le m s.
In N o rth A m erica, skin diseases w ere tre a te d w ith
w alnut. F or ringw orm , ru b b in g the p a rt effected w ith a
g reen w alnut could effect a cure, fro m n um erous N ative
tribes. A P ennsylvanian D u tc h folk rem edy fo r w arts was
to ru b the w art w ith a green w alnut and th en bury it u n d er
the eaves o f the hom e. T h e Iro q u o is tribe used a poultice
o f the black w alnut b ark applied to the head for m adness
and an in fu sio n o f the b ark was used cerem onially
som ehow to brin g rain. M any tribes used the b ark for a
stro n g purgative, w ith the know ledge th a t to o m uch was
p o iso n o u s. T h e M eskw aki tribe used the charred and
coiled bark, along w ith old bark in w ater as a tre a tm e n t
fo r snakebite.
Personal Practices ■P
F ragrant E nglish w alnut leaves dried and stuffed into
dream pillows can be used to help enhance sleep and
dream s. T h e intoxicating sleep th a t this tree is know n for
m akes it a prim e dream ing tree. T h e leaves can also be used
in fum igations and incense m ixtures, in p articular w hen
w orking o n the spirit nights o f th e year. Try taking the
elixir o r w ine suggested below before retiring at night to
induce p ro p h etic or clear seeing dream s. A s w alnut was
also a funerary tree in som e traditions, it is appropriate
w h en w orking w ith the dead, eith er in a ritual rep resen tin g
75
the W orld Tree or as an in g red ien t in libations, fum igations

or offerings.
T h e w alnut tree can be used fo r any solo endeavor o f
in itiatio n . Sleeping u n d e r a large w alnut tree fo r the night,
especially if lo cated on an a b a n d o n ed h o m estead , is one
challenge to see w h at dream s and fears it m ight inspire
w hile seeking to o p e n co n scio u sn ess to the old ways. T he
w o o d o f the w alnut can be used as an am ulet to p ro te c t
one d u ring the tw elve days o f C hristm as, w ith the solar
energy th a t it carries. A w and m ade from w alnut can also
be u sed fo r a n c esto r w ork and to call spirits hom e d u ring
the dark q u a rte r o f the year.
T h e E nglish w alnut has incredible purple tinged leaflets
th at sp ro u t during the springtim e, and if b ru sh e d give
o ff the m o st intoxicating fragrance, it is d istinct and very
pleasant. T h e leaves do lessen in their fragrance as the
sum m er m oves on and by late in the season, th ere is n o t
m uch to notice. T h e A m erican black w alnut interestingly
does n o t have frag ran t leaves and also is n o t purple o r
b ro w n tinged u p o n leafing out. T h e husks o f b o th trees
are very arom atic, th o u g h d iffe re n t fro m each o th e r in
their perfum e. B o th nuts are delicious th o u g h the black
w alnut is so fragrant th a t very little is needed to flavor a
dish. T hey are extrem ely hard to crack op en b u t well w o rth
the e ffo rt to flavor autum nal desserts.
Many thanks to these fragrant trees o f both ill-omen and

protection. For the brave, they provide nourishment and the
power to dream true, their shadow not a curse but a blessing
o f secret gatherings —witches bound to the tree’s spirit in
memory and in flesh.
W alnut L e a f Wine ^
To m ake an incredible w ine w ith th e frag ran t E nglish
w alnut leaves, g a th e r th em w h en they are fully o p ened and
u n fu rle d in M ay o r m id-June. T his recipe m akes 1 gallon.
Take a b o u t 40 w alnut leaflets and place in a 2 o r 3 gallon
76
Walnut
cro ck along w ith one lem on sliced, and one vanilla bean
cu t up. O n the stove top b rin g to boil one gallon o f w ater,
1 V2 p in ts o f ho n ey and 4 cups o f organic cane sugar,
boil fo r a b o u t 10 m inutes to fully in co rp o rate . P o u r the
h o t m ixture over leaves and w h a tn o t in the crock and let
sit 24 hours. F ish o u t the w alnut leaves and sprinkle o n a
cham pagne yeast. L e t sit 15 m inutes to ‘p r o o f ’ and th en
stir in. C over and stir tw ice p e r day fo r 10 days. I t will
n o t fro th and bub b le like n o rm a l w ine, b u t tru s t it will
fe rm e n t n o n eth eless. T h e n a fter the 10 days, strain the
w ine in to a gallon glass jug a n d fix w ith an airlock. L et sit
in darkness fo r 6 m o n th s at a tem p e ra tu re n o t to o cool or
to o w arm . T h e n b o ttle in heavy glass b o ttles o r just rack
and sip h o n in to a n o th e r glass jug. I t will be ready at ab o u t
1 year. T his ho n ey w ine (not a full m ead) is incredible and
o fte n a favorite o f my guests. U se it fo r M id su m m er’s Eve
o r All H allow s E ve m eetings and certainly as offerings to
fam iliar spirits and ancestors.
Midsummers Eve W alnut Eiquor ^

In Italy th is is called Nicino a n d is tak e n as a b itte r
a p e ritif b e fo re m eals. O n M id su m m e r’s E ve, m ake
a p p ro p ria te o ffe rin g s an d g a th e r 7 g re e n w a ln u ts fro m
an E n g lish w a ln u t tree. C u t th e m in h a lf and place
th e m , a lo n g w ith any clear liq u id th a t com es fro m th em ,
in to a q u a rt jar. Slice a n d ad d o n e lem o n , g ra te a b it o f
n u tm e g a n d a d d som e b ru is e d c in n a m o n , i f d esired . A
little sa ffro n also im p a rts so la r energy, ju st a p in ch is
n e e d ed . A d d one cup o f o rg an ic cane su g ar a n d co v er
th e w h o le w ith v o d k a o r w h ite brandy. I f p o ssib le use
a F re n c h c a n n in g jar w ith a seal, as th e m a so n jar lids
w ill c o rro d e o v e rtim e . Shake o r stir every day fo r 6
w eeks an d th e n s tra in a n d b o ttle . A ge at lea st 6 m o n th s
b e fo re d rin k in g , th e lo n g e r it ages th e m o re am azin g it
b eco m es. W o n d e rfu l tak e n b e fo re re tirin g to p ro m o te
p o te n t d ream s, it w ill be a d a rk b ro w n g re e n is h co lo r,
m u ch like th e leaves th em selv es.
77
A n A ltar o f W inter C harm s
The altars o f dark Winter

Graced with oils charmed and
Earthen bowls o f grave plants,
Fingers digging roots, with hook and claw
Fashioned by one who dreams
The last days of autumn surely

Have ended, now with naked trees
A .nd gray bones scattered
The brown seeds slipping
From their empty cases
Favens feathered cloak feeds

On the ruined deer carcass,
The last offering o f meat
For the dark winter eves ahead,
The black Eye sees from up in the cedar tree
While decomposition invigorates the roots,

That starlight will breathe upon,
Those magic’s that are hidden
Under muddy baskets
H n d woven in the darkness, Evergreen
Immortal creations, touched by water

Stone and owl blood — all
Seekers o f the mist, watchers o f the road
Bringyour dreaming oil and yew wood cross
To the place where death and life meet
To the silver hand, she whom gifts

Dead birds in iron, in smoke,
In winter’s sleep, awake to see
N ow nesting by the light,
Hag tapers burn down deep into the night
78
YEW TREE
Taxus baccata
[hen w andering through the forests in the Pacific

■Northwest, to com e upon a native yew tree, one
stops and the breath stills. Such a darkness surrounds
this tree o f the underw orld, it looks alm ost upside dow n
and uncanny, its eerie evergreen black foliage dead still, its
patchy red bark alm ost lum inescent. W hen crushed, the
needles give no com forting smell o f Yuletide celebrations,
as do o th er conifers, b u t instead offer n othing for the senses
—as w ould be fit in a stifling dark grave. A scentless poison
pervades, and the red berries glow w ith an otherw orldly
light. T his can be said o f the E uropean yew tree as well,
both have foliage and fruit that look
artificial and unappetizing,
thankfully. T his funerary tree has
roots in the tom bs o f m any o f
ou r ancestors, w ho may sleep
forever in body, b u t by spirit
flight are still guides in dream s
and visions.
Yew is a toxic tree, the seeds and
needles being the m o st poisonous
p a rt o f the plant. D eath occurs as
a result o f heart and respiratory
failure. It is a slow grow ing tree;
there are only about 8 species in
the genus Taxus, the Latin m eaning
toxic. O ne o f the oldest living
trees is a yew tree, estim ated to
be three thousand years old
in Perthshire, UK. A n o th er is
79
a yew tree in C hapultepec Mexico, said to be around six

th o u san d years old. As the yew gets bigger and older, it
can lose p a rt o f its inner tru n k and still be healthy. T he old
trees look spooky w ith huge hollow ed o u t trunks that could
enclose one like a tom b connected to b o th earth and sky.
T he yew tree has m ore associations w ith death than any
o th er tree. It is appropriately ruled by Saturn. From ancient
tim es, it has been connected to the afterlife, to the w orld
o f the dead and to the m ysterious dark forces o f nature.
Pliny referred to it as a cursed tree. It was know n to dwell in
the com pany o f skulls, corpses, coffins and epitaphs, along
w ith ghosts and spirits, according to one old poetic musing.
T his is because it was widely planted in graveyards and near
churches, them selves also near ancient tom bs. M any ancient
yew trees are located on the supposed sites o f pagan burials,
w ith the church yards that exist there today being a relatively
new er feature o f the landscape in com parison. T he yew
trees continued to be planted near churches and cemeteries,
o ften on the southw est c o rn er o f a churchyard, to protect
it from evil spirits as well, therefore acting as a guardian o f
the dead.
T h e Egyptians, G reeks and Rom ans all associated the yew
tree w ith m ourning and this belief has continued, however
unconsciously, into m o d ern times. Yew trees are still planted
next to funeral hom es and in graveyards in the US, though
few people w ould recognize this ancient symbology. It was
custom ary in E ngland and Wales to carry yew branches to a
funeral and place the branches into the grave o f the beloved.
In late m edieval funerals, sprigs o f yew were tucked into the
shrouds o f the dead. G arlands o f yew, rosem ary and willow
w ere placed on the coffins o f unhappy lovers, som e custom s
tell. In churchyards in Brittany, the roots o f the yew trees
w ere said to grow into the m ouths o f corpses to stop the
dead m ouths from talking. A ncient p o e t Virgil w rote: Old
Yew, which graspest at the stones, That names the underlying dead,
Thy fibers net the dreamless head, the roots are wrapped about
the bones’. T his verse possibly gave rise to the superstition
80
Yew Tree
that the yew tree preys upon the dead and is invigorated
from the bodies o f those w ho He in its shade. T h e Yew also
has ancient associations w ith the underw orld, thus having
a connection w ith H ecate, P ersephone and P roserpina (the
R om an version o f the G reek Persephone). I t was a plant
that grew in H ecate’s garden.
F rom the Balkans, yew is still used as a protective am ulet
to keep away evil spirits. Crosses o f yew w ood are w orn
o r upside dow n triangles are fashioned from its w ood and
carried. Yew sticks are also thought protective. To keep
cattle away o u t o f harm , old cow horns are placed in yew
trees for protection. People there still believe faeries Hve in
the yew trees.
Yew, as it is an evergreen tree, has long been associated w ith
n o t only death but im m ortahty o f the soul. T here have been
B ronze Age yew w ood figures w ith quartz eyes discovered
in Y orkshire, thought to have religious significance. Some
authors believe that the G erm anic W orld Tree was actually
n o t an A sh tree, b u t a Yew tree, also know n as an ‘evergreen
ash’. T he G erm an hunting G o d U lh built his hall in the
Valley o f yews. Yew w ood was associated w ith rune magic
o f the ancient G erm anic people. T h e O ld E nghsh ‘yr’ m eant
‘bow m ade o f yew w o o d ’ and has the same roots in the
G erm anic nam e ‘eihw az’, w hich m eant yew. A n old G erm an
adage translates to: ‘Before theyews, no harmful magic can remain’.
Yew was also tho u g h t to be sacred to Celtic peoples, with
the ancient nam e o f Ireland being L erne, m eaning ‘Island
o f Yew trees’. Yew was (and is) prized for bows, spears and
tools, its w ood is very dense and hard. E nghsh longbow s
w ere m ade o f the hard and poisonous w ood - if m ade from
a churchyard yew, its value was even higher.
I t is believed by som e m odern scholars that the D ruids
w orshiped yew trees. A ncient D ruids w ould carry a small
section o f yew o r juniper w ood from w hich they w ould
shave o ff slivers to b u rn for purification, though yew w ood
and foHage are rep u ted to produce a toxic smoke. From
Scotland, the seasonal ritual o f Beltane was celebrated as
81
a sacred fire was burned in the hollow o f a particularly

ancient yew tree. Yew branches were kept in houses to
p ro tect against fire and lightning in Spain. T his tree was also
associated w ith faerie sightings in Wales. T here was a forest
w here a magical yew grew in the m iddle o f a faerie circle. It
was said th at if one walked under the yew tree, enchantm ent
and loss o f consciousness and tim e follows. I t was bad luck
to cut dow n the yew tree for fear o f death could overcom e
the responsible individual. To fall asleep u n d er the yew
tree could also produce death or at least sickness. It was
bad luck to include yew branches in the festive decorative
evergreens around the w inter solstice and Christm as, for
bringing the branches in the house at this tim e was sure to
result in a death in the family w ithin a year. T h e yew tree did
have ancient connections w ith the b o th w inter solstice and
Sam hain, possibly because o f this dark tim e o f year — the
G reeks linked the tree to the gateway o f the underw orld.
Interestingly, yew branches were included in E aster chaplets
hung around the church for decoration, because o f their
connection to everlasting life and resurrection.
D ream ing o f yew foretells the death o f an elderly
person expected to leave a considerable w ealth behind. If
one dream s o f sitting under a yew, this is a death om en
b u t if one is adm iring it from afar, it can foretell long
life. In Britain, certain yew trees had fertility associations
w ith them — som ew hat surprisingly. I f you were female
and walked forw ards around the yew tree, or if you were
a male and walked backwards around it, fertility w ould be
assured. In som e places, yew was considered a wishing tree.
I f one walked around it several tim es and m ade a wish,
g o o d results w ould be expected. In D erbyshire, if you had
lost som ething, the way to find it w ould be to hold the yew
branch o u t in fro n t o f yourself. T he branch w ould lead you
to w hat you had lost.
Yew has been associated w ith w itches from ancient times.
Shakespeare’s line from M acbeth ‘slips of jew, slivered in the
moons eclipse ’ gives clue to a possible ingredient in a M ateria
82
Yew Tree
magica, as it was an ingredient in the w itch’s cauldron

brew. It was a tree tho u g h t to p ro tect from the dark w itch
as well, as the lore often depends on b o th the locale and
the subjective interpretation o f w hat was malefic and w hat
was helpful. A place sheltered by yews was supposed to
p ro tect from witches. F ro m G erm any com es a custom
o f nailing yew w ood behind a d oo r to keep a w itch from
entering the hom e. Crosses and am ulets m ade o f yew w ood
were considered lucky and protective. A superstition from
n o rth e rn Scotland tells that if one carried a yew branch
taken from a churchyard, th at they will be able to speak,
b u t that the person spoken to w ould n o t be able to hear
them . This com es from the use o f a C lansm an denouncing
his enem y w ith w itnesses all around, b u t w ithout the enemy
hearing himself. Yew w ands were thought very pow erful
by practitioners o f the O ld A rt and country wizards w ould
som etim es use yew w ands for w ater dowsing, rather than
the hazel.
T here is a magical story that com es from a Welsh legend
— a cattle drover cut a yew switch from an ancient tree to
use as a goad to drive his beasts to m arket. A week later,
on his way back from m arket after selling his lot he crossed
the L ondon Bridge. A t that very tim e, an English w izard
was also crossing the bridge and b o th m en noticed that the
m an’s yew w and was tw isting and turning over the water.
T h e w izard inquired w here the m an had found the switch,
and u p o n learning that it was cut from an ancient yew tree,
asked the m an to take him to it. T he w izard knew that such
a pow erful tree w ould have a secret passageway underneath
it, leading to gold and silver. They traveled back to Wales
to the tree, and found that it indeed was close to an old hill
fo rt w here Kang A rth u r and his knights were rum ored to
be sleeping in the local tales, waiting to fight once again.
T he w izard and cattle drover found a secret entrance under
the yew roots, while the m oon was rising in the sphere o f
Jupiter, the hour before dawn. Sure enough, they found a
hoard o f riches and the enchanted sleeping arm y o f King
83
A rth u r and the K ing himself. T hey helped them selves to

the riches under the yew tree, careful to avoid ringing the
bell near the entrance and waking the knights. O f course
all was well, until the drover retu rn ed to the yew tree years
later for m ore spoils and was careless, evoking the w rath o f
the king’s army, and getting banished from the secret tom b
for all time.
Folk Medicine
T h e re was lim ited use o f yew in folk m edicine, b u t it still
had its few rem edies d esp ite b ein g a toxic p lant. N eedless
to say, n o n e o f th ese p rac tic e s are re c o m m e n d e d . I t was
given fo r c e rta in h e a rt c o m p la in ts and in L in co ln sh ire,
yew tw igs w ere ste e p e d in tea fo r kidney com plaints.
Sm all a m o u n ts o f th e d rie d b ark w ere given to h o rses
to m ake th e ir coats shine. In this in sta n c e, th e ‘she-yew ’
b a rk (fro m a yew th a t p ro d u c e d b erries) w as dried and
s to re d u n d e r the c a rt m an ’s b e d in b ro w n p a p e r packages
fo r over a year b e fo re it was given. T h e needle in fu sio n s
w ere u sed to sp o n g e c o rp se s to p re v e n t p u trific a tio n ,
in te re stin g ly a n o th e r a sso c ia tio n w ith d e a th and
p re se rv a tio n .
T he yew tree Taxus brevifolia in the forests o f the Pacific
N o rth w e st was used for a few m edicinal purposes by the
N ative tribes. T he Sw innom ish tribe w ould rub the local
yew branches over their bodies to gain strength. T he dried
bark was used as a m edicine for stom ach pains, to purify the
blood, and for bloody urine.
Personal Practices
T he yew tree is well suited for magical use in funerary
and m ourning rites, as well as for purposes o f contacting
the dead and ancestors. T he w ood o f the yew tree can be
gathered cerem onially by candlelight at night for gracing
o n e ’s ancestor altar. T h e dried shaved bark and needles can
be placed am ong grave earth from sacred sites or w ithin an
u rn o f o n e ’s beloved dead’s rem ains, also in an urn o f grave
84
Yew Tree
earth gathered from o n e’s ow n ancestors. This earth can

then be used in o n e ’s ow n personal workings o f protection,
divination and healing.
A n equal a rm e d cro ss m ade o f yew w o o d can be
c arried w hile v isitin g cem eteries to p ro te c t o n e from the
evil dead, h eld to g e th e r w ith w h ite th re a d . A d d in g a clear
crystal to this cro ss is an a p p ro p ria te o ffe rin g fo r th e
dead, as q u a rtz w as also u se d as a b u rial sto n e. T his ru stic
c h a rm is h e lp fu l fo r c o m m u n ic a tio n w ith th o se w h o m
have p a sse d on. Yew w o o d is also h e lp fu l fo r d iv in a tio n
w ork, especially w h e n c o n c e rn in g the deceased. T h e
m o n th o f N o v e m b e r is a p o te n t tim e to do this w ork,
by the d ark m o o n . Yew w o o d and foliage can be b u ried
in th e e a rth fo r use in o fferin g s to p ro te c t th e dead and
u n s e ttle d spirits.
T his tree is hard to find in the forest in its wild state but
if you do com e across its dark grace, scatter som e offerings
at the ro o ts and ask for g o o d fo rtune and long life, to be
spared from any untim ely death. M any thanks to this m ost
ancient o f trees, w atcher o f the graveyards and tom bs o f
long lost ancestors, keeper o f the everlasting flame o f life in
the dark shade and m ystical oracle into the o th er worlds o f
hidden treasure.
Yew Ancestor Talisman A

Ritually harvest yew branches during the late autum n
m onths and de-bark them . O nce dried, create three pieces
and w ood b urn them each w ith the rune signs o f the yew
tree, the gift and the sign o f the alchemical sun. K eep in
black cloth. O n the D ecem b er’s dark m oon, go to a stone
ravine. Bring offerings o f animal blood and five coins. A fter
m aking appropriate offerings, on a large stone, spread the
black cloth and place the yew pieces inscribed upon it. A dd
yew needles, earth taken from the graves o f your ancestors, a
piece o f gold jewelry ideally from a deceased family m em ber
and a crows feather. Speak these w ords over the spread:
85
Blood, earth and ash, Blood, earth and ash; Blood, earth and ash;
Spirits o f an ancient tongue, Kindred and Kin
Ancestors o f Old, I name you: (names spoken now)
M a j jo u r presence be felt, may your presence be known
(Silence now fo r a tim e)
This wood, o f death, o f gift, o f golden memory

This wood, roots in the old world, touching tombs
This wood envibe and empower, with protection and foresight,
Never to decay, never to whither
By the carrion crow, it is so
By the value of gold, it is so
By the churchyard earth, it is so, it is so, it is so!
R epeat the w ords three tim es.
T h en , w rap the bundle and bind w ith black w ool thread.

Walk five tim es backw ards around the stone and leave the
place w ith o u t looking back, leaving no th in g at the site. Use
the bundle during any w ork to call up o n your ancestor spirits
for p rotection, divination o r healing in your ow n personal
life. N o t to be used in rites w orked for others. K eep it in
a w ooden box m ade o f yew, if obtainable, w ith dried yew
needles tucked in around it. U pon the altar, crow n this box
w ith a crow skull, facing to the north.
86
PINE
Pinus spp
)m e touches the
stars w ith its
m any needles,
the stunted m ountain
trees and giant forest
trees all. This ancient
tree holds secrets that
only the w ind has
heard u p o n the lonely
hills and w ithin stony
ravines. Im agine the
golden m edicine sap
th at runs all thro u g h o u t
the tru n k and branches.
Its cleansing powers
bring sm oke and water,
bring prayers and healing
to the lands o f the dead.
Its branches dance in
cerem ony and its cones
are collected for amulets
by the young and old
alike.
T h e genera Pinus contains up to 120 species and is
in the pine family, Pinaceae. T he Latin w ord Pinus has its
ro o t m eaning in the w ord ‘resin’. Pine trees can live to be
very old; one o f the oldest trees in the w orld is a pine tree,
Pinus longaeva in W hite M ountains o f California, reaching
now around 4,600 years o f age. Pine trees are native to the
general N o rth e rn hem isphere.
G ro u p s o f conifers, in p articular pines, w ere o fte n called

the seven sisters. It was believed th at six w ould flourish
b u t the seventh one w ould die away, no m atte r how
o fte n it was replanted. A large p a rt o f pines sym bology
is associated w ith fertility. Pine torches w ere used at
w eddings fro m olden tim es. In ancient G reece and Rom e,
the cones had a phallic significance. T h e pine cone was
sacred to love goddesses sym bolizing fecundity, fire, g o o d
luck, reg en eratio n and the m ale aspect. Tw in pine trees
sym bolized fidelity and passionate love and an uno p en ed
pine cone sym bolized virginity. As the trees w ere associated
w ith fertility, the H ighlands o f Scotland attrib u ted the
high n u m b er o f illegitim ate b irth s w ith the large n um ber
o f pine trees grow ing in the region. In a classical m yth
A ttis, a fertility deity, m utilated h im self u n d e r a pine tree,
in to w hich his spirit passed. T h e tree was th en bled at the
vernal equinox for turp en tin e. T h e tree was eventually cut
dow n and a d o rn e d w ith rib b o n s and carried to a m o th e r
g o d d e ss’s sanctuary, w here it was deco rated w ith violets
and fleeces.
T h e pine tree was believed to give birth to w ood spirits
in G erm any, they w ere b o rn and cam e o u t o f every hole
and k n o t in the trunk. T here is a Swedish story that tells
o f a beautiful w om an being b o rn in this way. She was a tall
bright beauty w ith a m usical and w him sical voice, ‘soft as a
m u rm u r in a pine w o o d ’. She helped w ith farm w ork and
strangers w ondered about her origins, until one day a knot
in a pine b oard fell o u t and a way to escape back to the
forest was open. T h e w om an p u t her ear next to that place
and heard the m usic o f the O th e r w orld, then she shrank
back in to the size o f an elf. She disappeared back to the
enchanted forest forever.
T h e pine has b een dedicated to Pan, P oseidon, O siris,
N e p tu n e and Bacchus. T h ere w ere old pine trees in G reece
u n d e r w hich altars dedicated to Pan w ere m ade, som etim es
including a small sacred fire. W ith poets, pine has been
associated w ith d istan t m o untains and solitude. A B reton
88
Vine
m yth tells th at the m agical w izard figure M erlin clim bed a

pine tree and never re tu rn ed to the w orld o f m en afterw ard;
it was considered a sacred tree w hich has h o u sed the soul
o f M erlin ever since. Interestingly, the m agic to adstool
fly agaric o r Am anita muscaria, o fte n grow s u n d e r pine
trees, called ‘Scarlet G oblins F u n g u s’ in a translation from
Japan. T hese m u sh ro o m s w ere associated w ith visions and
the spirit w orld as well. Pine is ru led by the planet M ars,
according to astrologers o f the past.
Pine was also a funerary tree, being as it is evergreen
and sym bolic o f everlasting life and im m ortality. A
R ussian c u sto m was to cover the c o ffin bein g carried to
the cem etery w ith bran ch es o f b o th pine and fir. T he
pine tree was c o n sid ered unlucky in the C hannel Isles. In
a G u e rn sey belief, a fam ily could lose th eir p ro p e rty if
they p lan te d a row o f pines. T h e re are a few references
to the belief, sim ilar to o th e r trees such as h a w th o rn
and elder, th a t if you fell asleep u n d e r a pine you w ould
never wake up. Interestingly, the C hinese p lan te d pine and
cypress trees over graves, to help stre n g th e n the souls o f
the deceased and help p reserv e bodies. T h e se trees w ere
th o u g h t to have a special vitality and w ere associated w ith
the spirit w orld because o f this. F ro m the B alkans, it is
still believed th a t faeries g a th e r in the to p o f pine trees.
A lso, m ale w itches fight th eir b attles w ith pine w ands,
blackened at b o th ends.
A n e n c h a n te d sto ry fro m Ja p an tells th a t an old couple
h ad a m agic d o g w h o dug in the g ro u n d in a c e rtain sp o t
and u n c o v e re d gold. A jealous m ean sp irited n e ig h b o r
asked to b o rro w th e dog, assum ing th e sam e g o o d fo rtu n e
w ould com e to him . W h en th e d o g only u n c o v e re d filth
and ru b b ish , th e n e ig h b o r killed th e dog and b u rie d him
u n d e r a pine tree betw een the tw o p ro p ertie s. T h e tree
th e n grew in to a large size and h o u se d th e dogs sp irit and
c o n tin u e d to serve the old couple. T h e o ld m an n eed ed
a m o rta r to p o u n d g rain w ith and fash io n e d one fro m
a pine b o u g h o f the e n c h an te d tree. I t b ro u g h t g reat
89
a b u n d an ce and th ere was never a lack o f fo o d in the

house. T h e w icked n e ig h b o r asked to b o rro w the m o rtar,
again h o p in g to gain the b enefits. W h en only w orm s
cam e in to his co o k in g p o t, he a tte m p te d to d estro y it
by break in g it in to pieces and b u rn in g it. T h e old m an
g a th e re d up th e c h a rre d bits and still believing th at they
w ere m agical, cast th em in to the fo re st, and they grew
in to pine trees, g ree n and healthy, even in th e w inter. T h e
L o rd o f the land h e a rd a b o u t th e old co u p le and th eir
m agical pine trees and rew ard ed th em w ith g o ld, silks and
riches ever after, w ith his evil n e ig h b o r b ein g w h ip p e d fo r
his jealously. T h e pine tree is o fte n d e p ic te d in Japanese
a rt and was c o n sid e red a sacred tree.
O n e way to p ro te c t a child from the effect o f the Evil
Eye was to sweep their face w ith a pine bough. Pine was
an em blem th a t was fixed on poles in Italian vineyards to
p ro te c t from w itchcraft and blight. T h e cones have often
been used to decorate gateways and also iron railings,
probably b o th as a protective sym bol and for fertility. Pine
needles were som etim es used in divinations. A n exam ple o f
this is taken from the Island o f Bute, Scotland, w here pine
was called a ‘dream ing tree’. Its needles w ere p u t w ith som e
kind o f cerem ony u n d e r the pillow for dream s o f a future
husband or wife. T h e cones were also used as a w eather
oracle. I f a cone is hung up in the house (or observed
outside), it will close w hen the w eather is w et and cold and
it will op en w hen the w eather is dry and w arm .
Som e N ative A m erican tribes b u rn ed pine branches to
drive away ghosts from the houses o f returning people.
T hey b u rn ed branches and threw the ashes in a hearth fire
w hen som eone died in the hom e. Also, the sm oke and a
w ash m ade from the pine was used for p rotection for
som eone w ho had seen a dead person. T he Navajo tribe
used the pine needles in a w ar dance and the pitch was also
painted all over the dancer. T he pine pollen was used in a
‘N ight C h an t’ m edicine. T he needles and w ood w ere boiled
as a cerem onial emetic. It was used by the N avaho tribe as
90
Pine
a hunting m edicine, the plant smoked. T he H o p i tribe used

the pitch on the forehead as a pro tectio n against w itchcraft.
T hey also b u rn ed the pitch as a disinfectant for a family
o f one w ho had died. T he O kanagan-C olville tribe used
the needles to spread on the floor o f the sw eathouse for
p rotection against w itchcraft. T he B lackfoot tribe from the
M o n ta n a /A lb erta area still uses the w ood o f the lodgepole
pine (Vinus contorta subsp. latifolia) to m ake ‘story sticks’,
w hich are given to children by elders. T he stories that the
children earn are represented by the num ber o f notches in
the stick.
T h e pine tree was utilized in d iffe re n t acts o f folk
magic. To tie a k n o t in the to p m o st pine sh o o t was a cure
for g o u t in G erm any. A long the sam e lines, retrieving a
kernel from the to p m o st cone o f a pine tree m ade its
eater inv ulnerable to e lf shot. A very specific cure for
to o th a c h e tells th a t the su fferer is advised to take tw o pine
splinters, p u sh th em in to th e gum su rro u n d in g the to o th in
pain and th en b ury th em o n the n o rth side o f a dogw ood
tree. T his is an exam ple o f tran sferen ce m agic, w here the
pain is tra n sfe rre d to the pine splinters and b u ried to ro t
away. Similarly, fo r a no seb leed , pine splinters d ip p ed in
the b lo o d w ere driven in to a n o n sp ecified tree. A n o th e r
tran sferen ce charm : fo r a fever, th e sufferer is advised
to break a pine b ran ch w hile facing the settin g sun. I t
was th o u g h t th a t m ental p ro b lem s o f any so rt could be
im proved by w alking th ro u g h a w ood o f pine and inhaling
the refresh in g smell.
A n early A m erican magical rem edy from L ong L ost
Friend, the fam ous grim oire o f Jo h n H o h m an gives this use
for pine: ‘When You Wish Someone to Sleep fo r Twenty-Four
Hours: Take the resin from a pine tree, dry and crush the resin to
a powder. Then give it to the person you wish to sleep, in a glass o f
beer to drink. He will then sleep fo r twenty fo u r hours. ’
F o r biliousness, the su fferer w ould b o re a hole in a pine
tree and then circle it three times, telling the biliousness to
go away. For a backache com es an interesting magical cure:
91
the suffer was to gather pine roots from a road w here no

corpse had passed on, then build a fire and b u rn the roots,
gathering the blackened rosin to apply to the aching part.
A destructive spell from nineteenth century Sweden
utihzed the pine tree to kill an enemy. W hen an image o f
the enem y was carved into a pine tree, it was then nam ed
after the person. For three consecutive Thursdays (T hor’s
day) the tree was visited and nam ed after the enemy. O n the
third Thursday, a nail was driven partway into the chest o f
the image. T h e practitioner w ould then return once per year,
and each time drive the nail in a little deeper into the image
on the tree. O n the seventh year o f repeating this procedure,
the enem y w ould die. I have seen a similar use w ith the black
oak tree done in this same m anner, in N o rth A m erican
folklore. T he pine tree was also utihzed for bringing back
stolen goods, m entioned in a Swedish Black Book. A splinter
was to be taken from the place w here the theft occurred, and
on it was painted magical sigils in snake blood. This splinter
was then taken to be buried under the roots o f a pine tree, in
the nam e o f the Father, Son and H oly G host, three Thursday
m ornings in a row, before sunrise. This action w ould send
suffering to the thief so they w ould be com pelled to return
the stolen goods. (See Salomonic Magical A rts, by Fredrik
Eytzinger, T hree H ands Press).
Folk Medicine ■F'

P ine needles and b ark have b een u sed in folk m edicine
fo r th e lungs in particular. U sing the needles as a steam
and inhaling it was th o u g h t to have healing effects, as
did sleeping n ex t to a pillow stu ffed w ith pine needles.
F ro m Russia com es the use o f inhaling the steam o f the
needles and cones specifically fo r asthm a. T h e b ark was
u sed to tre a t fevers and th ere w ere m any topical uses th at
in clu d ed using the pitch. A p laster o f th e p itc h m ade w ith
sulphur, honey and brandy was used as a pain linim ent,
fro m an early colonial A m erican cure. A poultice o f the
b ark was u sed fo r b o th b u rn s and sores. P ine tar was an
92
Vine
im p o rta n t in g re d ien t in m any colonial A m erican cough

syrups and w o u n d salves. A cure fo r h e a rtb u rn was to
chew on pine needles and an old recipe fo r cough syrup
tells to place the young pine sh o o ts in a jar o f u n refin ed
sugar and leave it on a sunny w indow sill fo r a tim e. A pine
tree fungus was u sed as a colic cure by scraping the shaved
pieces in to w hiskey and given after it had m acerated in to
the m en stru u m .
T he N ative A m erican tribes had m any uses for pine —
there are around twenty-six species in N o rth A m erica that
were used extensively by the tribes. To cover all o f the tribes
and uses o f different species here w ould be exhaustive but
general and com m on uses are as follows. A decoction o f
the young needles was taken for bronchitis, coughs, colds,
fevers and in m any N ative A m erican tribes, for a stom ach
ache. T he needles were used as a fum igant and to revive
one w ho had fainted. Pine pitch was used for m any external
applications including as a plaster for pain, swellings,
infections, piles, rheum atism , burns, cuts, sores, psoriasis,
spider bites, to draw o ut poisons, and a salve was m ade w ith
pitch and anim al fat for a chest rub and used as a cosm etic
for the skin.
A few specific uses o f n o te — tu rp e n tin e was skim m ed
o f f o f the ro o t deco ctio n and placed on a deer skin as a
draw ing poultice by the C herokee tribe. T h e T h o m p so n
tribe used the P o n d ero sa pine Pinusponderosa as a sleep aid
fo r babies by ru b b in g th em w ith the pitch, and as a rem edy
for earache by p u ttin g a poultice o f the w arm ed pitch to
the ear. N u m ero u s tribes also used the pitch som ehow for
sore eyes.
Personal Practices -P
Pine can be used magically in any so rt o f healing rite, m ost
helpful w hen harvested on the full m oon. I t is particularly
appropriate for cleansing rituals, being em ployed by way o f
the pitch sm udge or by taking the fresh boughs and using
them to fling either ritually harvested w ater from a sacred
93
place o r pine needle tea itself at the sufferer o r in a space

needing the cleanse. Pine is also an am azing visionary tree, it
is very m uch a tree o f clear seeing and seeking, a tree to visit
in solitude for deep contem plation and com m union.
Pine is also an im p o rta n t fertility m edicine for m en in
particular. H aving a m an eat pine nuts regular and carry
pine cones w ith him as a sim ple am ulet is helpful. A pine
tree can be cerem onially plan ted during a w edding rite, for
the future fertility and love o f the couple involved. Have
the cerem ony fall on the full m o o n and have the hole dug
by the g room . A fter w ords are appropriately spoken to the
g ro u p involved a b o u t the in te n tio n , have every one p rese n t
thro w in a h andful o f earth to bury the ro o ts, w hile at
the same tim e w ishing fruitful abundance for the couple.
Have the bride p o u r on the w ater at the end o f the rite. If
the tree takes ro o t and grow s well, it is a g o o d om en o f
the m arriage being a happy and fertile one. Fertility and
abundance can m ean m ore th an just children being b o rn ,
th o u g h that is included if desired. It can also m ean success
in business o r finances and w h atn o t. I f the tree w ithers
and dies, it is an om inous sign o f things to com e. A fter the
cerem ony, the tree is intim ately c o n n ected to the couple
involved.
Pine branches can be used in funerary rites, in particular
for the loss o f rom antic loved ones, along w ith w hite roses,
w illow and lilies. T h e boughs can be used to decorate
the an cesto r altar and used in funerary fum igations, see
recipe below. Pine is very c o m fo rtin g during tim es o f loss
and grief. Pine is g o o d fo r hauntings in b o th people and
houses, using the sm oke and the tied branches to fum igate
and sm udge.
F or m edicinal uses, harvest the bark during the springtim e
m onths, w hen the sap is rising. Selectively p ru n e som e
branches and w hen at hom e, strip the bark from all o f the
branches using a small sharp knife. Save the needles as well,
drying all parts on flat baskets. Clean your hands and knife
w ith olive ofl and then h o t soapy water. To gather pine resin
94
Pine
from a w ound on a pine tree, only take the excess that the
tree produces to heal, leaving som e on the w ound itself.
T here usually is an excessive am ount. Place resin in a wide
m o u th jar o r tin and oil your hands w hen rem oving a clum p
o f it.
M edicinally speaking, pine can be used for coughs and
resp irato ry troubles. I t is cleansing and purifying to the
lungs. Syrups and elixirs w ith b o th the needles and the bark
can be m ade, the b ark being stro n g e r and m ore astringent
and bitter. T h e flavor is generally delicious, w ith intense
lem ony and balsam over tones. T h e b ark and pitch can
be used topically in salves fo r a chest rub, to stim ulate
lym phatic flow and fo r general pain. In fu se an oil o r anim al
fat w ith the freshly w ilted bark (strip and w ilt overnight)
using either the double boiler m eth o d or the passive oil
m eth o d (b o th described in the appendices). A Triple Sap
salve can be m ade using two kinds o f fresh pine bark, for
exam ple a w hite pine and a p o n d e ro sa pine, along w ith the
pitch. It is rem arkable fo r n o t only chest congestion, b ut
fo r pain com ing from cuts, scrapes and scratches, and for
a fragrant perfum e balm.
In m any places, pine can be found planted ornam entally,
it is a com m on tree to find on older hom esteads here in the
US, n o t to m ention all o f the native species. T here are a few
rep o rts o f a couple species o f pine being toxic if taken
internally. I prefer any type o f w hite pine Pinus strobus for
my internal m edicine because o f this, n o t to m ention for
their incredible flavor. I f you are unable to find a w hite pine
or ID the species o f your nearest pine tree, just stick to all
o f the am azing magical and external uses.
Many thanks to this tree of the celestial sphere and its offerings
o f deeply purifying medicine of both body and spirit, o f both
the earthly realm and the world o f the unseen. M ay the fragrant
smoke uplift your rites and carry your prayers uttered onwards
and outwards, touched by the winds o f ancient sages, wise and
departed.
95
Funerary Fumigation ■'F

To m ake a m ixture to h o n o r the beloved dead or the long
dead ancestors, chose to m ake this blend on the dark m oon,
preferably on a Saturday during the dark half o f the year.
W hen the night has fallen, cover the w indow s and darken
the cham ber to only a single candle burning. Have your
ingredients all gathered, dried and ready prior to beginning.
B lend by hand in an earthen bowl:
Cypress Foliage —gently, it is sharp; use scissors if your
species is exceptionally painful to process w ith bare hands
Pine N eedles and Pitch —shred or cut needles small and use
oiled hands to break pieces o f the pitch apart
W hite Rose Buds, n o t fully opened
M istletoe berry
W hile blending the w hole by hand, w orking to break it
dow n, speak the following repeatedly:
The deads garden blooms and grows bj night

W ith fr u it and bud of ghost delight
W ith green and leaf o f spirit flight
M y hands bring warmth, my heart brings light
W hen finished m aking the w hole m ixture small, store in

a yew w ood box. Use during rituals to h o n o r or com m une
w ith the beloved dead or for ancestor rites. B urn on All
Hallow s Eve or C hristm as Eve as well, for the same purpose.
Fine B ark E lix ir -F

H arvest the pine bark in the springtim e, w hen the sap is
rising. T h e n dry the bark. F or 1 pint o f strong pine m edicine,
take about 3 /4 cup o f dried w hite pine b ark T im s strobus, and
cut o r chop small to m ake ab o u t 1/2 cup. Place in the b o tto m
o f a p int m ason jar, o r use a French canning jar w ith a glass
lid w hich is less corrosive. A dd % cup o f dried rose petals
Rosa spp. and V4 cup o f dried red clover blossom Trifolium
pratense. Fill w ith brandy until 3/4 full and add honey to top
96
Pine
it off, being sure to leave a little room at the top. Cover and
shake o r stir daily for one m o o n cycle. Strain, bottle and
label. This will keep for a long time w ithout refrigeration
and is excellent taken for a cough o r lung troubles o f any
sort. It is strong - I take 2 droppers full, 3 tim es per day.
T his has w orked for my family w here o th er herbal cough
m edicines have failed.
97
9 HOLLY TREE
Ilex aquifolium
W
n one w intery eve every year, one can im agine this
tree is in fru it and in ghostly flow er at the same
tim e. W hite waxy flow ers are illum inated and red
berries glow by th irte e n candles. In the cold m oonlight,
the elves rejoice, feast and play their games. T he w hite
ro o ts o f holly touch the old chapel’s crum bling stone walls
and m oss covered thresholds, g h o st celebrations in the
darkness, as seen only from those u n co m m o n and touched.
H olly has a certain elegance su rro u n d in g it, a strength and
quiet power. T his tree has a special place in the h istory o f
m idw inter festivities and folklore.
H olly certain ly h ad a rev eren ce asso c ia te d w ith it, as
its c o m m o n nam e was a n o th e r w o rd fo r ‘H o ly ’, ‘H oly
D a y ’ bein g th e o riginal m ean in g to th e m o d e rn ‘H o lid ay ’.
O th e r old nam es fo r this tree were: H olm e, H ulver B ush,
H u lfee re , C h rists T h o rn and B ats W ings. T h e holly tree
genus Ilex has a b o u t fo u r h u n d re d species w ith in it and
is in the Hqnifoliaceae family. H olly was th e p la n t th a t the
R om ans h u n g up in th eir h o u ses d u rin g th eir an c ie n t
feast S aturnalia, w h ich is o n e o f the m ajo r in flu e n ce s
o n o u r m o d e rn C h ristm as. B ecause o f this, holly was
and is still well k n o w n as a C h ristm as evergreen. B ecause
o f its red b e rries and e v erg reen n a tu re , holly has b een
asso c ia te d w ith th e c ru c ifix io n and the b lo o d o f C h rist
—also k n o w n as ‘C h rist’s T h o r n ’. T h is m agical tree does
in d ee d d eserv e th e line ’O f all the trees in the wood, Holly
wears the crownF.
H olly had a c o n n ectio n to b o th the oak tree and ivy vine,
during this festive season. Its intense red b erried tenacious
branches w ere th o u g h t to be the m ale c o u n te rp a rt to the
99
Ivy, a clim bing vine w ith m ysterious black berries th at

was co n sid ered fem inine in nature. T h ese two w ere hung
to g eth e r a ro u n d C hristm as in E n g lan d in tim es past.
A n o th e r in te rp re ta tio n o f the m id w inter evergreens was
th a t holly was actually the fem ale c o u n te r p a rt to the
m istletoe; the red berries o f holly rep re sen tin g m enstrual
b lo o d and the w hite berries o f m istletoe rep resen tin g
sem en. T hey w ere also som etim es displayed to g eth er in
full b erry during Yuletide.
In G erm any, holly was g a th e red and p u t up on
C hristm as E ve, w ith extra b o ughs h u n g in the anim al
b a rn s and sheds to p ro te c t the livestock. In fact, it was
co n sid e red b ad luck in som e places to g a th e r holly before
C hristm as Eve. H o u se h o ld b ro o m s could be deco rated
w ith holly as well, to help o ffe r p ro te c tio n to a dwelling.
P eople o f Celtic an cestry w ere believed to collect holly
at m id n ig h t in solitude and leave a d ro p o f th eir b lo o d as
an o fferin g in exchange for the red b e rried holly. W hen
h u n g up w ith the C hristm as evergreens it was b est to hang
holly up b efo re m istletoe, lest ill luck will com e dow n the
chim ney on C hristm as Eve. H olly was su p p o sed to be
taken dow n, along w ith all o th e r C hristm as decorations
besides m istletoe, by January 6, tw elfth night. D eco ratin g
the chim ney w ith holly was originally a p ro tectiv e act;
the chim ney rep re sen te d , along w ith w indow s and doors,
a place w here m aleficent spirits could e n te r th e hom e.
F ro m W estern E n g lan d com es the c u sto m o f young
m aidens a d o rn in g th eir beds w ith holly in full b erry on
C hristm as E ve to p ro te c t fro m an unw elcom ed visit from
a ‘m ischievous g o b liri.
T h e re are old Irish legends th a t tell o f the yearly battle
b etw een the H olly K ing and the O ak King. T his battle was
su p p o sed to be based on the w axing sun and the w aning
sun, w ith the holly rep re sen tin g the dark h a lf and the oak
the light h a lf o f the year. In Brittany, holly was the D evil’s
c o u n te rp a rt to the oak tree. F ro m old G erm anic lore, the
holly tree was actually sacred to the w in ter nature spirit
100
Holly Tree
(som e w ould say G oddess) M o th er H olle and G erm anic

w itches w ho w o rsh ip p ed her p refe rre d to use holly w ood
fo r their m agic wands.
Holly was th o u g h t to be a g o o d om en and was considered
protective against lightning. I t was believed in D evonshire
that the holly tree could n o t be struck. A G erm an charm
to p ro tect one from lightning was to carry ‘church holly’, a
piece o f holly that was used for decorative purposes from
a church, m o st Ukely from around C hristm as time. A tree
grow ing near the house p ro tected it from lightning as well
and it was lucky to plant a holly tree in the garden. In E ast
Anglia, the holly tree was know n to p ro tect from evil. T he
holly hedges surrounding cottages in the Fens were believed
to be planted thus for the same. To bring a sprig o f holly
(not in flower) in to a new building w ould bring g o o d luck.
Holly in general was used for p ro tectio n from nightm ares,
dem ons and evil magic. T h e green prickled leaf variety
was associated w ith male luck while the sm o o th variegated
variety w ith female luck. A Rom any nam e for the tree was
‘G o d s T ree’ and in tim es past, it was tho u g h t by them to
afford divine pro tectio n if a ten t was pitched under one. It
was believed that a holly tree casts no shadow. Pliny w rote
th at holly flowers will cause w ater to freeze, connecting
this plant to the w intertim e’s cold and also th at holly w ould
repel poison. Interestingly, holly was tho u g h t to bring back
runaw ay cattle. All one had to do was throw a holly stick
in the direction w hich the cattle ran, and its pow ers w ould
cause them to retu rn hom e, w ithout the w ood even touching
them . Indeed, cattle drover’s sticks w ere often m ade from
holly wood.
T here w ere m any superstitions associated w ith H olly and
while it was considered a lucky plant, it was unlucky to bring
the flowers indoors, to b u rn green holly w ood, to stam p
on a holly berry, or to cut dow n a wild holly tree. I t was
considered in m any places particularly unlucky to fell a holly
tree that had self-seeded. To pick a sprig o f holly in flower
could bring death to the family. Sterile holly that did n o t
101
produce berries was considered m ore unlucky than holly

that did (though there are male and female plants). To break
the bad luck for the following year, one could p u t a spring
o f red berried holly in a w reath. Being an evergreen, it was
a custom in som e places to bring a holly branch into a hom e
after a death, to help purify the space.
Holly was b o th a plant o f the faeries and elves and also
a p ro te c to r from their tricks, depending on the lore. It was
considered a faerie plant in N o rth e rn Ireland. It was also
protective from w itches and w itchcraft. I f a church d oor
fram e was built o f holly w ood, no w itch could enter. Collars
o f bittersw eet and holly tw isted to g eth er w ere used to
p ro tect horses from w itchcraft and from being hag-ridden.
H anging holly and row an w ood in the cow bier kept out
evil forces and the entrance o f the nightm are. A W iltshire
tradition was th at a w reath m ade o f holly and bay leaves
w ould keep w itches out o f the hom e if hung on the door, as
a w itch w ould be stuck outside com pelled to co u n t the red
berries. I f a holly ro d was placed in milk, it w ould n o t sour.
C oachm an’s w hip handles were m ade o f holly w ood, helpful
for driving at night and keeping away the faeries and dark
w itches powers. L ore tells to never cut a w hip stick directly
from the tree; instead pull up one o f the shoots that grow
from the trunk.
T h ere w ere d ifferen t gam es th at w ere played w ith holly.
O n e tells th a t if a girl runs aro u n d a holly tree seven tim es
in a one d irection and seven tim es in an other, she will see
her future husband. A n o th e r love divination - N ine holly
leaves o f the sm o o th variety had to be g ath ered at m idnight
on a Friday and placed in a three c o rn ered handkerchief,
w hich was th en tied in nine kn o ts and concealed under
the pillow b e fo re going to bed. A b solute silence was an
essential p a rt o f the charm , fro m the tim e o f g athering the
leaves, until daw n, during w hich p ro p h etic dream s w ould
have occurred. T h e re is an A m erican gam e o f nam ing
holly leaves after d ifferen t suitors and th en throw ing them
in to a fire. T h e one th a t loved you b e st w ould p o p —this is
102
Holly Tree
sim ilar to the apple seed version. A ‘w itches chain’ could

be m ade during the tim e o f M idw inter, by threading holly
berries, juniper berries and m istletoe berries on a thread
and attaching an aco rn on the ends. T his was traditionally
m ade by three younger w om en at a w itch ’s cottage, the
older w itch w om an in stru ctin g them , so the lore tells. It
was b o u n d to a log and b u rn ed in a fire ritual in a particular
way. W hen the acorns w ere finally consum ed by the fames,
each girl w ould see a glim pse o f h er future husb an d , or
else if sp in ste rh o o d was h er fate, she w ould see the shape
o f a coffin instead.
Yet an other divination using holly —a m aiden places three
pails o f w ater in her bed ro o m and th en pins three green holly
leaves on her nightgow n, opposite her heart. She then goes
to sleep. It was believed that she w ould be awoken from her
first sleep by three terrible yells, three horse-laughs and then
the form o f her future husband w ould appear. I f he loved
her deeply, he w ould move the w ater pails around, otherw ise
he w ould just pass through the room . This divination was
only to be done on those auspicious nights o f the year:
Christm as Eve, Beltane Eve, M idsum m ers Eve a n d /o r All
Hallows Eve.
F ro m G erm any, w itches used red holly berries to brew
up th u n d ersto rm s — they w ere used in their ointm ents
and incense. H olly is u n d er the do m in io n o f S aturn, and
th erefo re was used for com m unications w ith the dead.
B ecause o f its prickles, holly greenery could be used in
defensive m agic as well.
Folk Medicine Ш
Folk m edicine involving holly was m ostly external, because
the plant was tho u g h t to be m oderately toxic, though similar
to English Ivy Hedera helix, is relished by sheep, cattle and
goats. It was believed that chilblains and rheum atism could be
cured by w hipping the affected area w ith holly. This sounds
similar to nettle flogging, to stim ulate the area affected.
T here was also an o in tm en t m ade in Essex for chilblains
103
by infusing holly berries in lard. A magical use com es from

b o th E ngland and colonial A m erica — walking through a
spht holly tru n k was a transference cure for hernias.
In Ireland holly leaves were used to treat burns, the
application is unspecified. Inhaling the vapors o f holly leaf
tea was done for toothache in Wales. H olly leaf tea taken
internally was used to treat measles, w orm s, influenza,
dropsy, to relieve fevers and catarrh — how ever in w hat
dosage I am unsure. T h e berries are m ore poisonous than
the leaves and highly em etic, thus their use as a violent
purgative. Cups w ere m ade o f holly w ood to give m ilk to
children w ith w hooping cough, as a cure. A n A nglo-Saxon
rem edy for asthm a was to boil holly bark in goats milk and
give it to a person to sip w arm , while they were fasting.
P
1 ersonal Practices ■'P
I have had a personal co n nection w ith this magical tree o f
m idw inter since I was a child. T he hedges were always in
full red berry on my birthday, two days before Christm as,
and in ou r back w ooded lot they were so glorious covered
in w hite snow. T his plant is a special p ro tecto r for this time
o f year, as you can see from the lore, in particular for the
twelve days o f Christm as. In m odern culture, none o f the
darker lore from this tim e rem ains. T his was historically a
tim e o f the dead and for ghosts and spirits to be about,
a haunted time. I t was a tim e for extra pro tectio n to be
taken. This m akes sense as it is indeed the darkest time o f
the year. H olly can be harvested on Christm as Eve to hang
above w indow s and doorways and also the holly berries can
be harvested for divination purposes on the dark m oon in
D ecem ber, by leaving three drops o f your blood or som e
red wine in return. T hese berries can be dried and used in
oracular pow ders and incense.
T h e holly tree grow s very slowly and there are m any
around the area in w hich I five, planted originally on farm s
for use in C hristm as decorations. T he oldest o f the trees
are dense and so beautiful, to be found on m any older
104
Holly Tree
hom esteads, som etim es also on abandoned land. These

trees are an appropriate place for m idw inter rituals and
offerings. O fferings o f fats, butter, bread crum bs, nuts,
dried fruits and w h atn o t can be left for the birds, mice and
spirit creatures to feast upon. O ld holly trees are a place
for divinations and visions as well, prophetic askings for
the com ing year. H olly w ood ritually harvested during
m idw inters dark is appropriate for use in m aking wands,
charm s and crosses th at specifically w ork w ith Saturn’s
chthonic energy, defensive magic and extrem e protection.
T h e peeled w ood is hard and w hite, beautifully full o f fight
in the darkness o f the w inter m onths.
Many thanks to this midwinter tree, its history ancient and

its darker uses secreted in the memory o f earthen ravines
with spirit guardians. Old Mother W inter sleeps under the
wild and desolate holly tree, her bed o f stone and staff o f
white woodfo r freezing the land and bringing snow, the fog
her smoking fire, the snow herfeathered pillow. Holly offers
protection during the dark cold, and with offerings given,
berries o f magic and supernatural blood.
Cutting the Cord: A Holly and O ak Severing Rite A

To severe bonds betw een two, bonds unseen and unserving,
to leave the relationship in peace. This rite also works to
change the intim acy o r dependency level o f the relationship
so that you are m ore in d ep en d en t o f this person. O n the
dark m o o n during the w inter m onths, after D ecem ber 21
as the sun is gaining strength, do this w ork o f ‘undoing’.
H ave harvested one w and o f holly from a tree that produces
berries and one w and o f the solar oak. B oth should be nine
inches long. H ave a length o f black ribbon and u p o n your
altar space, set a black cloth. A fter dark w ith candle as your
only fight, w ash b o th the holly and oak w and in rain w ater(or
spring water) and in wine. Im agine yourself as the oak and
the one you w ish to be free o f as the holly as you do this.
Fum igate the w ands th en in a m ixture o f St. Johns w ort
105
flowers, B lackthorn leaf and Ju n ip er berry. T h en w rap the

w ands w ith black ribbon in three places, the w hole time
envisioning the nature o f the current relationship — the
g o o d and bad aspects all. Have an earthenw are dish th at can
hold the bundle and w hen you are ready, hold the b o u n d
charm up near the flame, saying thrice:
A ncient ties of ill-repute,

Choking cords o f grave dispute,
Solar dark and solar light,
Old cords to burn upon this night.
In secret while the moon is dark,
The deed is done to burn the mark,
In wholesome gold I will arise,
W ith strength of oak I break these ties.
B urn the ribbons th at bind the w ands and set them free
dow n in the earthen dish. R eturn the next m orning and
bring the holly stick to the same tree it was harvested from ,
saying this as you leave it u n d er the tree: W hat’sjours isyours,
what’s mine is mine, I leave in peace, I leave in kind. Leave the
tree w ith o u t looking back or ever visiting it again. Place the
oak w and on a sunny w indow sill for a tim e while the sun’s
strength increases and eventually retu rn to the tree in w hich
it was cut from . Leave the w and un d ern eath the branches
while saying these words: The golden oak remains untouched,
without shadow or stain. May the influence be upon me, may the
power remain.
106
SP R U C E T R E E
Picea spp
ark spruce tree, keeper o f tim e and o f roads

' underground. A tree to bring dream s during the long
‘dark autum n and w inter, its blue green branches
o f m ajestic boughs are laden w ith sharp scented sap and
prickled needles. Spruce holds som e dark m ysterious
force, so stoic and so elegant. M any
evergreens are connected to
death and imm ortality.
H ow ever, spruce has
a pow er over b o th
death and water. N ear
the rivers, the creeks, giant
spruce has been p art o f
the Pacific N orthw est
for eons, friend to raven
and owl, sacred burial
g ro u n d to the people
o f this place.
T he genus Picea,
m eans ‘pitch,’ as this tree
is full o f fragrant sap
and pitch. Spruce is
in the pine family,
Pineaceae. T he Native
E uropean spruce \
Picea abies, is also
called the N orw ay
spruce. It is n o t
present in Britain or
Ireland, m ostly in the
E astern and N o rth e rn E urope, particularly in Scandinavia

and in Russia. C om m on nam es for E u ro p ean spruce
included: Black Fir, Cross Fir, Forest Incense, Red Spruce,
Red Fir, Resin Tar and Tar Fir. T he oldest tree in the world
is a N orw ay spruce, and lives in m ountains o f Sweden. It is
tho u g h t to be around 9500 years old!
It is th o u g h t th a t by bringing the spruce tree into the
hom e around C hristm as tim e, th at people are enacting an
ancient custom o f w orshipping the guardian spirits o f the
forest. Spruce and Fir b o th represent the original G erm an
C hristm as tree. Pagan G erm an tribes venerated the spruce
tree as a sacred tree and it later becam e the ‘May tree’. T here
are legends in som e regions o f E urope that tell o f witches
dancing near spruce trees and the blue lights that can be
seen at tim es in the night around the spruce tree represented
the souls o f the dead, w ho are draw n to the trees.
A folk rite from the 17th century th at com es from a
G erm an m anuscript attributed to F aust uses spruce w ood
to see and speak w ith spirits o f the dead. O n to a chip o f
spruce w ood, magical w ords are w ritten, along w ith the
p ractitioner’s initials. T his w ood is buried u n d er an earth
fast stone in a cem etery on a T hursday and retu rn ed to on
a subsequent T hursday to order spirits to com e. Finally, on
a third Thursday, the practitioner returns to the cem etery
and a magical stone replaces the buried spruce w ood charm .
T his stone is th en used for speaking w ith spirits and for
obtaining money.
T h e spruce tree was an im p o rtan t teaching tree to the
so u th ern Canadian N ative tribes, w ho called it the peace
tree. D ifferen t species o f spruce were used in a cerem onial
way historically by m any N ative A m erican tribes in N o rth
Am erica. T he boughs o f Sitka spruce P.sitchensis were
used cerem onially for p ro tectio n from death and illness.
I t was also used as hunting m edicine, the boughs used in
preparation and purification rituals by sham ans, hunters
and fisherm en. Branches were placed in the houses o f sick
people to p ro te c t the space, by n o t letting anything unclean
108
Sp ruce Tree
enter. T he E nglem an spruce (P. engelmanni) was believed to

cause vivid dream s if one slept u n d erneath it. It was used as
a cerem onial purgative. T he pitch o f the w hite spruce (P.
glauca) was b u rn ed by sham ans, along w ith swan feather and
slender grass tops o f som e sort, w hen m aking m edicine for
a person that was sick. T h e tops o f it were p u t onto animal
tracks by w om en, before crossing over them . This was to
keep the anim al energy from alienating hunters, connected
to m en struation taboos. T h e tops o f the trees were used by
sham ans to b ru sh people o ff and rem ove their illness and
bad energy, b o th w ith black spruce (P. mariand) and white. A
M akah w haler w ould use the spruce as a fishing or protective
charm , by placing a piece o f the w ood in his hair knot w hen
he w ent to sea. T he spruce tree was used in com ing o f age
cerem onies and initiation cerem onies am ong m any tribes,
such as the H anaksala, H esquiat, N itinaht, and Kwakiutl.
I rem em ber visiting w ith a family that had settled and lived
on the H o h River for m any generations, near the tem perate
rain forest. T hey w ere friends w ith the N ative A m erican
families in the area. O ne hom estead p roperty that we visited
had a huge spruce tree th at was on a trail that led to w here
the m outh o f the H o h River p o u red o ut into the ocean —
w hat a life changing sight to see. I will never forget that
day. T he spruce tree how ever stood eerily in the w oods as I
had a strange feeling. As we approached the tree the family
m em ber that I was w ith told m e that his family had found
beads under this tree for years; it had been a place w here the
N ative Tribes w ould place their deceased m em bers; up in
the tree in canoes w ith their m any precious belongings. T he
spruce tree will always rem ind me o f death and the journey
to afterlife. T he image o f beautiful g h o st canoes in the m ist
hanging w ith gorgeous bright beads is haunting.
T here is an old folk story that tells o f the magic o f spruce
baskets that com es from the H aida tribe in BC, Canada.
T here w ere two sisters w ho had a wicked stepm other. They
decided to leave hom e and find better fortunes. A m an found
them and decided to take them to his lodge, then m arried
109
b o th o f them . A fter m any long years, they b o th decided that

it was tim e to revisit their old hom e again, though it w ould be
rough journey. A g o o d totem spirit gave them som e w isdom ;
th at they should each weave a small spruce basket, only large
enough to fit over their thum b, and fill it w ith dried deer
m eat and tallow. T hey obliged the spirit and m anaged to fit
only a m outhful o f food in to each basket. H ow ever, upon
their journey, these baskets acted like bottom less reservoirs
o f food and the girls ate all they desired, never ru nning out.
W hen they at last reached the parental lodge, the baskets
becam e so large holding m uch food, so heavy th at they had
to be carried in by m any people. T he wicked step m o th er was
still alive and was persuaded to eat the food in quantity from
the baskets; she ate so m uch that she couldn’t breathe and
died, leaving the stepdaughters avenged at long last.
Folk Medicine ^
Traditional A ustrian folk m edicine used spruce for respiratory
and stom ach com plaints, by m aking syrups and teas w ith its
young tips. It was used for pain and inflam m ation externally
byway o f healing baths and ointm ents m ade from b o th the
tips and the resin. O n e Swedish rem edy used the spruce
pitch dissolved in vodka applied for w ounds and pain.
N ative Tribes used the Sitka spruce P. sitchensis in m any
ways. T he Bella C oola tribe used sapling and young cones
in steam s for rheum atism . M any tribes used different
parts externally for pains and inflam m ation. G eneral uses
included poultices o f the bark and gum used for sores, cuts,
heart troubles and back pain. T he buds and / or pitch were
taken in grease for coughs. T he branches were used for
flogging to stim ulate blood flow to a w ounded area and for
headaches. D ecoctions o f the bark were taken for stom ach
troubles. T h e gum o f the new shoots was used to bring back
lost eyesight caused by snow blindness, by the Southern
C arrier tribe and the needles were used for the same by the
T h o m p so n tribe. D ecoction o f the branches was used as a
strengthening bath and as a panacea for any so rt o f illness.
110
Spruce Tree
Personal Practices Pp
T he spruce tree can be used in autum n or w inter rituals to
h o n o r o n e ’s ancestors and also in Yuletide rites o f all sorts.
Spruce represents a funerary and underw orld tree, so using
it along w ith yew and cypress for ancestor connections
and death rites is appropriate. V ision w ork done under
the spruce tree during the w inter m onths is spirit filled
and poten t. D ark spruce can be frightening after dark and
visiting a grove by candlelight invokes strange psychic body
m em ories. Tie offerings o f black cloth to the boughs and
bury w hite stones near the roots to connect to the land o f
the dead for various purposes.
Spruce is also indicated in rites o f purification and bodily
healing. It is a tree deeply connected to the w inter’s waters,
it grow s in w et places in the Pacific N orthw est. T h e largest
trees I have ever seen in my life were old grow th Sitka
spruce trees that were on an old hom estead p roperty next
to the Clearw ater River. T hey were unbelievably massive and
pow erful, having been there far longer than the hom estead
o f course. Spruce boughs can be included in healing baths
and the pitch inco rp o rated in to salves and oils for the
same. B urning spruce on o u td o o r w inter fires cleanses the
space and burning the pitch on the w oodstove in the w inter
m onths brings about the m ost incredible lem on balsam
perfum e, w onderful for banishing any negative energies in
o n e ’s space.
Medicinally, the bright green spruce tips can be harvested
and dried during late spring. Pick them w hen fully ‘fluffed
o u t’, as m any folks m istakenly pick them w hen tight and
hard. T hey take alm ost a m o n th to dry, so be prepared for
this. T hey can be used in w inter tea blends for colds, flus
and lung troubles often w ith the addition o f rosehips, elder
berries, bitter roots and spices. T hey are also indicated for
dam p cold and chills. T hese green tips can be covered w ith
80 p ro o f vodka for an intense folk tincture taken for lung
troubles and coughs, add honey to taste while steeping. I
111
take only small am ounts, such as one d ro p p er full three

tim es a day for adults. N o t to be taken while pregnant or
breastfeeding. A n infused honey can be m ade w ith the tips
and taken for allergies and lung troubles. T h e young tips (or
the pitch) can be infused in fat/ oil for use in chest rubs and
for helping to stim ulate the flow o f lym ph fluid, as well as for
general pain. T he fresh branches can be sim m ered in w ater
and p o u red into the bath for decongestant, stim ulating and
cleansing purposes. To harvest the pitch, find a tree w ith
a large w ound and take only the extra pitch, n o t rem oving
the entire chunk, as the tree needs it for its ow n healing
purposes. Store in a wide m o u th glass jar and use oiled hands
to rem ove chunks o f it, if it is excessively sticky.
Spruce connects one to the forest spirits and old magic
in the N o rth e rn places o f the world. Its dark shade and
unkem pt look distinguish it from o th er true fir species. May
you find a friend in the m ysterious spruce tree through the
dark autum n and w inter m onths. T he spruce tree covered
in a m urder o f crow s is a sight to behold and the black
birds o rn am en t her perfectly, looking like a large G erm an
C hristm as tree in M other H olle’s meadow.
Spruce Tree A ncestor Offering Kite i'T

C reate an ancestor bundle by looking at w hat physical
elem ents were essential to your ancestors and therefor were
responsible for their sustenance and survival. For example,
my ancestor’s d epended heavily on oats, barley, w heat and
rye, also, fava beans and peas, cow dairy and sheep’s wool,
linen and hem p. H azel and O ak w ere im p o rtan t building
m aterials that housed them . So w ithin a small black linen
cloth bundle, these elem ents can be represented, along w ith
cream and b e e r/m e a d w ithin vials for pouring on.
T his is an offering and an h o noring to recognize those
th at cam e before, to give gratitude, as a rem em brance for
m any hard winters. It is an offering rite to feed the spirits
and give them nourishm ent. G o to a spruce tree by nightfall
and candle light. Bring a shovel. D ig a hole under the spruce
112
Spruce Tree
tree and solem nly open the bundle and deposit the offerings
one by one in to the hole. Speak aloud your intentions,
som ething along these lines:
To those spirits whom have passed of my blood, o f my bone,

I offer these tokens o f my gratitude. During the cold winters,
may you be warmed by the fires of my hearth, the stew in my
pot, the meat of my spit. M ay the memory o f your body and
spirit be known in my heart, as I live, breath and toil now on
this earth. To you ancestor’s — I owe my life. That you survived,
now I am here. That you endured, now I flourish. That you
went hungry at times, now I feast.
Many thanks to your bones o f old, be they the minerals of

the soils. Many thanks toyour blood of old, be it the food of
the Underworld race. Many thanks to ancestor’s - known and
unknown, seen and unseen. M ay it be so, may it be blessed.
Cover the hole w ith earth and tam p it down. Leave no trace
o f yourself at the offering site.
W inter Forest Ra/m ^

T his magical salve envibes and helps evoke the animals
o f the forest and is appropriate for using during rites o f
Sam hain or M idw inter guising. It is also helpful for any rite
o f the forest and o f the animals involved. It can be w orn for
protective purposes, and is very pow erful. It can be a bit tricky
to get the fats involved, b u t get creative - call a taxiderm ist
(they thro w o u t m o st o f the fat as a w aste p ro d u ct anyhow),
o r go to prim itive skills gatherings and trade for it already
rendered. T hey may be able to be purchased online.
T he simple recipe:
1 cup rendered bear fat (this should be w hite as snow and
very soft at ro o m tem p)
V2 cup rendered deer tallow (this should be cream colored
and hard at ro o m tem perature, w ith a waxy feel)
113
Roughly V4 cup o f spruce pitch; pine pitch can be used if no

spruce is available.
In a double boiler, heat all three o f the ingredients in the top
cham ber. Stir and help break up the pitch w ith a chopstick.
A fter the m ixture is w arm and som ew hat emulsified, which
will take ab o u t ten m inutes o f heating, tu rn o ff the heat
and let sit for 24 hours. D o this every day for a week, only
heating the salve for about a total o f 15 m inutes and then
letting it sit over the h o t w ater in the b o tto m cham ber. A fter
ab o u t 7 days, it should be blended well —p o u r in to jars and
d o n ’t w orry about the sedim ent. L et ‘cure’ for a week o r two
before using; it will greatly im prove in th at time. I f the pitch
is a challenge to rem ove from your double boiler, cover w ith
a thin layer o f vodka and soak for a day and th en try again
w ith very h o t and soapy water.
Yuletide Spruce Yea ■Y

T his tea is delightful and w arm ing for the festivities o f
the longest night o f the year o r thereabouts. All dried
ingredients, com bine and decoct for five m inutes, then steep
for an additional twenty.
1 cup E lder flowers Sambucus spp.
1 cup Calendula flowers (packed) Calendula off.
1 /3 cup Spruce tips, broken up
V4 cup R osehips Rosa spp.
2 T O range peel and C innam on chips, each
Pinch o f Saffron
114
W E ST E R N RED Щ
CEDAR
Thuja plicata
Its tern red cedar with her graceful draping green

1fronds, they are m iniature braided tapestries
that decorate the forests o f the Pacific
N orthw est. O nce giants o f this land, the
G randm other Cedar is still abundant, growing in
alm ost every lowland forest landscape am ongst
Douglas fir and W estern hemlock. H er
shredded red brow n bark turns
silver w hen exposed to
the sunlight, just as a
cedar shake ro o f will
do over time, silver like
ocean driftwood. W hen
wandering through the
enchanted forests o f this
place, it is n o t uncom m on
to trip on cedar
roots and when
exposed during the
w et season, they are a
bright m agenta color, absolutely
striking. T he smell w hen walking
through a cedar tree circle is pungent,
lemony, sharp and sweet all at once,
lacking the smoky smell o f m any other
types o f cedar. Botanically speaking,
this cedar is in the cypress family, n o t a
true cedar at all.
115
R ed ced ar has b e e n called th e M o th er, the G iver o f

L ife by th e N ativ e trib es o f th e m isty fern co v ered lands
o f th e Pacific N o rth w e s t c o a st o f A m erica. In fact, som e
Salish dialect nam es fo r red ced ar tran slate in to Tong Life
Giver, Rich Woman M aker and Mother. T h is is u n d o u b ted ly
the m o st im p o rta n t tree o f th e Salish coastal g roups.
T h o u g h its h a b ita t includes th e Pacific N o rth w e s t coast,
it has n o w n a tu ra liz ed in B ritain, w h ere it was p lan te d as
a tim b e r tree. B o th places have a m aritim e clim ate, and
W estern red ced ar certainly thrives in th e rainy places o f
the w orld.
T h e h is to ry o f th e W e ste rn red c e d a r tre e is ric h , th e
uses o f th e w o o d a n d m e d ic in e are w ell e sta b lish e d .
H is to ric a lly every p a r t o f th e re d c e d a r tre e was u sed ,
‘fro m c rad le to g ra v e ’. T h e re is m u ch to be said a b o u t
its p h y sical u ses, b u t fo r th e p u rp o s e o f th is w o rk ,
s p iritu a l a n d m e d ic in a l u ses w ill b e th e focus. T h is is
a tre e th a t is v e ry close to my h e a rt a n d o n e th a t I
have striv e d to w o rk w ith in m y o w n ways, r a th e r th a n
cu ltu rally a p p ro p ria te fro m th e F irs t N a tio n s P eople.
T h a t b e in g said, I have a large re s p e c t fo r th e w o rk
th a t th ey d id h isto ric a lly an d c o n tin u e to do to d ay w ith
th is am a z in g tree. W h a t is p r e s e n te d h e re is still h eld
sa cre d a m o n g th e p e o p le s o f th is lan d , as we m u st
re m e m b e r th a t th e P acific W est C o a st w as o n e o f the
last p laces to b e c o lo n iz e d , h a p p e n in g a ro u n d 165 years
ago — n o t v ery lo n g at all! O n e can still feel th e sp irit
p o w e r w h e n w a n d e rin g th e te m p e ra te ra in fo re s ts and
ru g g e d c o a stlin e s, still fin d in g o c c a sio n a l o ld g ro w th
tim b e r th a t w as m ira c u lo u sly s p a re d fro m th e lo g g in g
in d u stry . S om e o f th e s e p ra c tic e s are still w ith in living
tra d itio n o f th e p e o p le h e re . W e ste rn red c e d ar is a
c o m m u n ity tre e — o fte n she g ro w s in circles w ith o th e r
c e d ars, fo rm in g g ro u p s th ro u g h o u t th e fo re sts. She
has b r o u g h t h e a lin g b a c k to m any N a tiv e c o m m u n itie s
w h o are h e a lin g th e ir re la tio n s h ip w ith th e lan d an d
w ith th e ir tra d itio n s , w h o are h e a lin g fro m th e e ffe c ts
116
Western Red Cedar
o f v ery re c e n t c u ltu ra l loss an d m o n u m e n ta l change.

W e ste rn re d c e d ar is th e M o th e r tre e o f th is p lace, has
always b e e n so a n d m ay she alw ays re m a in so.
W estern re d ced ar was u se d cerem onially fo r sm udging,
b a th in g , an d m edicine by m any N ativ e tribes. T h e b o ughs
and fro n d s w ere u sed to sc o u r th e b o d y w hile b a th in g
and p re p a rin g fo r v isio n qu ests, rituals, c e re m o n y and
h u n tin g . T h e tree was th o u g h t so p o w erfu l th a t it could
even be leaned on by o n e in n e e d to gain stre n g th . T h e
w o o d was u sed to m ake sham anic so u l c atch ers fo r
c erem o n y by th e O w eek en o trib e and it w as th o u g h t th at
sleep in g u n d e r red ce d ar w o u ld p ro m o te w ild dream s by
th e T h o m p s o n trib e. T h e b o u g h s w ere so m etim es slep t
o n to w ard o f f b a d sp irits an d to b rin g luck. T h e cedar
b ark was u sed fo r co m in g o f age rituals fo r girls and also
fo r p ro te c tio n o f p re g n a n t w om en. T h e L u m m i trib e
placed th e a fte rb irth o n a large ced ar stum p, to assure
lo n g life fo r th e baby byway o f im itative m agic. I f they
w a n te d th e child to be a brave fighter, they w ould tie the
a fte rb irth in the high ced ar bough s. T h e b a rk was m ade
in to m any types o f ce re m o n ia l a d o rn m e n ts by m any
trib es, o fte n in c o rp o ra tin g o th e r elem en ts, such as trade
beads, shells o r feathers.
A m o n g the K w akiutl tribe, if som eone was th o u g h t
to be bew itched, they w ere ru b b e d w ith the so ft w orked
cedar bark. T h e b ark was th e n divided in to fo u r bundles
w hich w ere buried, one each in fro n t o f a house w here
it w ould be ste p p e d over, tra n sfe rrin g the bew itch m en t
to the cedar bark. A n o th e r tran sferen ce rite th a t involved
healing: the so ft sh red d ed cedar b ark th at co n tain ed som e
s o rt o f blo o d , saliva o r w aste o f the sick p e rso n was
divided in to fo u r b u ndles and placed w ithin fo u r pieces
o f copper. T h e c o p p e r was folded over and h am m ered
closed and th en the b u ndles w here driven in to the tru n k
o f a grave tree th a t c o n ta in ed tw ins. S om etim es the cedar
bark o f one w ho was sick and sp ittin g b lo o d w ould be
saved u n til a w hale ap p eared o ff shore. A friend o f the
117
sick p e rso n w ould take the blo o d y b ark to the w hale in

a canoe and ask it to rem ove the illness, leaving the bark
b eh in d in the w aters.
T his tree, like o th er evergreens, had a co n nection w ith
the dead. T he house o r area o f a p erso n just deceased was
sw ept w ith a singed cedar b ro o m to cleanse the space. Fresh
buds were chew ed to help avoid nausea while burying the
dead by the L um m i tribe. T h e Skagit tribe w ould b u rn the
boughs and fronds o f W estern red cedar at night and bring
them th rough the house w here one had died, to scare away
the gh o st o f the deceased.
Folk Medicine
T h e fronds o r branches w ere and are the p a rts used
m edicinally. By the Bella C oola tribe, an in fu sio n o f
the fro n d s was u sed externally fo r rh eu m atism , pains,
swellings, for h e a rt tro u b le and resp ira to ry tro u b les by
p o u n d in g the tips w ith candlefish grease, and fo r a sw ollen
neck (probably glands). F ro n d s w ere also used in a w ash
for venereal sores, and as a hair w ash for d a n d ru ff or
scalp ‘g e rm s’. A d e c o ctio n o f the buds was gargled by the
S kokom ish tribe for sore thro ats. In general, it was taken
internally fo r colds, diarrhea, and coughs by m any tribes
b u t an infu sio n o f the boughs in large dose was co n sid ered
p o iso n o u s. T h e in fu sio n was used in the sw eathouse as a
tonic by the O kanagan-C olville tribe. P o u n d e d tips m ixed
w ith grease w ere applied externally for sto m ach pains
and to the chest fo r bronchitis. G re e n bu d s w ere chew ed
for to o th a c h es and for sore lungs by the C ow litz tribe.
C hew ed in n e r b ark w as used to b rin g o n m e n stru a tio n by
the C hehalis tribe. T h e b ark strips w ere u sed in physical
way fo r bandages by m any tribes, to h o ld p o ultices and as
a to u rn iq u e t to sto p b lo o d flow.
P
‫ ־‬ersonal Practices kk
T his tree is certainly seen as a n ourish in g and loving
presence in the fo rest by m any in the area. M any people
118
Western Red Cedar
have pow erful experiences just sitting w ith W estern

red cedar. M any are m oved to tears w h en relaying their
experiences. It is quite astounding how m any tim es I have
seen this, people feeling held, co m fo rted , n o urished and
w elcom ed by this tree. I too have h ad this experience, b u t
I also have seen and experienced a darker side to W estern
red cedar.
In my tim e sp e n t v isitin g this tree in n o n -o rd in a ry
reality, o r in the sp irit realm s, I fin d th a t she is deeply
c o n n e c te d to th e u n d e rw o rld and th e lan d o f th e dead.
She is th e g u a rd ia n o f th e ced ar h u ts th a t h o ld w arrio rs
a n d m o th s and candles th a t d rip b lo o d . She is the o n e in
th e black sto n e ravine w ho m eets th e raven at the p o o l
to claim h e r offerin g s. I use this tree in d e a th rites o f all
so rts an d w hile I favor the yew tre e fo r rites involving
m y an c esto rs, I ab so lu tely favor W estern red ce d ar for
p ro te c tio n and k in sh ip w hile v isitin g th e u n d e rw o rld
o r land o f the d ead fo r any p u rp o se . She is a n c ie n t
a n d extrem ely p ro te c tiv e , w hile b e in g u n to u c h a b le and
u n a p p ro a c h a b le by any evil entity. She is b o th m o th e r
a n d hag, n u rtu rin g an d terrifying. I f o n e can fin d h er
in th e fire tree, sp in n in g th e m o u n ta in g o a t’s w ool, w ith
black b o n y fingers an d red su n k en eyes, if o n e can visit
h er d ark n ess and sta n d in it, she w ill b rin g th e m o st
in cre d ib le p ro te c tio n . She h o ld s sto ries and secrets th a t
are h id d e n fro m th e c o m m o n eye. T h a t b e in g said, she
is also a h ealer tree and sh o u ld be re m e m b e re d d u rin g
tim es w h e n p ro fo u n d healing is n e e d ed . M any tim es a
healing jo u rn e y entails a d ark passage.
Make offerings to W estern red cedar. Black stones
w rapped in red cloth is appropriate, buried near her roots.
D o n o t offer alcohol. W estern red cedar houses the Raven
in my experience, so be prepared for that. W estern red cedar
really responds to fire, so candle light visits are appropriate.
This tree has so m any gifts to offer to one w ho is hum ble,
open and aware. A charm m ade from cedar, raven feather
and deer bone on the full m oon is a pow erful protective
119
am ulet for underw orld visitations, hung above the bedstead

o r place o f working.
M edicinally, W estern red cedar also has m uch to o ffer the
fo re st supplied apothecary. T h e fronds can be h arvested
som etim e in A ugust, w h en the oils are the strongest,
selectively p ru n e d from the tree. I reco m m en d external
use only w ith this tree. It is very w arm ing and arom atic,
the oils can be toxic o r h ard o n th e liver and kidneys if
taken internally in careless am ounts. T h e fronds can be
b o u n d and m ade in to a sm udge w and, as suggested below.
T his tree adds its lovely fragrance to steam s fo r the lungs,
b ath s and fo o tb ath s. I t is very h elpful for lung troubles,
coughs, cold and the like, used in these ways. W estern red
cedar is also indicated for feeling cold, dam p and sluggish
in the bones. To use it in a b ath , take the fresh or dried
fronds, cu t th em coarsely and b rin g to boil on the stove
top, using a b o u t 1-2 cups o f m aterial d ep ending o n the
stren g th desired. Boil briefly and let steep 20 m inutes, then
strain directly in to the b ath tub o r fo o t basin. For a steam ,
use dried fro n d s only and less m aterial. A fter it is b ro u g h t
to a boil take it o f f the heat and sit w ith a tow el over the
head to inhale.
As W estern red cedar is an antim icrobial tree, the fronds
can be infu sed in to oil o r fat for using in salves. It is
applicable in a chest ru b for coughs and colds, also for
lym phatic drainage and stim ulation. It is also helpful in
antim icrobial salves, specifically anti-fungal salves fo r nail
fungus and w arts. As a stro n g tea it m akes an excellent
w o u n d w ash and rinse.
M any thanks to this M other tree o f the great

Pacific Northw est forests, her home a place like
none on this earth. H er red roots are connected
to the fire and magic o f the underworld, her boughs
are used to infuse healing medicine and smoke
fo r her people. M ay she always thrive and offer
her abundance to these lands, to the people and
120
Western Red Cedar
the ghosts 1vho dwell here, may the ancestors o f this

place enjoy her invisible offerings evermore.
Western Red Smudge Bundle ‫' ׳‬S'

T o m ake sm u d g e b u n d le s fro m W e ste rn R ed C ed ar (or
any a ro m a tic p la n t) h a rv e s t th e fro n d s a n d c u t th e m in to
ro u g h ly sim ilar le n g th s w h e n tak in g o f f th e b ran c h e s.
L e t th e se sit fo r th re e days to lig htly w ilt a n d lose so m e
w a te r, b u t n o t to d ry o u t com pletely. T h e n use w o o l
th re a d a n d line u p all o f th e b o tto m tw igs. S ta rt by
w ra p p in g tig h tly m an y tim es a ro u n d th e b o tto m and
w h e n se cu re , w in d th e th re a d , as tig h t as can be do n e
w ith o u t b re a k in g , up th e ‘w a n d ’. W h e n at th e tip, w in d
th e tre a d tig h tly b ack d o w n to th e h o ld in g p o in t and
tie off. L e t it th e n dry fo r a b o u t a m o n th o u t in the
o p e n . N o w it is read y fo r use. W h e n b u rn in g , h o ld over
so m e s o rt o f f ir e p ro o f d ish , as h o t ashes w ill fall. S to re
w ra p p e d in c lo th in a draw er. W e ste rn R ed C ed ar can
be h a rd to keep g o in g and m ay n e e d c o n s ta n t relig h tin g .
U se fo r b u rn in g in th e h o m e s o f o n e w h o is p a ssin g on
and a fte r d e a th has tak e n place. U se fo r p r o te c tio n and
c le a n sin g a n d a fte r b ath in g .
Cedar Tip Solar Infused O il ‫׳‬T

This oil can be used in chest rubs o r as a m assage oil for
tired m uscles - or just used after a bath for invigoration.
This practice how ever is n o t recom m ended for pregnant
or nursing m others, o r for folks w ith liver troubles. A fter
m aking appropriate offerings, gather cedar fronds, let them
sit overnight by spreading them out on opened paper bags
or flat baskets. Use a scissors to snip them small and place
them in a clear glass jar and cover them w ith extra virgin
olive oil. Cap the jar and store either in a sunny w indow or
near a w oodstove, keeping the oil w arm but n o t hot. Shake
gently once per day. Strain after a full m o o n cycle and store
in bottles in a dark cupboard. T his oil is incredible w hen
com bined w ith rose.
121
Springtime Forest Rite
The ruby wine o f Goblin caverns,

W ill seduce the mind as the moon grows fu ll
Upon a throne o f sparkling stone
Out o f the maple roots we gather
W hat passerby will notice the shrill
Calling o f bells from under the mound

Tain soaked raven’s feather
Maroon petals in a bowl of horn
The W ild Table is set
W ith offerings of meat, blood and milk
H er majesties verdant ointment

Is rustled from under the earth
Eichens encrusted on the alder trees bark
Tale green from the beaded bone
M oths are lace and silk to be sewn
On ribbons that tangle in witch’s hair

M ay Eve approaches and white flowers open
In groves o f trees they sing the forgotten songs
M aking potions from antlered perfume, lantern lily,
A n d the rain’s silver water
Telling stories at twilight, cryptic and soothing

Harkening trilliums, enchanted
Eadies locket and Oak rag carpet the forest floor,
Awaiting the Spirit parade
The ghost stumps will empty on those nights
122
Western Red Cedar
A s above, so below
The hungry souls are revived by what is dreamed there
That place where the Devils match stick grows,
There is a path low to the ground
That only a faerie person knows
123
BIRCH
Betula spp
hite Lady o f the fo rest, how she glim m ers and

gleam s in the darkness, in th e m o o n lig h t. W ith
so ft flu tterin g leaves and graceful rustlin g , the
b irch is a dan cer in the w ind, seem ingly light and ethereal.
To be in a birch w o o d is to disappear in to a m aze o f
endless h a u n te d dancing ladies, to w alk e n ch an ted and
bew ildered. It is easy to g et lo st in there. T his tree has
a healing h a n d and a death h a n d b o th , as we shall see.
W hich han d will b ru sh your shoulder? To b e sto w one w ith
u n e x p e cte d gifts or g h o st shadow s is a h id d en talen t n o t
to be taken lightly.
B irch is a sh o rt lived h ard w o o d tree th a t has aro u n d 60
species and grow s in the tem p erate n o rth e rn hem isphere.
It is in the b irch family, Betulaceae. T h e L atin nam e Betula
is b o rro w ed from G aulish w ord Betua. T h e c o m m o n nam e
‘b irc h ’ com es fro m O ld E nglish birce, fro m G erm an ic
Birke. T h e ro o t w o rd is th o u g h t to m ean ‘to sh in e ’
refe rrin g to b irc h ’s w hite bark. T h e P ro to -G e rm a n ic ru n e
nam e Berkanan is nam ed after the b irch tree, w ith sim ilar
ro o t w ords.
F ro m Scandinavian m ythology, the b irch tree
re p re se n te d the re tu rn o f springtim e and was co n secrated
to the G o d T h o r. I t is a n o rth e rn tree and very im p o rta n t
particularly to R ussian culture, being the n ational tree o f
Russia. It is p lan ted near dwellings in Russia to prev en t
th em from being stru c k by lightning. In R ussian culture
and in o th ers, the b irch tree re p re se n te d com ing back
fro m d eath - reb irth .
In n o rth e rn Russia, the birch tree branches w ere and still
are b ro u g h t into churches o n T rinity Sunday and blessed to
be taken hom e to be placed by the family icon. Birch still

features in the sum m er celebrations in n o rth e rn parts, and
in villages young girls choose a birch tree in the forest to
decorate w ith tied ribbons, to w hich songs are sung. F ro m
the b o o k Russian Magic by C herry G ilchrist com es this song
1Oh birch so curly, Curly and young... Underyou little birch, N o
fire is burning, N o poppy is blooming, Pretty maids.. .A re dancing
a khorovog (a traditional circle dance) A b o u t you, little birch,
They are singing songs” . W hile dancing aro u n d the birch
three tim es, the girls ask for blessings from their m o th ers
to brin g g o o d health. O fferings o f om elets o r pastries are
o fte n left u n d e r the tree, to pay hom age to the birch and
to feed the m erm aids and o th e r im p o rta n t natu re sprits o f
the region. Love divinations can be p e rfo rm e d by m aking
birch garlands and throw ing th em in to the river to see if
they float, being a g o o d o m en if so. M en o r boys are n o t
allowed at these folk rituals, and if they follow deep in
the forest to observe in secret, they will be ducked in the
nearest p o n d or river if discovered.
Birch featured in d ifferen t n o rth e rn folk tales as w ould
be expected. T h e legendary w itch B aba Yaga lived in
the birch fo re st in h er house u p o n m oving chicken legs
w ith a fence su rro u n d in g it, m ade o f en ch an ted hum an
skulls u p o n birch posts and she used a birch b ro o m to
sweep away h er tracks w hile traveling in h er giant m o rta r
and pestle. T h e re is a G e rm a n tale th at tells o f a young
shepardess w ho was spinning in a birch forest. She was
approached by a W ild W om an dressed all in w hite, w ith
a garland o f flow ers in her hair. She persuades the young
m aiden to dance w ith h er on three days in a row, each
tim e so enchanted and e n rap tu red th at the girl’s spinning
was quite fo rg o tten . A t the end o f the day how ever, the
spinning was magically co m pleted and on the last day, the
W ild W om an gave the girl birch leaves to fill her little birch
basket. U p o n retu rn in g hom e, the leaves tu rn e d to gold.
Birch was know n as ‘Lady o f the W oods’ in som e lore
and was looked u p o n w ith fear as the W hite Lady o f the
126
Birch
fo re st is a pow erful spirit indeed. Possibly, this was because

o f b irc h ’s co n n e ctio n w ith death, at least from the U K .
It was an old cu sto m to cross o n e ’s fingers w hen passing
by this pow erful tree. T h e re w ere birch trees th at grew
at the gates o f Paradise, and in the ballad o f T h e W ife
o f U sh e r’s Well, it was the ‘B irk’ tree th a t gave the three
ghosts retu rn in g hom e their hats m ade from the w hite
papery bark, a sure sign th a t they w ere o f the O th e r world.
Birch trees w ere plan ted in S cottish H ighland churchyards,
a S cottish saying goes ‘ Weeps the Birch o f silver bark and long
disheveled hair’. In old S cottish ballads, birch was associated
w ith the w raiths o f the dead. I t was believed th a t if a birch
tree near the ho m e w ithered and died, th at it was a death
o m en fo r one in the family.
Birch was a tree o f death from S om erset legend, the
one w ith ‘th e w hite h a n d ’ w ould h a u n t the scrub o f birch
and oak. She w ould rise up o u t o f the m ist on the M oors
to follow a lonely traveler, deadly pale w ith clothing that
ru stled like dead leaves and a hand th at looked like a blasted
b ran ch (struck by lightning). I f she w ere to p o in t her
finger at a p e rso n ’s head, they w ould ru n away m ad and if
she placed h er h an d on o n e ’s h eart, it w ould stop beating.
C arrying salt was one way to keep h er away, according to
the legend.
T h ere is som e in terestin g N ative A m erican w isdom
ab o u t the birch tree, com ing from the M idw estern areas.
T he O jibw a tribe used the birch to p ro te c t their dead by
w rapping th em in birch bark. Som e M idw estern N ative
tribes w ould b u rn birch as incense to scare away the
lightning hurler, one w ho caused great lightning storm s
- a n o th e r lightning connection. In the K oyukon tribe,
Sham ans used the pap er birch B. papjrifera to heal sick
people. F ro m the T h o m p so n tribe com es the use o f birch
bark as a contraceptive and to ensure th at a w om an w ould
have no m ore babies. O n e way was to take the a fterb irth
recently delivered, w rap it in a fish net, then in birch bark,
stick it w ith an old bo n e awl and place it in a particular tree.
127
T h e w om an th en was to drin k a brew fro m b itter cherry

Prunus emarginata o r S askatoon Amelanchier spp to ensure no
fu rth e r pregnancies.
B irch was a p ro tectiv e tree in m any N o rth e rn realms. I t
was th o u g h t th at the faeries did n o t like birch in Ireland
and in W estern E n g lan d crosses w ere m ade o f birch and
h u n g over doors o f cottages to repel enchantm ents. Birch
crosses paired w ith row an w o o d was even m ore effective
on th o se m o st auspicious eves o f the year. P lanting a birch
tree near the fro n t d o o r o f a hom e was believed to keep
away w itches, as they w ould be com pelled to c o u n t the
leaves o f the tree before enterin g the dwelling. How ever,
the tree m u st n o t to u ch the house in any way or hang
over it, else it w ould bring bad luck to th o se therein.
W earing birch twigs in the h at or b u tto n h o le averted the
E vil Eye. A custom from W orchester was to hang birch
branches w ith cow slip balls on the d o o r on May D ay for
p ro te c tio n (though som e sources state this same custom
for M idsum m er’s Eve). In H e refo rd sh ire com es an o th er
protective M ay D ay cu sto m — a birch tree was bro u g h t
in to the farm yard, deco rated w ith w hite and red rags and
placed near the stable d o o r to p ro te c t the horses o f the
farm from being hag-ridden. F ro m Russia, young m aidens
w ould tie a red rib b o n on a b irch b ran ch on P e n tec o st Day
as a p ro te c tio n from the E vil Eye for the follow ing year.
B irch rods and bro o m s w ere used to drive o u t the spirits
o f the old year in d ifferen t p a rts o f W estern E urope.
F olk lore tells th a t w itches o f th e G erm an y used birch
b ro o m s to fly to th eir m eetin g places. Interestingly, com es
the g eneralized b e lie f fro m c o n tin e n ta l E u ro p e th a t if an
evil w itch w ere stru c k w ith a b irch b ro o m , th a t she w ould
lose all pow er. H ere we see the p ro tectiv e n a tu re o f birch
o verride som e o f th e m ore local legends and overlap in the
lore. A b ro o m m ade fro m b irch was u sed in sacred places
to sw eep o u t all evil in fluences and spirits, and in chapels
th ro u g h o u t som e G e rm a n regions, b irch b ro o m s w ere
(and still are) left as offerings to th e Saints fo r healing.
128
Birch
F ro m th e B alkans, young fem ale w itches invoked faeries

using a birch b ro o m , to ask th em fo r p ro te c tio n . Placing
sick babies in cradles filled w ith dried birch leaves was a
B re to n cu sto m to p ro te c t the babe from evil and give it
stren g th . F ro m M edieval tim es in France, a b irch b o u g h
was saved as a sacred o bject, pro b ab ly fo r p ro te c tio n .
B irch was used in Russia fo r aid in co u rt. A sim ple spell
tells to take a tw ig from the trem b lin g b irch and speak
these w ords: A s this twig trembles, so will my opponent and
his tongue tremble in court’. B irch was also used in a way to
find o u t if one had a spirit o f the dead attach ed to them ,
in Sw edish folklore. A fire was m ade o f b irch w ood and
th ree h o t coals w ere d ro p p e d in w ater th a t was taken from
a stream ru n n in g tow ards the n o rth . I f th e coals sank to
the b o tto m o f th e bow l o f w ater, it was a sign th a t the
p e rso n involved h ad p ro b lem s as a resu lt o f th e dead
being attach ed to them , kn o w n as likfassna.
T h e W elsh May pole was originally m ade from a birch
tree. Interestingly, birch had a co n n ectio n w ith love and
fertility from tim es p ast particularly from Wales. To
increase fertility, one could be stru ck w ith birch twigs, this
practice included b o th hum ans and anim als. F ro m an old
W elsh trad itio n -w h en a girl accepted a m arriage p roposal
she gave the fu tu re b rid eg ro o m a w reath o f birch leaves. I f
she refu sed the m arriage, he was p rese n ted w ith a w reath
o f hazel instead. T hings m ade o f birch leaves and twigs
exchanged betw een lovers w ere love tokens, w ith garlands
and hats being the m o st com m on. A lso in p arts o f rural
France, birch boughs w ere hung by m en over the doorways
o f their lady loves. A b ro o m m ade o f birch was used for
hand-fastings in som e parts o f E u ro p e , the couple jum ping
over the b ro o m at the end o f the folk ritual.
In Russia, birch branches w ere used in a folk ritual
by a w om an gettin g m arried to help secure the love o f
the m arriage. A m agician know n as a Koldun w ould lead
the bride to the b a th h o u se and th en b eat h er w ith birch
branches (a n o rm al practice su rro u n d in g th e b ath h o u se
129
th at is p a rt o f the cleansing) w hile reciting these w ords:

‘On this birch besom, the leaves will never go away. The same will
happen to God’s servant Ekaterina, the husband will never go away
from her. Лтеп. ’T h e n a w hole raw fish was u sed to w ipe the
sw eat from h er body and cooked up, to be served to the
future husband. A sim ilar use com es from the n in eteen th
century Sw edish speaking p a rt o f Finland. A ny birch
leaves th at stuck to the body during the cleansing gentle
flogging process o f the sauna could be saved and used for
love magic. T h ese leaves w ould be dried and pow dered,
then secreted in to the food o r drink o f one w h o ’s love was
desired. All o f these love associations m ake sense w hen we
find th at birch is indeed ruled by Venus.
T here is a Russian folk ritual involving birch to evoke
the Eieschi, the G enii o f the forest. Russian peasants cut
dow n very young birch trees and arrange th em in a circle,
so that all o f the points are directed tow ard the center.
T hey enter the circle and then call the spirit to them , w ho
m akes his appearance. T hey th en place him on one o f the
birch tree stum ps, facing tow ards the east. T hey then kiss
his hand and looking betw een his legs speak these words:
Uncle Eieschi, showyourself to us, not as a grey wolf, not as a fierce
fire, but as I myself appear. ’T h e n the birch leaves trem ble and
the spirit show s him self in a hum an form , th at will aid the
peasants in w hatever they w ish, as long as they prom ise
him their soul in return. T his rem inds one o f conjuring
the D evil him self from o th er traditions, especially w ith the
w o lf and the fire reference. Certainly the old D evil and the
spirit o f the land are one and the same.
T h e birch tree was very im p o rta n t to Siberian sham ans,
being the spirit w orld tree in that region. O n e legend tells
th a t the cradle o f the original sham an was m ade from
birch w ood and was h oused u n d er a birch tree. T h e birch
sap d ro p p ed into his m o u th , being his first food. Siberian
sham an’s drum s w ere som etim es m ade from birch w ood
th at was struck by lightning. M asks used fo r guising and
dancing w ere also m ade from birch.
130
Birch
W hile this w ork focuses on the m agical and physical

uses birch, there were and are m any things m ade from
b o th birch w ood and bark, by all o f the cultures that were
blessed w ith this tree. A few special m entions —the grow ths
on the birch tree were called ‘w itches k n o b s’ and were also
used for carving, tu rning and furniture making. T h e fungus
th at grow s on the birch tree was em ployed for kindling and
was term ed ‘tu n d er’ for tinder. T h e papery bark was indeed
used for a paper substitute and can be separated into m any
layers for m any uses.
Folk Medicine
In Russia and parts o f N o rth e rn Scandinavia, birch
featured in m any folk rem edies. B irch oil was used as a
balsam fo r w ounds and to rid o f pests and w orm s. Boiling
the leaves and twigs to add to the b ath fo r rheum atism was
a Russian rem edy, one b ath daily was taken for 30 days.
My R ussian ste p m o th e r tells m e a b o u t the gallons o f birch
sap th at are for sale every spring, drank for cleansing the
blood. T his sap was also ferm en ted in to w ine w ith yeast,
cloves, lem on and sugar added. T h e leaves are diuretic and
antim icrobial, and w ere used as a paste fo r w ounds. T h e
birch tree was and still is very im p o rta n t to the Russian
b ath h o u se tradition, the sauna. People b e a t each o th er
w ith birch twigs, w hich is light and stim ulating rath er than
painful, and said to help ‘o p e n the p o re s ’. T h e birch for
this p u rp o se is g ath ered on M idsum m er’s E ve in som e
parts, dried and saved w ith the leaves still on to be used
th ro u g h o u t the year.
In B ritish folk m edicine, birch was also used as a
topical pain killer. M aking an infu sio n o f the leaves was
a rheum atism cure from Scotland, possibly as a wash.
T h e d ecocted bark and leaves w ere taken internally for
headaches and rheum atic pains as well. Birch was a cure
for im potency in Wales, the p a rt used is n o t specified.
T h e catkins o f birch w ere carried as an am ulet to prevent
inflam m ation. F ro m Suffolk, com es a transference charm
131
fo r to o th ach e. O n e was to find a birch tree, clasp it in

ones arm s and th e n cu t a slit in it. T h e n hair was cut w ith
ones left han d and placed w ithin the slit, th en as the hair
disappeared, so w ould the toothache.
To the indigenous Sami people o f N o rth e rn E urope,
the birch tree was used to m ake everything for practical
use, from cradle to grave. M any o f the ways th at they used
birch w ere sim ilar to how the M idw estern N ative A m erican
tribes used it — m aking shoes, shelters, baskets, dishes,
containers and m uch m ore th a t is beyond the scope o f this
chapter. H ow ever, a few Sami rem edies are given here. For
the inability to pass the afterbirth, the m o th er was given
g ro u n d up dow ny birch buds B. pubescens w ith h o t reindeer
m ilk, sorrel and water. Itchy skin was ru b b ed w ith the ashes
from the w o o d o f the same species. Birch bark was laid on
boils to draw o u t the pus and infection.
In N o rth A m erica, birch was used by the N ative
A m ericans in m any ways, sim ilar to E u ro p e an uses. To list all
o f the uses and tribes w ould take m uch space, b u t com m on
general uses include the b ark and leaves being taken for
lung troubles, cleansing the b lo o d , stom ach problem s, as a
tonic, for colds, m ilky urine, fo r lactation su p p o rt and for
‘w o m en ’s tro u b le s’. Specifically, the Iroquois tribe used a
d eco ctio n o f the b ark and leaves fo r a w om an w ho had a
cold w hile m en stru a tin g and the ashes from the b u rn ed
b ark to so m eh o w ‘shrivel the w o m b ’. T h e Iro q u o is tribe
valued the b irch m edicine highly as it sustained the deer,
w hich was a huge p a rt o f th eir survival. T h e Potaw atom i
tribe used the twigs deco cted as a ‘seasoner’ fo r o th er
m edicines. G en eral external uses included birch leaves as
a w ash for diaper rash and rashes in general, for b urns,
scabs, and sores. T h e W oodland C ree tribe used the ro tte n
w ood du st to p rev e n t diaper rash and a deco ctio n o f the
branches fo r teeth in g sickness and to o th pain.
C olonial A m erican uses included using birch b ark for
fro stb ite, and a N ew fo u n d lan d rem edy used an infusion o f
the b ark to treat night sweats. Sim ilar to the Russian use,
132
Birch
pioneers used the b irch sap as a springtim e tonic and as a

w ash fo r skin issues. It was also gargled for a sore throat.
T h e g ro u n d in n er b ark o f the birch was taken to rid o f
in testinal w orm s.
M ystical A bbess H ildegard o f B ingen prescribed the
charcoal o f birch w ood for healing the pains o f the back,
lim bs and for internal pain. T his was done by a technique
th at was sim ilar to m oxa —by placing the b u rn in g coals on
different places on the skin, it w ould allow the evil th at was
trap p ed inside to com e out.
Persona/ Practices
My previous hom e was blessed w ith a large guardian
Lady b irch tree, w eeping w ith sm all fluttering leaves and
hou sin g a w him sical swing. W atching h er th ro u g h o u t the
seasons fro m the large w indow in the living ro o m , her
deeply fem inine presence could be felt during all seasons,
b u t early springtim e she glow ed w ith an otherw orldly
light. H e r so ft branches w ere g ath ered and em ployed in a
protective circle to hang above my so n ’s bed, still in place
today m any years later. A stro n g tea m ade from the twigs
and leaves can be fu rth e r enh an ced w ith the addition o f
salt and u sed to sprinkle in the co rn ers o f the hom e and
aro u n d th e perim eter for its purifying abilities. As well,
a rustic b eso m can be fashioned and u sed as a m agical
sw eeping to o l fo r the same. H anging birch equal arm ed
crosses fo r p ro te c tio n o f the dw elling can be distinguished
from the row an cross by use o f g reen threads rath e r than
red. Pairing the tw o m agical trees in a chaplet including the
foliage and fruit is b eautiful to behold, h arv ested in perfect
tim e for the dark q u a rte r o f the year. H ang near the fro n t
and back d o o r bo th .
Som e o f the w isdom I have learned ab o u t the birch
tree th at com es fro m the u n seen realm s is the use o f her
m agic for becom ing invisible and hidden. U se this tree
w hen w anting to be u n n o ticed and unseen. A n am ulet can
be carried, p erhaps a small cross b o u n d in green thread
133
or som e token o f the w ood and bark, w orn u n d e rn e a th

the clothing. T his also can apply to the hiding o f m agical
places o r objects. U se the m agic o f the birch tree to p ro te c t
and conceal them . A sk fo r yo u rself or th e in te n tio n e d
ob ject to be hid d en in th e fo rest o f w hite, to blend w ith
the background, visible to the c o m m o n eye no m ore. T he
p ap er th a t com es fro m birch can be u sed in love charm s
and for protective p u rp o se s in spell craft, far superior to
regular paper.
Many thanks to the gleaming birch tree, her medicines and

magic run deep in the veins o f humanity in those places where
snow and ice grace her naked branches during the dark half
o f the year. The springtime awakening brings healing and hope
to all who witness her green flush of buds and leaves, long may
she remain the White Lady o f the forest.
Birch and Lodestone Love Charm '■'C

To bring the one w h o m you desire in to your life, w ork
this ch arm o f attraction. To be w orked nearest the full
m o o n and B eltane Eve, nearest the h o u r o f m idnight.
H ave ready m any small and flexible birch twigs, a piece
o f birch bark m ade in to th in paper, a red inked pen, dark
red thread, dragons b lo o d pow der, a lode stone and a
c o p p e r vessel. W ork by a w hite candle and b u rn som e o f
the d rag o n ’s b lo o d to fum igate the birch twigs and papery
bark. A fter asking fo r ap p ro p riate assistance, fashion a
circle w ith som e o f the birch twigs in a sm allish size, using
the dark red thread to secure them together, all the while
im agining y ourself w ith a p a rtn e r in happiness. F ashion a
second circle, interlinking it w ith the first, as you create
it. W hen this task is com pleted, place the linked circles in
the c o p p er vessel and place the lo d esto n e u n d e rn e a th the
object. Sprinkle on d rag o n ’s b lo o d pow der and three drops
o f your ow n b lo o d over the stone, speaking these w ords
thrice over the charm :
134
Birch
The birch that grows in springtime light,

I shape in rings o f hearts delight;
I link the hearts with stone o f earth,
W ith blood o f mine, with home and hearth,
To bring to me the missing link,
In chain o f Fate, The flam e o f ink,
To draw the one I most desire,
By stone, bj tree, by blood, by fire
A fter the words are spoken, inscribed those virtues that

are m ost dear in a beloved on the birch bark w ith red ink.
Following the contem plation o f this, b urn the paper to
release the wish, sprinkling the rem aining ashes on the
charm ed circles and stone. Cover the w hole w ith a red cloth
until the next full m oon, w hen the lodestone should then be
rem oved and w orn in a pouch lined w ith red cloth, close to
the heart. D o n o t allow any person to look upon the stone.
Feed the stone one drop o f your ow n blood every full m oon
and rem em ber w hat you are seeking w hen you do so. This
will enhance the drawing pow er o f the stone. H ang the birch
circles above your bedstead.
Birch f healing Poppet

To be used for one w ho is ill or in pain. To make a rustic
healing p o p p et from birch w ood, harvest som e branches on
the m orning o f a full m oon w ith appropriate offerings as you
state the intention to the tree. U pon returning hom e, fashion
a stick doll w ith arms, legs and head, held together w ith light
green thread. Have a length o f w hite silk, spread w ith some
birch leaves and a bed o f raw black sheep’s wool, clean but
unprocessed. Lay the ‘doll’ u p o n this bed. Have a switch o f
cloth from the person in need, som e clothing that they w ore
for a long tim e that is now threadbare. W rap the doll w ith
the cloth and tie it on w ith a green thread. Take the pop p et
w rapped in its bundle to a nearby running stream. O p en the
bundle and anoint it w ith the w ater in the places grieved or
in three places generally. Speak over the p o p p et nine times:
135
H eal the blood, heal the bone,

Wood o f white, strength o f stone,
Pain away with waters balm,
Flesh be mended, heart be calm
D o this every m o rn in g for a total o f three m ornings in a

row, o r for nine if the p erso n is greatly ill. K eep the bundle
o p en and near a w arm and dry place at all o th er times.
A fter the third (or ninth) m orning, w rap the bundle up and
tie closed w ith a w hite cloth. K eep the bundle safe until
the perso n is well again. T h e n unbundle and rem ove the
p e rso n ’s piece o f cloth to retu rn it to them . T h e rem aining
doll is to be taken to the stream and released in the w aters,
the cloth, w ool and leaves disposed o f by burial, n o t to be
used for any o th er purpose. T h e charm is thus com plete.
136
W WILLOW f f l
S a lix spp
ne very sight o f a willow tree in early spring conjures

‫ ן‬up m em ories, the new bark covered in silver rain.
• W illow branches glow w ith an otherw orldly light;
som etim es gold and som etim es green, grow ing w ith invisible
vigor and power. In the deep sum m ertim e, willow tree’s
green leaves flutter in the gentle w inds and invoke a poetic
tim elessness that awakens a playful childlike contentm ent.
Som ething graceful
becom es stirred in
m emory. W illow
is a healer, a tree
sorceress indeed,
pulling from the
swam py depths a
dark magic th at can
be either feared or
revered.
T he Latin genus
nam e S a lix com es
from classical times,
as do m any o f the
tree genera, at least
around 2000 years
old. It is thought
that the Latin w ord
Salix was m ade from the old
Celtic w ords sal and Us m eaning
‫‘ ץ‬near w ater’. T he com m on
nam e ‘willow’ com es from the
old E nglish w ords m thig, wilig
137
and welige, m eaning ‘w ithies’ or ‘ties’. T his signifies its ever

p resent use as a flexible m aterial in basketry and o th er crafts.
T h ro u g h o u t folklore, willow was a sym bol o f sorrow and
grief. A lthough the association w ith sadness and g rief was
strong in general, it was particularly related to lost love,
disappointed love. W illow w reathes or caps w ere supposedly
w orn by those forsaken in love. A traditional E nglish ballad
goes: ‘Л И around my hat, I w ill wear the green willow, all around
my hat fo r a twelve month and a day and i f anyone should ask me
the reason why I am wearing it, it's a llfo r my true love who ,s fa r fa r
away__ ’ referring to this. A n o th er related custom was for a
rejected lover to send a w reath o f willow to their desired, if
m arried to another, as a token o f their unhappiness.
Interestingly, willow was used in love m agic and in
divinations having to do w ith love. O ne exam ple —a girl was
to ru n around the house three tim es carrying a willow w and
saying, H e who is to be my gude man, come and grip the end 0 ’t ’
and after the third tim e, she w ould see her future husband
grasping the o th er end o f the stick. In another connection
w ith love, willow seeds th at w ere steeped in spring w ater
w ere recom m ended in E ngland as an aphrodisiac - w ith the
tw ist being th at the perso n w ho drinks the p o tio n will have
no sons and only barren daughters! H ere is an old Rom any
custom : I f a R om any girl is in love, she can find a fo o tp rin t
o f her desired p artn er and take the dirt from it, burying it
under a willow tree saying ‘M any earths on earth there be, Whom
I love my own shall be, Grow grow willow tree! Sorrow none unto
me! H e the axe, I the helve, H e the cock, I the hen, This, this, be as I
willF W illow was connected to preventing contraception in
G erm any because it is a ‘fruitless tree’. In contrast in Russian
folklore, to p u t branches o f willow under the m arriage bed
w ould secure fertility and pregnancy.
H ere is an old love divination to find o ut w ho one will
marry. O ne was to go to a black willow on May Eve and
pluck nine twigs o f it. T h e last one plucked was throw n over
o n e’s right shoulder, while placing the o th er eight in the foot
o f o n e ’s right stocking. W hile kneeling on the knees, the
138
Willow
third verse o f the 17th chapter o f Jo b from the bible was to

be recited. T h en the stocking was placed under o n e’s pillow
for prophetic dreams.
A magical willow tale was recorded by Mr. W.R.S. Ralston.
T he story is Czech in origin. H ere is a shortened version:
T here once was a nym ph w ho appeared visible by day am ong
people b u t always w ent back to her willow tree at night. She
m arried a m ortal m an and bore him a child. For m any years,
she lived happily w ith him , until he cut dow n her willow
tree —he was possibly jealous o f the affection that she gave
to it. In that m o m en t his wife died. T he willow tree and her
livelihood w ere linked. O u t o f the willow tree a cradle was
m ade, w hich had the pow er o f instantly lulling to sleep the
babe she unw ittingly left behind. W hen the babe grew into
a child, it was able to hold conversations w ith its m o th e r’s
spirit by m eans o f a pipe cut from the twigs grow ing on
the willow stum p w hich once had been the nym ph m others
hom e.
In G reek M ythology, willow was sacred to Circe, H ecate
and P ersephone, w hich are all death aspects o f the G oddess,
thus an o th er old connection w ith m ourning can be m ade
because o f this. Legends told that Circe lived on an island
o f funeral willows on w hich corpses hung from the tops o f
the trees. Probably because o f the strong association w ith
grief, willow was considered unlucky to bring in to the hom e
in som e places. In Italy, it was thought very unlucky to live in
a house w here a w eeping willow grew in the garden, the tree
itself foretelling great trouble in the hom e. A Scandinavian
belief w arned that if a willow w and was suspended in the
hom e, a child could n o t be b o rn in safety and a dying person
could n o t depart in peace. Willows were supposed to have
the unsettling habit o f following a traveler hom e on a dark
night.
W eeping willow specifically symbolizes tears and was used
to adorn gravestones and V ictorian m ourning cards in the
late 1800s. A saying from A labam a was ‘P lant a weeping willow
and bj the time it casts a shadow, it will shade jo u r graved Even
139
m ore sinister is willow’s use in dark sorcery. It was believed

in H esse, G erm any, that an enem y could be killed from a
distance by tying knots in willows. In Swedish folk magic,
willow switches w ere also used to kill an enemy. A Rom any
rite was to w ater a cut w eeping willow branch for nine days
and then p o u r the w ater in fro n t o f the house o f one that
you w anted to suffer. W illow was th o u g h t in som e parts to
be p ro tected by the D evil and if one tied a knot in a young
willow tree, and renounced their baptism while sitting under
it, the D evil w ould g rant them supernatural powers. Polish
folks th o u g h t th at the willow tree was the D evil’s hom e and
refrained from cutting it dow n for th at reason.
I t was unlucky to b u rn willow w ood in the seasonal
protective bonfires in the U K and also to bring willow
catkins, otherw ise know n as ‘pussy willow s’, in the house
during the springtim e. This is because they rem inded one o f
goslings (when the yellow pollen decorates the silver fluff)
and if b ro ught indoors could cause bad luck for the hatching
and health o f the baby geese on the farm . T he hangm an’s
noose at the gallows was m ade from plaited willow in som e
parts, an o th er m ore sinister association. A n old piece o f lore
tells th at anyone w ho spoke secrets to the willow tree w ould
later hear the same secrets repeated by the wind. W illow was
a favorite w ood o f sorcerers for w ands for casting spells and
counter-curses, as it is b o th protective and destructive. In
D anish folk magic, three young willow leaves were chopped
and placed into the wine o f two lovers. O nce consum ed, it
w ould kill the love betw een them .
H ere is a spell for curing a ‘troll shod, (similar to elf shot)
using willow that com es from Sweden, late nineteenth
century. (Taken from Trolldom, Johannes B jorn G ardback,
2015)
‘Go to a willow hush, take nine small branches and make a ring
o f each branch. On a Sunday morning, before the Sun rises, use
the rings to make downward strokes over the body o f the person
who is sufferingfrom a trollshot, asyou say the following words:
140
Willow
‘I w ill cure you from villarpashots, sunshots and moonshots! In

the name o f the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Л т еп!
Mfterwards, the willow rings are burned, one by one, and a
pharmacy plaster called Red Miracle Plaster is placed over the
afflicted area. ’
D uring the m iddle ages, willow was sacred to poets, along

w ith the bay tree Raurus nobilis. H anging willow twigs above
the fro n t d o o r w ould keep o u t ‘m arsh w itches’, as w ould
hazel twigs. W illow branches given to one by a friend on
May D ay m orning w ere hung in the hom e to p ro tect from
the Evil Eye on this day o f possible ill-fate. Carrying willow
w ood w ould p ro tect one w ho was fearful o f evil forces
w orking against them . Irish harps were m ade o f willow
w ood as they believed that the willow’s soul spoke through
music. A pparently willow also inspired a desire to dance and
children used willow twigs to m ake whistles in times past.
O ften dow sing rods were m ade o f willow w ood and Holy
wells were som etim es m arked by a lone willow or haw thorn
tree. Because o f willows connection w ith water, this tree has
also been linked to resurrection and im m ortality in China
since ancient times.
A long w ith m ourning, poetry and music making, willow
has been linked to prophecy. A n old recipe for achieving
prophetic pow ers involved gathering ninety-nine different
willow leaves from ninety-nine different willow trees,
burning the leaves to ashes, pow dering them and ingesting
this magical powder. Related to this, it was w ritten in 1822
about the wizards o f an A rgentinian tribe, the A bipones.
T hose w ho w ished to acquire supernatural pow ers over the
forces o f N ature, animals and the spirits o f the dead w ould
sit u p o n an aged willow tree th at overhung a lake, fasting
from food for a few days, until they began to see into the
future and connect w ith diabolical forces.
T here are old associations w ith willow and fem inine
forces. We can rem em ber here that willow is ruled by the
m oon, another fem inine association and also the connection
141
betw een willow and water. T he Sum erian G oddess Belili was
the goddess o f love and the m oon and was said to live in
willow trees, springs and wells. A n im age o f A rtem is, the
ancient G reek m o o n and earth goddess, was found in a
willow thicket at Sparta, an ancient G reek city. T he Q ueen
o f H eaven, H era was supposed to be b o rn u n d er a willow
tree. In N o rth Am erica, willow was connected w ith w om en’s
health and fertility. In Chinese belief, willow was connected
to the female yin energy and the m oon.
H ere is an interesting magical rem edy for w om en that com es
from the Rom any tribes in Siebenburgen Transylvania, for
helping w ith afterbirth pains: decayed willow w ood was used
to sm oke the w om an having pain, while the w om en in the
ro o m sing 1F ast and fa s t the smoke flies, and flies, the moon flies,
When they fin d themselves, Health y e t w ill come to thee, When the
smoke no longerflies, Thou wilt feel pain no more. ’
A folk rite for ridding o f fever from the Balkans tells that
the one sick m ust ro ast an onion and bring it to a willow tree
in the early m orning hours. T hey m ust then shake the tree
three times, saying, T ’m not shaking away your morning dew, I
am shaking away my fever’. They leave the onion underneath
the willow tree, and walk away w ithout looking back while
speaking the words: ‘The fever w ill take me when this onion
sprouts’. A sim ple transference rem edy for a sick person, also
from the Balkans, was to bring them under a willow canopy
at night and recite these words: A s this tree bends, so does ‘name
here ’ stand ta li’.
Folk Medicine
In a physical way, willow is a pain rehever. Peoples o f b o th
E u ro p e and N o rth A m erica have know n this and used
the bark and leaves in this way. Historically, it has been
used internally (mostly the bark) for fevers, sore throats,
toothache, ear ache, for gout, to relieve hoarseness, to
regulate a w om an’s fertility, for diarrhea, for soreness am ong
m any o th er uses. I t has been used topically (on the skin) for
bleeding, sprains, bruises, and swellings.
142
Willow
In E urope, willow ashes infused in vinegar were a

treatm ent for w arts and corns. In Ireland, the flowers o f the
w eeping willow were used to treat burns. A decoction o f
the leaves rinsed through the hair was a d a n d ru ff remedy.
W ithin living m em ory, people from Lincolnshire recall
chew ing willow bark for headaches, and also for hangovers.
As this plant has been well know n for centuries for bringing
dow n fevers, even bringing the boughs w ith green leaves
into the b ed ro o m o f a person suffering w ith a fever was
supposed to help. A n o th er old rem edy for fevers was to
place willow leaves on the feet o f som eone that had one.
As we may all know, willow bark was the original plant
aspirin, along w ith m eadow sw eet Filipendula ulmaria. W illow
is som etim es called ‘W itches A spirin’ am ong m odern folks,
a nam e I rather enjoy.
M any o f the N ative A m erican tribes used w illow as a
cerem onial purgative and for use in the Sundance cerem ony,
also the b ark was a base for sm oking blends. To list all o f
the d ifferen t species used and d ifferen t applications by the
N ative A m erican tribes w ould be exhaustive here. H ow ever
along w ith the above m en tio n ed applications here are a few
specific tribal uses to n o te — C herokee tribes drank a tea
o f in n er w illow bark for hoarseness, the C heyenne tribe
used the bark as a poultice placed directly on a bleeding
w ound, and the O kanagan-C olville tribe m ade a soak o f
the branch tips for aching feet or m uscles. By the Sem inole
tribe, the C oastal Plain Willow, S a lix caroliniana was used as
a poultice fo r g u n sh o t w ounds and taken as an em etic after
funerals, after deaths and as a rem edy fo r ‘w itches s h o t’, a
sim ilar p ro b lem to e lf shot. A n infu sio n o f the ro o ts was
also taken by this tribe for a h u n tin g m edicine, to im prove
luck b efo re hunting. A lthough co n train d icated fo r newly
breastfeeding m o th ers because o f b lo o d th in n in g affects
d u ring m o d ern tim es, w illow was used by m any tribes by
w om en after b irth to help bring in m ilk supply and to
‘heal the in sid es’. T h e N avaho tribe used a pain ted tw ig o f
Pacific W illow S a lix lucida fo r babies to h o ld for ‘lightning
143
in fe c tio n ’. M any tribes also used a b ark poultice o f willow

fo r broken bones.
Personal Practices Ш'

W illow’s use in w om en’s full m o o n rites, is m o st appropriate,
being a blessing for the w om b and resem bling the m oons
silver byway o f the w hite undersides o f the leaves. F or a
w om an large and pregnant, a willow leaf foot w ash or bath
can be p a rt o f the cerem onies that can take place to help
her enter the gateway o f m o therhood. W illow is helpful
in fertility magic, being a tree so quick to take ro o t and
propagate itself. Carrying a piece o f willow w ood is good
for heavy m enstrual bleeding as is sipping the bitter bark
tea. W illow can help w ith g rief and a broken heart along
w ith rose, haw th o rn and elder. It can be em ployed in a ritual,
as an am ulet, as a bath o r by visiting a grove regularly.
W illow is certainly called for use during counter curses,
as the lore tells. C arrying an am ulet m ade o f willow w ood is
one protective m easure to take against drowning. H anging
up willow branches by the entrances and w indow s o f the
hom e can be done n o t only on May Eve, b u t also on All
Hallow s Eve, from an old B ritish tradition th at com es from
K atharine Briggs in British Folktales.
W illow bark for m edicine can be harvested som etim e in
M arch, w hen the sap is rising. N o t all willows are created
equal as far as pain m edicine, it is best to taste them all.
To do this after you have positively identified the tree as
Salix, strip the new er bark and chew it. T h e flavor should
be strong, bitter, acidic and drying, like a vitam in C tablet
m ixed w ith aspirin. I t alm ost tastes ‘dusty’ at the end. I prefer
the strongest flavor for the b est m edicine. I f the flavor is
mild, I go to another grove and try there, even if it is the
same species. W hen satisfied, selectively p ru n e the newer
grow th from last year, the younger ‘w ithies’ and w hen in a
com fortable place to do so, strip the bark w ith a knife. This
bark can be tinctured fresh o r dried for use in decoctions,
w ashes and infused fats later on,
144
A n Elder Charm for Second Sight.
A cross o f Rowan, bound in red, and threaded Rowan berries;
traditional charns o f protection.
M aking a Rowan treeprotectrive charm.

The author in the Birch tree.
ш п White Birch tree.
ЛМ ег tree with hollow split.
black Powder with hare’s foot.
The author holding Cottonwood buds.

У
The mighty Oak tree.

O ak leaf, Fern and Moss.
An A sh tree charm to keep awayfire.
■
Big I x a f Maple Flower.
Maple trees in the moonlight.

Forest of Enchantment.
Willow
In a physical way, willow can be used topically or internally

for acute pain, usually pain th at is closest to the skin, not
generalized m uscle pain in my experience. It is helpful for
headaches, b u t n o t m igraines. This is one plant to never
be w ithout —I consider it a plant for em ergency first aid. A
g o o d idea is to keep the dried bark (not pow dered) in o n e ’s
first aid kit, w hich can be chewed and used a poultice w hen
needed. W illow is considered anti-inflam m atory, astringent,
analgesic and diaphoretic. W illow bark has helped w ith
the painful after effects o f a m ild concussion applied as a
poultice m ade from boiled dried springtim e harvested bark,
acting in a m iraculous way. It is also excellent for painful
burns, the bitter bark chew ed to m oisten and placed directly
on the place hurting. W hen using it externally, the bark
can be decocted, sim m ering for 15-20 m inutes, cooled and
then applied w ith a bandanna. T h e leaves can be used in
the bath, and they can be used in poultices as well. W hen
taken internally, willow bark o r leaves are bitter and acrid,
this being p art o f the m edicine. B ut it takes som e getting
used to. T here is really no way to m ask the flavor, even w ith
honey.
W illow is a friend w hen dealing w ith death, g rief and
em otional pain. A fter substantial loss and traum a one can
find m uch co m fo rt w hen spending tim e w ith this tree, lost
for hours in her silvery em brace. M any thanks to this old
healer o f the swam ps, roots in the black soil o f regeneration
and mystery. W illow protects one from evil and enchants
the pain away. May we rem em ber this in m om ents o f need,
as the green Lady bringing w hite lilies to the tom bs o f the
dead, to hold and m end broken hearts and suffering.
Willow Charm fo r Turning Tack G rief 'T

To turn back the darkness and sorrow o f g rief o f any nature,
be it unjustly given or otherw ise, go to a willow tree after
dark on a full m oon. Make offerings o f one silver coin and
thirteen black beans w rapped in a scrap o f red cloth, bury
this small bundle at the roots. Tell the tree the length o f
145
your sorrow s and if tears are shed, touch th em to the tree.

D raw three drops o f your ow n b lood and apply this also on
the bark in the shape o f an equal arm ed cross, speaking nine
tim es in total:
W illow wood, W illow wood,

Take my tears and grief o f blood
Shelter here the sorrow cast
U ntil the time o f pain has passed
By sacred waters and fu ll moon light
Transform my grief upon this night!
A fter repeating the charm , harvest a thin willow wand

about a foot in length, thank the tree and depart. U pon
returning hom e, cut three layers o f red w ool flannel into
a heart shape and sew around the edges to secure. Cut the
willow w and into two pieces and affix an equal arm ed cross
upon the heart. Sleep w ith this under your pillow until the
next full m oon, as g rief is o ften w orse before sleeping, in the
small hours o f the night and u p o n waking. O n the next full
m oon, retu rn to the willow tree and bury the h eart and cross
un d ern eath it speaking simply: The haunted sleep o f broken
heart, I leave with you, I now depart. Leave the tree w ithout
looking back. D o n o t ever retu rn to it o r see it again.
Witches Fever Freak Oxymel ^

A n oxymel is a simple solution m ade from roughly 2 / 3 parts
vinegar and 1 /3 p art honey - it is an old G reek m edicine
preparation. I t infuses m ost dried o r fresh plants really well.
T his is a simple p o tio n to m ake and have on hand for achy
fevers and body chills.
Use a wide m o u th p in t m ason jar w ith a new m etal lid,
w hich co rro d es less th an an o lder one (French canning jars
are b est here, as they have a glass top, because the vinegar is
so corrosive to the m ason jar m etal rings). C om bine equal
parts dried w illow bark S a lix spp., dried yarrow flo w e r/le a f
Achillea millefolium and h alf parts each dried elder flow ers
146
Willow
Sambucus spp. and dried black elder berries Sambucus nigra.

W hatever size your jar, m ake sure the jar is 1/2 full w ith the
herbs, as the dried herbs will expand w ith the addition o f
the liquid. A dd 2 /3 apple cider vinegar and 1 /3 p a rt raw
local honey to fill. Shake or stir this m ixture daily fo r a
m o n th , the honey will take a w hile to in co rp o rate and the
color will change w ithin a week. A fter a m o n th , strain and
store in dark bottles in the h erb cupboard. I take a th ird o f
a sh o t glass full diluted w ith w ater - it is extrem ely b itter
and intense, b u t am azingly helpful. D iluting it helps cut
the vinegar and the b itterness. It can be taken every h o u r
o r so as needed. Less for children and do n o t use on ones
u n d e r 1 year.
147
ALDER
A lnus spp
alder tree haunts the swamps, creeks and riversides

i form s green canopies in m any ravines and
:ests. H om e to owls, the gray bark perfectly blends
the feathered wings along w ith m oon shadow s and shades.
T here is a draw to this tree as one travels alone near the
w et places o f the forest. It is the G ray Lady’s enchantm ent
acting u p o n one, the Faerie W yfe w ho guards the waterways
and can be a danger to those unaware. Careful o f the
steps in the dark dam p earth, careful o f the widow-m akers
hanging from these trees and o f the storm s that will blow
dow n the heavy w et w ood. I have m any tim es seen live trees
w ith healthy foliage, b u t w ith hollow ed o ut insides, ready to
crack in the next storm . We are also rem inded o f the ‘barber
chair’ phen o m en o n w ith alder trees —w hen felling one m ust
surround the tru n k w ith a tight chain above w here the cut is
m ade, else the tree can split in the m iddle and take o ff o n e’s
h e a d ... such a dangerous tree is she, yet so m any m edicines
and magics she offers for the rustic apothecary.
As alder is a w ater loving tree, she often grow s near creek
sides and rivers, preferring w et soil, b u t also will colonize on
land that has been disturbed, and she is ever present in the
lowland forests o f the Pacific N orthw est. Alder is a nitrogen
fixer, helping to heal the scarred land visited by m achines
and erosion by bringing fertility to the soil. You can see the
nitrogen fixing nodules on alder roots, they are beautiful.
A lder works as a secret earth healer, a lovely exam ple o f the
intelligence o f the forest.
A lder is in the birch family Retulaceae and rem inds one o f
b irch’s darker and danker sister - used similarly m edicinally
b u t a bit m ore sinister, as we shall see. T he genus A ln u s
149
includes around 30 species, the largest sized species being

b o th the Pacific N o rth w e st red alder A ln u s rubra and the
E uropean black alder, A.glutinosa. T he nam es A lder and genus
A ln u s are believed to have ro o t m eaning in old G erm anic
w ords for red and rust. W hen alder bark is cut, w ithin 30
m inutes or a few hours o f being exposed to oxygen it turns
a bright orange red. O lder trees tu rn a deep ru st red —it is
quite am azing to see. O th e r alder species do this as well as
the red alder, giving rise to the superstition th at it is unlucky
to cut alder, as it will bleed. Som e etym ologists believe the
ro o t w ord was al for water, based on their preference to
grow in dam p habitats. O th e r old nam es for alder are Owler,
Alter, Tiller or Tlse. T hey w ere know n as Tllerkonge or E lf
K ing in D anish.
T here are N ative stories from the C oast Salish here in the
Pacific N o rth w est that believed the alder trees were once
w om en. Interestingly, there are also Celtic creation tales
th at believed that the first w om an came from an alder tree,
though som e Irish tales believe the first m an came from an
alder tree and the first w om an from a row an tree. It was
therefore protective to hang a bundle o f alder twigs above
the crib o f a baby boy and a bundle o f row an twigs above
the bed o f a baby girl.
In Som erset, U K , it was th o u g h t that if a traveler passed
through an alder copse, that he w ould never be seen again.
A n old creepy rhym e that captures this superstition o f being
trapped in the alder w ood goes:
‘I caught the fitfu l sound,

Wafted 0 ’er sullen moss and craggj mound,
U nfruiful solitudes, that seem to upbraid,
The sun in heaven! But now to form a shade,
Tor thee, green alders have together wound, theirfoliage.’
(Sonnet to Duddon, W illiam W ordsw orth)
A lder stands and m oors have long been associated w ith

spirits o f the dead. F rom M ecklenburg, G erm any com es the
150
Alder
saying ‘Не is with his beloved God in the A lder break’. A lder
trees were thought to p ro tect the w ater spirits, acting as a
guardian to rivers and streams. This tree was held sacred in
parts o f Ireland, and it was believed that to cut an alder tree
dow n w ould bring a house fire to the unlucky person w ho
com m itted the act. In D erbyshire, the cones o f the alder
tree, know n as ‘black kno b s’, have been used in w ell-dressing
cerem onies. T his makes sense to include the decorative
pretty little alder cones, such a w ater loving tree is she.
In Scottish folklore, alder groves were sanctuaries for
lovers o r outlaws. In Tyrol Austria, lore tells us that the alder
tree was a favorite o f sorcerers. A Tyrolean fairy tale tells o f
a boy w ho once clim bed a tree. T here he saw a num ber o f
sorcerers at the b o tto m o f the tree w ho had cut up one o f
the elderly w itch’s corpse, boiled it in a caldron and threw
the pieces into the air during a ritual. T he boy caught a rib,
and held it secret. W hen the sorcerers counted the pieces
and found one m issing, they replaced it w ith a piece o f alder
w ood, and henceforth the dead came back to life, the old
w itch transform ed into a beautiful young w om an. She told
her sisters that she could never be called the ‘alder w ood
w itch’ o r she w ould die. T he next day the boy happened to
ru n into the young witch, w ho tried to use her powers on
him. H e said her nam e o u t loud and caused her to fall dow n
dead.
Two Scottish tales relate alder to death and faeries. In one,
a bridegroom disappears and after it was thought that he
was m urdered, he appears to his love in a dream to tell her
that he was actually taken by the faeries. W hen his tom b was
opened, there was a log o f alder w ood in it, and his body
was never again found. In a similar tale, a w om an was stolen
by the faeries and an alder log was left in her place. In a
G erm an tale, alder tree first appears as a beautiful w om an
and seduces m en to teach them a lesson, later changing into a
bark covered creature. In a N orse Saga, she is a wild looking
w om an called ‘R ough E lse’. She enchants a hero w ho then
goes m ad and stays for six m onths in the forest, living on
151
green herbs. T h e n she takes him to a land w here she is

Q ueen and bathes herself in a magical well and transform s
into a beautiful w om an. It was believed that an E lf Q ueen
o r the daughter o f the E lf K ing lived w ithin the alder tree.
T here are stories th a t tell about her presence being noticed
even still, by the alder ‘fence’ stand in Tegernfeld, com bing
her hair by the m oonlight and rubbing honey from the alder
leaves into her tresses.
A lder rods w ere used in dowsing, to find w ater, along w ith
willow and hazel. Magical oracle flutes were also m ade from
alder w ood. English lore tells th at alder was b o th protective
and oracular. In Ireland, pails and buckets for milking were
m ade from alder w ood, tho u g h t to be protective and act to
guard the milk. A ncient fences m ade from alder w ood were
used to defend territories and could have severed heads
speared o n to them as a w arning to the enem ies nearby, at
least in Celtic m yth. In an old Irish poem from the thirteenth
century, alder is referred to as the ‘battle-w itch w o o d ’. It
was th o u g h t to be connected to battles and blood because it
bleeds red w hen cut. In G reek traditions and m yth, alder was
associated w ith fire, and scared to P horoneus, the inventor
o f the elem ent o f fire. In the W elsh Battle o f the Trees, the
ancient poem relates an alder staff belonging to Bran, G o d
o f the dead and the underw orld. H e brings the dead back to
life w ith his cauldron.
T here was an old G erm an custom th at involved breaking
four alder branches and throw ing them in all different
directions before vacating a house — along those lines, in
the M iddle Ages, if one broke an alder stick over an o th er’s
head in court, it was a sym bol o f the severing o f all family
relations. So there is a certain finality associated w ith alder
w ood. In T huringia G erm any, the alder tree was associated
w ith W alpurgis N ight, A pril 30, because it was said that
w itches ate the alder buds during their nighttim e flights and
th at they used the alder branches to change the weather.
T here were superstitions from parts o f G erm any that
believed if a red haired w om an shook an alder tree, storm s
152
Alder
w ould com e. W hen a w om an w anted to wean her child, she

could place a w reath o f alder leaves around her chest and
say that a w itch stole the milk.
Folk Medicine ^
O lder E u ro p ean m edicinal uses for alder include using the
bark as a gargle for sore throats and using the leaves for
burns and inflam m ations. T h e leaves were know n to be
cooling and soothing for the feet o f weary travelers. O n
the S om erset-D orset b o rd er U K , a decoction o f the ripe
cones was taken specifically for gout. In Scotland, alder was
used for fresh w ounds and for ulcers —internal or external
use was n o t specified. C ulpepper recom m ended alder for
inflam m ation and burns. T here are m any old sources that
state if alder leaves w ere strew n on the floor, they could
be sw ept o u t to rem ove fleas, probably because o f their
sticky leaves. T here is an interesting bit o f folk m edicine
th at com es from A ustria - if alder bark is boiled in wine and
drunk, it will cure the w ork o f a magic potion.
F ro m N o rth A m erican folk use, alder bark o intm ent was
used for itching and burns. D uring colonial tim es, it was
used to prevent scarring from smallpox. Also necklaces were
m ade from threaded alder twigs to help teething infants,
m o st likely w orn as an amulet. A lder buds w ere steeped in
w ater and this resulting m ixture was d runk for rheum atism .
Tea was also taken for coughs and leucorrhea. A lder was
used as a springtim e tonic and taken as a blood purifier,
som etim es com bined w ith wild cherry bark Prunus serotina;
P. virginiana and elder bark Sambucus canadensis for eczema.
A lder bark could be used for toothache and for cleaning the
teeth in general.
T h e C oast Salish tribes used the red alder A .rubra m edicinally
in m any ways. T he bark was taken as a purgative and emetic,
m ade into a decoction. In general, the dried inner bark was
also taken for liver problem s, headaches, stom ach troubles,
tuberculosis, coughs and as a tonic. Catkins were chewed for
diarrhea and toothache; raw cones were eaten for dysentery.
153
A w ash m ade from the bark was used for w ounds, scabs,
eczem a and rashes and a poultice was m ade from the bark,
applied to sores and for pains by m any tribes. A n interesting
use from the Cowlitz tribe states that the ro tten w ood was
ru b b ed on the body for sore muscles. T he N itinaht tribe
com bined alder bark w ith W estern hem lock Tsuga heteropylla
and grand fir Abiesgrandis for lung ailm ents and tuberculosis.
F rom N ancy T urners book E a rth ’s Blanket, com es this
is a beautiful prayer that was spoken to the alder tree,
while a m an gathered the bark to give to his wife w ho had
tuberculosis and was spitting up blood.
‘I have come to ask you to take mercy, Super-Natural-Power-

of-the-Riverbank, that you may please, make well with your
healing power my poor wife who is spitting blood. Go on, please
pity me, fo r I am troubled, and please, make her well, you,
Healing Woman__ and please, stop the source o f blood, you
Causing-to-Heal-Woman, and please, heal up the cause of
trouble o f my poor wife, pleaseyou great Super N atural One... ’
A fter this plea full and heartfelt prayer, the m an w ould take
four pieces o f alder bark to m ake a m edicine for his wife
from the A lder W om an’s m edicine.
A lder is certainly a tree o f dark power. She is able to peer into
situations and is a p o ten t aid during m any times o f challenge.
Interestingly, alder bark often has w hat looks like ‘eyes’ on
the trunk, m ade from m oss and lichen. A spicy and amazing
fum igation for w orking magic during the dark m oon can
be m ade simply from young harvested alder leaves, juniper
berries, rosem ary and elder flowers — all dried. T he dried
young leaves in general make an am azing incense, burned
on the w oodstove or on h o t coals. T his is no surprise, as
the fragrant w ood also em its incredible perfum e from an
o u td o o r fire. A lder w ood necklaces m ade from the drilled
w ooden beads can n o t only be used to alleviate teething and
154
ЛШ г
to o th pains as stated above, b u t w orn for p rotection for

children in general. T he addition o f am ber beads are helpful
as well. It also can be carried as an am ulet against fear o f
darkness, assisting one to see in the dark. T he infused leaf
oil can be used for anointing sacred item s during rites o f
p ro tectio n especially w hen feeling threatened o r under
attack.
Surprisingly, this tree is ruled by Venus, probably on
account o f its w atery virtue. It also has a deep connection to
fire, hence its bloody bark and w arm ing m edicine. Fertility is
then a logical association. A lovely charm for fertility from
the spring gathered pollen com es from p o e t Valerie W orth.
T he charm tells to gather alder twigs in the spring and let
them open on a table w here a m irror is placed underneath
them . T he yellow pollen is then gathered w ith a tiny feather
and placed into a piece o f paper that has the w ords w ritten:
P O L L IC IT U M P O L L IN IS P O L L E N T IA P O L L IN IS
P O L L E N T IA A P O L L IN IS PO L L IS A P P O L L IN IS
P O L L IN E M P O L L U C E O P O L L E O PO L L E O . T his all
is to be placed w ithin a small bag o f yellow silk and hung
above the bed until conception occurs, after w hich she
advises the w hole to be b u rn ed and the ashes returned to
the tree from w hich the catkins were taken. T his last bit is
counter intuitive and as I can personally attest to the strength
o f this charm having undertaken it along w ith a few o ther
applications after losing a pregnancy, I decided to keep the
silk bag until after my baby was b o rn , then giving the pollen
grains back to the tree.
In a physical way, alder is spectacular topically for pain and
inflam m ation. T h e fresh leaves can be used as a poultice for
any so rt o f bite, scrape, bruise o r cut. A n infused olive oil or
fat w ith the late A pril gathered wilted leaves gives a fragrance
that is overw helm ingly sweet, like a green apple. T he oil is
as w arm ing as arnica and can be used for sore m uscles and
deep pain, m ixed w ith St. Johns w ort oil for nerve pain
specifically. Also, this oil can be used in conjunction w ith
alder bud and twig elixir (recipe follows) for the beginnings
155
o f m astitis. M assage the painful breast w ith the oil and apply
h o t w ater bottle, while sim ultaneously taking som e o f the
elixir. I take about one h alf teaspoon up to four tim es a day,
doses can be divided. T h e oil and h o t com press can be done
every few hours until the pain subsides.
A dehcious ehxir can be m ade o u t o f the spicy buds and
young twigs, harvested in late February and d rie d first. It
is alterative, anti-inflam m atory and antim icrobial and can
be used for fighting any infection. It can also be applied
directly on a to o th for pain. Som e people think it tastes like
rose o r apples. T he inner red bark can be inco rp o rated into
alterative and lym phatic form ulas, as a b lo o d cleanser. Be
sure to dry it thoroughly first as well, as the tannins can
irritate the G I tract. It can also be used as a sore th ro at
gargle m ixed w ith salt. T his can also be used for to o th , gum
o r m o u th problem s o f any sort, w here there is infection
o r inflam m ation involved. T he bark is m ore w oody tasting,
lacking the spicy fruit flavor that the young twigs, buds and
leaves give off. A n o th e r personal favorite is alder leaf wine.
It is divine, golden and spicy —such a lovely tonic.
A lder buds and young twigs can be harvested in mid-
February. T h e gorgeous pink buds will be dry and bright
green inside and if held in the w arm hand for a few m inutes,
should smell like a spicy apple candy. T h e inner bark o f
larger branches can be harvested in M arch, w hen the sap
is running upwards. Scrap o ff the w hite or lichen covered
outside and keep in bright orange inner bark. T he young
leaves can be harvested generally during the m o n th o f April,
w hen they are still sticky and fragrant w hen crushed. By the
end o f May, there fragrance is usually on the w ane for the
m ore fragrant potions, b u t can be used as a poultice in the
b ru sh all sum m er long.
Many Blessings to this magical tree o f the swamps, with blood

red underpinnings, bier ghost horse is to be seen in the mist and
her gray wand may grant passage of those in need o f fire under
water, o f seeing in the dark. May her magic encircle one from
156
Alder
harm and protect one from dark arrows, and may her
wood be remembered as a sacred offering to the fragrant
winter and springtime fires.
A ld e r Wood Rinding Spell 'Sd

As this G ray Lady tree assists in m any dark magics, let her
strength and pow er help to stop one w hom is wreaking
havoc on others. N o t for physical injury, this spell is instead
used to stop an o th er’s energy from poisoning others lives, to
bind it, to keep it contained and therefore keep the poison
from spreading. T his spell is to nullify ones will and influence
over a particular situation.
O n the day b efo re the dark m o o n , g ath er alder twigs,
ideally w ith o u t leaves on them . I f they have leaves,
rem ove th em and let them be ab o u t twelve inches long
fo r workability, also young and pliable. H ave up to nine.
T h e n m ake a p o p p e t w ith a stiff flo u r paste, and add in
the herbs stinging nettle, rue, m ullein and p o p p y seeds,
along w ith salt. A d d m ouse bones and five sloe fruits to
rep re sen t the organs and also a dried aconite flower. Make
it stiff enough to shape it into the p erso n th at is to be
b o u n d , thinking all the while o f the p erso n , using extra
flo u r as n eeded and to o th p ick s to attach the lim bs and
head. I f a physical item o f theirs can be in co rp o rate d in to
the m ixture, all the better. Take the alder twigs and bind
them w ith a black cloth at the to p to the bundle to hold
the twigs together. Take the so ft doll and place them inside
th e twigs and th en attach the o th e r end o f the twigs w ith
m ore black cloth, m aking a cage. T h e n w rap the w hole
w ith black c lo th / rib b o n saying these w ords thrice: Bind
him once and bind him twice, Bind him in black and bind him
thrice. Bind him waking, bind him sleeping, Bind the powers that
he be keeping. Im agine his pow ers and influence b o u n d and
kept, unable to assert th eir ill-will. T h a t sam e evening, just
after dark, take the w hole to a lonely crossroads and bury
it upside dow n in the earth, shaking a cup full o f salt in the
hole b efore covering w ith dirt. Speak these w ords w hen
157
the task is com pleted Salt and Earth, bear this dark power.
Spit on the grave newly m ade and leave w ith o u t looking
back, saying May it be so, May it be done.
Alder Elixir A
In late February o r early M arch, harvest the new twigs and
buds o f sm aller or m edium sized alder trees, careful to
selectively ‘p ru n e ’, n o t leaving the tree im balanced in any
way. T he twig bark will be a shiny dark olive brow n and the
buds a gorgeous deep pink —they are dry, sticky and bright
green inside. D ry these for 5 days or so. C ut them in to 1-2
inch lengths, including the buds and p u t in a m ason jar,
about h alf to two thirds full, b u t n o t packed. Cover У4 w ith
brandy. A dd % p art honey to top off, leaving a few inches o f
space on the top. Cover and shake daily for a m onth. Strain
and store in dark bottle out o f the light. I use this elixir for it
for infections or as an alterative tonic. I t is so delicious. T he
young twigs and buds can also be thoroughly dried to use in
decoctions for the same. T he flavor really com es through in
b o th alcohol and water.
A ld e r E e a f Wine 'A
To make 1 gallon o f wine, you need about 2 quarts full o f
early M ay/late A pril harvested leaves. W ilt them overnight,
w hich m eans lay them o u t in a basket. Place them in a m edium
sized stone crock w ith 2 pounds o f organic cane sugar and 1
pint (roughly a pound) o f honey. T his com bination includes
honey for a dep th o f flavor, w ithout the expense o f using
all honey. A dd 1 gallon o f boiling w ater and stir well to
dissolve. You can also add the sw eeteners to the w ater as it
com es to a boil, stirring then to be sure it all incorporates,
then add the m ixture to the crock w ith the w ilted leaves.
Wait until the wine is com pletely cool, usually overnight.
Sprinkle cham pagne yeast on top o f the m ixture and wait
15 m inutes before stirring it in. Cover the crock w ith a linen
cloth th at is tied on w ith a string and ru b b er band, to keep
o u t fruit flies. Stir twice a day w ith a w ooden spoon that is
158
ЛШ ег
n o t used for cooking. A fter about 10 days, filter into a clean

gallon glass jug to w ithin two inches o f the top and fit w ith
an airlock. K eep this gallon in a place that is n o t too cold
or too hot, in the dark. B ottle after 6 m onths and wait a
year before drinking. I f it doesn’t taste good, keep waiting.
This wine is clear and golden, spicy and sweet. It is o ften a
favorite in my wine m aking classes, enjoy the G ray Lady’s
honey from her spring green leaves.
159
9 BLACKTHORN Ц
Prunus spinosa
lack th o rn is a tree o f the hedge, a tree o f darkness

vand m ysterious pow ers. O fte n feared, this ill-
, om en ed tree bears large spikes and lovely w hite
flow ers against dark black pearly b ark in the early spring.
A defensive tree indeed, its w o o d and th o rn s have been
sought for protective p u rp o ses for ages by the rustic
p ractitioner, w h o m are still finding m uch use for its sharp
spines and blasting w ands, w hile its b itter purple fruits
have been em ployed for differen t m edicines and hedgerow
preserves fo r centuries.
B lackthorn is the c o u n te rp a rt to w hite th o rn (often just
know n as ‘th o rn ’), w hich is the h a w th o rn tree Cratagus spp.
B o th are used in hedgerow s in the U K , to m ake a living
fence th a t over years will m ake a stock p r o o f barrier,
keeping anim als o u t o f a p asture or w oodland. B lackthorn
is a wild plum , hence the genus Prunus, w hich it shares w ith
plum and cherry trees. It is in the rose family Roseaceae.
T h e species spinosa refers to the trees large th orns. I t is
also called the ‘sloe tre e ’, fo r the fruits or sloes as they
are know n. T h e w ord ‘sloe’ com es from an old G erm anic
w ord for plum . T h e c o m m o n nam e ‘b lac k th o rn ’ tells o f
the large th o rn s this tree has along w ith its dark w ood. It
is native to E u ro p e and w estern Asia, naturalized now in
N ew Z ealand and in parts o f the eastern U n ited States.
B lackthorn is the first o f the hedgerow plants to
bloom , o fte n to be follow ed by a cold snap know n as a
‘b lack th o rn w in ter’ and ten d e r garden plants w ere know n
to succum b to this cold force if plan ted o u t to o early after
the b lack th o rn bloom ed. Som e old beliefs tell th at the
b lack th o rn blo o m ed at m idnight on old C hristm as Eve,
161
January 5. W inds blow ing w hile the b lac k th o rn blo o m ed

w ere know n as ‘b lack th o rn w in d s’. M any sloes on the tree
fo reto ld a h arsh w inter, a prim itive w eather forecaster o f
sorts.
T h e blackthorn was an om inous tree, o f ill luck and bad
om ens. I f they grow together, lore told that the w hitethorn
w ould destroy the blackthorn. In G erm any, blackthorn
was said to grow w here heathen blood had been shed in
battle. A ccording to one source, it has a b lood red sap that
runs through it. It was terribly unlucky to bring the bloom s
indoors, w hich is similar to haw thorn. W hite flowers in
general were associated w ith death and unlucky to bring into
the hom e. B ut blackthorn, in m any parts o f the U K , was n o t
only unlucky, b u t a death om en for the family if brought
into the hom e in flower.
B lackthorn was know n as a faerie tree and in Ireland, the
faeries guarded over them on old All Hallows Eve, N ovem ber
11 and old Beltane Eve, May 11, b o th o f those eves being
m o st auspicious for spirit activity. It was particularly unlucky
to cut a stick from the trees on those days. T h e sloes were
unlucky to eat after All Hallows Eve, similar to blackberries,
as they were faerie food thereafter. F rom an Irish custom ,
the last edible sloe was baked into a cake on All Hallows Eve
and w hoever g o t the sloe was said to live the longest, being
a positive om en in this case.
B lackth orn w alking sticks o r staffs w ere used by dark
w itches in tim es past. It was believed th at they could curse
som eone just by po in tin g the stick at them . Similarly, if
a b lack th o rn sta ff was p o in te d at a p reg n an t w om an, she
could have a m iscarriage. T h e staffs w ere also th o u g h t
protective against dark w itchcraft, as the lore goes b o th
ways w ith m any p lan t beliefs, dep en d in g on the perspective
and location. I f h u n g above the d o o r o f a hom e or if
h arvested on a full m oon, the b lack th o rn w alking stick was
su p p o sed to p ro te c t against supern atu ral evils. In Ireland,
they w ere a very p o p u lar w alking stick, despite som e o f
the superstitious beliefs. T hey w ere (and are) know n as a
162
blackthorn
‘shillelagh’, and w ere associated w ith p ro tectio n . T his w ord

m eant ‘clu b ’ and the b lack th o rn stick could be small like a
club or m ore like a staff. I t was polished w ith b u tte r o r lard
and then p u t up the chim ney to cure, giving it a black shiny
appearance characteristic o f the b lack th o rn sticks. T he
Irish shillelagh was used for fighting o r self-defense, also
for overcom ing evil spirits. I know a family w hose m o th e r
cam e from Ireland and she had a b lack th o rn shillelagh th at
was very special to her. A fter her death, h er son now has
the stick as a family heirloom and he w o n ’t let it leave the
house, as it is a precious keepsake.
R om any m en w ould also use a b lack th o rn w alking stick
to p ro te c t them fro m any danger. A L atin w ord for it was
bellicum w hich translates to ‘attack ’ or ‘charge’. In G erm any,
b lack th o rn was know n as a ‘w ishing th o rn ’ and w ishing
rods w ere cut from it, also the sam e practice cam e from
Wales. A b lack th o rn stake was used to im pale vam pires in
the Balkans and it was an unlucky tree to cut dow n in those
parts. A stick o f b lack th o rn was buried w ith corpses in
Ireland, possibly to keep the dead from w alking o r maybe
to p ro te c t th em in the afterlife. W itch b u rn in g pyres in
Spain w ere said to contain b lack th o rn w ood. T h e D evil
h im self was believed to use the spines to prick his servants,
giving them their characteristic ‘m ark’. B lackthorn is ruled
by Saturn naturally.
M agical charm s w ith b lack th o rn abound. T h e th o rn s
them selves w ere used to stick in to im ages fo r cursing and
c o u n te r cursing p u rposes, we can rem em b er th a t iro n nails
or pins w ere at one tim e very expensive. I f one was ill
w ished by a w itch and acquired fleas, the only way to break
the spell was to go dow n to the river b efore sunrise and
b eat o n e ’s sh irt w ith a b lack th o rn b ran ch fo r an hour. In
Slavic folklore, it was lucky and protective to sew a bit o f
b lack th o rn in to clothing.
B lackthorn acted as a divination device by taking the
spikes and visiting a H oly well. F rom C aernarvonshire,
Wales, this was to be done on E aster Monday. To find out
163
if a lover was faithful, blackthorn spikes could be throw n

in the water. I f they floated, the lover was faithful; if they
sank, the situation was n o t to have a g o o d outcom e, it m eant
he was unfaithful. F ro m o th er interpretations, the way the
spikes po in ted could foretell a lover’s disposition: if they
w hirled around, he was cheerful; if they sank just a little, he
was stubborn; if they sank o u t o f sight, he was n o t to be
trusted. I f the spines accidentally slipped in to the well from
the seekers hand, it m eant the lover was a great flirt, and
therefore unreliable in m atters o f relationship.
A n old ch arm to g et rid o f w arts was to ru b a snail on
the w arts, th e n im pale him on a b lack th o rn spike - a sad
ending to be sure. T h e re w ere m ore pleasant m ethods, such
as ru b b in g the w art w ith a g reen sloe, th en throw ing it over
the left shoulder, a tran sferen ce charm from E a st Anglia.
I f cattle had fo o t ro t in W orcestershire, sod could be cut
fro m u n d e r the e ffected cow ’s fo o t and the tu rf hung from
a b lac k th o rn to ro t away. T h e fo o t ro t w ould presum ably
ro t away as well. H anging a pig’s afte rb irth on a black th o rn
w ould help the pigs do well, a custom in N orfolk.
F ro m C ornw all, the b lack th o rn was and is used for
‘blastin g ’ o r sending o u t a layer o f protective energy. It
has associations w ith w orking rites on the dark m oon, and
w ith toad magic. In particular, it was used in the rite o f
finding the m agical to ad bone. A toad m an o r to ad w om an
could w ith this b o n e p e rfo rm healing acts o f m agic and
g a th e r the m agical fern seed and b ecom e invisible. To
give a sim plified and generalized version here, a sacrificial
to ad was cap tu red and im paled on a b lack th o rn tree, w ith
o th e r specifics th a t follow ed to retrieve the m agical bone.
Generally, the expired to ad w ould be buried in a pile o f
ants for a tim e to reveal the skeleton. T h e n the toad bones
w ould be taken to a stream ru n n in g n o rth to south, on
the next full m o o n and at the stroke o f m idnight, the
bones w ere placed in the w ater. O n e o f the b ones w ould
float against the c u rre n t o f the w ater and had to be taken
o u t im m ediately; the D evil was know n to show up at this
164
blackthorn
m o m e n t in o rd er to claim the m agical bone. T h e bone was

to be k ep t and hid d en o n the p ractitioner, forever away
from the eyes o f o th ers and from this p o in t forw ard w ould
endow the p erso n w ith m agical pow ers over horses and the
o p p o site sex.
T here are a few N ew Year ’s Day custom s using blackthorn,
from different parts o f England. O n e was to b u rn a branch
in the field and bring the rem ainder o f it in the house to
hang as a charm to p ro te c t the hom e th ro u g h o u t the year.
A crow n (or globe) could also be fashioned from the twigs
on N ew Year’s m o rning and then baked in the oven until
it tu rn ed to ash. T he ash was then spread on the fields for
g o o d luck during the following harvest and to ‘drive the
D evil’ from the fields. Som etim es the globe was b u rn ed in a
small fire outdoors. T h en a new blackthorn globe was m ade
by the w om en o f the family and hung in the kitchen until
the following N ew Year’s m o rn to p ro te c t the hom e from
fire. Som etim es it was m ade from haw thorn rather than
blackthorn. F rom H erefordshire, E ngland, a blackthorn
branch was scorched and then hung up w ith m istletoe for
the following year, acting as a protective amulet.
Folk Medicine kd
A fter it leafs out, the b lack th o rn is eventually covered w ith
small dark blue purple plum s th a t are b itter and astringent.
People m ake sloe gin w ith the plum s in the autum n, by
pricking them w ith a needle, filling a jar w ith plum s, sugar
and gin, and steeping the w hole u n til C hristm as time. It
was a V ictorian holiday drink, w arm ing and tonic in nature.
Som e people m ake jelly o r w ine w ith the sloes, they are
always p ro cessed w ith som e so rt o f cooking and sugar,
sim ilar the red h a w th o rn fru it or crabapple, also hedgerow
trees. O n e old piece o f lore tells th at sloe preserves w ere
m ade in the autum n and th en buried deep in the earth until
C hristm as tim e came. A n old R om any way to m ake the
sloes sw eeter was to bury them in straw lined pits for a few
m o n th s before using.
165
T he sloes were used in old cough and fever rem edies and
sloe jelly was used for sore throats in parts o f England. T hey
were also used for diarrhea. Sloe was a rem edy for cow flux,
o r diarrhea. A n old rhym e goes:
By the end o f October, go gather up sloes, have now in readiness

plenty of those,
A n d keep them in a bed-straw or still on the bough,
To stay both the flu x of thyself and the cow.
In Anglesey, Wales, the leaves and fruits w ere chewed

to lower blood pressure. A R om any rem edy for bronchitis
was to boil the bark and drink it w ith sugar as needed. Sloe
w ine was d ru n k as a tonic in the British Isles and sloe gin
was thought to be g o o d for the kidneys. T h e fruits can be
grated around the pit, w ith added honey to m ake them m ore
palatable and easier to eat, usually three or four at a tim e, for
their m edicinal effects, according to Juliette de Bairacli Levy.
Black th o rn leaves were taken for indigestion, and
‘sum m er fever’ or hay fever in Ireland. T he pow dered bark
was used for ague. A W elsh belief states th at if a perso n ate
the first three blackthorn blossom s th at he saw, he w ould
n o t have h eartb u rn all year. D ried blackthorn leaves were
used as a black tea substitute and a tobacco substitute in
Ireland. Fascinating that old wives used sloe gin blended
w ith pennyroyal and valerian for ‘connubial em ergencies’,
w hich I take to m ean som ething o f a ‘m orning after pill’.
T he thorns them selves were said to cause blood poisoning if
they inflicted a w ound, but an infusion o f them was an Irish
m edicine for diarrhea. A n interesting internal use com es
from A nglo-Saxon lore - in the painful situation w here the
finger nail g o t ripped o ff o f the finger, it was recom m ended
to p o u n d w heat grains w ith honey, lay as a poultice on the
place grieved, and then w ash the w hole in a blackthorn bark
decoction. M ost likely the w ash was applied first, then the
poultice.
166
blackthorn
Personal Practices Pti

To keep on hand the spikes o f blackthorn, as well as the
dried leaves and fruits, gives the rustic apothecary m any
magical abilities. T he spikes can be used for defensive magic
in different applications, inco rp o rated into hanging charm s
to be installed above w indow s or doors to pro tect the
dwelling. A red w ool circlet can be braided and into it stuck
alternating blackthorn and h aw thorn spikes, and three black
cock tail feathers. T he longest cock tail feathers were know n
historically for conferring invisibility, a helpful thing at times.
This can be hung above the bedstead as well, for protection
from night terrors. T he blackthorn spikes can also be placed
in healing vials w ith the inclusion o f protective herbs such
as angelica root, rowan berry, St. Johns w ort, vervain, w ood
betony and w hatnot, being carried about a person against
the ill-wish. They can be stuck in an apple and left to ro t
away, buried in the n o rth corner o f o n e ’s p roperty in order
to banish som e unw anted affliction o f the body o r m ind,
that being nam ed in a rite prior to the interm ent.
T he leaves can be used in pow ders, incense and fum igations
o f all sorts and while n o t terribly fragrant on their own,
m ake an appropriate addition to any form ula w orking w ith
Saturn’s dark powers, bindings or counter curses, as do the
spikes. O ne version o f a black pow der can be m ade from
blackened sloe leaves, blackened red roses and grave earth
on the dark m oon to be kept w ith a hares fo o t in a w ooden
box, including three o r nine blackthorn spikes, and sprinkled
around ones hom e for p rotection or w orn around the neck
for the same. T he dried sloes can be food for faerie offerings
on All Hallows Eve and Christm as Eve, particularly. They
can be carried in threes for p rotection from m align nature
spirits, along w ith a virgin nail o f iron in a leather pouch
while w andering the lonely forests and ravines. T he sloes
can be brew ed in an iron cauldron w ith o th er bitter herbs,
such as thistle, w orm w ood and rue and used to w ash tools
or item s that one does n o t w ant to be seen, found or stolen.
167
T his sam e w ash can be em ployed as a disinfectant for the

hom e and stable, protective and antim icrobial.
T h e blackthorn walking stick o r sta ff is beautiful to behold,
the places w here the th o rn s p ro tru d e d are very apparent and
the black glossy finish is uniquely distinct. O lder ones can be
obtained second hand through thrift stores or antique stores
if one know s w hat to look for. T hey are rather expensive
b o u g h t online, so stay w ith your local stores and look in
collections o f old canes — surely a blackthorn ‘cane’ will
eventually be obtained. M aking o n e’s ow n is o f course an
o p tio n as well, harvested on the full m o o n for the m ost
benefit. T hese walking sticks can be stored near the doorway
o f the hom e to p ro tect from intruders, they can be taken
on lonely walks for p ro tectio n as well. T his p o te n t w ooden
staff can be used to cast a protective circle around oneself
in any rite, either on the earth o r on the floor o f a darkened
cham ber. P ointed in the direction o f an enemy, it can help
to im m obilize any evil pow ers at work.
B lackthorn truly em bodies the old crone’s abilities o f
care and cursing, and th at magical boundary betw een
worlds. T h e early springtim e flowers appear so gentle and
benign, yet un d ern eath He the largest and darkest sharp
thorns, defensive and destructive as needed. T h e dark fruit
is bitter and alm ost unpalatable, b ut w ith the right care and
preparation it becom es m edicine for the sick. I f one is able
to handle this tree w ith in ten tio n and respect, it will yield
m any pow ers - protective pow der, scratched image, black
wand.
May tools fin d the hand that needs them and be craftedfrom those
that seek them. Many thanks to the unassumingforce behind the
cold winds, deeper and darker than any care to fathom, cloaked in
the silver white rain of springtime blossoms.
Black E arth Protective Powder ^

To make a pow der to be used during general protective
workings, have gathered blackthorn leaves and St.Johns w ort
168
blackthorn
on M idsum m ers Eve, after dark. W ith the dried herbs, grind
on a full m o o n to a pow der, equal parts. Take then equal
parts salt and grave earth, ritually gathered, and com bine.
F rom the roots o f an old oak tree, have gathered also earth
and add a m easure o f this p o te n t substance. Mix the w hole
ro u n d and round in a m ortar and speak nine times:
The earth, the salt, the leaves, the flowers,

Create a veil of protective powers;
bound the circle, hone and tree,
Keep all evil away from thee!’
Stored in a narrow earthenw are vessel w ith three blackthorn

spikes, upturned, this pow der can then be used for house
clearings and healing rites w here one has been overlooked
by the Evil Eye o r undesired enchantm ents. It can also be
carried for p ro tectio n on a journey, sprinkled in the hom e
o f a new m other and baby and for any sort o f situation that
requires protective assistance. T he pow der can be placed in
a pouch to be w orn o r hung, as needed.
Sloe Gin ^
(A dapted from Celtic Folklore Cooking, Joanne Asala, 2007)
4 cups o f sloes
1 quart o f gin
2 V2 cups brow n sugar
Freeze the sloes first and then prick several tim es w ith a
fork to help the juices escape. In a wide m o u th half gallon
jar, place the fruits and sugar. A dd the gin and seal. Shake
each day for 6 weeks. Strain through a cloth and then bottle,
storing in a dark place for one year, ideally in a basem ent,
m ake sure how ever it does n o t freeze. Serve on All Hallows
Eve and C hristm as Eve, be sure to leave a glass for the
spirits and the ‘wee folk’ on these nights. Also, this can be
used as a grave offering for the dead.
169
^ COTTONWOOD, Щ
POPLAR
Aspen-Populus spp
long the river w here the black co tto n w o o d trees
Ж grow com es a fragrance as the air w arm s in

the springtim e. It rem inds m any folks o f their
childhoods spent playing near a river, the vanilla balsam
scent on the w ind, as the leaves unfold. T h e large leaves
o f dark and light flutter, dancing to the slightest sum m er
breeze, casting their spell during the h o tte st afternoons.
T h e incredible perfum e th a t su rro u n d s the trees lasts
until the w eather turns cold in the autum n tim e, and the
m ostly fallen leaves are still fragrant w hen walking near a
co tto n w o o d tree u n d er a full m o o n in O ctober.
T he genus Populus translates to ‘peoples tre e ’. T h ere are
ab o u t 35 species in the genus and the trees are found in
the N o rth e rn hem isphere. T hey are in the W illow family
Salicaceae. I decided to g ro u p to g eth e r co tto n w o o d , poplar
and aspen, as all three o f these healing trees are in the
Populus genus, and som e o f the lore and folk uses are the
sam e, they have a sim ilar natu re to them . A n d w hile alone
they d o n ’t have a substantial am o u n t o f folklore, w hat they
do have is quite interesting.
In early February, the black c o tto n w o o d ’s Populus
trichocarpa brow n buds are sticky inside w ith fragrant
orange resin, a rem arkable perfu m e w ith hints o f b o th
tu rp e n tin e and vanilla. T he kn o b b y branches are covered
in p o in te d shiny b ro w n sw ollen buds th a t fall from the
tops o f tall trees and rem in d one o f old w itches fingers
w ith sharp nails. T h e buds them selves, once collected look
like m any insects, beetles o r cockroaches. C o tto n w o o d
171
grow s in w et areas and th e trees are som e o f the first

to fall d uring ice sto rm s here in the Pacific N o rth w est.
T h o u g h they are usually n o t long lived, I have seen very
large trees being over a h u n d re d years old. T h ese large
trees are always n ear a creek, w ith deep ro o ts in the w et
black earth.
C o tto n w o o d was know n to have ‘a life o f its ow n’
because o f its leathery green leaves w ith silver undersides
th a t flu tter w ith o u t even a b reeze in the air, sim ilar to
b o th aspen and p o p lar trees. S upernatural pow ers w ere
attrib u ted to co tto n w o o d by the Salish Speaking tribes in
the Pacific N o rth w e st area. T h e indigenous people did n o t
b u rn the w o o d o f c o tto n w o o d , for it was superstitious
to do so. T h e T h o m p so n tribe gave the deco cted bark o f
the c o tto n w o o d tree to w om en w ho had given b irth and
lo st som eone close to th em so o n after. I t was th o u g h t to
be T or their h e a lth ’. T h e leaves w ere used som ehow for a
love m edicine by the K a ro k tribe. Im portantly, the eastern
c o tto n w o o d P. deltoides was sacred to the N ative tribes
o f th a t area, in p articular to the Sioux. T h e Sundance
C erem ony was and still is held aro u n d a young c o tto n w o o d
tree, w hich after offerings and prayers are m ade to, the tree
is th en cut dow n for the dancing cerem ony, becom ing th en
the Tree o f Life.
T h e re are associations w ith death and the underw orld
fo r the p o p lar tree, aspen tree and the co tto n w o o d tree
all. T h e w hite p o p lar Populus alha was to ld to grow on the
banks o f the G reek u nderw orld, being fo u n d in m ore
so u th e rn and central p arts o f E u ro p e. A n old legend
tells th a t this tree was once a beautiful nym ph o f the
underw orld and th a t P luto was in love w ith her. A fter her
death, he tra n sfo rm ed h er in to a w hite p o p lar and b ro u g h t
the tree to the Elysian fields, a sacred final resting place for
v irtu o u s souls. A p articular grove o f p oplars was sacred to
P ersep h o n e, G o d d ess o f the underw orld, and o th e r groves
w ere sacred to H ecate, the G reek Q u e e n o f W itches. Black
p o p lar Populus nigra is the only p o p lar native to w estern and
172
Cottonwood Poplar
n o rth e rn E urope. H o m e r to ld th a t black p o p lar grew at

the gates o f H ades, w hich was the realm o f the dead. T he
trees w ere linked w ith graveyards in E u ro p e an lore. Poplar,
w hite and black, is ru led by Saturn.
P lanting poplars near a hom e was th o u g h t unlucky in
tim es past, p robably n o t only because they w ere associated
w ith the land o f the dead, b u t because the younger trees
do in d eed fall in storm s very easily. Yet som e lore tells
th at they co n d u c t lighting and p ro te c t the h o m e from it if
plan ted nearby. In som e B ritish counties, the p o p lar catkins
w ere called ‘D evils F in g ers’ and superstitious folk th o u g h t
it bad luck if a large cro p o f catkins appeared on the
trees in the spring. F ro m a firsth an d account from Surrey,
E ngland, com es a recollection from an older w om an about
how w hen she was younger, she was in stru cte d to place
black p oplar catkins in a saucer w ith w ater and leave them
o u t o v ernight to feed the faeries — they w ere gone in the
m o rn in g as she recalls.
Poplar leaves were som etim es an ingredient included in the
fam ous E u ro p ean flying ointm ents. It m akes sense because
m any o f the ingredients in these salves w ere used for their
pain killing properties and th at is a historical use for poplar
leaves and buds also. A n old recipe for a pain salve dating
from 1485 gives the ingredients, along w ith poplar buds, to
include opium p o p p y leaves Papaver somniferium, houseleek
Sempervivum tectorum, wild lettuce leaves Cactuca sativa, orchid
Orchis spp., h enbane leaves Hyoscyamus niger, and m andrake
leaves Mandrgora off.. T h e plants w ere infused in lard and
the resulting strained m ixture was to be applied to the navel
and the tem ples for pain or possibly for traveling to the
G reat Sabbat, as told in the lore.
T h e poplar tree was also connected to tim e, as it was
always in m otion even w hen no w ind was present and as its
leaves had dark tops w ith w hite undersides that represented
b o th night and day. Related to this connection w ith the wind
com es a beautiful poem called ‘Poplar* by V ictorian poet
K atharine Tynan:
173
The blinding sky’s unkind, The day has dust and glare,
the poplar keeps the wind, In her cage o f light and air;
M akes o f her leaves a snare, To keep the wind confined’.
A co m m o n nam e fo r p o p lar was ‘Shiver tre e ’. It had a

c o n n e ctio n to fevers, because o f its trem bling leaves. An
old charm fro m L incolnshire for gettin g rid o f a fever was
to fast for twelve hours and to go to a black p o p lar tree,
cut a lock o f hair o ff and w rap it aro u n d a branch while
speaking these w ords: When Christ our Lord was on the Cross,
Then didst thou sadly shiver and toss. M y aches and pains thou
now must take, Instead o f me I bid thee shake. A fter the charm
was spoken, one was to re tu rn ho m e in silence. It was
know n th a t co tto n w o o d , p o p lar and quaking aspen leaves
b ecom e u p tu rn e d before rain and sto rm y w eather. A n old
nam e fo r w hite p o p lar was ‘W eather T ree’ because o f this
p h en o m en o n .
T h e aspen tree was also linked w ith H ades in classical
lore, as legend tells th a t after H eracles re tu rn e d from
H ades he wove h im self an aspen w reath and b u rn e d a fire
o f aspen w o o d to th an k Z eus for retu rn in g him safely.
T h e re have b een golden w reaths w ith leaves in the shape
o f aspens fo u n d in graves in M esopotam ia, th o u g h t to be
from five th o u sa n d years ago —a n o th e r possible in d icato r
o f its c o n n ectio n to the land o f the dead. T h e aspen tree in
p articular was associated w ith fear because o f the shaking
o f its leaves, the trem bling. A n old nam e fo r aspen was
‘O ld W ives T ongues’, because o f their c o n sta n t m ovem ent.
It is ru led by the m oon, according to astrologers o f old.
T he aspen tree was used in a magical way from Russia.
H ere is a beautiful spell for turning into a werewolf, taken
from The Bathhouse at Midnight, W.F. Ryan, 1999:
‘In the ocean sea, on the island of Buian, in the open plain,
shines the moon upon an aspen stump, into the green wood, into
the spreading vale.
174
Cottonwood Poplar
A round the stump goes a shaggy wolf; under his teeth are all the
horned cattle; hut into the wood the wolf goes not, in the vale
the wolf does not roam.
Moon, moon! Golden horns! M elt the bullet, blunt the knife,
rot the cudgel, strike fear into man, beast, and reptile, so that
thej may not seiê the grey wolf, nor tear from him his warm
hide.
M y word is firm , firm er than sleep or the strength o f heroes. ’
A sp e n was c o n n e c te d to fevers, sim ilar to po p lar. It

was th o u g h t th a t a fever c o u ld be tra n s fe rre d to an aspen
tree ju st by tying a rib b o n to one o f its b ran ch es, by the
su fferer. A n old folk rem edy fo r ague (sim ilar to the black
p o p la r c h a rm above) th a t involved tra n sfe re n c e m agic
was to p in a lock o f ones h air to th e a sp en tree w hile
saying A spen tree, A spen tree, I prithee to shake and shiver
instead o f me. O n e th en h ad to re tu rn h o m e in co m p lete
silence in o rd e r fo r the cure to be a ffected . A n o th e r
tra n sfe re n c e c h a rm fo r th e sam e was to go to an aspen
tree at m id n ig h t and b o re a hole in th e tree, th en placing
o nes nail clippings in the tree and sto p p in g up th e hole,
leaving th e fever b eh in d . A sim ple w a rt ch a rm fro m
C hesh ire was to ru b som e b a c o n o n o nes w arts (som e
so u rces state sto le n b a c o n was best) and th en tra n sfe r
th e w arts to th e asp en trees b a rk by h id in g th e b aco n in
a slit m ade in th e tree.
F ro m C hristian tradition, aspen was a tree o f m ourning,
one legend tells th at aspen w itnessed the crucifixion and
has shivered w ith fear ever since. It was a thrice cursed
tree. A n old rhym e goes: Tremblesyon towering aspen tree, T ike
one whos bygone deeds o f ill, A t hush of night before him sweep, To
scare his dreams and murder sleep ’(A nonym ous).
In the S cottish Isles aspen was know n as a cursed tree as
well and fish erm en avoided using the w o o d fo r their gear.
A R ussian use o f aspen w o o d was to drive a stake in to the
grave o f a w itch, to p rev en t h er from rising fro m the dead.
I t was also believed in R ussian lore th a t if aspen logs w ere
175
placed in the stove upside dow n on H oly T hursday, th at

all o f the w itches and w izards w ould com e and ask for
th e em bers. In the language o f flow ers, aspen sym bolized
fear, scandal and lam en tatio n . O n a positive n o te, to p lan t
aspen trees in a field o r near the hom e w ould give a fam ily
safety from thieves.
Folk Medicine ‫׳‬F

T h e re w ere m any uses for the d iffe re n t subspecies o f
co tto n w o o d , w hite poplar, balsam p o p lar and quaking
aspen from N ative A m erican m edicine. To focus on the
black c o tto n w o o d th a t grow s in the Pacific N o rth w est, the
tribes generally used buds and leaves m ixed w ith anim al
fats for m any co n ditions o f the skin, including burns,
dry scalp, sores, eczem a, boils, bruises, w ounds, pain and
aching m uscles. T h e buds w ere applied for to o th pain by
som e tribes as well and m ixed w ith grease and applied to
p rev en t su n b u rn . T hey w ere m ixed w ith g o a t kidney fat
o r candlefish (eulachon) grease. T he buds could be m ixed
w ith balsam sap and used for tuberculosis. A n infusion o f
the w hite in n er b ark was taken for sore th ro ats and fevers
by the Squaxin tribe. In fu se d buds o r twigs w ere taken for
venereal disease. T h e sw eet in n er spring bark was eaten by
local tribes. A poultice o f the leaves was used fo r horse
sores by the N ez Pierce tribe.
Black P oplar P. nigra was used in E u ro p e a n folk m edicine
in tim es past as an o in tm e n t to dry up a w o m an ’s milk,
m ade fro m the buds. T h e juice o f th e leaves was used to
relieve ear aches, d ro p p e d in to the ears, and the seeds w ere
in fu se d in vinegar and taken fo r epilepsy, an in terestin g
use. A m agical rem edy —th e w ater taken fro m the hollow s
o f the p o p lar tree, specifically the black, could be applied
to w arts, w heals and skin rashes. W hite p o p lar P. alha bark
was taken as a rem edy fo r sciatica and the young buds
b ru ise d w ith h o n ey w ere taken to im prove eyesight — I
w o n d e r how ever at this rem edy and if it was a n o in ted on
th e eyes in stead o f taken internally. W hite p o p lar salve
176
Cottonwood Poplar
was u sed to have ‘happy d rea m s’ fro m a 1725 G e rm a n

b o o k en titled ‘The Curious and Practical Magic Doctor}. A
S om erset fever rem edy was to drin k boiled p o p lar bark.
A d e c o ctio n o f p o p lar b ark o r leaves and th e kidney o f
a m ule was believed to m ake a w om an b a rre n if ingested.
P oplar leaves b ru ise d in vinegar was applied fo r g o u t pain.
T h e resin dried and g ro u n d was taken as a rem edy for
dysentery.
A spen w ood was used for teeth in g rings for babies,
probably on account o f its pain reliving p ro p erties th o u g h t
to have b een passed in to the w ood. T h e b ark was used
internally as a tonic, for fevers and as a diuretic for urinary
com plaints. It was also used for g o n o rrh ea.
Personal Practices PP
I in te rp re t the leaves w ith their light and dark sides as being
a plant o f b o th w orlds, living and dead, w ith the ability
to travel betw een the two. F o r m agical use, co tto n w o o d ,
aspen o r p oplar can be p u rp o se d fo r underw orld w orkings,
placed u p o n altars during All H allow s Eve celebrations
and the w ood used as a w and to call back spirits o f the
deceased. T he leaves can be b u rn e d in incense m ixtures
w hen dealing w ith ghosts, hauntings and divination.
A pow erful and p ro tectiv e a n o in tin g oil can be m ade
w ith Populus b u d s/le a v es, sandalw ood po w d er and dragons
b lo o d pow der. T his can be used to p ro te c t and cleanse
tools and people, by m aking an equal arm ed cross w ith
it over th eir chest and back o f the neck. A stro n g tea o f
the leaves can be used in a b a th after visiting a cem etery
fo r p ro te c tio n , along w ith a h an d fu l o f salt. T h e w ood
can be carried as an am ulet against g h o sts, shielding one
fro m any h a rm fu l shades, particularly effective w ith the
add itio n o f row an.
T h e m edicinal uses are fo r e x te rn al a p p lic atio n only.
I f you have aspirin allergies, th ese are n o t th e trees for
you, because o f the Salicylates. O n e o f th e sim plest
ways to use c o tto n w o o d (or su b stitu te p o p la r o r aspen)
177
is to ru b th e b u d resin d irectly o n a c u t o r w o u n d , it is
antim icro b ial, an ti-in fla m m a to ry an d analgesic. T h e buds
can be fo u n d full o f resin fro m O c to b e r in to M arch, and
th e n the leaves can be u sed in ste a d - this tree can be
used all year long (at least w ith c o tto n w o o d ). T h e salve
is excellent fo r pain close to th e surface o f th e skin such
as cuts and scrapes th a t are irrita te d . C o tto n w o o d is
am a 2 ing fo r b lack b erry th o rn scrapes and m ild b u rn s, it
w orks like a ch arm . It also h elp s w ith really itchy bug
o r sp id er bites th a t are healing o r skin th a t is stru g g lin g
to heal in general. H ow ever, do n o t use it on in ten se
in fe c tio n s o r a m ajor allergic rea c tio n , use a w ater w ash
o r p o u ltice here in stead , p o ssib ly a w ash m ade w ith the
leaves. C o tto n w o o d salve can be also u sed on acne spots
and th e w arm ed oil d ro p p e d in to the ears fo r ear pain,
rem e m b e rin g to tre a t b o th ears. I t is excellent used as a
c h e st and back ru b fo r coughs and colds.
A n easy way to utilize this healing m edicine is to p o u r
olive oil over the buds and set the capped glass jar in a w arm
(not hot) place, stirring every day w ith a chopstick for at
least a m onth. T he oil can then be strained out and used
in salves or directly applied. T he leaves can be used in bath
tea, for foot baths, washes and in steams. They too have the
incredible scent o f the buds, w ith a green note added. A
lovely fragrant infused oil can be m ade w ith cottonw ood
leaves and vanilla leaf Achlys triphjlla, for hair and scalp, and
m assage after a h o t bath.
M anj thanks to the magical leaves and medicine o f these

fragrant and pain-relieving trees, they have a special music
that is quite enchanting. Spending time in a grove of
cottonwood or poplar one senses a flash of silver light coming
up from the dark realms below, their mysterious trembling
giving the dead beneath the earth a voice on the hushed wind.
May we listen and learn from the wise translations that come
to us, touched by the rain, wind and lightning all.
178
Cottonwood 1P oplar
Divination Incense ^
All dried. O n the full m oon, m ix one p a rt by volum e
cotto n w o o d (or asp en /p o p lar) leaves, one p art m ugw ort
Artemisia vulgaris leaves, third p art calendula (marigold)
flowers Calendula off., third p a rt frankincense, third part
alder A ln u s spp. buds, third p a rt yarrow Achillea millefolium
flowers. Mix well w ith the hands for a tim e and store in an
iron vessel w ith a crow skull. Use before w orking any sort
o f divination to assist one in seeing.
Cottonwood Vain Salve Vti

S ubstitute p o p lar buds as needed. G a th e r fragrant
c o tto n w o o d buds during the cold season, o fte n easier after
a w in ter sto rm brings dow n the brittle high branches. Take
h a lf o f the buds and cover in a jar w ith olive oil, leave
a b o u t an inch o f oil over the top. K eep in a w arm , n o t
h o t place for one m o n th , rem em bering to stir every day
w ith a chop stick or sim ply shake. Take the rem aining h alf
o f the buds and infuse in pig fat, bear fat o r G hee. To
do this, you need a double boiler. A dd ab o u t 1 cup o f fat
fo r every 2 /3 cup o f buds roughly. H eat the w ater in the
b o tto m cham ber and the fat will m elt and w arm . L et the
w ater in the b o tto m cham ber boil fo r ab o u t 10 m inutes,
w hile stirring your fat m ixture every few m inutes, then
tu rn o ff the h eat and cover. L et sit tw enty-four hours and
th en repeat, for a total o f seven tim es. T h e fat should be
dark orange. O n the seventh day, strain o u t the fat w ith a
th rift store sieve th at you d o n ’t need, as th e resin will be
very h ard to clean — keep this sieve for o th e r co tto n w o o d
m edicines. To clean the double boiler, soak the b o tto m
w ith vodka for a few days and use a m etal scrubby. Save
the fat in the fridge until your oil is ready. T h e n take your
strained oil and your fat, hopefully roughly equal parts, and
com bine them in a double boiler w ith beesw ax to harden, 1
0 2 . for every cup o f fa t/o il. P our into w ide m o u th tins and
let harden. T his m eth o d m akes a far superior salve than
179
using just the infu sed oil alone. B o th types o f fat ten d to
pull o u t d ifferen t aspects o f the resin and this salve is truly
incredible for the m aladies described above. It will keep
indefinitely, as c o tto n w o o d has a preservative effect.
The Deer Sorceress of Midsummer
Melody from a distant realm

The tapping of the bones,
The rattle o f the black hooves
Singing of waters and blood,
M s the great Stag has fallen
N ear the summer stream

Л golden light arises
Tern and maroon flesh,
The wood ears are listening
To the white deerforaging in the mist
The medicine o f the oak

Brings together root and antler
Twisted into amber rope
A n d where the green stones arise from
The mouths o f glittering caves
A widened Deer Woman greets me

A t the enchanted hour of twilight
Tiny bottles o f clear water
A n d of dark deer blood,
These gifts are etched upon
M y heart and with the emerald scapula

I will see the future
The grove of foxglove circles
A n d softly illuminates
Nests made of white feather down
180
Cottonwood Poplar
A n d softest deerskins
Nourishment fo r dreams unearthed
Graceful dancer, j o и have fed
M y family and clothed
M y babe, you have
Become mist and spirit

Instantly a forest ghost
N o t doomed to prance in the mead
Behind split rails o f cedar
B ut crowned as birthing Mother
W ith robes o f smooth crimson

A n d black stained wine
A ring of silverflames
Deer Woman, at the creek
I bow my head to drink
181
H A W TH O R N T R E E Щ
Cratagus spp
n the autum n and w intertim e, the haw th o rn tree w ith

^ * * g n a r l e d bark covered in grey green lichens and gangly
branches stand apart from the larger orchard trees o f
abandoned hom esteads. Small ru sset colored haws hang on
branches like rustic ornam ents, o ften glowing near twilight
tim e. By the spring and early sum m ertim e, she boasts
v ibrant green leaves th at su rro u n d m any small bouquets o f
w hite bloom s, tinged w ith pink. She becom es the Q ueen o f
the edges and wild fo rg o tten places. Still u n d er her finery
she brandishes sharp th o rn s w hich hide perfectly beneath
her joyful leaves. A n edge-dw eller h aw thorn rem ains, as
there is no telling w hat doorways hide near her roots and
w hen they may op en for a time. T he third road to Faerie
land is no d o u b t scattered w ith her petals.
T here are around 200 know n Cratagus species and they
apparently cross easily. T he m o st com m on E uropean
species is Cratagus monogyna and C. oxacantha. H aw th o rn is in
the rose family Roseaceae. T h e genus is native to all tem perate
zones; E urope, N o rth A m erica and Asia. C om m on nam es
for h aw thorn included May Flower, May B lossom , W hite
T h o rn , T h o rn A pple, H ag T h o rn , Ladies M eat, B read and
Cheese Tree and Q uick T h o rn . In E u ro p e she is often
called just ‘T h o rn ’ or ‘M ay’. T he w ord ‘haw ’ is an old w ord
for hedge, for w hich this tree has been used extensively,
keeping livestock in or out o f areas. T he Latin Cratagus
com es from the G reek kratos m eaning hardness, referring
to the strength o f the w ood. In N o rth A m erica, haw thorn
is usually a sm aller tree th at can o ften be found on older
hom esteads and deserted farm lands, b ro u g h t over from
E urope. T here are also native varieties to be found.
183
T h e smell o f the fresh flowers o f haw thorn has been

com pared to the smell o f ‘carnal love’ and o f rotting flesh;
it was said that the flowers smell o f death, in particular
rem iniscent o f the G reat Plague in L ondon. T h e flowers,
especially w hen wilting to dry, do indeed perfum e the entire
space w ith an unsettling smell, som ething like fish, m usk
and sweat —n o t entirely unpleasant b u t strange. T he smell
was also know n to be an aphrodisiac from M edieval times.
In E u ro p e an folklore, the haw th o rn was considered
sacred before the arrival o f C hristianity and afterw ards.
T his tree was and is very m uch associated w ith faeries
and their activities, as the old stories will tell. T he use o f
h a w th o rn for laying hedgerow s for livestock fencing in
E u ro p e cam e about during R om an tim es and som e hedges
are over one th o u san d years old, b u t the faerie lore predates
the cutting and m aintaining o f the hedgerow s. N o t w ith the
hedgerow haw thorns, b u t w ith the lone standing haw thorns
does this lore apply. T hey w ere know n to be faerie trees.
T h ese w ere the haw thorns th at were n o t planted by hum ans
b u t o ccu rred naturally in op en fields and m eadow s. M any
o f th em are know n to be naturally stunted, still living b u t
grow ing no larger. T his o f course being so, as they were
know n to be enchanted.
T h e lone th o rn s were and are believed to be the hom e
o f the faeries and the ‘wee folk’ from ancient times and
were treated w ith respect and care. It was considered very
unlucky and even taboo to take a wild haw thorn dow n to
build a hom e or prepare pastured g ro u n d in tim es past. It
was an act o f vandalism in som e parts o f the British Isles
to rem ove a bough, and n o t even the fallen branches w ould
be taken for firewood. I f one o f these solitary thorns was
bro u g h t dow n, it could bring death to the family or to the
perso n w ho had rem oved it. I t was also believed that if a
wild haw thorn was ploughed up, all fertility w ould leave
the land. T hese beliefs were particularly im p o rtan t in the
B ritish Isles and Ireland, as they have a very strong faerie
mythology.
184
H aw thorn Tree
H ere is a sh o rt poem th at w arns about rem oving a

haw thorn:
By the craggy hillside, Through the mosses bare,

They have planted thorn trees, For pleasure here and there,
Is any man so daring, A s to dig them up in spite,
H e shallfind their sharpest thorns, In his bed at night.
W illiam Allingham — 1850
T h ere are num erous occasions w here a lone th o rn was

to be taken dow n and the local people m ade a p ro te st
to avoid disaster. O n e exam ple com es from D o negal
Ireland, w here even in 1968 there was an o p p o sitio n to
rem oving a th o rn on B allintra-R ossnow laugh Road. A t a
g reat expense, the th o rn was saved and the road re-ro u ted
to pass by the faerie tree. T h ere w ere also m any stories
th at ab o u n d ed ab o u t the dire consequences o f rem oving
the faerie h aw thorns, w ith everything from broken legs,
house fires, b lo o d p o iso n in g and d eath being the possible
outcom e from this disrespectful act. In som e places it was
even dangerous to to u ch these trees, especially w hile in
bloom . H a w th o rn was a very unlucky w alking stick to take
on a journey, for these reasons.
As the faeries w ere know n to have their hills o r forts
u n d e r the lone h a w th o rn trees, it was very dangerous
to visit th em after nightfall. It was advised to never fall
asleep u n d e r one, fo r fear o f be taken over by the faeries
th at abound , and to never to re tu rn hom e again. I t was
particularly unlucky to sit u n d e r a h a w th o rn tree on May
Eve o r All H allow s Eve, as the tree could tra n sfo rm
h e rse lf in to a w itch on this night, if she w ished. I t was
also th o u g h t in som e parts o f E u ro p e th at the Q u e e n o f
Faerie L and was o u t riding her w hite horse on May Eve
and th at she was looking for m ortals to lure away to Faerie
L and for seven years. It was to ld th at you could hear the
h o rse ’s bells from sitting u n d e r a h a w th o rn and th a t if you
hid your face fro m h er as she approached, you w ere safe.
185
H ow ever, if you glanced at her, she may choose to take

you in to the e n ch an ted realm . Som e sources state that after
a seven year stay in Faerie L and, one w ould acquire the
pow ers to heal and bless, b u t u p o n retu rn in g to the w orld
o f m ortals, w ould be w izened and unattractive to look
u p o n —n o t such a bad tra d e -o ff in my hum ble opinion.
As the h aw th o rn tree was associated w ith the Q u een o f
the Faeries, som e folk legends tell o f the W elsh goddess
O lw en w ho was said to have once w alked in an em pty
universe, w hen by the scattering o f h a w th o rn petals, she
created the Milky Way. T h e h a w th o rn was also dedicated to
the R om an G o d d ess o f ch ildbirth Cardea, and h a w th o rn
b loom ing in the m o n th o f M ay was in som e places linked
to th e M o th er Mary. T h ese sou n d like later m ythologies
th at w ere applied to the h a w th o rn tree, changing the Faerie
Q u een as ‘nature sp irit’ in to the ‘G o d d e ss’, w hich is an
in terestin g topic all o n to itself.
In the C hannel Islands, in the U K , m eetings o f w itches
w ere ru m o re d to be held u n d e r the solitary haw thorns.
T h e sharp th o rn s, sim ilar to b lackthorns, w ere used in
ru stic ‘black m agic’ and cursing, som etim es being in serted
in to the h e a rt o f a sheep o r a bat. T his o fte n was done for
protective m agic o f course, n o t only to b ring needless pain
o r suffering. Interestingly, this ‘w itch ’ tree was used for
p ro te c tio n from dark w itches, by way o f hanging crosses
m ade o f its w ood over the house door. O n e assum es this
w o o d was harv ested fro m the hedgerow s rath e r th an from
the solitary thorns. By driving a small h a w th o rn peg into
a grave site one could p rev e n t the spirit from com ing
back to h au n t the living or from tu rn in g in to a vam pire.
O th e r C h ristian /C a th o lic practices o f h a w th o rn included
the m aking o f rosaries from its w ood, w hich w ere highly
valued. T h e berries w ere called ‘pixie p e a rs’ in som e places.
T hey w ere th o u g h t to be b e st after H allow een, w hen
w itches had flow n over them .
A n Irish belief was th at h a w th o rn grew over graves or
buried treasure. F ro m C ornw all com es a tradition o f always
186
H aw thorn Tree
p lanting a h a w th o rn tree over buried treasure as well.

Som etim es h a w th o rn was plan ted in the g ro u n d w here a
d eath had occurred. H aw thorns w ere said to have sprung
up from the scattering o f the d ead ’s ashes. In som e places,
stones w ere laid at faerie trees on the way to funerals and
eventually becam e cairns. I t was a cu sto m to hang crosses
m ade from coffin w o o d on a particular h a w th o rn located
at a crossroads, during the funeral p rocessions from the
co u n ty W exford in Ireland. A n o th e r fu n ctio n o f the
h aw th o rn was to m ark w here a H oly well was. In early May,
offerings w ere m ade to this tree, co m panion to the H oly
well, such as w ith tying rags and trinkets to h er branches.
In the Lake D istrict, U K , h aw th o rn s w ere also associated
w ith justice and older co u rt system s, being plan ted near
im p o rta n t m eeting places.
H a w th o rn was an unlucky p lan t to bring inside and one
should never h arvest the flow ers b efore May Eve. A n old
C heshire saying goes ‘May in, Coffin out’. A n o th e r old saying
goes ‘Hawthorn tree and Elder flowers, T ill the house with evil
powers.’ T his reflects a sim ilar belief ab o u t elder flowers,
w hich was know n as a faerie o r w itch tree as well. I f
h a w th o rn from a faerie th o rn was picked, it was th o u g h t to
result in a child dying. A pparently sleeping next to a th o rn
flow ering in d o o rs in May w ould brin g g reat m isfo rtu n e o r
even death to the one resting near it. In A m erican O zark
m o u n tain folklore, h aw th o rn was considered an accursed
tree. T h o u g h in 1923 it becam e the M issouri State flower,
there w ere m any folks w ho avoided touch in g it w hile it
was in blo o m because o f its ill-om ened nature. T h e trees
w ere associated w ith ‘sexual m isadventures’, such as tragic
ab ortions, rape, and unw anted pregnancy.
H a w th o rn was an d still is stro n g ly a sso ciated w ith
M ay D ay c e le b ra tio n s b ecau se d u rin g this tim e o f the
year, it is in blo o m . I t is im p o rta n t to re m e m b e r th a t this
goes back to b e fo re th e G re g o ria n c alen d ar change o f
1752(at least in th e USA, the U K an d in C anada) and old
M ay D ay fell o n w h a t is n o w M ay 11th, ra th e r th an M ay
187
lr s t. T h is m akes m u ch m o re sense, as th e w h ite th o rn

is n e v e r b lo o m in g o n M ay l r s t typically, a t least n o t in
my m aritim e clim ate. T h e h a w th o rn g a th e re d fo r these
c e le b ra tio n s w as n e v e r fro m th e lo n e th o rn s o f co u rse,
b u t ra th e r fro m th e hed g es o r g ard en s. G o in g ‘a m aying’
w as a h ap p y c u sto m w h e re p e o p le w o u ld g a th e r the
flo w erin g b o u g h s alo n g sid e m usic a n d h o rn blow ing.
H a w th o rn was typically in c lu d e d in w re a th s o f th e G re e n
M an o r th e Ja c k -in -th e -G re e n to c e le b ra te th e b eg in n in g
o f sum m er. In so m e p a rts o f E n g la n d , o n e was d o u se d
w ith w a te r if a h a w th o rn sprig was n o t p in n e d on d u rin g
th e M ay D ay c eleb ratio n s.
A t su n rise, h a w th o rn b ran c h e s w o u ld be h u n g over the
doorw ays o f h o m es, w h ich w as originally a p ro te c tiv e
act. G a th e rin g th e dew fro m h a w th o rn o n M ay D ay was
s u p p o s e d to e n su re a b e a u tifu l c o m p le x io n if ru b b e d on
th e skin. T o g a th e r ‘m ay d e w ’ b e fo re daw n o n M ay Day,
a w o m an c o u ld m ake a se c re t w ish a b o u t th e one w h o m
she lo v ed a n d a fte r w ash in g h e r face w ith th e dew fro m
th e h a w th o rn , it w o u ld co m e tru e . T h is M ay D e w also
was k n o w n to have h ealin g pow ers, u sed fo r so re eyes
o r g o u t.
O n M ay E ve, h a w th o rn c o u ld b e u sed in a love
d iv in a tio n . A girl w o u ld h a n g a b ra n c h o f it fro m h e r
sig n p o st. In th e m o rn in g , h e r fu tu re h u sb a n d w ould
co m e fro m th e d ire c tio n w h ich it w as p o in tin g and if
it fell, it fo re to ld o f no m arriage. A n o th e r love related
d iv in a tio n c o u ld be d o n e - one was to partially break
th e first b ra n c h o f h a w th o rn th a t was seen on M ay E ve
a n d go to sleep to d rea m o f th e ir fu tu re m ate. T h e nex t
m o rn in g th e b ra n c h sh o u ld be c o lle cte d and taken hom e
a n d if th e p e rs o n did n o t see th e ir lover in a d rea m the
n ig h t p rev io u s, th ey m ay see th e m w hile w alking hom e
w ith the b ra n c h in h an d . H a w th o rn was a sso ciated w ith
love, in te restin g ly fo r its ‘c a rn a l’ sm ell. I t was c o n n e c te d
w ith m arriag e rites, o fte n an in g re d ie n t in the bridal
g arlan d o r chap let. It was sym bolic o f fertility, love,
188
H aw thorn Tree
m arriage, h o p e , fru itfu ln e ss and spring. O n c e again, it

seem s th a t h a w th o rn had tw o sides to it — one d ark and
eld ritch and the o th e r light and m erry.
H a w th o rn had o th e r p ro tectiv e beliefs ascribed to it,
despite som e o f its ill-om ened and u n canny associations.
It had the pow er to p ro te c t one from lightning, as it was
believed th a t the w hite th o rn was never struck. A n old
rhym e tells Beware o f an Oak, I t draws the stroke; A vo id and
A s h it courts a flash, Creep under a Thorn, it will save you from
harm. In fact, it was th o u g h t th a t c u ttin g dow n the tree
itse lf w ould cause a th u n d e r and lightning storm . I f the
w hite th o rn was g a th e red on H oly T hursday, M arch 24th,
it could be placed w ith in th e rafters to keep a fam ily safe
from lightning fo r the w hole year. W earing a sprig o f it
in o n e ’s h a t w ould p ro te c t th em fro m the sam e. I t was
co n sid e red p ro tectiv e to attach a h a w th o rn sprig to the
cradle o f a n ew b o rn . G enerally, carrying h a w th o rn w ood
was used as a p ro tectiv e am ulet. C hips o f h a w th o rn w ood
w ere carried on b o ats by sailors o r em igrants, to avoid
ship w reck at sea. In clu d in g som e h a w th o rn in ones
hedging p lan ts was believed to keep away th e ‘bad faeries’,
a cu sto m fro m D ublin.
H a w th o rn h ad its use in m agical healing p ractices as
well. M o th ers in Burgundy, F rance w ould carry th eir sick
children to a flow ering h a w th o rn tree and pray to the
tree fo r th eir health. I t was th o u g h t th a t carrying a dying
p e rso n ro u n d an an cien t th o rn th ree tim es and b u m p in g
against it w ould help reco v er th eir health. A S om erset
ch arm fo r a festerin g w o u n d req u ired th a t a piece o f
h aw th o rn be p assed over the place grieved and these
w ords spoken: Christ was o f the Virgin born, He was pricked
by a thorn, I t never did bell and swell; I trust in Jesus this never
will! T h e re was a m agic tra n sferen ce ch arm to rid o f fever
fro m F rance —one was to go to a lone th o rn and b rin g an
offerin g o f b read and salt. T h e b read was to be fixed in a
forked b ran ch and th e salt scattered over th e tree, certain
w ords w ere th e n spoken and th e pathw ay ho m e had to be
189
a d iffe re n t ro u te th an the one taken to find the tree. O n e

m u st also e n te r the ho m e u p o n re tu rn in g th ro u g h a back
d o o r or a window.
In som e parts o f E ngland, a h a w th o rn (or blackthorn)
globe was m ade on N ew Y ear’s day and hung in the farm
house kitchen as a charm against fire. T h e old globe from
the previous year w ould be b u rn e d in the fields and the
ashes scattered as a fertility charm . Picking a piece o f
h a w th o rn at exactly m idnight o n T w elfth N ig h t w ould
brin g luck to the hom e fo r the nex t year. W ithin living
m em ory from Chepstow , Wales, com es the cu sto m o f
p lanting a piece o f h a w th o rn in each seed b ed to nullify
any w itch ’s spells th a t could cause the seeds n o t to spro u t,
reco rd ed in 1974. A cu sto m from C am bridgeshire w ould
include a h a w th o rn sprig to decorate the last hay rick at
h a rv e st tim e, done for luck.
Folk Medicine '■'F

O ld e r m edicinal uses o f h a w th o rn included using the
bark for sore th ro ats in Scotland, using an infusion o f
the leaves fo r anxiety, and to stim ulate the appetite. Also,
this leaf infu sio n was used to ease ch ildbirth pains in
E a st Anglia. T h e flow ers and berries w ere taken for sore
throats. C ulpepper w ro te th a t h a w th o rn was g o o d for
dropsy (edem a) and the stone. T h e b ru ised fruits were
taken infused in w ine for easing general pains. U sing the
b ark o f the h a w th o rn was an Irish rem edy fo r toothache.
In Russia, h a w th o rn was used to treat co n ditions o f the
h eart, m uch as it is used today, in particular fo r h e a rt pain,
angina. T raditional S cottish herbalists used h a w th o rn for
balancing high b lo o d pressure. T h e use o f h a w th o rn as a
h e a rt tonic com es specifically from an Irish physician from
the n in eteen th century. Som e topical uses o f h aw thorn
leaves included it as an infu sio n for draw ing splinters and
bringing boils to a head.
M istletoe grow ing on a h a w th o rn tree was m uch prized
and used to cure epilepsy — the specifics how ever are
190
H aw thorn Tree
unclear. H a w th o rn berries w ere u sed in form ulas to treat

rh eu m atism in A m erican folk m edicine and even w earing
h a w th o rn aro u n d th e neck in a p o u c h was an am uletic
cure for the same. F ro m a F rench C anadian cure fo r ulcers
—one was to leave their dressings u n d e r a h a w th o rn tree.
T h e n ex t p erso n w ho picked th em up w ould in h erit the
ulcers them selves, by way o f tran sferen ce magic. Infusing
a w ine w ith h aw th o rn b ark and using the resulting m ixture
to b a th e a w o u n d in flicted w ith a th o rn or for one still
im p reg n ated w ith a th o rn was h o m eo p a th ic in its logic,
an old rem edy fro m the th irte e n th century. H a w th o rn
was used along w ith o th e r h erb s fro m A nglo-Saxon
m edicine fo r ‘D evilsickness’, likely m eaning to rem ove
evil influences.
T h e N ative A m ericans had som e in te restin g uses fo r
the black h a w th o rn , Cratagus douglasii, w hich is the native
h a w th o rn to the Pacific N o rth w e st, th o u g h the E nglish
h a w th o rn is m uch m ore c o m m o n to find in the w ild
places. T h e black h aw th o rn grow s near salt w ater and the
P u g e t S ound inlet (the Salish Sea) and E nglish h a w th o rn
is all over a b an d o n ed h om esteads and in n eig h b o rh o o d s.
A fascinating use for the th o rn s for a rth ritis pains com es
fro m the O kanagan-C olville tribe. T h e th o rn s pierced
th e p ainful site o f the body, w hile the u p p e r end o f the
th o rn was lit a fire and allow ed to b u rn dow n to the skin.
W hile very painful, a scab w ould fo rm and w hen healed,
the arth ritic pain was su p p o sed to disappear. F ro m the
sam e tribe, an infu sio n o f the young sh o o ts was given
to children w ith diarrhea and the used as a w ash for the
inside o f a baby’s m o u th for sores. F ro m the K w akiutl
tribe, a poultice o f the leaves was applied to swellings. T h e
T h o m p so n tribe used the berries to help w ith diarrhea
and general sickness and used the th o rn s to p ro b e boils
and ulcers —th o u g h to my know ledge the spines can cause
b lo o d p o iso n in g sim ilar to E nglish h aw th o rn spines. T h e
Iro q u o is tribe used a d eco ctio n o f the Q uebec h a w th o rn
Cratagus submollis along w ith a doll in w itch craft m edicine,
191
to ‘m ake a p e rso n b reak o u t like ca n ce r’. T h e C herokee

tribe used the fruits o f the C.spathulata to stim ulate
ap p etite and an in fu sio n o f the b ark was taken for g o o d
circulation an d to p rev e n t spasm s.
Personal Practices PP
H aw th o rn is ruled by M ars, and certainly has a fiery virtue
w ithin its w ood, flowers and berries. T h e flowers therefore
can be dried and used in love m agic and m atters o f the heart,
o ften helpful for reconnecting a m arried couple that has
gone estranged, o r fo r one w ith a broken heart. H aw thorn
is also helpful for attracting new love in com bination w ith
yarrow and rose. I have com e across on num erous occasions
a bright pink h aw th o rn flow ering tree on ab andoned hom e
sites, its flowers still exuding the intense smell o f the w hite
variety. T hese I believe are even m ore specific to love magic,
if one can locate them . T he application can be to wear the
dried plant in an am ulet, sleep w ith a bough u n d er ones
pillow for pro p h etic dream s, to apply the infused fat or oil
to the heart area, to drink the elixir and to in co rp o rate the
tree into rites o f m anifestation.
T h e h a w th o rn is a pow erful w ishing tree. In two separate
instances in my life, I have go n e to a wild th o rn n o t planted
by hum ans and m ade offerings along w ith asking the tree
for help and m aking my w ish very clear. I t is g o o d to tie a
piece o f red cloth to one o f the branches, in a way th at will
n o t h in d er the g ro w th o f the tree. A p p ro p riate offerings
include honey, cakes and cream . I can re p o rt th a t in b o th
instances, my w ish cam e tru e w ithin a year o f the folk
rite, and b o th w ishes (done at separate tim es and during
d ifferen t years o f course) w ere very significant and specific
w ishes, things th at w ere unlikely to o ccu r even in the b est
o f circum stances. T h ere is no d o u b t th at the haw th o rn
tree spirits helped to m anifest th o se deep w ishes, ones th at
had b een held sacred for decades.
A lo n g th o se sam e lines, w ild th o rn trees can also be
co m m u n e d w ith fo r advice o r fo r in fo rm a tio n . It is b e st
192
H aw thorn Tree
to visit th e m on the p o te n t eves o f the year and bring

o fferin g s b e fo re sittin g a tim e and g o in g in to a trance
to gain access to th e O th e r realm s. I do n o t rec o m m e n d
g o in g at dusk, or d u ring th e d ark o f night, as the old
lore w arns us o f the dangers o f d o in g so. T h e clarity
th a t com es fro m this can be significant, in p a rticu la r for
healing p u rp o ses.
A bough o f h aw thorn in berry can be hung up in the
hom e during the autum n m o n th s fo r the prevention o f fire.
A hagstone can be hung o n a wild h a w th o rn tree during
three nights o f the full m o o n s light and th en w orn for
healing by those w h o m are ill. T h e sharp spines can be used
for defensive magic, sim ilar to using blackthorn. T hey can
be carried w ith one in a vial or in som e so rt o f am ulet
and included in p o tio n s for p ro tectio n , three o r nine spines
u p tu rn e d in the bottle. T hey can be used specifically to tu rn
back the jealousy o r for love betrayed.
C ertainly it is app ro p riate to include h a w th o rn flow ers
o n B eltane altars and fo r rites during this tim e o f year,
associated w ith love and fertility b u t also fo r p ro te c tio n
from dark spirits and w itches. Flow ering boughs can be
hung up w ith flow ering row an to p ro te c t th e hom e and
anim al sheds on M ay Eve, A pril 30. W h en using h a w th o rn
for folk magic, be sure the variety has the th o rn s, as som e
m ore m o d ern cultivars do not.
H aw th o rn tea can be m ade from the dried flowers and
leaves o f the tree, harvested in full bloom , usually after the
first week o f May. H arvest the little bundles o f b o th leaf
and flower together, it is fine to include a little o f the stem.
M ake sure the stam ens are still fresh in the flowers th at you
choose and the petals are still attached. A fter drying, the
intense smell lessens and even by itself, this makes a very
pleasant infusion. It is a great tonic for circulatory and heart
concerns, b est being used w ith o u t any o th er m edications
and taken for 3-6 m o n th s to produce an effect.
T he berries can be harv ested at the end o f S eptem ber and
b o th b erry and le a f/flo w e r can be used in a co m b in atio n
193
m edicine fo r cardiovascular o r stress related issues. T h e

berries are ready fo r h arvest w hen they c ru sh in to a w hite
pulp and have no sign o f green o n them . R em em ber, that
they are dry and m ealy and will n o t be juicy. T h e berries
can be dried and deco cted in teas o r u sed fresh in elixirs as
well, and are very g o o d fo r stress relief, insom nia, anxiety,
traum a and grief. W ine and m ead can be m ade from b o th
the dried flow ers and fresh (or frozen and thaw ed) berries.
M ead w ith the dried le a f/flo w e r is excellent and if m ade a
year in advance m akes the p erfect May E ve libation. T h e
fresh b erries can be infused in to brandy o r p o rt and m ade
in to conserves along w ith o th e r fruit, as they are m ealy
and dry b u t high in pectin. D o n o t use dry berries (reserve
these fo r tea), b u t freeze fresh ones and th en de thaw
b e fo re using. D o n o t h eat the berries in any way before
adding alcohol, as they will gel up in to a gloppy m ess due
to the high pectin content.
Many thanks to the hawthorn trees, the wild trees and lone
thorns, and to the unkempt hedges that shelter and nourish more
than ju s t birds and snakes. Also, the spirits o f the land reside
in these places, old and haunted grounds still hold their powers.
Hawthorn offers healing remedies and fo lk magic both to us
humans, but beyond that she is a refuge to those o f the unseen
world, at all times unsettling and strange. M ay those who still
believe in her power continue to protect her, by offerings
and wishes remembered.
Л Witch bottle to Turn Tack a Jealous Enemy I'T

T his folk ch arm is to be m ade in o rd er to d efen d against
p o iso n o u s envy, w hich will m ake one sick over a tim e if
n o t p u t in check. E nvy is o f course the basis for the long
feared E vil Eye. M ere adm iration is healthy, b u t once the
adm iration turns to seething jealousy, this charm can be
em ployed, based on the old fashioned ‘w itch b o ttle ’. O n
the full m o o n gath er nine long and sharp th o rn s from a
hedgerow o r garden h a w th o rn tree, after an o ffering o f
194
H aw thorn Tree
bread and cream is m ade. Be careful while rem oving the

th orns, if you y o urself are pricked, you m ust w ait until
the next full m oon and choose an o th er tree, discarding all
o f the spines near the base o f th at tree. U p o n returning
hom e, have at the ready an earthenw are bo ttle w ith a tight
fitting cork. Place the spines facing upw ards in the bottle
and add a curl o f p ap er w ith the nam e w ritten o f the one
w h o m is envious, tied w ith a black scrap o f cloth. A dd
th en your ow n hair and fingernail clippings to draw the
energy o f the jealous one, and add a tab lesp o o n o f b o th
salt and poppy seeds. C ork th e b o ttle tightly and repeat
these w ords thrice:
Tor the one whom is envious, let their Eye be shut blind,
Tor the one whom is coveting, let them be bound to the tree
Tor the one whom is poisonous, let them be circled with spines,
Tor the one whom is jealous, let them be powerless over thee.
T h e b o ttle shall th en be b uried upside dow n outside at

the c o rn e r o f your dwelling nearest the h earth o r fireplace.
I f you do n o t have one, th en outside n earest the heat
source. T his will p ro te c t you from fu rth e r dam age caused
by the said p e rso n ’s jealous glance and behavior.
H aw th o rn B erry H oney —Freeze and dethaw haw th o rn
berries. Pick them over for leaves and twigs. Place them in
a pan w ith just a little w ater, enough to steam them , b u t no
m ore. Bring to a boil and ‘steam ’ w ith the lid on for about
10 m inutes, careful n o t to b u rn , as the w ater may ru n out
if you added to o little. T h en , one h a lf cup o r so at a tim e,
take a sturdy stainless steel sieve and a w ooden pestle and
w ork them th ro u g h it. T his is a sticky and tedious task, but
w o rth it. Scrap the b o tto m o f the sieve w ith ru b b e r spatula
every m inute o r so, saving this precious sm o o th pulp in
a n o th e r bowl. W hen you th in k you have g o tte n all o f the
pulp from the seeds and skins, discard and refill your sieve
w ith m ore steam ed berries and w ork until they are all done.
Take the pulp and stir in an equal am o u n t o f honey. Store
195
in a m ason jar in the fridge. T his is a spectacular way to

take h a w th o rn , a few sp o o n fu l’s a day, or o f course spread
o n b u tte re d toast. U se w ithin ab o u t 6 weeks o r freeze.
Hawthorn E lix ir
To m ake an incredible elixir, take h a w th o rn berries th at
have been frozen and dethaw them . Fill a wide m o u th
m ason jar 1 /2 full o f the berries and sm ash them lightly
w ith a w oo d en pestle. T h e n add a n o th e r qu arter o f the jar
w ith previously dried and c ru m b led h a w th o rn flow er and
leaf. Fill the jar to V4 w ith brandy and to p o ff w ith honey,
leaving a b o u t an inch o f space on top. Cap and shake daily
for 8 weeks. Strain and let m ature 6 m o n th s if possible, it
gets b e tte r w ith tim e. Take fo r an am azing h e a rt or stress
tonic, I take a sh o t a day o r so, split in to two doses.
196
OAK T R E E
Q uerctts spp
, n the golden shores grow the twilight oaks,

f-with tawny leaves and
acorn ornam ents. T he
faces in the bark are regal
and lordly, m oving from
one expression to the
next. T he ancient trees
h o st spirits and under
an oak tree, w isdom
can be revealed if one
knows how to listen
and how to hear. Tree
o f safety and p rotection to
the hum an w anderers, may
we rest in your shade and
dream a while w ith clear
seeing eyes, may we know
your strong tru n k against
ou r back w hen we again
awaken. G olden green
boughs and darkling roots
lead to places and paths
untro d d en by hum an foot
falls, these roads enspirited
in the mist.
T he nam e Quercus com es from the Latin genera for ‘oak
tree’, o f w hich there are around six h u n d red species roughly.
T hey are in the beech family, Fagaceae. O aks are native to
the N o rth e rn hem isphere, w ith around ninety species being
located in the U nited States alone. T he local oak o f the
197
Pacific N o rth w est is the G ary oak, Quercus garjanna. T here

are som e absolutely huge and gorgeous trees covered in
lichens in the prairie lands, and also right on the shores
o f the Puget Sound inlet (the Salish Sea). T hey leaf out
later than all o f the o ther tree giants o f this place, such a
handsom e tree is the m ighty oak, know n as ‘L ord o f the
F o rest’ from folk tradition.
We see th at oak was a sacred tree from m any cultures
in the past, its stren g th and beauty surely im printing
peoples from long ago, n o t to m en tio n its durability for
building m aterials o f m any sorts. F ro m G reek m yth, the
oak was the tree o f Z eus and was his em blem . Legends
tell th at there was a sacred oak th a t was a m agical oracle at
D o d o n a , G reece w here w hite doves lived and cold ru sh in g
w aters p o u red fro m the roots. I t was told th at Z eus lived
in the tree and his voice was the ru stlin g o f the leaves,
w hich w ere the oracular pow ers. A lso from G reece, the
oak tree was know n as the ‘first m o th e r’ to hum ans,
feeding th em w ith h er acorns and honey. T h e three Fates,
‘the w hite ro b ed incarnations o f destiny’, along w ith W itch
G o d d ess H ecate, w ere crow ned in oak leaves. O ak chaplets
w ere given for the E leusinian M ysteries, yearly initiation
cerem onies in ancient G reece fo r th e cult o f D em eter and
P ersep h o n e —
‘Then crowned with Oaken chaplets, marched the priest of

TLleusinian Ceres, and with boughs o f oak were overshadowed
in the feast, the teeming basket and mystic vase’ —
a bit o f prose from eighteenth century Irish-A nglo poet
M ary Tighe.
In S candinavian m yth, th e oak was sacred to T h o r, the

th u n d e r G o d . O ak trees w ere also sacred to C eltic priests
and to the legendary D ru id s. P liny was the one w ho
re c o rd e d the use o f m istleto e th a t grew on the sacred oak
trees by the D ru id s. H e also w ro te a b o u t th eir rituals in
oak groves th a t involved using the leaves. O ld w ritings tell
198
O a k Tree
th a t h u m an sacrifice victim s o f the D ru id s w ere crow ned

w ith oak leaves and the sacrificial fires w ere kindled w ith
oak w ood. It is th o u g h t th a t som e old m o n asteries were
b u ilt on sacred oak groves and n e a r sacred oaks. O ak
was rev ered in Ire la n d as well, as it was believed th a t the
trees co u ld n o t be soaked by rain o r destro y ed by fire.
H e rn e the H u n te r was associated w ith oak trees —he was
a g h o st fro m th e W in d so r fo re st in E n g la n d w h o was
c o m p a red to O d in , S candinavian G o d o f the W ild H u n t.
S hakespeare w rote:
There is an old tale goes that Herne the H unter Sometime a

keeper in Windsor Forest, Doth all the winter time, at still
midnight, Walk round about an oak, with great ragged horns,
There want not many that do fear In deep of night to walk by
this Herne’s oak ’
O f all th e trees, oak was th o u g h t to be stru c k by

lig h tn in g m o re o fte n and it was said to draw th u n d e r
to it. In W ales specifically it was believed dan g ero u s to
fin d sh e lte r u n d e r an oak tree d u rin g a lig h tn in g sto rm ,
as it co u ld be stru c k ’50 tim es d e e p e r’ th an o th e r trees.
F ro m an old an onym ous poem : To the dread rattling
thunder, Have I given fire, and rifted Jove’s stout oak with his
own bolt’, Jove b ein g the R om an G o d Ju p ite r, to w h o m
th e oak was also d ed icated to. C hildren fro m S om erset
E n g la n d w ere to ld to nev er picnic u n d e r an oak on
T hursday, w hich was ‘T h o r ’s day’. Pieces o f oak th at had
b e e n stru c k by lig h tn in g w ere taken and u sed as am ulets
against lightning, as w ere acorns. Som e places in E u ro p e
believed th a t it was the ‘iro n ’ in the oak tree th at drew
the lig h tn in g — u n d e rsta n d ab le as this was the stro n g e st
tree for b uilding m aterials. Twigs o f oak, oak apples and
acorns w ere placed in a jar on the m an tel w ith in cottages
against lightning, fro m E n g lan d . T h e b o u g h s o f leaves
w ere g a th e re d to p ro te c t th e ho m e fro m sto rm s, in the
nam es o f M o th e r M ary and Jesus, from Italy. B ringing
199
oak am ulets to sea was a v ery im p o rta n t p rac tic e against

lig h tn in g strik in g the ship o u t o n th e o p e n ocean.
M arriages w ere c o m m o n u n d e r old oaks and even
after the church forbade the practice, it was traditional
in som e places to dance three tim es around an oak tree
a fter a w edding. O ak boughs w ere carried during R om an
w eddings as a sym bol o f fertility. ‘B ou n d ary oaks’ w ere
ancient trees th at defined b o undaries in olden lands, stories
a b o u t th em com e even fro m m ythology. T hey w ere know n
to b ecom e green again on old C hristm as day, January 6th.
M any individual oaks th ro u g h o u t B ritain have their ow n
legends and stories attached to them . A lth o u g h the Yule
log was know n to be from the ash tree in som e parts, folks
from G erm any, Czech R epublic, Serbia and Italy originally
used oak w ood. I t was th o u g h t unlucky o r even sinful to
cut dow n oak trees in olden tim es. In Ireland, the fine was
one cow if a p erso n broke the law. In the Balkans, it is still
believed by som e th a t spirits appear near the oak tree after
m idnight, in the shape o f a dog, bull, go at o r large rabbit.
T h ese spirits are th o u g h t to be p ro tectiv e o f the tree that
they inhabit.
T here is an old E nghsh saying ’Faerie fo lk s live in old oaks’.
Elves and faeries were tho u g h t to dwell in oak branches,
w ithin its leaves. A ncient oak w oodlands were know n to be
h au n ted by elves and faeries, particularly w hen the bluebells
bloom ed in them , during April. Lore tells for a child to never
to visit a ‘bluebell w o o d ’, else they be taken by the faeries
and never returned. Som etim es lone oak trees were haunted
as well, by spirit powers.
‘The faeries from their nightly haunt, In copse, dell or round the
trunk revered o f Herne’s moon silvered Oak, shall chase away
each fog, each blight, and dedicate to peace Thy classic shade ’
an o th er bit o f prose from M ary Tighe, A nglo-Irish poet.
F rom Yorkshire com es the belief that to find an oak tree

w ith a large hole in it confirm ed th at it was haunted, and
200
O a k Tree
G erm ans believed th at an oak w ith a hole in it provided an

entrance and exit for elves to com e and go.
Som e believed th at if an oak was cut dow n, it w ould
scream . To hear th at sou n d could cause death in the family
w ithin the year, o r at least b rin g illness to th e p erso n that
had heard it. T h e H e d d o n oak near C row com be village,
E ngland, was said to be h a u n te d by h u m an spirits th at
w ere h u n g there for their crim es —after dark it was unw ise
to walk near this tree, as the branches w ould creak w ith the
ghosts still sw inging fro m them . Som e oaks w ere know n as
funeral trees, w here ravens croaked on the branches and
drew lightning to them . In certain districts, it was lucky
to tell the nearest oak tree o f a death in the family. Also,
certain oaks w ere know n to foretell death fro m fam ilies
th a t they belonged to, by the com ing o f strange leaves. T he
fam ous w arrioress Jo a n o f A rc was p u t to d eath as a w itch
at 19, w ith one reason being th at she freq u en ted a faerie
oak’, h u n g garlands from it and danced aro u n d it — taken
as a sure sign th a t she was receiving spiritual pow ers from
it. H ere is a quote from ancient R om an p o e t Virgil, being
over two th o u sa n d years old: O f nymphs andfauns and savage
men, who took their birth from trunks o f trees and stubborn Oaks. ’
Surely we can see the association w ith spirits and the oak
tree having b een know n since ancient times.
T h e re is a fam ous o ld oak in S herw ood F o re st in
E n g lan d th a t was su p p o sed to be the h id e o u t o f legendary
R obin H o o d , still visited today by tourists. D u rin g h o t
sum m ers w h en fo re st fire is a th re a t, p eo p le d ren ch the
tree w ith th o u sa n d s o f gallons o f w ater daily to keep it
safe just in case. T h e re is a village in K e n t E n g lan d th a t
is called ‘Seven O a k s’. T h e related legend goes that after
Cain m u rd e red his b ro th e r, he was p u n ish e d by having to
carry A b e l’s body fo r 500 years. W hen he finally b u ried it,
he u sed his sta ff to m ark the grave, fro m w hich seven oak
trees grew.
To dream o f oak in b eautiful foliage was a very g o o d
sign, b u t to dream o f a b lasted oak, was a g rea t w arning
201
— sudden death. To dream o f an oak w ith o u t foliage tells

o f p o v erty in old age, w hile seeing the tree w ith acorns
tells o f g reat w ealth. To see m any young oaks in a dream
tells o f having m any brave sons. O ak was an old em blem
for m ajesty and stren g th . O ak was also an old sym bol o f
hospitality, to give an oak b ran ch m ean t ‘you are w elcom e
h e re ’. T h e oak tree is u n d e r the d o m in io n o f Ju p iter,
according to astrologers o f the past.
A corns had their ow n lore. M any acorns m ean t a long
hard w inter to com e. A corns w ere p u t in to the hands
o f the deceased in som e parts o f E u ro p e. T hey w ere
also associated w ith faeries, said to be the pipes th at
leprechauns sm oked o u t of, and their cups w ere know n
to be a faeries’ shelter. T hey w ere carried as an am ulet for
youth and vitality, and to p rev en t rheum atism . A corns w ere
also carried as an am ulet against diarrhea —pow dered they
w ere taken internally in small am ounts fo r the sam e thing.
D ream ing o f acorns was a sign o f g o o d fo rtu n e to com e.
In a sim ple acorn love divination, two aco rn caps w ere
taken and nam ed for each lover. T h e n they w ere floated in
a bow l o f w ater, if they sailed and floated together, there
w ould be a m arriage, if they drifted, the lovers w ould too
d rift apart. I f the b rid eg ro o m was to carry an aco rn in his
p o cket during the w edding, he w ould have long life and
g o o d virility, as they sym bolized fertility.
W h en oak leaves curl up, it foretells h o t w eather. A rhym e
ab o u t w eather lore goes: ‘Oak Smoke, A s h Splash ’, m eaning
th at if the oak leafs o u t b efore the ash tree, there will be
a d ro u g h t or h o t dry w eather, b u t if the ash leafs o u t first
b efo re the oak tree, there will be m uch rain. A n o th e r old
saying ‘I f oak and ash leaves show together, Us may fear some
awful weather. This could be a sight but seldom seen, That could
remind we what has been’. I t was also know n th a t oak and
w alnut could n o t g row near each o th er, as one o f them
w ould perish. O ak apples are a special gall th a t grow s on
oak trees, a place w here insects lay eggs and develop. T hey
are a small ro u n d g ro w th on the tree. T hey w ere used in
202
O a k Tree
m edieval tim es to m ake ink and dye and have som e o f

their ow n lore. O n e bit o f lore tells th at they were used
for divination, d ep ending on the insect found inside. I f
a fly was found, it m eant a quarrel to com e, if a spider
was found, it m eant illness, if a w orm was found it m eant
poverty. A n o th e r in te rp re ta tio n was to w atch the w orm
th at cam e o u t o f the oak gall —if it flew away, it signified
w ar to com e, if it creeped away, it m ean t a grain shortage
and if it ‘ran a b o u t’ th en it to ld o f the plague to com e —no
g o o d om ens here!
Folk m agic abounds w ith uses fo r the oak tree. A m agical
cure for ague was to peg a lock o f the su fferer’s hair to
the tru n k , leaving the fever w ith the oak as a transference
charm - oak trees w ere som etim es planted at a crossroads
fo r this specific p u rp o se. F ro m Italy, am ulets w ere m ade
fro m binding oak twigs to g eth e r in the fo rm o f a cross to
help prev en t insom nia. F ro m Wales, a piece o f oak bark
was taken in the left h an d on M idsum m ers D ay before
sunrise and ru b b e d dow n the body in silence —this was to
heal all o p en sores. In G erm an y craw ling th ro u g h an oak
cleft in a tree was supposed cure hern ia and o th e r disorders
by transference. In Russia, the oak had a sim ilar m agical
p u rp o se as a tree th a t w ould take on hum an disease by
transference, in fact m any d ifferent trees have transference
charm s ascribed to them .
A n o rth e rn G erm an rem edy for gout involved the oak
tree. O ne was to take a hold o f an oak sh o o t and speak this
charm:
Oak-shoot, I to thee complain, all the torturing gout plagues

me. I cannot fo r it go, thou canst stand it. The first bird that
flies above thee, to him give it in his flight, let him take it with
him in the air, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost
—Am en.
A chip o f magically inscribed oak w ood was used in

Swedish folk magic for bringing back a thief. It was b urned
203
in a fire and the charcoal taken and g ro u n d in a household

grain mill, going backwards, w ith the left hand. This was
done on a Thursday. T h e charcoal rem ains were placed in
a linen bag and taken to a n o rth ru nning stream , and set
in the w aters in such a way so the bag was w hipped. This
w ould bring the th ief no peace until he cam e and returned
the stolen goods.
Sleeping u n d e r an an c ie n t oak tree was a su p p o sed cure
fo r paralysis. Folks w ith to o th a c h e w ould drive nails in oak
trees to leave th eir pain w ith th e tree. M ay dew g ath ered
fro m an oak o n th e m o rn in g o f M ay D ay b e fo re sunrise
was a beau ty tre a tm e n t fo r th e skin. S co ttish highlanders
w ould draw p ro te c tiv e circles a ro u n d them selves w ith
young oak saplings. T h e w ater fo u n d in the hollow places
in an cien t oaks was u sed as a lo tio n fo r foul scabs, helping
th em to heal. I t was in fact healing to to u ch any diseased
p a rt o f th e b o d y to the ‘faerie d o o rs ’ in an cien t oaks,
w hich are th e h o llow places o r holes in th e tree. Fallen oak
leaves w ere u sed in a N e w Y ear’s D ay c u sto m pro b ab ly
fo r p ro te c tio n d u rin g the d ark est nights o f the year,
as this old an o n y m o u s rhym e relays: From the wood some
oak leaves bring, That were green in early spring; Scatter them
about the bier O f the now departing у ear’ To w ear oak leaves
w o u ld p ro te c t o n e fro m evil pow ers and dark w itchcraft,
cro ssro ad oaks b e in g m o st effective for this p u rp o se,
know n in E n g la n d as ‘cross o ak s’. G rass g a th e re d from
the to p o f an oak tree was u sed fo r u n k n o w n m agical
p u rp o ses. To p lan t an ac o rn d u rin g the d ark o f the m o o n
w ould m an ifest receiving o r in h e ritin g m oney. To su sp en d
an aco rn aro u n d the neck o f a child w ould p ro te c t them
fro m harm .
Folk Medicine №
M edicinal uses fo r oak reflect its high tan n in c o n te n t — it
is a very astrin g en t tree. F ro m the G reek island Chios, a
p o tio n was m ade fro m the oak galls in w ine and taken for
diarrhea. In general, oak b ark was used as an infu sio n for
204
O a k Tree
a sore th ro a t and fo r spitting up blood. A d ecoction o f

the bark was also taken to sto p in tern al bleeding and used
topically for eczem a, freckles, su n b u rn , pim ples, and used
as a hair rinse for darkening hair. T h e re was a cure from
Suffolk for ague th at used small am ounts o f acorns m ixed
in gin and beer. G ratin g a ripe aco rn in w arm m ilk was a
cure for diarrhea from Suffolk, also the bark in m ilk was
know n as a general an tid o te for poisonings o f m any sorts.
T h e distilled w ater o f the oak bu d , b efore leafing out, was
used for internally and externally fo r inflam m ation, diarrhea
and excess discharges o f any so rt. A R om any recipe for
stom ach problem s, including diarrhea and ulcers, was a tea
m ade from a m ixture o f E nglish oak bark, rose leaves, long
sp u rred pansy ro o ts (Т 7 0 /д calcarata), co m m o n sage leaves
and blackberry leaves, one cup sipped th ro u g h o u t the day.
A cure for ringw orm was to take six oak leaves and boil
th em in w ater, th en drink the water. A horse rem edy for
shoulder sores was to m ake a deco ctio n w ith w ater and oak
b ark and use as a w ash on the sores.
T h e N ative A m erican tribes had m any m edicinal uses
fo r the m any species o f oaks th a t g ro w in N o rth A m erica.
E x te rn a l uses and in te rn al uses can be generalized to
include w ashes o f the b ark fo r w ounds, sores, pain, b urns,
an eye w ash, skin ulcers, itching and infections. T he bark
was chew ed for m o u th sores and applied to h em o rrh o id s
by m any tribes. Internally, a d e c o ctio n o f the b ark was
used for sore th ro a ts, fo r ho arsen ess, g astro in testin al
troubles, coughs and lung issues, as a d o uche fo r w o m en ’s
in fectio n s and taken as a tonic. I t was u sed by w om en
specifically in d iffe re n t ways. A c o m p o u n d d eco ctio n o f
the n o rth e rn pin oak Quercus ellipsoidaliswas taken to bring
on su p p re sse d m e n stru a tio n caused by coldness, by the
M enom inee tribe. T h e N avajo tribe used the ro o t bark
d e c o ctio n fo r a fte rb irth pains, to help deliver the placenta,
and as a ‘life m ed icin e’. T h e K a ro k tribe used an infusion
o f G ary o a k Quercusgaryanna b e fo re th e b irth o f a w o m an ’s
first child, and ru b b e d the b ark on h e r sides and stom ach to
205
p rep are h er for h er first delivery. T h e C hoctaw tribe used

an in fu sio n o f the Blackjack oak Quercus marilandica coals
to help w ith a fte rb irth pains and cram ping. A n in terestin g
use com es from the Iro q u o is tribe — a w hite oak Quercus
alba d e c o ctio n was u sed som ehow to c o u n te rac t loneliness
and as a w itch c raft m edicine fo r w h en o n e ’s w ife was ‘o ff
ru n n in g a ro u n d ’. T h e Sem inole tribe used a d eco ctio n o f
the w illow oak Quercusphellos w ood ash fo r a love m edicine,
by placing it on the tongue to stre n g th e n a m arriage.
Personal Practices ‫' ׳‬P

T h e oak tree holds stro n g solar pow ers and is especially
protective and p o te n t w hen h arv ested on M idsum m er’s
Eve. T h ese leaves can be h u n g in the hom e along w ith
o th e r herbs o f M idsum m er such as elder, m ugw ort and St.
Jo h n s w ort. T hey can be b u rn e d in the sacred M idw inter
fire on C hristm as Eve. Som e leaves are kept how ever for
use in charm s w here stren g th and p ro te c tio n are needed.
A branch o f oak w ith acorns can be harv ested in late
sum m er and the acorns used fo r fertility charm s, for m en
in particular. Also, w hen used as an am ulet in a pouch, they
are p ro tectiv e for m ale children as well. T he w ind fall from
au tu m n and w inter storm s can be g ath ered from large
trees and dried to save fo r fire offerings later in the year,
being very p ro tectiv e for use in ritual fires. I f a pentacle
is b u rn e d o r carved o n to a piece o f oak w ood, it can be
carried as a p ro tectiv e talism an on a journey o r h u n g above
the do o rs o f a hom e for p ro te c tio n . A m ber beads can be
h u n g in an oak tree for a tim e during the lo ngest days o f
the year, and then rem oved for added po ten cy in their use
in healing work.
T h e lichen from the oaks, Tobariapulmonaria also know n
as ‘lung w o rt lichen’ or ‘oak lu n g ’ o r even ‘oak rag ’, can be
used fo r lung and bronchial troubles in an infusion and
as an orange dye w ith o u t the use o f a m o rd an t. I f one is
lucky enough to live w ith the oak species th a t grow s the
oakm oss o r Tvernia prunastri lichen, it can be used in all
206
O a k Tree
so rts o f natural perfum e balm s, b est infused in bear fat

- it is deeply fragrant and earthy, like n o th in g else. As an
infusion, it m akes a healing skin wash.
Many thanks to the strong and mystic oak, house of spirits

from ancient earthen realms. M ay me still perceive remnants
o f wisdom as we work with this healing and protective tree,
its sacred roots in deep earth. Tong may the Lord o f the Forest
be revered, shelter to deer and stag, to omen bird and charms
cloaked and hidden.
Divination by O ak Spirits Ш'

O n the full m o o n nearest M idsum m er’s Eve, find a large
and h a u n te d oak tree, the closer to a w ater source, the
better. D o n o t go at nighttim e. W ear no iro n o r m etal, m ake
sure o f this. B ring offerings o f cakes and cream for the
tree, along w ith one chunk o f raw sugar, to be deposited
at the ro o ts o f the tree. Have w ith you a n o te b o o k and
black pen. W ithin a black cloth, have w ritten your question
on a paper in black ink. C hoose a b ran ch end and tie the
black cloth to it, concealing it as b est as you can. I f you
have any reservations or fear as you do this, find an o th er
tree. Sit w ith your back against the tru n k o f the tree and
go into a trance to find the spirit o f this tree. W hen you
c o n ta c t it, explain w hat answ ers you are seeking and the
reasons. A sk the spirit if it is w illing to help you. I f no t,
bow politely and re tu rn to your body and leave the prem ise
quietly and w ith o u t resen tm en t. F ind an o th e r oak tree to
ask, if a second one refuses you, your questions are to
rem ain unansw ered.
I f the spirit is w illing to help you, express your g ratitu d e
and see w h at develops o f the vision. S om etim es the things
perceived m ay n o t m ake sense u ntil m uch later. R ecord
your visio n and any significant in fo rm a tio n in your
n o te b o o k . T h e oak spirits are very wise and som etim es
a teacher o r fam iliar can be fo u n d u n d e r th e trees in the
spirit realm s. W atch for this. Always ask the spirit its nam e
207
and if it refuses to answ er, th e n it sh o u ld be strongly

avoided. Always com e back by the sam e way you cam e
in, re tu rn in g to the sam e tree your b o d y is restin g under.
Leave the tree in g ratitu d e and leave the p ap er fo r seven
days. See w h at dream s you have d u ring the next seven
nights, they m ay be p e rtin e n t to the situ atio n at hand.
R etu rn to the tree after seven days to rem ove the question.
T his tree m ay be visited th ro u g h o u t the year for m aking
offerings and co n n ectio n s, b u t only ask o f its divination
pow ers once p er year.
208
ASH
Fraxinus spp
sh tree, old one w ith furrow ed dark bark, your healing

charm s are u p o n the altar and above the bedstead.
W atching ravens perch in your branches, shaded by
the soft green leaflets, there are w ands and amulets, there are
circles and girdles w orn and carried for protection. Healing
tree, O ld Wyfe o f the w et places, black roots in the ditches
o f the w ater springs, you keep safe ou r babies, our children.
M edicine o f ancestors, you w atch even still, from
your grove pulsating w ith
undetected b u t for the
spirits that linger there.
T h e genus Fraxinus
is in the olive family,
O/eaceae, there being
around 55 species. T he
E uropean ash Fraxinus
excelsior is a tree
w ith m uch folklore
ascribed to it. T he
nam e ‘ash’ com es from
the O ld English ‘aesc’,
b o th w ords tho u g h t to
m ean ‘spear’. T he ash
tree that grow s in the
Pacific N o rth w est region
o f the w orld is the O regon
ash, Fraxinus latifolia.
Loving the w ettest parts o f
the landscape, this tree will
happily spread its seeds and
becom e an overw helm ing patch
209
o f young trees. T here are som e very large ash trees that live
w ith their roots deep in the w ater ditches and near creeks,
and even lakes. They are hauntingly beautiful.
Som e T e u to n ic c re a tio n stories to ld th a t the first m an
cam e fro m an ash tree, w hereas th e first w o m an cam e
fro m an alder tree. In N o rth e rn m ythology, the w orld
tree Y ggdrasil is su p p o sed to have b e e n an ash tree,
th o u g h som e scholars believe it to be th e yew tree, w hich
was originally re fe rre d to as ‘ev erg reen a sh ’, re fe rrin g to
Taxus bacata in stead . T h e N o rse G o d O d in h u n g h im se lf
o n th e w orld tree in his q u e st fo r w isdom . T h is sacred tree
h ad th re e w ells (or springs) sym bolizing force, m em o ry
and life, at its ro o ts w hich w e n t d o w n to H e la ’s realm .
Id u n a , th e G o d d e ss o f life, gave th e tree fru it, w hich
w ere m o re like apples and w ere fed to th e G o d s. T h e
th re e W eird Sisters o f p ast, p re s e n t an d fu tu re ten d e d
the tree by sp rin k lin g it w ith w ater fro m m elted snow so
th a t it w o u ld n o t w ither. U n d e r th e tree was a m agical
h o rn th a t if blow n, w o u ld som eday signify th e en d o f
th e universe.
T he ash tree was used in protective folk magic in m any
ways for guarding against the Evil Eye and dark w itchcraft.
G erm ans were said to give ‘honey’ from the ash tree for
their babies first food. Similar to this, from the H ighlands o f
Scotland, midwives attending a b irth w ould place a piece o f
green ash w ithin the fire and collect the sap that oozed from
it. T his sap placed on a small spoon w ould be the babies
first food, likely a protective m easure for the infant. A sh
‘fru it’, referring to the seed pods or ‘keys’ as they are called,
was know n from m ythology to ensure a safe childbirth. A sh
twigs hung around a baby’s cradle w ould p ro tect it from
harm . F rom D evonshire came a tradition to give a baby its
first w ashing from w ater boiled over a fire o f ash w ood, as it
was believed that the baby Jesus was w ashed similarly after
he was born.
T here were sacred ash trees in Ireland that were know n to
p ro te c t from storm s and were n o t allowed to be cut down.
210
ЛзЬ
Its ancient Irish nam e Nion translates into ‘cloud m aker’.

I f one did cut dow n a sacred ash tree, it was thought that a
house fire w ould occur as a result. It was considered unsafe
to take shelter under an ash tree in tim es past, as it was
thought to attract lightning, an old saying being A void the ash,
it courts the flash. H ow ever, though ash trees were connected
w ith lightning, they also p ro tected from it —this is similar to
oak. An old protective com bination was w ith ash, haw thorn
Cratagus spp. and houseleek Sempervivum tectorum. A sh was
also used in charm s to p ro tect from fire, a W est C ountry
version using the leaves tied w ith red thread and suspended
in the hom e. A sh had a connection to b o th fire and w ater in
the lore. It was used to p ro tect one from drow ning and was
taken to sea for this in tim es past. B oat oars were m ade from
its w ood for the same underlying purpose. It was know n to
have pow er over water, hence its use in rain m aking rituals
from ancient G reek tradition.
T h e ash tree was used as a p rotection against dark w itchcraft
extensively. E ating the buds o f the ash w ould make one
invulnerable to w itchcraft. F rom Lincolnshire com es the use
o f the female ash w ith ‘berries’, called Sheder, used against
a male w itch, and the male ash, called heder, used against a
female witch. I f a hom e had an ash tree grove nearby, it was
p ro tected from w itchcraft, the leaves could also be hung in
the hom e for the same. I f the leaves were hung above the
bedstead, they w ould bring p ro tectio n to the one sleeping.
Related, if one was to carry a bunch o f ash leaves in their
hand, they w ould be p ro tected from witches. Peasants from
N o rm an d y w ould sew pieces o f ash bark, along w ith elm
bark Ulmus spp., in their clothing for protection. T here was a
W itches Well at Pandlestone, in Som erset U K that was long
feared until an ash tree grew near it, m aking it no longer a
force o f evil. A sh w ood was burned in Ireland for protection
from ‘D evils’. Interestingly, w itch’s broom sticks were told to
be m ade o f ash w ood and willow twigs, b o u n d w ith birch
bark —from som e areas o f course, depending on w hat was
available. T he inclusion o f ash as the broom stick was to
211
keep the w itch safe from drow ning as she flew over the sea
on her way to the Sabbat.
A nim als o f the farm w ere also p ro te c te d fro m w itchcraft
and h a rm using the ash tree, th eir survival being essential
for the family in tim es past. Striking a b east (lightly) w ould
p ro te c t cattle, as w ould hanging w reaths w ound from the
branches aro u n d th eir horns. F ro m an ash tree w here a
h o rsesh o e had been b u ried am ong the ro o ts could be
harv ested a branch th at was stro k ed on an anim al for
p ro te c tio n , being doubly effective because o f the iron
h o rsesh o e as well. T h ere w ere trees know n as ‘Shrew A sh ’s’
in certain villages, w here a ‘shrew m o u se ’ was blam ed for
a lim b disease o f h o rse and cattle, and som etim es hum ans.
In o rd er to deal w ith these afflictions, a live shrew w ould be
in serted into a hole b o red in the ash tree, and shut in to die
an u n fo rtu n a te death. T h e leaves and branches harvested
fro m these trees w ere ru b b e d o n the affected lim bs o f the
sufferer as a cure.
T h e ash tree, like the ha 2 el tree, has long been a repellent
o f snakes, since Pliny’s tim e and m o st likely before. Pliny
w rote that a snake w ould rather be b u rn ed in a fire th at be
touched by an ash stick. Folks from Cornwall w ould carry a
stick o f ash to p ro te c t from the adder snake, and if struck
w ith an ash stick, the snake was know n to perish. I f any
o th er w ood was used, the snake w ould live until the sun w ent
dow n, F rom seventeenth century po et A braham Cowley:
On the wild A s h ’s tops, the bats and the owls,

With, all night, ominous and banefulfowls,
Sat brooding, while the screeches of these droves,
Profaned and violated all these groves.
B ut that which gave more wonder than rest,
W ithin an ash a serpent built her nest,
A n d laid her eggs, when once to come beneath,
The very shadow o f the ash was death ’.
T h e snakes were believed to even stay o u t o f the shadow
o f the tree. Som etim es ash trees were planted around houses
212
As■h
to keep the adder snake away. F rom D evonshire cam e the

practice o f draw ing a circle around a snake w ith an ash stick
to kill it. F rom Som erset cam e the custom o f hanging a
w reath o f flowers on an ash tree close to the farm in order
to p ro tect people o f the family from a snakebite for the
w hole year. Carrying a piece o f ash bark in ones pocket to
keep away snakes was practiced in Wales.
A n old legend tells ab o u t a child w hom received his
p o rtio n o f bread and milk at the cottage door. H e becam e
acquainted w ith a snake and began to share his food w ith
it. O vertim e, this was discovered by the m o th er w ho was
a laborer in a nearby field. Being as she could n o t keep the
snake from the child, she tied an ash twig to the child’s body.
T he snake could no longer com e near the child, and the
p o o r child eventually pined away for its com panion and
died, a rather sad story indeed.
A sh also w as u se d in d iffe re n t physical rem ed ies for
tre a tin g sn ak eb ite b ecau se o f its lore. I f a d o g was b itte n
by a snake, g ree n ash tips w ere d e c o c te d in w ater and the
resu ltin g liquid given to th e d o g to d rink. F o r an anim al
o r a p e rs o n , to e ffe c t a sn ak eb ite cure, ash b ran c h e s m ade
in to a circ le t an d p laced a ro u n d th e n eck w ere know n to
help. A six te e n th c e n tu ry sn a k eb ite rem ed y tells to take
ash le a f juice in w h ite w ine. T h e leaves c o u ld be applied
as a sn a k eb ite p o u ltice , alo n g w ith rec itin g this sim ple
c h a rm (fro m S om erset) A shing Tree, A shing Tree, Take this
bite away from me’ I t w as m o st h e lp fu l to suck th e w o u n d
and spit, re p e a tin g th ese w o rd s fo r a to ta l o f th re e tim es.
A lo n g w ith snakes, the ash tree was believed in som e
p a rts to be d e stru c tiv e to frogs a n d to ad s as w ell. O n e
b e lie f tells th a t i f any p o n d was o v e rlo a d ed w ith frogs
and to ad s, by th ro w in g in a lo ad o f ash b ran c h e s in to
th e p o n d , o n e c o u ld drive th em away w ith in th re e days.
I w o u ld th in k this to be a b o o n , h o w ev er folks in tim es
p a st certain ly feared rep tiles b ecau se o f th e ir p o iso n o u s
v irtu e s a n d u n d erly in g c h th o n ic p ow ers c o n n e c te d to
w itch c raft.
213
T here are certain superstitions associated w ith ash trees.

I f a cluster o f the seeds or ‘keys’ as they are know n drops in
fro n t o f a person, it was a death om en. H ow ever, carrying
a bunch o f ash keys was know n to help prevent one from
being bew itched or ‘overlooked’. Finding an even num bered
ash leaf was lucky (as m ost o f the leaflets are odd num bered)
and possibly foretold o f love com ing a perso n ’s way. O ne
C ornish rhym e goes: Even ash, I do thee pluck, Hoping thus to
meet good luck; I f no good luck I get from thee, I shall wish thee
in that tree’. A n o th er general rhym e goes: Even ash, even ash,
I p u ll thee off the tree; The first young man I do meet, M y lover
he shall be. ’ A fter this rhym e is spoken, the even ash leaf
was put in o n e ’s left shoe. A n o th er charm goes The even ash
leaf in my hand, The first I meet shall be my m an’ as the leaf is
held in a w om an’s hand. T h en she puts it in her glove saying
The even ash leaf in my glove, the first I meet shall be my love.
T h en placing it in her bosom , she speaks The even ash leaf in
my bosom, the fir s t I meet shall be my husband, com pleting the
spoken charm . T he even num bered ash leaf was also placed
under the pillow to bring on prophetic dreams. It could be
w orn as p rotection against evil as well.
A sh w ood was used for the Yule log in m ore southern
areas o f E urope, w hereas birch w ood was generally used in
N o rth e rn parts. As the Yule log w ound w ith green ash bark
was burned, divinations could be interpreted, the shadows
on the wall w atched for om ens. In Wales, if the shadows o f
the people in the room were w ithout heads, it was a death
om en for those involved. A bunch o f twigs called a faggot
was m ade w ith ash and w ound w ith a band o f the green
bark on Christm as Eve in som e parts o f Britain, taking the
place o f the Yule log in D evon and Som erset. T hey were
used for divinations in a similar way and for celebrating the
festivities. I f each girl p resent chose a band, which ever one
snapped first w ould indicate m arriage to come. T he rem ains
o f the Yule log itself were used magically as well. F rom
Penistone E ngland, ashes from the Yule log were kept and
scattered in the cellar to keep w itches away and to bring
214
Ash
g o o d luck to the house. F rom Som erset, they were put in the
cow b arn to bring luck during the calving season. It was o f
u p m o st im portance to save a piece o f the b u rn ed Yule log
to ignite the Yule fires for the following year, th at way luck
was carried year to year. In parts o f France and England,
the charred rem ains o f the Yule log were kept under the bed
as a protective talism an, keeping the house from b o th fire
and lightning.
In folk healing magic, the ash tree had m any uses.
W ater g ath ered from a hollow in certain ash trees was
used in healing rites, from Ireland. F ro m C ornw all com es
the practice o f carrying ash w ood in o n e ’s p o cket as a
preventative for rheum atism . A sh trees w ere used in
transference m agic for num erous uses. Passing a child
th ro u g h a hole o r cleft in the tree could cure it o f a hernia,
called the ‘ru p tu re ’ in tim es past. F ro m C ornw all, this had
to be done b efore the sun rose and the child was w ashed in
the dew collected from the same tree fo r three m ornings in
a row follow ing the transference. F ro m H erefo rd sh ire, the
child’s father had to pass him th ro u g h the ash tree saying
‘The Lordgiveth’ to an o th e r m an, w ho w ould then say ‘The
Lord recieveth’. Som e m ore specific rules applied, depending
o n the locale o f the practice. F ro m W est Sussex, the child
had to be accom panied by nine people, each one passing
th em east to w est. F ro m Suffolk, the young ash tree had
to be split exactly at sunrise, from east to w est and done
b efo re the tree had any leaves on it. T h e child was th en to
be passed th ro u g h the tree naked, feet first, tu rn e d around
tow ard the sun and this m ust be done three tim es total
for the cure to take effect. A ny ash tree th a t was used for
transference was w atched over from tim e to tim e, to m ake
sure th at it did n o t w ither and die, as the fate o f the child
was linked ever to the tree since the healing cerem ony was
p erfo rm ed . I f the tree died, it was a death om en for that
child. O th e r diseases th at could be cured from the ash
tree by transference included rickets, w h o o p in g cough and
epilepsy.
215
In a sim ple folk healing practice to cure w hoo p in g

cough, a lock o f o n e ’s hair was nailed to the ash tree, as the
hair ro tte d away, so w ould the w h o o p in g cough disappear.
W arts w ere also cured w ith the ash tree, one sim ple charm
was to by a new package o f pins, stick one separate pin in
each w art, th en pin th em each to the ash tree while reciting:
‘-Ashen tree, Ashen tree,please buy these warts o f me’. A w art cure
fro m E a st A nglia was to carve ones first and last initials
in to the b ark o f an ash tree th at had ‘keys’ o r seedpods
o n it, th en to cu t notches in to the b ark to m atch the sam e
n u m b er o f w arts. It was believed th at as the notches grew
closed, the w arts w ould disappear. T h e b e st tim e to cure
one o f w arts was in A pril and May, fro m som e p arts in
E ngland. Yet a n o th e r ash tree folk cure was for im potence.
A m an was to split a young ash tree (or hazel) and hold the
split to g eth e r o n the top, this m aking a sym bolic vulva. H e
w ould th en place his private p a rt w ithin the split. Likely
w ords w ere recited, now lo st in the past. To finish the
charm , he w ould b in d up th e tree. As it healed so w ould his
im p o ten ce disappear.
A Sussex cure for bed w etting was for a child to go to an
ash tree alone and gather a bunch o f keys, keeping the keys
in the hollow o f the right arm on the way hom e. W hen the
child returned hom e, the bunch o f keys was b u rn t in the fire,
then the child was to urinate on the ashes, thus affecting the
cure. To prevent neuralgia from W iltshire, one w ould bore a
hole in a m aiden ash tree(one th at had never been pollarded
o r to p p ed o r in som e parts, one th at had never been cut w ith
a m etal blade) and place their fingernail clippings w ithin the
hole and stop it closed.
A long w ith oak, ash could foretell w hether the sum m er
w ould be a w et one o r a dry one. I f the ash leafed out before
the oak, it w ould be wet. I f the oak leafed out before the
ash, the sum m er w ould be h o t and dry. To rem em ber this,
the old rhym e O ak Sm oke, A sh Splash could be m em orized.
A sh is ruled by the sun according to som e astrologers from
the past, while others thought it to be ruled by Jupiter.
216
A sh
Folk Medicine
A sh keys were harvested for food in tim es past, even the
pickled keys were th o u g h t quite good. T hey could be m ade
while picked young and covered w ith a spiced vinegar. A sh
bark was used for fever and malaria. T he bark was burned
and used as a poultice for toothache, a Scottish H ighland
remedy. F ro m Ireland, the sap from a young tree was a
treatm ent for ear aches. T he w ood o f an ash tree that was
only two o r three years old could be cut specifically w hen
the sun entered Taurus. T h e bark applied from this w ood
w ould stop bleeding, from an old m anuscript. Tea m ade
from dried ash leaves gathered during the early sum m er was
used as a diuretic and a laxative. It was also taken for gout
and rheum atism , from ancient times.
F rom the th irteen th century, ash keys boiled in a perso n ’s
urine and the resulting m ixture soaked in black w ool m ade a
poultice o f sorts for ulcerated ears, the liquid to be dropped
in while speaking: By Gods help, it will cure it!’. Ringw orm
could be cured from b u rning ash twigs in a tin box, over
w hich the p art o f the body affected by the ringw orm was
passed through the resulting smoke. A D evonshire cure for
treating animals w ith F oot and M outh D isease was to feed
them ash leaves.
T h e N ative A m ericans used the ash tree quite extensively
in their m edicine, as w ith all trees in their range. W ith the
w hite ash Fraxinus americana and black ash Fraxinus nigra
tribes used the b ark generally fo r a tonic, cathartic, em etic,
laxative and an abortifacient. T h e Iro q u o is tribe used it as
an ear m edicine and d ro p p ed the sap in to the ears, sim ilar
to the E u ro p e a n folk m edicine. T hey also to o k the ash
bark for a cleansing m edicine to help them h u n t deer. A
deco ctio n o f the ro o ts was used fo r snakebites, applied
externally, by num erous tribes —a n o th e r sim ilar use to the
E uropeans. O th e r ash species w ere used similarly. T here
w ere a few cerem onial uses as well. T h e K aro k tribe used
the O re g o n ash F.latifolia b ark to help lessen a bad effect
217
on one w h o m was cerem onially im pure. T h e O m aha tribe

used their local ash Fpensylvanica for d ifferen t rituals and
the same species was taken for d ep ressio n (the inner bark)
by the A lgonquin tribe.
Personal Practices РФ
T he ash tree is essential for protecting the hom e against fire.
It can be hung in the kitchen or near the hearth, bound with
red wool threads for this purpose. It is such a tree o f watery
virtue, similar to willow and alder, and can certainly be used
to bring rain w hen needed. D epositing small sm ooth crystal
stones under the roots is one m ethod. O fferings can be made
at old trees, in asking for healing. Washes from the leaves boiled
in rainwater can be used for sore limbs and w ounds that are
slow to heal. T he w ood is very valuable in the charm makers
apothecary for protection, as the lore tells. Carrying a pouch
filled w ith shaved w ood on oneself is w onderful protection
from all harm , as is carrying a piece o f the bark from an old
tree, harvested from a branch brought dow n by a storm . T he
branches hung above a child’s bed is also a protective m easure
that can be employed, against nightmares. A dd the red berried
holly if the nightm ares are frequent. W ands fashioned from
ash w ood can be used for healing or magical w ork involving
elimination o f bad energy and protection, and also to turn
back any curses that may be affecting o n e’s life.
Many thanks to this tree o f fo lk healing and charm making.

The ash tree gave the witch of old many magical remedies, tree
o f both fire and water. May the rustic practitioner remember
her strength and power when assaulted by spirits o f dark
intent, the ash bringing illumination to those threatening
situations. Tong may she grow with roots touching
waterways, a raven’s tree, fo r one who sees.
Charm to Keep A . way Fire РФ

To keep fire away from your hom e, gather ash leaves and roots,
row an Sorbus berry and w ood and house leek Sempervivum
218
A sh
tectorum. D ry these, chop them small and sew into a pouch

o f light blue wool, lined w ith red cloth. D uring the waning
m oon, including a piece o f clear crystal and a dried frog.
Q uartz crystal that was clear was thought to be super frozen
water, in tim es past. B efore sewing closed, fum igate w ith
dragon’s blood, all the while chanting: Water over Fire, Water
over Fire, water over Fire__ W hen sewn closed, attach three
crow feathers, know n for bringing storm s, and hang nearest
the hearth o f the hom e. This charm can be em ployed for
keeping wild fires away from the hom e as well as keeping the
hom e safe from fire in general.
219
ш
LINDEN
Tilia spp
lin d en tree in full b lo o m in the su n sh in e o f

ly July is a sight to b eh o ld . T h e b u zzin g o f the
s th a t adore it can be sen sed u p o n a p p ro ach in g
th e w him sical tree, its light gray b ark and em erald
h e a rt sh ap ed leaves a p e rfe c t b ac k d ro p fo r th e small
ivory flow ers w ra p p e d in e lf g ree n crep e paper. W h at
this tree fro m th e fairytales o f old inspires is p leasan t
healing steam s, floral liquors and p ro te c tio n fro m O u r
L ady’s cloak, in p a rticu la r fo r the babes and w o m en w ith
child. Yet, th ere is so m e th in g w ild a b o u t the o ld er trees,
so m e th in g un tam e and even dan g ero u s, sh ro u d e d in the
pleasure o f alluring b ranches, in the glam o u r w ith in the
eye o f the beholder.
T h e genus Tillia has a b o u t th irty species and is in the
m allow family, Malvaceae. L inden trees are know n as ‘lime
tre e s’ in E u ro p e, T. eurpoea and ‘b assw o o d ’ in the US, T.
americana. T h e nam e linden has its ro o ts in the A nglo-Saxon
L in d w hich is th o u g h t to com e from shield. T h e w o o d was
easy to w ork and used for shields. A n o th e r in te rp re ta tio n
com es from the G e rm a n w ord lindern, w hich m eans ‘to
s o o th e ’, this th o u g h t by som e to be referrin g to lindens
folk m edicinal use fo r sleep. Yet a n o th e r in te rp re ta tio n is
th a t the nam e Linden refers to the trees c o n n e ctio n to the
dragon o r Lindwurm, m ore on th a t below.
T he E uropean lime tree is often used for landscaping
purposes here in A m erica and if n o t native to an area can
often be found planted around bank parking lots o r lining
dow ntow n streets. L inden has heart shaped deep green
leaves, flowering in early July w ith a distinct lighter green
bract on a thin stem o f small creamy flowers. They smell
221
o f a m ixture o f cucum ber, gardenia and honey, especially

w hen wilted, it is incredible and intoxicating. T hough there
is n o t a copious am ount o f folklore for linden, w hat there
is inspires an enchanted reverence for this tree o f dragons
and dwarves.
T here were magical pow ers associated w ith the linden tree
from ancient times. In the Balkans, it was forbidden to cut
the linden tree dow n, except w hen a ‘living fire’ was needed
from it. T his was m ade by rubbing linden w ith an oak
branch to obtain fire, then using the fire for ritual purposes.
Soothsayers from Scythia in Central E urope used to twine
linden leaves in their fingers for inspirations during their
prophesying. H erodotus, a G reek philosopher told th at the
transvestite sham ans received their pow ers from A phrodite
and w ould split the bark o f the linden tree three ways,
w rapping them around their fingers and loosen them while
they spoke their spells.
This tree is dedicated to Venus according to astrologers
o f the past, and has been connected w ith love from its heart
shaped leaves. Som e believe it was connected to w edded
love specifically, from references to G reek mythology. From
an old Slavonian love song: M r the Bee is drawn bj the lime
perfume, I am drawn to thee’. Lime flowers were n o t b rought
indoors in G erm any because they w ere th o u g h t to give girls
erotic dream s on account o f their scent. T here was (and
may still be) a lime tree th at stood on the south side o f a
churchyard in N o rto rf, Germ any. It had three m ain branches
and un d ern eath the tree m arriages, contracts, justice courts
and festivals took place, w ith all contracts being m ade orally
and sealed by pressing o n e ’s thum b into the great tree. T here
are a few Swedish charm ’s for b o th controlling w om en and
arousing passions using linden, found in Black Books o f the
early eighteenth century.
L inden was a w om en’s tree, as folk lore tells. G erm anic
and N orse people believed the linden tree was sacred to
Freyja and to Frigg (possibly the same G oddess, it is up for
debate), and connected to fertility, b irth and w om en’s sacred
Linden
knowledge. O f M ary M agdalene, C hrist’s female prophet,

com es this lore -
‘she may have no food save lime tree leaves and drink the dew
that hung on it leaves, whilst sleeping in a bed made from them ’.
—W olfgang M enzel, 1854.
It was her favorite tree according to old sources. In Lithuania,

the linden was know n as a w om an’s tree and it was thought
th at the souls o f w om en w hom had died m oved into this
tree. W om en’s graves were m arked w ith a linden cross. In
Bulgaria, Unden trees were and are still locations for shines
dedicated to M other Mary.
In old G erm any, Linden was a holy tree, also tho u g h t to
be the residing place o f faeries and dwarves. T he elf K ing
was supposed to live in this tree. It was know n to be unsafe
to visit the linden trees after sunset. Som e verses from a
Swedish Ballad o f Sir T hynne’ give a possible warning:
‘ n d it was the knight Sir Thynne’ went the hart and the hind
A
to shoot,
So he saw Ulva, the little Dwarfs daughter, at the green
Tinden’s foot.
Л n d it was the knight Sir Thynne’, From his horse he springs
hastily,
So goeth he to Diva, the little Dwarfs daughter, all under the
green Linden tree.
A n d it was Thora, the little Dwarfs wife, She at the hill door
looked out,
A n d there she saw how the knight Sir Thynne’ lay at the green
Lindens fo o t’
It was also beUeved that dragons Hked to lay beneath the

Hndens shade. N igel Pennick in his b o o k Dragons of the lVest,
1997, w rites ‘The Tindwurm o f Central Europe is connected with
the Linden tree. I t is said to live in the earth fo r its first 90 years,
in a linden tree fo r the next 90 and then in the desert fo r the fin a l
223
9 0 years of its 2 7 0 year life’. H e goes on the tell about how

certain linden trees serve as central places w ithin villages
in the C entral E u ro p ean landscape and how som e o f those
trees are connected w ith b o th dragons and w om en. O ne
tree from the Islands o f Chiem see, the largest Bavarian
lake, has a painted image o f the M other M ary standing on a
L indw urm , attached to the tree. A n o th er tree was called the
‘Murtenlinde’ and though stands no m ore, was enclosed near
St. G eo rg e’s fountain, w ith a sculpture o f St’ G eorge killing
a dragon. A cutting from the original tree has been planted
in its place. A G erm an hero Sigurd was nam ed so because
he slayed a dragon. It was told that afterw ards, he bathed
him self in the dragon’s blood and transform ed to have
dragon scales all over his body, except the place betw een his
shoulder blades, w here a h eart shaped linden leaf stuck -
this was his vulnerable spot.
Linden is a tree o f tales and faerie stories. T here was a
legend that came from Berlin, telling o f three brothers,
the youngest o f w hom was in love w ith an Italian lo rd ’s
daughter. T he well o ff Italian L o rd forbade any contact
betw een his daughter and the peasant boy, how ever soon
after, the L ord was stabbed at a public event and the three
b ro th ers h appened to be present. T h e eldest was accused o f
the m urder, and to save their brother, b o th o f the younger
brothers to o k the blame. T h e judge was understandably
confused and ordered all three o f them to take linden trees
and plant them upside dow n at a certain churchyard - the
linden w ould reveal the m urderer by w hichever one w ould
n o t grow. T he lindens all grew, the roots transform ing into
branches and w ithin thirty years covered the churchyard
w ith their shade. T h e three brothers w ere ennobled as Lords
o f the L inden and o f course, the youngest g o t to m arry the
daughter he had desired. T h e linden was a tree o f justice in
this tale, as it was in others, such as in the Rose E lf by H ans
C hristian A nderson, w here the severed head o f a w om an’s
lover was buried under a flowering linden tree, while a little
elf hid in a linden leaf and w itnessed the m urder. Eventually
224
Unden
the elf and the bees helped avenge the evil b ro th e r w hom
com m itted the act.
F rom G erm any and Hungary, people planted a linden
tree in their yard to keep w itches from entering their hom es.
C ertain linden trees belonging to a family could foretell
death w ithin the family, if a branch fell. This is similar to the
death om ens relating to oak trees that had been in a family
for a long period o f time.
Folk Medicine ^
Linden is a bee tree, the nectar from its sticky flowers
attracting m any insects, b u t especially bees. H oney from
linden trees was so good, it was sold often for 3-4 times
the price o f o th er honey. T h e fruit o f the linden was soft
and sweet, know n as ‘hens apples’ from Inverness, Scotland.
I have never personally noticed fruit on the tree before,
som ething to look for. T h e leaves can be eaten young in
spring salads and can be later given as anim al fodder. T he
flowers w ith their small bracts can be m ade into delicious
wines and elixirs, food o f the Faeries to be sure.
L inden tea was and still is a rem edy for insom nia, and
linden baths were taken for b o th insom nia and nervous
ailments. T h e tea was also used for headaches, very popular
in France. T h e bark from the tree was steeped to bring out
its em ollient (mucilaginous) qualities and used on the skin
for burns and scalds. T he leaves and flowers boiled in w ater
was used as a w ash for sores, freckles, ulcers, wrinkles and
o th er skin problem s. It was also applied to the scalp to
stim ulate the grow th o f hair. Lime flowers were used to cure
epilepsy, called ‘falling sickness’, com bined in an unpleasant
old recipe w ith the gall o f a black puppy —if the p aten t was
female, then a bitch. Linden was also a h eart rem edy in times
past.
T h e N ative A m ericans used linden (basswood) for m any
different ailm ents in their folk m edicine. T he Q uebec
A lgonquin tribe used an infusion o f the leaves as an eye
remedy. T h e Cherokee tribe used the bark internally for
225
dysentery, h eartb u rn during pregnancy, weak stom ach and

bowels and also as a poultice m ixed w ith cornm eal for
boils. T he bark from a tree struck by lightning was used as
a poultice for snakebite. T he Iroquois tribe used the leaves
as a poultice for burns, scalds, broken bones and swelling.
A decoction o f the branches was used to wash babies w ho
were struggling to learn to walk. A n infusion o f the plant
was taken for sever pain and injuries and also used as a
panacea. T he M eskwaki tribe used poultices o f the bark for
opening boils and a decoction o f the twigs for lung troubles.
Personal Practices ',P

As the linden is ruled by Venus, it certainly can be
incorporated into love potions and philtres. T he heart
shaped leaves can be threaded on red thread and hung above
the bedstead to encourage love betw een a husband o f wife
w here it has gone stagnant. T he flower wine can be taken
by a couple for the same, as can the elixir. Visiting the tree
on a full m oon, in particular if that m oon happens on a
Friday, a w om an can go and pray to the tree for her health
or the health o f a child. W ood harvested at this time w ith
offerings can be carried as an am ulet by a pregnant w om an
to p ro tect her and her babe. A w ooden equal arm ed cross or
hand fashioned am ulet can be bro u g h t to a w om an’s birth
for p ro tectio n as well.
I have been blessed to find a large linden tree on an old
h o m estead o f som e farm er folks w ho are willing to let
m e com e and h arvest this precious m edicine during the
sum m ertim e. T h e flow ers in full b lo o m can be gathered,
including the light green bracts. W hen the flow ers are
perfectly o p e n and overw helm ingly fragrant, they can be
harvested, easy to pick w ith o n e ’s fingers. It is b e st to go
in the early m o rn in g to avoid the c o m p e titio n o f the bees.
T h e resulting h arvest can be dried for tea and b aths o r m ade
in to delicious w ine, elixirs or syrups. A n infu sed linden
honey is am brosia to be sure, b u t only to the palate th at
w ould recognize the underlying cucum ber floral flavor. It
226
Rinden
tastes so sim ilar to honey, th at m any folks unfam iliar w ith

linden do n o t catch it. A ny o f the m edicines above can be
taken for insom nia, stress, tension, irritability, headaches
and for m ild depression. T his m edicine is especially helpful
fo r toddlers, children, elders and sensitive folks. It is quite
a delightful m edicine, w ith such a gentleness, it soothes
and nourishes.
Many thanks to this healing and numinous tree, present still

as a potent spirit in the old forests. M s nourishment fo r the
bees and caretaker o f women, it transforms itself, unwatched
and unnoticed by many. May the glittering festival that
surrounds the old lime tree carry on under starlight and
moonlight, illuminated in the secret glades and meadows.
]linden Sweeping Tool '■'T

T h e branches o f linden can be m ade into a sweeping
tool for use during healing work, particularly appropriate
for w om en. H arvest the sm aller branches on a full m oon
while in full flower, probably during early July. Strip the
leaves and flowers, drying them separately. T h en dry the
twigs, exposing them to m oonlight through a w indow for
three nights. A fter the third night by the light o f a candle
in a darkened cham ber, bind the twigs w ith blue threads,
enclosing a snakeskin around the handle. T hread nine snake
vertebrae and attach to the place bound, near the handle.
W hen it is m ade, pass the sw eeper th rough a sm oke o f white
roses Rosa spp, m ugw ort leaf and b u d Artemisia vulgaris,
angelica ro o t Angelica archangelica and dragons blood resin.
Speak these w ords thrice:
Snake o f womb, snake of root, snake o f venom white,

Surround this bark of moonlight twigs,
W ith our Rady’s healing light.
Protect and keep the beating heart safe from undue harm
By dragon claw and linden wood, I consecrate this charm!
227
Store this sw eeping tool w rapped in a w hite cloth w ith

dry linden leaves and flowers. Use it to p ro te c t w om en or
children, by sw eeping it around their body, rem oving all
unw anted energy and offering a protective barrier as needed.
It can also be used as a heating tool during a session, used
for the same, and to rem ove illness. O r gift it to a w om an
friend w hom is in need o f great p ro tection, to be hung
above her bed.
Linden Flower M ead

To m ake 1 gallon o f m ead, you need about 2 quarts full
o f flowers including the tight green bract, usually harvested
in early July. W ilt them overnight, w hich m eans lay them
o u t in a basket. Place them in a m edium sized stone crock.
Bring 1 gallon o f boiling w ater w ith 3 p in t jars o f honey
(two if you tike a very dry m ead) to boil on the stovetop for
about ten m inutes, stirring well to dissolve. P our into crock
and stir the flowers in. Wait until the m ixture is com pletely
cool, usually overnight, and sprinkle cham pagne yeast on
top o f the m ixture and wait 15 m inutes before stirring it
in. Cover the crock w ith a linen cloth th at is tied on w ith a
string and ru b b er band, to keep o u t fruit flies. Stir twice a
day w ith a w ooden spoon that is n o t used for cooking. A fter
ab o u t 10 days, filter into a clean gallon glass jug and fit w ith
an airlock. K eep the wine in a place th at is n o t too h o t or
too cold, in the dark. Bottle after 6 m o n th s and wait a year
before drinking. I f it doesn’t taste good, keep waiting, b u t it
should be ready in about one year and three m onths. Lovely
for libations and offerings during the light half o f the year
and for use in love magic.
228
M APLE T R E E Щ
Acer spp
1ere in the Pacific N o rth w est lives the breathtaking big

!leaf m aple, A cer macrophyllum. T hese trees are indeed
>the m others o f the forest, they are absolutely giant
w ith huge tru n k bases and m any large leaders touching
the sky, all covered in ferns and m oss. T h ough I grew up
w ith gorgeous sugar m aples in M ichigan, no m aple has ever
captured my heart as the big leaf m aple has. T his tree is
stunning in the springtim e and in the autum n time. In the
spring, her chartreuse leaves unfurl like bat wings o r tiny
um brellas, dangling golden green flowered chandelier’s for
the bees to visit. They produce the highly sought after and
fragrant local m aple honey from these tangy and refreshing
flower tassels. D uring
the autum n m onths,
golden yellow leaves
are striking against
the black m aple
bark, caped in a m oss
green carpet. M any old
trees can be found w ith
tw isted hollow trunks
and holes leading to
O th e r w orlds, haunted
spirit portals to be sure.
T he m aple genus Acer
includes about 125
species, grow ing as a
deciduous tree in the
tem perate climates
o f the world. They
229
are in the m aple family, Лсегасеае. T h e genus nam e A cer

came from m eaning ‘sharp’, as the m aple was used to make
sharp im plem ents, such as spears. O ne old nam e for m aple
was ‘m aplin tree’. All m aple flowers are gorgeous, and seem
to hide during the springtim e. It is w orth seeking them out
to find their delicate beauty, o ften m arron or brow nish in
color, w ith cream and red details.
T h o u g h the m aple tree is highly valued for m aple syrup
production, building materials, musical instrum ents and
ornam ental landscaping purposes, there is very little
folklore, magic or m edicine for the m aple trees com pared to
o th er trees. It is rather surprising. How ever, there are som e
am azing tales and stories that I will relate here, along w ith
som e interesting folk beliefs.
In G erm any, the m aple tree was revered w ith superstition.
F rom Alsace com es a beh ef that bats had the pow er to make
storks eggs unfertile and that by placing m aple branches
in the nest, they w ould frighten away any bat w hom came
to effect the eggs. People w ould therefore place maple
branches below the entrance o f their hom es to keep bats
out. A b eh ef from France tells that the m aple leaves turned
red in the autum n time because o f a faerie that lived in the
tree. T here is som e folk heating lore associated w ith m aple
as well. Passing children through the branches o f a m aple
was supposed to cure them from the effects o f the Evil
Eye, as well as o th er m aladies such as rickets. I t could also
bless them w ith long life. In the Balkans, people perform ed
heating rituals to banish illness u n d er o r near maples. T he
m aple tree is ruled by the planet Jupiter, according to
astrologers o f the past.
A tale from Sw itzerland relates th at dw arves resided
near a p articular m aple tree and w ould com e o u t to w atch
the people m aking hay every year, sitting on a branch o f
the tree, hiding b en eath the foliage. O ne evening som e
‘evil d isp o se d ’ people th o u g h t it a g o o d prank to saw the
branch alm ost in half. T he dwarfs cam e o u t the follow ing
day to sit u p o n the branch, and w hen it broke in two, they
230
Maple Tree
angrily exclaim ed to the people w h o m w ere laughing at

th em —consequently they never re tu rn e d to the tree again.
It is unk n o w n w h at befell the pranksters, surely som e
m isfortune. It is a sad tale o f the arrogance o f people in
the face o f supern atu ral pow ers, to be sure.
T h e re was a H u ngarian legend th at to ld o f a K ings
b lo n d e haired d a u g h ter th a t fell in love w ith a sh ep h erd ,
as he had c h a rm ed h e r by playing a flute. O n e night the
king, the d au g h ter and the sh e p h erd had terrible dream s
— the king d ream t th a t his crow n had lo st its diam onds,
th e d a u g h ter d ream t th a t she visited h er m o th e r’s tom b
and could n o t leave it and the sh e p h erd d ream t th a t two
fallow deer dev o u red the b e st lam b in his flock. T h a t next
m o rn in g , the K ing sent his three d aughters to pick the
first straw berries o f the season and p ro m ised the crow n
o f his K in g d o m to the one w ho filled th e basket first.
T h e b lo n d d au g h ter was the first to fill h er basket w ith
the tiny w ild berries, and the jealous sisters killed her
and b u ried h er u n d e r an old m aple tree. T hey to ld the
fath er u p o n their re tu rn th at she had b een dev o u red by
tw o fallow deer. T h e K ing w en t in to deep rem o rse and
sighed th at he had lo st the m o st precious diam o n d in his
crow n. O n the new m o o n , the sh e p h erd w e n t to play his
flute, b u t it w ould n o t u tte r a sound. O n the th ird day
o f the p rin c e ss’s disappearance, he passed by the m aple
tree u n d e r w hich she had been buried and as he saw new
g ro w th com ing fro m the tree, he decided to m ake a new
flute from the sh o o t. W h en he p u t the flute to his m o u th
to play, the w ords sang o u t m agically ‘Play, Play Dearest!
Once I was a King’s daughter, then a maple shoot, now I am a
flu te ’. T h e sh e p h erd realized the m isfo rtu n e th a t had com e
to his beloved, he re tu rn e d to the Palace and had one o f
the sisters play the flute fo r the K ing. A fter the flute sang
o u t ‘Play, Play Murderess! I was once a Kings daughter, then a
maple shoot, now l am a flute. ’, the K ing cast the sisters away,
w hile the sh e p h erd ten d e d his loneliness w ith the beloved
voice o f the flute.
231
Related again to m usic m aking, a C ornish custom was for

young m en to wake early on May Day and go out to gather
young m aple shoots to m ake m aple whistles w ith, the tree
being called the ‘May T ree’. T hese were blow n on the way
hom e to enliven the May celebrations w ith music. A ncient
harps m ade o f m aple w ood have been excavated, one was
found in a sealskin bag from the Sutton H o o ship burial in
Suffolk, UK. M aple is still m uch used in in stru m en t making,
som e old trees w ith tw isted bark being called ‘music w o o d ’
here in the Pacific N orthw est.
T h e N ative A m ericans had a large dependency on
the sugar m aples on the east coast and th ro u g h o u t the
n o rth e rn M idw est, and m any stories com e from them . O ne
story com es from the Salteaux tribe and tells how the red
fiery leaves o f the m aple tree saved the G ra n d m o th e r o f
the C reato r from spirits o f darkness and thereafter, the
C reato r lived in the m aple trees. E ventually he taught the
people how to tap the trees and m ake syrup. O n e legend
from the Iroquois tribe relates the m aple tree to the bear.
F o u r b ro th e rs w ere h u n tin g an en o rm o u s bear and they
finally killed him at the to p o f a m o u n tain , w here they
m ade a fire and ate som e o f the b e a r’s m eat. A fterw ards,
they saw m any sparking lights and realized th at they were
up in the sky, am ongst the stars. T h e b ones o f the bear
cam e back to life and chased the b ro th e rs across the sky —
it was said th at every autum n w hen the b ro th e rs killed the
bear, his b lo o d fell from the heavens o n to the m aple leaves
and tu rn e d th em scarlet.
T he m aple genus includes the fast grow ing sycamore
trees Лсег pseudo-platanus, and I have seen sycam ore trees
that looked like they were five hundred years old, only to
be told that they w ere a m ere fifty! This is how ever in the
rainy and fertile grounds o f the Pacific N orthw est, but
they are know n to be a fast grow ing species in general. T he
nam e ‘sycam ore’ cam e from the leaves o f this large m aple
looking similar to the sycam ore-fig tree from the bible, itself
unrelated to true m aple trees. O th e r nam es for this tree were
232
Maple Tree
G reat M aple, Celtic M aple, Scottish M aple and False Plane

Tree. F rom Cornw all com es the nam e ‘Faddy T ree’. These
large m aples are native to C entral E u ro p e and were n o t
introduced to W estern E u ro p e and the British Isles until the
sixteenth century or so. T here is a bit o f folklore for the
‘Celtic M aple’.
T h e W elsh ca rv e d th e ir tra d itio n a l love sp o o n s fro m
th e trees. F ro m M o n tg o m e ry sh ire , it w as b eliev ed th a t
th e tree k e p t b ad faeries away and fro m sp o ilin g m ilk
o n th e farm . Som e th o u g h t th a t by p lan tin g a sycam ore
tree, o th e r trees w o u ld die in th e sam e vicinity. In the
B alkans, p e o p le m ad e o ffe rin g s to the sycam ore tree
by leaving pieces o f th eir c lo th in g o n th e b ran c h e s in
exchange fo r help w ith d iffe re n t p ro b lem s. In Ire lan d ,
so litary sycam ore trees w ere re s p e c te d in a sim ilar way
as so litary h a w th o rn trees — they w ere th o u g h t to have
su p e rn a tu ra l sp irits living w ith in th em . I f a m arrie d
p e rs o n d re a m t o f a sycam ore tree, it m e a n t jealousy b u t
i f they w ere u n m a rrie d , it m e a n t a m arriag e to com e.
C e rta in sycam ore trees h ad d iffe re n t local leg en d s and
beliefs a tta ch e d to th em , in b o th Ire la n d and in E n g lan d .
M any o f th e trees w ere u sed fo r h ang ings and ex ecutions,
a n d so w ere asso c ia te d w ith g rie f an d d eath . Som e m aple
tre e s w ere u sed th is way as w ell — b u t ra th e r th a n fo r
any m agical re a so n , I su sp e c t it was ju st b ecau se they
w ere stu rd y trees w ith low er b ra n c h e s available fo r such
p u rp o se s. Som e o f th ese trees w ere h a u n te d by d e p a rte d
sp irits how ever, so it was and is w ise n o t to ap p ro a c h
m aples o r sycam ores a fte r dark, in p a rtic u la r o nes th a t
are old and lo ca ted at a c ro ssro ad s.
I w ant to share a bit o f lore about forest spirits called
‘W ood W ives’, related to the m aple tree from my own
experiences w ith it. T hey w ere originally called W ood Elves
in Scandinavia. In G erm any they were called W ood Wives
o r M oss People. T he ancient Saxons called them Silvestres
to show th at their cham ber was in the caves o f the forest.
W ood Wives (or elves) w ere tree spirits th at o ften inhabited
233
n o t only the forest, b u t particular trees. M oss w om en were

som etim es like small Scandinavian faeries. O r M oss Wives
could be big and shaggy, overgrow n w ith m oss. T hey were
grey and looked old, were m ore hideous to behold, as they
w ere covered w ith moss.
‘The old sacredforests seems theirfavorite abode; as the gods sat

throned in the groves, on the trees, and the wise women o f their
train and escort would seek the same haunts. ’—Jacob G rim m
w riting on W ood Wives, T eutonic M ythology Volum e
O ne, 1880.
I t was believed th at forest spirits in particular possessed

the know ledge o f m edicinal plants. T h o u g h som e old
m ythologies distinguished the W ood Elves, w hose life was
b o u n d to a particular tree, from the W ise W ood Wives, w ho
w ere roam ers o f the old forests in general. It was told that
the W ise W ood Wives w ore w hite and kept their clothing in
a certain oak tree.
H ere is a poetic quote from The Faerie Family, by A rchibald
M aclaren, 1874, describing a M oss W ife, in connection to
the m aple tree;
!A moss woman!' the hay makers cry,

A n d over the fields in terror they fly,
She is loosely clad from neck to foot,
In a Mantle of moss from the Maples root,
A n d like Uichen grey on its stem that grows,
Is the hair that over her mantle flows,
H er skin like the Maple rind, is hard,
Frown and ridgy and furrowed and scarred,
A n d each feature fla t like the bark we see
Where a bough has been lopedfrom the bole of the tree,
When the newer bark has crept healingly round,
A n d laps 0 ’er the edge of the open wound,
H er knotty root like feet are bare,
A n d her height is an ellfrom heel to hair. ’
234
Maple Tree
As the big leaf m aples are covered in thick m oss and

certainly have a strong female presence com ing from them ,
u p o n finding this quote, it was m ost fitting to include it here.
Folk Medicine
Maple leaves and bark were used for liver complaints in European
folk medicine. Steeped in wine, the maple root powdered was
used for pain in the side. Pliny states that the root o f the maple
was used for liver pains specifically. Maple and sycamore sap
have been ferm ented to make wine in times past.
T he N ative A m ericans used the m aple tree in folk
m edicine quite extensively. G enerally speaking, the bark was
taken internally as a tonic, for kidney trouble, diarrhea, as
a cough m edicine, and used externally as a w ash for sore
eyes, w ounds, sore limbs, old sores that did n o t heal and a
poultice o f the bark applied for sores, w ounds and paralysis.
Som e m ore specific uses follow.
Branches o f the vine m aple, A cer circinatum was used by
w om en o f the K arok tribe for love m edicine and the w ood
was b urned to charcoal and then m ixed w ith w ater and
brow n sugar, taken for dysentery and polio. T he O kanagan-
Colville tribe used the rocky m ountain m aple A . glabrum by
tying a branch in a k n o t and leaving it over the tracks o f a
bear while hunting, in order to stop the w ounded bear from
fleeing. A decoction o f the bark was taken by the T ho m p so n
tribe for nausea caused by smelling a corpse. By the same
tribe, a decoction o f the sticks m ixed w ith Saskatoon
Amelanchier spp. was taken to pro m o te lactation and heal a
w om en’s insides after child birth. A lso a decoction o f four
straight m aple sticks were used as a snakebite remedy. T he
big leaf m aple A. m acrophyllum buds were m ixed w ith oil
and used as a hair tonic by the Kwakiutl tribe, and the sap
was taken as a general tonic by the T h o m p so n tribe.
T he young leaves o f m aple were often eaten in spring salads
and were a favorite fodder food — I can attest to this, our
235
dairy cow loved m aple leaves. M aple flowers can also be

eaten in spring salads and wine can be m ade from them , at
least w ith our big leaf m aple Л . macrophyllum. I t tastes tangy
and fragrant, som ething like a m ixture o f spring rain, sorrel
leaf and bee pollen —quite unique and magical in fact.
I sense a large ‘sasquatch’ or troll type w om an spirit
em erging from the big leafed m aples, covered in m oss and
lichen. T here are a few hau n ted trees on the property w here
I live, they have large openings in them and a strong spirit
filled presence. I regularly m ake offerings to these trees.
O ne o f them has a very ‘vaginal’ opening in the trunk,
surrounded by black bark. U nder this tree, a w inter stream
collects after it rains and flows dow n the forested hillside,
and w ater trickles o u t o f this opening, m aking it even m ore
fem inine in its appearance. I call it the M other Tree and I
believe bats live in the hole, that creature o f the night and
good fortune. A n o th er large tree is located by a large flat
stone, a place w here regular offerings are left for the spirits
o f the land. T he clay bow l in w hich I leave them is regularly
disturbed and m oved around, never tipped over. I do truly
believe that spirits live in these m aple trees, and w ithin m any
trees that are old and have stood for hundreds o f years,
particularly if they have an opening to house spirits.
O ld m aple trees can be sought out and appeased w ith
offerings and prayers for healing. N u ts are an appropriate
offering for the M oss w om an (or Troll W oman) w hich can
be buried near the ro o t o f the tree or stuck in the branches.
H ealing lore can be sought from these tree spirits. A baby
can be taken to the tree and blessed w ith long life and
health, being passed through a branch, similarly as the old
lore tells. T he seed pods o f the m aple being o f course the
little ‘helicopters’ from our childhoods, b u t if one can be
found to include four seeds in the shape o f an equal arm ed
cross, it is a very lucky am ulet indeed. T he scarlet leaves o f
som e m aple varieties can be gathered in the autum n time
and dried, being a protective cushioning for sacred item s
stored w ithin w ooden boxes. Fallen m aple w ood can be
236
Maple Tree
used to m ake magical w ooden spoons and for carvings o f

all sorts, being hard, w hite and durable, and this w ood was
particularly prized for sacred bowls from M edieval times.
T he ashes saved from an o u td o o r m aple fire or the w ater in
w hich the flowers w ere floated by full m oon light overnight
can b o th be used for blessing and healing purposes, in
particular for protecting children. T h e w ater gathered from
the m oss o f the m aple tree on the spring equinox can be
used for fertility magic, applied to charm s and am ulets o f
th at nature and to the people looking to conceive. A few
drops o f this w ater can be dripped into wine on this day and
taken by the couple involved for the same.
Many thanks to the strong and beautiful maple trees o f the

forests, decorated with breathtaking flowers and vibrant leaves
fo r the spirit parades of both spring and autumn. May the
houses made by maple branches and trunks long protect those
unseen beings that still have roads hidden and lonely errands
undetected by a busy populace. May the maple legends be
remembered and retained by those seeking mystery and passed
down to the next line of children as they joyously play with
faerie toys fashioned from the white wood. Trees o f function,
beauty, strange elixirs and forest secrets be they all.
Wood W ife Ointment 4^

O n the full m o o n closest to M idsum m ers Eve, gather
these, leaving offerings in gratitude for all: m oss from an
old m aple tree (from one w ith a hole in the tru n k is best),
hazel leaves, oak leaves, bracken fern, spider silk (from a tree
trunk) and three w hite fox glove thim bles th at grow in the
forest (rem em ber these are toxic, so care is needed). Lay out
plants overnight, then place in the top cham ber o f a double
boiler. Cover and infuse in rendered bear fat (or w hatever
fat is available, b u t bear is best) for three days total. D o this
by turning the heat on high to boil the w ater in the b o tto m
cham ber for five or ten m inutes, stirring the m ixture for that
tim e and then turning it o ff and letting it sit for 24 hours.
237
O n the third day strain the fat th rough a sieve and discard
the plants while w arm and then recom bine the infused fat
w ith tallow o r beesw ax to harden. P our into a dark jar and
use as needed.
To help one see and interact w ith tree and forest spirits,
this o in tm en t can be m ade and applied to the third eye,
behind the neck, d o tte d on the ears and on the w rist points.
It is an o in tm en t to use before going to sit w ith or visit an
old tree. Take w ith you also on your w anderings a holed
stone to peer through, as it will enhance the powers o f the
ointm ent. T his o intm ent is surprisingly altering and helps
to enhance sensory awareness while in the forest. W ear no
jewelry or m etal w hen seeking supernatural aid, as lore has it
that it repels ancient supernatural earth spirits. Plan on not
harvesting o r taking anything, leaving offerings instead that
include no alcohol. Honey, nuts o r fruits are good.
238
Appendix А
Appendix А
Plant and Tree Visitations
Taking the time to sit and dream w ith plants, trees and
the season at hand is an am azing way to n o t only observe
the natural w orld, but to feel deeply the magic that flows
th rough the land. T he plants are so easy to observe and
truly they m irror w hat is happening for all o f the creatures
during the seasonal pinnacles, including hum ans. T he gifts
o f observation and the ability to establish relationship with
particular plants and places readily gives way into being
blessed w ith creative inspiration and fu rth er enhancem ents
that are only gleaned through taking the time in the natural
w orld. This is som ething that cannot be taught through
books, b u t only experienced by the doing o f it. By bonding
w ith the plants, direct healing flows from them , w ithout
even taking them into our body in a physical way.
I reco m m en d n o t w earing any m etal jewelry, as lore has
it th a t natu re spirits are repelled by it. O nly w ear m etal
o r iro n if you are in tentionally trying to p ro te c t y ourself
from angry or evil spirits, o r are w an d erin g th ro u g h
a h a u n te d w ood o r near a h a u n te d tree. To spend tim e
w ith a tree o r p lan t stand in general, go in solitude to a
place th a t is still som ew hat w ild and u n tam e d by hum ans.
W ander deep in to th at place and go w here you are called
to go. Find a tree th at is inviting and intriguing. O r find a
vigorous p atch o f plants th a t glows w ith an otherw orldly
light. M ake offerings to the p lan t spirits — scatter sacred
dried herbs, or p o u r on libations o r d e p o sit small
treasures nearest the p la n ts / tree roots. O fferings are very
p erso n al and essential to co m m u n in g w ith any spiritual
entity or being. T h ere is no w ro n g way to do it, if only
it is authentic. T h a t said, alcohol can be an in ap p ro p riate
o fferin g som etim es, so co n sid er the in digenous culture o f
the land th a t you are visiting. Speak also o u t loud —w ords,
239
in can tatio n s, poem s, s o n g s __ R evealing in te n tio n s to the

p la n t is hum bling. W hy are you seeking to com m une w ith
this p articu lar p lan t spirit? W h at are you h o p in g fo r or
desiring fro m the e n c o u n te r a n d /o r w h a t are you w ishing
to convey? O fte n the qu estio n s and in te n tio n s you have
are defining and will help shape your experience. H ave a
p u rp o se in all p lan t related endeavors and be clear ab o u t
th a t p u rp o se. A fte r offerings have b e e n m ade, settle in
n e arest to the p lan t o r tree th a t you can physically get. Be
still and quiet and w h en ready, close your eyes and cover
th em w ith a d ark scarf, w ith no light shining th ro u g h . Use
your fingers to tap o n your collar b o n e in a rhythm ic way
to induce a slight tran ce like state. W h at do you feel, w hat
do you see in your m inds eye? W h at does your body feel
like w hile in this dream like state w ith the p lan t spirit? L et
tim e be lo st fro m you and fo rg et the cares o f everyday
life. D o you have any m em ories com e up?
All em otions are valid — fear, anger, joy, peace, awe,
so rro w __ D o n o t judge your experience. M any plants are n o t
going to portray a pleasant vibration and in my experience,
it is one reason that I love w orking w ith plants. T hey are full
o f b o th light and darkness, they are full o f the m em ories
o f the earth and the magic m akers and healers that have
touched them and com m uned w ith them in tim es past. We
can see a glim pse o f this that is held in the unseen w orld. I f
only a glimpse, it is still o f value. H ow ever long you spend
touching this deeper thread into the past, no m atter. Five
m inutes o r two hours, com e back to real time and open your
eyes to a new light and m om ent. It is extrem ely helpful to
w rite im m ediately after a plant visit, anything and everything
that com es to you. Som etim es it is through the act o f w riting
that feelings and experiences becom e m uch m ore clear. I
o ften w rite in p art poetry, describing w hatever I have to give
the paper in depth. T h e n I am holding som ething, then I am
blessed w ith m ore visions. T hings crystalize, understanding
is gained o r m ore confused. B ut either way, we are touched
by the plants.
240
ЛррепсИх Л
A llow yo u rself privacy and tim e to process afterw ards.

Try to be alone and o u t o f sight o f others, if possible.
Som etim es I brin g herbs to sm oke. Sm oking can be very
grou n d in g , if you enjoy it, after or before your visit. W hen
you are ready to leave, say your g ratitu d e ’s and thanks.
M ost likely, you will be altered and in a n o th e r realm , in
part. Try to take a little tim e to yo u rself to do w hatever,
just d o n ’t ru sh to w ork o r to a public place. T h e next
th ree days are im p o rta n t. D oes anything com e up? D o
you feel any different? D o you have any dream s? W hat
h ap p en s w hen you see the plant again? U se your b o o k
to w rite dow n anything im p o rta n t. G ive yo u rself tim e to
p o n d e r and w o n d er and th in k a b o u t your experience and
the p la n t/tre e . Som etim es it takes m o n th s o r even years to
learn from one p lan t sitting.
In the beginning o f my tim e w hen learning how to sit
w ith plants, I was shocked at my resistance to sitting still
and quieting my ever busy m ind. It is uncom fortable, so be
prepared to push past the discom fort to have a connected
experience w ith the plant. I t is n o t easy, b ut as with
everything, the m ore you do it, the m ore com fortable and
easy it becom es. Also, have no expectations — m ost likely
you will n o t have a mystical experience right away. T h at
will com e in tim e however. I personally found that being
a strong night dream er to begin w ith and having an active
im agination helped im m ensely w ith receiving visions from
the plants and w ith having visions in general. H ow ever, do
n o t get discouraged if it takes m ore tim e than you expect —
it is w orth the wait and tim e spent.
W hat does the p lan t sym boli 2 e and m ean to you afte r
the visit? I f you brin g a b ran ch o f it in d o o rs to lay u p o n
your altar, th a t can brin g a piece o f the plants energy back,
a piece to rem em b er from your visitation. M ake an am ulet
to carry w ith you from the plant, a p o u ch o f leaves, flow ers,
seeds or twigs. T h e p lan t becom es sacred and symbolic.
We can im agine how a healer w ho exists spending m uch
tim e w ith plants in w ild places can b ecom e wise over m any
241
years, learning directly from the p lan t spirits and the pow er
o f th e land. H isto ry and folklore is revealing to be sure,
b u t personal experience w ith plant spirits is m uch m ore
pow erful and im printing. O fte n tim es, it is b e st to learn or
know very little ab o u t a p lan t before visiting it, th at way
your experience com es from a d eep er place rath e r than
w hat is logical. W hat you learn after your experience will
be co nfirm ing, o ften adding layers and fleshing o u t your
initial contact.
Pay attention to w hat draw s you, be it plant or anim al
energies, places, landscapes__ Always follow that deeper
pull tow ards your ow n story and o ften ancestral recognition.
M any plants and animals that I have been particularly draw n
to over the years ended up belonging to the hom elands o f
my ancestors. O f course we can recognize this on a physic
and unconscious level. May you be inspired to take time
w ith the plants in the unseen places, away from others. Many
dream s await.
242
Appendix В
Appendix В
D rying and Storing Plants
T here is m uch satisfaction to be had in harvesting plants and

drying them to perfection, catching the plants vital essence
and preserving it. To behold a cupboard o f beautiful hand
harvested and dried plants is som ething to feel p roud of,
a m edicinal and magical apothecary both. D ried herbs can
be used for so m any m edicinal preparations including: teas
(infusions and decoctions), baths, washes, rinses, steams,
com presses, seasonings, elixirs, tinctures, capsules, infused
fats(best w ith anim al fats n o t oils) and sm oking blends.
For magical purposes, they can be used for fum igations,
offerings, in the crafting o f powders, in amulets, on altars,
in the preparation o f sacred libations and m ore.
Some general harvest guidelines: ■'S

O nly ever take from a large and heathy stand o f plants
and a g o o d guideline is to never leave the plant stand or
tree looking like anything was disturbed or taken from it —
leave no trace. O fferings are appropriate w hen harvesting
plants, as is the in ten tio n o f use com m unicated to the
plant involved. O fferings can be as simple or com plex as
needed for each purpose, determ ined by the harvester. It is
essential to recognize the m any gifts com e from the plants
and the spirit energy that they hold —n o t just taking them
for granted, even the m ost abundant ones. A n offering can
be m ade and w ords w ith intentions spoken o u t loud to
a large or older plant o f the group. T h e n harvesting can
be und ertak en surrounding that one plant, leaving it be.
H arvesting plants alone is preferable to being w ith others,
being able to focus on the m edicinal or magical pu rp o se at
hand, leaving m undane thoughts b eh in d for a time. Also, it
is n o t always about ‘gettin g ’ som ething, and m any o f the
m o st p o te n t tim es w ith plants involve no harvesting at all.
243
A fte r h a rv e stin g a p la n t fro m th e fo re st, field or

g a rd e n , th e p ro c e ss o f c a tc h in g th e p la n t has begun.
T h e g o al is to c a p tu re th e living an d v ital fo rce in the
p la n t to dry, fo r late r use. T h e c o lo r an d sc en t o f the
p la n t m aterial sh o u ld be k e p t in ta c t — th e d ried p la n t
sh o u ld keep th e v ib ra n t c o lo r an d u n iq u e sm ell th a t th e
p la n t has. T h e p la n ts en erg y sh o u ld be c o n sid e red , in
p a rtic u la r fo r m agical w orkings. I f a p la n t o r w o o d is
h a rv e s te d at th e full m o o n o r ju st b e fo re , it will be m o st
p o te n t fo r p ro te c tiv e w o rk , fo r love m agic, fo r healing
w o rk a n d th e like. I f h a rv e ste d n e a re st th e d ark m o o n
o r ju st b e fo re , it will be b e tte r su ited fo r div in atio n
w o rk , c o u n te r cursing, sp irit c o m m u n ic a tio n and som e
o f th e d a rk e r a sp ec ts o f fo lk m agic. T h e days o f the
w eek are also a c o n sid e ra tio n , especially w h e n w orking
w ith th e u n se en , each day re p re s e n tin g a d iffe re n t p la n e t
and th e re fo re energy. T h e p o te n t tim es o f day can also
be c o n sid e re d , such as m id n ig h t, n o o n , du sk and daw n.
W h en c o m b in e d w ith th e au sp icio u s eves o f th e year,
th e p lan ts h a rv e ste d a c co rd in g to th ese sim ple guidelines
can be m o re su itable fo r folk m agic.
It is a fine balance to harvest the herbs w hen they are
m o st medically p o ten t and also for the appropriate tim e
energetically for magic work. It is m o st helpful to keep
separate the plants harvested at certain tim es o f the m oons
cycle, on auspicious days o f the year, tim es o f day o r days
o f the week, so they are n o t confused w ith plants intended
for m edicinal use. T h a t said, there is always an ideal tim e to
harvest plants for m edicine and there is usually and two or
three week w indow surrounding the m ain flush. T h e cycle
o f ‘w hat plant parts to harvest and w hen’ can be simplified
and generalized, o f course there are num erous exceptions to
this, b u t it is helpful.
Early Springtime: Buds.

Springtim e: Tree Barks, Leaves, C onifer Tips
Sum m er: Flowers, Leaves.
244
Appendix В
Late Sum mer: Seeds, Fruits.

A utum n: Roots, Rootbarks,
W inter: W indfall Lichens, Buds
W ood for magical purposes can be harvested as needed,

during the appropriate m oon phase.
M ake sure to hang a n d /o r p ro cess your p lan ts directly
after harvesting. U p to 1 /3 o f the h a rv e st can be lost if
leaves and flow ers in p a rticu la r are left in b a g s/b a sk e ts
o v ern ig h t b efo re hanging. R oots w ith d irt left on,
unw ashed, can be kept in the fridge covered w ith a dam p
tow el. Som e fruits, such as h a w th o rn and ro seh ip s, will also
be alright sto re d in th e fridge b efo re picking th em over. A
little w rinkling will n o t be a pro b lem . Juicier fruits need
to be laid o u t to dry rig h t away. I f there is d irt splashed
on leaves, such as w ith vio let leaves and dandelion leaves,
they can be im m ediately w ashed and sp u n like salad greens
(use a clean dishtow el, g a th e red at fo u r c o rn e rs and spun
outside) and th en dried. N ev er w ash h e rb s unless they
have d irt on them . A lso, som e h erb s are really sensitive
to bruising, w hich m eans do n o t pack them too heavy in
a basket. W ood h arv ested is easiest to dry, requiring little
p ro cessin g besides strip p in g o ff th e leaves, w hich can be
left on fo r b e n e fit if desired.
Where to dry herbs

To dry plants, you need to provide adequate air flow and
w arm th. Som e people m istakenly think that herbs can be
dried in a dark back bedroom . In a dam p or cold climate,
this w ould ruin the plants. I recom m end setting up a
drying station in the kitchen o f the hom e. T his ro o m is
generally kept w arm because o f cooking and has g o o d air
flow because o f the activity th at happens there. T he m ost
im p o rtan t aspect o f the drying corner is that the herbs
n o t be in direct sunlight. D irect sunlight can dim inish the
properties o f the plants and fade them . F inding space can
often be a challenge for m any folks, b u t a small corner if set
245
up properly, can dry m any plants over a season. Som e sort

o f set up w here bundles o f herbs can be hung, and also a
place to lay flat m aterial to dry, such as chopped roots or
individual flowers, is best. It is sim ple to set up heavy co tto n
string lines to hang bundles on. Ju st use som e wide headed
nails o r hooks to hang the lines across and hang bundles
from them . A nearby kitchen counter space can be used to
dry the flat m aterial, placed on flat baskets o r opened brow n
paper bags. A n o th er great o p tio n is to use an old fashioned
w ooden clothes drying rack. Bundles can be hung from the
bars, flat or rounded large baskets can be set on the top and
betw een the levels, and the w hole thing can be p u t away
w hen n o t in use. I f the area to dry plants in happens to
be in direct sunlight from a nearby window, simply p u t up
w hite curtains. T h e w hite curtains will still allow light into
the room , b u t will keep the sun o ff the plants.
T h e tim e th a t it takes to dry leaves and flow ers is
usually tw o -th ree w eeks, w ith fruits, ro o ts, w ood, co n ifer
tips, h o rsetail and fru its taking up to fo u r weeks. T his
really d ep en d s on o n e ’s kitch en e n v iro n m en t. Living in a
p artial b a sem e n t o r in a cabin in the w oods, p lan ts hardly
ever dry com pletely. In th o se cases, they can be finished
in the oven, at roughly 350 degrees fo r 5-7 m inutes w ith
one tu rn in betw een, until they are crisp and fragrant. It
is im p o rta n t to n o t leave h erb s o u t fo r to o lo n g in the
kitchen after they are dry. A little w hile is fine, b u t it is
am azing how m uch grease and d u st will accum ulate on the
h erb s in a s h o rt tim e.
Leaves
H ang the leaves right after harvesting in your area set up for
drying. I f they were picked individually, spread them on a
flat basket, screen or opened brow n paper bag. I f they are
on stem s, bundle them in m edium sized bundles, generally
w ith 6-10 stalks per bundle, depending on the size. Tie
them w ith one loop to cinch it tight. H ang the bundles to
dry. T his generally takes about two o r three weeks, m ore
246
ЛррепсИх В
o r less depending on your hum idity and tem perature. A fter

a few weeks, take the herbs out o f the bundles and put
them in baskets for a following week. T he baskets can be
heaped pretty high. F lu ff the herbs each day in the baskets
to give them airflow. Finally, they should be stripped from
their stalks and picked over, w ith discolored o r bug dam aged
leaves discarded. T his is a process know n as ‘garbling’ and
will be discussed in a paragraph below.
Flowers I'F
Flow ers can be picked individually and dried on screens
o r flat baskets o r they can be kept on the stalk and dried
in bundles and strip p ed from their stalks w hen they are
dried. Flow ers are the m o st sensitive to light and are very
delicate. D o n o t w ash them . Som e flow ers th at are large
o r th at have m any petals need an extra w eek o f tim e to
ensure th at they are th o roughly dried. M any flow ers shrink
dow n significantly w hen dried. D o n ’t m ake the m istake o f
adding fresh flow ers to a tray o f the sam e flow ers th at
have b een already drying for a few days. In five days it
will be im possible to tell the two harvests apart, and it is
easy to fo rg et w hich side o f the basket needs extra tim e
to dry. Flow ers in jars th at b ecom e m oldy can be quite a
disappointm ent! E x p e c t bugs from your flow ers, they will
crawl away and die, no need to w orry a b o u t th em ruining
your precious flowers.
Roots and Root B a rk /B a r k ^

A fter harvesting these und erg ro u n d parts, rinse them
carefully to free up any dirt. D o an initial rinse outside
w ith the garden hose to save your kitchen sink from being
clogged w ith dirt. Light scrubbing is helpful. W ith roots, you
will often need to cut away any ro tte n o r bug infested parts
using a sharp knife. R oots are easier to prepare w hen they
are fresh, as they are easier to w ork with. D o n o t wait until
they are dry! Also, som e roots are tougher than others, so
be prepared for this. A fter rinsing well and trim m ing, slice
247
them into small chunks, similar to chopping garlic. F or ro o t

bark, it can som etim es be peeled w ith fingers and pulled o ff
or a knife can be used to strip it off. It depends on the plant.
D iscard the inner core o f the rh izo m e/b ran ch .
S creen s/flat baskets are the m o st effective for drying the
prepared ro o t m aterial o r barks. A rrange the pieces and
stack on a w ell-ventilated shelf, o u t o f direct sunlight. T he
drying process should take 2-3 weeks, depending on how
dense the m aterial is.
F ruits/ Seedpods
D ry these the sam e way as the ro o t m aterial. U se screens or
paper bags cut flat o r flat baskets. A nything th at has good
airflow will do. F ruits have a tendency to have bug issues
th at are hard to detect. Because o f this, check on them every
day and com post the fruits that m old o r that have w o rm s/
w ebs developing around them . Give the fru its/se e d head
3-4 weeks to fully dry, w ith m ore tim e for larger and fleshy
types. Pick th rough these carefully before storing, som etim es
you will lose as m uch as h alf o f the harvest to bug damage.
Garbling Ft
G arb lin g m eans processing the plants, usually after drying
is com plete. W hen the herbs are dried, as w ith leaves, stem s
and flowers, they usually need to be stripped from their
fibrous stalks before pu ttin g into glass jars. T his is the time
to discard any discolored or bug eaten parts, along w ith any
leaves that have a w hite egg sack attached to the bottom .
T hink o f garbling as refining or maybe fine to o th combing.
Roots, barks and fruits are already processed before they
are dried, by w ashing thoroughly and cutting out brow n and
bug eaten parts. W hen they are dried they can be put directly
in a jar w ith no fu rth er attention.
Storage Sp
T he b est way to store herbs is in glass jars w ith tight fitting
lids, in a dark cu pboard, n o t above a stove o r close to a
248
ЛррепсИх В
h eat source. As beautiful as they are to look at, keeping

th em in direct light will cause them to fade so o n er rath er
than later. I t is b e st to store herbs w hole, m eaning do n o t
c ru sh th em up. T h e generalized tim e th at they will keep is
2-3 years for aerial parts(leaves, stem s, flow ers) and 3 or
m ore years for roots, seeds, berries, and fibrous stem s. As
long as th eir color and fragrance is strong, they are still
fine for use.
249
Appendix С
R endering A nim al F at at H o m e
U sing anim al fats to carry the p ro p erties o f plants is an

old way to deliver m edicine to the skin. O fte n the fat
called for in older salve recipes is anim al fat. T his is n o t
really surprising w hen we rem em ber th at olive oil or oil
in general was quite expensive and n o t as readily available
as anim al fats in tim es past, before m ass p ro d u ctio n and
tra n sp o rta tio n . A nim al fats w ere som e o f the p ro d u cts
from the h u n t o r th e slaughter. As every p a rt o f the anim al
was valued and used, fat could be tu rn e d in to soap, candles,
m edicine and used in food preparation.
tendering Fats fo r Home Use ^

A s it is alm ost im possible to find high quality ren d ered
anim al fat to purchase, it is necessary to buy fat from the
local b u tc h e r and ren d e r it yourself. T h e p ro cess is n o t
hard, b u t it is so m ew h at tim e consum ing, taking ab o u t 3-4
h o u rs ’ w o rth o f tim e. T h e w hole p o in t o f fat ren d erin g
is to take raw fat th a t has b een cut o ff the anim al and
frozen, and co o k it dow n to get m o st o f the fat o u t o f
the tissue —this th en can be used to in fu se plants w ith (or
eaten in food). T h e re are som e im p o rta n t subtleties th at
will m ake a huge d ifference in the quality o f your fat for
salve m aking.
W h at anim al fats to use? I have re n d e re d pig fat
(w hich is called lard), b e e f fat (w hich is called tallow ),
bear fat and d u c k /c h ic k e n fat(in sm all am o u n ts). Any
fat can be re n d e re d , b u t pig fat and b ear fat m ake the
m o st excep tio n al fats fo r infu sin g p lan ts w ith. T hey
have a clean w h ite c o lo r and excellent sm o o th texture.
B e e f fat is very wax like and m ore b rittle —it is a h a rd e r
fat. A ny tallow will be the sam e, such as lam b o r deer
tallow. T allow is to o h ard fo r salves, unless m ixed w ith
250
Appendix С
a so fte r fat. C h ic k e n / p o u ltry fat has a nice tex tu re b u t

is challenging to g e t large am o u n ts fro m and the scen t is
very strong. P ig fat is cream y and sm o o th , being solid at
ro o m tem p e ra tu re b u t m elting at th e to u ch . B ear fat is
s o fte r th a n pig fat and truly the n ice st silky texture o f all,
alm o st liquid at ro o m tem p e ra tu re , b u t still opaque.
P ig fat can be b o u g h t fro m local b u tc h e r shops. T hey
sell it fro zen , fo r a b o u t $1 p er p o u n d , w here I live. B eef
fat can be b o u g h t fro m th e b u tc h e r sh o p as well, excellent
fo r m aking tallow candles a fter it is ren d ered . I f your
friends g e t organic local m eat, ask th em if they w ant the
fat. M o st p eo p le d o n ’t, so it is available. T h e fat is b est
fro zen , th en it can be p ro ce sse d at your convenience.
T h a t said, you will n eed som e freezer space fo r it, unless
you plan to re n d e r rig h t away. I have acq u ired b e a r fat
th ro u g h fam ily’s th a t h u n t black bear. I have h e a rd th a t
you can also call up taxiderm y shops and ask for it there.
R em em ber, th a t m o st p eo p le d o n ’t w a n t fat a n d it is
w asted. I t is th e re fo re th en available at a cheap price or
even for free.
To get started rendering, you will need a few supplies:
C utting board, sharp c h e f’s knife(the m ost im p o rtan t
thing!), a w hite linen dishcloth (no colors), large sieve,
heavy b o tto m ed n o n -alu m in u m /n o n -iro n pot, long w ooden
sp o o n /sp a tu la , clean and dry wide m o u th pint m ason
jars w ith lids (wash them the day before), 4 or 8 cup glass
m easuring cup w ith spout on it.
O ne im p o rtan t thing to have is time. It takes roughly 3-4
hours to properly render around 10 pounds o f fat. T he yield
for pig lard is about 6-7 pints, depending on if you have a fat
press or not, w hich will give an extra few pints —a significant
increase in yield to bring it up to about 8 pints. A fat press
is a special small sized m etal press th at is just for rendering
fats. It looks like a m ini wine press, b u t it is m etal n o t w ood
(as are fruit processing tools). Since m ost people do n o t
have a press, plan on squeezing it ou t by hand, through a
linen cloth.
251
T haw out the fat about 12 hours before. It is okay if it is

still a little frozen, it will make the cutting easier. You start
by trim m ing and cutting up the fat. All o f the m eat, blood
and veins m ust com e o ff as you chop up the fat into lb y
2 inch squares o r so. T h o se parts can scorch easy and ruin
the scent o f the w hole batch. Tiny veins are fine, as is any
puckered looking fat. Just no m eat or big veins. You will be
able to tell the difference betw een the nice w hite kidney fat
(called leaf lard) because it is web-like and very w hite, and
the tissue fat (called fat back) w hich is m ore cream colored
and puckered looking, at least w ith pig fat. Technically, the
leaf lard is the pu rest tasting, b u t I usually mix the two, since
the leaf lard is n o t as abundant.
K eep the chunks o f fat a ro u n d the sam e size and start
cooking rig h t away. T h e reaso n th a t you co o k the fat dow n
is to release th e liquid fat fro m th e tissue and cook o u t
som e o f the w ater, so th at it p reserv es better. T h e key is
patience. A m edium h eat is all th at you can co o k it on fo r a
w hile, to avoid the w hole b atch being scorched. C o n sta n t
stirrin g is n ecessary so th a t the fat does n o t stick to the
b o tto m o f the pot. T h e fat will b ecom e b lu b b ery and
stinky. D o n o t be alarm ed, it is just p a rt o f the process. A
g o o d th in g to rem e m b e r is to n o t invite peo p le over for
d in n er later th a t night! Y our w hole h o u se will sm ell o f a
p o rk or b ear rind.
E ventually the fat will ru n and you will have m ore and
m ore clear fat and less tissue, as it gets smaller. K eep
stirring the w hole tim e. T h e tissue pieces will start to tu rn
golden eventually as you may need to tu rn the heat up a
bit tow ard the end. T h ese fried pieces o f tissue are called’
cracklins’ and at one p o in t in tim e w ere a loved treat,
sprinkled w ith salt or in co rp o rate d in to corn bread w hen
they had fried totally dow n. B ut for salve m aking in m ind,
I stop the frying process a little early. I d o n ’t let the tissue
get darkened. Stop cooking as they sta rt to get brow ned.
T his m eans less fat p er batch b u t it will be a nicer looking
and sm elling fat for m edicine m aking.
252
Appendix С
P o u r th e fat th ro u g h a sieve lined w ith a linen tow el

over a 4-8 cup m easuring cup and a fte r m o st o f it passes
th ro u g h byway o f gravity, it will be tim e to do the rest o f
the squeezing yourself. P o u r the liquid fat in to m ason jars
as you go. M ake sure your linen tow el is p u re w hite, as
th e fat will b rin g o u t any dye in th e clo th and m ake sure
y our tow el is stro n g , o th erw ise you will b u rs t th e clo th
and have a big m ess to restrain . I have m ade b o th o f
th ese m istakes b efo re. Take the dry ends o f th e tow el and
w ring th e m to a tw ist and squeeze th e rem ain in g fat out.
I t is surprisingly to u g h , b u t do your best. I f you ren d e r
fat m o re th an a few tim es p e r year, you will w an t a fat
press eventually.
A fte r th e pale g o ld en re n d e re d fat is p o u re d in to clean
jars, place th em in the fridge, w ith o u t lids. I have read
th a t co o lin g th em quicker im proves th eir tex tu re, so I do
it and it seem s to w ork fine. T h e fat will tu rn w hite and
o p aq u e as it cools, so m etim es pig fat has a slight tan co lo r
to it, w hile b ear fat is p u re w hite. L abel them , as it is easy
to g et th em c o n fu se d later, as I have learned, especially
w h en they are still frozen. A fte r fo u r o r five h ours, you
can p u t lids on th e m and freeze th em just like that. T h e
fro z e n fat will last indefinitely. Y ou can take o u t jars as
needed. A lso, you can keep th em in the fridge, if your
freezer space is lim ited. G enerally, sto re fats in the fridge
o r freezer, as they can eventually m old a little at ro o m
tem p eratu re.
T h e lefto ver fat chunks can be ren d ered a second time,
to get all o f the fat o u t o f the tissue and used for cooking
savory m eat dishes, greasing cast iro n pans, and for any type
o f hom em ade shoe polish, fu rn itu re polish, canvas oiling
etc... Ju st cook it dow n again, and d o n ’t w orry ab o u t over
frying it. L et it fry o u t com pletely, just be careful it d o e sn ’t
get to o h o t, as it could catch fire and be disastrous. I f th at
ever happens, p u t it o u t w ith flour o r cornm eal, n o t water.
Strain it and you will be am azed how m uch m ore fat that
you will g et-at least an extra p in t and a half. O r the extra fat
253
and scraps can be left o u t as an offerin g to scavenger birds

som ew here o r m ixed in to dog fo o d a little at a tim e, if your
dog is used to scraps. I have fo u n d th a t dogs will n o t eat
bear fat, b u t will happily eat pig o r b e e f fat. D ep en d s on the
dog I suppose. W ash the cloth o u t w ith the h o tte st soapy
w ater th a t you can stand; rinse well and w ring it to air dry.
D o n o t w ash o r dry w ith o th e r clothes because the fat can
get over o th e r things and be flam m able in the dryer. Re-use
the cloth n ex t tim e. W ipe o u t the pan and the m easuring
cup w ith p a p e r tow el, w hich m akes a g reat fire starter. N o w
w ash everything in very h o t soapy w ater. A job well done!
254
Appendix D
Appendix D
Infusing F a ts/O ils w ith Plants
In the m edicine m aking w orld, m o st people are unfam iliar

w ith the process o f infusing anim al fats w ith herbs. In fu sed
oils, such as olive o r grapeseed, are the standard salve
ing red ien t in m o d ern herbalism . H ow ever, I can attest that
anim al fats capture a plants p ro p erties, color and scent
b e tte r th an any oil, w ith one exception - the resinous
plants, such as w ith co tto n w o o d bud Populus trichocarpa or
spruce p itch Picea sitchensis as exam ples. I believe th at the
resinous plants are equally soluble in either oil or anim al
fat, b u t o th e r than th at exception, anim al fat w ins every
tim e. N o t only does it have the ability to ‘catch the p la n t’,
as I like to call it, b u t the texture and absorbability o f the
fat is so superior —it lends itse lf to som e o f the sm o o th est
and m o st absorbable salves. T his m akes sense as o u r ow n
skin sebum is m olecularly closer to anim al fat than any
oil. T he c o n sta n t feedback th a t I get from students, family
and friends is th at they are so im pressed by the texture o f
anim al fat infused salves, they love it. A n o th e r bonus about
using anim al fats instead o f oil — you can extract dried
plants w ith it, and extract th em well. I t is truly an am azing
gift from the anim al w orld and it w o rth taking the tim e to
ren d e r your ow n fat at hom e to use.
M aking Infused Fats ‫׳‬F

E q u ip m e n t you will need to make fat infusions: a glass/
enam el/stainless double boiler, w ooden pestle, fine screened
sieve, m ason jars w ith lids, rendered anim al fat — thaw ed if
frozen in jars, overnight w ilted fresh plant m aterial or dried
plant m aterial (if hom e harvested and dried rather than
store bought, a m uch stronger fat infusion will be obtained),
cutting board and knife.
I use a glass double boiler m ethod to infuse fats and
plants together. T his is a sim ple m eth o d th at w orks and in
255
fact, I use the same m eth o d to infuse honeys w ith plants.

P u t w ater in the lower pot, maybe 3 inches o r so, m aking
sure the b o tto m o f the upper p o t is subm erged w hen you
lower it in. In the u p p er p o t, p u t your fat and your herbs,
fresh or dried. T h e fresh herbs should be slightly wilted,
overnight is fine. T his way there is less w ater introduced
in to the fat, and the fragrance is m uch m ore available. You
can gently bruise them in a m o rtar and pestle o r chop them
a bit. I f you are using w hole dried herbs, grind them a little,
o r chop them fine. Plants bo u g h t form the store will be cut
and sifted already.
Place the anim al fat in the p o t first, as it needs to m elt
to n o t scorch the plants on the bo tto m . T h en place plant
m aterial on top o f the rendered fat. As far as proportions,
I like to have enough fat to just cover the plants —you will
have to wait until it m elts to see this, so start w ith less than
you think. I f you use too m uch fat, your infusion will be
weak. T urn the heat o n to high and w atch closely. W hen the
w ater begins to boil in the low er cham ber, stir the fat m ixture
w ith a w ooden spoon and turn the heat dow n to m edium
low. T h e goal here is to w arm the oil, b u t n o t get it too hot,
hence using the double boiler. You w ant to m elt the animal
fat, w hich will n o t take too long. O nce the anim al fat is fully
m elted and the plant m aterial is fully covered and coated,
wait for 10 m inutes o r so, then tu rn the heat off. D o n o t be
alarm ed if the anim al fat stinks as it becom es heated. This
smell will eventually be gone, after the smell o f plants take
over. Leave the w hole in the double boiler and let the fat sit
covered at room tem p for 24 hours. R epeat this process two
tim es m ore, for a total o f three times. I find this sufficient
for the transfer o f arom as and color. Y ou can do this m ore
tim es if you want; som etim es I do 5 o r 6 tim es total.
O n the last day heating, strain the w arm infused fat
through a fine strainer into a clean m ason jar. R em em ber
anim al fats have to cool and cure for a week o r two before
the ‘stinky’ smell dissipates. T his really makes a difference.
W hen you test your fat out a few days later, ru b som e on
256
ЛррепсИх D
your skin and smell it. It w arm s it up a b it and gives a m uch

better representation o f the scent, rather than just smelling
o u t o f the jar. You can also re-infuse the fat w ith m ore
plant m aterial if you w ant it to be stronger, b u t I have never
needed to do this. T he way to tell if your extraction is strong
— look at the color and odor. T he fat should have either
changed color or have a strong o d o r in resem blance to the
plant, or both. Som e plants have a less noticeable fragrance
o r color change than others. H ow ever, if neither happened
to change the fat, you are probably m aking your infusion too
weak o r your dried plants are n o t very fresh.
Refrigerate the infused fats to use later in salve m aking,
they will keep indefinitely. Som e o f my students w onder
w hy to even add beeswax, as these fats are saturated in the
fridge and even partially at ro o m tem p. Beeswax im proves
the texture, helps the salve stay on the skin better, and a
salve m ade from beesw ax w ont m elt as easily to m ake a huge
m ess while traveling. It also seem s to help preserve the salve.
It is im p o rtan t to m ention the possibility o f using coconut
oil instead o f anim al fat for people w ho do n o t use anim al
products or have the tim e/sp ace to render fats. T he double
boiler m eth o d works very well w ith coconut oil, as described
above. You can use high quality coconut oil, though
everything will smell like coconut — n o t a bad thing, b ut
n o t always desirable either. You can also use soap m aker’s
coconut oil, w hich has been deodorized, but is still saturated
and will catch the plant. Som e o f my students have had very
good luck w ith coconut oil and are happy w ith the results.
I stick to anim al fats m yself — I think coconut oil is very
greasy and n o t as absorbable.
M aking Infused Oils №

A n o th er tim e h o n o red way to infuse oils is in the sunshine.
This can be done using extra virgin olive oil and fresh plant
m aterial in the heat o f the sum m er. O nce again, let your
plant m aterial wilt for 12 hours first. Place it in a m ason jar
and m ash up gently w ith a w ooden m ortar, if needed. P our
257
oil over to cover, and stir up to redistribute the plants in

the oil. Use a jar that is small o r big enough for the plant
m aterial to fill up. O nce the lid is in place, p u t the jar in a
sunny spot, outside in direct sunlight, b u t m ake sure it is
n o t getting baked all day. A few hours in h o t sun is plenty.
Leave this for two weeks, opening every day to stir w ith a
chopstick and wipe m oisture from the lid. D o n ’t forget this
part, o r your plant m aterial may m old. Strain after two weeks
and store in a dark place.
W hen the sun is n o t shining, you can still infuse oils near a
heat source indoors. K eep them w arm b u t n o t hot. Stir them
every day and give them a m o n th o r m ore before straining.
O il doesn’t extract dried plants well at all in my opinion, so
stick to freshly w ilted plants or pitch. O nce strained and
finished, these oils can be stored in the fridge or at room
tem perature until needed in a salve, o r they can be used on
the skin as is.
258
ЛррепсИх Е
Appendix Е
M aking W ine and Mead
‘C ountry W ine’ is any type o f wine that is n o t grape wine.

Because you are n o t using grapes, som e sort o f sw eetener
m ust be added to the fruit involved. M ead is wine m ade
w ith honey as the sweetener. It is also probably the oldest
alcoholic beverage m ade, tho u g h t to be at least 10,000 years
old in parts o f the w orld w here honey bees were native.
M aking w ine and m ead is easy. I t is the a tte n tio n to
detail th a t will m ake the b iggest d ifference betw een a
drinkable w ine and a really enjoyable delicious wine. O nce
you begin to m ake your ow n, you will never go back. T h e
creative possibilities are endless, n o t to m en tio n the cost
effectiveness —one b o ttle o f w ine m ade w ith organic cane
sugar costs aro u n d $2 to pro d u ce, n o t including the bottle.
M ead is closer to $5 per b o ttle, if you use locally sourced
honey, w hich I reco m m en d . A lso, by m aking w ine and
m ead at h o m e, you can totally avoid chem icals and sulfites.
I add n o th in g to my w ines besides wrater, fru it/h e rb s ,
h o n e y /s u g a r and yeast. I have b een m aking exceptional
w in e s/m e a d s fo r over ten years w ith o u t sulfites and my
w ines never spoil.
Basic Equipm ent -;A:

H ere is w h at you need to brew w ine in one gallon batches.
Som e p eo p le th in k it is silly to m ake only one gallon,
b u t to m ake 3 o r 5 requires m ore expensive eq uipm ent
and m ore fruit. All o f the steps take lo n g er and are
m ore cum bersom e because o f the large si 2 e o f liquid. I
usually m ake a b o u t 10-12 kinds o f w in e /m e a d p e r year
and som etim es I m ake 2-3 gallon batch es o f som ething
I really enjoy, b u t avoid th e large glass carboys by using
gallon glass jugs. You g et 4-5 b o ttles o f w ine p e r gallon,
b u t c o u n t on 4 as the yeast build up (called th e lees) will
take up som e space in your gallon jug.
259
One Three Gallon Stone Crock — Buy it new for around $35-
$45, usually found at a local co-op. D o n o t buy antiques, as
I have done in the past, only to find that the small cracks in
the enam el leak and are n o t sanitary. Also, older glazes have
been know n to contain lead. I do n o t use plastic buckets for
prim ary ferm entation as m any people do. I like stone wear.
K eep your crock only for winem aking, n o t for sauerkraut о
r pickles. D o n o t store bottles in it, o r eventually it will chip.
Targe Plastic Tunnel and Hose — T hese can be bo u g h t at the

local brew store for less than $15 for both. Unless you are
using w ooden barrels w ith a w ooden spout, there is no real
way to avoid these two plastic item s for straining out the
fruit and for siphoning into bottles.
Large Wooden Spoon — H aving a large, new w ooden spoon

just for wine m aking is essential, n o t being used for anything
else or left sitting in the kitchen sink. It is w orth spending
$15 on a heavy duty long handled one, so th at you can easily
reach to the b o tto m o f the crock to stir up the fruit m ixture.
(Called the M ust) M ark it w ith a ribbon and keep it separate
from your o th er household utensils.
Gallon Glass Jugs — H aving clear gallon glass jugs for

secondary ferm entation is like having a small carboy, and
m uch cheaper. Have as m any on hand as you w ant to have
types o f wine. T hey cost around $5 each at the brew store or
som etim es can be found at second hand stores for cheaper.
Hirlocks — T hese, along w ith rubber stopper th at fits in

them , can be bought at the brew store for a few dollars each,
maybe $3 for all the little parts. You need as m any o f them
as you have gallon jugs. T hese act to let the gas out, while
also keeping the fruit flies and the dust from getting in.
Wine bottles — It is best to find wire stopper type bottles

so that you can avoid corking. H ow ever, they are quite
260
Appendix E
expensive to purchase new. It is w orth seeking o u t fancy

sodas o r drinks that com e in these bottles and purchasing
som e over a long period o f tim e to build up your collection.
O r look o u t for them at second hand stores. I have friends
w ho just bottle in old liquor bottles and also avoid corking;
these how ever cannot be stored on their sides b u t rather up
right. Corking is fun b u t just another step to deal w ith. I t is
n o t as essential for flavor as for grape wine and really n o t
necessary, unless you like the old charm o f corks. Also, cork
trees (a type o f oak tree) are becom ing overharvested and
real corks th at are a w hole piece o f cork are rare —they are
m ostly m ade o f com pressed cork these days. I f you w ould
like to cork, any w ine bottle will do.
Corker and Corks — T hese are easy to use b u t can be

expensive, depending on the m odel. T h e hand held corker
w orks great. Corks are pretty affordable, once you have your
corker.
bottle brush — G e t an extra long b o ttle b ru sh to clean

gallon jugs and w ine b o ttles w ith. T h ese can be found at
the brew store.
Yeast — T h e b rew sto re will have special w ine m aking

yeast th a t has b e e n iso la te d an d c u ltu re d to give a reliable
o u tco m e . I t is n o t expensive fo r a p ack et, w hich is a ro u n d
$1, and if you m ake w ine in 1 gallon b a tc h e s, o n e p ack et
lasts fo r fo u r gallons. Y ou can buy it in the sprin g , b e fo re
w in em ak in g seaso n begins and sto re it in th e fridge. A sk
th e p e rs o n w o rk in g th ere w h a t yeast to use fo r fru it
w ines a n d m eads, ra th e r th a n g rap e w ine. I have read
th a t w h e n u sin g w ild yeast, a th ird o f your o u tc o m e s will
n o t w o rk o u t. T h e y m ay a ffe c t th e flavor in a b a d way or
sto p fe rm e n ta tio n to o early. W ith all o f th e w o rk th a t I
sp e n d picking fru it and w ith the w aiting th a t is req u ired
to d rin k th e w ine, I d o n ’t take any ch an ces w ith w ild
yeast. B esides, th e c o st o f th e yeast is m inim al, so th ere
261
is v ery little expense. A lso, m ake sure you lo o k at the

alco h o l to le ran c e o f th e yeast. A yeast th a t can to le rate
up to 18 p e rc e n t alco h o l will give you a d rie r w ine. O n e
th a t has m o re o f a low er range, such as 14 p e rc e n t, will
give you a sw eeter wine.
Organic Cane Sugar I Honey — O rg a n ic cane sugar can be

b o u g h t in a 5 0 -p o u n d bag fo r w ine m aking o r as n eed ed .
I t d oes n o t have a stro n g flav o r o n its ow n, yet has
tra c e m in erals w h ich adds som e a d d itio n a l n u tritio n to
the w ine. H o n ey prices have in cre ase d significantly in
th e p a st te n years due to th e h o n e y b e e ’s re sp o n se to
m o d e rn p esticid es an d cell p h o n e signals, to w h ich they
are highly sensitive to. I t is a sad state o f affairs. I p re fe r
to s u p p o rt local h o n e y farm ers, th o u g h th e p rice fo r one
five-gallon b u c k e t is as m u ch as $300 in my area o f the
w orld. B ecause o f this, I m ake m uch less m ead th a n I use
to, buying sm aller q u a n titie s o f h o n ey as n eed ed . A lso,
I like to c o m b in e h o n e y a n d sugar to m ake w h a t I call a
‘h o n e y w in e ’. N o t a full m ead, b u t h o n e y w ine has m ore
co m p lex ity in flavor, especially im p o rta n t fo r le a f and
flow er w ines.
Fruit — W hen using fruit for brew ing wine, always choose
perfectly ripe fruit. Som e people have the idea that you can
use overripe fruit for winemaking. It is n o t tru e and under
ripe fruit isn’t g o o d either. Y our wine is only as g o o d as
your fruit. As you pick berries thro u g h o u t the season, freeze
them in a bag until there is enough to m ake a batch o f wine.
T h e freezer is a great w aiting sp o t for fruit if tim e is lim ited.
Also, freezing the berries does help to break dow n the fruit,
so the juice is m ore available for the wine.
Cleanliness ■
— It is im p o rtan t to m ention keeping things
really clean. Use only h o t water, T here is no need to use
soap or bleach that books recom m end. Really h o t w ater and
a scrub b ru sh can get things very clean. Rinse things really
262
Appendix E
well before p u tting the away b u t m ore im portantly, let them

soak w ith very h o t tap w ater for around five m inutes before
using at the start o f brewing. T his seems to w ork great in
my practices.
Basic Stages o f Fermentation F ‘'
Primaryfermentation — This is the stage o f the m o st vigorous

ferm entation, the first stage w hen you add fruit, sugar, yeast
and w ater together. You need your crock, your w ooden
spoon and clean linen for covering the crock w ith. Also, a
m asher is helpful.
T he basic p ro p o rtio n s for a one-gallon batch o f wine
that I use are one gallon o f fruit and 2 1 /2 —3 pounds o f
organic cane sugar. Fruits that are n o t sweet in nature, in
particular the hedgerow fruits such as row an or haw thorn,
need 3 pounds o f sugar, as do any herbal or plant based
wines. Fruits that are pretty sweet on their ow n such as
raspberry or black cherry require 2 V2 pounds per gallon. I
have tried wine w here people used less sugar than that and
they are horrible in my opinion, alm ost undrinkable.
O n e p o u n d o f sugar is approxim ately 2 cups w o rth . You
d o n ’t need a scale as long as you have a one cup m easure
and a one-gallon freezer bag as your guide. F o r lea v e s/
flow ers, use 2 qu arts p er gallon. A d d itio n s such as spices
(vanilla bean, cloves, orange peel, lem on peel e tc __ ) can
be added startin g w ith prim ary ferm en tatio n . W ith spices,
less is best.
For m eads, use 3 pounds o f honey per gallon w ith a
cham pagne yeast. T hese m eads will be high in alcohol and
quite dry, taking about 1 year and 3 m onths to be ready.
Take your d e fro s te d /fre s h fruit and m ake sure to cut
away any bad spots. S tart w ith having a little less than a
gallon o f w ater to boil on the stovetop. G e ttin g the w ater
ratio is tricky, as the fru it juice and m elted sugar will take
up space. I usually use У4 gallon o f water. Bring it to a boil
w ith sugar o r honey.
263
M ash the fruit in a clean crock. W hen the w ater is boiling

and the sw eetener totally dissolved, add it to the crock and
stir w ith your big w ine spoon. Cover loosely w ith a cloth and
now com es the w aiting game. You cannot add yeast until the
‘m u st’ is at room tem p otherw ise it will die. It usually takes
around 6-8 hours to cool dow n. I f you start this project at
night, just wait until m orning.
You need about У4 or 1 /3 packet o f wine yeast per
gallon. W hen the m ust is cool, p ro o f your yeast for about
15 m inutes. Sprinkle the yeast on top o f the m ust. L et it sit
for 15 m inutes and then stir it in. You will notice that it will
expand during this time. T h en attach your linen towel w ith a
string and ru b b er band to the top o f the crock.
D uring the next week, your wine will begin a rapid
ferm entation. You will smell yeast and sugar w afting around.
W ithin a day, the fruit will all rise to the top to the crock
form ing a ‘cap’. You m ust stir in this cap twice per day to
oxygenate the yeast and prevent m old from form ing on the
cap. It is g o o d to have your crock right o n the kitchen counter
to rem ind yourself to do this. Ju st rem ove the towel and give
a g o o d stirring and quickly replace the towel to prevent any
fruit flies o r ‘vinegar flies’ from getting in. Rinse your spoon
im m ediately w ith h o t w ater and let it dry. D o n o t leave your
wine m aking spoon in a dirty sink.
A fter 7-10 days, you will notice a definite decrease in
ferm entation. T he m ust will n o t be so frothy or bubbly.
N ow it is tim e to m ove on to secondary ferm entation.
Secondary Termentation — N ow it is tim e to strain your w in e /

m ead into a glass gallon jug and put it into a longer storage
period. Set the crock up on the counter next to the sink and
place the clean jug in the sink. Rinse your funnel w ith h o t
tap w ater and p u t inside o f the jug. G e t a clean two cup glass
m easuring cup o r som ething like that and scoop your fruit
m ust into the funnel.
Som e fruit drains really easy, som e takes a while. Because
o f the fine filter on the funnel, you may need to agitate the
264
ЛррепсИх Е
fruit w ith your clean hands. It helps push it through, b u t do

n o t force it, as it will only give you m ore sedim ent. As you
need m ore space in the funnel, dum p the spent fruit into a
clean bow l n o t the com post. You do N O T w ant com post
bacteria to be anywhere near your wine. W hen you are finally
through w ith the strained m ust, it is now called im m ature
wine. Make sure th at your gallon is full to w here the small
opening starts to expand, in o th er w ords make sure that it is
exposed to as little oxygen as possible. Som etim es you have
to add a little w ater to make it full, b u t do n o t add m ore than
an inch o r two.
Clean your airlock and fill it to the line and p u t on top
o f the jug, m aking sure that there is two or three inches o f
space betw een the ru b b er sto p p er and the wine. Label your
jug w ith the type o f w ine and date. Make a paper ‘jacket’
o ut o f a brow n paper bag by cutting a hole in the b o tto m
and sliding over the airlock/neck to p ro tect the wine from
light. Store in a dark o u t o f the way place, in a m oderate
tem perature b u t n o t cold. H ere the wine can rem ain for at
least three m onths and up to six m onths.
Racking and Bottling — W ithin the first three m onths, you will
see sedim ent on the b o tto m o f your jug. You either need to
rack (siphon the w ine o ff the sedim ent into a new gallon
jug, replacing the airlock) o r bottle by six m onths, in order
to get your wine o f f the lees (the yeast sedim ent). Eventually
it will add an undesirable taste to the wine. I never bottle
before six m onths and I have never had exploding bottles to
deal w ith, thankfully!
Racking is simple, you need to learn how to use a siphon
however. It just takes a little practice. Y our wine gallon is set
on a table and a clean jug held below it (with a towel on the
floor), w ith one siphon end in the wine to be transferred.
Suck on the low er end o f the siphon and im m ediately p u t it
in to the clean gallon. T h e siphon flow can be controlled by
how far apart the two jugs are. F or faster flow, bring the newer
jug lower and to slow the flow, bring it higher. D o your best
to n o t get any o f the sedim ent in, w hich is a challenge. It is
265
fine if som e gets in, b u t try your hardest. W hen done, you
will lose som e liquid because o f the sedim ent left behind,
w hich is fine. D o n o t add water.
In old recipes clay, m ica or egg w hite was used to clarify
w ine, b u t I have never used these things. Som e h erb w ines
will never get totally clear, w hich does n o t affect the flavor.
F ru it w ines alm ost always clear on their ow n. O n ce the
w ine is racked in to a clean jug, it can be sto re d w ith the
airlock rep laced indefinitely, o u t o f the light at a m o d erate
tem p eratu re. A fter a tim e, say th ree m ore m o n th s, the
airlock can be rem oved and replaced w ith a fitted cap.
T h e w ine can just be d ru n k fro m the jugs i f b o ttlin g is
n o t desirable. C o u n try w ine does n o t go stale if oxygen
gets in to the b o ttle like sto re b o u g h t grape w ine does. It
can last indefinitely, in a h a lf full jug th a t is o p e n e d from
tim e to tim e.
B ottling a bit m essy and it is helpful to have two people.
Start by cleaning and soaking your w ine bottles and cleaning
up the kitchen sink area. I f you are corking, prepare the
corks by pu ttin g them in a p o t w ith som e w ater and place
a veggie steam er over them to keep them subm erged. Bring
the w ater to a boil and set the pan aside, covered, to soften
up the corks, for about 20 m inutes. Make sure that your
siphon hose is clean and place the jug o f w ine above the
bottles. Have a towel spread under the bottles.
Place the clean tube into the wine jug, n o t quite all the way
to the b o tto m , avoiding any sedim ent. Have your bottles
em pty and lined up. Siphon into the bottles, as done w ith
racking. R em em ber th at gravity helps control the flow. Fill
to w ithin a few inches o f the top. M ove on quickly to your
next bottle to avoid losing any o f you precious wine. I t’s a
bit messy, no m atter w hat, so expect this. C ork or seal your
bottles w ith a sto p p er and label. To use a corker, check out
a Y ouTube video, there are different types. I f you cork your
wine, wait 2 days to lay them on their sides, to let the corks
dry out. T h e n they can be stored in a dark place, similar to
w here you stored your gallon jugs.
266
Appendix E
T he fruit wines are usually ready to drink in 9-12 m onths

from the beginning o f the process. M ead takes 3 m onths
longer or so. T he trick w ith w in e /m e ad is that if it doesn’t
taste good, keep waiting. M any folks drink im m ature wine
and suffer because o f lack o f patience. I f you open a bottle
and it still isn’t ready, just p u t the cork back in and w ait som e
m ore, storing it upright. K eep records and recipes for your
wines, so th at you can rem em ber w hat you did and w hat
you liked. O nce you m ake your ow n wine, you will never go
back to store bo u g h t w in e s...it is an easy, creative and very
satisfying pursuit.
267
Appendix F
M aking Salves
Salves are a com bination o f herbal infused o ils/fa ts and

waxes, m ade for topical (on the skin) use. Salves are heavy
enough to coat the skin and tend to be ‘greasy’ feeling. T hey
are one o f the easiest herbal m edicine products to make and
o ften a favorite o f m any m edicine makers. M aking salves is a
w onderful way to preserve the properties o f herbs that were
‘caught’ in an infused fa t/o il, while adding the m oisturizing
benefit to the skin o f the oils a n d /o r fats used.
W hen m aking salves, the com binations o f ingredients
in particular w ith herbs, is virtually endless. A salve should
really be tailored to fit the purp o se at hand. Generally, salves
are used for m edicinal purposes such as for sore muscles,
bites, scrapes and for skin conditions, such as eczema. They
also can be created and used for m ore esoteric purposes in
m ind, such as for anointing ritual objects, to help induce
trance o r o p en the third eye, for p ro tectio n o r form ulated
w ith specific seasonal rites in m ind. Fragrance is certainly
one doorw ay th at leads into o th er realms, as is preserving
the properties o f certain plants for these purposes.
We will briefly look at the base ingredients here and
I will give a general recipe. I personally aspire to m ake a
m ore ‘ru stic’ salve by using anim al fats and plants alone, n o t
including any essential oils. T h ough essential oils are ‘natural’,
they are highly processed and w aste a w hole lot o f plant
m aterial in my opinion. Unless indicated therapeutically, I
avoid them , preferring the challenge to create a w holesom e
salve that is fragrant because o f the plants chosen for fat
extraction. Perfum e balm s can also be m ade like this, using
a high concentration o f dried plant m aterial to anim al fat,
usually bear. T hey are very fragrant w ith o u t the use o f any
essential oil, b u t w ith only m oss, bark, flowers and fat
268
Appendix F
Ingredients Ш
Herbal Infused Oils/Fats — In fu sed o ils /fa ts are the base

ingredients in your salve — see additional appendices for
m ore details on how to m ake these. Essentially, a salve
uses wax to help solidify the infused o ils/fa ts. So, having
high quality infused o ils /fa ts is really the m o st im p o rta n t
ingredient. Y ou w ant the infused o ils /fa ts to sm ell and
be the color o f the herbs th a t you infused, to assure that
they have ‘c a p tu red ’ the som e o f the healing and m agical
essence th at the plants carry.
W a x — B eesw ax is th e p re fe rre d wax to use, as o p p o s e d
to p a ra ffin w h ite w ax, w h ich is a p e tro le u m b y -p ro d u c t.
A p o u n d o f g o ld en sw eet sm elling beesw ax will last you
q u ite a w hile. Y ou m u st g rate o r p u lv eri 2 e the w ax in
o rd e r fo r it to m elt fast e n o u g h in y our o ils /fa t. I f you
have big c h u n k s, it can take a lo n g tim e, un n ecessarily
h e a tin g y o u r fats. T h is can b rea k dow n som e o f the
healin g p ro p e rtie s , w h ich is u n d esirab le. F o r years,
I h a n d g ra te d my beesw ax w ith an old g ra te r set aside
specifically fo r this p u rp o se . (You can nev er really clean
it) T h is job is actually la b o r in te n siv e an d d an g ero u s, I
g ra te d m y knuckles a few tim es as well! T h e re are a few
ways to rem ed y this. Y ou can buy beesw ax th a t is in ‘p e a rl’
fo rm , w h ich is v ery c o n v e n ie n t and m o re expensive b u t is
m ass p ro d u c e d , so m e th in g I find p erso n ally un d esirab le.
T h e re is actually a n o th e r g re a t a ltern ativ e to h a n d grating.
I f you sto re your beesw ax ch u n k s in the fre e 2 er, you can
w rap th e m in c lo th th e n in heavy p lastic and sm ash th em
w ith a ham m er. I t w orks g rea t, b esid es a little m ess. T h a t
way, you have sm all pieces available fo r ease o f m elting
and m easuring.
F or every 1 cup o f o il/fa t, add 1 0 2 . o f beesw ax. You

can either purchase wax in one ounce chunks, o r have a
269
small scale handy fo r m easuring. R em em ber, if you w ant a

h ard er salve, add a little m ore, and for a so fter salve, add
a little less.
To start, set up all o f your open salve containers on a
counter, under w hich is placed brow n paper for catching
any spills. I prefer tins, as they will n o t break and are lighter
w eight than glass. For ritual salves, little earthen ware pots can
be used, found at second hand stores and fitted w ith corks,
if desired. You will need a double boiler for salve making,
w here the w ater in the lower cham ber gets very h o t and heats
the contents o f the upper cham ber in a m ore uniform way.
Make sure the w ater envelopes the upper cham ber and after
adding your fat and wax, tu rn it on high. It usually takes
about 10-15 m inutes to m elt all o f the wax and emulsify,
depending on the am ount involved. I f you do add essential
oils, do so at the very end o f melting, just before pouring
into jars. W hen fully m elted together, turn o ff the heat and
p o u r your m ixture directly into a Pyrex glass m easuring cup
w ith a spout. T h en carefully and quickly p our into desired
containers. T he m ixture will start to solidify right away, b ut
will take a few hours to set in the containers. Use a ru b b er
spatula to scrape up any excess into a final container.
O n e thing to rem em ber — if your salve is too thin or
thick, you can re-m elt it and adjust pro p o rtio n s o f both
beesw ax or infused oil. F or excellent texture, I recom m end
incorporating som e anim al fats into your salve if possible.
C leaning up dishes after salve m aking is a chore — all
th at wax and grease coating everything! A g o o d trick is to
w ipe dishes o u t im m ediately after p o u rin g w ith a piece o f
b ro w n pap er or pap er tow el, w hich m akes less m ess and
provides a great fire starter. T h e n w ash the dishes in extra
h o t soapy water.
Salves last tw o-three years generally. T hey can be stored
at ro o m tem perature. O nes m ade w ith anim al fats will
eventually get grainy and change texture, w hich is undesirable.
O nes m ade w ith vegetable oils will becom e rancid or tangy
smelling. A fter three years, replace them .
270
Appendix G
M aking Elixirs, C ordials and In fu se d W ines
All o f these potions can be m ade w ith b o th m edicinal use

and ritual use in m ind. I prefer elixirs and infused wines to
folk tinctures even, they are m uch m ore inspiring to create
and m ore delicious. T hey are very m edicinally active as well.
A cordial is com m only defined as a sipping beverage,
m edicine or flavoring m ade from any o r all: alcohol (vodka,
brandy), sugar, honey, herbs, spices, fruit. T his definition
can be apphed loosely, depending on w here you are getting
your inform ation from .
A n elixir has similar definitions, b u t seem s to be m ore
m edicinal. O n e definition w rites th at they are a ‘magical or
m edicinal p o tio n ’. A n o th er online definition for elixir — ‘a
sw eetened arom atic solution o f alcohol and water, serving
as a vehicle for m edicine’. W hereas a cordial seems to be
a pleasurable beverage, an elixir is definitely m edicinal. In
my apothecary, it contains alcohol (vodka, brandy), honey,
dried o r fresh herbs, spices and som etim es m edicinal fruits.
T h e biggest difference betw een a cordial and an elixir is
the concentration o f the h e rb s/sp ic e s used - an elixir is
generally m ore potent.
A n infused wine is exactly as it sounds; wine infused w ith
herbs, fruit and / o r spices. T his differs from brew ing a wine
w ith herbs o r spices. T he specific process is defined below.
Alcohol — R em em ber w hen m aking b o th cordials and elixirs

to buy the nicest brandy or vodka th at you can afford. I
prefer 80 p ro o f alcohol, w hich is 40 percent alcohol and
60 percent water. This makes for a nice solvent to help
extract b o th alcohol and w ater soluble medicines. Vodka is
preferable w hen you w ant a really clear flavor for the herbs
involved. Brandy definitely adds a caramel flavor, so think
about your form ulas and w hether or n o t you w ant that. I
271
o ften use brandy w ith excellent results. You certainly could

use rum , whiskey o r even tequila, but I feel that the flavors
o f these alcohols are too overpow ering. T h at is my personal
preference, b u t feel free to experim ent.
Because w ine is a com bination o f alcohol and water, it
extracts herbs nicely. As far as wine goes, it is true that
any wine will extract herbs b u t som e preserve better than
others. T he higher p ro o f wines such as sherry (which is an
am ber colored wine) and p o rt (which is a deep red wine) are
popular. T hese b o th are extrem ely sw eet tasting and strong;
know n as dessert wines. Typical red o r w hite wine is 12-14%
alcohol, w ith sherry and p o rt being around 18-20% alcohol.
I f you w ant to make an infused wine that will last 2-3 years, I
recom m end using either p o rt o r sherry. I f you will be taking
the w ine over a period o f a few weeks o r a m onth, you can
infuse red wine, w hite wine, m ead or any hom em ade wine;
depending on your selection o f herbs.
Herbs ^
For m aking herbal elixirs o r cordials, you can use either fresh
o r dried herbs, all o r any parts (including flowers, leaves,
roots, ro o t bark, seeds). You can also use spices, such as
vanilla bean, cinnam on chips, allspice berries, cloves, star
anise, ginger, coriander seed, cardam om pods etc......citrus
peel is a w onderful addition. D o n o t use powders. I f you are
using fresh plant m aterial, m ake sure that it is sm ashed up a
bit by using a m o rtar and pestle. Also, be sure to first wilt it
overnight by laying it o u t on a basket. A ny or m o st all herbs
w ould work, besides m ucilage rich herbs (marshmallow,
com frey ro o t, slippery elm, kud 2 u ro o t, Irish m oss), w hich
w ould ruin the texture o f the potion. Try to com bine herbs
in a way th at will com plem ent each other, for example, n o t
using too m any arom atic or b itter herbs together.
F o r in fu sed w ines, stick to dried herbs alone, as fresh
h e rb s can in tro d u c e m ore m o istu re to your m en stru u m .
Spices and flavor ad d itions such as citru s peel can be
u sed o f course, as can dried fruits such as eld erb erry or
272
Appendix G
rosehips. I have m ade very p o te n t in fu sed w ines w ith

dried herb s; it is all related to the a m o u n t o f dried h erb s
used. A lso, do n o t use pow ders o r m ucilaginous herbs, as
m e n tio n e d above.
To M ake a Fruit Cordial ^

W hen m aking cordials, use thaw ed fruit that has been
frozen. Freezing the fruit helps break dow n the cell walls
and m akes it m ore available to the liquid. D o n o t sm ash
the fruit. W ith larger fruit, such as apples, chop them
lightly. F ru it suggestions: elderberries, currants, raspberries,
cherries, blackberries, blueberries, salal berries, apricots,
peaches, apples, straw berries, fresh lem o n /o ra n g e peel,
plum s, rosehips, haw thorn berries, etc.
To make a simple fruit cordial, choose a dom inate soft
fruit (or a com bination) and cover w ith brandy in a glass
m ason jar (ideally use a French canning jar, w hich has a glass
lid instead o f m etal and it less corrosive). T he jar should
be no m ore than h alf full o f fruit, w ith a little juice. D o not
add all o f the extra juice th at is often in the freezer bag. A dd
som e bruised spices or herbs if desired. Fill the jar to 3/4 full
o f alcohol, fill the rem aining quarter w ith honey. Rem em ber
th at the fruit cordial will need a pretty high am ount o f
alcohol a n d /o r sw eetener to preserve it. Shake or stir the
jar every day, letting it steep for 4 weeks. Strain through a
fine sieve at this tim e and discard any pulp, o r ingest at your
discretion. L et it sit for a few weeks and decant the bulk o f
the liquid, leaving any sedim ent behind. Bottle, label and
store in a dark cupboard o u t o f the light, no need to keep
them in the refrigerator. L et this liqueur age for at least one
m onth, it is best after six o r even longer.
To M ake an H erbal E lix ir

Fill any sized m ason jar o r French canning jar half full w ith
chopped dried plant material. R em em ber, the dried plants
will absorb the alcohol and rehydrate. I f you are using wilted
fresh m aterial, fill it to two thirds. A dd alcohol until the
273
jar is У4 way full, stirring w ith a chopstick. A dd honey the

rem aining quarter o f the way. Always leave an inch or so on
top, for shaking room . Shake o r stir the jar every day, letting
it steep for 4 weeks. You may need to add an inch m ore o f
alcohol once the plants absorb it up, if using dried herbs.
Strain thro ugh a fine sieve, pushing the herbs dry w ith a
w ooden pestle, careful n o t to break the sieve. B otde, label
and store in a dark cupboard o u t o f the light.
To M ake Infused W ine ‫׳‬T

D e p en d in g on how stro n g you w ant your w ine extract,
you m ay add anyw here from 1/4 - 1/2 o f the jar full o f
dried crushed herbs. R em em ber - the plants will expand
and take up the wine. Place dried herbs in a m ason jar or
F rench canning jar and add the w ine in slowly, stirring w ith
a chopstick, eventually filling up the jar. T h e stro n g er that
you m ake your infused wine, the sm aller the dosage need
be. L et the w ine m acerate for 4 weeks o r so, shaking every
day and th en strain th ro u g h a fine sieve, b o ttle, label and
store in a dark place.
274
Appendix H
M aking Fum igations
T he art o f using plants, resins, w oods and spices to b urn

and bring about magical intention is as ancient as the belief
in magic itself. L ong held to be cleansing agents, b o th smoke
and fire are no d o u b t connected to old spirit powers. Fire
connects us to the beyond, som ething beyond this tim e and
place, it connects us to our ancestors. By lighting a symbolic
m ixture o f p o te n t plants, we are blessed w ith fragrant
and spirit filled smoke. Incense has always had a primarily
cerem onial purpose. It can be used to evoke a certain state
o f m ind (bringing about connections to the unconscious
m ind) while doing magic work, as well as playing a symbolic
part in any ritual. M any plants have been linked to certain
planets and therefore have astrological correspondences.
Incense can be used to contact a particular type o f spirit
energy, depending on how it is form ulated.
It has been believed that certain scents are pleasing to
the spirits and therefore attract them for helping in magical
workings. B urning incense has also been a way to make
offerings to spirit forces, and sm oke has been used to carry
prayers or intentions to the heavenly spheres. Sacred recipes
were p ro tected and m ade only by certain persons. In the
past, m any ingredients were rare and expensive, so burning
incense was restricted to the spiritual elite. However, peasant
folk could always produce a pleasant smelling sm oke from
locally available plants and trees. Sm oke is cleansing to the
spirit and soul, even if it is used in a simple direct way, w ithout
com plicated recipes and astrological correspondences.
W hen blending, use a m ortar and pestle as needed, to
crush up seeds, spices and even harder resins. D ried arom atic
plants will need to be cut or crum bled fine or even pow dered
in a spice mill. I f you have a softer resin, such as spruce, you
can use oiled hands and just roll it into little balls so th at it
275
does n o t stick to everything o r clum p up. Y ou can also use

a double boiler, just reserved for resins and getting sticky,
to m elt it all dow n together, incorporating a little honey,
dried berries, tree buds and even small am ounts o f wine
into blends, along w ith a little beesw ax to get everything
blended and to make an appropriate texture. T his m ixture
can be then rolled in pow dered plants to keep the balls or
cones separate.
I often m ake loose blends to be sprinkled o n to burning
coals o r directly o n to the top o f my w oodstove or into
an o u td o o r fire. I f a w oodstove is n o t available, incense
charcoal can be bo u g h t cheaply o r a small cast iron skillet
just for burning incense can be used on your stovetop, the
fum igation sprinkled in w hen the pan is heated up hot.
Label and store your incense ideally in glass jars in a dark
cupboard. T hey will last indefinitely if stored in a cool dark
place. My favorite com binations often have five to eight
ingredients in them . Any fragrant p a rt o f a plant can be
used, as long as it is dried first.
W hole herbs that are fragrant can be used to m ake ‘smudge
bundles’. T hese are simply m ade by harvesting the plant
including the stem s, letting it sit for three to five days to
partially dry out, and then bundling it tightly w ith thin wool
thread. T h e n the bundle needs to dry for about a m onth.
A fter they are dry, they can be stored, w rapped in cloth in
a drawer. Trees, such as juniper and cedar, can be used, as
can fragrant herbs such as rosem ary, m ugw ort, lavender and
sage. Single herbs make a lovely sm oke and are often helpful
for m any folk magical operations and rites.
276
U nder the W itching Tree; is the first in a trilogy o f
books by Corinne Boyer; a folk-herbalist known for her
w ork exploring the traditional medicinal, and magical
applications o f plants and trees as well as their folklore.
This is a trilogy that guides us into the realms o f plant

lore, folk magic and folk medicine. T he first book, Under
the W itching Tree, focuses on the rustic magical traditions
surrounding trees from w estern and northern E urope and
north America.
C orinne’s work, backed up by nearly twenty years o f

experience in the field, is full o f inform ation that is today
little known, particularly within m odern herbalism. This is
a book which presents the reader with a wealth o f hom e-
spun and very hands-on practices exploring tales, charms,
spells, recipes and rites focusing on twenty different trees.

Under The Witching Tree

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Under The Witching Tree

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Unb er

Wit chin Tree

A Folk Grimoire of Tree Fore

T h e c o n te n t o f this b o o k is based on histo rical in fo rm a tio n

Illu stra tio n and P h o to C redit In fo rm a tio n :

T his b o o k is dedicated to all practitio n ers, be they p erso n al

The Black Earth Medicines of Autumn 16

An Altar o f Winter Charms 78

Springtime Forest Rite- 122

The Deer Sorceress o f Midsummer 180

1. A n altar o f Elder tree medicine

All p h o to g ra p h s taken by C laude M ah m o o d

Alder Wood Binding Spell 157

I wish to acknowledge and thank my dedicated teachers and

A lexander P o rte o u s, The Forest in Mythology <& Folklore

Deep in the darkest pa rt o f the forest, fra il blackberry bushes

E rn e s t Sm all & Blair L en t, Baba Yaga

veneered o n to the realm s o f the plant w orld. Folklore

ways in w hich they w ere applied in traditional magic, this

m edicine is learned, once the param eters are understood, one

C orinne Boyer, M aple M ist W ood o f W estern W ashington,

T h e Black E a rth M edicines o f A u tu m n

Walker o f Caves, black wool

Dangle with the claws o f crow

Flack soil carries the breath

]black butterflies and owl talons

Where the moths live and feed

Gifts from the Lady hooded and cloaked

The Shroud that will carry me

n the fo rg o tte n m eadow, long stands the brittle bone

to blow o n to dying or sparsely lit em bers, reviving the

T his m ysterious tree was never to u ch e d a fter dark in the

healing a skin infection called Erysipelas (an older nam e

fo r w o u n d healing specifically. Interestingly, horse people

lit and floated on w ater, th at it w ould p o in t to any w itch

Folk Medicine ■$'

d e c o c tio n o f the b ark as a w ash fo r pain and an herb al

Personal Practices -A'

brings her w isdom in to the p rese n t situation. E ld er can

o r sp ru c e could be su b stitu te d ), stinging n ettles, clove,

o r w ine w ith the flow ers, I personally p refer to dry th em

Many thanks to the Elder Witch,

E lder Tree Charm fo r Second Sighted*

rest o f the b ran ch in roughly one inch chunks. Take a

Elder crone, elder crone, lies sleeping with the snake,

T h e n p u t the w rap p ed piece in the p o u ch and seal, while

Hlder Berry M ead ^

and a b o u t 3 qu arts o f w ater, boil th em on the sto v eto p

Hlder Flower Ointment I'F

chaffed skin, m ild b u rn s and ch a p p ed lips. I t can also be

"Ье hazel tree enchants and divines w ith an old

and con jures up joy fo r springtim e after the d e p th s o f

F ro m th e 1600’s: To Unable One to See the Fairies: A p in t

A n o th e r one from 1406, co n tain ed in B odlein Ms.

Folklore and m agical use abounds w ith the hazel tree.

earth to the top o f one o f the fo rks by a hair or veryfine silk or

T h e hazel tree has a co n nection w ith snakes from old

‘Underneath this ha^elin mote, theres a braggoty worm with

two double to one double, A n d from one double to no double,

A long w ith snake lore, there is also a bit o f lightning lore

b o th St. Johns w ort and an owl skull. A hazel rite from a

This with the loudest bounce me sore amasfd, That in a flame o f

be used and trance achieved by w hatever m eans be o f