In the Norse tradition, Yggdrassil, the world tree, supported the nine realms of existence. At the top was Asgard, the home of the Aesir, the principle deities, led by Odin and his consort Frigg. This level also contained Vanaheim, the kingdom of the wind, fertility and sea Gods, with whom the Aesir fashioned an uneasy peace, and Alfheim, home of the light elves. On the middle level was Midgard, the land of the humans. They shared this level with Jotunheim, the land of the frost giants and Nidavellir, the realmo of the dwarves, who guarded their treasure and made artefacts for the deities. The lowest realm was divided between Niflheim and Hel, realms of the dead and Svartalafheim, home of the dark elves.

In Eastern Europe as well as in Asia the mythological world tree was considered the axis of the world with the pole star at the top. Shamans, the magickal priests or healers of indigenous peoples worldwide, climb this tree in a trance to reach other realms. Look up through the branches of a very tall tree on a starry night and you will see how this belief came into being.

The tree appears in numerous creation myths. In one Maori legend, the tree was the first thing to appear at creation and on it grew countless buds that contained all created life. A number of Native North American creation myths tell how the first humans climbed pine or fir trees from the underworld and broke through on to the Earth. In Viking myth the first man was fashioned by Odin and his brothers from an ash (Aesc) and the first woman from an elm tree (Embla). The gods found the trees while walking on the seashore.

Sacred and magickal trees are found in the religious and mythology of almost every culture. Trees form the link between earth and sky, because they have their roots in soil and their branches in the air and were originally regarded as a creative form of the Earth Mother.

In early forms of religion, people believed that trees were themselves deities, a belief that gradually gave way to the idea that the spirits of deities or nature essences lived within the tree. In Japan, temples have been built around sacred trees for more than two thousand years. Here it is believed that mononoke, the magickal life force, is concentrated in trees and rocks. The Japanese Cryptomeria and the evergreen sakaki trees are especially rich in this force and are often used for building sacred shrines. The tree itself is incorporated into the central pillar so the indwelling power of the nature deity night bless the site.

In parts of Sweden until quite recently, a guardian tree, often elm, ash or lime, was planted close to farms or small settlements and it was forbidden to tak even a leaf from this tree. Pregnant women used to embrace the tree to ensure an easy delivery.

Trees have also been associated from Africa to Eastern Europe with the spirits of fertility, who regulated rain, sunshine and good harvests. In Germany and France, in some agricultural areas, a large leafy branch or even a whole tree, decorated with corn ears or the last corn sheaf, adorns the last wagon of the harvest. It was traditionally set on the roof of the farmhouse or barn for a year to ensure future good harvest.

In India, sacred trees are still visited in order to ask for blessings, especially for fertility, from the indwelling spirit or deity; food and flowers are left at the tree shrine and offering ribbons are tied to the tree.

The Celtic Druids worshipped not in temples, but in groves of trees. These natural sites may have predated the Celts by thousands of years; and still in Wales, Brittany and Cornwall the trees are hung with ribbons, trinkets and petitions for healing and blessings.

Moon Phases

The Moon exudes a cool, feminine, silvery-feeling energy that rules the life-giving waters of our planet–the rains, tides and dew–as well as those in the physical body, such as menstrual cycles and other bodily finds. She also rules all emotional responses. Raw, properly focused emotion energizes magick. For this reason, many practitioners work in conjunction with a phase of the Moon’s cycle that is in harmony with their magickal intent.

The tides are another power source if you are anywhere near the sea, an estuary or a tidal river. The incoming tide or flow will attract and bring fulfilment of wishes or dreams: the ebb tide will take away negativity and also protect those who travel, especially those who work at sea. The slack tide between flow and ebb, which can last for up to an hour is excellent for building up power before the surge and moment of release at tide turn.

As the alter ego of the moon, the sun offers a significant source of energy for natural magick and solar energies often offers power for more instant magickal results.

Dawn is best for new opportunities, beginnings and people entering your life; noon for a burst of instant power, energy, success and prosperity. Dusk is for reconciliation or letting go. Midnight assists healing magick, psychic protection and in accepting what cannot be changes.

You can combine lunar and solar energies for a quick solar fix and the slower continuous lunar consolidation of the initial solar results in you life. Moon spells on the day of the full moon will get things off the starting block and keep up the impetus through the month. Often the moon and sun are in the sky at the same time (check your moon dairy or weather section of the newspaper or just look) and combine the energies accordingly.

Moon time is the oldest measurement of time used by humans and it accords with our natural rhythms in the lives of men as well as women. In magick we primarily look to the moon for timings.

The waxing or increasing moon from the crescent to the night before the full moon is potent for all forms of attracting magick, for the gradual increase of money, love, happiness or health and for fertility spells. These powers will grow daily as the physical moon size increases, to reach their height on the full moon.

The full moon represents a surge of power that can be plugged into for fertility, the consummation of love or commitment, a major money gain or for launching a creative venture. Also because the full moon is unstable, this day and night is good for initiating change.

The waning moon helps us to let go of what we no longer need or wish for in our lives and can banish pain, sorrow or a destructive influence: a perfect phase for starting diet spells. As the moon decreases in size so the pull that holds negative people or factors in your life likewise weakens.

If a need is urgent then you can work at any time and picture the full moon or rising dawn whose energies you need, even at a different time of the month or at darkest midnight.

Sometimes the nature of the ritual will dictate the timing. For example, a new beginning spell can be launched on any new date: the first day of the month, the first day of the year, any Sunday, the first day of the week, the first hour after dawn or at the crescent moon when it first appears in the sky. Best of all in the first hour after dawn on a Sunday, which is ruled by the Sun, and so offers a double dose of power for that new beginning.