Category: Celtic Tree Calendar

Celtic Month of the Hawthorn Moon May 13 – June 9

Huath, Huathe

H – the hawthorn represents the sixth letter of the ogham alphabet and the sixth month on the Celtic tree calendar, the last weeks of May, when the hawthorn blossom is in flower.

Hawthorn Tree

The Hawthorn is a prickly sort of plant with beautiful blossoms. Called Huath by the ancient Celts, and pronounced Hoh-uh, the Hawthorn month is a time of fertility, masculine energy, and fire. Coming right on the heels of Beltane, this month is a time when male potency is high — if you’re hoping to conceive a child, get busy this month! The Hawthorn has a raw, phallic sort of energy about it — use it for magic related to masculine power, business decisions, making professional connections. The Hawthorn is also associated with the realm of Faerie, and when the Hawthorn grows in tandem with an Ash and Oak, it is said to attract the Fae.

Hawthorn – the Fairy Tree from ireland-calling.com

The Hawthorn is Known in Ireland as the fairy tree. It is often referred to as the gentle bush, lone bush or thorn, as it is disrespectful to mention the fairies by name.

As it is considered a fairy tree, it is believed to be extremely bad luck to cut one down, remove branches, or even hang things upon it (except at Beltane when this was customary) in case you disturb the little folk.

This belief has survived into modern times.

In 1999 work was interrupted on the main road from Limerick to Galway because a fairy tree stood in its path. The road had to be rerouted and construction was delayed for 10 years.

In 2009 there were numerous sightings of an ancient ghost thought to reappear in Tyrone after the felling of a fairy tree.

Few people will speak of the fairy tree out of a mixture of fear and respect and even fewer would ever remove or damage a hawthorn standing alone.

Couples fell in love under the hawthorn blossom

Contrary to these beliefs, in Britain, the hawthorn was associated with love and springtime, as the warm weather of May would bring couples together under the sweet blossoms of the hawthorn.

Hawthorn branches hung above a door were believed to protect from evil spirits rather than incurring their wrath.

In ancient Greece, likewise, the hawthorn was associated with love and marriage. Hawthorn crowns were worn by brides as decorative headwear and a hawthorn branch would be used as a wedding torch, perhaps where the phrase ‘carry a torch for’ comes from, meaning to love or have strong feelings for.

 

Celtic Tree Month of the Alder Moon: March 18 – April 14

From learnreligions.com

At the time of the Spring Equinox, or Ostara, the Alder is flourishing on riverbanks, roots in the water, bridging that magical space between both heaven and earth. The Alder month, called Fearn by the Celts, and pronounced fairin, is a time for making spiritual decisions, magic relating to prophecy and divination, and getting in touch with your own intuitive processes and abilities. Alder flowers and twigs are known as charms to be used in Faerie magic. Whistles were once made out of Alder shoots to call upon Air spirits, so it’s an ideal wood for making a pipe or flute if you’re musically inclined.

One Type of Irish Alder Tree

From ireland-calling.com

Alder tree in Celtic mythology – balanced between male and female

In Celtic mythology, the alder tree was symbolic of a balance between female and male principles since it possesses both female and male catkins on the same branch.

Alder tree in Celtic mythology

Fearn, F – The alder represents the third letter of the ogham alphabet ‘Fearn’ and the fourth month in the Celtic tree calendar.

The alder is a member of the birch family generally found near streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands. It is known for creating a fertile, lush environment for surrounding animal and plant life.

Tree of fairies for the ancient druids

The druids also associated the tree with courage and the evolving spirit, and linked it with death and resurrection. This belief was shared in Austria too, where the wood of the alder was thought to make the dead come back to life.

Ogham, the mysterious language of the trees The Origins of the Ogham alphabet are still a mystery for many historians, but it is primarily thought to be an early form of the Irish written Language.

In Irish mythology the first human man was made from the alder tree which is considered a tree of the fairies, protected by the water fairy-folk but also representing fire and earth.

In parts of old Ireland it was considered a crime to cut down an alder tree because the tree spirit would get angry and burn down houses in revenge.

This possibly came about because when felled, the wood of the alder turns from white to an unnerving blood red due to its bright red-orange sap.

Alder wood good for building

The sap, leaves and bark of the alder were all used to make dyes; green from the leaves, red from the sap and brown from the bark. The dyes were often used to tan leather. Wood of the alder is flexible and resistant to the rotting effects of water.

Fearn, F – The alder represents the third letter of the ogham alphabet ‘Fearn’ and the fourth month in the Celtic tree calendar.

Due to these qualities it was often used to build bridges, pipes, milk pales and pilings for causeways across marshlands. Parts of Venice were built on alder pilings.

In medicine, the alder leaves and bark, which contain tannins, were used as an antiseptic and an astringent to treat skin wounds, rashes and swollen glands.

According to the Woodland League of Ireland, the value of the alder to the Irish in the past was for making clogs, masts of ships and shields. Alder wood was particularly impressive as a shield.

It is so hard that if an opponent buried his axe in the shield, he would find it almost impossible to withdraw it. This would render him defenceless and an easier target to attack.

The alder supports more than 70 different insects, many of them specific to the alder, meaning they can’t survive on another tree.

Discover more about the alder in this video from the Irish Woodland League.

The Alder Tree, the Shield of the Irish

Celtic Tree Month of the Birch December 24 – January 20

(SIDE NOTE: I am sorry I am posting this month so late. I lost track of it going up between all the holidays)

From ireland-calling.com

Birch – the tree of birth

Birch is a hardy and adaptable tree, able to grow where many trees cannot. It seldom grows alone and is often found in groves.

 

The birch tree has many uses both medicinal and practical.

Birch wood is durable but quick to rot, making it a good home for insects and birdlife.

It was often used to make May poles and start the fires at Beltane, the festival of new beginnings, due to a highly combustible tar in its bark.

This tar is furthermore believed to be good for the skin and can be used to treat eczema.

Birch is also associated with purification and protection. The leaves of the birch can be brewed into a tea that treats infection, stimulates the gall bladder and kidneys and is said to dissolve gravel and kidney stones.

Birch used to stimulate purification process

In Scandinavia birch is used in saunas to stimulate the purification process and in Russia birch branches are beaten against the skin at steam rooms for the same purpose. This practice was also used as a punishment in old England to purify a criminal of evil.

The Birch was seen by the Druids as the tree of birth – a symbol of new beginnings. Beth, meaning birch, is the first letter in the Ogham alphabet and the first month in the Celtic Tree Calendar.

Brooms were often made out of birch twigs as birch was believed to have protective qualities.

The birch brooms were used to drive away the spirits of the old year in a protective ritual called ‘beating the bounds’.

Babies’ cradles were often made of birch for these same protective qualities and it is said that carrying a piece of birch will protect you from fairies.

Elder Moon: November 24 – December 23

American Elder Tree

From LearnReligions.com

The winter solstice has passed, and the Elder moon is a time of endings. Although the Elder can be damaged easily, it recovers quickly and springs back to life, corresponding to the approaching New Year. Called Ruish by the Celts (pronounced roo-esh), the month of Elder is a good time for workings related to creativity and renewal. It is a time of beginnings and endings, births and deaths, and rejuvenation. Elder is also said to protect against demons and other negative entities. Use in magic connected to Faeries and other nature spirits.

Ireland Elder Tree

From Ireland-Calling.com

Elder – a tree sacred to the Celts

In Ireland, the elder was considered a sacred tree and, like the hawthorn, it was forbidden to cut one down. The elder tree was prized for its many uses culinary, medicinal and mystical.

Both the flowers and berries of the elder can be used to make wine. Elderflower wine was said to be drunk at the Beltane celebrations and elderberries were made into a wine at Samhain which was consumed to promote divination and hallucinations.

Ogham, the mysterious language of the trees The Origins of the Ogham alphabet are still a mystery for many historians, but it is primarily thought to be an early form of the Irish written Language.
Ruis, R, Elder is the fifteenth letter in the ogham alphabet, Ruis, and the thirteenth and final month of the Celtic tree calendar.

Poisonous

The seeds, bark, leaves and flowers of the elder can be poisonous as is the unripe fruit so special care must have been taken when preparing such beverages.

The superstition of never cutting down an elder bush was not unique to Ireland. In Denmark, peasants never chopped an elder because Hyldemor, The Elder Mother, lived in the trunk.

This belief was possibly brought to the East of England by the Vikings and, even today, in Lincolnshire people ask permission from ‘The Old Lady’ before taking cuttings from the tree.

Christians gave elder a bad reputation

Christians believed that the elder tree was the tree that Judas hanged himself from, therefore making it unlucky. Some also believed the cross was made of elder wood. In fact the Christians gave the elder a bad reputation in general.

It was during Christian times that the elder became most associated with witches and many stories of ‘elder-witches’ spread throughout Ireland and Britain. This developed into an association with the devil.

To burn elder wood in your fire would bring the devil into your house.

Celts believed it protected the from evil spirits

It seems more likely that rather than a tree to be feared the elder was a highly respected tree in the old Celtic land. It was said to protect from evil spirits as well as inviting them.

Cradles were built from elder wood to protect babies and elder bushes were often planted around cattle to keep them healthy. It was believed that planting an elder near your house would also protect it from lightning.

At the same time, a flute made of elder could be used to summon spirits and, in Scotland, if you stand under an elder tree at Samhain you will be able to see the fairies riding by.

Celtic Tree Ivy Month: September 30 – October 27

From LearnReligions.com

As the year comes to a close and Samhain approaches, the Ivy moon rolls in at the end of the harvest season. Ivy often lives on after its host plant has died — a reminder to us that life goes on, in the endless cycle of life, death and rebirth. The Celts called this month Gort, pronounced go-ert. This is a time to banish the negative from your life. Do workings related to improving yourself, and placing a barricade between you and the things that are toxic to you. Ivy can be used in magic performed for healing, protection, cooperation, and to bind lovers together.

From Ireland-Calling.com

Ivy has many superstitions and beliefs attached to it.

Because it had the ability to form dense thickets in woodland, grow where other plants could not and block out the light from even the mighty oak, ivy was believed to be very powerful by the Druids, more powerful than its enemy, the vine and quite sinister.

The ivy and the vine have been seen as enemies since ancient times. This seems odd since the same Greek and Roman gods are associated with each.

Bacchus, god of wine

In Greek mythology ivy was sacred to Osiris and also associated with Dionysus. In Roman mythology Ivy was connected to Bacchus, the god of wine as it grew over his home land.

Bacchus is often portrayed wearing an ivy crown, perhaps because this was once thought to prevent intoxication. The poisonous berries of the ivy, when ground into a powder were also once believed to be a hangover cure.

The link between Bacchus and ivy was taken over to England where old English Taverns would display ivy above their doors indicating the high quality of their drinks.

The proverb ‘Good wine needs no bush’, meaning good wine speaks for itself, comes from this practice.

Gort, G –

Ivy, a symbol of strength and determination to the Druids, is the twelfth letter of the ogham alphabet, gort, and the eleventh month in the Celtic tree calendar, representing September 30th to October 27th.

Protection from evil

In old Ireland ivy was thought to provide protection from evil when growing on or near to a dwelling.

However, if it should die or fall down then misfortune would fall upon those therein.

Ivy was often carried by young women for good luck and fertility. Used at weddings intertwined with holly, the ivy would symbolise fidelity and at Yule-tide, would bring peace to the household.

Ivy was also linked to inspiration and worn by poets in the form of a crown.

Celtic Vine Month: September 2 – September 29

Vine – the tree of joy

From Ireland-Calling.com

Vines, or grape vines, didn’t reach the shores of Ireland until the Romans introduced wine around 2000 years ago.

The bramble, however, is native to the cool climate of Northern Europe, shares the winding characteristics and bares sweet fruit like the vine. This is why the ogham muin could represent either the vine or the bramble.

Since the introduction of wine to Ireland, the country has had a long love affair with both the plant and the drink, believed to loosen the tongue, release inhibitions and consumed by seers to stimulate prophecy.

Wine

During the 9th century, Viking traders who had already settled in the Loire Valley would bring wine to Ireland and it later became used as a tribute to the king; one ton of wine for each day in the year.

Wine was a big part of the feast culture of the old chieftains and, in later years it was Irish emigrants escaping English rule, known now as ‘Winegeese’ who were responsible for introducing vineyards to many countries throughout the world.

In mythology the vine is sacred to the Greek gods Dionysus and Osiris and the Roman God Bacchus. The vine is known as the tree of joy, exhilaration and wrath and is believed to be one of the sacred woods burned on the Beltane fires in Britain and Ireland representing joy and happiness.

Romans and Greeks celebrated the vine tree

The Romans and Greeks also had a festival involving the vine called Vinalia Rostica which celebrated and gave thanks the first harvest.

In the Celtic tree calendar the vine represents harvest time and the beginning of Autumn. The Autumn Equinox and festival of Mabon falls within the vine month, a festival of thanksgiving and learning.

In Christian belief, wine was the drink shared by Christ at the last supper and is still consumed in churches for this reason. It was the monasteries who cultivated the vine in Ireland and the British Isles for it could not grow in the wild as brambles could.

The bramble bush…

Christians had a very different story involving the Bramble. It was that when the devil was thrown out of heaven he landed on a bramble bush. This made him so angry that he cursed the plant and spat upon it.

Because of this, it was wrong to eat the fruit of the bramble after Michaelmas, September 29th, because the devil enters them.

This belief had a few variations. In Celtic Brittany it was said to be because of the fairies, and, in Wales, simply because they were poisonous by that time.

This is not actually the case, however certain insects do begin to lay their eggs on the ripened fruit during October which could well have been the cause of some stomach upsets.

Bramble wood was used in basket weaving and to make beehives, in a similar way to willow and bramble was often planted with hawthorn, sometimes known as the fairy tree, in hedgerows in order to bind a hedge.

Perhaps the close association to these very pagan trees and old ways is what made the Christians link the Bramble to a story about the devil.

Vine trees in Celtic mythology

Muin, M – The vine represents the eleventh letter in the ogham alphabet, muin, and the tenth month in the Celtic tree calendar.

 

Vine Moon: September 2 – September 29

From LearnReligions.com

The Vine month is a time of great harvest — from the grapes of the Mediterranean to the fruits of the northern regions, the Vine produces fruits we can use to make that most wondrous concoction called wine. The Celts called this month Muin. The Vine is a symbol of both happiness and wrath — passionate emotions, both of them. Do magical workings this month connected to the Autumn Equinox, or Mabon, and celebrate garden magic, joy and exhilaration, wrath and rage, and the darker aspect of the mother goddess. Use the leaves of the Vines to enhance your own ambition and goals. during this month. The month of Vine is also a good time to get balanced, as there are equal hours of darkness and light.

Celtic Tree Month of Holly July 8 to August 4

From LearnReligions.com

Although the Oak ruled in the previous month, its counterpart, the Holly, takes over in July. This evergreen plant reminds us all year long about the immortality of nature. The Holly moon was called Tinne, pronounced chihnn-uh, by the Celts, who knew the potent Holly was a symbol of masculine energy and firmness. The ancients used the wood of the Holly in the construction of weapons, but also in protective magic. Hang a sprig of Holly in your house to ensure good luck and safety to your family. Wear as a charm, or make Holly Water by soaking leaves overnight in spring water under a full moon — then use the water as a blessing to sprinkle on people or around the house for protection and cleansing.

From Ireland-Calling.com

While the oak was the controller of the light half of the year, the holly controlled the dark, winter months.

It shares another quality with the oak in that it is resistant to lightning, its spikey leaves acting as mini conductors.

It was thus, also associated with the same Celtic and Norse gods of thunder, Taranis and Thor, and was often planted near dwellings to protect folk from lightning strikes.

Protective qualities

Druids believed the holly to possess protective qualities, guarding against evil spirits and witchcraft.

It was thought that bringing the leaves inside during the winter months would provide shelter from the cold for the fairy folk, who in return would be kind to those who inhabited the dwelling.

When new Celtic Chieftains were chosen, a wreath of holly was often used as a crown for good luck and new-born babies were bathed in the water from the leaves to protect them from harm.

Although taking cuttings was encouraged in this way, due to its protective qualities, it was considered unlucky to cut down a whole tree.

Holly formed part of Jesus’ crown of thorns

Today holly is perhaps most associated with Christmas, when, following the old traditions, it adorns the houses as part of yule-tide decoration and festivities.

However, according to Christian beliefs, holly formed part of the crown of thorns worn at the crucifixion.

It was the blood of Christ that stained the holly berries red and it was the Christians who gave the holly tree its name from the word holy.

Holly berries are poisonous to humans but a good winter food source for birds. The leaves of the holly tree were used to treat colds and fevers largely associated with the winter months.

As a flower remedy holly is said to rid people of jealousy and hatred and open the heart to love.

Celtic Tree Month – Hawthorn Tree May 13 – June 9

Hawthorn Tree – Spring

The Hawthorn is a prickly sort of plant with beautiful blossoms. Called Huath by the ancient Celts, and pronounced Hoh-uh, the Hawthorn month is a time of fertility, masculine energy, and fire. Coming right on the heels of Beltane, this month is a time when male potency is high — if you’re hoping to conceive a child, get busy this month! The Hawthorn has a raw, phallic sort of energy about it — use it for magic related to masculine power, business decisions, making professional connections. The Hawthorn is also associated with the realm of Faerie, and when the Hawthorn grows in tandem with an Ash and Oak, it is said to attract the Fae.

From LearnReligions.com

Hawthorn Tree – Summer

The Hawthorn is Known in Ireland as the fairy tree. It is often referred to as the gentle bush, lone bush or thorn, as it is disrespectful to mention the fairies by name.

As it is considered a fairy tree, it is believed to be extremely bad luck to cut one down, remove branches, or even hang things upon it (except at Beltane when this was customary) in case you disturb the little folk.

This belief has survived into modern times.

In 1999 work was interrupted on the main road from Limerick to Galway because a fairy tree stood in its path. The road had to be rerouted and construction was delayed for 10 years.

In 2009 there were numerous sightings of an ancient ghost thought to reappear in Tyrone after the felling of a fairy tree.

Few people will speak of the fairy tree out of a mixture of fear and respect and even fewer would ever remove or damage a hawthorn standing alone.

Couples fell in love under the hawthorn blossom

Contrary to these beliefs, in Britain, the hawthorn was associated with love and …

Click here to read the rest of this article

Hawthorn Tree Leaves and Fruit

Celtic Tree Calendar 3 of 13 – Ash Tree February 18 to March 17

(I am sorry this is a couple of days late.)

Ash Moon: February 18 – March 17

From LearnReligions.com

In the Norse eddas, Yggdrasil, the world tree, was an Ash. The spear of Odin was made from the branch of this tree, which is also known by the Celtic name Nion, pronounced knee-un. This is one of three trees sacred to the Druids (Ash, Oak and Thorn), and this is a good month to do magic that focuses on the inner self. Associated with ocean rituals, magical potency, prophetic dreams and spiritual journeys, the Ash can be used for making magical (and mundane) tools — these are said to be more productive than tools made from other wood. If you place Ash berries in a cradle, it protects the child from being taken away as a changeling by mischievous Fae.

Ash – one Ireland’s sacred trees

From Ireland-Calling.com

The Ash is part of the olive family and is prized for its strength as well as its healing qualities. In Ireland the ash was considered one of the trilogy of sacred trees along with the oak and hawthorn.

In Ireland the ash was considered one of the trilogy of sacred trees along with the oak and hawthorn. Three of the five magic trees of Ireland were ash along with one oak and one yew.

Sadly, these trees were cut down in 665 by the Christians to symbolise their victory over paganism, although some of the pagan traditions were adopted by the Christians and some trees were linked to the stories of the saints.

St Patrick supposedly banished the snakes from Ireland with an ash stick, which, in Irish mythology, was the preferred wood for a magic wand.

Irish emigrants took  Ash to America

According to the writer Robert Graves who created the modern Celtic tree calendar, a tree descended from the sacred tree of Creevna, another sacred ash was still standing in the 19th century.

Irish emigrants to America took pieces of the ash with them as a charm against drowning. Ash was thought to have power over water and was often planted near sacred springs known as ‘cloothe wells’.

It was also used to build boats. In Ancient Greek mythology ash was associated with Poseidon the god of the sea.

Possibly due to its strength and ability to grow to great heights (over 130ft), Celtic mythology refers to the ash tree as The World Tree, a tree that spans between worlds, the backbone of the universe.

It is the tree that represents The Tree of Life, with its tall branches reaching up into the heavens and its vast root system spread deep below the Earth.

Norse mythology had similar beliefs that the ash was the tree said to span the universe, linking worlds.

Medicinal uses of ash

The bark, seeds and leaves of the ash are all believed to have medicinal qualities. They have been used throughout time to strengthen the liver and spleen, cleanse the system and detoxify the body.

In Ancient Greece Hippocrates was known to have used ash to concoct remedies for gout and …

Celtic Tree Month of Rowan: January 21 – February 17

Second consonant of the Ogham alphabet – Luis  “R”  (pronounced loush)

Planet: The Sun, Mercury

Element: Fire

Symbolism: Protection and Inspiration

Stone: Tourmaline

Birds: Duck, Quail

Animals: Serpent, Dragon

Color: Red

Gemstone: Yellow Crysolite

Deity: Brigantia, Brigid,  Thor

Sabbat: Imbolc, Candlemas

Folk Names: Witch Tree, Delight of the Eye, Mountain Ash, Quickbane, Ran Tree, Roden-Quicken, Roden-Quicken-Royan, Roynetree, Sorb Apple, Thor’s Helper,  Whitty, Wicken-Tree, Wiggin, Wiggy, Wiky, Wild Ash, Witchbane, Witchen, Witchwood

The Rowan Moon is associated with Brigid, the Celtic Triple Goddess of Imbolc or Candlemas. Brigid is also a Goddess of spinning and weaving who prepares the never-ending fabric of life and guides the passage of the Sun through the constellations and the seasonal cycles.  Rowan was therefore the wood traditionally used for the making of spindles and spinning wheels.

Irish Druids held Rowan trees sacred and called them “The Tree of Life”.  The Rowan’s old Celtic name is Fid na ndruad which means Wizards Tree and this shows its long tradition of being associated with Druids, sorcerers and …

Click here to read the rest of this article about the Celtic Tree month of Rowan from sacredwicca.com

Celtic Calendar – Birch December 24 – January 20

(I am sorry I did not get this up on December 24 the day it started)

Birch – the tree of birth

The Birch was seen by the Druids as the tree of birth – a symbol of new beginnings. Beth, meaning birch, is the first letter in the Ogham alphabet and the first month in the Celtic Tree Calendar.

From ireland-calling.com – Birch

The birch tree has many uses both medicinal and practical.

Birch wood is durable but quick to rot, making it a good home for insects and birdlife.

It was often used to make May poles and start the fires at Beltane, the festival of new beginnings, due to a highly combustible tar in its bark.

This tar is furthermore believed to be good for the skin and can be used to treat eczema.

Birch is also associated with purification and protection. The leaves of the birch can be brewed into a tea that treats infection, stimulates the gall bladder and kidneys and is said to dissolve gravel and kidney stones.

Birch used to stimulate purification process

In Scandinavia birch is used in saunas to stimulate the purification process and in Russia birch branches are beaten against the skin at steam rooms for the same purpose. This practice was also used as a punishment in old England to purify a criminal of evil.

Celtic Tree Calendar Month of the Elder – a tree sacred to the Celts

I am sorry I got the current Celtic calendar month posted a week late. I was down with allergies and (this was a PERSONAL CHOICE) getting my covid vaccine booster.

From Ireland-Calling.com

In Ireland, the elder was considered a sacred tree and, like the hawthorn, it was forbidden to cut one down. The elder tree was prized for its many uses culinary, medicinal and mystical.

Both the flowers and berries of the elder can be used to make wine. Elderflower wine was said to be drunk at the Beltane celebrations and elderberries were made into a wine at Samhain which was consumed to promote divination and hallucinations.

Poisonous

The seeds, bark, leaves and flowers of the elder can be poisonous as is the unripe fruit so special care must have been taken when preparing such beverages.

Ruis, R, Elder is the fifteenth letter in the ogham alphabet, Ruis, and the thirteenth and final month of the Celtic tree calendar.

The superstition of never cutting down an elder bush was not unique to Ireland. In Denmark, peasants never chopped an elder because Hyldemor, The Elder Mother, lived in the trunk.

This belief was possibly brought to the East of England by the Vikings and, even today, in Lincolnshire people ask permission from ‘The Old Lady’ before taking cuttings from the tree.

Christians gave elder a bad reputation

Christians believed that the elder tree was the tree that Judas hanged himself from, therefore making it unlucky. Some also believed the cross was made of elder wood. In fact the Christians gave the elder a bad reputation in general.

It was during Christian times that the elder became most associated with witches and many stories of ‘elder-witches’ spread throughout Ireland and Britain. This developed into an association with the devil.

To burn elder wood in your fire would bring the devil into your house.

Celts believed it protected the from evil spirits

It seems more likely that rather than a tree to be feared the elder was a highly respected tree in the old Celtic land. It was said to protect from evil spirits as well as inviting them.

Cradles were built from elder wood to protect babies and elder bushes were often planted around cattle to keep them healthy. It was believed that planting an elder near your house would also protect it from lightning.

At the same time, a flute made of elder could be used to summon spirits and, in Scotland, if you stand under an elder tree at Samhain you will be able to see the fairies riding by.

Reed Moon: Celtic Tree Calendar

To read more about the Celtic Reed Month by Sarah Wayt

The celebration of Samhain, now known as Halloween, occurs during the Reed Moon. To the Celts this month hailed the end of the year, a time to cull the livestock and to connect with ancestors. All around the world festivals that honour the dead are celebrated. During the Reed Moon, light a candle for loved ones who have died and you may receive a message from the spirit world.

Releasing old energy

The Reed Moon is a good time to use divination to gain insights into the year that has passed. Perform energy work that will release old energy, burn symbols of illness on your bonfire on November the 5th during your Guy Fawkes celebrations. Remember the Celtic year does not begin until the Winter Solstice so use this interval to dream, not to make plans for the future.

The haunting sound of reed

In the past, the reed was used to make swift-flying arrow shafts that slew both enemies and game. In this way the plant was linked to the season of death and sacrifice, in which trees shed their leaves and the energy of nature became more introspective. Many early musical instruments also used the reed to create a haunting sound that has been connected to rites for the dead and the summoning of spirits.

Wind instruments

Modern day wind instruments have developed the same principle used by original reed instruments. Whereby a current of air is vibrated to produce a melodic sound.

Other traditional uses for reed include thatching. Rooftops were thatched with reeds, and as the Celts withdrew into their homes for the winter they honoured the plant that gave them shelter, making the reed a symbol of royalty and protection.

Reed Moon energy…

Reed – introduction to Ogham

From Ireland Calling

It is widely believed in academic circles that reed is a modern, neo-pagan introduction to the Ogham, much like the tree calendar itself.

It was first promoted as an Ogham by Robert Graves in his book The White Goddess. However, the reed’s importance to Celtic life and folklore are indisputable.

Reed gained a reputation as a protective tree from its use as thatch for the rooftops homes.

For this reason it was also made into talismans and charms believed to protect the wearer from evil. Mats were often woven out of reeds which gave the house a sweet smell, associating the reed with cleansing the home.

Scholarship

The Druids also used reeds to make writing implements and paper, thus associating the reed with knowledge, scholarship and wisdom.

Physicians would use reeds as tools for administering treatments but arrows, the weapons of death, were also made out of reeds. Because of these two contrasting uses the reed gained an association with both death and healing.

Souls of the ‘otherworld’ join the living…

Celtic Tree Month 12 – Reed Moon: October 28 – November 23

Reeds are associated with the dead and the Underworld. Image © Comstock/Getty Images; Licensed to About.com

Reed is typically used to make wind instruments, and this time of year, its haunting sounds are sometimes heard when the souls of the dead are being summoned to the Underworld. The Reed Moon was called Negetal, pronounced nyettle by the Celts, and is sometimes referred to as the Elm Moon by modern Pagans. This is a time for divination and scrying. If you’re going to have a seance, this is a good month to do it. This month, do magical workings related to spirit guides, energy work, meditation, celebration of death, and honoring the cycle of life and rebirth.

From Learning Religions

Celtic Calendar Lore – Ivy September 30 to October 27

From mothermoonsmessage.blogspot.com

Beginning September 30th through October 27th we celebrate the Celtic Tree month of Ivy.  Although Ivy is not what most consider a tree, it still holds its place among the others in Celtic Tree Lore.  Its uses and importance are just as strong as that of the Oak or Hazel. In the coming weeks we will examine a few of these important traits. 
Ivy is a wild evergreen climbing vine that attaches itself to other trees as well as stone walls and other surfaces. It climbs such surfaces by fibers that grow our from every part of the stem. These fibers resembles roots and have small disks at the end by which it attaches itself to the roughness of the tree or wall it is climbing. If by chance the ivy finds soil or a deep crack the fibers will then become roots. These roots act as a means to obtain nourishment for the stem as it climbs. When this is done to another tree, the ivy can actually injure the tree it is attached to by taking of the trees life resources to aid itself.
Ivy only produces flowers when the branches get above their support. The flowering branches are bushy and come out from the climbing stem with flowers at the end of each shoot. Usually an ivy will flower during Autumn if there is enough sunlight. They appear as small clusters of greenish white or yellow . They can continue to bloom until late December. There bloom is scentless yet still they are a good source of food for birds, and insects during the cooler months when there…

Ivy – symbol of strength and determination

From Ireland Calling

Ivy has many superstitions and beliefs attached to it.

Because it had the ability to form dense thickets in woodland, grow where other plants could not and block out the light from even the mighty oak, ivy was believed to be very powerful by the Druids, more powerful than its enemy, the vine and quite sinister.

Ivy tree in Celtic Mytholgy

The ivy and the vine have been seen as enemies since ancient times. This seems odd since the same Greek and Roman gods are associated with each.

Bacchus, god of wine

In Greek mythology ivy was sacred to Osiris and also associated with Dionysus. In Roman mythology Ivy was connected to Bacchus, the god of wine as it grew over his home land.

Bacchus is often portrayed wearing an ivy crown, perhaps because this was once thought to prevent intoxication. The poisonous berries of the ivy, when ground into a powder were also once believed to be a hangover cure.

The link between Bacchus and ivy was taken over to England where old English Taverns would display ivy above their doors indicating the high quality of their drinks.

The proverb ‘Good wine needs no bush’, meaning good wine speaks for itself, comes from this practice.

Gort, G – Ivy, a symbol of strength and determination to the Druids, is the twelfth letter of the ogham alphabet, gort, and the eleventh month in the Celtic tree calendar, representing September 30th to October 27th.

Protection from evil

In old Ireland ivy was thought to provide protection from evil when growing on or near to a dwelling.

However, if it should die or fall down then misfortune would fall upon those therein.

Ivy was often carried by young women for good luck and fertility. Used at weddings intertwined with holly, the ivy would symbolise fidelity and at Yule-tide, would bring peace to the household.

Ivy was also linked to inspiration and worn by poets in the form of a crown.

The Celtic Oak Tree Month June 6th to July 7th

THE OAK

symbol of the life force

The oak (quercus) is one of the wonders of nature. Its splendid appearance perfectly reflects the essence of this tree. With its strong, deep roots, thickset trunk, and elegantly swaying branches and broad, spreading crown, the oak withstands the centuries. All kinds of Mosses live on it, cling planets twine upwards around it It bears this placidly and forms very hard wood through out its life

It grows best and reaches its fullest height in soil that is slightly damp and rich hummus, but it holds it own just as well on rocky ground. Its roots force their way inexorably through cracks to find water. In some places it may only grow into a shrub, but that doesn’t matter. The main thing is it lives and produces leaves.

Old oak trees–they can be 150 years old, sometimes twice that–may be hollow or rotten inside, quite dead on one side and growing well on the other. If cockchafers or caterpillars eat away the leaves in spring, new bright green leaves grow again in June and July. Not even a fallen oak will give up. Its wood survives for generations, living on as wine or brandy barrels, as a table or a railway sleeper, the pier of a bridge or a ship afloat.

Wherever the oak grows there is always plenty of light for everything that grows around it and is sheltered by it. Perhaps the oak trees remember their own youth, when they enjoyed and needed the protection and shade of other trees. They are often, for example, planted near lime trees until they are big enough. Then their ‘foster mothers’ are cut down. The oak does not forget that. It ‘knows’ that everything big and strong starts life as something small and weak. That is why it doesn’t matter when a gentle wind caresses its leaves. Nor does it howl when a storm tears at its branches. The oak always proclaims its wholehearted contentment with life. Who wouldn’t want that as their native tree?

If you were born on 21 March you may, no you must, liken yourself to an oak. For you are endowed with the same indestructible vitality and strength of purpose. You like a fresh wind in every relationship and your vitality bursts into flames at any opposition. Your body may not live to be a thousand years old, but your soul lives on in your children and in your work. And if even the slightest drop of Celtic blood flows through your veins, then you will fear neither death or devil. So what matters to you is not how long you live, but rather how intensively and meaningfully you fill time.

The Universe is God’s plaything. You very happily agree to join the game. You put failures behind you and will seize the first favorable opportunity to prove yourself in new enterprises.

Of course, you can’t help behaving like the farm lad who made a pact with the devil. ‘You can have my soul when this oak no longer has any leaves’, he said. The devil agreed, but he waited in vain. FOr many oaks keep their old leaves over the winter, until the new buds burst into leaf in the spring. Don’t you do the same thing? You prefer to cling to the old, well-tried methods until you have a clear understanding of the new, above all in ‘winter’ time. Or are you the sort of person that invests when the coffers are empty, and saves when they are over-flowing? Be careful these trick questions intended to provoke you. You like that, don’t you?

You may be quite different from the sketch I have given here. Each human being is unique individual. And not just people. Every oak tree is different, whether it is an English oak, a holm oak, a red oak, or a swamp oak; each one seizes a unique opportunity to become what it is.

The Celts associated the strength to be oneself, which is latent in every person, with the oak. The truly strong man is he who has travelled a lone way on the road to himself. Utterly dedicated, of his own free will he serves mankind, a cause, an art, responsible only to himself and the full of joy of the living. He sees himself as the living instrument of God’s power and does not lose himself in human reason, which thinks itself so dreadfully important.

Probably two or three thousand years ago there were relatively few people in whome the fire of the oak burned. But this is not the reason why the oak gives its name to only one day, like the beech, the olive tree, and the birch. On the contrary, this limitation of time should make it stand out from the ranks of other trees. It has been chosen to remind us, at the time of the vernal equinox on 21 March, that we should kindle a fire in ourselves that will allow us to find ourselves.

Native of the oak: Johann Sebastian Bach.

Gem Stone: The ruby, which express a love of life.

Number: 3

Motto: Moderation in all things.

The Celtic Tree Calendar Your Tree Signs and You  by MIchael Vescoli Copyright 1996 and for English 1999 Pages 30 – 35