Post by wren on Oct 4, 2006 17:25:42 GMT -5
Apple (Pyrus malus, Pyrus spp., malus sylvestris) Seeds, in large amounts, especially to children, are poisonous. Unpasterized apple juice or cider should never be given to infants or toddler. The original apple tree of the British Isles was actually the crab apple. At Yuletide, there is an age-old custom of wassailing the orchard trees’. The family would go to the orchard after supper, bearing cider and cakes. The cakes were placed in the boughs of the oldest and best trees and the cider poured on the roots as a libation. Roasted apples were floated in the cider and were given to the trees with the libation. Trees which were poor bearers were not honored. After thanking the trees and drinking to their health, the farmers would solicit the trees to continue to produce abundantly.
Parts used: Fruit, cider, blossoms, wood
Folk names: Fruit of the Gods, Fruit of the Underworld, Silver Branch, The Silver Bough, Tree of Love
Gender: Feminine or Cold
Planet: Venus (Sun)
Element: Water
Deities: Venus, Dionysus, Olwen, Apollo, Hera, Athena, Hercules, Aphrodite, Diana, Zeus, Iduna, Belenos
Ogham Few: Quert, peasant tree Q
Powers: Love, Healing, Garden Magic, Immortality
Ritual uses: August 13 was Diana’s Festival in Greece (Venus in Rome) and on this day a ritual meal was prepared, part of which consisted of apples still hanging on their boughs. Wiccan altars are often piled high with apples on Samhain, for the apple is considered to be one of the foods of the dead. For this very reason, Samhain is sometimes known as ‘Feast of Apples.’
The apple is a symbol of immortality. A branch of the apple which bore buds, flowers and fully-ripened apples (sometimes known as the Silver Bough) was a kind of magical charm which enabled its possessor to enter the land of the Gods, the Underworld, in Celtic Mythology.
In the old English ballad, Thomays the Rymour (Thomas the Rhymer), the Fairy Queen warns Thomas against eating any of the apples and pears in her garden, for to eat the food of the dead ensures there will be no return to the world of the living.
In some Wiccan traditions, the apple is the symbol of the soul and so they are buried on Samhain so that those who will be reborn in the spring will have food during the cold winter months.
To the Native Americans, the apple tree is a symbol of honor. They respect it as a being who provides food, living places, and medicine for many living creatures. Dependable and not too tall or demanding, it leaves enough sunlight for other creatures and plants to grow.
Apple tree people see popularity, sharing their gifts and talents with others. They demonstrate dependability, sincerity, healthy attitudes and the ethics of caring for others as much as we care for ourselves.
Apple seeds and bark may be burned as incense.
Magic and healing: The apple has long been used in spells of love. The blossoms are added to love sachets, brews and incenses, and they are infused in melted pink wax, then strained out, to make candles suitable to attract love.
A simple apple spell consists of cutting an apple in half and sharing it with your loved one. This ensures that you will be happy together.
A similar spell directs you to hold an apple in your hand until warm and then giving it to your intended. If he or she eats it, your love will be returned.
Apples are also used in love divinations, which were very popular among unmarried women in Europe for many centuries. Simply cut an apple in two and count the number of seeds. If they are even, marriage will soon occur. If one of the seeds has been cut, it may be a stormy relationship. If two are cut, widowhood is foretold. However, if an uneven number of seeds are found, the woman will remain unmarried in the near future.
Another love spell: Take an apple before it falls from the tree and write upon it with a sharp knife: alea + deleo + delato, saying “I conjure thee, apple, by these names which are written on thee, that what woman (or man) toucheth and tasteth thee, may love me and burn in my love as fire melteth wax.” Then, give the apple to your intended recipient.
Dry apple peel and place in sachets to attract love, while eating the fruit ensures fertility.
Meditate on a piece of apple wood when you contemplate a decision with several attractive alternatives. Hold it to your heart and ask which outcome you truly desire. Then realize that in making that choice, you must release the remaining options with a blessing.
For healing, cut an apple into three pieces during a waning moon and rub each on the affected part of the body (or wart). Bury them immediately to banish illnesses.
To ensure that you do not contract a fever, eat an apple.
If you are a gardener, pour cider onto freshly-turned earth to give it life just before planting. Also pour libations on the roots just before tree rituals. And, if you grow apples, bury thirteen leaves of an apple tree after the harvest to ensure a good crop of apples the following year.
The Norse, as well as many other peoples, ate apples to gain immortality through wisdom, and the wood of the apple tree can be made into charms for longevity.
Apple wood makes excellent magical wands, especially suited to emotional magic as well as love rites.
Use apple cider in place of blood where it is called for in old recipes.
Apples can be fashioned into poppets or magical figures for use in spells or images can be carved from the wood itself.
Before eating an apple, rub it to remove any demons or evil spirits which might be hiding inside.
Apples are peeled and grated to treat diarrhea (two day apple fast is recommended). Apples eaten whole have a laxative effect. Eating an apple at night can ease insomnia. Baked apples are used as a poultice for sore throats, fevers and inflammations. Stewed apples cleanse the bowels. Two apples a day have been found to ease tension, headaches and emotional upset. Dried apple peel tea eases rheumatism (two teaspoons of dried apple peel steeped in one cup hot water for twenty minutes and then strained. One to three cups per day is the dose). Small amounts of eaten apple peel can ease heartburn.
Apple blossom perfume is soothing for asthma and respiratory problems. It adds ozone to the oxygen of the air.
Apple cider reduces the acidity in the stomach, clears gas, and cleans the liver.
Apple cider blended with celery, beet and carrot juices benefit skin problems, can aid in weight loss and can clear catarrh from the lungs.
One part apple cider vinegar to one part water is a useful face rinse and returns hair to its proper pH. Blondes should only use white vinegar.
Crab apples make a pink dye for alum mordanted wool.
Finally, unicorns live beneath the trees (as well as those of ash). If you know of an apple orchard, or keep apple trees, quietly go on a misty day to find single horns upraised and a horse-like animal munching on the apples!
Apricot (Prunus armeniaca) Seeds should not be taken internally.
Folk names: Umublinkosi, Xing Ren
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Deities: Venus
Powers: Love
Ritual uses:
Magic and healing: Eat the fruit to obtain a sweet disposition or use the juice in love spells and potions. The leaves and flowers can be added to love sachets and the pits are carried to attract love. The oil, when pressed from apricot kernels, is aphrodisiac in nature. It is used as a base for mixing true essential oils but does not have an apricot scent.
Arabic, gum (Acacia senegal, A. vera). See Acacia
Arbutus (Arbutus unede)
Folk names:
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Deities: Cardea
Powers: Exorcism, Protection
Ritual uses:
Magic and healing: The Romans used it to chase away evil and also to protect little children. It is also used in exorcisms and has been since the time of ancient Greece.
Arnica (Arnica montana) External use only (and still may cause dermatitis in some individuals) A true perennial herb that flowers in mid-summer. Full sun. Propagate from seeds, cuttings or division. Acid, well-drained soil.
Folk names:
Gender:
Planet:
Element:
Deities:
Powers:
Ritual uses:
Magic and healing: A salve made of arnica flowers relaxes still muscles. An arnica ointment relieves the pain and reduces the inflammation of sprains and bruises (heat one ounce arnica flowers in one ounce lard or oil for several hours. Strain and let the ointment cool before applying to bruises or sore muscles)
Asafoetida (Ferula assa-foetida, Ferula foetida, Ferula rurbicaulis) Do not take internally if pregnant, do not feed to a child with colic. This native of Afghanistan and Eastern Iran has a nauseating smell to which the frequent user eventually becomes accostomed.
Part used: the herb, dried and powdered
Folk names: Assyfetida, Devil’s dung, Food of the Gods, Ungoozeh
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Deities:
Powers: Exorcism, Purification, Protection
Ritual uses:
Magic and healing: Burn small amounts in exorcism and protection incenses. Also use in protection sachets but only if you want to smell odd. Destroys manifestations of spirits if thrown into a fire or into the censer during magical rites. Sometimes used as an amulet to keep away colds and fevers and for this purpose is usually worn around the neck. The smell is particularly foul and even the smallest amounts has been known to cause vomiting. Use with caution and in very small amounts.
Ash (Fraxinus excelsior or F. americana) The Ash grows to up to one hundred and fifty feet. It has a sheet trunk and widely spaced branches, thus its appearance contributed to its association in Celtic and Norse thought as the axis mundi: the centrial column and axis that supports the sky. It also appears as a type of bridge between the earth and heavens. The Ash has a deep and widespread root system that depletes the surrounding soil ensuring the tree inhabits its own space, thereby underlining its special character in Celtic imaginations.
Parts used: leaves and branches
Folk names: Nion, Asktroed, Jasen Beli, Freizo
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun
Element: Fire (water)
Deities: Uranus, Poseidon, Thor, Woden, Neptune, Mars, Gwyddyon, Odin, Achilles
Ogham: Nion, peasant tree, N
Powers: Protection, Prosperity, Sea Rituals, Health
Ritual uses: The ash, to the ancient Teutons, represented Ygdrasill, or the world tree, which was their conception of the universe and was therefore revered. Ash is honored at the winter solstice, its trunk and branches decorated with mistletoe and ivy and gifts of cider and cakes placed at its base. Lit candles are placed in the four sacred directions. Songs and prayers are offered for the Trees of the World.
Ash is one of the three sacred trees ~ Oak, Ash and Thorn ~ celebrated in Celtic songs and legends and the three found together signify a likely spot to find faeries. Ash was revered by our ancestors for its healing powers and versatility as a building material.
Native Americans believed Ash was a tree that was sensitive to and in harmony with the Earth and her creatures. Ash teaches us a mature understanding of emotions as it brings soothing insights to problems.
People drawn to the ash cultivate peace of mind which they share with those around them. They often become teachers, counselors, history keepers, medicine people, and herbalists. While Ash people prefer to live in solitude, they will make themselves available to others and may attract many individuals to their circle.
Ash is one of the nine sacred woods deemed suitable for burning in ritual fires and it has a special connection to Yule.
Magic and healing: Carve a piece of ash wood into a solar cross (equal armed) and carry as protection against drowning while at sea. It is also used for sea rituals, for it represents the power which resides in water.
The Witch’s broom is an ash staff, together with birch twigs and willow binding.
Ash root replace mandrake root for poppets for healing and other ritual work.
The leaves of the ash induce prophetic dreams if placed beneath a sleeper’s pillow.
It is considered to be protective. A staff of ash hung over the doorposts wards off malign influences and at one time a garter made of the green bark was worn as protection against sorcerers and conjurers. The leaves are also scattered to the four directions to protect a house or area and are used in protective sachets and spells. The Celts favored ash for crafting spears and arrows.
Healing wands are sometimes fashioned of ash wood and a few ash leaves placed in a bowl of water next to the bed, left overnight, will prevent illnesses. The water should be discarded and replaced daily.
If bitten by a snake, make a circlet of ash twigs and tie it around the victim’s neck to cure them (though this is not to say a good snakebite kit and a call to the doctor are out of the question). This spell probably works because snakes have an fear of the ash tree, they will not crawl over its wood.
If you burn ash wood at Yule, you will receive prosperity and poppets can be carved from the roots.
The ash attracts lightning.
If you wish your newborn to be a good singer, bury its first nail parings under an ash tree.
To gain the love of another, carry the leaves of an ash tree.
Unicorns favor ash trees (and apple trees). You may see one lying beneath an ash on a misty day.
The tea of the young, tender tops and leaves in spring is a diruetic and laxative. The infusion benefits jaundice, gout, and rheumatic conditions, making it a classic spring tonic to burn off winter fat and to help clear out a body’s system. In winter, simply substitute bark or outer layer of root when making the tea.
Gather the leaves in June, dry well, and store in opaque containers. These can be used as a gentle laxative that is less harsh that one made with senna. One ounce of the leaves are infused for twenty minutes in a pint of just-boiled water and given in repeated doeses over a twenty-four hour period.
Ash bark is known a a liver and spleen cleanser. The bark has been used as an alternative to quinine, while the fruits or keys are used to allay gas pains. Keys can be used as a substitute for capers as well. The White Ash is used in homeopathic treatments for uterine conditions and infantile eczema. The European Ash is used to treat gout and rheumatism. An infusion of the leaves is the recommended remedy.
Aspen (Populus x.)
Folk names: European Aspen, Black Poplar, Poplar, quaking aspen, Trembling Aspen, Balm of Gilead
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Mercury
Element: Air
Deities:
Ogham: Eadha E
Powers: Eloquence, Anti-theft
Ritual uses: Alder (Poplar) is the sacred World Tree of the Lakota Nation. For the sun dance ceremony, an alder is carefully cut-down and lowered to be re-erected in the center of the dance circle. While being carried, it must never touch the ground. Green branches, a buffalo skull and eagle feathers adorn the tree during the rite. Black Poplar was a funeral tree in ancient Greece, regarded as sacred to the Earth Mother, while in Ireland the ‘fe’ or measuring rod used by coffin makers to measure corpses were made of poplar wood. Mesopotamian graves of 3000BC were found to contain golden headdresses of poplar.
Magic and healing: Use in anti-theft spells and plant an aspen in your garden or field to be protected from thieves. Place the buds and leaves in sachets to attract money or burn them as incense to create financial security. The buds are sometimes added to flying ointments. Ancient shield makers used poplar for its protection from death and disease. They felt that its trembling leaves were having discourse with the wind, the ‘messenger of the Gods.’ Poplar wood brings protection and endurance and also helped the aspirant to hear the spirit as it moved within and without. Place an aspen leaf under your tongue if you wish to become eloquent.
This tree is similar in its therapeutic use and is considered superior for the treatment of intermittent fevers such as malaria. It is rich in salicin, the chemical base for modern aspirin. An alcohol tincture of the fresh inner bark of Quaking Aspen was once made by homeopaths to treat fever, jaundice and worms. Quaking Aspen is used to treat fevers, urinary infections, kidney weakness, gonorrhea, uterine problems, chronic diarrhea, diabetes, hay fever and’gleet’ (a constant discharge after venereal disease). It is relaxing to the intestines and relieves headaches caused by liver congestion. Tea from poplar bark is good for coughs and excellent as a gargle for sore throats. The tea can also be used as a wash for inflammations, cuts, wounds, and burns. A salve can also be produced from the buds, olive oil and beeswax. Balm of Gilead is used in the same way. A tincture from Balm of Gilead is used homeopathically to treat acute colds, especially when they are accompanied by loss of voice or hoarseness. Balsam poplar can also provide an effective tea or salve. It is also high in Vitamin C. Simmer the buds for lung congestion. Tinctured, they will help stomach, lung and kidney problems as well as rheumatic conditions. Black poplar leaves are crushed with vinegar and applied as a poultice for gout. This tree’s buds are made into an ointment for hemorrhoids, arthritis, and rheumatism. To heal bronchitis, the salve may be rubbed directly on the chest. The Lombardy Poplar is useful to heal wounds. Simmer the buds to make a beeswax and oil salve. American Aspen is used for cystitis, night sweats, nausea, vomiting, painful urination, and malarial fevers. Collect the bark in the spring and use it in a tincture or a standard decoction. An aspen person is their fearless certainty is their unconditional love is at the very foundation of the universe. They can possess an intuitive and joy-filled understanding that death is an illusion and have a sense that life is a never-ending adventure. Leaves of the Lombardy Poplar are used to impart a lime-yellow color to alum mordanted wool and will turn wool and chrome golden brown. (See Poplar)
Asphodel (Asphodelus ramosus)
Part used: root
Folk names:
Gender:
Planet:
Element:
Deities:
Powers:
Ritual uses:
Magic and healing: Asphodel root is taken to promote menstruation and is used as an antispasmodic. Simmer two teaspoons per cup and take one-fourth cup four times a day. The poultice is applied externally to swellings and infections. The root can be roasted in ashes and eaten, or dried and boiled and added to bread dough. White asphodel was planted on graves, as it was considered to be a favorite food of the dead. One could leave an offering of the cooked root or bread on a grave as a gift for the departed. This herb is also used to ritually bathe a corpse.
Aster (Callistephus chinesis)
Folk names: China Aster, Michaelmas Daisy, Starwort
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Deities: Venus
Powers: Love
Ritual uses: The aster was sacred to all the gods and was placed on temple altars during festive occasions by the classical Greeks.
Magic and healing: Use in love sachets or carry the bloom to win love. Also grow in the garden with a wish for love.
Avens (Geum urbanum) Do not take internally.
Folk names: Assaranacara, Bennet, Blessed Herb, Clove Root, Colewort, Golden Star, Goldy Star, Harefoot, Herb Bennet, Minarta, Pesleporis, Star of the Earth, Way Bennet, Yellow Avens
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Jupiter
Element: Fire
Deities:
Powers: Exorcism, Purification, Love
Ritual uses:
Magic and healing Add to exorcism incenses and mixtures or sprinkle around the area to be exorcised. Also used in purification rites.
When worn or carried as an amulet, it protects against the attacks of all wild and venomous beasts.
Employed by male American Indians to gain the love of the opposite sex.
Avocado (Persea americans) Leaves, branches and seeds should not be taken internally
Folk names: Ahuacotl (Aztec ‘Testicle Tree’), Alligator Pear, Persea, Zaboca
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Deities:
Powers: Love, Lust, Beauty
Ritual uses: The Egyptians revered the persea
Magic and healing: Eat the fruit of the avocado to become infused with lust, as the ancient Aztecs did. Grow a plant from the pit of an avocado in your home to bring love into it. Magical wands made from avocado wood are potent all purpose instruments. Carry the pit to promote beauty.
Parts used: Fruit, cider, blossoms, wood
Folk names: Fruit of the Gods, Fruit of the Underworld, Silver Branch, The Silver Bough, Tree of Love
Gender: Feminine or Cold
Planet: Venus (Sun)
Element: Water
Deities: Venus, Dionysus, Olwen, Apollo, Hera, Athena, Hercules, Aphrodite, Diana, Zeus, Iduna, Belenos
Ogham Few: Quert, peasant tree Q
Powers: Love, Healing, Garden Magic, Immortality
Ritual uses: August 13 was Diana’s Festival in Greece (Venus in Rome) and on this day a ritual meal was prepared, part of which consisted of apples still hanging on their boughs. Wiccan altars are often piled high with apples on Samhain, for the apple is considered to be one of the foods of the dead. For this very reason, Samhain is sometimes known as ‘Feast of Apples.’
The apple is a symbol of immortality. A branch of the apple which bore buds, flowers and fully-ripened apples (sometimes known as the Silver Bough) was a kind of magical charm which enabled its possessor to enter the land of the Gods, the Underworld, in Celtic Mythology.
In the old English ballad, Thomays the Rymour (Thomas the Rhymer), the Fairy Queen warns Thomas against eating any of the apples and pears in her garden, for to eat the food of the dead ensures there will be no return to the world of the living.
In some Wiccan traditions, the apple is the symbol of the soul and so they are buried on Samhain so that those who will be reborn in the spring will have food during the cold winter months.
To the Native Americans, the apple tree is a symbol of honor. They respect it as a being who provides food, living places, and medicine for many living creatures. Dependable and not too tall or demanding, it leaves enough sunlight for other creatures and plants to grow.
Apple tree people see popularity, sharing their gifts and talents with others. They demonstrate dependability, sincerity, healthy attitudes and the ethics of caring for others as much as we care for ourselves.
Apple seeds and bark may be burned as incense.
Magic and healing: The apple has long been used in spells of love. The blossoms are added to love sachets, brews and incenses, and they are infused in melted pink wax, then strained out, to make candles suitable to attract love.
A simple apple spell consists of cutting an apple in half and sharing it with your loved one. This ensures that you will be happy together.
A similar spell directs you to hold an apple in your hand until warm and then giving it to your intended. If he or she eats it, your love will be returned.
Apples are also used in love divinations, which were very popular among unmarried women in Europe for many centuries. Simply cut an apple in two and count the number of seeds. If they are even, marriage will soon occur. If one of the seeds has been cut, it may be a stormy relationship. If two are cut, widowhood is foretold. However, if an uneven number of seeds are found, the woman will remain unmarried in the near future.
Another love spell: Take an apple before it falls from the tree and write upon it with a sharp knife: alea + deleo + delato, saying “I conjure thee, apple, by these names which are written on thee, that what woman (or man) toucheth and tasteth thee, may love me and burn in my love as fire melteth wax.” Then, give the apple to your intended recipient.
Dry apple peel and place in sachets to attract love, while eating the fruit ensures fertility.
Meditate on a piece of apple wood when you contemplate a decision with several attractive alternatives. Hold it to your heart and ask which outcome you truly desire. Then realize that in making that choice, you must release the remaining options with a blessing.
For healing, cut an apple into three pieces during a waning moon and rub each on the affected part of the body (or wart). Bury them immediately to banish illnesses.
To ensure that you do not contract a fever, eat an apple.
If you are a gardener, pour cider onto freshly-turned earth to give it life just before planting. Also pour libations on the roots just before tree rituals. And, if you grow apples, bury thirteen leaves of an apple tree after the harvest to ensure a good crop of apples the following year.
The Norse, as well as many other peoples, ate apples to gain immortality through wisdom, and the wood of the apple tree can be made into charms for longevity.
Apple wood makes excellent magical wands, especially suited to emotional magic as well as love rites.
Use apple cider in place of blood where it is called for in old recipes.
Apples can be fashioned into poppets or magical figures for use in spells or images can be carved from the wood itself.
Before eating an apple, rub it to remove any demons or evil spirits which might be hiding inside.
Apples are peeled and grated to treat diarrhea (two day apple fast is recommended). Apples eaten whole have a laxative effect. Eating an apple at night can ease insomnia. Baked apples are used as a poultice for sore throats, fevers and inflammations. Stewed apples cleanse the bowels. Two apples a day have been found to ease tension, headaches and emotional upset. Dried apple peel tea eases rheumatism (two teaspoons of dried apple peel steeped in one cup hot water for twenty minutes and then strained. One to three cups per day is the dose). Small amounts of eaten apple peel can ease heartburn.
Apple blossom perfume is soothing for asthma and respiratory problems. It adds ozone to the oxygen of the air.
Apple cider reduces the acidity in the stomach, clears gas, and cleans the liver.
Apple cider blended with celery, beet and carrot juices benefit skin problems, can aid in weight loss and can clear catarrh from the lungs.
One part apple cider vinegar to one part water is a useful face rinse and returns hair to its proper pH. Blondes should only use white vinegar.
Crab apples make a pink dye for alum mordanted wool.
Finally, unicorns live beneath the trees (as well as those of ash). If you know of an apple orchard, or keep apple trees, quietly go on a misty day to find single horns upraised and a horse-like animal munching on the apples!
Apricot (Prunus armeniaca) Seeds should not be taken internally.
Folk names: Umublinkosi, Xing Ren
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Deities: Venus
Powers: Love
Ritual uses:
Magic and healing: Eat the fruit to obtain a sweet disposition or use the juice in love spells and potions. The leaves and flowers can be added to love sachets and the pits are carried to attract love. The oil, when pressed from apricot kernels, is aphrodisiac in nature. It is used as a base for mixing true essential oils but does not have an apricot scent.
Arabic, gum (Acacia senegal, A. vera). See Acacia
Arbutus (Arbutus unede)
Folk names:
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Deities: Cardea
Powers: Exorcism, Protection
Ritual uses:
Magic and healing: The Romans used it to chase away evil and also to protect little children. It is also used in exorcisms and has been since the time of ancient Greece.
Arnica (Arnica montana) External use only (and still may cause dermatitis in some individuals) A true perennial herb that flowers in mid-summer. Full sun. Propagate from seeds, cuttings or division. Acid, well-drained soil.
Folk names:
Gender:
Planet:
Element:
Deities:
Powers:
Ritual uses:
Magic and healing: A salve made of arnica flowers relaxes still muscles. An arnica ointment relieves the pain and reduces the inflammation of sprains and bruises (heat one ounce arnica flowers in one ounce lard or oil for several hours. Strain and let the ointment cool before applying to bruises or sore muscles)
Asafoetida (Ferula assa-foetida, Ferula foetida, Ferula rurbicaulis) Do not take internally if pregnant, do not feed to a child with colic. This native of Afghanistan and Eastern Iran has a nauseating smell to which the frequent user eventually becomes accostomed.
Part used: the herb, dried and powdered
Folk names: Assyfetida, Devil’s dung, Food of the Gods, Ungoozeh
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Mars
Element: Fire
Deities:
Powers: Exorcism, Purification, Protection
Ritual uses:
Magic and healing: Burn small amounts in exorcism and protection incenses. Also use in protection sachets but only if you want to smell odd. Destroys manifestations of spirits if thrown into a fire or into the censer during magical rites. Sometimes used as an amulet to keep away colds and fevers and for this purpose is usually worn around the neck. The smell is particularly foul and even the smallest amounts has been known to cause vomiting. Use with caution and in very small amounts.
Ash (Fraxinus excelsior or F. americana) The Ash grows to up to one hundred and fifty feet. It has a sheet trunk and widely spaced branches, thus its appearance contributed to its association in Celtic and Norse thought as the axis mundi: the centrial column and axis that supports the sky. It also appears as a type of bridge between the earth and heavens. The Ash has a deep and widespread root system that depletes the surrounding soil ensuring the tree inhabits its own space, thereby underlining its special character in Celtic imaginations.
Parts used: leaves and branches
Folk names: Nion, Asktroed, Jasen Beli, Freizo
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun
Element: Fire (water)
Deities: Uranus, Poseidon, Thor, Woden, Neptune, Mars, Gwyddyon, Odin, Achilles
Ogham: Nion, peasant tree, N
Powers: Protection, Prosperity, Sea Rituals, Health
Ritual uses: The ash, to the ancient Teutons, represented Ygdrasill, or the world tree, which was their conception of the universe and was therefore revered. Ash is honored at the winter solstice, its trunk and branches decorated with mistletoe and ivy and gifts of cider and cakes placed at its base. Lit candles are placed in the four sacred directions. Songs and prayers are offered for the Trees of the World.
Ash is one of the three sacred trees ~ Oak, Ash and Thorn ~ celebrated in Celtic songs and legends and the three found together signify a likely spot to find faeries. Ash was revered by our ancestors for its healing powers and versatility as a building material.
Native Americans believed Ash was a tree that was sensitive to and in harmony with the Earth and her creatures. Ash teaches us a mature understanding of emotions as it brings soothing insights to problems.
People drawn to the ash cultivate peace of mind which they share with those around them. They often become teachers, counselors, history keepers, medicine people, and herbalists. While Ash people prefer to live in solitude, they will make themselves available to others and may attract many individuals to their circle.
Ash is one of the nine sacred woods deemed suitable for burning in ritual fires and it has a special connection to Yule.
Magic and healing: Carve a piece of ash wood into a solar cross (equal armed) and carry as protection against drowning while at sea. It is also used for sea rituals, for it represents the power which resides in water.
The Witch’s broom is an ash staff, together with birch twigs and willow binding.
Ash root replace mandrake root for poppets for healing and other ritual work.
The leaves of the ash induce prophetic dreams if placed beneath a sleeper’s pillow.
It is considered to be protective. A staff of ash hung over the doorposts wards off malign influences and at one time a garter made of the green bark was worn as protection against sorcerers and conjurers. The leaves are also scattered to the four directions to protect a house or area and are used in protective sachets and spells. The Celts favored ash for crafting spears and arrows.
Healing wands are sometimes fashioned of ash wood and a few ash leaves placed in a bowl of water next to the bed, left overnight, will prevent illnesses. The water should be discarded and replaced daily.
If bitten by a snake, make a circlet of ash twigs and tie it around the victim’s neck to cure them (though this is not to say a good snakebite kit and a call to the doctor are out of the question). This spell probably works because snakes have an fear of the ash tree, they will not crawl over its wood.
If you burn ash wood at Yule, you will receive prosperity and poppets can be carved from the roots.
The ash attracts lightning.
If you wish your newborn to be a good singer, bury its first nail parings under an ash tree.
To gain the love of another, carry the leaves of an ash tree.
Unicorns favor ash trees (and apple trees). You may see one lying beneath an ash on a misty day.
The tea of the young, tender tops and leaves in spring is a diruetic and laxative. The infusion benefits jaundice, gout, and rheumatic conditions, making it a classic spring tonic to burn off winter fat and to help clear out a body’s system. In winter, simply substitute bark or outer layer of root when making the tea.
Gather the leaves in June, dry well, and store in opaque containers. These can be used as a gentle laxative that is less harsh that one made with senna. One ounce of the leaves are infused for twenty minutes in a pint of just-boiled water and given in repeated doeses over a twenty-four hour period.
Ash bark is known a a liver and spleen cleanser. The bark has been used as an alternative to quinine, while the fruits or keys are used to allay gas pains. Keys can be used as a substitute for capers as well. The White Ash is used in homeopathic treatments for uterine conditions and infantile eczema. The European Ash is used to treat gout and rheumatism. An infusion of the leaves is the recommended remedy.
Aspen (Populus x.)
Folk names: European Aspen, Black Poplar, Poplar, quaking aspen, Trembling Aspen, Balm of Gilead
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Mercury
Element: Air
Deities:
Ogham: Eadha E
Powers: Eloquence, Anti-theft
Ritual uses: Alder (Poplar) is the sacred World Tree of the Lakota Nation. For the sun dance ceremony, an alder is carefully cut-down and lowered to be re-erected in the center of the dance circle. While being carried, it must never touch the ground. Green branches, a buffalo skull and eagle feathers adorn the tree during the rite. Black Poplar was a funeral tree in ancient Greece, regarded as sacred to the Earth Mother, while in Ireland the ‘fe’ or measuring rod used by coffin makers to measure corpses were made of poplar wood. Mesopotamian graves of 3000BC were found to contain golden headdresses of poplar.
Magic and healing: Use in anti-theft spells and plant an aspen in your garden or field to be protected from thieves. Place the buds and leaves in sachets to attract money or burn them as incense to create financial security. The buds are sometimes added to flying ointments. Ancient shield makers used poplar for its protection from death and disease. They felt that its trembling leaves were having discourse with the wind, the ‘messenger of the Gods.’ Poplar wood brings protection and endurance and also helped the aspirant to hear the spirit as it moved within and without. Place an aspen leaf under your tongue if you wish to become eloquent.
This tree is similar in its therapeutic use and is considered superior for the treatment of intermittent fevers such as malaria. It is rich in salicin, the chemical base for modern aspirin. An alcohol tincture of the fresh inner bark of Quaking Aspen was once made by homeopaths to treat fever, jaundice and worms. Quaking Aspen is used to treat fevers, urinary infections, kidney weakness, gonorrhea, uterine problems, chronic diarrhea, diabetes, hay fever and’gleet’ (a constant discharge after venereal disease). It is relaxing to the intestines and relieves headaches caused by liver congestion. Tea from poplar bark is good for coughs and excellent as a gargle for sore throats. The tea can also be used as a wash for inflammations, cuts, wounds, and burns. A salve can also be produced from the buds, olive oil and beeswax. Balm of Gilead is used in the same way. A tincture from Balm of Gilead is used homeopathically to treat acute colds, especially when they are accompanied by loss of voice or hoarseness. Balsam poplar can also provide an effective tea or salve. It is also high in Vitamin C. Simmer the buds for lung congestion. Tinctured, they will help stomach, lung and kidney problems as well as rheumatic conditions. Black poplar leaves are crushed with vinegar and applied as a poultice for gout. This tree’s buds are made into an ointment for hemorrhoids, arthritis, and rheumatism. To heal bronchitis, the salve may be rubbed directly on the chest. The Lombardy Poplar is useful to heal wounds. Simmer the buds to make a beeswax and oil salve. American Aspen is used for cystitis, night sweats, nausea, vomiting, painful urination, and malarial fevers. Collect the bark in the spring and use it in a tincture or a standard decoction. An aspen person is their fearless certainty is their unconditional love is at the very foundation of the universe. They can possess an intuitive and joy-filled understanding that death is an illusion and have a sense that life is a never-ending adventure. Leaves of the Lombardy Poplar are used to impart a lime-yellow color to alum mordanted wool and will turn wool and chrome golden brown. (See Poplar)
Asphodel (Asphodelus ramosus)
Part used: root
Folk names:
Gender:
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Element:
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Magic and healing: Asphodel root is taken to promote menstruation and is used as an antispasmodic. Simmer two teaspoons per cup and take one-fourth cup four times a day. The poultice is applied externally to swellings and infections. The root can be roasted in ashes and eaten, or dried and boiled and added to bread dough. White asphodel was planted on graves, as it was considered to be a favorite food of the dead. One could leave an offering of the cooked root or bread on a grave as a gift for the departed. This herb is also used to ritually bathe a corpse.
Aster (Callistephus chinesis)
Folk names: China Aster, Michaelmas Daisy, Starwort
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Deities: Venus
Powers: Love
Ritual uses: The aster was sacred to all the gods and was placed on temple altars during festive occasions by the classical Greeks.
Magic and healing: Use in love sachets or carry the bloom to win love. Also grow in the garden with a wish for love.
Avens (Geum urbanum) Do not take internally.
Folk names: Assaranacara, Bennet, Blessed Herb, Clove Root, Colewort, Golden Star, Goldy Star, Harefoot, Herb Bennet, Minarta, Pesleporis, Star of the Earth, Way Bennet, Yellow Avens
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Jupiter
Element: Fire
Deities:
Powers: Exorcism, Purification, Love
Ritual uses:
Magic and healing Add to exorcism incenses and mixtures or sprinkle around the area to be exorcised. Also used in purification rites.
When worn or carried as an amulet, it protects against the attacks of all wild and venomous beasts.
Employed by male American Indians to gain the love of the opposite sex.
Avocado (Persea americans) Leaves, branches and seeds should not be taken internally
Folk names: Ahuacotl (Aztec ‘Testicle Tree’), Alligator Pear, Persea, Zaboca
Gender: Feminine
Planet: Venus
Element: Water
Deities:
Powers: Love, Lust, Beauty
Ritual uses: The Egyptians revered the persea
Magic and healing: Eat the fruit of the avocado to become infused with lust, as the ancient Aztecs did. Grow a plant from the pit of an avocado in your home to bring love into it. Magical wands made from avocado wood are potent all purpose instruments. Carry the pit to promote beauty.