Celtic Reiki Level 1

Level 1
Distance Course Notes (November 2003)

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Celtic Reiki Level 1
Introduction to Reiki
Reiki, meaning universal life energy, is a form of energy healing which is now
increasingly recognised for its ability to heal on all levels (physical, mental,
emotional and spiritual) and promote total holistic wellbeing. It energises and
heals the body, reduces stress and works in conjunction with other healthcare
and medical treatments. Reiki is not a religion; rather it is a spiritual practice,
which complements any faith as a hands-on healing practice.
The word Reiki (pronounced ray-key) is formed from two J apanese kanji: Rei
and Ki. The Rei part means supernatural force or spiritual intelligence and Ki
means life energy. The knowledge that our bodies are filled with Ki (the levels
of which are directly related to our quality of health), has been known for
thousands of years by many cultures and has resulted in several techniques
specifically designed to encourage its flow.
In China, this same energy is known as Chi and acupuncturists use needles
to encourage it to flow through a series of meridians or energy channels that
run the length of the body. Likewise Shiatsu developed, a J apanese massage
technique, which uses finger pressure on acupuncture points to achieve a
similar effect.
Another method is Tai Chi (or Chi Kung/Qigong as it is also known). This is a
graceful system of exercises that are designed to build up, or cultivate,
personal reserves of this energy. Graceful movements are performed which
serve to circulate the energy smoothly throughout the body, breaking down
any blockages and bringing things into balance on all levels.
In India, the same energy is referred to as Prana, and breathing exercises
and yoga techniques have been created with the intention of bringing the
energy system into balance. Instead of meridians, there is a system of
chakras or energy centres, which run the length of the body from the crown of
the head to the base of the spine. According to this system there are seven
main chakras and many subsidiary ones in other locations.
The thinking behind all these practices is that by harmonising your energy
system, you are putting your body in the best possible position to heal itself on
all levels: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
However, there is an important difference between Ki and Reiki. Ki specifically
refers to the energy that surrounds and permeates everything, whereas Reiki
is a specific frequency of energy for healing and self-healing which works in
synergy with Ki, but at a higher vibration. Reiki comes directly from the Source
(i.e. God/Goddess/the Universe/the Divine/Spirit or whatever term you feel
most comfortable with) and is directed by this higher intelligence for healing
both the animate and inanimate.
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A practitioner gains access to the specific frequencies of energy used in Reiki
by receiving a series of attunements from a Reiki Master. During an
attunement, different energy centres (chakras) and energy channels are
opened and strengthened, which enables the Reiki practitioner to channel
energy through their hands. Although every living thing already possesses Ki,
the specific purpose of the Reiki attunement is to connect the receiver in an
increased way to this limitless source. As well as creating a direct contact with
the source of Ki, the attunement also increases the life force energy of the
person receiving it. This is a lifetime gift, which can never be taken away
(even if it isnt used for a period of many years), and will always bring positive
changes to ones life.
In recent years, Reiki has become extremely popular here in the West and, as
a result, numerous non-traditional styles have been created, many of which
have been channelled from Archangels, Ascended Masters or other high
spiritual beings. Although these are largely based on the original Usui Reiki
(with Reiki masters adding new symbols, new or altered attunement
procedures, additional levels, new methods to work with the Reiki, or including
techniques from other modalities), there are also others such as Celtic Reiki,
where the energy is of a particular type not found in the Usui system. These
styles of Reiki are good for specific objectives and types of treatment, and are
very simple to use.
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Introduction to Celtic Reiki
Celtic Reiki is a variation of Usui Reiki, which uses vibrations of the Earth and
specific trees and shrubs in order to create an environment suitable for
healing and manifestation. The Reiki energy mimics the frequency of various
trees and plants so as to work in accordance with channelled and Celtic
wisdom. As Celtic Reiki is an Earth-energy Reiki, it is channelled up through
the Base chakra, rather than down through the Crown (which is the case with
Usui Reiki). This makes it similar in some ways to Kundalini Reiki, although
Celtic Reiki does not act on the Kundalini. Instead, it produces results akin to
traditional Usui Reiki, although these are influenced considerably by the
energy techniques of the Celts.
At this point in time, the entire Celtic Reiki system is not yet fully known.
However, by using what we do know, we will evolve energetically enough to
proceed with the more powerful vibrations.
For the purposes of this Celtic Reiki course, the energies will be passed via 3
attunements: the first will introduce the new energies and prepare the student
for later ones, the second attunement will work with manifestation energies
and the third with healing and master energies. In addition to the symbols and
descriptions, each section will incorporate aspects of Reiki, Celtic wisdom and
detailed instructions for use.
The History of Celtic Reiki
Celtic Reiki was discovered by Martyn Pentecost, a Reiki Master/Teacher
based in Croydon in the UK. Since then it has been an on-going process, with
most of the Celtic Reiki frequencies coming through between 1998 and 2000.
The following account of its history is relayed in Martyns own words:
Having studied various forms of Reiki for many years, I was guided to
work with nature. When channelling Reiki to help Animals, Plants, Trees,
Rivers, Lakes, the Oceans and the Earth itself, I found that everything
has a distinct vibration each variety of rock, each stream, each type of
flower has its own unique energy. I would sometimes lose myself deep in
this vibration, sometimes so much so that I could mimic the energy during
Reiki self-treatments.
Late one winters day, whilst on a visit to my ancestry home of Wales, I
discovered a huge Silver Fir tree that had been split in two by a recent
lightning strike. One half was still firmly rooted upright and was
producing a healthy flow of sap to heal itself. The other half was lying on
the ground, dying. As I walked up to the tree, I could sense the immense
loss felt by the upright section and an urgency of the fallen half, which
was completely separated from the standing section.
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I started to channel Reiki to the standing section, but could feel a
resistance, so I asked my guides to help. I was told that I should Reiki
the fallen half of the tree and as I did, I felt a transfer of energy. As
the Reiki flowed through my hands, I felt a vibration enter my body it
was unlike anything I have felt before the essence of the tree its
knowledge, its energy, its wisdom, and its love. I was then guided to give
this energy to the standing section of tree, which I then proceeded to do.
It was an amazing experience, being enveloped by the gratitude and love
of the healthy section of this massive tree.
When the energy flow ceased, I was able to return to the usual Usui Reiki
and work on healing the trees broken trunk. My guides told me that the
tree was very grateful for my assistance and would allow me to use its
vibration to help others. I was instructed that I could help people to see
with that particular type of energy vibration.
As I left the site, I touched the fallen part of the tree and felt very
little, as if the consciousness of the tree had gone, leaving only the wood.
In order to remember the energy of the tree I gave it a symbol, as is the
usual way with many other forms of Reiki and energy work. The symbol
would be a way of triggering this energy to flow for others and myself
and be a simple way to pass on the energy to others. When deciding what
to use as a symbol, I turned to the wisdom of the Celtic people, my
ancestors, and discovered that the letter used in the ancient Ogham for
the Silver Fir was the equivalent of the letter A in the modern alphabet.
This led me on a further journey of discovery for the Celts believed the
Silver Fir represented the ability to see over long distances to view the
horizon to see. I began to understand the meaning of the tree in Wales
and the wisdom of the Celtic people. I now firmly believe that they knew
the essence of each tree and plant type so complete was their
relationship with Mother Earth that they were sensitive to the
resonances and energies around them, harnessing and using these
energies to assist them in life.
I decided to work with other species of trees to see if there was a
pattern to this energy. I had been given a beginning in the letter A, so
decided to work with the last letter of the Celtic alphabet Y, or the
Yew Tree. I had a chance to visit a cemetery in Gloucestershire, where
99 Yew trees grew several attempts have been made to plant a one
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hundredth tree, but the tree always dies. Here I found resonance with a
particular Yew tree that allowed me to work with its energy, informing me
via my guides that it would guide me passed endings. I attached a symbol
to the energy and started to work with the energy finding that it helped
me to cope with any type of change, or loss: speeding up the recovery
process, or guiding me through rough patches with ease.
I have since worked with many trees and plants in this way, guided by the
wisdom of the Celts to choose locations and types of energy. I was finally
guided to work with another Celtic energy the Sea. This was an
incredibly powerful experience and it was revealed that the Celtic Reiki
system was ready to pass on, for the other energies were so powerful
that humankind was not ready. I was told that when the signs (symbols)
are complete, that the Sea would allow the full potential of its energy to
be discovered. Thus, the final symbol in this system contains a highly
diluted form of the energy.
The Celtic Reiki system is one of evolution, by using the system, the
nature of energy work will evolve and as this process happens, more Celtic
Reiki secrets will become known to us
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Attunement Guidelines
All students must begin with Celtic Reiki 1, even though you may have
previously received attunements from other systems. There is no difference in
the quality of attunements whether done hands-on or as a remote, long-
distance attunement.
Each attunement takes approximately 25 minutes, and it is advisable to leave
at least 1 week between them to allow your body time to integrate the new
energies. Most likely though, you will wish to have a longer period in order to
fully explore and work with the various energies at each level.
If this is your first experience of receiving Reiki attunements, then the
following preparation guidelines will be of much interest. Prior to receiving an
attunement it is advisable to take the phone off the hook and find somewhere
quiet where you can sit undisturbed for at least half an hour. Turn off the lights
or pull the curtains (allowing just a very weak light inside the room), and if you
wish, light a few candles or incense and play some relaxing meditation-style
music in the background. Sit down in a comfortable chair with your feet
touching the floor and your hands resting on your legs with the palms facing
upwards. Then close your eyes and breathe deeply and slowly several times
just relax and try not to think about anything other than the attunement itself
if you can help it. The most important thing is to be comfortable and enjoy
your attunement.
Attunements can be experienced in many different ways, but most of the time
they are felt as subtle sensations of energy. Sensations of heat or shivering,
seeing colours, feeling a certain chakra, and experiencing deep inner peace
and relaxation are all possibilities, as is experiencing nothing at all.
Everyones attunement will be different, but nonetheless perfect for that
person. Remember that you are safe and protected during the entire process
and that the Reiki healing energies you receive are a lifetime gift from the
Divine.
The purpose of an attunement is to enable you to draw a more powerful
stream of life-force energy through your being, which will clear blocks and
release old patterns. As a result, following an attunement you may have a
short period of cleansing reactions, which is often the case with the start of
any natural healing method. This can include flu-like symptoms, sweating,
increased urination, loose stools, vivid dreams, or indeed, no symptoms at all.
It is best to drink plenty of pure water, eat fresh organic produce rather than
processed foods, give daily treatments to your own self and perhaps take
some more rest than normal, in order to assist your cleansing and
detoxification process.
Very occasionally someone may feel a bit spacey after an attunement, or find
the stronger energy overwhelming. If this happens you should lay your hands
on your own body or someone elses, and allow the energy to flow through
you as this will balance the energy.
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The Human Energy System
Everything around us is composed of energy. Quantum physics has shown
that at an atomic level everything that exists in the Universe is energy and
vibrates and oscillates at different rates. Physical matter and energy are
basically just two forms of the same thing. Although each form of energy can
be considered individually, they are all interconnected. Consequently, one
type of energy can affect all the other energies: in other words a change in
one particular energy can create a change in another, even if it is energy in a
physical form.
The energy we will be concentrating on in this course is known as subtle
energy, of which there are many different types. Reiki and the other life
energies are all examples of subtle energies and the things that deal with, or
are created from subtle energies are known as subtle bodies. The subtle
bodies we shall be focusing on here are the meridians, chakras and auric
field.
Meridians
Meridians can be described as the energy equivalent of our arteries and
veins. In Oriental medicine, the meridians comprise a set of 12 pairs of energy
channels, which carry our life force (Ki) around our body. In addition, there are
two major meridians that channel energy along the front and back of the body
in the midline: the Functional and Governor vessels. Various points exist on
the meridians, which are employed in complementary therapies such as
acupuncture and acupressure.
By connecting up these meridians when using Reiki, this would ensure that
any Reiki coming into you would be channelled out of your hands and would
not leak out' anywhere else. As a result, you would be maximising the benefit
of the energy entering your body.
In order to connect up this energy circuit, you need to contract your Hui Yin
point (or perineum as it is also known) and press your tongue to the roof of
your mouth behind your front teeth. This creates an energy circuit that
prevents Reiki from leaking out, and means that if you are treating someone
when the circuit is made, you will be channelling the greatest possible amount
of Reiki through your hands. With practice (or in some cases immediately) you
may be able to feel an increase in the tingling from your hands, which
corresponds with you having made the circuit. Many people have also
reported feeling other effects throughout their body.
The Hui Yin point is located at the pressure point that is felt as a small hollow
between the anus and the genitals. It should be contracted as if trying to pull
the point up gently into the body and held. Regular practice will allow the point
to be contracted for considerable lengths of time.
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The first few times you practice this technique, it is very easy to go overboard
and end up tensing all your muscles from the ribcage downwards and
stopping your breathing. Bear in mind that all that is needed is a gentle but
definite contraction of a tiny part of your anatomy.
Some practitioners recommend that you make the circuit while visualising the
Reiki symbols (either over a persons body, over the walls of the treatment
room, or in your imagination). It is certainly possible to make the circuit
whenever you wish during a treatment, or indeed throughout all of a
treatment, but the technique is more appropriate for working on hotspots.
The consistent contraction of your Hui Yin does require a fair amount of
practice, but it gets easier with repetition. It is a good idea to begin by making
the contractions twenty times, and then maintain the contraction for as long as
feels comfortable. It will become much easier with regular practice. You could
even try holding the Hui Yin contraction when you are doing mundane daily
activities like the washing-up or ironing.
The Hui Yin point is employed in other energy techniques: for example, it can
be found within Kundalini Yoga practice and plays an important role in Qigong
exercises. It is interesting to note that two such diverse cultures have reached
the same conclusion about the energy anatomy of human beings.
Chakras
The concept of chakras originated in India and although Mikao Usui (who re-
discovered Reiki in J apan) did not base his Reiki practice on this system, they
work extremely well together. Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning wheel, and
is an apt name for these spinning vortexes of energy. They are located within
our etheric body and are centres of force through which we receive, transmit
and process life energies.
The form of energy drawn in by a single chakra depends on the chakra in
question: there are literally hundreds of chakras, most of which are referred to
as minor chakras. In Reiki however, there are seven main chakras and two
pairs of minor chakras. These are the Crown, Brow, Throat, Heart, Solar
Plexus, Sacral and Base chakras, and the Palm and Foot chakras.
The chakras form a network through which body, mind and spirit interact as a
complete holistic system. The major chakras correspond to specific aspects of
our consciousness and have their own individual functions and
characteristics. Each chakra has a corresponding relationship with one of the
glands comprising the bodys endocrine system, as well as being associated
with a specific colour. Indeed there are a whole range of associations related
to each chakra, many of which will be covered in this course.
When all the chakras are whirling, open, bright and clean, then our chakra
system is balanced. However, if a chakra becomes blocked, damaged, or
muddied with residual energy, then our physical and emotional health can be
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affected. Interestingly, this often occurs habitually as the result of negative or
incomplete belief systems. In other words, the effects of our habits, feelings,
beliefs, thoughts, fears and desires can be found in our chakras.
By realizing that the energy created from our emotions and mental attitudes
runs through the chakras and is then distributed to the cells, tissues and
organs of our body, we gain an insight into how we affect our own bodies,
minds and circumstances.
With chakras that are open, balanced and free of blockages, the more energy
can flow through our system and this energy is essential for our vitality,
health, and continued growth on all levels.
Although Reiki was developed with the meridian system in mind rather than
the chakra system, it is perfectly acceptable to see it working with the
chakras, since Reiki deals with the human energy system and chakras are
one way of viewing that system.
The following tables list the main characteristics/traits that can be seen in
people when each chakra is open or spinning in a balanced manner, or
closed, spinning sluggishly, spinning too fast, rotating the wrong way etc.

Chakras are Closed:
Base Emotionally needy, low self-esteem, self-destructive behaviour,
fearful.
Sacral Oversensitive, hard on oneself, feels guilty for no reason, frigid or
impotent.
Solar Plexus Overly concerned with what others think, fearful of being
alone, insecure, needs constant reassurance.
Heart Fears rejection, loves too much, feels unworthy to receive love, self-
pitying.
Throat Holds back from self-expression, unreliable, holds inconsistent
views.
Third Eye Undisciplined, fears success, tendency towards schizophrenia,
sets sights too low.
Crown Constantly exhausted, can't make decisions, no sense of
'belonging'.
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Chakras are Open and Balanced:
Base Demonstrates self-mastery, high physical energy, grounded, healthy.
Sacral Trusting, expressive, attuned to ones own feelings, creative.
Solar Plexus Respects self and others, has personal power, spontaneous,
uninhibited.
Heart Compassionate, loves unconditionally, nurturing, desires spiritual
experience in lovemaking.
Throat Good communicator, contented, finds it easy to meditate, artistically
inspired.
Third Eye Charismatic, highly intuitive, not attached to material things, may
experience unusual phenomena.
Crown Magnetic personality, achieves 'miracles' in life, transcendent, at
peace with self.
Chakras are Spinning Too Fast:
Base Bullying, overly materialistic, self-centred, engages in physical
foolhardiness.
Sacral Emotionally unbalanced, a fantasist, manipulative, sexually
addictive.
Solar Plexus Angry, controlling, workaholic, judgmental and superior.
Heart Possessive, loves conditionally, withholds emotionally 'to punish',
overly dramatic.
Throat Over-talkative, dogmatic, self-righteous, arrogant.
Third Eye Highly logical, dogmatic, authoritarian, arrogant.
Crown Psychotic or manic depressive, confused sexual expression,
frustrated, sense of unrealised power.
Opening the Foot Chakra
In order to open the foot chakra, imagine that this chakra looks like a flower,
with four or eight large petals that can flap open and shut on four/eight sides
of the energy centre within the sole of the foot. Contract your Hui Yin and use
your fingers to brush open each petal several times in turn, as if you were
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gently brushing aside an insect from someones face. Since you are focusing
your intent here, the exact hand movements are not vitally important.
Once the chakra has been opened in one foot, hold your hand over the sole of
the foot and channel energy for about 10 minutes, visualising the energy
travelling higher and higher up the person's leg. Then open the chakra in the
other foot and channel energy for another 10 minutes exactly as before.
The Auric Field
The energy vibrations of all physical, emotional, mental and spiritual functions
resonate within and around the physical body, forming layers like an energy
onionskin. This is due to the different densities of energies and can be likened
to the effect of mixing oil and water. The denser energy collects nearest to the
Physical Body (the densest energy of all), and becomes less dense the further
one moves out. Although we talk of layers in the auric field, each section does
not simply finish where another begins in reality there are intersections
where energy of different densities intermingles. The human auric field
possesses four main layers, or bodies, which are also subject to layering: the
Etheric, the Emotional, the Mental and the Spiritual.
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The Etheric body carries the blueprint for the Physical Body, governing how
healthy a person is on the physical level. Throughout the Etheric body is a
system of energy channels known as nadis in India, and it is the flow of
energy via these meridians that dictates the health of our Physical Body.
Certain types of energy filtering through from other levels of the aura can
block, or hinder this flow, ultimately resulting in illness.
The Emotional Body is reflected in our desires and emotions, and the Mental
Body is where our thoughts are housed. This concept is not to be confused
with where we think (in other words, our brain). However, the thought
patterns created in our brain are influenced by the energy in our Mental Body,
since the healthier the energy, the more positive the thoughts we generate will
be.
Finally, we have the Spiritual Body, where our inner wisdom (or Higher Self)
resides. This level is concerned with our spiritual growth and how we progress
along our life path. Our Spiritual Body is divided into various sections and in
this Celtic Reiki course we shall be dealing with the level next to the Mental
Body i.e. the Causal Body. This is where our actions and inherent nature are
stored: everything we came into the world with, our very soul is held within
this level.
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The Celtic Ogham
The Ogham is the sacred Druidic alphabet, which was created by the Celtic
spiritual leaders and used as a secretive method of communication, as well as
a means of remembering their wealth of tree knowledge. It contained hidden
secrets for divination and magick that could only be understood by the
initiated. This magickal alphabet was deeply connected with the trees, since
the Celts had a strong affinity and reverence for them, believing that many
were either inhabited by spirits or possessed their own.
Named after the Irish-Celtic deity Ogma, the god of eloquence and learning, it
consists of either twenty or twenty-five letters (depending on the source used),
each bearing the name of a tree. The Ogham characters were inscribed on
stones or carved on staves of wood: as a method of writing it was rather
laborious, but as a language of symbolism the Druids alphabet was
immensely powerful. The species of trees used, were chosen specifically for
the qualities they displayed (i.e. qualities linking them to spiritual concepts).
They were divided into three classifications chieftains, peasants and shrubs
representing their order of importance to the Druids.
All of the symbols, which will be covered in this Celtic Reiki course, come from
the Ogham.
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Celtic Reiki First Degree Symbols
The first 6 Celtic Reiki symbols are illustrated below:
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Ailim (pronounced Arl-m) A
Ailim is of the Silver Fir it helps to clarify vision and to help see the way
forward (the horizon). Ailim breaks down barriers to the lessons learnt in this
and other lives increasing wisdom from the past, increasing the connection
to Celtic Wisdom and binding this to solving current issues in a persons life.
This energy is particularly useful in looking to the very distant future, in areas
such as the life path or lifes work, and helps integrate a person with their
purpose. It can also connect the user to their Celtic ancestry if appropriate.
For best results, use over the Brow and Sacral chakras to bring the past to the
awareness.
Beith (pronounced Beh) B
Beith is of the Birch Tree and assists in the release of old ways, patterns,
negative beliefs and energies. It clears the past to make way for the present
and the future, helping the user to work through issues that are holding them
back, cleansing and letting go.
It is also wonderful with helping to motivate at the start of a new process.
Often starting something is the hardest thing to do this energy will assist the
user to get over the initial inertia of starting a new project or path. Beith clears
the path and aids in a safe and clear journey.
Can be used on the Base and Solar Plexus chakras.
Huathe (pronounced Hoo-ah) H
Huathe is of the Hawthorn and its essence represents the energy of cleansing
and preparation: the clearing of thoughts, as opposed to physical actions. It is
an excellent forerunner to the Beith energy; it clears the mind of negative
thoughts and mental confusion, offering clarity. It gives patience and offers
stillness and the ability to wait until the right time comes.
It can be used in conjunction with Ailim to calm and create a clear picture of
the way ahead. Sometimes the way ahead can be obscured by too many
thoughts; this will clear those thoughts, allowing Ailim to show the horizon.

Can be used on the Brow and Throat Chrakras.
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Phagos (pronounced Fah-gors) Ph
Phagos is of the Beech and gives understanding of old wisdom. Offering the
ability to manipulate ancient wisdom to encapsulate modern life, updating the
old and bringing it into the new. It connects to inner knowing and transforms it
to enable use in everyday situations.
It also helps with bringing memories from the past both in this life and
karmically, so that they can be worked with and released.
Works well on Sacral, Brow and Base chakras.
Eadha (pronounced Ee-yur) E
Eadha is of the White Poplar and helps to overcome fear. Fear of the future,
of responsibilities that may seem overwhelming, of the path we take and of
the individual gifts we bring to the world.
It shields from the burden of the road ahead, helping us to work through and
cope with the issues that may otherwise have pulled us down. It strengthens
our spiritual resolve and gives us the ability to shout down the terrors we have
with a whisper.
This energy is excellent at helping when the pressures of life get too much
and the person fears that they cannot cope with the world around them.
Eadha works well over the Heart centre and Throat chakra.
Ur (pronounced Ooor) U
Ur is of the Heather and assists us to make a closer connection with the
Earth, with Gaia, with spirit and with the devic communities. It produces
natural and inherent wisdom about unseen realms and eases away barriers to
the powers that surround us.
This gives us the ability to work more closely with subtle energies, both for
healing and manifestation. It also connects us closer with guides and nature
spirits so that we can work for the light and love of the Earth and all living
things.
Can be used with all chakras.
(Symbol descriptions written by Martyn Pentecost).
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Using the Celtic Reiki Level 1 Symbols
In order to use the symbols as part of a treatment, write the symbol on each
palm, visualise it appearing in your Third Eye chakra coloured gold, and chant
or tone the name of the symbol, either aloud or in your mind. The important
thing to remember about thinking the chant is that you are not just simply
repeating it over and over again in your thoughts, you are toning it; creating
that same deep resonance as if you were saying it out loud. Every time you
mentally chant the name, you should feel the deep vibration flooding out from
your body and across the Universe, connecting and encompassing all things
with yourself at the core.
By employing the scanning techniques described below, you can discover the
area requiring treatment and then use and tone the symbols in order,
channelling each frequency for about 10 minutes until you feel guided to use
the next.
Trust your intuition as you work with these symbols, as it is usually right! The
techniques given here are only recommendations - there are no hard and fast
rules with Celtic Reiki - so you can, if you wish, allow your intuition to guide
you when using the symbols, working with them in whatever manner feels
right for you.
Scanning Techniques
There are two related, traditional J apanese Reiki techniques, which form an
integral part of Reiki training that can be used to scan for areas requiring
treatment. The first is a scanning technique known as Byosen Reikan Ho and
the other is a more intuitive scanning technique named Reiji Ho.
With dedicated practice the Byosen scanning technique can eventually lead to
the following abilities:
1. To develop sufficient sensitivity in your hands that you can detect
energy imbalances, enabling you to know precisely where to put your
hands and how long they should remain in place for a particular client.
2. To develop sufficient knowledge regarding the sensations your hands
produce in different circumstances and conditions, in order that you
can use the information coming from your hands to diagnose disease.
The advanced Byosen ability will develop with regular practice and exposure
to a large number of clients. This technique requires you to concentrate your
attention on the sensations in your hands in a dedicated manner.

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Byosen Reikan Ho
When a person has a disease, it is possible to feel something transmitted
from its source, which is known as Byosen. Precisely what you will feel as
Byosen varies depending on the type, severity and status of the disease and
from one person to the next. Some common examples are: sensations of
something moving, pulsating, or piercing, an insect crawling or biting, pain,
numbness, heat, coldness, tickling, tingling, etc. The sensation that you feel in
your hands is known as Hibiki or resonance and from this you can judge the
cause of the disease, its status and the length of time it will take to heal.
If a person has a disease (even if they are unaware of it), there never fails to
be a Byosen. Provided you are careful enough to detect the Byosen in the first
place, it is possible to treat the disease a couple of days before it will actually
show up. In cases where people have completely recovered from their
disease, it is possible the Byosen may still remain. By getting rid of the
Byosen in such situations, you can prevent the disease from developing
again.
A Byosen will not necessarily show up in the obvious problem area, but may
instead be sensed in places different from the actual problem area. For
instance, the Byosen for stomach disease can often show up in one's
forehead, roundworm under one's nose, and liver problems may show up in
the eyes, etc.
Initially the ability to sense Byosen will vary greatly from person to person.
Some people can readily detect it, while others take time to develop this skill.
Try not to rush this process: take your time and get used to the feelings, not
just in your hands but what you think, your intuition. By using Byosen at the
start and finish of a treatment, it will help to re-balance the aura after you have
been working in it.
Once you have developed Byosen, it will be automatically decided where and
how long your hands should remain in place.
Working with Your Intuition
In the previous section we explored the traditional J apanese Reiki scanning
technique, Byosen Reikan Ho, which is basically an intellectual activity. By
focusing your intent on the various types of sensations you can experience in
your hands, and through long and dedicated practice, it is possible to make a
link between these sensations and your clients medical conditions.
In this section we will discuss a related intuitive scanning technique called
Reiji Ho, which means indication of the spirit. In contrast with Byosen, Reiji
Ho is far from being an intellectual activity. It involves emptying your head,
keeping your intellect well out of the way, and just merging with the energy,
allowing it to guide your hands directly to the correct places to treat, even
before you have scanned the body to see what is going on. The vast majority
20
of people who try this technique find that it works for them almost
immediately, and anyone can do this with a bit of practice.
With thorough practice, Reiji Ho can result in the following abilities:
1. To allow the flow of Reiki through your hands to guide you to problem
areas, even before the patient has been scanned.
2. To know intuitively what the problem is, to intuit or to see what the
disease is.
As with Byosen, Reiji Ho is developed through regular practice and exposure
to a large number of clients.
Reiji Ho
There are 2 different types of Reiji Ho technique commonly practised, which
are detailed below. They both bring about the same end result, so it is your
choice as to which one you decide to use in practice. Please try them both.
Reiji Ho #1
1. Fold your hands in front of your chest/heart (this traditional gesture is
known as Gassho), close your eyes and connect to the Reiki source.
2. Ask for the health and wellbeing of the client.
3. Move your hands up so that they are in front of your Third Eye and ask
the Reiki energy to guide your hands to where it is needed most. Say
to yourself something like Please let me be guided or Please let my
hands be guided to where they need to go.
4. Blank your mind and hover your hands over the client; allowing your
hands to be moved of their own accord.
Reiji Ho #2
This version is based on the concept that students develop the intuitive
abilities of Reiji or Byosen by opening themselves fully to Reiki energy, by
becoming one with the energy. The view seems to be that the ability comes
from within, as a result of regular practice of specific techniques and
dedication, rather than by opening oneself up to external guidance.
1. Connect to Reiki.
2. Become one with the energy, focus yourself on intuitively knowing
where the problem is.
3. Hover your hands over the client, and let them be guided and moved
by the energy to areas of need.
4. Focus on being open to the source of the problem: what is the
disease?
21
Using Reiji Ho in Practice
Reiji Ho (and Byosen Reikan Ho) may be used at the start of all Reiki
treatments if desired, as a means of locating areas of need, to develop an
insight into your clients condition, and as practice to develop your intuitive
ability. The techniques can also be used at intervals throughout the treatment,
in order to assess the clients energy needs and to see how their energy
priorities have changed as a result of the treatment.
The following procedure works well:
1. Start a treatment by resting your hands on the shoulders for a while.
2. While treating the head and shoulders, be guided to any variations that
seem appropriate.
3. Use Byosen and Reiji on the torso.
4. Whenever you feel that you should move on to a new treatment
position, use Reiji or Byosen to locate the next best hand positions.
Reiji Ho or Byosen?
It is difficult to predict whether you are more likely to develop the ability to use
Reiji or Byosen. The Reiji ability may come through the regular practice of
Byosen, by focusing your attention on what is going on in your hands, by
opening yourself fully to the energy and to intuitive knowledge, becoming one
with the energy, and through regular and dedicated practice.
It would appear that it is relatively easy to develop an ability to be guided by
the energy into specific hand positions for each person, but the other aspect
of Reiji - of actually knowing or seeing what the problem is - is something else
entirely.
Celtic Reiki Level 1 Exercises
Please memorise all six symbols, their meanings and the chakras on which
they are most effective. You may also wish to meditate and work further on
them.
Practice using both Byosen and Reiji Ho (on yourself and others) to ascertain
areas requiring treatment, and then use the Celtic Reiki symbols as outlined
above. Ask the person youre treating for feedback and keep a record of all
your experiences.
Another method would be to channel the energy of specific Celtic Reiki
symbols over the appropriate chakras, in order to work on particular issues.
Again, please keep a detailed record of your experiences with using this
method.
22
An important aspect of this course is allowing your intuition to guide you when
using Celtic Reiki, as the techniques are not set in stone. Feel free to
experiment with these symbols and their energies, and explore the techniques
that you feel most comfortable working with.
Try to find as many of the Celtic Reiki Level 1 trees as possible in your vicinity
and get to know them!
Disclaimer
Please be aware that the information given in this Celtic Reiki course is for
educational purposes only.
Celtic Reiki is a wonderful hands-on method of energy balancing for the
purpose of stress reduction and relaxation, that works in conjunction with any
and all other healthcare practices you may be using. However, it is not meant
as a substitute for proper medical diagnosis and treatment provided by
licensed healthcare professionals.
Celtic Reiki practitioners do not diagnose conditions, nor do they perform
medical treatments, prescribe substances, or interfere with the treatment of a
licensed medical professional.
It is strongly recommended that you contact your physician or healthcare
specialist for any physical or psychological ailment you may have.
23
Celtic Reiki Level 1 Resources
As Celtic Reiki is a continually evolving system, the manuals will be
periodically updated when new information becomes available. If you would
like to be added to a mailing list to receive the revised manuals, please send
an email with the heading Celtic Reiki Updates to:
info@enchanted-earth.co.uk
I would be delighted to hear about your experiences and healing successes
with this system and (with your permission) they may be included in later
versions of the manuals.
In addition to the Celtic Reiki notes, each manual contains a selection of
resources compiled primarily from the internet, which will supplement your
knowledge of the Celtic tree ogham system and trees in general, and
hopefully enhance your practice of Celtic Reiki.
Please bear in mind that there are many differences in scholarly opinion
regarding the tree ogham (and Celtic oghams in general), and these are
reflected in variations in the number of symbols, names and the symbols
themselves. This course employs symbols from the 25-letter system, which is
described in D.J . Conways book, By Oak, Ash and Thorn, and a complete
list of symbols will be included in the Celtic Reiki Master Level manual. (The
last 5 letters of this system were not original to the oghams and were in fact a
later development). The most important thing, however, is to discover the
power of the trees themselves
Love & Light,
Pam
There is wisdom in every tree and magick in every leaf.
Recommended websites:
Tree Totem
http://treetotem.com/ (for all things tree-related)
Green Man Tree Essences
http://www.greenmantrees.demon.co.uk (books, tree essences and
courses, etc.)
Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD)
http://druidry.org (information on druid and tree lore, courses in druidry
and healing, etc.)
24
The Celtic Ogham
The Celtic alphabet known as Ogham (pronounced "Oh-m" or "Oh-wam") was
invented, according to the medieval Irish Book of Ballymote, by Ogma Sun-
Face, son of Elatha. It comprises three sets of five consonants and one set
of five vowels, a total of twenty letters.
The primary manuscript sources for information on Ogham are The Scholars
Primer (Auraicept Na nEces), Values of the Forfeda (De Duilib Feda na
Forfid) and the Book of Ogham (Leber Ogam). These sources are quoted in
the 12th century Book of Leinster and the 14th century manuscript, the
Book of Ballymote, which can be found in the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin.
This information in the Book of Ballymote is thought to have been copied
from a much earlier 9th century manuscript. It is from this text that the
descriptions and characters have largely been drawn.
The earliest known form of Irish is preserved in Ogham (Old Irish spelling
'ogam') inscriptions which date mainly from the fourth and fifth centuries
of our era. The linguistic information preserved in Ogham is sparse, as the
inscriptions contain little more than personal names on boundary marking
megaliths, but it is sufficient to reveal a form of Gaelic much older than
Old Irish, the earliest well-documented variety of the language.
There are numerous accounts in the ancient literature which suggest that
Ogham was a type of writing and signalling using signs that were used only
by the bards, druids and warrior intelligentsia and was not understood by
the common folk or uneducated people. The druid could use the ridge of his
nose etc and stroke across it in different ways with his fingers to denote
the different symbols.
The name Ogham or Ogam was derived from that of the Celtic god of
literature and eloquence, Ogma, who is credited with its invention. Ogma
has the epithets "honey mouthed" and "eloquent". He has been linked with
the Gaulish God Ogmios whose "golden speech" was recorded in Gallic
artwork as a fine gold chain linking the tip of his tongue to ears of a group
of followers.
The letters are constructed using a combination of lines placed adjacent to
or crossing a midline. An individual letter may contain from one to five
vertical or angled strokes. Vowels were sometimes described as a
combination of dots. The midline was, most often, the edge of the object
on which the inscription was carved, this is called a 'Druim' which means
ridge or spine. Ogham is read from bottom to top on boundary markers,
left to right across page on manuscripts.
25
In keeping with Druidic concepts, each of the Ogham's twenty letters bears
the name of a tree-- A: 'Ailim' (Elm), B: 'Beith' (Birch), C: 'Coll' (Hazel),
for example. This is not surprising unless one considers that not all of the
twenty plants of the Ogham were found in the post-Christian Celtic world
of the British Isles. This fact would seem to verify the theory that Ogham
is an ancient system which adapted itself to the Roman Alphabet as it
became prevalent in the ancient world. According to Curtis Clark, "If one
were to pick a region where the plants of the Ogham were best
represented, it would be the valley of the Rhine River, home of the Iron
Age La Ten culture that is regarded to be ancestral to the Celts."
There are 369 verified examples of Ogham writing surviving today. These
exist in the form of galln (standing stones) concentrated in Ireland but
scattered across Scotland, the Isle of Man, South Wales, Devonshire, and
as far afield as Silchester (the ancient Roman city of Calleva Attrebatum).
Similar markings, dating to 500 BC, have been found on standing stones in
Spain and Portugal. It is from this area of the Iberian Peninsula that the
Celts who colonized Ireland may have come. The discovery of similar
carvings in the state of West Virginia in the United States, has caused
some speculation that the Celts may have come to the New World as early
as 100 BC.
In the Book of Ballymote, the invention of Ogham was achieved when "Ogma
Sun-Face raised four pillars of equal length", and it was upon these pillars
that the characters of the letters were etched.
Ogham, and the mysteries associated with it, were kept a strict secret
amongst the scholar/ druids or 'swineherds' as they are commonly referred
to in myth, and much also in myth shows the secrecy. Miders abode on the
Isle of Man was guarded by three cranes who called out to all who
approached "Enter not! Stay away! Go on by!"
One Ogham symbol could mean many different whole words for example 'B'
meant Birch, Beginning, White, River Barrow, Pheasant(Besan), Mother
Goddess, Fertility etc. The Medieval monk historians who mastered Ogham
used it to write sacred or secret messages on objects. It was rarely used
in its letter form purely to spell out names except on boundary markers or
ceremonial monuments, as it would take up too much space that way.
However it was used as symbols, also amounts of the same symbol meant
different things - seven 'B's carved into a birch was a warning of a
woman's kidnap for example. It was carved into Alder only for funerary
measuring and was much feared when carved into the Alder. The Alder
measuring wand was known as a Fe (also known as the cursing stick).
http://www.shee-eire.com/Magic&Mythology/Ogham/page1.htm
26
Druid Tree Lore and the Ogham
Approaching a tree we approach a sacred being who can teach us about love
and about endless giving. S/he is one of millions of beings who provide our
air, our homes, our fuel, our books. Working with the spirit of the tree can
bring us renewed energy, powerful inspiration, deep communion.
(From the teaching material of the Ovate Grade)
As we have seen from the etymology given in The Elements of the Druid
Tradition (http://druidry.org/obod/theorder/archive/pcg-elements.html),
Druids were wise men of the trees. One of the world's largest tree-
planting movements is called The Men of the Trees and was started by a
Druid, the late Richard St Barbe-Baker. Few, if any, of its members would
realise that he had partly encoded the word 'Druids' in its title. One of
the reasons why the subject of Druids fascinates us, is because there is
such a strong association between them and trees. If we close our eyes and
imagine a Druid, we will often see him beside a tree, or within a sacred
grove of trees. We sense that Druids were at one with nature in a way that
we no longer are, and those of us who aspire to become Druids do so
because we want to attain that at-one-ment, that union, for ourselves. In
a conscious way we recognise the beauty of trees and their value to us, but
just below the surface of our consciousness lies the knowledge that they
also possess keys and powers that, if we were to share in them, would
enrich our lives immeasurably.
The Druids used a particular method for communicating and remembering
their wealth of tree-knowledge. This is known as the Ogham [pronounced
o'um]. It consists of twenty-five simple strokes centred on or branching off
a central line. It is similar in purpose, but separate in origin from the
Nordic runes. The Ogham characters were inscribed on stones or written on
staves of wood. As a method of writing it is laborious, but as a language of
symbolism it is powerful. It is probably pre-Celtic in origin, although most
of the existing inscriptions have been dated to the fifth and sixth
centuries. Whether Celtic or pre-Celtic we can sense that it carries with it
some of the very earliest of Druid wisdom. Amongst our sources of
information about its use, we have The Scholar's Primer from Scotland
(transcribed from the oral tradition in the seventeenth century) and
O'Flaherty's Ogygia from Ireland [published in 1793]. But it was the poet
Robert Graves who, in modem times, brought the Ogham into public
awareness once again, with his publication of The White Goddess in 1948.
Each stroke of the Ogham corresponds to a letter of the alphabet. This
letter represents the first letter of the tree allocated to it. Although we
know the letters that each stroke represents, and can translate the ancient
27
Ogham inscriptions accordingly, we cannot be so confident when we come to
associate the trees with particular months. There has been much
controversy as to whether the Ogham really was used as a calendar by the
Druids, linking each tree and letter of the alphabet to a moon month, as
suggested by Robert Graves. Whilst it is important to be aware that there
is controversy, it is also important to understand that Druidry is evolving,
and that if they didn't correlate them in 500 BC they do now - if it was
Robert Graves' invention, then he was acting as a Druid when he did so -
he was inspired, in other words. Someone has to invent things, or 'receive'
them from the invisible world, and just because he or she does so in AD
1948 rather than BC 1948 is in the final analysis unimportant to those of
us who want to use Druidry as a living system, as opposed to those who
want to study its origins for a purely academic purpose.
The essential point about the Druid use of Ogham is this - it provided and
provides a glyph or system which is every bit as rich as the Tree of Life of
the Qabalists. The Qabalists use one tree - the Druids use a grove, a wood
- filled with many trees and woodland plants. By clearly building up this
wood with the inner mind and by then associating each tree or plant with a
different number, god or goddess, animal, bird, colour, mineral, star, divine
or human principle, the Druid is able to retain in her mind far more
information than she would normally be able to, if she simply learnt lists of
such facts. This use of an image as a mnemonic (memory) device has been
well known as an esoteric discipline through the ages. The ancient Greeks
visualised a theatre, each part of which was associated in the memoriser's
mind with an item that needed remembering.
But to see the Druid use of Ogham simply as a mnemonic for storing data is
to fail to recognise its true purpose and value, for, having 'peopled the
forest', having learnt the associations, the Druid is then able to use this
network of data in just the same way that a computer can, with appropriate
software, work on stored data to produce numerous combinations and
recombinations. The associations start to interrelate and cross-fertilise of
their own accord, even during sleep. The hard work of months and years of
training starts to pay off as the Druid sleeps on (or perhaps in) her forest,
and the various associations and connections between the storage points in
her system start to communicate.
The method of free association used in psychoanalysis can provide a glimpse
into the secret world of connections and associations that are made in the
unconscious, and the particular contribution of esoteric disciplines is in
providing a framework that exists partly in the conscious mind, but which
also is immersed in the unconscious - allowing both aspects of the self to
feed from it and to nourish it. In other words, by building a grove of trees
in the imagination, or a 'Tree of Life' if one is a Qabalist, one creates a
28
structure which operates not only in the conscious waking self, but also in
the unconscious (some might say the superconscious) pulling to it, as it were,
associations, ideas, images and experiences. In this way it acts as a bridge
between these two parts of the self. At a deeper level the creation of such
a structure allows the influx of transpersonal energies into the personal or
individual psychic system in a way that is safe and structured because the
channels for its reception and integration have already been built.
One of the most extraordinary things to contemplate is that as we think
and make associations, our brains actually make connections and grow
physically! The more we use our brain, the more dendrites (the 'arms'
between brain cells) are grown, and the more synaptic connections are made
(connections from the end of one dendrite to another). These neural
pathways are called dendrites because they look like the branches of a
tree, and dendrite is Greek for 'tree-like'. Photographs of sections of the
cerebral cortex look like photos of a thicket of trees in winter. So as we
imagine a sacred grove of trees in our minds and work with it over many
months to create a network of associations, we are literally building a
thicker, richer complex of connections at a physical level in our brains, as
well as a structure on a subtler level in the psyche which can connect our
conscious self with our unconscious self.
http://druidry.org/obod/druid-path/druidtreeloreogham.html
29
The Alphabet of Trees
Nov 18, 1995 17:36 from Kieron The following is a long, long post. If
you're not interested in reading about etymology of words, mythological
inferences, and the Druidic calendar, then skip this now. But this is too
good to pass up, IMHO. The author, John King, did an impressive job of
researching the past, and I will do my poor best to summarize it. From The
Celtic Druids' Year:
The Beth-Luis-Nion, named after its first three letters, just as we call our
modern alphabet the ABC, has only thirteen consonants [corresponding to
the 13 lunations or moon cycles of the year] and five vowels, as follows:
B L N F S H D T C M G P R ; A O U E I
Robert Graves, in The White Goddess, adds four letters to the Beth-Luis-
Nion, as follows:
B L N F S SS H D T C CC M G P R ; AA A O U E I II
The four added letters are 'doubles' of their accompanying letter. SS (or
Z) follows S; CC (or Q) follows C; AA (or long O) precedes A; and II (or Y)
follows I. The significance of the Beth-Luis-Nion alphabet is that it
contains within it a series of references which would only be known to the
initiated (specifically, Druidic initiates). The references as listed below are
a greatly simplified version of the long, densely detailed description from
Graves.
B is for Beth (beh), which means Birch. It is identified as the tree of
inception. Roman lictors carried birch rods at the installation of a new
consul, which took place shortly after Midwinter. Moreover, there were 12
lictors assigned to each consul, making 13 in all. In Scandinavia, birch trees
coming into leaf signified the start of the agricultural year.
L is for Luis (lweesh), meaning Rowan, also known as Quickbeam, Quicken,
and Mountain Ash. In Ireland, Druids lit fires of Rowan wood to summon
the spirits of the dead to assist warriors in battle. In the romance of
Diarmuid and Grainne, the rowan berry, apple, and red nut are all described
as "food of the gods," suggesting that there may have been a taboo against
eating them. [Red was also the color that guarded against evil and kept
away faeries --K.]
N is for Nion (nee-n), meaning Ash. This wood was important to the Celts
for making spears, chariots, and coracles. In Greece, the ash was sacred
to Poseidon, god of the sea. In Ireland, timber from the sacred ash of
Killura was carried as a charm against drowning. The great sacred tree of
Norse mythology is the ash, Yggdrasill, closely associated with
Woden/Wotan/Odin, whose British counterpart is the magician-god/trickster
30
Gwydion. In British folklore, the ash is the tree of rebirth and
regeneration.
F is for Fearn (farn), meaning Alder. The sacred tree of Bran the Blessed.
The tree was held in high regard by the Celts for the charcoal it produced.
The tree stains reddish when cut, reminiscent of the shedding of blood. It
also yields three important dyes: red from the bark, green from the
flowers, and brown from the twigs. Graves suggests that Orpheus, the
Greek totem god of the Orphic initiation undergone by Pythagoras, may
have derived his name from the Greek _orphruoeis_ meaning growing on the
riverbank, ie., alder.
S is for Saille (sal-yeh), meaning Willow or Osier. It is dedicated to the
Goddess in Her death aspect, as represented by Hecate, Circe, Persephone,
and others in Greece, and by Ceridwen, Morgana/Morgan/Morrigan and
others in British mythology. The willow is traditionally associated with
witchcraft, so strongly in fact that the words wicker (meaning willow reed
or osier), wicked, and witch are all etymologically related. Called _helice__
in Greek, it gave its name to Helicon, the abode of the Muses. _Helygenn_
is Cornish for willow, and the Goidelic [Irish/Scots/Manx languages] _saille_
is related to the Latin name _Salix_. The alleged Druidic sacrifices, as
described by Strabo and Caesar, were supposed to have imprisoned their
victims in a huge figure made of wickerwork. Traditional British folklore, as
in the well-known song "All around my hat, I will wear the green willow,"
commemorates the Willow's ancient significance as a symbol of the rejected
or disappointed lover-- it was originally intended as a charm and invocation
to the Goddess. Its leaves and bark yield salic acid, a principal component
of aspirin, and they were infused since early times to relieve cramps, esp.
menstrual cramps.
H is for Huath (hoo-ah), the Hawthorn, also called Whitethorn and May. It
is an unlucky tree. In the Irish Brehon Laws, it is also called _sceith_
which seems related to the Indo-European root _skeud-_ from which shoot,
shut and scathe are derived. In the British myths, the hawthorn is also
associated with chastity.
D is for Duir (doo-r or der), meaning Oak. The word is very similar in
Goidelic and Brythonic, and the word Druids is almost certainly derived from
it [as is "door" --K.]. It is the totem-tree of the thunder god in all his
manifestations-- Zeus, Jupiter, Thor in Scandinavia, Bel in Britain and
Gaul. It is common knowledge that the oak was specially venerated by the
Celts. There were also oak cults in Greece and Libya. Graves suggest the
oak cult came to Britain via the Baltics somewhere between 1600 and 1400
BCE, at least 500 years before the Celts arrived.
T is for Tinne, meaning Holly. The Brythonic word is _kelynn_. It is the
totem tree of the oak-god's twin (or alternately, his father), the holly-god
31
or Green Knight, represented by Bran the Blessed in the British traditions
and by Cronos is Greece and Saturn in Rome. He is the god of the waning
half of the year [ie., winter], while his brother (or alternately, his son) Bel
is the god of the waxing half of the year. When Christian mythology began
subsuming aspects of earlier pagan mythology, St. John the Baptist
(beheaded at Midsummer, the day of transition between the oak-king and
the holly-king) became identified with the oak, which in turn led to the
identification of Christ with the oak's successor, the holly. This is the
origin of the line of the carol "The Holly And the Ivy": "Of all the trees
that are in the wood, the Holly bears the crown." In Middle English, the
word for holly was spelled _holi_ derived from Old English _holen_. The
word holy was also spelled _holi_, derived from Old Eng. _halig_. There has
been an association of holly with holy ever since. A further association with
Christ is the shape of the letter itself. The Hebrew _Tav_ (the last letter
in Hebrew alphabet), the Greek _Tau_, and our letter T all graphically
represent the cross of the crucifixion.
C is for Coll (kull), meaning Hazel. In Celtic mythology, it is always
associated with wisdom. Over Connla's Well in Ireland, hung the nine hazels
of poetic art-- their nuts fed salmon swimming in the pool (the salmon
themselves being associated with wisdom, specifically _gnosis_ or mystic
wisdom. Then, as now, the hazel was the favored wood for making divining
rods. The letter was used by the Bards to signify the number 9, a highly
regarded number because it is the sacred 3, times three. White hazel
wands were carried by Druids as a symbol of their authority. The tree was
also called _bile ratha_ in Irish, meaning "tree of the rath." The _rath_
was the abode of the _sidhe_ or faery people.
M is for Muin (moon, like "foot"), meaning Vine. The vine is not native to
Britain but was important in Mediterranean mythology, principally because it
is the source of wine. The vine does figure in Celtic art (esp. in Britain) of
the Bronze Age because onward, which suggests that its mythology was
understood and to some extent, subsumed into Druidic culture. Graves
suggests that the blackberry took the vine's place in British context; he
cites British and Welsh taboos against eating blackberries despite the fact
that the fruit is very sweet and nourishing. A folk superstition persists in
Devon and Cornwall that blackberries are unfit to eat after September
because the Devil is in them. [a similar taboo exists against eating berries
after Samhain, esp. in the west of Ireland, because they belong to the
faeries then --K.]
G is for Gort (gurt) meaning Ivy. Vines and ivy share the characteristic of
growing spirally. Both are associated with resurrection. Ivy leaves, which
are toxic, may have been chewed for their hallucinatory effects. Both holly
and ivy are associated with the Holly-god, Bran, or Cronos, or Saturn,
whose demise was celebrated by the Romans at Saturnalia or Midwinter
32
festival. His club is made of holly, and his sacred bird is the gold-crested
wren, which nests in ivy, which explains why they are linked in the carol
"The Holly and the Ivy."
P is for Peith, meaning Water-Elder, also called Whitten or Guelder-rose.
Peith is not the original letter [and besides, P is a borrowed sound in Irish
though not to Welsh --K.]. The original letter was NG, but for some
reason, Graves substituted P for NG, with no explanation other than that
the original NG was "of no literary use to the Brythons." At any rate,
Ngetal means Reed. In Egyptian and Mediterranean mythology, the reed
symbolized royalty. A reed was pushed into Christ's hand when he was
mockingly robed in purple.
R is for Ruis (rweesh), the thirteenth and last of the original consonants,
meaning Elder. Although the flowers and bark of the elder yield therapeutic
substances, and elder flowers and berries make good wine, the tree has a
reputation for evil. It is associated with witchcraft and death, along with
the yew, cypress and nightshade. The superstition that 13 is unlucky is
supposedly derived from the presence of 13 people at the Last Supper, the
13th being Christ's betrayer, but it may also be related to the 13th letter
or tree, the evil elder. [The fact that there are 13 moons should be noted,
and the moon has long been associated with women's mysteries. Perhaps the
Christians linked them to witches and presto, instant superstition. This is
just a speculation, mind you. --K.]
Before moving on to the five vowels, we need to go back to the doubled
consonants, SS (or Z), and CC (or Q).
S is for Saille, the willow. Its double represents the Blackthorn, or Sloe.
The tree was called _bellicum_ by Romans, which seems to be related to
_bellum_ or war, and it was considered very unlucky in Ireland.
C is for Coll, and so CC is for Quert, meaning Apple. It symbolizes eternal
life, since paradise or the otherworld is an apple orchard, called Avalon
(_afal_ is Welsh for apple). [Note the Christian parallel of the apple and
paradise --K.] There may have been a partial taboo against eating apples,
which may have been reserved for royalty or the priesthood.
The five vowels (seven in Graves' restoration) are also associated with
trees. Moreover, the vowels are charged with special significance: they
emerge from the body without apparent modification, and therefore seem
closer to whatever truth is within. In many religions, including Judaism, the
mystic and ineffable name of God is formed solely from vowels. None of the
consonants has any significance until it is combined with one or more vowels.
Some languages omit vowels in writing.
A is for Ailm (elm), meaning Silver Fir. In Greece, the tree was sacred to
Artemis. Throughout northern Europe, it was associated with childbirth.
The Old Irish word _ailm_ was used for "palm" which is the Middle Eastern
33
tree also associated with childbirth-- revered in Egypt, Babylonia, and
Arabia, it also gave its name, through the epithet _phoenix_, meaning
bloody, to Phoenicia and to the mythical creature, which symbolizes rebirth.
_Ailm_ is the Tree of Life in the story of the Eden. The Hebrew name is
_Tamar_, which is found in Britain as the name of the river which now
separates Cornwall from Devonshire, supposedly named after a Brythonic
goddess, Tamara. Also, the famous Trojan horse was made of silver fir,
since it was dedicated to Athene, and because it was in the sacred form of
the Mother Goddess as a horse, it represented in Britain and Gaul the
goddess Epona.
O is for Onn (un), meaning Furze or Gorse. This prickly bush with its bright
golden flowers typifies the Sun at vernal equinox. A Gaulish goddess,
Onniona, takes her name from Onn and Nion (gorse and ash). In Wales, a
sprig of gorse is considered "good against witches."
U is for Ura (oo-ra), meaning Heather. It is associated with bees and
Midsummer.
E is for Eadha (ay-uh), meaning Aspen, also known as White Poplar. It is
the tree of old age: its leaves are distinctively lighter on the underside--
in a breeze, it turns white [like hair in the elderly].
I is for Idho (ee-o, ay-o) meaning Yew. In all European cultures, the yew
is the tree of death. When black bulls were sacrificed to Hecate in Rome,
they were wreathed with yew. The red berries are poisonous, and it is
generally a toxic shrub.
The two doubled or additional vowels are AA and II, according to Graves.
AA is the Palm, and II is the mistletoe. See _The White Goddess_ for full
explanation.
The mythology of the sequence of the vowels is very obvious. It runs around
the year from birth to death, as follows:
A - Ailm/silver fir, birth.
O - Onn/gorse, spring
U - Ura/heather, high summer.
E - Eadha/aspen, old age
I - Idho/yew, death.
The vowels, as shown, do not occupy spaces, or months in the Celtic year.
Instead, they form a pentangle which encompasses the entire year. [The
significance of 5 can't be overlooked, since they form a five pointed star,
which many neopagans use as a symbol of their religion(s) --K.]
http://www.iit.edu/~phillips/personal/lore/treelett.html
34
The Magic of Trees
BIRCH - B
There are few trees that figure more prominently in the folklore of
Northern Europe than the birch. It is one of the hardiest trees in the
world: growing further north and higher in the mountains than any other
species. Known as the "Lady of the Woods" the beautiful slender white
trunks seem to embody an ideal of graceful femininity. A stand of white
birches against a clear blue sky expresses a positive light-filled grace that
is unequaled in the kingdom of trees. Deemed sacred to Thor, Norse god of
thunder and lightning, the birch symbolizes youth and springtime. It is
called the tree of inception for not only does it self sow, forming groves,
but is one of the earliest forest trees to put out leaves in the spring. The
birch tree has been linked with witchcraft, for it was said that witches
flew to their Sabbat gatherings on brooms made of birch. It is believed
that souls returning from the dead decked themselves with the branches
from the birch trees surrounding the gates of Paradise. The boughs were
worn for protection for if the winds of the Earth were to discover them,
they would thwart their mission. Birch groves guard and protect the home
and land, and smoke rising from the fire of birch logs purifies its
surroundings. Basque witches use birch oil to anoint love candles. Birch is a
healer of the skin and joint ills. By tradition, a gift of a sprig of birch to a
love was considered encouragement. It indicated "You may begin."
ROWAN - L
The rowan tree is a royal herb of the sun whose brightly colored berries
may have been a significant source of sustenance for our ancestors. Rowan,
know also as witchwood, quicken, whitebeam, whicken-tree or mountain ash,
gets its name from the bright red berries that adorn it. "Rowan", its
Scottish name from the Gaelic rudha-an means the red one. An older and
more romantic name is luisliu, flame or delight of the eye. Rowan often
seems to be found near stone circles. It is the tree of quickening,
symbolizing the rebirth of the year as life begins to respond to the sun's
warmth. The scarlet berries also account for its growing high on mountains
along with the birch, for the birds feast on the berries and drop seeds in
crevices at altitudes as high as 3000 feet where the tree springs up and
flourishes. Although the common name for the rowan tree is mountain ash,
it has no botanical relation to the true ash save for a resemblance in its
smooth grey bark and graceful ascending branches. Also assigned to Thor,
god of thunder, it was customary to plant rowan near farm buildings to gain
the favor of Thor and insure safety for stored crops and animals from
storm damage. In Scottish folklore rowan was used as a sure means to
counteract evil intent, necklaces of rowan beads are thought to enliven the
wearer and twigs are carried as protective charms. In country tradition
rowan was planted outside the front door to ward off harmful spirits,
35
energies and on-lays. Rowan can also be used as an aid in developing ones
powers of perception and prediction.
ASH - N
The runic alphabet is said to have formed itself of ash twigs and been
revealed to Odin, a Norse god, after he hung on the ash tree for three
days and nights. In Ireland three of the five magic trees (Tree of Tortu,
Tree of Dathi and Branching Tree of Usnech) were ash. Their fall in 665
C.E. is said to symbolize the triumph over Paganism by Christian faiths. Ash
is one of the trees that is honored at the Winter Solstice, its trunk and
branches are decorated with herbal offerings of holly, mistletoe and ivy and
gifts of cider and freshly baked cakes are placed at its base. Ash is one of
the sacred three--"Oak and Ash and Thorn" --that are celebrated in
British and Celtic songs and legends. The Greeks dedicated the ash tree to
Poseidon, god of the sea, and sailors carried its wood as protection against
the threat of drowning. The major spiritual significance of the ash tree
comes from Northern Europe, where as Yggdrasil, the World Tree, it
connects the underworld, earth and heaven. The winged seed pods from an
ash are of value as fertility charms and divination by fire is often done with
the green wood of ash. Ash was used to make kings' thrones and the shafts
of weapons and spears.
ALDER - F
The alder tree is usually found thriving in thickets beside lakes, streams
and rivers. Its black bark scored with cracks and broad oval leaves quickly
identify the alder. It so favors marshy conditions that the tree seldom
grows on dryer land. When dried, the wood is water resistant and does not
split when nailed. For centuries alder has provided pilings to serve as
building foundations throughout European lowlands. To the Celts it is valued
for its excellent dyes, the alder produces a red dye from the bark, green
from its flowers and brown from its twigs. When it is felled, the tree
"bleeds" red. Minstrels and muses prize the wood for its use in whistles and
pipes. The healing quality of the alder deals with doubt. The alder is
associated with Bran, a Celtic hero/god. The Irish epic describes Bran
waking from a dream to find himself in the presence of a goddess and
holding in his hand a silver branch. The branch magically springs from his
hand to hers once he agrees to set sail for the abode of the Goddess.
WILLOW - S
Willows are magical trees with slender pale silver-green leaves. The weeping
willow originated in China, where it graced cemeteries as a symbol of
immortality. In ancient Greece, the goddess Hera was born under a willow
on the island of Samos, where a magnificent temple was built to honor her.
In the underworld kingdom of Pluto and Persephone, Orpheus touched a
willow branch and received the gift of supernatural eloquence. Willow groves
36
are sacred to Hecate, dark goddess of witchcraft. The willow of the Druids
was not the weeping willow, but the tree or shrub we know as the pussy
willow. The Irish called the pussy willow one of the "seven noble trees of
the land." The willow used in love charms guards against evil and its wands
are often employed in divination. Reflecting the ancient status of the pussy
willow as the wood to "knock on" and avert bad luck. Fevers and headaches
are the healing concerns of the willow.
BLACKTHORN - Z
The blackthorn tree is considered a major tree of magical power. In healing
it is thought to ward off evil spirits that cause illness. However, the
blackthorn is a tree whose name has the connotations of punishment and
strife, it was considered by some to be unlucky. Its wood was used for
walking sticks and cudgels and has been identified as the staff of witches
and sorcerers. The once sacred beverage made from the blackthorn fruit,
sloe gin, is considered a reviver and protector on another level. Blackthorn
is a shrub that produces suckers, which can make a single plant the nucleus
of an impenetrable thorny thicket. On a physical level, the thorns of the
blackthorn proved to be a valuable defense in hedging.
HAWTHORNE -H
The Hawthorne is a small tree seldom exceeding 15 feet in height. Its long
thorns provide protection against storm and grazing animals as well as
provide shelter for birds and other wildlife that feast on its scarlet
berries. The flowers grow in clusters of white or palest pink and exude a
strong unusual scent said to be the scent of female sexuality. Hawthorne is
so strongly associated with the Celtic May Eve festival that "May" is a folk
name for the Hawthorne. Sacred Hawthorne guard wishing wells in Ireland,
where shreds of clothing are hung on the thorns to symbolize a wish made.
The Roman goddess Cardea, mistress of Janus who was keeper of the
doors, had as her principal protective emblem a bough of Hawthorne. "Her
power is to open what is shut; to shut what is open." She looks both
forward and backward in time. Benefactress of crafts people, she lives in a
starry castle at the hinge of the universe behind the North Wind, She is
the keeper of the four winds. According to ancient legend, thorn trees are
bewitched and their powers lay in warding off depression, purification,
protection, chasity, and fertility. It is customary to decorate the top of a
May pole with its boughs. Always trim Hawthorne hedges from east to west,
in a sunwise direction and never cut a blooming tree (it angers the Faeries).
A solitary Hawthorne tree growing on the side of a hill is thought to be a
marker showing an entrance into the world of faery. Hawthorne healing
relates to balancing the blood, nerves and spirit.
37
OAK - O
The first three trees of the Celtic alphabet - birch, rowan, ash - share a
preference for high airy places. The next three - alder, willow, hawthorne
- have strong associations with water. The seventh tree, the oak, grows
everywhere. Oaks grow taller and live longer than most other species of
tree. Long held sacred, the oak was dedicated by the Greeks to Zeus, the
Romans to Jupiter, and the Norse to Thor - all gods of the lightning flash.
The Celtic priests of Britain and Gaul, the druids, so revered the oak that
their teachings and many spiritual rites were carried out beneath its
glorious boughs. The veneration of this great tree may have come from the
fact that the acorn was once a main food source to the wandering tribes of
prehistoric Europe. The acorn in mystic lore represents the highest form of
fertility -creativity of the mind. This tree has roots that grow as deep as
its branches are high, its energy encompasses that of cleansing,
strengthening and enduring. Oak trees are often struck by lightning and still
they tend to survive. Oaks seem to draw lightning to them, thus symbolizing
its groundedness. King Arthur's Round Table was made from the single slab
of an oak tree, for these many reasons oaks have an honored place in the
hearts and minds of the people of Britain.
HOLLY -T
The oak, ash and holly were favored trees in the sacred groves of the
druids. Many folktales present the oak and holly as two Divine Kings, one
representing the waxing half of the year and the other as the symbol of
the waning half of the year. The Celtic myth of Sir Gawain and the Green
Knight has the two opponents meeting in combat at midsummer and
midwinter. Gawain carries a club of oak and the Green Knight's weapon is a
bough of holly, one must die so that the other may live. The holly is either
male or female and both bear flowers, but the female flowers develop into
bright red berries in autumn. Country wisdom advises that one should always
plant a pair of holly trees to allow for cross-fertilization. A barren holly is
regarded as unlucky. In Northern Europe the holly has a strong association
with divination, and a charm to bring the dream of your future mate
required nine spiky leaves of holly collected at midnight before moonrise.
Complete silence was to be observed as you wrapped the leaves in a square
of pure white linen, placing the packet under your pillow and dreaming the
night away. The holly approaches healing from the preventative and
protective viewpoint.
HAZEL - C
Nine is a magic number and the ninth consonant of the Druid's alphabet
belongs to the tree of wisdom, poetic art and divination-the magical hazel
tree. All knowledge of the arts and sciences were given to the nine hazels
which grew near Connla's Well near Tipperary. Eating of the nuts from the
hazel tree was said to confer all knowledge and wisdom to the one who ate
38
them. The staff of the Roman god Mercury was of hazel wood and myths
say Appolo presented the caduceus to Hermes, the Greek counterpart of
Mercury, in recognition of his mystical power to calm human passion and
improve virtue. The medieval magician's wand was traditionally cut from the
hazel tree with scrupulous ceremony drawn from Hebraic sources. Ancient
Irish heralds carried white hazel wands and the "wishing rods" of Teutonic
legend were cut from the hazel tree. Hazel is also the wood used as a
divining tool to find underwater sources, mineral deposits, and buried
treasure. Hazelnuts are used as charms to promote fertility, and a rosary
of hazelnuts brings good luck when hung in the house. One form of love
divination says to share a double hazelnut with someone you love, and if
silence is maintained while the nuts are being eaten, your love will grow. It
is the tree of white magic and healing. The value of time and patience is
the hazels virtue.
APPLE -Q
The apple tree's fruit stir found memories in the treats it has offered us;
apple pastries and pies, cider and apple butter, roasted apples and apple
sauce, bobbing for apples, wassailing and apple dolls. More than any other
fruit the apple plays a significant role in many ancient love stories. The
Greek myths tell of a wondrous orchard of golden apples, a wedding gift
from the Earth Mother, Gaea, to Hera upon her marriage to Zeus. Venus
won a golden apple as a prize for being the fairest of goddesses. Little
wonder that folklore collections contain a myriad of love charms using the
apple from peel to seed. Welsh legends link apples and immortality, for
kings and heroes adjourned after death to Avalon, an island paradise of
apple trees where youth and vigor were restored. Health giving properties
of the apple are rejuvenation, youth, vitality and renewal. Cut an apple
crosswise and a five-pointed star is revealed, an ancient symbol of well
being. Apple trees seem to seek popularity, sharing their gifts and talents
with others. They teach us about dependability, sincerity, healthy
attitudes, and the ethics of caring for others as much as we care for
ourselves. Apple trees thrive on human companionship and feel their best
when petted and pruned.
VINE - M
Celtic scholars believe that the "vine" of the Druidic tree alphabet is that
of the blackberry bramble bush. A loop of blackberry bramble served as a
healing source in much the same way as the holed stone. Traditional rites
involved passing a baby through the loop three times to ensure good health.
The bramble or wild-growing vine governs joy, exhilaration, inspiration,
imagery, poetry, and wrath. Blackberries gathered and eaten within the
span of the waxing moon at harvest time assured protection from the force
of evil runes. For refuge in times of danger, one need only creep under a
bramble bush. It is sacred to Dionysus, Osiris, and Bacchus and its five-
39
pointed leaves are sacred to the White Goddess. In rural regions of France
and the British Isles, even to present days, it is considered dangerous to
eat blackberries at certain times of the year, it is said to be the fruit of
the fairies and they resent it when mere mortals presume to eat of the
magical berries. The berries are considered poisonous in the northern part
of Wales, and in Devonshire the taboo is only observed from October
onward, as they supposedly become inhabited by the devil at that time.
Blackberry is one of the few plants bearing fruit and blossoms at the same
time. In Majorca the bramble berries represent the blood of Christ, and its
vine was selected for his crown of thorns. Some of the virtues of the
blackberry are that it restores the spirit and ones energy, hope and cheer.
Tonic healing is related to the vine.
IVY - G
The rich deep evergreen color and climbing spiral action inspired the
ancients to identify ivy with immortality, resurrection and rebirth. The ivy
is sacred to Osiris and is the nest of the gold crest wren, Saturn's bird.
The classical god of wine, the Greek Dionysos and his Roman counterpart
Bacchus, are often depicted wearing crowns of ivy. This association with
the grapevine, which also grows in spiral form, gave ivy the reputation for
diminishing drunkenness, for it was thought that one spiral reversed the
power of the other, however, ivy does produce a toxic effect when eaten.
In England, many taverns boast a sign of the ivy-bush, which is a
traditional indication of a tavern. At Trinity College they still brew ivy ale,
a very intoxicating drink from medieval times, It was said that the last
farmer to complete his harvest was given an Osirian ivy-bound harvest
sheaf. It was called the Harvest Bride, Ivy Girl and Harvest May. Until the
next year, he held that sheaf to be an ill-omen or penalty. Because of
this, a shrewish wife, a carline and the Harvest Bride were compared to
the ivy, due to the tendency of the plant to strangle the trees on which it
grows. Despite its dark side, Ivy came to symbolize eternal friendship,
attachment and fidelity. One perfect leaf collected when the moon was one
day old was a useful amulet in matters of love. The ivy's message is: "I die
where I cling." The ivy heals by calming and regulating the nerves.
REED - NG
The reed known also as marsh or water elder, whitten or guelder-rose,
thrives in streams and marshes. The reed reaches a height of 10 to 15
feet and comes to creamy white bloom in June and is harvested in
November to provide thatching for cottage roofs. In Northern Europe the
reed is considered a water loving plant through which the winds play and
may make sounds that convey esoteric messages. In ancient Egypt, the
tropical cannareed inspired the design of the royal scepter, and arrows cut
from its stalks were symbols of the pharaoh's power. In ancient myth, the
Greek god Pan pursued the lovely nymph Syrinx from mountain to river,
40
where she eluded him by becoming a reed. The god, bewildered by the
myriad reeds and unable to recognize Syrinx among them, cut several of the
plants at random, and out of these, to turn his lust to sorrow into song,
devised the glorious panpipe. The reed was a much used tool by weavers, as
it aided in separating threads and beating fibers in preparation for spinning.
The ills of over indulgence are healed by the reed.
ELDER - R
Scandinavian legends tell of the Elder Mother Hylde-Moer, a resident
deity, who watches for any injury to the tree. If even a sprig is cut
without first asking permission of the Elder Mother, whatever purpose the
sprig is cut for will end in misfortune. Once permission has been asked and
a twig of the elder secured, it will banish evil spirits and may be hung or
worn as an amulet. In England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales it is considered
a grave wrong to burn her wood. Elder flowers, dried while the moon waxes
from dark to full, are a potent love charm. The berries gathered at summer
solstice afford protection from all unexpected dangers, including accidents
and lightning strikes. The elder offers healing for a variety of ailments
virtually every part of the elder has healing properties, including flu
remedies and an effective insect repellent; its close-grained wood finds
favor with carpenters; its berries provide a deep purple dye as well as
culinary treats and the renowned elderberry wine. The elder is also known
as "Pipe-Tree" since the pith can be easily removed to create hollow pipes
and flutes. The association of the elder is that of a death tree. Judas,
betrayer of Christ, hung himself on an elder tree and Christ was crucified
on a cross of elder. To place a baby in an elder cradle invited an evil spirit
to come and snuff out its life. The blossoms symbolize humility and kindness
as well as compassion. Purification of the inner and outer body is the
healing power of the elder. It is said to remedy influenza, and to keep flies
away.
http://www.angelfire.com/tx3/beannsidhe/trees.html
There is a wealth of information available on the folklore and magickal
properties of trees and the following articles are worth reading in addition to
the above piece:
Sacred Celtic Trees and Woods:
http://www.wicca.com/celtic/celtic/sactrees.htm
Sacred Woods and the Lore of Trees:
http://www.tarahill.com/treelore/trees.html (illustrated with images of
the different types of wood).
41
Birch - Beith
Betula
"I am a Stag of Seven Tines"
by Winter Cymraes Jan 1996
The White Lady of the Woods, also known as the White Birch stands,
slender and graceful, with long branches reaching toward the sky. This Tree
is rarely seen singly, growing most often in Groves. She embodies the ideal
of graceful femininity and light-filled grace. The Birch grows out of a
common, joined trunk so that many appear to grow from the one. People
who have been "claimed" by Birch tend to be very gentle in nature and do
not stand alone but are joined to others as supportive and close allies,
showing devotion to their beliefs and having a strong desire to make others
happy and to enhance growth and development.
Birch, as with all Trees, has specific attributes and associations. The
Ogham are divided into classification of Chieftain, Shrub, Peasant and
Bramble. Beith is a Chieftain. Birch relates, also, to the Tarot card, the
Star. It represents the Bardic Grade of Druidry, the "youngest" of the
ranks.
Beith is the first Ogham and resonates with the number one. Its colour is
white. In the Oghamic alphabet, it is the letter B. The animals associated
with Beith are the pheasant and the white cow and its plant is the Fly
Agaric mushroom.
Its name probably comes from the Sanskrit word bhurga which relates to
the continuous phases of life, the alpha-omega principle. Taliesin represents
the Birch. He was the offspring of Cel and Cerridwen. In the Arthurian
legend, Taliesin was known as Merlyn. Although it is commonly accepted that
the sage Taliesin was actually named Merlyn, this was the title of the
person who was considered the Chief Bard among the Druids, a title that
had passed from person-to-person throughout history.
Birch also represents the common everyday work performed to make a
living, rather than being associated with a specific occupation or trade, as
is the case with other Trees.
Beith is also known for its protective magical abilities, along with its role as
the herald of new beginnings. A Tree of extreme hardiness, Birch thrives in
places where Oak would die. Although the wood of Oak (Duir) is used for
building due to its strength and durability, the resilience and specific
magickal properties of Birch lend the use of its fibre to very specific ends.
42
In ancient times, brooms made of Birch twigs were commonly used to drive
out the spirits of the old year and to "beat the bounds" of property for
protection. Thus, broomsticks made of Birch have the added benefit of
these protective qualities. This is the Tree commonly used by the shaman to
climb the sky ladder to make contact with the Gods of the Air and Beith is
associated with Air and winds. Maypoles were often of Birch, as were the
twigs used to ignite the Beltane fires, signifying new beginnings and a fresh
start. The Yule log is, traditionally, Birch also. Cradles made of Birch are
said to protect the infant from harm, particularly of a psychic nature. For
the same reasons it is said that a small piece of Birch carried upon a person
will prevent kidnapping of the individual by the sidhe, or the Faerie Folk.
http://druidry.org/obod/trees/birch.html
Hawthorn - Huathe
Crataegus
by Mara Freeman
"A hundred years I slept beneath a thorn
Until the tree was root and branches of my thought,
Until white petals blossomed in my crown."
From "The Traveller" by Kathleen Raine
The hawthorn, once known simply as "May", is naturally enough the tree
most associated with this month in many parts of the British Isles. When
we read of medieval knights and ladies riding out "a-maying" on the first
morning of May, this refers to the flowering hawthorn boughs they
gathered to decorate the halls rather than the month itself. For on this
day, according to the Old Style calendar that was in use until the 18th
century, the woods and hedges were alight with its glistening white
blossoms.
This and similar customs to welcome in the summer flourished in rural places
until quite recently. In some villages, mayers would leave a hawthorn branch
at every house, singing traditional songs as they went. The seventeenth-
century English poet Robert Herrick wrote:
"There's not a budding boy or girl this day,
But is got up and gone to bring in May;
A deal of youth ere this is come
Back, with whitethorn laden home."
The young girls rose at dawn to bathe in dew gathered from hawthorn
flowers to ensure their beauty in the coming year, as the old rhyme goes:
43
"The fair maid who, the first of May,
Goes to the fields at break of day
And washes in dew from the hawthorn tree,
Will ever after handsome be."
For May was the month of courtship and love-making after the winter's
cold; and so the hawthorn is often found linked with love-making. In ancient
Greece the wood was used for the marriage torch; and girls wore hawthorn
crowns at weddings. One writer has even gone so far as to suggest that the
"stale, sweet scent from the trimethylamine the flowers contain, makes
them suggestive of sex." (Geoffrey Grigson: The Englishman's Flora,
Phoenix House, 1956).
But while hawthorn was a propitious tree at Maytime, in other
circumstances it was considered unlucky. Witches were supposed to make
their brooms from it, and in some parts it was equated with the abhorred
elder, as in the rhyme:
"Hawthorn bloom and elder-flowers
Will fill a house with evil powers."
Even today many people will not allow the branches inside the house. For, as
one might expect from its association with Beltane, a time when the two
worlds meet, it is considered a tree sacred to the faeries, and thus to be
regarded with fear at the least, respect at most. As such, it often stands
at the threshold of the Otherworld. In the ballad of Thomas the Rhymer,
the Scots poet is taken away by the Queen of Elfland as he sits beneath an
ancient thorn known as the Eildon tree. In another old rhyme, the Ballad of
Sir Cawline, a lady dares the hero to go to Eldridge Hill where a hawthorn
grows, to await there the faery king.
A report of a fairy ride from 19th century Scotland illustrates how
prevalent this tradition was years after these ballads were written: an old
woman, sitting with a neighbor under a hawthorn tree one evening heard
loud laughter and saw the fairies by their own unearthly light. She recounts
that,
"A beam of light was dancing owre them mair bonnie than moonshine: they
were a wee wee folk wi' green scarves on, but ane that rade foremost, and
that ane was a good deal larger than the lave wi' bonnie lang hair, bun'
about wi' a strap whilk glinted like stars.....Marion and me was in a brade
lea fiel' where they came by us; a high hedge o' haw trees keepit them
frae gaun through Johnnie Corrie's corn, but they lap a' owre it like
sparrows and gallopt into a green know beyont it."
44
In Ireland, too, hawthorns have always been highly respected as faery
trees. They were often referred to as "gentle bushes" after the custom of
not naming faeries directly out of respect. Solitary thorns were known as
the faeries' Trysting Trees, and frequently grew on barrows and tumps or
at crossroads, thought to be a favorite location of pagan altars.
Hawthorns often stand over holy wells, also traditional thresholds of the
Otherworld, where pilgrims festoon them with ribbons, rags and other
votive offerings. A sacred hawthorn hung over the St. Patrick's Stone on
an island in the River Shannon and filled its hollow with dew, which had
great healing powers. St. Bridget's Well in Cork also collected the dew
from an ancient faery thorn above it.
I myself can attest to the powers of the old thorn at St. Madron's Well in
Cornwall, on which my then husband-to-be and I hung two strips from an
old bandanna: we both made a silent wish that came true when I accepted
his proposal of marriage a few weeks later!
Dire consequences have traditionally attended those foolhardy enough to
disturb a faery thorn, as many local tales recount. Sickness, death or
financial loss could attend picking a leaf or plucking a switch, and the tree
might even bleed or scream. Even hanging out your washing on a thorn was
ill-advised, as it might cover up the faeries' clothes already spread out
there.
Earlier in this century, a construction firm ordered the felling of a faery
thorn on a building site in Downpatrick, Ulster. The foreman had to do the
deed himself, as all of his workers refused. When he dug up the root,
hundreds of white mice - supposed to be the faeries themselves - ran out,
and while the foreman was carting away the soil in a barrow, a nearby
horse shied, crushing him against a wall and resulting in the loss of one of
his legs.
Even as recently as 1982,workers in the De Lorean car plant in Northern
Ireland claimed that one of the reasons the business had so many problems
was because a faery thorn bush had been disturbed during the construction
of the plant. The management took this so seriously that they actually had
a similar bush brought in and planted with all due ceremony!
Christianity also played its part in preserving the veneration of the
hawthorn. Because Christ was given a crown of thorns at his crucifixion, the
tradition of the tree's magical associations has continued in Christian
legend. In the Middle Ages, Sir John Mandeville wrote:
"Then was our Lord ylad into a Gardyn...and there the Jews scorned him,
and maden him a Crowne of the Braunches of Albespyne, that is White
45
Thorn, that grew in the same Gardyn, and setten yt on hys Heved.....And
therefore hathe the White Thorn many Vertues. For he that berethe a
Braunche on him thereoffe, no Thondre ne no maner of Tempest may dere
(hurt)him; ne in the Hows that it is inne may no evylle Gost entre."
The reference to the hawthorn providing protection from storms may relate
to the ancient belief in the Classical world, that it sprang from lightning.
The most famous holy thorn is at Glastonbury, in south-west England, where
it grows amid the ruins of the medieval abbey. According to legend, Joseph
of Arimathea brought it from the Holy Land when he bore the Grail to
England, and it blooms every Christmas to celebrate Christ's birth. It is
likely, however, that the Glastonbury monks attached Christian associations
to the tree in an attempt to put an end to the hawthorn's association with
the pagan sexuality of spring festivals. Certainly, the thorn seems to have
roused the ire of the Puritans who cut it down twice - first in the reign of
Queen Elizabeth I, and later under Cromwell. One scion of this tree still
grows on nearby Wirral Hill, which is almost certainly an ancient pagan site.
So no wonder a confusion of meanings attends the humble hawthorn in later
times! While some believed witches rode on hawthorn brooms, others were
placing sprigs of it above cottage and stable door to keep witches out. In
some places, to sit beneath a hawthorn tree meant to meet with the
denizens of the Otherworld; while in others the tree afforded protection
from the same! (("Creep under the thorn,/It will save you from harm.") If
you are lucky enough to lie under a hawthorn bush on Beltane eve, and
inhale the musky scent of the five-petalled white blossoms, guarded by
their dark spiky thorns, then you may discover its meaning for yourself.
On a Hawthorn Tree
Oh! come to see me, when the soft warm May
Bids all my boughs their gay embroidery wear,
In my bright season's transitory day,
While my young perfume loads the enamoured air.
Oh, come to see me, when the sky is blue,
And backs my spangles with an azure ground.
While the thick ivy bosses clustering through,
See their dark tufts with silvery circlets crowned.
Then be the Spring in all its pomp arrayed,
The lilac's blossom, the laburnum's blaze,
Nature hath reared beyond this Hawthorn glade
No fairer alter to her Maker's praise.
George W.F. Howard, Earl of Carlisle 1802-1864
http://druidry.org/obod/trees/hawthorne.html

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Distance Course Notes (November 2003)

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