| Faery Trees | | Alder Tree The Alder is associated with faeries because doorways to faery realms were believed to lie in the trunk of the tree. Elder Tree If one stands beneath an Elder on Midsummer's Eve and breathes in the scent of the Elder, one will see faeries. Also unless a person possesses the necessary charms he or she will be taken by the faeries into their kingdom, never to return. Hawthorn Tree Hawthorn is the third magickal tree in the triad of faery lore, along with the Oak and Ash. In Ireland the bush is called the Fairy Bush and in Folklore it was forbidden to cut it, for fear of offending the faeries.The Hawthorn is associated with the portals into the faery realm and was seen as the "hinge" on the faery door.This comes from the Roman Goddess Cardea whose protective emblem was a bough of Hawthorn and one of her symbols was the hinge, she also went by the name Jana who guarded all doorways. The Hawthorn was planted around the Oak and the Ash to protect them. So unless the Hawthorn allowed acess through the doorway, the faery realm remained unseen. Myrtle Tree Myrtle is a herb associated with faeries. In old Witches lore faeries could be invoked by putting a bowl of milk mixed with honey beneath a Myrtle tree. A hollow reed was then tied to a lengh of cord and swung clockwise over the head very fast. The sound that this made was believed to call the faeries to gather. To say goodbye to the faeries, the cord was then swung counter-clockwise over the head. In Italian folklore it is said that the Myrtle tree often contains a faery helper or faery wife and Myrtle was added to the Bridal wreath. Oak Tree One of the triad of magickal trees in faery lore, with the Ash and Thorn. It is said that faeries can be seen and spoken with where these three trees grow together. The Druids believed that the Oak possessed masculine energy and the Thorn feminine energy, with the Ash balancing their magickal energies. In modern Wicca and Witchcraft the phrase "by Oak, Ash and Thorn" has become a ritual blessing and used in spellcasting to affirm a charge of power. Rowan Tree The Rowan tree was believed to be the home of good faeries and its presence near a home protected families from evil spirits. Carrying a bough of Rowan was believed to protect anyone from being held captive in a faery hill. | NEXT |
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