The Nine Sacred Woods Used to Kindle the Beltane Fire
 Birch |  Oak |  Rowan |
 Willow |  Hawthorn |  Hazel |
 Apple |  Grapevine |  Fir |
But NEVER |  | Elder |
PRUNING THE SACRED WOOD
This is also a time to begin pruning the wood needed for the Beltane fires which traditionally was made from nine types of wood:
Birch - represents the Goddess or female aspect. In some European countries, the goddess of Spring is seen as the Birch Goddess. In Celtic lore, the Robin carries a sprig of it in its bill and uses it to drive out the bird of the "old year" - the Gold-Crested Wren. Just about everywhere Birch is considered a fertility symbol.
Oak - Symbolizes the God or Male aspect. In Celtic countries the Druids worshipped in Oak groves and used all parts of the Oak for their ritual purposes. This is also the tree that housed the sacred Mistletoe, of whichthe berries were seen to be representative of the semen of the Lord of the Forest (one aspect of the God).
Rowan (also known as Mountain Ash) - symbolizing the Tree of Life. This is a tree of powerful magic and used to be planted by the doorway to a home for protection.
Willow - symbolizing the tree of death. Sacred to Hecateand associated with the dark half of the Wheel of the Year as well as the dark phase of the Moon.
Hawthorn - symbolizing the tree of purification. Also known as the May tree, it ruled the month where in the Roman culture they purified their temples. In some Celtic traditions, branches of Hawthorn were strewn overthe fields to ensure fertility.
Hazel - symbolizing the tree of wisdom. Its nuts are also symbolic of wisdom and branches used as divining rods for locating hidden sources of minerals and water.
Apple - symbolizing the tree of love. In Judeo-Christianmythology, Eve offered an apple to Adam, and apple wood & blossoms have long been associated with love. Crab apple wood was used to make flails, which are used to thresh grain, and were also seen as a sacred symbol of the pharaohs in Egypt. It was upon a threshing floor that the Celtic Goddess Cerridwen, in the form of a black hen, found Gwion in the form of a grain of wheat. She devoured him and after she returned to human form, gave birth to him as the wizard Taliesin.
Vine (grapevine) - as the tree of joy. This is not a native tree to Britain but it is included in the Celtic Tree Alphabet. While not a tree in the truest sense, it can be grown and pruned to resemble one over time. Also its fruits, when processed into fermented juice, will induce an altered state of consciousness. This is sacred to Dionysus, the God of death and rebirth/resurrection.
Fir (evergreen) - symbolizing the tree of immortality. As this tree is sacred to the Goddess of birth and rebirth, it is a strong symbol of the cycle of life-death-rebirth. It is also sacred to the God Attis, who is reborn each spring and it also the traditional wood for the Maypole.
Traditionally you would take three pieces of each type of wood and tie them into a bundle, allowing them to dry in preparation for Beltane. Besides collecting the wood needed for Beltane, it is also a great time to collect material for wands, staffs,and material to construct brooms (besoms). Different types of wood have various energy type and uses, so a variety might be helpful for accomplishing different goals throughout the year. The besom (broom) is usually constructed from Ash (for the handle), Birch (small branches for the bristles), and bound by Willow (it is flexible). This particular tool is useful in rituals for sweeping the circle clean of any unwanted energies, as well as being a symbol of domesticity. Standing upright, the broom resembles a phallic symbol, inverted,it resembles a woman's legs and pubic area - both are fertility symbols.
The theme here, as it is for most of the sabbats, is fertility. Not only in your physical realm, but your mental, spiritual, emotional and magickal. This is the time you get serious about your wishes for the coming year and you really lay the groundwork.
Beltaine Fires
Early March is the traditional time to begin gathering wood for the Beltane Fire. A good Beltane Fire is made from nine different kinds of wood, consisting of three pieces of each kind.
A good combination of woods are: - Birch - representing the Goddess or female principle.
- Oak - symbolizing the God or male principle.
- Rowan, or mountain ash - as the Tree of Life. A taste of its fruit stays hunger. Add Rowan for life.
- Willow - as the tree of death. Sacred to Hecate, add willow as a celebration of death.
- Hawthorn - tree of purification. Sacred to faeries, add hawthorn for purity.
- Hazel - tree of wisdom. Add hazel to gain wisdow.
- Apple - tree of love. Add apple wood for the magic of love.
- Vine - tree of joy. It's juice capable of altering consciousness. Add vine for joy.
- Fir - tree of immortality. Add fir to your Beltane fire for rebirth.
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