Blessed Spring Equinox

It's the Spring Equinox, also known as Ostara or on your everyday Gregorian calendar, the first day of spring. I woke up to a lovely sunny day and decided to experience the signs of spring around Oak Haven Cottage nestled in our Midwestern small town. Join me, will you, lets see what magic we can find.

Let's step out the door and explore, magic is all around if you just know where to look! I bet you have many or all of these magical plants in your yard too.

I'm delighted to see a bee! They are facing so many challenges, poison in my yard won't be one of them, they can harvest pollen from my dandelions all they want.  Some people just can't stand these wildflowers, but they are edible (if you don't spray with poison) and have many health benefits. Dandelions have magical uses in spellwork as well, they increase psychic ability, are used for calling in helpful spirits, making wishes, protection while sleeping, banishing anger and bitterness, and boosting self expression. Dandelions are associated with Goddesses Hecate, Rhiannon, and Brigid and the God Belenos. Dandelions are aligned with both the sun and the underworld. 

Creeping Charlie is in bloom of course! In old witch's grimoirs it's sometimes referred to as ground ivy or cats foot. Use it for protection against baneful magic, overcoming shyness and anxiety, peaceful sleep and meditation,  also for welcoming friendship, and healing.

The forsythia a traditional Ostara flower was hurt by the freeze a bit, but still beautiful. What would a witch do with forsythia? Spells for optimism, positive state of mind, and healing healing troubled nerves.

I stated aloud, "Blessed Ostara, Spirits of the Land, show me your magic!" And low, I saw a sparkling in the grass! You can't tell by this photo, but it's a lovely little quartz druzy that sparkles in the sunlight! Druzy quartz strengthens the spirit, quells feelings of dread, reduces stress and promotes relaxation. Thanks spirits, this is going on my Ostara altar when I bless the hexenspiegel necklaces I'm making today! More on that at the end of this post. *wink, wink!*

The elm tree that I love to look at from my kitchen window is in bloom. Elm is a tree associated with elves and the Goddess, aids powers of concentration,  balance between heart and head, love, protection from lightning, and meditation in the realm of the fae.

This plantain is hanging out at the base of the elm which has dropped blooms on it, but like most yards I have plantain growing everywhere. Considered a common weed by many, witches know it holds magic for healing, squelching gossip, protection, driving away nightmares, and even protection from snakes, (both literal and figurative.) Also a great poultice for insect bites and stings and other skin problems 

I was delighted to spot a little shepherds' purse! This sweet little wildflower packs a magical punch including

magic for a healthy pregnancy, vitality, perseverance,  healing, prosperity, and protection.

I just love tiny Persian speedwell, also known as birds eye dotting the grass, in addition to being just sweet and charming, it's great for spells such as healing or fertility. In folk magic it was sometimes sewn into garments as a charm for protection. Also use it for banishing negativity and baneful spirits.

The honeysuckle by the bird feeders outside my dining room window hasn't bloomed yet, but it's getting lovely, tender spring leaves. Witches use the wood of honeysuckle Honeysuckle, aka woodbine for magic involving love and devotion,. The blossoms for psychic powers, money and prosperity magic. The honeysuckle growing in your yard can be charged to provide magical protection.

Moss is so magical to me, it always has been. Traditionally moss is a mysterious faerie plant, can be used in prosperity magic and magic to bring comfort and peace. I find it even more fascinating since I discovered that microscopic Tardigrades, also known as water bears live in moss. These tiny guys are the most badass creatures, they're so resilient they can survive the most extreme temperatures and can even survive space! Plus, they're adorable, look them up if you haven't seen one. "Hi water bears! I think your awesome!" wave, wave!

That was fun, thanks for joining me. Now that I've enjoyed the world in bloom around me, I have work to do today. Yesterday I made a prototype for a new batch of hexenspiegels and put them on Etsy so that people may pre-order them if they like. These magical witch's mirrors are a beautiful way to banish negativity from your personal space. Since so many people have felt as if they are under a barrage of negativity these days, I thought the Spring Equinox would be a great time to whip up a bunch of these fantastic magical charms that I wrote about in my book The Witch's Mirror.

I might paint the new hexenspiegels out on the porch if the weather holds up, it's a beautiful day and that would fill them with even more joyful energy.

I'm making these lovely magical witch's mirror charms today on the Spring Equinox, I'll be blessing and charging them on my altar later this evening and then I'll start shipping them out to happy Etsy friends who order them. Want me to save you one? Here's where to pre-order yours, get one before they're all gone: Click here!

 

You can visit the link to read more about the magical hexenspiegel, I have lots of info there and more pics too. If you want to make your own hexenspiegel or learn more about working with mirrors for magic, check out my book The Witch's Mirror.

Blessed Be!

Mickie

Happy Birch Month, Full Moon Dates, and Celtic Tree Supplies!

Well, it's been a busy couple of months, you may have noticed, I've been scarce on my blog since November, that's when our holiday sales picked up and Dan and I were super busy in the studio making gifts to put under trees all over the world this holiday season!  we were busy little elves!  Now I have a minute to breathe, and welcome in the Celtic Birch month!

Now that we all have New Years coming up we soon move into a peaceful quiet January, even now we begin to contemplate the mysteries of the beautiful birch tree.  For those of you who were waiting to begin the Celtic Tree Calendar Online Series, now is a great time to start.  The Birch month began on Dec. 24 and will last until The Birch month falls between December 24 – January 20 and brings new beginnings from the ashes of the previous year. Birch is the first tree in the Ogham, a tree of new beginnings and new perspectives.

Birch Month Sale!

We are having a sale in our Voice of the Trees Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/VoiceOfTheTrees to celebrate the Celtic Birch Month!  Right now everything with the Birch Card image on it is marked down 10-15% off, including the Birch class!  Now that the holidays are done, I'll be adding some new Birch items over the next several days too, ornaments, garden flags, etc. so watch for that.  

www.etsy.com/shop/VoiceOfTheTrees

Celtic Tree Supplies; What to Find This Time of Year

If you're celebrating the Birch Month, start checking the clearance racks for cool candles covered in birch bark, and birch ornaments, they make great additions to you birch magic this month.  I found some beautiful birch bark candles at Bed, Bath, & Beyond, but I know there are other places that carry them too.  Also, FYI, if you can't find birch anywhere else, popsicle sticks and toothpicks are both made from birch wood! 

You might find some cool additions to use for the Holly month on clearance right now too.  Watch for Holly Berry scented candles, and holly shaped candles too.  (As a matter of fact look for lots of great candles on clearance ) You also may consider looking through your holiday decor to see if there is anything you want to save aside so you can easily find it during the holly month, July 8-Aug 4. I have a cool Holly Fairy I'm keeping out of my giant box of ornaments and giving her a new home in my magical cabinet so she'll be handy next July when I do my holly magic. 

Right now, she's on my Wheel of the Year altar, but I won't pack her up with the holiday stuff, she'll wait in my magical cabinet to come out and summon up some holly magic in July for the Celtic Holly Month!

For people who don't have oak trees locally, watch for oak and acorn ornaments also.  You may want to consider finding an appropriate stag (deer with antlers) this time of year to keep on hand for the oak month June 10-July 7.  Last year I found a really cool candle holder that looks like a stag horn on clearance in the Christmas section, and I have a giant bowl with two elegant stag heads on it that we used for our oak ritual at Pathways this year that was also an "After-Christmas" find.

These were all finds on the "Christmas Clearance" rack, they stay out all year! 

 I know the Hazel month is a long way off, but I always gather my hazel nuts now for future magical workings during the hazel month, Aug 5-Sept.1.  If you're lucky enough to live near local hazel trees, you'll know that hazel nuts are beginning to ripen during their month in late August.  I don't know where to find hazel trees near my home, so I can't usually find those whole hazel nuts in the shell anywhere during the hazel month because that's when they are still being harvested.  Right now is the best time to find whole hazel nuts in the shell locally.  We always have a big basket of nuts and a nutcracker for Yule, I've saved out a handful of hazel nuts to put on my altar during the hazel month in August.  I plan to string nine hazel nuts on a cord, as per the tradition for working with the hazel tree devas and for house protection, and keep a few extra for other talismans.  Those are just a few ideas on where to keep an eye out for Celtic tree magic supplies that you can easily find this time of year.

Magical supplies for the Celtic Hazel Month in August found right in my own bowl of nuts, in my house of nuts!

Here is a list of the Celtic Tree Calendar Dates and Full Moons for 2013

for easy reference:

Beth (beeth) / Birch Month Dec 24-Jan 20, Dec. 28

Luis(lweesh) / Rowan Month Jan 21-Feb.17-  Full moon, Jan. 27

Nuin (nee-uhn) /Ash Month Feb 18-March 17 -  Full moon, Feb. 25

Fearn(fair-n) / Alder Month March 18- April 14-  Full moon, March 27

Saille(shail-uh) / Willow Month April 15-May 12-  Full moon, April 23

Huath(hoo-ah) / Hawthorn Month May 13-June 9-  Full moon, May 25

Duir doo-er) /Oak Month June 10-July 7-  Full moon, June 23

Tinne(chin-yuh) / Holly Month July 8-Aug 4-  Full moon, July 22

Coll (cull) / Hazel Month Aug 5-Sept.1-  Full moon, Aug. 21

Muin(muhn) / Vine Month Sept 2-Sept. 29-  Full moon, Sept. 19

Gort / Ivy Month Sept 30- Oct. 27-  Full moon, Oct. 19

Ngtal (nyeh-dl / Broom/ Reed Month Oct. 28- Nov. 24-  Full moon, Nov. 17

Ruis(roo-ish) / Elder Month Nov.25- Dec.22-  Full moon, Dec. 17

Brightest Blessings!

Once in a Celtic Hazel Blue Moon

The Celtic Hazel month falls between Aug 5-Sept.1 and tonight is the Celtic Hazel Full Moon.  The hazel tree is a tree that teaches us how to look at things from a different perspective. Hazel is a tree of wisdom and bringing inspiration from a higher source as the hazel feeds you with spiritual nourishment. Hazel energy can bring you to a creative high point. If you feel that you’ve had a creative block or your muse has abandoned you, the hazel month is the time to get those creative juices flowing and healing for our hearts.

As it happens this Celtic Hazel Full Moon also falls on a blue moon! That doesn't refer to the color of the moon, but in our modern 12 month calendar, a blue moon is when there is a second full moon in a month. We won't have another blue moon until 2015, they don't happen often, which is where the term "once in a blue moon" comes from.
Hazel magic includes:

wisdom, creativity, inspiration, poetry, prophesy, confidence and charisma, seeking and sharing knowledge, eloquence, healing, heart chakra, luck, divination, looking within, new perspective, fertility, protection, wishing, resolving conflict

Hazel Card Print from Voice of the Trees available in our official Voice of the Trees Etsy shop.

Good Luck Hazel Blue Moon Spell
Blue is one of the colors for hazel magic and can also represent the blue moon, so a blue candle is perfect for this spell.  You can carve the ogham symbol for hazel in the candle (lower right corner of the picture above) and anoint it with hazel oil if you have some.  (I found some at my local grocery spell by the cooking oil) Make a circle of 12 white tea light candles around the blue candle, all together that's 12 moons of the year plus the blue moon equals 13.  Place a lapis lazuli or amethyst tumbled stone or one set in a piece of jewelry next to the blue candle.

Cast your circle as you normally do, and light the candles clockwise while you count from one to thirteen, ending on the blue candle.  Pick up the stone or jewelry piece and hold it in your hands while you summon the energy of the Hazel Blue Moon with this charm:

"On this hazel blue moon, my luck I renew,
The hazel sends blessings to all that I do
I make my own luck with confidence and wisdom
I now turn the tides to improve my conditions
Once in a blue moon my own stars I design,
Good luck in all things, success shall I find!"

Now leave the stone or jewelry piece in the circle of white candles next to the blue candle and allow all of the candles to burn out.  You now have a powerful good luck charm blessed under the hazel blue moon!

    If you're interested in more Celtic tree magic, please check out my online Celtic Tree Calendar class, there are 13 classes a year and each one is full of great information on the Celtic trees, illustrations, four full color pages, spells,and a sheet with candle labels and extras! 

Click Here

Bright Blue Moon Blessings!

Celtic Willow Moon and Supermoon Magic

This coming full moon is the Celtic Willow Moon, and it's also a Supermoon, that equals some powerful full moon energy on the 5th!

Willow, Tree of Water, Moon and Magic!

The Willow month falls between April 15-May 12 and the full moon between those dates is the Willow Full Moon.  Willow brings us in touch with Goddess energy and teaches us to follow our intuition. Willow energy also teaches us to work harmoniously within the cycles of life instead of trying to fight against them.  Willow is a strong tree because it is flexible and bends instead of breaking, a lesson we can all learn from in these times.  Willow is a water loving tree and is associated with lunar influences, it represents unseen influences in our lives.  This is also a tree of magic, enchantment and sorcery that helps us forge a deeper communion with our higher power.

Willow is sacred to poets and is also associated with healing and divination.  This is also a tree associated with fairies and the otherworld, weeping willow images were often seen on Victorian era grave markers and in "Mourning Portraits" paintings or embroidered depictions of the loved ones of the deceased gathered in mourning around an urn and willow tree.

Many people feel comforted by the willows loving energy, sitting within the veil of a weeping willow can be a very healing experience, and is a perfect place for meditation.  It's also traditional to tie a knot in a willow branch and make a wish.  Return to the tree once the wish is granted and untie the branch and give thanks!

One of the easiest ways to propagate a willow tree is from rooted cuttings, you can actually cut a single stem from a willow tree and put it in a vase of water.  A single branch of this watery tree will sprout roots!  We used a branch of willow to bless our wishes at the Celtic Tree Calendar class I'm teaching at Pathways this month and that branch has little roots growing out of it.  I plan to plant it in a sunny spot in my yard where all the water runs off.  Some people report just sticking a fresh cut rod of willow in the damp ground and successfully growing a tree! 

Would you love to learn more?  I offer the Celtic Tree Calender class online, and because it's a cyclical calendar you can start any month you wish.  This is a beautiful class with some full color pages for your book of shadows, lots of spells, and extras like candle labels and do-it-yourself amulets, charms, etc. here's the link:

Here's what you get with the Willow Class, Click here for more info!

So if the Willow Moon which is full of strong lunar energy already is also a Super Moon, what does that mean?

Willow Moon/Supermoon, What's it All About?

This month, the Celtic Willow Moon will officially become full Saturday (May 5) at 11:35 p.m. EDT. And because this month's full moon coincides with the moon's perigee which means it will be its closest approach to Earth, it will also be the year's biggest moon in the sky.  How close the moon is to the earth varies throughout the year, right now it's really close. 

Yep, it's kinda like this!

This Willow Full Moon is due to be about 16 percent brighter than average and will appear larger in the sky.  Willow is associated with lunar energy, water and the tides, and although we don't expect extreme tides, the Supermoon will exert about 42 percent more tidal force than the moon when it's at it's furthest from us. But fear not, in reality the supermoon should cause no natural disasters or anything, but some bonus moon magical energy and a great show, for sure!  If you look at the moon when it's close to the horizon or through a trees branches it's easiest to see the effect because it gives your eye a point of reference.

Magically, this means extra moon energy and specifically extra Willow Moon energy!  So this is a great full moon to work on projects such as: enchantment, boosting magical power, wishing, fertility , love, healing, protection, magic for women, death, femininity, love, intuition, divination, friendship, joy, and deep peace.

You want a spell, don't you?  Mmmmm...well, ok, you twisted my arm.

Willow Divination Tool Blessing

The willow tree's roots run deep with emotion and the powers of divination, this is a tree that can bridge the worlds.  The willow full moon is a perfect time to bless and charge your divination tools.  Do you work with a crystal ball, pendulum, runes or tarot deck?  If you have a Voice of the Trees deck or Ogham set, this willow spell is perfect to fill it with extra divination energies.  Bless your items under the full willow moon to fill them with willow moon energy, this will re-energise your tools. 

Place your divination tools in a willow basket, you can find one easily at your local craft store.  Take the basket outside under the full willow moon. (The 5th full moon of the year, usually falling between or near April 15-May 12) You may wish to light a white or green candle and have some incense of your choice to set the mood, try violet incense.  If you have a willow tree you can work under or near, all the better, if not sit anywhere you like and visualise a spiritual sparkling willow tree rising up from the ground and surrounding you with a curtain of leaves.  Now visualise energy from the moon pouring over your divination tools in the basket filling them with the powerful full willow moon energy.  As you feel the energy flowing into your tools program them with the following charm:

"Full willow moon lend your vibrations,

Bless these tools of divination,

Always guide my heart that I may see,

All they have to show to me."

When you feel the tools are full of moon energy, you may wish to use one of your newly empowered tools to do a little divination work under the willow moon.  When you're finished be sure to leave a gift for the willow tree as thanks, a crystal, fertilizer spike, a coin, or water are all appropriate gifts.

Willow Candle Sconce available in the official Voice of the Trees Etsy shop, click here

Get the deck at Barnes & Noble

Have a lovely Supermoon/ Willow Moon!

Blessings!

Celtic Ash Moon, and Solar Flares Equal Magical Bonus Today!

We are currently in the Celtic month of the ash tree Feb 18-March 17 according to Robert Graves Celtic Tree Calendar, and tonight is the Full Ash Moon. 

The Ash month is the perfect time to work magic to help put your plans into action! The ash tree has energies that are all about transformation and action, and is great for breaking through barriers that block your way to success.  Breaking inertia takes strong action, according to physics an object at rest tends to remain at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion. The month of the ash is the time to move from rest into action.  Harnessing ash tree energy this full moon can help you face a challenging situation in order to transform you and help you forge a new reality!

The Ash Card from Voice of the Trees, Lugh sharpening his spear and about to take action!  This print is available in The Official Voice of the Trees Etsy shop Click here

Ash Moon, Ash Sun

Today is a very special day in regards to the Celtic Tree Calendar, lets examine a couple of things.  First of all, the Celtic Tree Calendar is a lunar calendar that revolves around the 13 moons of the year, today is the full ash moon.  Ash is also associated with the sun, the Celtic sun God Lugh was said to carry a magical spear called Millar, which was made of the wood of the ash tree. It was said that no battle could be sustained against it or against the man who held it. One of Lugh’s titles was Lugh of the Long Arm, possibly suggesting the spear as part of him.

So what makes today any different than any other Full Ash Moon?  Large solar flares erupted on the sun this Tuesday and are due to deliver waves of solar plasma and charged particles very close to our planet today, on the day of the full ash moon.  If you live near the poles you may see brighter and more active auroras as the particles hit the earths magnetic field. 

What does this mean magically?  Well, if you want to work some magic using ash tree energy, this is a powerful time to do it that we may never see again in our lifetime! 

Creating my Ash Tree Sun and Moon Power Amulet this morning. 

Ash Tree Sun and Moon Power Amulet

I wrote this spell for creating this solar charged ash amulet specifically for today, but you can do it anytime, ideally during the ash month, but today during the solar flares and on the full ash moon, this spell will rock!  You'll need a twig from an ash tree, a gold or yellow candle and a white candle.  Using a wood burner if you have it, otherwise use a gold pen, or a black permanent marker, put the ogham symbol for ash in the center of the twig, put the astrological symbol for the sun above, and the moon below.  Take the twig outside and pace it where the sunlight will fall upon it, even if it's cloudy where you are, the sun will still shine through the clouds.  Hold your hands above it and summon the energy with these words,

"Solar rays, I call your power
Charge this amulet by the hour,
Geomagnetic energy
Fill this amulet for me,
The energies of the mighty ash
Glowing moon and solar flash
Empower this amulet of craft
As I seal now, my spell is cast."

Leave it in the sun all day and under the full moon all night.  You now have a very powerful amulet full of the special energies of the day, the power of ash, the sun, the moon and the geomagnetic energies of the earth.  Use this amulet can now give a powerful boost to any spell that needs extra umph.  You can also keep it near your front door and use it to magically protect your space, near your bed to ward off nightmares, or in your car for safe travel.  Ash is the Swiss army knife of the Celtic trees.  Carry it in your pocket for protection from negative energy.

Ash is used for spells involving taking action, healing, protection from psychic attack, destroying negativity, banishing nightmares, solar magic, communication, intellect,  safe travel over water, transition, growth, creativity, and success.

Here's a closeup of the one I made, it's sitting outside collecting energy now, I used a wood burner for the ogham, and both a permanent marker and gold paint pen for the sun and moon designs.

More information on working with tree energies is available in my Celtic Tree Calendar Online Classes, click here for more info

Satellites and Communications
Be aware that today we may also have minor disruptions, solar radiation storms can sometimes interrupt  communications and power grids on Earth, and we might see some interfere with satellites today.  Of course power grid operators have been alerted and are watching for any potential problems.  If you're planning a flight today over one of the poles, there may be communication problems, but again, the aircraft operators have already taken precautionary measures.  Any disruptions should be minor, if they happen at all, but the potential for a big boost for any sun magic done today is very good!

Happy Ash Moon!

Celtic Tree Calendar Online Class

Celtic Tree Calendar Series is being offered as an online class! I'm currently teaching this class live at Pathways in St. Louis, now you have the opportunity to join us by taking the online version of this class.

Printouts of the Birch class, just as an example of how beautiful this class is, with lots of extras like candle labels, meditation cards, etc.  Click here to order.

Working with the Celtic tree calendar is a very peaceful and magical way to align with natural energies of the earth and specifically trees. My approach to the Celtic Tree Calendar as a working model for a year of magic is based upon the tree calendar as it was first suggested by Robert Graves as a modern inspiration based upon the ancient trees.

While the idea of the Celtic Tree Calendar cannot be claimed as historical, the Celtic Trees are, and this system has much spiritual relevance for many people working within modern magical practices. Tree magic can help you find balance in your life and you will also find that working magically with trees is like working with herbs but on a different level. These great sentinels of the earth are great magical allies to have and as you progress through this class, you’ll find that trees have magical messages that come from both general tree teachings that are the lessons that all trees have to share, but also the specific lessons of each species of tree as well. You’ll learn about the 13 trees of the Celtic Tree Calendar, the lessons they have to teach you about each tree and through this class you’ll also learn a bit about yourself. You’ll find the Celtic Tree Calendar a great basis for full moon rituals, since it’s a lunar calendar. Through this class I will teach you ways to connect to the Celtic Trees and to your own personal World Tree to gain insight, wisdom, healing, balance, and a positive outlook on your life and the world around you.

Because this is a cyclical calendar that turns along with the Wheel of the Year, there is no beginning and no end. I've broken this class down so that no matter what month you begin with, you will build tree wisdom and magical tree techniques while you cycle through the Celtic Tree Months.

The class arrives by email,  several PDF's each tree month, 13 in the year. With each class you'll get four beautiful full color pages, and loads of illustrated black and white pages full of tree wisdom and ways to work magically with the Celtic tree of the month including several tree spells and a full tree ritual that can be performed at any time of that tree month or during the full moon, the class shown below is 23 pages long, most classes will be about the same length. You'll also get a color page of extras such as candle labels, meditation pieces, talisman componants and more. Once you complete the full cycle of the tree year, you'll have over 200 pages of tree wisdom, and over 60 spells and rituals, you'll also recieve a beautiful certificate to put in your book of shadows or frame and hang on your wall. You have to order each class separately, so if at any time you don't want to continue, you don't have to cancel, you can just choose not to order the next class. But we know you'll love what you recieve every month and look forward to the next!

Click here for more info and to order.

You can also find the deck here: Barnes & Noble
I hope you'll join us!

Blessings,

My First Celtic Tree Calender Class at Pathways!

We had the first Celtic Tree Calender class at Pathways in St. Louis last night!  I had such a great time with everyone, we all shared stories of our favorite childhood trees, discussed tree magic, lore and mysticism, and learned about the legends and lore of the birch tree and had a very moving birch ritual. It was so wonderful to share this class with such a great group of people, I'm so looking forward to the next one, I'm loving sharing with other tree people and also getting the know them all better!  Jan 31, we go on to the Rowan month at Pathways, really looking forward to it, I love Rowans energy!

Here we are at Pathways after the first class, what fun!

In other tree-related news, apparently my 2  1/2 year old granddaughter Olivia is a chip of the old block as far as trees are concerned.  When my daughter took her holiday tree down, Olivia threw a total fit and cried because she wanted the tree to stay. "Nooooo...Treeeeeee!"  They have since told her that the tree has gone outside to be with the other trees, so now she's happy, and when they drive places she gets excited and points when she sees a pine tree, she must think the tree is now traveling and having adventures out in the world! 

Well, I have art to do today so I'm off to it.  The weather here is really nice, it feels like March out there, so I also plan to carve out an hour or so today to take my Yule tree and decorations down and run them all out to the shed. I better do it before little Olivia gets here this weekend so she doesn't freak out!

Blessings!

Celtic Tree Calender Classes, Starting in January!

Celtic Tree Calendar Class:

The first class will be at Pathways in St. Louis Jan 3

Start off 2012 following the Celtic Tree Calendar! I'm starting a series of classes in January, Celtic Tree Lunar Calendar, 13 Classes Held throughout the year near the First Quarter Moon; $30/class 7 – 9 pm; Tues, Jan 3: will be the Birch Moon Beth (beeth); Tues, Jan 31: Rowan Moon Luis (lweesh)

I'll be offering these classes in person at Pathways in St. Louis, http://www.pathwaysstl.com/news.html ,  also, watch for an online version for all you fellow Tree Mystics that don't live nearby coming later in January.  I'll post more info right here at The Old Wooden Art Table.

"A Birch Grove" By Arkhip Kuindzhi, 1880

Working with the Celtic tree calendar is a very peaceful and magical way to align with natural energies of the earth and specifically trees.  My approach to the Celtic Tree Calendar as a working model for a year of magic is based upon the tree calendar as it was first suggested by Robert Graves as a modern inspiration based upon the ancient trees. While the idea of the Celtic Tree Calendar cannot be claimed as historical, it has much spiritual relevance for many people working within modern magical practices. Tree magic can help you find balance in your life and you will also find that working magically with trees is like working with herbs but on a different level.  These great sentinels of the earth are great magical allies to have and as you progress through this class, you’ll find that trees have magical messages that come from both general tree teachings that are the lessons that all trees have to share, but also the specific lessons of each species of tree as well. You’ll learn about the 13 trees of the Celtic Tree Calendar, the lessons they have to teach you about each tree and through this class you’ll also learn a bit about yourself.  You’ll find the Celtic Tree Calendar a great basis for full moon rituals, since it’s a lunar calendar.  Through this class I will teach you ways to connect to the Celtic Trees and to your own personal Tree Ally / World Tree to gain insight, wisdom, healing, balance, and a positive outlook on your life and the world around you.

Birch card from Voice of the Trees, A Celtic Divination Oracle by Mickie Mueller, Deck available at Voice of the Trees website click here, This print is available in the official Voice of the Trees gift shop click here

This series will include a two hour class to correspond with each of the Celtic Tree months; beautiful illustrated handouts included and a group ritual for each tree at the end of each class. The series of 13 classes will be offered throughout 2012, on a Tuesday near the first quarter of the moon, giving you the opportunity to work with the material on your own for each upcoming full moon. $30/ class, please reserve in advance. Seating is limited.

Celtic Tree Year:

Beth (beeth)  / Birch Moon Dec 24-Jan 20

Luis(lweesh)  / Rowan Moon Jan 21-Feb.17

Nuin (nee-uhn) /Ash Moon Feb 18-March 17

Fearn(fair-n)  / Alder Moon March 18- April 14

Saille(shail-uh)  / Willow Moon  April 15-May 12

Huath(hoo-ah)  / Hawthorn Moon  May 13-June 9

Duir doo-er) /Oak Moon  June 10-July 7

Tinne(chin-yuh)  / Holly  Moon  July 8-Aug 4

Coll (cull) / Hazel Moon  Aug 5-Sept.1

Muin(muhn)  / Vine Moon  Sept 2-Sept. 29

Gort / Ivy Moon Sept 30- Oct. 27

Ngtal (nyeh-dl / Broom/ Reed Moon Oct. 28- Nov. 24

Ruis(roo-ish) / Elder Moon Nov.25- Dec.22

"At the Edge of a Birch Grove" by Valaam-1860  

Blessings!

Celtic Tree Calendar: Elder Moon To Release Regret

"Everybody, soon or late, sits down to a banquet of consequences" -Robert Lewis Stevenson

According to the Celtic Tree Calendar, an inspiration that came to Robert Graves while researching the Celtic Ogham Alphabet for his 1948 book The White Goddess, this full moon is the Elder Tree Moon.

The Elder Card from Voice of the Trees representing consequences and regret, featuring the Goddess Macha aka The Morrigan, available in The Official Voice of the Trees Etsy shop.

The Celtic month of the Elder corresponds with the Ogham letter Ruis. (pronounced roo-ish) This tree month is the time to examine things in our life that we may regret, that we might have done differently.  These can be transgressions committed by us, but also to us.  No one is perfect, and we must remember that from every mistake comes an opportunity to learn a valuable life lesson.  Sometimes instead of embracing the lesson, learning from it and moving on, we instead focus on the regret for the situation which can be counterproductive for our spiritual growth.  There is a purpose for regret, but we should use it for it's purpose which is to learn and then release it, not wallow in it and allow ourselves to spiral into self pity which can be self destructive. 

Working with the energies of the Elder Tree during the Celtic Elder month allows us to release past errors and go forward feeling lighter and renewed with life lessons added to our wisdom and joy in our hearts.  Elder reminds us to be ever vigilant and responsible for our actions,  to be wise and vigilant enough to help prevent others from committing wrongs to us, and to do the clearing work so that we can usher in a new phase in our lives.

If you don't have an elder tree near your home, you can still work with the elder tree energy.  Print photos of the tree, berries and foliage.  Elderberry tea, wine, and even preserves are available.  You can also find it as an herbal remedy in the vitamin section of your local drugstore.  It's color association is red, and it's also associated with the Goddess figure of the Elder Mother, and has long been connected to witches and witchcraft.  It is also associated with the plant diva Lady Ellhorn who woodsmen have long respected.  To prevent bad luck before taking wood from an elder tree this charm was spoken, "Lady Ellhorn, give me some of thy wood and I'll give you some of mine when it grows in the forest."

This year is a particularly good year to release regrets that you might need some extra mojo to dissipate because this Elder Moon also had a lunar eclipse going on, so more transformational Goddess energy is attached to it.

Elder Card Oval Compact Mirror, for those who feel a close association with the energies of the Elder, Macha or the Morrigan, available in the Official Voice of the Trees Etsy Shop.

For more lore and legend about the elder tree see the Voice of the Trees Companion book.

A Quick Elder Spell to Release Regret

Find a quiet place and ground and center.  Focus on elder energy, you can accomplish this by meditating on images of the elder tree, sipping elder tea or wine, perhaps light a red candle.   Divide a sheet of paper in to two columns.  Make a list of your regrets from the previous year in the left hand column, and the lesson learned from each experience in the right.  When you're done, fold the paper three times, making the folds away from you.  Draw the Ogham symbol for the Elder on the folded paper. (Find the symbol on the bottom right hand side of the Elder card illustration above) Feel the regret empty out of your heart into the paper.

You may recite the following charm,

"Elder Tree, I now cast away
All these regrets that stand in my way
I summon your power and keep lessons learned
As I banish regret my sorrow is spurned!"

Take the paper and bury it outside in the earth.  If you're drinking elder tea or wine you may pour some over the place you buried it.  Turn purposefully and walk away.  As the paper becomes one with the earth, your regrets will dissipate and your heart will heal.


In Other News- Celtic Tree Calendar Classes Starting Jan. 3

For those further interested, I will be offering a series of classes on celebrating the year through the Celtic Tree Calendar at Pathways in St. Louis during 2012. The series of 13 classes will be offered
throughout 2012, on a Tuesday near the first quarter of the moon, students will learn folklore, magical correspondences, and ways to work with each tree energy magically. I will teach you ways to connect to the Celtic Trees and to your own personal World Tree to gain insight, wisdom, healing, balance, and a positive outlook on your life and the world around you.  At the end of each class the group will participate in a ritual for the tree of that month.  At the end of this year long series, you'll have a full Book of Trees with spells, rituals and lots of tree info to celebrate the Celtic Tree Calendar any time you wish.  You can sign up at Pathways, click here for more info and to sign up.

If you don't live near St. Louis but would still like to experience the Celtic Tree Calendar Class, I will be offering an online version of the class, watch the Voice of the Trees website for details coming soon!  http://www.voiceofthetrees.com

Bright Blessings!