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I have a very large tree on my front yard.
I feel that I should somehow include it into my practice.
But how?
What uses does a tree have?

I personally find just sitting underneath them to be magical - they increase my feelings of harmony. Other than that, personifying the tree as an aspect of your magical practice. Trees have appeared in many systems throughout history, from Asatru to Kaballah. A tree such as the one you describe shouldnt be too hard to incorporate into such a system.

Clockwork_Ghost wrote:I personally find just sitting underneath them to be magical - they increase my feelings of harmony. Other than that, personifying the tree as an aspect of your magical practice. Trees have appeared in many systems throughout history, from Asatru to Kaballah. A tree such as the one you describe shouldnt be too hard to incorporate into such a system.

The only thing I can think of is that odin hung himself in a tree.
Should I perhaps hang some talisman or sigil in the tree for the same period of time?

I don't know them personally, but there are Daoist techniques for exchanging energy with trees (they are discussed within Opening the Dragon Gate, and presumably taught by the Longmen Pai lineage held by Master Wang Liping, the subject of the book). I was taught that just as they take in toxic carbon dioxide and pump out oxygen which is healthy to us, they also take in stagnant or unhealthy energy and put out fresh and clean energy, which is presumably why they're so calm and soothing to be around.

Rin wrote:I don't know them personally, but there are Daoist techniques for exchanging energy with trees (they are discussed within Opening the Dragon Gate, and presumably taught by the Longmen Pai lineage held by Master Wang Liping, the subject of the book). I was taught that just as they take in toxic carbon dioxide and pump out oxygen which is healthy to us, they also take in stagnant or unhealthy energy and put out fresh and clean energy, which is presumably why they're so calm and soothing to be around.

If I want to establish a connection with this particular tree should I do anything special?

The traditional viking way is to poor blood and mead. but I don't drink and I don't think the government would allow me to sacrifice some horses and slaves.

So, some water on hot summer days, keep of loose branches and talk to it?
Basically treat it like any other friendship?

I've never heard about the blood and mead thing and can't imagine what a tree would want with either, tbh - I think maybe the vikings were projecting a bit with that one :p Although I don't practice Norse paganism, so there might be some logic to it I'm missing.

Honestly I've never done much work with trees, all I know is that reliable sources state that they can be used to exchange and accumulate energies. Sorry I can't be of more help.

What kind of tree is it? That will help you determine it's purpose.

You state that it's large. Do you have any idea of it's age?

I think it's much easier to get to know the spirit of the tree and use it in it's most basic and natural form instead of trying to force it to conform to your will. Some trees have very strong personalities. Some require you to ask permission or make friends and it'll want to help you.

The neighbor in the house I grew up in has a massive maple in their front yard. The woman of the house planted a beautiful flowering garden around it's base and on quite a few occasions I've seen her bringing out offerings to it. Whether the offerings were for the tree or the spirits that call it home - I don't know and didn't ask.

RoseRed wrote:What kind of tree is it? That will help you determine it's purpose.

You state that it's large. Do you have any idea of it's age?

I think it's much easier to get to know the spirit of the tree and use it in it's most basic and natural form instead of trying to force it to conform to your will. Some trees have very strong personalities. Some require you to ask permission or make friends and it'll want to help you.

The neighbor in the house I grew up in has a massive maple in their front yard. The woman of the house planted a beautiful flowering garden around it's base and on quite a few occasions I've seen her bringing out offerings to it. Whether the offerings were for the tree or the spirits that call it home - I don't know and didn't ask.

Prunus padus, known as Bird Cherry or Hackberry.
it is at least 120 years old. I know this because that is the history of this estate as far as I have been able to research it.
I'll try and take some pictures of it tomorrow.

Rin wrote:I've never heard about the blood and mead thing and can't imagine what a tree would want with either, tbh - I think maybe the vikings were projecting a bit with that one :p Although I don't practice Norse paganism, so there might be some logic to it I'm missing.

Honestly I've never done much work with trees, all I know is that reliable sources state that they can be used to exchange and accumulate energies. Sorry I can't be of more help.

It was common practice here in sweden.
We used to hang slaves and horses in sacred trees. And the old religions was keen on tripple death. They would slit their throat (spilling the blood = Blot), Then strangle the corpse and finally hang it for several days.

Mead was often pored to all sorts of natural things. Trees, stones, graves or to please the "little people". It was part of our yule tradition. warm mead probably gave the tree some fluid during the harsh winters and allowed it to survive.

Blood, bone and ash are all good for certain plants and flora.

Bird Cherry, how lovely, I have an Ash at the front of my house and several Rowans.

And, libations were [and still are] common enough round here too. [thumbup]

Isn't Bird Cherry, a traditional association for Tyr? [Top of my head stuff, must check this, so don't quote me on it yet, lol.]

Pics would be great. [grin]

This is the front yard. It reaches outside the fence and all the way to the house.



Then it reaches all the way to the barn:



For some scale. The fence is about 4 feet high-
The metal structure in front of the tree is about 8 feet tall.

That is stunningly beautiful. I'd love to see it in bloom sometime, too (hint, hint).

I know absolutely nothing about that tree, but from some of the above posts, it seems quite common in certain areas. I would research the tree, habitats and any lore that you can find on it.

My first impressions are that the tree loves right where it is, acts as a protector for the structure behind it (do you offer it thanx for that) and has such a vibrant energy (even in the depth of winter) that it practically tingles in the pictures.

I believe you have something very special in that tree. I would Honor it as such.

hi so very beautiful couldn't expect more I have a branch few prob I train it I found a nice tree outside beside the town most graphity it got spray painted so to have a witchcraft tree I need to help the graphity to survive I use sticks and stones you know beauty of a women isn't appreciated by the stars aliens see it as animal instinct to produce babies but in all I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Desecrated wrote:

Clockwork_Ghost wrote:I personally find just sitting underneath them to be magical - they increase my feelings of harmony. Other than that, personifying the tree as an aspect of your magical practice. Trees have appeared in many systems throughout history, from Asatru to Kaballah. A tree such as the one you describe shouldnt be too hard to incorporate into such a system.

The only thing I can think of is that odin hung himself in a tree.
Should I perhaps hang some talisman or sigil in the tree for the same period of time?

Sorry for not responding earlier, I got a bit side tracked.

Yes, thats exactly what I mean

I would strongly suggest finding out more about the tree and it's purpose before you hang anything in it - but that's just me. You may end up hanging a talisman that's in direct opposition of it's purpose. That can screw up all sorts of things. I'm a big believer in research first.

RoseRed wrote:I would strongly suggest finding out more about the tree and it's purpose before you hang anything in it - but that's just me. You may end up hanging a talisman that's in direct opposition of it's purpose. That can screw up all sorts of things. I'm a big believer in research first.

O absolutely.
I have a section of biology in the library and will dive straight into it this weekend.

RoseRed wrote:I would strongly suggest finding out more about the tree and it's purpose before you hang anything in it - but that's just me. You may end up hanging a talisman that's in direct opposition of it's purpose. That can screw up all sorts of things. I'm a big believer in research first.

I guess that is a good approach.
When you consider hanging something on it, why don't you go a step further and go for a living altar (with permession, that is)? It looks big enough to be a little sanctuary.
Might be a good idea to do an offering/blot and a place sacring first if you are into the animistic model (since youw rote about the tree and friends..)

Ramscha

When I work with natural magic (...ie, stones, plants, etc), I usually start by directly communicating with the Otherworld part of the given thing.

Not every tree (that I've seen) is old enough or strong enough to have a mature entity living inside it (like a Dryad, or Landvaettir, or choose-your-label), but those that do are very easy to communicate with. Such entities aren't always the most...intelligent creatures (not meaning they lack wisdom, just that they don't know as much as their older kin), but much can be learned from such a spirit, and they can be strengthened or "fed" directly with sacrificial offerings (Blot for us Teutonic Folk) directly to that entity.

When an individual plant or tree is not operating as the House of an individual entity, you can still contact the entity that governs that species of plant. This particular one is Prunus padus, Bird Cherry or Hackberry, and whatever you call it the spirit of the tree is the same. Some would call it the Egregore of the tree, because it is an entity that is connected to every single Prunus Padus on the planet, and thus knows all the secrets of that particular tree.

Supposing that you lack the capacity to communicate with spirits, one may also Clairvoyantly "read" or "see" the Metaphysical Qualities of the plant, via a sort of Psychometry or something similar. Instead of trusting one correspondence or another, you can directly determine what psychic, energetic, and physical (ie, Herbal) qualities a particular plant has, simply by connecting to it and examining the psychic, energetic and physical qualities of it. What you then do with those qualities is a matter of much thorough education, but determining the qualities themselves is a simple matter. Reading the psychic essence of "sorrow" from the Weeping Willow tree is easy, for example. Taking that knowledge and creating a potion that makes someone cry is a different matter entirely.

Failing that you have the skills necessary to do any of the above, just sit under the tree and practice something (anything), so you can learn. It's a simple matter to make the tree a Sacred Space, simply by meditating there regularly, and it's also a simple matter to do a Blot for the tree even if you can't handle two way communication yet. Just practice.



~:Shin:~

Ramscha wrote:

RoseRed wrote:I would strongly suggest finding out more about the tree and it's purpose before you hang anything in it - but that's just me. You may end up hanging a talisman that's in direct opposition of it's purpose. That can screw up all sorts of things. I'm a big believer in research first.

I guess that is a good approach.
When you consider hanging something on it, why don't you go a step further and go for a living altar (with permession, that is)? It looks big enough to be a little sanctuary.
Might be a good idea to do an offering/blot and a place sacring first if you are into the animistic model (since youw rote about the tree and friends..)

Ramscha

My neighbors are a bit to close for me to have an alter.
But I will contemplate and find some way to hide something in plain sight.

Yeah I will probably do some sort of blot towards spring.

Shinichi wrote:When I work with natural magic (...ie, stones, plants, etc), I usually start by directly communicating with the Otherworld part of the given thing.

Not every tree (that I've seen) is old enough or strong enough to have a mature entity living inside it (like a Dryad, or Landvaettir, or choose-your-label), but those that do are very easy to communicate with. Such entities aren't always the most...intelligent creatures (not meaning they lack wisdom, just that they don't know as much as their older kin), but much can be learned from such a spirit, and they can be strengthened or "fed" directly with sacrificial offerings (Blot for us Teutonic Folk) directly to that entity.

Interesting side not. In iceland Landvaettir are sprits of the land. In Sweden landvättar are small creatures, almost like goblins.
For future references (if anybody else is reading this later on) I might point out that land-vättar/vaettir hates water. They are creatures that live in the earth and don't like the other elements at all.
One should never pour water over a place that they live. (same thing goes with fire of course. Don't start a campfire underneath a big tree.
They do however like beer and milk and it should be given every Thursday or before the big holidays.
Oatmeal is given before Yule.

When an individual plant or tree is not operating as the House of an individual entity, you can still contact the entity that governs that species of plant. This particular one is Prunus padus, Bird Cherry or Hackberry, and whatever you call it the spirit of the tree is the same. Some would call it the Egregore of the tree, because it is an entity that is connected to every single Prunus Padus on the planet, and thus knows all the secrets of that particular tree.

I like that.

Supposing that you lack the capacity to communicate with spirits, one may also Clairvoyantly "read" or "see" the Metaphysical Qualities of the plant, via a sort of Psychometry or something similar. Instead of trusting one correspondence or another, you can directly determine what psychic, energetic, and physical (ie, Herbal) qualities a particular plant has, simply by connecting to it and examining the psychic, energetic and physical qualities of it. What you then do with those qualities is a matter of much thorough education, but determining the qualities themselves is a simple matter. Reading the psychic essence of "sorrow" from the Weeping Willow tree is easy, for example. Taking that knowledge and creating a potion that makes someone cry is a different matter entirely.

I've always been able to feel things like that. But I will include it as an exercise.
One can always improve.

Failing that you have the skills necessary to do any of the above, just sit under the tree and practice something (anything), so you can learn. It's a simple matter to make the tree a Sacred Space, simply by meditating there regularly, and it's also a simple matter to do a Blot for the tree even if you can't handle two way communication yet. Just practice.

Yup!

What's a Blot?

Teutonic Style ritual offering, which is usually a lot like any other ritual offering -- ceremoniously giving a physical thing to a particular spirit or deity in exchange for favor, as a form of honoring the being in question, or some other form of prayer or worship. Mead, Blood, Energy (via Worship), and similar things are common offerings, depending on the being in question. Animal Sacrifice probably also used to be done (and we do have those horse head on a pole things), but that fell out of favor quite a long time ago in not just this but most other parts of the magical world too.



~:Shin:~