The Book of Celtic Magic by Kristoffer Hughes

Author:Kristoffer Hughes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: celtic, druid, pagan, celtic pagan, celtic paganism, celtic magic, ritual, spells, Welsh, Kristoffer Hughes
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
Published: 2014-07-02T04:00:00+00:00

[contents]

68 See footnote 43 on page 99 for a definition of clouties.

69 Bevan and Donovan, Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru, 1209.

70 Sound bites for this and other Welsh terms, englynion, and invocations can be found at www.angleseydruidorder.co.uk.

71 Issac, Coelion Cymru, 17–18.

72 Owen, Welsh Folklore, 87–88.

part 3

By Oak, Ash,

and Thorn

Celtic Tree Magic

20

The Magic

of Trees

Trees connect us to the natural world; they act as primary symbols of the sheer power and presence of nature. They are steadfast, ever-present, strong, long-lived, and they sing of the earth and their place within it. They are the storytellers of location, and they mold and form the landscape that we are familiar with. They bring personality and attitude to our locales, and they offer respite, shelter, and protection to those who live within them or near them. They are important not only in the spiritual spectrum but also on a purely physical level: they provide us with the clean air necessary for life; they absorb the toxic gasses that would poison and eventually destroy oxygen-breathing life forms.

In the following chapters I shall explore the symbolism of trees in the Celtic tradition and how they were perceived as transmitters of wisdom. I shall examine their role as teachers and allies in magic and conclude with rituals and exercises rooted in Celtica that will enrich your relationship with the tree kingdom. I will also explore the nature and power of the wand as the primary tool of the Celtic magician, how to summon an army of trees for your magical work, and share secrets of the ogam, where trees aid our divination skills.

The Love of Trees

Trees teach us about the nature of where we live or the places that we love to visit and spend time amongst. Even the solitary tree in a courtyard of a hospital or the office block where you may spend most of your day has a story; they have something to tell us about the nature of being and the mysteries of life. They are individuals, each one with its own unique personality and sense of place. To spend time amongst the trees—to observe the turning of the great wheel and the drama of sun and moon on the fabric of their being—alters the way in which we perceive them. We may pass these creatures every day and rarely pay attention to them, and yet they are there, ever-present, silent sentinels of the passing seasons.

They inhabit two worlds. Their roots are hidden in the dark, damp underworld, unseen and yet filled with potential. Their trunks reach up from the soil, strong, resilient, lifting its spirit towards branches that become twigs and buds and leaves; with arms outstretched they reach for the skies, where their cells open to the air. They are simultaneously hidden, apparent, and present. If we watch and if we listen with our subtle senses, they become teachers of mystery; in the Celtic continuum they are transmitters of secrets who whisper of a deep connection our ancestors had with the land beneath their feet.

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