To Walk a Pagan Path: Practical Spirituality for Every Day by Alaric Albertsson

Author:Alaric Albertsson [Albertsson, Alaric]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Reference
ISBN: 9780738737249
Google: rD8imQEACAAJ
Amazon: 0738737240
Goodreads: 17436892
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
Published: 2013-11-08T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER six

BARK AND BRANCH

In the last chapter we mentioned trees as nesting sites for

some birds, but trees are much more than habitats for wild-

life. Whether due to their longevity or size, trees are often

accorded a status higher than other botanical species. “Save

a Tree” is the environmental battlecry. You are unlikely to

hear anyone saying “Save a Dandelion”, even though dande-

lions provide food for honeybees, discourage army worms

and help break up hardened soil. Dandelions and most other

plants just do not command the same degree of respect that

we have for trees.

Admittedly, it takes longer to replace a tree than a dande-

lion, but our arboreal veneration arises from a deeper, spiri-

tual association we have with trees that is often reflected in

Pagan myths and folklore. From a Saxon perspective, every

wooded grove is the domain of the wudu-elfen, the spirits who nurture and sustain forest ecology. Larger woodlands

f 145

f

2

145

bark and branch

are home to satyr-like spirit beings known as woodwoses. To senselessly pollute or destroy these wild places is no less an

offense than vandalizing a neighbor’s house. The trees them-

selves, for the Saxon Pagan, embody sacred mysteries. No

less than five of these trees—the oak, ash, hawthorn, yew

and birch—are described in the Old English Rune Poem, a

tenth century document recording the mystic lore associat-

ed with twenty nine runic symbols known as the Futhorc

(Albertsson, pp. 89–107).

The Saxons’ veneration of trees was passed from one

generation to the next, long after Christianity became the

dominant religion in England. Perhaps the most revered of

trees is the oak. Simpson and Roud say that the oak tree rep-

resents “steadfast courage, royalty and England” (p. 264). In

Pagan times, the oak was sacred to Thunor, a god of thun-

der and fertility. For this reason it was commonly believed

(although this is not true) that oak trees can never be struck

by lightning.

The restoration of the English monarchy is celebrated on

May 29th, which is known as Royal Oak Day. King Charles

II is said to have hidden to have hidden in the hollow of an

oak tree, thus evading capture during the Battle of Worces-

ter. After his return to London in 1660 it became a custom to

wear an oak leaf every May 29th. The original oak that shel-

tered King Charles is now gone, but a descendant called “Son

of Oak” still stands in Boscobel Wood.

Son of Oak is the tree most associated with Charles’

escape during the English Civil War, but other trees along the

route of his exodus are also said to have hidden him from the

Roundheads: an oak tree in Gloucestershire, an elm in Sus-

f 146 2

bark and branch

sex. Charles II seems to have had a very good relationship

with the wood spirits!

The Parliament Oak in Nottinghamshire is so called

because King John (or King Edward, depending on who you

ask) is said to have convened a Parliament there.

The grandest of England’s notable oaks must surely be

the Major Oak, in Sherwood Forest. According to legend,

this tree is where Robin Hood convened his Merry Men. The

Major Oak is certainly old enough for this distinction. Hav-

ing stood for more than a thousand years, it now has a trunk

circumference of 35 feet.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.