Trees are more than lumps of wood with leaves attached. Make the effort to walk through a national park or forest soon, and take visual notes of the variety that exists even within the same species of tree. By making the conscious effort to look closely at a tree trunk, you will be surprised at the myriad of patterns and colors that normally go unnoticed. Each tree has its own characteristics and personality. And by taking the time to attune to a few trees, you will be amazed at the different styles of energy that emanate from them. So go hug a tree today! - Don Mcleod The Magickal Power of Trees The Curative Properties of Trees Wood for Talismans and Wands Druid Sacred Trees Faery Trees The Baobab Tree The Rowan Tree Apple Tree Ritual How to Find Your Own Healing Tree How to See a Tree's View of the World Clearing Negativity with Trees Apple Tree Ritual This is to be done during the time of the apple harvest. Winesaps, greenings, Macintosh, red and yellow delicious, and the antique varieties of wine, sheep and smokehouse are ready to be picked. Apples have always been magickally important. The Celts “wassailed” their apples to insure a bountiful harvest in the coming year. Traditionally wassail was made of hard cider that was heated with spices and had apples floating on top. These apples would burst their skins, and the white flesh would form a froth on top of the wassail. There is much reason to believe that wassailing was performed as Samhain, or Halloween, as it was at Yule. Halloween is the time of the apple harvest, and there are many Halloween traditions in which apples play a role. Apples also have a history of being used for healing, especially for curing warts. The most typical method is to slice an apple in half and rub both halve over the wart or affliction to be cured. The put the two halves of the apple back together and bury them in the earth while reciting an enchantment to the effect that, as the apple wastes away, so will the affliction. When an apple is sliced in half, horizontally, it reveals, hidden within its core, a five-pointed star. When an apple is being cut in half for magickal purposes it should always be cut in this way, in order to take full advantage of the secret magickal sign. And, of course, it should be cut with a white-handled ritual blade. The apple harvest can be celebrated, on the day that it is completed, with a meal that features apples: apple fritters, apple pie, and/or applesauce. Select one tree to represent all of the apple trees in the orchard, whether it is the oldest, the tallest, or most productive. Draw and consecrate a circle around the tree, and stand within it, facing the tree. While holding a cup of spiced cider, or apple wine, anoint the tree by drawing a pentacle with a finger dipped that you have dipped into the liquid. Draw the pentacle on the tree’s trunk, at eye level, or just below where the branches begin. Recite something such as this: “Here’s to the Apple tree, Flowers at Beltane, Fruit at Samhain, Apple tree, Blessed Be!” Then drink a toast to the tree and pour a libation at its roots. Finish by eating the feast within the circle. Top of Page How to Find Your Own Healing Tree Here is a small ritual for finding your own personal healing tree. Enter a quiet park or forest that has a variety of trees. Stand quietly amongst the trees and close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths and release all thoughts from your mind. Then allow your consciousness to drop through your body, and to settle within your heart chakra. Now, with your eyes open, but unfocused, start walking through the trees. You should be able to feel the energy of each tree as you enter its aura. When you find an energy that feels right for you, mentally ask the tree for permission to physically make contact. If you then feel that it is alright to do so, approach the tree and place your back against it. Feel the energy of the tree resonating within you. Which one of your chakras does this tree seem to affect the most? Top of Page How to See a Tree's View of the World You can also enhance your psychic perceptions of the world around you, by merging your consciousness with that of your healing tree. Allow your aura to merge with the tree's energy field, and with your eyes open, see the surroundings as if through the consciousness of the tree. A silvery glow will surround the area, and you will see the auras of other trees and plants. When you have finished this experiment, thank the tree for its participation, and move away from its energy field. Bring your consciousness up through your body and into your head, then take a few more deep breaths. Stamp your feet on the ground to bring yourself back to full conscious awareness. Top of Page Clearing Negativity with Trees It is said that trees can also absorb negative energy from our bodies, without it doing the tree any harm. To clear yourself of negativity, find another tree that you are intuitively drawn to, and ask permission to give it the negative energy that you have unwittingly stored in your body. Trees can transform and use this energy for their own enhancement. To gather and release negativity from your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual self, run the palm of your left hand from the top of your head, and down the right side of your body, visualising the collection of negativity into your hands. Do the same with your right hand on the left side of your body. Then rub your hands on the trunk of the tree, thereby releasing all the toxins that you have gathered. Also run your hands down the front and back of your body and pass this onto the tree as well. Do this three times, and when you are finished, thank the tree for taking the negative energy from you. Top of Page