October 1, 2007
In 2007, this webpage was moved to: http://www.egreenway.com/druids/treemag2.htm.
It is now updated and maintained at Trees: Lore, Spirituality, Magic, Folklore.
Quotations Links Bibliography Quotations Notes
"The oak tree is one of the most famous of magical trees, and is considered
sacred in many parts of the world. It has been
associated with the World Tree and creation myths in which the first human was
born from its leaves. The oak tree is
associated with lightening and thunder and is the tree of the gods of thunder,
including the Norse god Thor, the Greek
god Zeus, the Roman god Jupiter and the Irish god, the Dagda. The oak is also
the tree of the white mare and the
Welsh goddess Rhiannon and the Egyptian god Thoth. Its root system is easily as
large as the upper part of the tree,
making it one of the strongest and long lived of trees. The druids favored
the mighty oak as it was believed to impart
divine knowledge. The leaves of the oak whispered secrets, and the acorns were
considered magical. When eaten, the
acorns would give magical powers and the gifts of prophecy. The oak tree
sometimes bears mistletoe, a parasitic plant
that is also known as the Golden Bough and which is considered sacred. In fact
it is believed that oak groves throughout
Europe are haunted with the spirits of druids performing their rituals. The old
saying “fairy folks are in old oaks” reflects
the belief that the roots of the oak tree provide passage to the underworld and
the realm of the fairy. The oak tree is the
tree of the Winter Solstice, which is the shortest day of the year, and
traditionally its wood is used for the Yule fire. It is
at this time that the sun is reborn and the days start getting longer. It is
said that the Oak King rules this time of year
(from Winter Solstice to Summer Solstice, at which point the Holly King takes
over). Known for its strength and its |
powers of protection, a piece of the Yule log is kept in the house to offer its
occupants protection over the coming
year. At the next Yule time that piece of wood is used as kindling for the new
Yule log."
- Deanna Joseph
Planting a Pin Oak (deciduous) and four California Live Oaks (evergreen).
Valley Spirit Meditation
Meditation Research and
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County, North Sacramento Valley, Northern California, U.S.A.
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© 2004, Green Way
Research, Red Bluff, California
Michael P. Garofalo, All Rights Reserved
Cloud Hands: Taijiquan and Qigong
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