Hawthorn
The Hawthorn grows mainly in Europe and can grow as a tree or shrub. It is used widely as a hedge/boundary tree in the farming community which is why most of us on the canals and rivers are very familiar with it. There are many myths and legends connected to the Hawthorn tree, these are some of them.
I make pendants from individually cut slices of hawthorn (collected from windfall wood, no trees are harmed in the making of these charms). They are then varnished and decorated by me. You can find them here:
My Shop
I chose Hawthorn for the base of these charms as the essence of the tree cleanses the heart of negativity and stimulates love and forgiveness. I also love the folklore associated with it and living in a Narrowboat on the Canal it surrounds me on a daily basis.
Hawthorn is respected as a tree of enchantment under the protection of the faery realms. It guards wells and springs. Its beautiful flowers are said to help your prayers reach heaven.
It is also said that if you sit under a Hawthorn on May 1st you are liable to be whisked away for good to the faery underworld. (Hawthorn has a big connection with the faery realm). The original May Poles were also made of Hawthorn and people would decorate their houses with the blossoms. Hawthorn is the tree most representative of the struggles the Christian Church had in suppressing pagan beliefs and celebrations.
Magikal Uses for Hawthorn include:
Wands made of this wood are of great power.
Hawthorn can be used for protection, love and marriage spells.
The Hawthorn can live over 400 years in some regions. In May, it blossoms with an abundance of small white flowers with round petals. The fruit or Haw has a two or three seeded fleshy pome scarlet on the outside, yellow and pulpy on the inside.
The Hawthorn has many medical properties. Among them being antispasmodic, cardio vascular, sedative and a vasodilator. Young leaves and flower buds can be added to salads. Teas are made from the berries and flowers. Also strong liquor is made from the buds. Berries can be made into a jelly. (Please note, if you are considering making any preparations or remedies please get the advise of a qualified practitioner before proceeding). The wood has been used for making handles and engravers blocks. Also the wood from the roots was used to make boxes and combs.
The Hawthorn is sacred to the Goddess Brigid and fertility. It also has connections to magic, happiness and chastity amongst others. Spring weddings would include bunches of flowering Hawthorn to help with fertility, with prayers to the Goddess for the happy couple. It is also the tree of True partnership, love and commitment. In ancient Greece the bride and groom would wear hawthorn flowers on their heads and the wedding party would carry burning branches of Hawthorn.
Women would hold on to some Hawthorn as they called upon their Goddess (Brigid or Aine in UK or Ireland) to increase their fertility throughout the year. This would be in the form of a branch or wand. On the other end of the scale the leaves of the Hawthorn would be placed in someone's bed to bring chastity.
Hawthorn branches would be placed on a home to adorn it during the spring and summer this was called “going a maying”. Hawthorn is not usually in flower on the 1st of May this is because May Day was traditionally on the 13th May until it was changed in 1732.
On May Day morning the branches, with its abundance of flowers would be collected and woven together and placed on windows and doors. The weaving together would strengthen the magical properties of the Hawthorn as would the morning dew. A home would look and feel surrounded by abundant white flowers of the Hawthorn, adorning your home after long winter months and knowing the spring was here and summer round the corner. This was also said to protect your home against evil spirits for the year.
Hawthorn is also a tree of protection. It is said that it prevents lightening from striking the home, storm damage too, and it also brings happiness to the sad and depressed.
Hawthorn would be protected by the locals as it was said to have a guardian spirit that would be angry if the tree was not cared for. The penalties given to those who cut a sacred Hawthorn or any of the seven Sacred Trees of Europe were severe especially in Ireland and ancient Britain.
The Hawthorn is a very important tree to local wildlife. Boundary hedges were used for taking parts of the trees for its use but a Hawthorn standing alone would be left as this was considered a faery tree and is sacred to the faeries. The faery triads of trees are the Oak, Ash and Thorn and if all three trees grow together it was said one could sit by them and see the faeries. Tying together Oak, Ash and Hawthorn with a red ribbon would also bring protection from the Faeries. Tying ribbons or rags to a Hawthorn on May Day was an old custom to give gifts to the faeries.
The hawthorn has associations to Kings and Queens, Saints and also Christianity. The Holy Thorn on Wearyall Hill in Glastonbury is one of our most famous of Hawthorn’s as it flowers on the Midwinter Solstice and on Christmas day a flowering twig is cut and sent to the Queen. This tree is said to be from the original Hawthorn planted by Joseph of Arrhythmia two thousand years ago. The crown of thorns placed on Jesus’ head was said to be a hawthorn.
Recourses: http://www.thegoddesstree.com/trees/Hawthorn.htm
http://www.mysticfamiliar.com/library/treelore/hawthorn.html
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