The Magickal Linden Tree, or Lime Tree

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram:  @thewandcarver

photo by majestictrees.co.uk

Tilia is a genus of about thirty species of trees, or bushes, native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere.  In the British Isles they are commonly called lime trees, or lime bushes, although they are not closely related to the tree that produces the lime fruit. So, when you see the “Lime” tree listed in an ogham birth tree list it is referring to the Linden tree [Tilia europaca] in Britain but if you are in America [Tilia Americana], they refer to it as Basswood.

Now that you are adequately confused….

Be sure to use the botanical name when ordering seeds or trees.  Common names vary by nation, culture, and region, and sometimes the same common name is applied to different plants.

The Linden/Lime tree flowers are a favourite of bees wherever you live so if you are ardent about  helping to save the bee population, plant a lovely Linden/Basswood tree wherever you live.  Honey from the flowers is considered the best flavoured in the world.

Linden became popular after the fourteenth century on the Continent and in England for carving and other work that did not require strength.  Many of the carvings in St Paul’s Cathedral [London] and Windsor Castle are of Linden wood.  The tree’s fibrous bark has been used for rope, mats, baskets, and clothing.

Magickal

Linden flowers are often used in love spells/mixtures and protection spells and incenses. Mix equal parts Linden flowers and Lavender flowers then place in a sachet under your pillow to relieve insomnia. Keep Linden flowers on a table to release the energies needed to keep the spirit alive and healthy.

Lime Oil, as it is called, from the Linden tree, is used for purification and protection, promoting calmness and tranquillity, and strengthening love.

Dreaming of a Linden tree means good news is coming.  Dreaming of cutting down a Linden tree means your love life is in danger.

Linden is also used in longevity spell work and used in prophecy.

Medical

Linden tree’s flowers are a calming and soothing herbal tea not unlike Chamomile, but I think is more flavourful than Chamomile.  The French call Linden flower tea, Tilleul. It’s good to have before bedtime for a good night’s sleep to not only relax your body but your mind, as well.

Historically, Linden has been used to soothe nerves and treat health problems associated with anxiety.  Its calming nervine, antispasmodic, and helpful circulatory properties are used to help to ease spasms and cramps that contribute to headaches, tight muscles, and migraines as well as menstrual cramps.

photo by gardenerstips.co.uk

I have read that whatever body part a fruit or leaf resembles is what that fruit or leaf is good for medically.  The heart-shaped leaf of the Linden tree gives a good idea of what it is good for both medically and magickally.   It can lift us up or “gladden the heart” emotionally and in love as well as benefitting the physical heart as well, which is evidenced in its long use for assisting with conditions such as atherosclerosis, angina, and heart palpitations especially when there is nervous tension or stress involved.  Linden is exceptional at reducing fever and fighting infection.  It even has a profound effect on loosening chest congestion and sinuses.  With the colds and flu season quickly approaching it would do you well to stock up on Linden flower tea unless you’re fortunate enough to have a Linden tree growing in your garden!

There are no contraindications to using Linden flowers that I can find.  Still, only use as needed.

Correspondences:

Planetary:  Jupiter, Sun

Zodiac:  Gemini, Sagittarius

Element:  Air

Gender:  Feminine

Rune Character:  Asa/Letter A

Powers:  Attracting Love, Balancing Energy, Neutralising Negativity, Heart Healing, Protection, Sleep, Stress Relief

Deity:  Arianrhod, Aphrodite, Eostre, Freya, Frigg, Lada, Nehalennia, Philyra, Venus, Zemyna, Odin, Tyr

Other Names:  Bee Tree, Lime Tree, Basswood, Lime Blossoms, Linden Flowers, Tilia

Many thanks for reading my blog and warmest blessings to all whom this way wander x

Sources:

Whispers from the Woods, by Sandra Kynes

Wikipedia.org

Experience

Happy and blessed Ostara 2022

by Isabella @TheWandCarver

Instagram: @thewandcarver

We begin the Sabbat of Ostara with heavy hearts on the one hand, with our friends in Ukraine suffering brutal punishment for something they have not done but we can also find inspiration from these brave people to give us a blueprint for how happiness is so precious and must be honoured. And, it can be found in many ways which have nothing to do with chocolate eggs and bunnies. 

Bouquet of yellow sunflowers in a clay jug on a green background.

Usually, we might place sunflowers on our altars for Litha. Let us do so for Ostara this year.  If you can buy real sunflowers, that would obviously be best, but it is fine to use fake ones if you live where  real ones can’t be found.  You could use sunflower seeds in offering bowls, which is representative of farmers planting seeds. If you are an artist, a painting of a sunflower would be a lovely idea as well. As the sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine, it is a wonderful way of keeping our focus on sending healing and loving thoughts going their way.

Eostre, the goddess of Ostara and Spring, is the very representation of Spring and new beginnings.  It is also Spring Equinox which of course is a change from the dark half of the year over to the light half of the year.  We always hope that new beginnings will be good, however, it may seem to many that the happy new beginnings are not on the table this year. Do not believe it.  We are all going through things, all over the world.   However, I firmly believe that these things will bring us together in ways that we did not envision throughout the pandemic and political upheavals experienced over the last three or more years.

Remember…it is the light half of the year; a new beginning is afoot.  Things will be alright.

Ways to celebrate Ostara

Let us focus then on how we can be the light in each other’s lives and how we can help each other. We can donate money to those who need it most. We can do spells.  We can visit people who need some human companionship [but still wear your masks if visiting elderly and/or immuno-supressed folks].  We can join soup kitchens to cook and serve the homeless. This is a good way to celebrate the feasting that is part of Ostara.  We can do so many things to reach out to those who may need that little bit of human kindness to get through another day.

By helping others, we help ourselves.  Most of us do not go out to help others simply so we get something out of it for ourselves.  I have known a few people who did use doing for others to make themselves feel better and funnily enough, it drove them to do more because the happiness they felt for the doing of these things only made them addicted to doing more.  I call that a win.

If for your own reasons you can not do any of these things perhaps if you can take the time to put forth healing thoughts for others or just ring up someone you know who might be alone to have a chat. This is just as important, perhaps even more so, as anything else. 

What we do not want to do is dwell.  We can not sit and dwell on the bad, we must dwell on the good.  If we focus on the positive outcomes that we wish to see, we will get at least part of it…maybe much more.  Remember the Universe? It listens. 

For the children…

Plush bunnies and chocolate eggs, yes please!   I am not in favour of sugary treats much for young ones [or older ones, either!] but it is Ostara, after all.  As most Wiccan or Pagan families already raise their children with knowledge of Sabbats and the ways of their beliefs and culture, new families of the Pagan community may struggle to help their young ones to understand some aspects of what they believe.  This may be helpful – Ostara Worksheets.  There are 21 pages and look to be easily used by ages 10 and up, some younger depending on the child.  You can find these here – Ostara Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com – KidsKonnect, January 3, 2019

Taking a walk in the countryside with your children is a good way to celebrate. No countryside? Parks are good places to make nature discoveries as well. Even your garden is place of natural discovery. I have no less than thirty naturally growing “weeds” aka worts or herbs, whichever you call them including Chamomile, Nettle, Dandelion, Feverfew and loads of others which I use in my practise, growing in my back garden,. It is how I taught my daughters which ones are useable and which are not.

Whatever you do today to celebrate Ostara, I hope you find joy and peace from the doing of it.  Keep the love going all year round!

Many thanks for reading and warmest blessings to all whom this way wander x

The Magickal Ash Tree II

Originally posted on 22/06/2017 by Isabella via speakingofwitchwands.net

By Isabella @TheWandCarver

So much can, and has been, said about the magickal Ash tree that I’m not sure where to begin – or to end – this blog. I can only really attest to what I personally know, right? In that case, Ash is a wonderful wood to work with, as a wand carver and rune maker, I find Ash wood the easiest to carve and sand, and the result is always gorgeous. It is also quite a chatty wood, for me, anyway, as I listen to the wood to get the direction of where to go with carving for wands. It always has much to say. The spirit of Ash is quite strong! (Well, it IS believed in some traditions that Witches live in Ash trees) But mainly, the point of this writing is not much to do with making wands, or runes. It was intended to be a hopefully helpful bit of information regarding the bark and wood of the Ash tree in magickal usage.

Woodland Trust UK

Many people write to me when looking through our Witchcraft Supplies section in our Etsy shop asking questions. I have come to realise that most people do not read the description provided, and that is mostly down to how hard the description is to find if you are using your phone’s Etsy app to shop. Therefore, I’m happy to explain here as much as I can on how to use wood bark and shavings in your magick. Ash is definitely a wood you want in your potionary stocks, when we have it available, that is.

old photo by i. macy ~ will be a WytchenCrafts label from here on

There are many magickal uses for all parts of an Ash tree, however, as said, we’ll only stick to the wood and bark here. The wood is traditionally burned at Yule to bring prosperity into the New Year ahead. Maybe you don’t have a fireplace, but you can use it in a loose incense mixture and burn on a charcoal disc for the same effect. Ash is also known as one of the three trees in the Faery Triad (Ash, Oak, and Thorn) along with Oak, and Hawthorn. Ash is a wonderful wood for promoting “brain power”. We have had, at one time, a talisman in our shop to this very purpose and will be having them again in future. In meantime, you can use the bark and or shavings in poppets for this purpose as well. Ash bark rubbed into a wart is said to make it go away. And Ash wood and bark is said to have magickal effectiveness in protection from drowning, sea power, and healing. Ash is also used for protection of any kind, whether in loose spell incense, poppets, or in witch bottles.

If you have a need and you can, at the very least, fashion a witch bottle, adding Ash shavings or bark to the ingredients, it will most likely be quite effective. Every witch has his or her preference in how a wood, herb, or flower is used in their magick. You can find your most effective vessel, we can provide the ingredients.

A few other facts about Ash which may be helpful to you in planning your spell work:

Planet: The Sun and Neptune

Element: Water, Fire

Symbolism: Mastership and Power

Stone: Turquoise, Lepidolite (Increase psychic awareness)

Birds: Common Snipe

Colour: White, pale Blue

Deity: Eostre, Frigg, Hel/Holle, Minerva, Nemesis, Odin, Nemesis, Poseidon, Neptune

Folk Name: Hoop Ash, Nion – (a rune name from the Irish Gaelic word Nionon which means heaven.)

The Ash tree is also a sacred tree to the Celts and to Druids. The ogham for Ash is “Nuin” or “Nion” and it is most likely sacred to the Norsemen as it is associated with and said to be Yggdrasil. Ash is the third month of the Celtic Tree calendar, February 18th – March 17th and the 3rd consonant of the ogham alphabet. 

I hope this little article has been of use to the magickal community in your quest to use Ash wood in your spell work. Many thanks for reading and warmest blessings to all x

Sources 

Woodland Trust, UK

Cunningham’s Encyclopaedia of Herbs

Druidry