Category: The Earth Witch

Tree Magick (Earth Magick)

Tree Magick

 

Since the time of the ancient Druids, trees have been an important resource of the Earth. While they are valuable in monetary ways, they have a decidedly more spiritual history. Trees are believed to have wise spirits residing within them, and forests and groves are considered sacred place of worship.

While not every type of tree possesses the elemental attributes of earth, the practice of tree magick is a natural for the Earth Witch. She draws much of her strength from the spirits of the plant kingdom, of which trees are the largest members.

The most common methods for performing tree magick are simple to do, yet pack a powerful magickal punch. To incorporate the magick of trees into your practice, you can:

1. Soak up the energy of the tree by sitting beneath it.

2. Mark symbols on the leaves and ask the tree for help.

3. Tie items onto the branches.

4. Carry a bit of the wood with you.

5. Make use of a corresponding wood in spell work.

6. Bury things at the root of the tree.

There are many old spells that direct one to harm the tree by stripping bark from it, driving nails into it and breaking off branches. Please do not do any of these things, and always talk to your chosen tree before trying to use if for a magickal purpose. It will often gift you with a branch or bark–if you remember to ask first.

The magickal properties of trees are as follows:

Apple: Healing, love, honor, youth

Beech: Goals, strength, wisdom

Birch: Protection, purification

Cedar: Prosperity

Cypress: Protection, past-life regression

Elder: Healing, protection prosperity

Elm: Protection

Fig: Fertility, strength, energy, health

Hawthorn: Love, protection, cleansing

Hazel: Protection, reconciling

Hickory: Endurance, strength

Juniper: Protection

Maple: Love, divination

Oak: Healing, strength, prosperity

Olive: Peace, security, fidelity

Palm: Strength, abundance

Pecan: Prosperity

Pine: Purification, health, prosperity, spiritual growth

Rowan: Protection, strength

Walnut: Healing, protection

Willow: Healing, protection, wishes, enchantments, gracefulness

Earth Correspondences

Earth Correspondences

 
Earth is considered feminine and receptive.
 
Season: Spring
 
Magickal virtue: To Keep Silent
 
Direction: North
 
Time of day: Midnight
 
Sense: Touch

Fluid: Sweat
 
Power animals: Bears, bulls, lions, rabbits
 
Places of power: Caves, fields, bridges, meadows, gardens, moutains, crossroads, the home

Commonly associated colors: Brown, green rust tones
 
Linking items: Stones, rocks, crystals, dirt, seeds, wood, pentacles, coins

Earth Stones

Earth Stones

  

Brown jasper: Brown jasper works well as an aid for grounding and centering.

Coal: Coal has a well-known reputation as a money-attracting stone, but there is more to it than that. Coal can also absorb any negative influences, making way for a clearer understanding of situations. It removes psychic blocks

Emerald: Emerald has a long and distinguished magickal reputation. It is said to increase psychic powers, attract money and love, banish negativity, heal, improve memory and protect the wearer. Emerald has even been assigned the power to promote your business.

Green Agate: Folklore holds that washing this stone in water and then drinking the water will safeguard one against sterility. Green agate improves vision when worn. It is also reputed to reward the owner with a happy life.

Green calcite: Green calcite is known to attract prosperity.

Green Jasper: Green jasper is a healing stone, both to the mind and body. It is also said to increase empathy.

Green tourmaline: Can be worn to increase business success and to stimulate creativity.

Jet: Jet holds the attribute of becoming electrically charged when caressed between the palms. Due to the electrical qualities of this stone, it is helpful in transformations. Jet is absorbent and can remove negative influences. It is also said to protect, increase psychic powers, and heal.

Malachite: Malachite holds a unique attribute; it is said to break in half to warn the owner of impending danger. It increases magickal power, protects (works especially well with children), brings business success, and attracts love and peace. It is also rumored to protect against falling.

Moss agate: Moss agate is the gardener’s stone. It is reputed to work as a magickal safeguard to the garden. It is a healing stone and is said to be especially good for relieving a stiff neck. Moss agate can be worn to draw new friends. It works well in spells that involve happiness and riches.

Peridot: Peridot is a protective stone. It is said to be especially effective in protecting the wearer against the magick and jealousy of others. Peridot is also a healing stone. It attracts prosperity, calms rages, and reduces stress

Salt: Salt was so valuable in some parts of the world that it was used as money at one time. The religious use of salt goes back for centuries. It is cleansing and protective, increases prosperity, and work well to help one ground properly. Salt is also absorbent and therefore serves to remove any negative energies that surround a person.


Turquoise: Turquoise protects against danger. It is also said to increase courage and attract money, love, friendship and luck. It works well as a healing stone.

Earth Herbs

Earth Herbs

 

 

Alfalfa: Alfalfa is kept in the home to protect against hunger and poverty. It is frequently burned and the ashes scattered around the home for the same reasons. It works well in money spells as well.

Barley: Barley is a healing herb and is known specifically to relieve toothaches. It is absorbent and will remove negative influences. Barley also can be scattered for protection.

Beet: Beet juice is sometimes used as magickal ink and as a substitute for blood in magickal use. It is known to attract love.

Buckwheat: Buckwheat is most often used in spells concerning money and/or protection. IT can be scattered, carried or burned.

Corn: Corn works well in matters involving fertility, luck and protection. It is frequently used in Sabbat rituals and as an offering.

Cotton: Cotton is known for it qualities of luck, healing and protection but has other specific uses as well. Burning cotton is thought to cause rain, while scattering cotton seeds assures a productive catch when fishing and repels ghosts. Cotton cloth is excellent for magickal use, as it is completely natural.

Cypress: Cypress is both a death herb and an immortality herb. It is a symbol of the crossover between the planes of life. It is a healing herb and is thought to increase one’s life span.

Fern: The fern improves health and increases luck and prosperity. It is an herb of exorcism and can banish any negative influences. It is said that burning the fern’s seeds will cause rain to fall, whereas carrying them will rend one invisible

Honesty: Also known as the silver dollar plant, honesty is used in prosperity spells and rituals.

Horehound: Horehound is protective and healing and is used in exorcism rituals. Drinking it is said to improve one’s mental powers.

Horsetail: Horsetail is used in fertility rituals and spells.

Knotweed: Knotweed is used in bindings and health spells. It is absorbent and therefore protective.

Loosestrife: Loosestrife holds within it the attributes of peace and protection. Simply scatter it around. It can also be given to someone to cease an argument.

Mugwort: Mugwort aids in astral projection, increases strength and psychic powers, and is protective. It is very useful in any type of intuitive work. (Note: Contact with mugwort may cause dermatitis. Also do not ingest.)

Oats: Oats are used primarily in money and prosperity spells.

Patchouli: Patchouli is useful in spells involving fertility or money. It is good substitute for graveyard dust.

Potato: The potato is often used as a poppet for image magick. It is also protective when carried.

Primrose: The primrose is carried to attract love. When growing in the garden, it attracts fairies. It also is said to protect against madness.

Quince: Eating quinces is said to promote love. If eaten while pregnant, it is thought to increase the intelligence of the child. The quince can be carried for protection.

Rye: Rye bread served to a loved one will ensure that your love is returned.

Sagebrush: Sagebrush, also known as white sage, is a cleansing herb. It has long been used by Native Americans in smudging ceremonies to drive away any negative influences.

Tulip: The tulip serves in matters of love, prosperity and protection. It may be carried or placed on the altar.

Turnip: Turnips is the home protect against every type of negativity. They are also used as poppets in image magick.

Vervain: The magickal use of vervain has been well documented throughout the ages. It was considered the most prized of the herbs among ancient Druids. It contains the magickal qualities of love, protection, purification, peace, youth, chastity, money, healing and sleep.

Vetivert: Vetivert is most useful as a curse-breaking herb. It also attracts money and luck

Wheat: Wheat attracts money and fertility.

Wood sorrel: Wood sorrel is a healing herb when placed in a sick-room or carried.

Earth Charms

Earth Charms

Some naturally occurring objects are said to be empowered with extra luck or magickal powers. Those that fall in the realm of earth include four-leaf clovers, petrified wood and fairy stones.

Four-leaf clovers

It is rare to actually find a four-leaf clover. It is universally accepted as an harbinger of good luck to come your way. This belief stems back to the ancient Druids and is Celtic in origin.

Petrified Wood

If you are lucky enough to find a piece of petrified wood, then you are lucky indeed. It holds the magickal properties of secrets, wisdom, strength and transformation. Pay special attention to your dream after finding a piece of petrified wood, as the spirit of the tree may be trying to speak to you.

Fairy Stones

Fairy stones form a natural solar-cross shape. They are known as staurolite. These little stones charms contain vas t reservoirs of power and are wonderful when it comes to helping you maintain balance within your chosen elemental specialty.

Earth Witch Lore – Crossroads

Earth Witch Lore – Crossroads

 

Crossroads are considered sacred in almost all magical traditions. A crossroads is a universally accepted place to hold rituals, leave offerings, or dispose of items you wish to be rid of. While this is not a natural creation but one that is homemade, it still falls in the realm of earth.

 

It is believed tat Hecate rules over the three-way crossroads. She can see the past, present and future, It is said that if you should approach a three-way crossroads at night, you would hear her black dogs howling. Her altars have been erected at such places for centuries.

 

The four-way crossroad are considered to be powerful because all four directions meet at one point. Dirt, rocks and sticks gathered from such a crossroads are said to have powerful spiritual connections, albeit tricky ones to master. In Greek myths, Oedipus met his fate at the crossroads. From the Yoruban people we have Legha (a god known for his clever tricks) ruling the crossroads.

 

Ancient people were afraid of what it meant when one direction met another direction. All manner of folklore is available concerning the crossroads. Fairies are said to hand about there, along with ghouls and goblins. Even the Christian Satan is said to roam the crossroads.

Earth Witches know that a crossroad is actually a place of sacred transformations, manmade or not. Frequently they see them as a metaphor for transformational points in our lives. In such a capacity the crossroads relate to time.

Earth Spirits: Gnomes, Elves, Dwarves and Leprechauns

Earth Spirits: Gnomes, Elves, Dwarves and Leprechauns

 

It is recommended approaching earth spirits with caution. They are of the elemental race and inhabit a completely different realm, so it is hard to impossible for a human to understand how their minds truly work.

 

Gnome statues in the garden add a touch of whimsy to the décor, but the legend behind their popularity is quite intriguing. It was said that a single ray of sunshine would turn a dwarf to stone. Somehow, this myth crossed with information about gnomes, and the trendy garden gnomes statues came to be. Since gnomes are consider helpful to one’s garden, placing gnome statues there is tradition in a well-tended garden.

 

Gnomes are actually a dwarfish race of earth spirits. They are the guardians of the hidden treasure of the Earth. Some legends maintain that they can be playful and mischievous and love to pull pranks on unsuspecting humans.

 

Elves were originally considered to be of a small stature as well. They were thought to be fairly playful and helpful. The legends of elves run the gamut from Santa’s toy-making helpers to the more romantic portrayal popularized by the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Dwarves are said to be the possessors of two types of magical stones: one that will make the owner invisible and one that will grant the owner great strength. Dwarves were well-known in Norse myths for their wisdom. On a least one occasion the gods themselves went to the dwarves for aid, due to their cleverness.

 

Leprechauns are known to be tricksters, because greedy humans are always trying to get their legendary pots of gold. Leprechauns are Irish in origin and are thought to be cobblers.

Earth Witch Lore – Mountains and Mounds

Earth Witch Lore – Mountains and Mounds

 

Legendary mountains and mounds fall within the domain of the Earth Witch. While mountains are natural formations, mounds are human-made. Both are considered sacred space. The prevailing argument as to the purpose of the mounds is that they are sacred burial grounds.

The Navajos have an old legend that describes the creation of the six sacred mountains. The First Man and First Woman formed the mountains from a bag of dirt that they carried with them from the third world (spirit realm). They sent Turquoise Boy to one mountain. Abalone Shell Boy to another, Jet Boy to another, and White Bead Boy to another. The mountains were not satisfied with that arrangement and would rumble loudly with displeasure. Only two of the six mountains were happy. First Man and First Woman sent the beautiful Mixed Stones Boy and Girl to those mountains. They then sent the rest of the holy ones, including Grasshopper Girl and Yellow Corn Girl, into the mountains.

First Man and First Woman then fastened the mountains to the land with lightning bolts, stone knives and sunbeams. They decorated them with shells, eggs, mists and rain. They then blessed the mountains with chants and prayers. They believe that keeping the land beautiful pleases the ancestors, and pleasing the ancestors, make for a happy tribe.

The Earth Witch agrees with this philosophy. She makes regular use of eco-magic and often gets involved with environmental issues. She understand the true beauty and blessing of the Earth and does not take them for granted. She considers keeping the land clean a sacred responsibility.

Earth Witch Lore – Bridges

Earth Witch Lore – Bridges

 

Rivers belong to the Water witch, but bridges, and the superstitions that surround them, belong to the Earth Witch. As one who finds solutions and builds foundations, who else could conceive of a way to cross running water while remaining earthbound?

 

There are a few mythical bridges that relate to other elements, such as Bifrost (the rainbow bridge leading from Midgard, the realm of the mortals, to Asgard, the realm of the gods, in Norse mythology), but more often bridges belong to the realm of earth.

 

A bridge is a gateway, because it rests between two bodies of land mass. While crossing it, you are neither in one space nor the other. The bridge transcends the two objects it connects in this manner; hence, it is a very magical and powerful place. It has been said that time does not work the same way on bridges as it does elsewhere. Some say that time moves more slowly when on a bridge, while others say that time ceases to exist all together and does not begin again until one has crossed completely over. Because of the time factor, a bridge has the ability to bring one back to a childlike state.

 

In many myths, a bridge is the path one must take after death to reach the other side. Some of the mythical bridges were treacherous, in order to keep out the living. Native American lore speaks of a shaking bridge one must cross to reach the other side. Often these mythical bridges are said to not tolerate the weight of a sinner and will cast the sinner off the bridge into the water below.

 

There is a tale in modern folklore that relates that you will hear a heartbeat if you stand quietly on a bridge. I have heard about a million variations of this urban legend with one common theme: that of the heartbeat belonging to a deceased person. While it is possible to hear a heart beat-type noise on certain bridges through out the United States, this is normally due to a nearby gas pipes or some other human invention. Yet the tale lives on because of the spooky reputation of bridges.

Because of the association with death, bridges are often said to be haunted. Celtic tradition warns that you should hold your tongue while crossing or passing beneath a bridge. The Isle of Man is home to the famed Fairy Bridge. Local legend says that if you cross the bridge without wishing the little people that live there a good day, you will not have a safe or happy visit. There is also a universal belief that two people who part on a bridge will never meet again.

 

Earth Witches know the lore to be true to this point–there is magic aplenty contained in the bridge. Spell work performed on a bridge tends to take effect immediately. Any type of magic that involves time manipulation will gain a boost by being performed on a bridge.

Earth Witch Lore – Trolls

Earth Witch Lore – Trolls

 

Trolls, or trows as they are sometimes called, are often thought to live under bridges. They are said to be ugly little creatures, but there are some old myths that claim that trows could pass for human. Some of the myths infer that trows are nocturnal and can only move about at night, while others say they are invisible and therefore simply unseen. Folklore from the Shetland Islands in Scotland lays claim to one distinguishing character trait carried by trolls; they walk backwards. Trolls has a distinct hatred for locked doors and are known to sneak into people’s homes at night if the occupants have locked the door before retiring.

While the tales of the trolls feature in folklore contain both gruesome and nonsensical elements there is little doubt that the troll relates to and falls under the rule of earth. Trolls were known to have magical powers. It was said that they could fly and enchant the wind and were masters of mixing healing potions, ointments and elixirs.