Basket of abundant chestnuts!

Just a few weeks ago, I went and checked the local chestnut trees that are in a field near where I live. Ever since I moved to the new homestead, I have been eagerly visiting these trees. Last year, they dropped plenty of husks but with only shriveled nuts inside. This year, I was extraordinarily pleased to find that both trees had produced a bumper crop of the delicious nuts–some almost 2″ across, but most smaller, almost all worm-free, and delicious. I eagerly filled my basket with the nuts, stepping carefully around the extremely prickly husks. I sat with each of the trees and we conversed as I harvested the nuts. I took home 25 lbs of nuts that day, and these nuts will sustain myself, my geese (who love them), and my friends and family for many a Samhain, Thanksgiving, and Yule feast! Chestnut trees…

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Sacred Tree Profile: Juniper’s Medicine, Magic, Mythology and Meanings

The Druid's Garden

Here on the East Coast of the USA, we are still in deep winter. Soon, the maples will be flowing. Soon, the winter snows will melt. Soon, spring will return. But until that time, the conifers, particularly offer strength and wisdom. One of my favorite conifers is Juniper, also known as Eastern Red Cedar. It is delightful to come across a wild juniper in the winter months, with her sweet and pine-scented berries and her delightful sprigs that offer friendship and hope through the darkest times. So come with me today as we explore the sacred Juniper tree.

Juniper here on the land

This post is part of my Sacred Trees in the Americas series, where I explore sacred trees within a specifically American context, drawing upon folklore, herbalism, magic, and more! I think it’s particularly important that US druids and those following other nature-based paths in North America understand…

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A Celtic Galdr Ritual For Land Healing

The following is a land healing ritual that we did at the OBOD’s Mid-Atlantic (MAGUS) gathering last weekend (May 2017). (For a wonderful review of this gathering, please see Dean Easton’s A Druid’s Way Blog!) This ritual was done by about 45 participants surrounding a small cluster of Eastern Hemlocks (Tsugae Canadensis) at Four Quarters […] … Continue reading A Celtic Galdr Ritual For Land Healing

Celtic Tree Magic: 6 Ways to Work with Sacred Trees

THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN BY DANU FOREST POSTED UNDER CELTIC STUDIES What is your favorite tree? Ask anyone this question and you’ll be surprised by the answers; even the most urbane of us will have a tree we like the best, whether is a beautiful tree in a park or by the roadside, a … Continue reading Celtic Tree Magic: 6 Ways to Work with Sacred Trees