Thursday 25 April 2013

Silver Birch, Green Leaves and Golden Catkins


I feel I should apologise for posting pictures of trees two days in a row, but I couldn't resist photographing the silver birch tree in my front garden. The glorious weather we have had over the past week has woken the tree up from its over-long winter slumber and it is covered in tiny leaves and beautiful catkins. It looks like a waterfall of green and gold in the spring sunshine

In ogham, birch represents new beginnings, while birch twigs are used to make witches' brooms, or besoms, along with a handle made of ash wood. According to folklore, brooms made of birch, or simply bundles of birch twigs on their own, can be used to drive out evil spirits from the home. That is one of the reasons witches today often use a besom to symbolically sweep the floor before casting a circle to purify the space.

I really do feel ready for a new beginning now that warmer days are well and truly here - and could do with sweeping some negativity out of my life too. Although it isn't really the right time of year to prune a tree, I am tempted to clip just a few twigs from my lovely silver birch and make a switch to sweep bad luck out of my house and work some springtime magic!

Links
http://www.british-trees.com/treeguide/birches/nbnsys0000003827
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2012/12/review-wood-wisdom-guide-to-sacred.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2007/11/what-witches-use-their-brooms-for.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2010/11/damh-bard-on-ogham-at-witchfest.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/04/circle-casting.html

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