A Year of Sacred Trees: Working With the Wisdom of Tree Spirits Throughout the Year
Ariadne Rainbird
Independently published (November 22, 2024)
Paperback, 168 pages. ISBN 979-8339302223
Available via Amazon: Kindle $9,99 or paperback $29.80 or hardback $35.18
Beschikbaar ook via bol.com (voor de Nederlandse markt): € 25,74
Hot on the heels of Ariadne’s book To all the blessed gods (see the link to the review below) comes her newest book, A Year of Sacred Trees. She describes it as: “A practical guide on how to tune in with the sacred energies of trees and work with tree spirits each month of the year”.
Yes… it is just that… however, attention is also given to The Tree Calendar and Lunar Months. Ariadne describes the system she has utilised to calculate the extra, or intercalary, month every 3 years or so. Interestingly she “first came across the Tree Calendar in the early 1980’s through the work of Kentish wandmaker and Master Elfin Craftsman Dusty Miller XIII”. She notes too that he “also followed a lunar calendar using the country folklore names of the full moons”. Merlin also knew Dusty Miller in the same period and had similar experiences of finding the names of the full moons. In the overview of the ‘English Folk Names of Full Moon’ she mentions – in the same order – all the full moon names Merlin designated to the ‘Silver Circle Moon Calendar’ – the only one ‘missing’ is Tree Moon which occurs usually in November, which is ironic in a system which connects to Trees. (Ariadne references the SC Moon Calendar, see below).
The other influence Ariadne drew heavily on at first was the ‘Tree Calendar’ invented by poet Robert Graves. However to get back to the Sacred Trees… Ariadne writes:
Trees are vital to life on Earth, providing many benefits to the environment, wildlife and humans. Trees clean the air and allow us to breathe, keeping the atmosphere rich in oxygen and filtering pollutants from the air and improving our immunity. Trees protect against floods and water pollution and are essential for the water cycle and combating climate change. Some trees fix nitrogen into the soil making the soil fertile for other plants to grow, or protect riverbanks from collapse. Many trees live to a great age and have witnessed much in their long lives. Trees give us food, shelter, warmth, tools, furniture and many practical objects, cool our streets and cities, and give ease of mind during stressful times and are beneficial to our mental health. Yet we often take trees for granted, making use of them but not stopping to thank them or to ask their permission to use their gifts.
This is a book about Working With the Wisdom of Tree Spirits Throughout the Year. Chapters 2 to 18 are devoted to various trees – most of them also found in the Tree Calendar. The Rose, Apple, Bramble and Blackthorn are not included in the Graves Calendar but are important in other traditions. Prayers and meditations are given for each tree, and practical exercises for working with tree spirits and developing relationship with trees are given.
(Bramble/Blackberry Spirit Prayer Card)
(Hawthorn Tree Spirit Prayer Card)
Each chapter is accompanied by full-colour illustrations of paintings or photographs made by Ariadne. Some of the paintings have been made into ‘Spirit Prayer Cards’. The front cover is the painting of IVY.
Chapter 19 is concerned with ‘Working with Tree Spirits’ honouring them and cooperating with them ‘so that we may develop a relationship of cooperation rather than exploitation’.
In Appendix One & Two attention is given to Divinatory Key Words with an extensive overview. In Making Flower Essences Ariadne gives a general overview of how to make them.
This is a workbook intended to be used throughout the year. It can help us to write our own full moon rituals using the folklore mainly of The British Isles and Western Europe. Ariadne lives in Wales and is proud of her Welsh heritage. She has included a number of Welsh names of trees and full moons too. 😊
This book is highly recommended especially for people working and performing rituals outside.
References:
See also the review: All the blessed gods-an anthology of the living orphic tradition
Ariadne also references the SC Moon Calendar, see the article The Silver Circle Moon Calendar by Merlin
See Ariadnes Web Creations with a number of the ‘Tree -paintings-as cards’
See the Bramble/Blackberry Spirit Prayer Card, and (Hawthorn Tree Spirit Prayer Card) for example.
