Trees
Using the wood, leaves, and fruit products from certain
trees can also enhance your altar energies. Most trees
were sacred to specific deities in one culture or another.
Even today, these trees are valued for their scents, their
energy patterns, and their magickal qualities. Acorns
and pinecones can be used to decorate the altar during
certain seasons of the year, as well as for specific
purposes. Clusters of leaves make eye-pleasing bouquets,
particularly in the autumn, with their variety of colors
and textures. Wood can be made into wands or
purchased in the form of boxes or other objects.
APPLE In Greek legend, Gaea, the Earth Mother, gave an
apple and its tree to the goddess Hera as a wedding gift.
When an apple is cut crosswise, a five-pointed star,
symbol of many goddesses, is seen inside. This fruit
symbolized immortality to the Norse and the Greeks,
and earthly desires to the Christians. It represents
beauty, goodness, renewal, death, and rebirth. Use it to
represent the ending of one cycle of life and the
beginning of another.
ASH This tree has been considered sacred by several
ancient cultures. Among the Norse, it is associated with
Yggdrasil, the World Tree, which had its roots in the
well of wisdom. The Irish Druids fashioned the wood
into wands and spear shafts, while in Greece it was
considered a tree of the god Poseidon. It symbolizes
grandeur and prudence.
BAY In ancient Greece, the bay tree was sacred to Apollo
and often made into crowns or wreaths as rewards. It
was believed to ward off evil spirits and protect