Dave TheDruid-3X3Awens to All:
Chapter #8 is called ‘Druid Treelore’.
Philip starts off by going into a section called ‘Tree Knowledge’ which is the History of Ancient Celtic Ogham Tree Alphabet which correlates to the Qabalistic Tree of Life although the Qabalists used only One Tree as compared to the many Trees of the Groves. To the Druids, the Ogham Tree Writing was associated to different Numbers, Gods, Goddesses, Animals, Birds, Colours, Minerals, Stars or Divine Human Principles.
Although Druids hold all Plant Life as Sacred, there are 25 Trees that are considered the Most Sacred. I consider the Ogham for ‘T’ – ‘Tinne’ which is associated with the Holly Tree so Tinne is my Most Sacred Ogham as it represents a Japanese Kuroganemochi Holly Tree that managed to Grow Back in Hiroshima after the Atomic Bomb.
It is then in the Chapter that Philip then goes into the Attributes of 3 Sacred Tree and 1 Sacred Plant. Philip starts off with the Birch Tree.
It is the Birch that has gotten Planted in New Virgin Lands when a Grove is being Created. It was the Birch that was used as Switches to Beat the Evil out of Criminals. It is the Birch that represents the First Month after every Winter Solstice. In Ceremony, the Siberian Eskimo Shamen would climb Birch Trees as part of their Initiations. The Celts would use Birch to make Baby Cribs.
Next Sacred Tree is the Yew Tree and Philip writes that it represents Death and thus it was Planted amongst the Grave Yards a lot.
Then there is the Oak Tree which is Sacred to the Druid Class of Celtic Druids. It was found that the Oak tended to get struck by Lightening a lot so it became known for channeling in the Energies of the Gods. Oak Trees were known for being used as Doorways to Sacred Temples and were used as places of Community Gatherings. Oaks were representative of the Summer Solstice so would represent the Month after during Summer Solstice between June 4th to July 7th. The Celtic God Dagda is considered the God of the Oak.
The Sacred Plant discussed is the Mistletoe which was cut down from an Oak by a Druid with a Golden Sickle for Winter Solstice.
The end of the Chapter invites you to develop a Relationship with a Particular Tree and mine is the Japanese Kuroganemochi Holly Tree that managed to Grow Back after being Burnt to a Smoldering Stump by the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb.
Now to read the Afterword.
3X3