Tree Charms, Crafts,
Spells, and Potions
In this section we will look at how to apply our knowledge of the ogham trees for magical purposes, be it for healing, spells, or as shamanic tools.
If it is to be the most effective, all magic involving trees should make use of our relationship with individual tree spirits, taking into consideration ethical and environmental considerations as well. In this way our spiritual and magical work are part of a seamless flow, drawn out of our relationship to the earth and all forms of life who dwell within it, in whatever form. There is no need to dominate or bind spirits to perform our will—an attitude which has been popular amongst magical practitioners of the past. Conversely, to draw only from reserves of personal power should also be avoided.
It is both counterproductive and abusive to acquire or use items from the natural world merely as a form of spiritual consumerism, as one would go shopping for a loaf of bread. Many natural, beautiful, magical items can now be found for sale—wands, staves, and ogham sets to name a few—and while many of these are bought and sold with great respect for their natural resources, the relationship with their indwelling spirits, the source of their power cannot be bought. No doubt this relationship can be developed over time by those willing to put the care and respect into the task, but that is an additional matter. Instead, rather than seeing the earth, its resources, and its diverse spiritual inhabitants as beings to use for our gain, we should always aim to come from a place of kinship and compassion—a term rarely used in much Pagan practice that nonetheless is key to effective magic. Should our work be in accord, we align ourselves to the flow of nature and can make use of the will and power of our spirit kin. We are part of a collective that becomes far more powerful than the sum of its individual parts. In this way we have nature behind us, and if we are lucky we may steer manifestation into providing according to our requests, hopefully having evolved our desires in the light of the bright knowledge of poetic vision, as emanations of the earth herself.
Magic with our tree kin and all the green world does not conform to rules and dogma but instead becomes most effective when we use our sense of innate connection to guide us and inspire our work. Leaves, wood, roots, seeds, and the flowers of trees and plants all have a long history of magical use; when we work in a traditional manner, our work benefits from the time-worn energetic paths that have been made before us, also serving as sources of power and support. Thus the collective lore found in the ogham is a very useful guide that can greatly assist us, but it cannot replace our own sense of relationship with individual trees we encounter. Our relationship with and attention to the tree we are working with should be our greatest tutor and will often guide us to work in new or forgotten ways that simply cannot be found or effectively described in spell books. For this reason, readers are encouraged to always remember that true magic is an act of co-creation, allowing the flow of nature and the threads of the greater web to steer us into the most effective course.
For those using tree and plant matter for ingestion in any way, it is always important to consult a reliable herbal, a qualified herbalist, and use common sense. Always be sure that you have correctly identified the plant you are using to be sure of its effects.
The following spells and charms can therefore be seen as an effective starting place for your practice; over time it will evolve and see additions as your relationship with the tree spirits around you grows and develops. Use your intuition and any guidance you receive to finesse your own way of working with these traditional techniques together with your tree spirit allies.
Birch Besom
Used for energetic cleansing, as well as assisting shamanic flight by dancing around your space with it, there is a vast amount of folklore around the world concerning broomsticks. They are a powerful household magical ally, with many uses besides sweeping. When one propped against the wall falls to the floor, be warned—you can expect company or a change of fortune!
First, gather a birch staff equal to your own height (with the tree spirit’s permission), and drill a hole approximately six inches from the bottom. Insert another birch stick or peg into this to help bind the twigs. Next, (again with the spirit’s permission), gather broom or birch twigs. Bind them tightly to the staff using twine or thin copper wire. Hold it out from the body and ask the tree spirits to bless and charge it as instructed earlier. Decorate with flowers or other magical items, and refresh them at least once a year, thanking the broom for its work during that time.
Work with your broom to sweep away negativity. Brooms should be blessed and honoured at least once a year and can be energetic doorways for use in ceremony. They can also be “turned”—held upright and turned clockwise—to mark the turning of the season.
Rowan Berry Charm Bracelet
Protective rowan berry bracelets or necklaces are very easy to make. With careful treatment, rowan berries dry quite well, and the charm will last for several months or as long as the thread keeps. When it snaps or the berries fall away, the magic is no longer needed; the berries can be buried or given to the earth.
You will need rowan berries, red thread, and a needle.
First you will gather berries. Find a rowan tree that feels right and spend some time with it before asking its permission. Only gather berries if you feel that permission has been granted. You may need to visit several times (or visit several trees) to build a relationship with the tree spirit first.
When you have gathered the berries, you may prefer to make this charm within a magic circle or other sacred space to help focus your intent.
Take the threaded needle, and gently string the berries on to it one at a time, talking gently to the rowan spirit as you go, thanking it for its help, and perhaps discussing why you feel you need help if there is a specific issue.
When you are done, tie it onto your wrist, or tie the ends together, first ensuring it is long enough to slip on. Holding it in your hand, take three slow deep breaths, gathering your intent. Say aloud:
Rowan tree, rowan tree,
here I ask a boon of thee:
Keep me safe from hurt and harm
and lend your magic to this charm!
You may like to repeat this chant for several minutes to let the power build. When you feel it is right, exclaim “So it shall be!” The spell is complete. Thank the rowan again for its assistance before closing your circle or sacred space.
Rowan Red Thread Cross
Rowan crosses are very old charms. They can be sewn into clothing, carried in your pocket, hung over doors and windows, or placed under pillows. The equal-armed cross is an ancient symbol called a sun wheel, and it was later adopted as the Celtic cross. A rowan pentacle makes a suitable alternative.
As with rowan berry charms, this magic is the most effective when a relationship has been formed with the tree spirit first and permission has been given to gather the twigs. Fallen twigs are fine to use. The easiest is to make a cross with two three-inch twigs; it is portable and can be placed discreetly around the home or in clothing; from there it’s a matter of choice, practicality, and intuition.
When you have gathered your twigs, you may choose to make the cross whilst in your circle or sacred space to focus your intent, although traditionally these were made by the woman of the house whilst seated by the fire.
Embroidery thread is best to use for this, as it is slightly thicker than cotton. Whatever you choose, take your thread and tie the two pieces together in the centre, winding around and around so that the thread provides spacing between the two cross pieces. Remember to thank the rowan spirit as you work. You may choose to use the same words used for the rowan berry bracelet to help build the power.
Always treat the spirit of the tree respectfully as a helpful friend, and build your relationship with the tree over time, gathering from the same tree each year if you are able.
Alder Shield
Alder shields are useful for protection when shamanic journeying or for placing around a sacred space. They can range from very plain and simple to highly decorated in a variety of ways.
When gathering alder wood, remember to seek permission from the alder spirit before beginning, and perhaps make it an offering of blessed spring water or song. You need a long, thin, whippy piece of alder you can bend into a circle of whatever size you wish. Tightly bind the circle with embroidery thread.
You can then create either a Celtic cross, sun wheel, or four directions design by crossing two further pieces of wood and binding them into the circle, or you may choose to make a latticework with multiple vertical and horizontal pieces bound onto the hoop. Alternatively you may choose to make and attach a circular piece of hide, cloth, or paper decorated with ogham or images of your animal allies, guides, or other designs relevant to your personal practice.
You can also add feathers, stones, or other items, hung from threads around its edge or tied to its central crosspiece. The important thing to consider when making a spirit shield is that it has your personal energy and intention put into its construction—this is far more important than making it look perfect or professional.
Whilst making your alder shield, repeatedly call to the spirit of the alder to assist you and bless your work. Take your time and remember that you are engaged in a sacred activity. You may also want to cleanse and bless your work with sage or mugwort smoke or blessed spring water. Before use or before placing it somewhere in your sacred space and after constructing the shield, ask that the spirit of the alder bless and empower your shield.
Hawthorn Charm Bag to Ease an Aching Heart
This is a basic formula for charm bags and spell bottles that will work well for other aims as well, making use of other trees, plants, etc. Always be sure to have the plant spirits’ support for best results.
You will need a charm bag or bottle; hawthorn leaves, flowers, or berries, depending on the season; rose petals, and vervain, all gathered with the plants’ and tree spirits’ permission. If you must buy them, spend time with each to contact their spirits, and ask that they bless your work using your own words and intuition. Place everything together with a small lock of your hair and charge the ingredients by seeing the plant and tree spirits around you, assisting and energising your charm. You may also like to use the following chant that came to me for this purpose:
Heart be healed, heart be calm,
heart be safe now from all harm.
Repeat until you feel the charm is done. Thank the plants for their help and kinship. Place the charm somewhere safe and out of the way. In nine months’ time, return the herbs to the earth when their work is done.
Oak and Acorn Spell
This spell will increase your personal power, and it works well after soul retrieval ceremonies to help restore it and keep you set on a path that is better for you, more fortunate, healthy, and positive.
You need spring water, a leafy oak twig or small branch, some acorns, a small piece of cotton cloth cut from your clothing, and red thread.
Gather the wood and water with the tree’s permission and the water spirit’s blessing. Dip the leafy branch in the water with the acorns, and leave for as long as possible. Then use the water and the leafy branch to asperge your space, dipping the branch and flicking and sprinkling the water all through your energy field, and over your bare skin. Add the water and the leaves to a ritual bath to further cleanse yourself, and infuse your energy with the oak’s spirit. When you are done, wrap the leaves in the cloth, tie with red thread, and bury together with the acorns in the earth. You will find renewal, strength, and inner sovereignty return to you within the next three months.
Holly King Holly Wreath
A holly wreath is an excellent decoration for the winter solstice that at the same time provides protection from the spirits of storm and cold, through the darkest, longest night.
Gather a whippy piece of holly, preferably with berries, remembering to ask permission of the tree spirit first. When you have gathered the holly, hold it up to the sun and call to the holly king for blessing and protection, to empower your work. Use your own words or try these:
Holly King, lord of the winter sun, I call to you! Bless my work this day, and lend your blessing and power to this, my charm.
I gather and welcome the holly into my home this night, this day, and every night and every day, until the new sun returns!
May my heart and hearth fire burn bright until the spring!
Bless me and my kin in thought and deed, Holly King!
Bind the holly wreath into a circle using red thread or more decorative red ribbon. You may then choose to add further decoration as you wish. When you have finished, hold the wreath up to the winter sun, and say:
My work is done, may you bless and charge this with your power, Holly King, lord of the winter sun!
Visualise the sun’s rays infusing every leaf and twig, until it glows in your inner vision. Hang on your door, hearth, or use as a table setting with a blessed red candle in the middle.
Blackberry Money Charm
Seek out a blackberry bush and ask its permission to gather a few leaves as well as its assistance in your spell. Taking the leaves and a small, deep blue cloth, wrap a coin or note of the highest denomination possible within the leaf and cloth, binding it with deep blue thread to make a small parcel. As you tie the coin in the leaves, hold them in your hands and ask the blackberry to assist you in drawing good luck and prosperity to you. The following chant may help you:
Blackberry, blackberry, hear me now
grant me gold, with never a frown.
Repeat as many times as you wish until you sense the blackberry spirit has charged your charm. Place in a small pouch, or wrap with cloth and place in your purse or wallet.
Elderflower Anointing Water
Elderflower water is good for the skin, and if magically charged by the Elder Mother, will assist in attracting faeries and gaining the sight.
Use fresh spring water wherever possible. Gather the elderflowers with the elder tree’s permission, and wrap in green cloth until ready for use, the fresher the better. Place the elderflowers in a stainless steel or enamel pan (never iron or aluminium) and cover with the water. Cover and gently simmer for ten minutes. Then simmer on the lowest possible setting for a further ten. Take a wooden or a silver spoon used only for magical purposes or a suitable wand, and stir clockwise nine times, asking in your own words that the Elder Mother bless and charge your potion. Do this slowly and with intent. When you are ready, return the lid to the pot, turn off the heat, and leave overnight, ideally upon your altar or other sacred space.
The next day, strain through a muslin or kitchen towel at least two or three times, to get rid of all herbal matter, and bottle. Add 50 percent alcohol or witch hazel as a preservative if you wish, or store in the fridge. It will keep without preservative for two weeks to a month.
Use this potion to anoint the eyelids or apply to the heart or pulse points. Alternatively it works well as a magically charged facial toner that is good for beauty spells.
Heather Goddess Poppet
A poppet is a special doll used for magic and healing. Sometimes it is used to represent and form a link with a specific person, but it can also be blessed and charged and used as a representative of various gods and goddesses. Heather is an excellent plant to work with to encourage the presence of benevolent goddesses in your life, and it can also help ease fears and loneliness.
To make a heather poppet, gather some sprigs of heather asking its permission first. Using red or white thread, bind them together with another sprig as a cross piece about a third of the way down to make a humanoid goddess figure. Magically charge this poppet with your intent and bless it with spring water. Invoke your chosen goddess, asking her to empower it. Wrap in white or purple cloth overnight, and remember to honour it regularly with offerings of food and drink. This poppet can then act like a worry doll to tell your troubles to, as well as a magical being that may guide and advise you, should you enter into dialogue with it whilst in meditation or using your inner vision.
After a time it may feel right to thank it and give it some final offerings before returning it to the earth. You could also recharge it by invoking the goddess once again.