The Ash is a beautiful tree in the same family as olives and lilacs. It is widespread throughout the world and is common in North America, Europe, and Asia. The Celtic Month of Ash celebrates the strength and power of the ash tree.
The seeds of the ash tree are known as helicopters and are a type of fruit. Officially ash trees are dioecious which means they have male and female flowers on different plants. However, ash are interesting because gender is on a continuum and many trees are unisexual.
The ash is well known for it’s strong wood. In fact, the Old English name aesc means spear because historically spears and other tools and weapons were made from the wood.
The Celtic name is Nion (pronounced Knee – un) When the Irish people immigrated to America, they brought ash trees with them. They also carried bits of ash wood in their pockets to save them from drowning while crossing the ocean.
The strong ash tree. Located in Wales 16 M or 53 Ft tall. Photo by Tony Holkham
The Great History of the Month of Ash
The ash has had a prominent and well-deserved place among ancient cultures.
Greeks
The ancient Greeks built boats out of ash. They considered the ash to be the tree of Poseidon.
The meliae nymphs are associated with the ash tree. The Greek goddess Nemesis, carried an ash branch as a symbol of justice.
Norse
To the Norse the Ash tree represents the Tree of Life. The Ash Moon is also referred to as Yggdrassil.
Yggdrassil was the great tree that supports the nine worlds of the universe in Ancient Norse culture. It was so tall that it spanned the universe
Thor hung on an ash tree for three days while the twigs formed the runic alphabet
Woden used the ash as his horse
You can read our article on Introduction to Norse Paganism written by a Nordic priest.
Druids
The ash tree is one of the three trees that are part of the Druid trilogy. Sacred Druid tree trinity – Oak, Ash, Hawthorn.
The oak represented the masculine and the hawthorn the feminine. The ash balanced and focused these energies. A blessing said during rituals is “by oak, ash and thorn”.
Related elements
Planets – sun and Neptune
Element – fire and water
Stone – turquoise and lepidolite
Birds – snipe
Animals – unicorn
Color – blue
Gemstone – beryl
Deities – Thor, Woden, Mars, Uranus, Gwydion, Odin, Poseidon, Eostra, Minerva
Day - Wednesday
Tarot – hanged man
Conservation and Ecology
The ash is an important tree in its ecological community. In North America, they are a home and food source for many wildlife species.
Frog tadpoles eat the fallen leaves. White tailed deer enjoy the leaves. The trees are a host for many insect species which makes them a popular tree with birds.
Ash is also an important food source for many butterfly larvae species such as the
The American ash has fewer tannins in its leaves with make them a good food for wildlife. However, because they have fewer tannins, they are also more at risk to the Emerald Ash Borer which has become a great threat.
These ravenous beetles have killed an estimated ten million ash trees. Scientists have been trying to combat the beetles by introducing biological controls.
Family Connection
Take a nature walk and find ash trees. Hang pretty ribbons or yarn on their branches. Thank the tree for all the things it contributes to the world.
Ash Magic
The ash month is a great time to learn more about your inner self, This month focus on magic that’s helps you to become a stronger more confident person.
Ash wood is used for ocean rituals, healing, making rain, prophetic dreams, prosperity, health, protection.
Tools
The ash tree has long been a valuable lumber tree and used for making many things. Native Americans used the wood for bows and spears. It is used today for handles on tools.
Tools made of ash are very productive. Wands made of ash are very good for protection spells.
Use this month to bless your tools.
Witches Besoms
Ash is a wonderful wood to use to make a witch’s besom or broom. During the anti – witch years of the middle ages and into early America it was felt that witches hid their wands in the bristles of their brooms.
The witch then used the brooms to fly to nocturnal gatherings. We often see Halloween witches depicted flying on brooms by the light of the moon.
Today we do less flying on broomsticks, however the besom is still an important and potent article for ritual magic.
Witches Besom Photo by R. Schmidti
Make a Besom
Brooms that are mass-produced don’t have the magical power of one that is homemade.
If you are able, find a young ash tree that you can bond with. With the trees, blessing removes a strait limb about four feet long for your handle. Remember to thank the tree and leave a gift.
You may also go to a hardware store and purchase an ash wood handle made for tools.
Start by performing a ceremony to make the wood your own. Give thanks to the tree and to a deity of your choosing.
Honor the wood with sacred symbols. You can carve or paint runes, symbols important to you, or just infuse powerful colors.
Adorn the handle with ribbons, bells, feathers, whatever has meaning to you.
Infuse your own power with the besom by gently blowing your breath up and down the handle.
These will all increase the potency of the broom.
Now attach plants for bristles. You can use twigs of ash, birch, or willow. Wheat or oat straw. Plants in the artemisia family work well.
Use hemp to bind them to the handle. Since this broom is for rituals you don’t have to worry about the strength of the plants.
How to Use Your Besom
Use it for the opening and closing of a ritual to cleanse the space.
At the start of a new moon sweep the air of your home in a cleansing ritual.
Sweep away negative energy (don’t let the bristles actually touch the ground).
Place it under your bed to prevent nightmares.
Jumping the Broom
An African American marriage ritual from the 1600s is Jumping the Broom. It is thought to have come from West Africa with people who were captured and sold into slavery. While sadly it is associated with slavery, many now see it as a way to honor their heritage.
Slaves used this as a part of their non-church marriage ceremonies. During the wedding ceremony the couple holds hands and jumps over the broom.
Couples today with African heritage often Jump the Broom. Both Christian and Pagan ceremonies may incorporate this tradition. It symbolizes sweeping away the new and welcoming a new life together.
Healing
Historically the ash is believed to strengthen the liver and spleen. It cleanses the body.
Greek physician Hippocrates used it in remedies for gout and arthritis.
If you place the leaves inside your shoes your feet will feel refreshed.
Ash can absorb illness – place leaves and twigs in medicine pouch and wear
Dreams
Ash helps us to connect us with other realms through dreams or journeys. Place a leaf or a few seeds under your pillow to induce prophetic dreams
Check out our Celebration Calendar!
The birch tree symbolizes starting over, fertility, rebirth, and regeneration. In fact, birches are one of the first trees to grow back after a forest fire.
Birch or Beithe, is the first tree of the Ogham, the Celtic tree alphabet. Beithe (pronounced ‘bey’) is the Gaelic word for birch and means inception or existence.