The Desert Path

The Dusty Ramblings of a Desert Pagan

Celtic Tree Month of Ash

Posted on February 20, 2025 by Cat

Celtic Tree Month of Ash/ Nuin runs from Feb. 18-March 17

Plant Information:

The mighty ash tree can grow up to 130 feet in height and is found in Europe and North America. It is a member of the Olive family. This tree will stop growing when it reaches approximately 60 years old, it is believed that by that time the tree has obtained its full growth potential. Ash trees are easily recognized by their black buds, small springtime flower clusters, and the inch-long winged seeds that stay on the tree until autumn when they fly off like helicopters. The leaves of this tree grow in multiple oval leaflets and provide some nice orange to purple fall color.

Ash is a hardwood tree and its wood is strong, flexible shock resistant. It is for these reasons that it is used for making boat oars, ax handles, sports equipment, and wagon wheels. Ash was also a favorite of the ancient Celts who used it for spear shafts while the ancient Egyptians used ash wood for bows and arrows, and had great quantities of it imported.

Ash spears were considered a powerful magical tool of Celtic Shamans, even more so than the wand. It was a symbol of the Shaman’s strength of will and personal power.

Ash Lore:

The Celts associated the ash tree with the sea and the underwater kingdom of Tethys. It is also associated with the underworld and sacrificial deities, representing leading the soul into the afterlife. Celtic myth calls ash the tree of enchantment and it is said the Welsh Magus Gwydion made his wands from its wood. Druid wands were made of ash as are the pipestems of the sacred Lakota pipes.

This tree also appears in Norse myth as the world tree Yggdrasil, World Tree, or Cosmic Ash. This tree spans the universe. Roots deep into the earth and the heavens supported by its mighty branches. The ash tree was seen as spanning the world and the world within each person. The ancient Druid phrase ” Know yourself and you will know the world” pretty well sums it up. It also shows us how we are linked with the world around us.

In Magic

In Magic, the ash tree (wood, leaves, seeds) can be used in the following spells (charms, etc.), creative endeavors, protection, attracting things, love, healing, fertility, and transitions.

Charms of ash wood were used for protection against storms and drowning. It was also used as a love charm. You were to place an ash leaf in your left shoe and then you would be sure sure to meet your future spouse. Double leaves were lucky as were leaves with equal sections on both sides of the center leaf vein. However, you would be unlucky in love if the ash tree on your land didn’t grow seeds every year.

Magical tools were also created from this tree. Ash spears were considered a powerful magical tool of Celtic Shamans, even more so than the wand. It was a symbol of the Shaman’s strength of will and personal power. Wiccans and Pagans traditionally use it for making Besom handles.

As a magical name, Ash is perfect for a true warrior and leader, one who is comfortable with themselves and their abilities. It is generally thought of as a man’s name but could also be used for a strong woman.

Ash People

People born in the month of Ash tend to be ambitious but with an egotistical side. They also tend to be overachievers and need to be the best in everything they do. They do not care for criticism earned or not which makes them highly sensitive. On the upside, they are reliable, intelligent with artistic talent, and make faithful lovers. Ash people also seem to have a dual personality which makes it hard for others to understand their true nature and motives behind their actions.

Correspondences for Ash:

Names: Venus of the Woods, Tree of water, Hoop ash
Deities: Eostre, Frigg, Frey, Dagda, Odin, Hel, Llyr, Poseidon
Sacred Stones: Quartz Crystal, Coral
Animals: Butterfly, Snipe, Crane, White Hound, Snake.
Element: All
Spells: Strength, Protection, Prosperity, Healing
Color: Green, pale blue

compiled by Cat from the following sources: the crystal forest
The New Book of Magical Names, Phoenix McFarland
Cunninghams Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, Scott Cunningham
Flower and Tree Magic, Richard Webster
Tree Totem.com

I invite you to check out my websites!

The Desert Path: The dusty ramblings of a desert pagan. https://thedesertpath.com/

Sacred Spirals (the place where all paths meet)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/SacredSpirals/

Cat’s Morning Bits for October 22, 2018

Posted on October 22, 2018 by Cat

CMB canva sm

Cat’s Morning Bits for October 22, 2018

Good Morning Beautiful Souls, grab a cup of your favorite morning brew and start things off with “Today’s Inspirations”. I hope you find something here that will make you feel good or help you on your path today.

Blessings, Cat

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Now by great marshes wrapt in mist,
Or past some river’s mouth,
Throughout the long, still autumn day
Wild birds are flying south.

-William Wilfred Campbell (1858-1918)

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Spiritual Unite: Soulmate Signs From The Universe

A soulmate is the most commonly used term for true love. Many people crave for this relationship. A soulmate is a person with whom you feel comfortable and happy. There’s a sense of deep love as well. Any individual could have one or more than one soulmate in their life. Soulmates come into your life to perform a specific task.

https://www.spiritualunite.com/articles/soulmate-signs-from-the-universe/

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MBG: What This Month’s Rare Retrograde Means For Your Love Life

You may have heard the hype about Venus retrograde, a six-week backspin that happens every 18 months and will be in full force from October 5 to November 16, 2018. When the Heavenly Headmistress of Harmony takes this celestial sabbatical, relationships can go awry. Our normal levels of kindness and compassion deplete, and the past can creep back in—from ex-flames to old inflammatory issues.

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/venus-retrograde-2018

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Daily Good: How Silence Leads Us To Awe

When life leaves us “dumb-struck”, awed into silence, we are jolted into living and understanding with our right brains. These moments are universally understood as deep spiritual experiences. In this excerpt from the book “The Lotus and the Rose”, Matthew Fox and Lama Tsomo explore this essential spiritual principle using the lenses of Christianity and Buddhism.

http://www.dailygood.org/story/2122/how-silence-leads-us-to-awe-matthew-fox-lama-tsomo/

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Elephant Journal: October 24th Full Moon—Be a Hunter, not a Space Cadet.

The full Hunter’s Moon comes October 24th.
It rises just after sunset, and sets around sunrise, making this the only night in the month when the moon is in the sky all night long. The Native Americans call it the Hunter’s Moon, because the game is fat from a summer of foraging, and now is the time to go hunting and prepare stores for the long winter ahead.

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2018/10/october-24th-full-moon-are-you-a-hunter-or-a-space-cadet/

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MNN: Ancient graffiti reveals the real date of Pompeii’s destruction

Archaeologists excavating a previously untouched portion of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii have come across a remarkable discovery: dated graffiti that appears to have been made just prior to the city’s destruction.

Cat’s Bits for November 11-18 A Trip Down The Salt Road

Posted on November 11, 2017 by Cat

CBP November

Cat’s Bits for November 11-18 A Trip Down The Salt Road

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November Events:

Nov. 11 Veteran’s Day

Nov. 18 New Moon at 6:42 am EST

Nov. 21 Sun enters Sagittarius at 10:05 pm EST

Nov. 23 Thanksgiving Day USA

Nov. 25 Celtic Tree Month of Elder begins

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A Trip Down The Salt Road

Most people tend to view salt as a common household item. It can be found lurking in cupboards everywhere. But in ages past salt was viewed quite differently. For thousands of years was an important but difficult to obtain commodity. It contributed to civilization as we know it. By using salt our ancestors were able to preserve seasonal foods and made it possible to ship food over great distances. By the Bronze Age specially constructed roads called “salt roads had been established which helped make salt more accessible. One of these roads can still be seen in Germany and runs from Luneburg to the German Baltic coast.

This mineral that we take for granted now was a highly valued trade item and was used as a form of currency. Salt could be used to obtain other goods including slaves. The phrase “not worth his salt” is said to have come from ancient Greece, where one could trade salt for slaves. During the Middle Ages only the very rich could afford to have salt at their table. It was during this period that “master salt cellars” became the in thing. The master salt cellar would be prominently placed at the head of the table as a symbol of status. People knew how they were ranked by their position to the master salt cellar. If you were important you sat “above the salt” and if you were not you “sat below the salt.” Because of it’s value the sharing of salt was a symbol of trust and friendship. Woe to he , or she, who spilled salt as it was seen as a grievous insult as can be seen by this German proverb, “whoever spills salt arouses enmity”.

One thing that has remained constant through the centuries is the use of salt in religious practices. It can be found on altars as a symbol of purity. References to salt appear 30 times within the Bible in both Old and New Testament. it is used in the Jewish faith as a remembrance of sacrifice and in the Catholic church it is used in a variety of purification rituals and for exorcisms. For Pagans and Wiccans it is an altar staple that represents the element of earth or sometimes water depending on your tradition. It is also used for purification, cleansing and protection spells. According to Buddhist tradition, salt repels evil spirits and in the Shinto religion salt is used for purification. This can be seen during sumo matches when a handful of salt is thrown into the ring to drive away evil spirits. In the American Southwest there is a Hopi legend about the Warrior Twins punishing man by making it hard work to extract the salt they needed. The Zuni people honor Salt Woman ( Ma’l Oyattsik’i) who lives in the Zuni Salt Lake. This is a sacred site for many of the southwest tribes who collect the salt during summer when the water evaporates for ceremonies.

Finally, salt has it’s place in superstition as well. In European lore spilling salt is an evil omen. One theory for this is that during the last supper Judas Iscariot spilled the salt. In fact you can see this in da Vinci’s painting “The Last Supper”. ( I had to look at it myself) If you actually spill salt you can avert bad luck by tossing a pinch over your left shoulder. This remedy is of Christian origin and has to do with the Devil. By throwing a pinch of salt over your left shoulder you are throwing it in the Devil’s eye. It’s supposed to blind him and fend off the bad luck he has in store for you. There are other superstitions about salt and if you are interested you can read about them here: http://superstitiondictionary.com/superstitions-about-salt/

I hope that you have enjoyed our little journey down the “salt road”

Bright Blessings for a Magickal Week!

Cat

Laura (Cat) Bolotin has been following an eclectic pagan/spiritual path for over 25 years. She currently lives in Western Colorado where she enjoys communing with nature, desert crawling, belly dancing, nature photography, jewelry crafting and writing stuff she hopes will help others along their path. She is married and owned by 6 cats.

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Please feel free to check out my websites!

The Desert Path: The Dusty Ramblings of a Desert Pagan. https://catsister.wordpress.com

Sacred Spirals on Facebook: The Place Where All Paths Meet https://www.facebook.com/groups/sacredSpirals/

This page may be shared with others as long as no changes are made, and ALL credits, links, photos and copyrights remain intact. All written work and are created by and copyrighted to LBolotin/Cat 2007-2017

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