In Irish mythology, the first man sprang from an Alder tree. It supports and protects humankind and is allied with human goals. The Alder is a sacred tree in Germanic, Druidic, and Celtic lore, and is said to be a gateway to the Otherworld. Alder wood is resistant to decay and hardens when immersed in water, making it very valuable to European builders before the invention of concrete. When cut, the white wood releases red-orange sap, giving the appearance of bleeding. Alder trees are associated with battle and steadfast survival. The Alder tree is gentle in appearance but possesses legendary strength. Seek out the most current information on these woods and use your best ethical judgement as a Witch. It’s not an endorsement of using rare or vulnerable trees for your wand. These wood descriptions are provided for information purposes only. Some trees should only be pruned of branches at certain times of year (or not at all). Some wand woods listed here are scarce or threatened in their natural habitats. Be creative with your offerings: A gift of energy or money toward distant conservation efforts could stand in for the more traditional offering of blood, milk and honey, or fertilizer. If you can’t make contact with the individual tree that provided your wand wood, at least take the time to study and meditate on the ruling spirit of that type of tree. But, depending on the type of wood desired, that may not always be practical. Ideally, the magick worker would craft a wand in communion with both spirits. The ruling spirit does not die, but lives through every existing Oak, and is concerned with manifesting its greater purpose in the world. It also has a ruling spirit (the spirit of “capital-O” Oak). It has an individual spirit (i.e., the spirit of the oak tree) that dies when the plant dies, and is primarily concerned with the health and survival of that individual plant. Here are my (admittedly simple and animistic) thoughts on the matter of purchasing wand wood: Each tree has two spirit beings attached to it. Unless you have extensive woodcrafting experience and access to specialty tools, you may not be able to craft a wand that matches your inner vision of what the Wand should be. Unless you happen to live in the tropics, you’re not going to be able to go out back and prune a branch of Mahogany for your wandcraft. There’s no shame in using other avenues to obtain the wand of your dreams. Making your own wand from a local tree is an excellent way to bond with your tool, but it's not strictly necessary. Many also prefer to shape their own wand by hand-indeed, this is a beginner’s exercise that is required by some magickal traditions. Many Witches prefer to use wood from a tree they visit often, or even a tree that is under their care. Each tree spirit has its own customs/prohibitions and preferred offerings. Others maintain that the most powerful wands are cut from living branches (after observing the proper permissions and offerings to the tree spirit, of course). Some say that wands should be made from fallen branches only. There is much tradition (and superstition) that concerns the gathering of wood for magickal wands. For this article, we’re going back in time to learn the ancient meanings of each tree, and into the present to visit the experiences of “real” magick workers. Still, for the serious practitioner, Potterania leaves something to be desired. Rowling was clearly inspired by some of the occult traditions surrounding various trees. That’s fine for imaginative play, of course-and J.K. Many wood properties and meanings have been subsumed into the lore of the Harry Potter universe. I’ve included an overview of each tree, personal notes about the energy of each wood, and some comments about its availability for the shopper (or scavenger). It’s not an exhaustive list, but it’s a start. The woods on this list are drawn from three broad categories: The traditional Celtic (Ogham) trees, domestic trees that are more commonly found in American parks and backyards, and the exotic imported woods that are favored by luxury wandmakers. This list is alphabetical and includes many of the most common wand woods. Welcome to the world of woods! As a wand-maker (or wand purchaser), you may wish to know more about the different woods that lend their character to your magickal tools.
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