Lore and Legends

Birch twigs were fixed above a lover's door on May Day in Cheshire, England, and placed in stables and houses to promote fertility.

Strips of the bark are used in love magic.

The bark was also used in ancient times for writing.

Young men, women and cattle were struck with birch twigs to promote fertility.

It is one of the three pillars of Wisdom (Oak, Yew, Birch).The "Lieschi", or Genii of the Forest, are said to dwell in their tree tops. These creatures were said to view the world from the top of the trees.

Placing Birch branches in a circle with the points towards the centre was said to provide a way of the forest devils appearing.

Russian folk would hang a stem tied with a red ribbon to rid themselves of the evil eye.

Another Russian tale believes that the Mother of God sits on top of a Birch tree on the Island of Buian.

Many farmers planted Birch around their houses to protect against lightning.

Modern Druids burn it to cleanse and purify themselves during ceremonies. By binding together birch twigs and gently striking possessed people and animals with it, the haunting spirits can be exorcised.

In Scandinavia, switches of birch are used on the bodies to stimulate the process of purification in the sauna.

In Britain a Birch rod was used to purify criminals of their sins and misdeeds, and to expel evil spirits.

It was also used as the schoolmaster's/mistress' rod.

Birch represents the first moon of inception and in rituals, of deciding which spiritual seeds one should plant in the year.

To communicate with the Goddess, one has to meditate in a Birch grove.

It is used to make sets of runes for divination by gathering the wood during the waxing of the moon.

Witches made their traditional brooms out of Birch.

The Siberian shamans regard the birch as associated with the underworld. Magic mushrooms, the amanita muscaria, much used in shamanic vision quests mainly grows under silver birches.

In the traditional handfasting ritual and gypsy marriage, the broomstick (correctly a besom) would have the brush part made of birch twigs.

In the Netherlands a May Day custom was for boys to diguise themselves and chase the young women with birch twigs. Those that did not escape were beaten with the twigs. This is one of the examples of birching being a fertility ritual.

In many places in Holland, Germany and England, a couple moving into a new house will find neighbours have tied a bunch of birch twigs over the front door. In Holland too, a husband might symbollicallly beat his new bride with birch twigs for fertility.

In England, a custom, dating from time immemorial, is that of using the branches and sprigs of the birch tree for decorating church for Whit Sunday. This has implications of the new beginnings idea behind the birch.

On Midsummer's Eve customs included decking the house (especially over the front door) with birch, fennel, St. John's wort, orpin, and white lilies.

According to an Estonian legend, a man sleeping under the birch tree was woken by a peasant to save him from the approaching storm. The man thanked the peasant who told him that, 'When, far from thy country and experiencing homesickness, thou shalt see a crooked Birch, strike it and ask, 'Is the crooked one at home?'. It is said that later, when the man became a soldier in Finland he was homesick. Remembering what the peasant had said, he was surprised by the appearance of a crooked birch. As the soldier was repeating the expression, he was shocked to see the peasant appear. The peasant called upon the spirits that were known to him. He asked the spirits to relieve the man's suffering. Instantly the soldier was transported to his home with a knapsack full of shining silver.

According to legend, Christ was beaten with birch rods.

The fasces, a bound bundle of birch sticks enclosing an axe with the blade projecting, were carried by Roman soldiers in advance of emperors or important officials. These fasces symbolized the state's power to punish by flogging (the birch sticks) or by putting to death (the axe).

 

Magickal Associations | Uses of Birch | Types of Birch Trees | Lore and Legends