Today I walked into town with my youngest daughter strapped onto me. I left my 2 eldest back at the truck with a friend, it's best to keep them out of the town during school hours as I don't want anyone asking me why they are not attending. I walk this way 2-3 times a week and know the way with my eyes closed and I taught I knew every tree and bush that I passed. But today as I was walking up the track I spotted some red berries in the hedge above me and on closer inspection I saw that yes it was a Hawthorn Tree.
How had I not see it before?
But damn if it wasn't just what I needed to see and be present with, right now. The Hawthorn Tree is the 6th tree of the Celtic Tree Ogham, it is know as the tree of the heart and it represents Love, protection, fertility, the release of blocked energy and preparing oneself for spiritual growth.
With all that has been happening in my life, I have been feeling a little drained, emotional and physically. Hawthorn helps us to reach that calmness that we desire in times of inner turmoil. It is a tree that helps us to trust in the process and let go of any fear that we are holding onto. The Hawthorn tree helps us to move forward, by releasing any blocked energies and helps us get to the root of our difficulties.
The Hawthorn Tree we planted for my first daughter with her placenta, as part of her naming ceremony. It is the little tree in the front, right in the middle of the photo, it looks like a heart to me. We visit it ever time we return to Ireland.
It is such a powerful Tree that helps in bringing us to the realization that Love is the greatest healer. Just being in it's presence and connecting with it's energy, warmer my heart and Knowing that their is one tree not very far from my home means I can easily connect with it when I need to.
This tree is all about transformation, it encourages us to act from the heart, to heal any hurts we have, be they from the past or more recent. When I talk about from the past I also mean from our ancestors. We carry those with us and when we open up to the flow of love that is all around us, we are then allowing our lives to become transformed and the world to become transformed.
The Medicinal Uses of The Hawthorn Tree
The leaves, the flowers and the berries can all be used medicinally. All parts are a really powerful heart tonic, helping to open up the arteries and improve blood circulation. It is also really good for stabilizing high blood pressure and for heart palpitations. It is safe to take over a long period of time. Hawthorn is also really good to use for anxiety and during periods of stress, due to it's calming properties.
It is rich in Flavonoids, which help to reduce arterial stiffening and fatty deposits, overall inproving the general health of your blood vessels. If you do wish to use Hawthorn, it is best to not take any pharmaceutical medicine for the heart along side it.
Please remember to always give thanks to the tree when you harvest it. And always remember to only take what you need. The Hawthorn tree also supplies food for many birds and insects. Be grateful for the gifts that it bestows upon us.
The Berries
The hawthorn berries, known as haws are available in the autumn, and can be used fresh to make a tincture and to make tea. Or dried to be used in a decoction and drank daily especially if you suffer from heart problems. The berries are more potent and are better at lowering blood pressure. You can also crush the dried berries and put them in a smoothie or juice or in raw cakes or energy balls, they add such a beautiful red colour. I have used them like this in energy balls, but unfortunately have no photos to share.
The Flowers
The flowers of the hawthorn tree can also be used to make a heart tincture and also used in a fresh infusion to drink daily. You can also add them to salads. The flowers can be dried, so that you have them year round for infusions. The flowers also have a sedative affect and can be used to help with insomnia. They can also be use to make an amazing flower remedy.
Hawthorn is a profound ally in times of heartache and unfathomable loss. This powerful essence helps to regenerate hope and release grief— encircling the heart with comfort and protection, allowing the space and support to begin to heal. No matter where you go, Hawthorn will stay with you—guiding you through unexpected periods of emotional numbness, overwhelming sadness, and the painful trials of loss.
https://onewillowapothecaries.com/product/hawthorn/
The Leaves
The young leaves can be eaten straight from the tree or added to salads. They also have strong drawing out powers and when made into a poultice will help remove embedded thorns and splinters, I have used it on my girls before at a festival mixed with a little honey and it worked really well.
Drinking Hawthorn tea, really helps to open the heart and helps you to release and let go. It is exactly what I need right now. I really think I am going to have to source some flower essence too. Meeting the Hawthorn Tree today is
another reminder that the universe provides for us, we just need to be open and be willing to receive and to always show our thanks.
8 Pillars of TribeSteemUp
oh the lovely hawthorn. have one in my garden! thanks for the reminder. cool post! Autumn is a sweet time :)x
lovely indeed, you are lucky to have one in your garden, they are not so common where I am now, so was super happy to discover one close by today. Hope you are well my friend xxx
yeah I can imagine in the sunny south they would be sparse! lovely you planted one for your child in Ireland while honouring Ogham calendar !! X
The universe always provides! I love this post. I read it out loud to my hubby too, we really enjoyed it. I am not sure if there is hawthorn in Colorado, but I'm going to check! I'd love to just sit with a heart tree for a little while.
I have also been having a hard time lately and I really appreciate you sharing this post with me. There's a lot of space for opening the heart, and the more it opens, the more it desires expansion.
I appreciate your approach to foraging and the relationships you build with nature. Much to celebrate there indeed! Enjoy your day and that Heart medicine!
thank you @thetreeoflife , I am really happy that you enjoyed it, the hawthorn is such an amazing tree and one I hold dear. You should definitely check out if their are any near you, sitting with them is so healing xxxx
Beautiful. I love the photo of you with bub by the heart hawthorn tree. How special. We had a hawthorn right outside Jamies truck in the woods when I first moved to the UK which felt like a blessing. Thanks for this gorgeous gorgeous addition to the tree remedies in NM Discord too.. we will soon have the whole Ogham in there!
thank you my love, yes lets get the whole Ogham in there, I am so up for that xxx
I would quite like to do Ash or Birch
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yeah please do xxxx that would be great xxx I will have to do Alder as that is my birth tree xx
Interesting sounding blossoms with this medicinal tree, i'll have to remember to look for this one :)
cheers @jackdub, glad you enjoyed the post xx
i need a piece of that hawthorn but now i forgot what for? we had talked about a piece for something .. hmmm wand? LOL
no, not that ... i usually do not use wands. hmmm
walking stick? that would be too big ... did the tree make you feel better ... all trees or mostly old ones anyway do that for me. i really love the photo of the naming ceremony. its so happy and beautiful. thank you for sharing. not a pipe ... bc as a native american only a man can have that for ceremony ... still thinking .....
Thank you xxxx The hawthorn is traditional used to make a brooch or albion knot that was wore on cloths to bring protection and good luck , it is know as the tree of the faeries also and very bad luck to cut one so only ever use wood that has fallen naturally. Here is a picture of one of the knots, not mine unfortunately
https://www.deviantart.com/lolair/art/Albion-Knots-54508517
I did feel a lot better thank you, being next to it, sharing space with it reminded me to let go and open myself up to the flow of love again. trees are such wonderful guides xxxx
yes you and i have talked about this tree before and i was trying to recall the reason. it was a post i made about the hawthorne and you told me about the naming ceremony. we talked about the doula ceremony i was going to have for post birth.
yes I remember now, I made a wand for my daughter and painted the ogham on it for her, to capture the magic of her naming ceremony, you have a great memory my friend xxxxx
Lovely post @trucklife-family. I had no idea that Hawthorn has so many medicinal qualities.
I love the photo of the naming ceremony. So beautiful. You are such an inspiration. ❤
"...it's best to keep them out of the town during school hours as I don't want anyone asking me why they are not attending" - we experienced this today at a grocery store. Lesson learned not to go out with the kids during school hours. Lol
There's a few bushes nearby here with red berries on and I'm now going to investigate if they are Hawthorn. Fingers crossed. We had a hawthorn tree opposite our house back in Sark. If only I had considered its medicinal qualities before.
Much love to you and thank you for such a beautiful and educational post. ❤
thank you my dear, really happy to see you back on here. I hope that they are hawthorn trees you have close to you. Much love to you too xxxx
Thank you for keeping this information alive and passing it along.
Like the druids we need to be stewards of our spaceship. Honoring its gifts and giving back instead of just taking.
yes indeed @jedibaru, It is so important to maintain our connection and be of service to the earth xxx
People might be surprised to discover that life becomes a lot more enjoyable when serving others in healthy ways like assisting their projects or helping around rhe house.
Wow great information here @trucklife-family .. lots of sage advice I never knew and I'm always hungry for new information! I've been looking into the health benefits of mistletoe recently and it's amazing the forgotten magic that resides in our trees and plants .. great post my friend!!
ah mistletoe, you should share your findings xx I really do love to work with trees and they are one of my favourite guides, their gentle ways are so great to keep us grounded and connected and we are so lucky to share space with these elders. I am happy you enjoyed this post, I have more to share as it is a passion of mine xxx
Loved the post my friend, I look forward to bathing in your knowledge again. Oh, if you ever visit Sussex take a wander in Kingley Vale near Chichester .. it's one of the largest and oldest yew forests in Europe, amazing place! :) I think they are isolating a property from the yew tree that could be used in cancer treatment .. although it's fibers can be dangerous to inhale x