by Linda Paul

Created on: March 30, 2008

Unlike today, our world was once covered with thick forests. Dense woods of oak, elm and chestnut covered Northern Europe for coast to coast. The forest was the matrix of a tribe's survival, providing protection, food, shelter, medicinal herbs, and wood for fires. From the forests sprang the very culture and spirituality of the clans and tribes.

When trees within a forest were cleared for a settlement, the early Celts always let stand the largest of the trees in the center. This tree was called the crann bethadh in Ireland, which translates to the Tree of Life. This tree was the central focal point of the settlement-representing the security and integrity of the people. This tree was seen as the great mother and sustainer, connecting the tribe through its roots and branches to the power of the upper world and through its roots to the power of the lower world. Cutting down a tribe's mother tree was a penalty punishable by death.

Not only did trees provide basic survival for the tribes, they also provided a sense of mysticism. They were regarded as living magical beings from the Otherworld. It was the wood from the nine sacred trees that kindled the need fires on the sacred days, and the names of the trees which formed the letters of the Ogham alphabet. These sacred letters bore great power when carved into spears and staves. Rowan protected the home and ash allowed a spear to soar high and true to it's mark. The Ogham (pronounced owam), or sacred Druidic alphabet, contained hidden secrets for magic and divination. Only the initiated could understand these occult meanings.

Sacred groves of trees called nemetoi could only be entered and lived within by priests and priestesses. These were the sacred temples of the Druids. Groves like Boceliande and Caledon were holy places. When they were invaded by Celtic Christian priests and desecrated, it was as much a spiritual blow to the people of the tribes as it was a physical one.

The Celts believed that many trees where inhabited by spirits or had spirits of their own. This idea most notably applied to any tree with a strong aura around it. They also believed that certain trees had a healing influence on humans. From this ancient respect for the power of trees came the expressions 'touch wood' and 'knock on wood'.

Oak, ash, and thorn were called the faery triad of trees. Where they grow together,
faeries live.

According to an Irish legend, a giant named Treochair (Three Spouts) came from the Otherworld bearing a branch on which

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