Entering the Birch Grove.

Setting up a spiritual practice through the birch tree.

A warm welcome to you all. A new month, a new season, a new beginning for our Woodland Bard Community. This month you are invited to join us in exploring the lore of the birch tree. This article will enable you to set up a profound spiritual practice at home both with the recordings below and the written material.

All you have to do is scroll down.

To enhance your practice and learn more you can join us LIVE for our Woodland Bard Sessions which offer deep meditations and insights through gentle drumming, prose and ritual. The next one is on Sunday 22nd October at 6pm and you are very welcome to join our community.

Setting up a regular spiritual practice through the Birch Grove.

Of withered trunk fair haired the birch.
Faded trunk and fair hair.
Browed beauty worthy of pursuit.
Most silver of skin.

Book of Ballymote 1391

Birch opens thresholds, it has a key function of creating a liminal space where we can meet subtle reality, a place where we can begin our journey into the inner worlds. The word for birch in the ogham alphabet is beithe which means ‘being’ or ‘a being’ meaning this is an ideal tree to start our practical work.

A function of birch mentioned in the Irish texts was to guard Lugh’s wife from being taken into fairy land and this idea of protection continues in the story of Diarmuid and Grania:

‘…Diarmuid cut down the wood round about them, and he made a fence having seven doors of woven twigs, and he set out a bed of rushes and of the tops of the birch-tree for Grania in the very middle of the wood.’

Here we have a protective hut with a bed of rushes and tops of the birch-tree, this is a perfect place to start our studies. A place to enter our Coich anam, our soul shrine, which is invulnerable, inviolate and impenetrable to that which does not aid us.

Setting up a sacred space.

The first step is to set up a sacred space be it a room or a small area within a room. It needs to be somewhere where you can sit for the time allocated undisturbed by anyone and ideally a place where you can light a candle. I begin with an opening invocation to Brighid who is the ultimate protection and anam cara (soul friend) for the tradition, followed by a traditional Irish prayer of the elements and an invocation to the land.

Please find below a recording of the opening invocations and call to the seven directions that I use. This can stand alone and be used as a daily practice. Please feel free to adapt and make it your own :

Prayer to Brighid

Brighid on my alter is a key focus with offerings of hazelnuts, milk and honey. The benefits of a simple daily practice of prayer, meditation and contemplation is immeasurable whether it be for a few minutes or for over an hour. These practices hold and support us in difficult and challenging situations and cannot be underestimated.

‘Brighid, women ever excellent,

Golden radiant flame,

Lead us to the eternal kingdom,

The brilliant dazzling sun.

May Brighid guide us past

Crowds of devils,

May she break before us

The attack of every plague.

The branch with blossoms,

The mother of Jesus.

The true virgin, easy to love,

With great honour,

I shall be forever safe

With my saint of Leinster.’

Extract from Ultan’s hymn, oldest hymn in Irish language possibly 7^th Century.

Opening prayer to the elements.

‘I arise today through the Strength of heaven: Light of sun, Radiance of moon, Splendour of fire, Speed of lighting, Swiftness of wind, Depth of sea, Stability of earth, Firmness of rock.’ 

The blessing of the elements – translation Kuno Meyers 1925 

Invocation to the Land

‘I invoke the land of Ireland, surging is the mighty sea,

Mighty is the upland full of meadows, full of meadows is the rainy wood,

Rainy is the river full of waterfalls, full of waterfalls is the spreading lake,

Spreading is the spring of multitudes, a multitude of people is the assembly,

The assembly of the King of Tara, Tara is a tower of tribes,

The tribes of the sun of Mil.

Warriors of ships, of vessels, Ireland is a mighty vessel,

Flourishing is Eber Donn, a very wise incantation, of the very wise wives of Bres,

Outcry of the wives of Buaigne, Ireland is a vast woman,

Eremon smote her, Ir and Eber entreated her.

I invoke the land of Ireland.’

Lebor Gabála Érenn - Irish texts society.

Chant:

Eriu, Banba, Fodla, I invoke the land of Erin,

Fruitful be her seas, perpetually green her forest,

I feel her in my bones, I feel her in my blood.

We shall also have seven doors for the seven directions as in the story of Diarmuid and Grania. The doors are north, south, east and west, above, below and centre. This will envelop us in our soul shrine creating a bubble of protection as well as a space conducive to going within. Seven is a key number in traditions from all over the world giving meaning to the seven generations, the seven ancestral Queens of the Milesians (ancestors of the Gaels) and our seven directions. Robert Kirk a Scottish minister and folklorist of the seventeenth century, most famous for his book on the Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and Fairies which details accounts of fairy lore from the Highland people, was the seventh son of James Kirk. Robert Kirk stresses the mystical gifts that are often bestowed upon the seventh son in a family. There is also a reference to the number seven from the Irish tale of Mac Datho’s pig.

‘Seven doors in the hostel and seven passageways and seven hearths and seven cauldrons.’

Our final reference to seven in this section is the seven folds of the cloak of Angus Og which enable him to take people under his protection to a place they need to be. In the story of Diarmuid and Grania Angus Og rescues Grania under the fold of his cloak. This protective element of Angus Og is further explored in the Tochmarc Étaíne when he cares for Étaín who is under attack from the great Sorceress Fúamnach. Étaín is only safe in Brú na Bóinne, a remarkable prehistoric passage tomb which may well be the ultimate soul shrine of protection in Irish Mythology.

Finding or making your four sacred hallows.

The four sacred hallows are made exceptionally clear in the Irish source texts as they are described in the opening passage of the great epic entitled -

‘The battle of Maige Tuired and the birth of Bres, son of Elatha and his reign.’

Here is the passage introducing the Tuatha Dé Danann, the four cities of learning, the four poets and the four hallows.

‘The Tuatha Dé Danann lived in the Northern Isles of the world, learning lore and magic and druidism and wizardry and cunning, until they surpassed the sages of the arts of heathendom. There were four cities in which they learnt lore and science and the diabolic arts, to wit Falias and Gorias, Murias and Findias.

Out of Falias was brought the stone of Fal, which was used in Tara. It used to roar under every King that would take the realm of Ireland. Out of Gorias was brought the spear that Lugh had. No battle was ever won against it or him that held it in his hand. Out of Findias was brought the sword of Nuada, when it was drawn from its deadly sheath, no one ever escape from it, and it was irresistible. Out of Murias was brought the Dagda’s cauldron. No company ever went from it unthankful.

Four wizards there were in those four cities. Morfesa was in Falias: Esras was in Gorias: Uscias was in Findias: Semias was in Murias.

Those are the four poets of whom the Tuatha De learnt lore and science.’

Extract from The battle of Maige Tuired and the birth of Bres, son of Elatha and his reign translated by Whitley Stokes.

The four hallows you need to obtain or hold within you are therefore the Stone, Spear, Sword and Cauldron.

These items need not be large and ostentatious but easy to carry and set up for your regular practice. By entering the experience of animism (the doctrine that everything has a soul) and knowing the items you collect are truly alive they become the hallows not just representations. For this to happen and this applies to any items used for inner work you will either need to obtain them as a gift from a friend, make them or find them. You may well find them in a shop such as a cauldron in an antiques store but still treat them as a sacred item rather than a material purchase. The items can be small or even miniature to fit in a bag.

In many traditions there is a concept of using a sacred bag containing holy items. Buddhist monks and Hindu Sadhus carry such a bag in Eastern traditions and in the Irish tradition we hear of the craneskin bag passed down to the heir of a clan. The original bag was said to have been created from Manannán mac Lir, the deity of the sea (the depth of the sea being the ultimate bag of never-ending treasures). This bag was passed down to Cuiall and then Fionn, representing the spiritual responsibility of the great leaders and warriors. Being in a bag they can travel with you and enable you to create a ritual/meditation space wherever you go.

These items can aid us and as tools hold qualities and memories that enable us to work with a tangible physical embodiment of an abstract, creative and spiritual ideal. This therefore creates a body/mind connection with the spiritual work.
 
Ritualistic methods carried out each day enhance that connection even if ultimately that state can be obtained without them. As you use the items, they become an extension of yourself working as allies to help you with your inner work.

You can now create your seven doors with the words and associations below or create your own associations by meditating with each direction and the meaning they hold for you, remember inner work is always best with a personal connection to what you do. Please note in the texts the cities, poets and hallows have not been given a direction, this has been left to others to interpret and they sometimes do vary. These hallows have influenced the modern pagan movement and have continued in story especially through the Arthurian mythology. 

Please note this alignment can be very simple, you could just use the last line of each direction that is written below in bold. You can always add to the directions over time or keep them as they are. For instance next month we shall have a deeper exploration of the seven doors connecting with the directions through the sacred trees as guardians.

Start in the East and move round clockwise as indicated below: 

Hold up a sword/knife/athame to represent the East and Air and say:  I call to the Spirits of the East, Aengus Óg, Midir of Brí Léith, Elcmar of Sid in Broga, Boann of Brú na Bóinne, Bealach na Bó Finne, the sword of Nuada in the city of Findias and the poet Uscias.

I call to birth and song, of Imbolc and spring and of dawn and of youth. 

Hold up a spear/wand to represent the South and Fire and say: I call to the Spirits of the South, Lugh mac Cien of Sidh Rodraban, Lugh Lamhfada, Lugh Samildánach the spear of Lugh in the city of Gorias and the poet Esras. 

I call to energy and passion, of Beltane and summer and of midday and of adolescence. 

Hold up a chalice/cup/cauldron to represent the West and Water and say: I call to the Spirits of the West, Manannán mac Lir, Domnu the Giantess, the western isles, Tír na nÓg, Tír Tairngire , Tír fo Thuinn, Mag Mell, Tír na mBan, the cauldron of the Dagdha, the city of Murias and the poet Semias.

I call to sorrow and dream, of Lughnasadh and autumn of twilight and maturity. 

Hold up a stone to represent the North and Earth and say: I call to the Spirits of the North, the Dagdha, Eochaid Ollathair, the Morrigu, Nemhain, Badb, Macha, the sovereignty of the land Ériu, Banbha, Fódhla, the Lia Fail, stone of destiny, the city of Falias and the poet Morfessa.

I call to death and rebirth, of Samhain and winter of midnight and old age. 

Focus on the space beneath you and say: I call to the spirits beneath me, Tech Donn, the house of the ancestors and its guardian Donn Dumhach and the seven ancestral queens Tea, Fial, Fas, Liben, Odba, Scota and Scene.

I call and honour my ancestors beneath me.

Focus on the space above you and say: Let us call to that which is above us, the spirit of the Earth Mother herself, Banbha, Domnu, Dalny, Macha, Danu, Boann, Brighid, Cailleach, Tailtu, Corra, Nemhain, Badb, Macha, Ériu, Banbha and Fódhla.

I call and honour the spirit of the Earth Mother above me.

Focus on the centre of where you are and say: Herein lies the mysteries of the land, the guardians of the earth, the keepers of traditions, the makers of Kings, the honour of maidens, the gift of life, the contract of humanity, the destiny of the soul. 

A doorway into the soul of the land, an offering to the Sidhe, our Ancestors and the Earth Mother. 

Make an offering for instance hazelnuts, honey and milk.

At the end of a ritual or meditation you then can open the circle by thanking each element, start in the North and move around anti-clockwise so that you finish back in the East where you began casting the circle. 

You may wish to finish with the words below: 
 
‘By the earth that is her body, by the air that is her breath, by the fire that is her bright spirit, by the living waters of her womb, this circle is open but unbroken. As above, so below.  

Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again. Blessed be.’ 

Meditation on Birch

Once the sacred space is created and any prayers or offerings are given, we can begin to meditate.

The next step is to arrive at a place in nature where you belong, a place that is familiar to you in your imagination. It can be anything from a vast wilderness to a city park or garden. Make your place as real as possible using all your senses. Allow a natural opening to appear in your place, it can take the form of a well, a hollow, the root or trunk of a tree. 

Enter your natural opening within your place in nature and travel down, it need not be dark or claustrophobic but is more likely to be open, light, and welcoming.

You find yourself on a woodland path with the intention of connecting to the birch tree. When you are ready you enter the birch grove or know that it is happening, it doesn’t matter if you cannot visualise just use whatever senses or impressions work for you or simply sit quietly in meditation.

The birch grove is your entrance to a deeper experience of the otherworld. You are cocooned, enveloped by the gentle embrace of these delicate looking trees, here you can reach out to any guides that you may have, be it an animal or ancestor. Simply sit in the grove with any guides that come to you and feel what it is to be here. Resist the temptation to do anything, be in the moment soaking up the feel of the place, protected and and at peace. It is worthwhile spending the time to make your birch grove as real as possible experiencing it with all your senses. In time it will become as real to you as the physical realm and eventually you will experience that it is as real as your physical realm. Here you can top up and return when you are ready.

When you are ready to return slowly open your eyes and adjust back into your everyday life, make sure you fully return, thanking the elements as mentioned above and then by doing a mundane task such as eating or drinking or a planned activity for the evening. Fully returning to your physical life is essential for a grounded ongoing empowering and healing experience.

You can use the video below to meditate with the birch tree :

I hope you have enjoyed this exploration of the birch tree. Thank you for supporting the Woodland Bard School, may we continue to journey together into the sacred landscape.

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