darkazana 1,736 Posted December 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2015 Bright Blessings to you all at Yuletide. Todays the time to bring in your yule log and put up holly to protect your home. Just been reading the last few posts on here. Peverilperil I believe in the spiritual side of trees. Trees have always been held in the highest esteem and feature very strongly in all religions. Pagan beliefs are that they are the link between heaven and earth. Their roots reach down to the underworld, and their branches reach to the heavens. For myself I believe that they are the true guardians of our planet. Without trees there would be no life on this earth as such. They provide us with warmth, shelter, food and most importantly our atmosphere which we breathe. They are also the oldest living organisms on this earth, some of them being thousands of years old. I sometimes wonder about what things they have seen in that time, being here before Christianity and probably all other religions before man appeared. So I can understand their significance to all beliefs. Cutting down a tree is sometimes necessary, when they are old and unsafe. But they live on in the saplings growing nearby. Most trees have a significant role to play in the old ways and are connected with one god or another. A very interesting book to read is The Wisdom of Trees, which covers all their properties, magical, medicinal and functional, and the myths and legends associated with them. Panganism, caftan, is more of a way of life than a religion. Personally I do not regard myself as a pagan, (or a tree hugger) I just follow my own path, living as I see to be right, learning as I go. I feel connections with various aspects of the Old Ways and respect all living things. 8 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radfordred 6,284 Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 Crikey ....... Pagans, Druids and Witches are gathering at Stonehenge as I type for Winter Solstice on a Tuesday ain't they got no work to go too? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeverilPeril 3,300 Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 Blessings to you too darkazana. Good news - our Larch tree is to be spared - well almost. A local expert arborist has advised me to cut certain branches off so that the tree does not threaten the cottage. We are lucky to have some wonderful trees on the fermette. Massif oaks, Sweet Chestnut, Hormbeam, Aspen etc., and the oldest species of all - a very large Monkey Puzzle tree. We have an ancient Yew tree 5m from our house here in Staffs and I have to keep trimming it. It is protected of course. Several of her saplings have been planted out. Ancient Pagans must have had a special place in their beliefs for the Yew. I believe that they can outlive the Oak? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 Good to hear from you darkazana. I hope you have settled in to your new home now, and are you still managing to keep your step count up in your new surroundings. I'm sure you have been out there in the countryside exploring,and keeping fit. The weather has put paid to our cycling step count at the moment, but looking forward to getting out there when we can. Bright Blessings to you and your family. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chulla 4,946 Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 carni, why don't you get down the towpath and take some hot soup and a scarf to Mr Nuddy. LOL Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 Hot Soup. Scarf, I don't think I could catch Mr Nuddy, too quick for me (Thank Goodness) Talk about the Streak!! I think I'll give the towpaths a rest for today, besides I'm too full of Dairy Box and Mince Pies to move off the sofa. Aah, this is the life. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,795 Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 Talking of chocolate Mrs Catfan bought me a small bar of chocolate for a treat this Christmas. Not had any chocolate for the past seven months, honest !! 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 I believe you catfan. A bit of what you fancy aye miduck. Everything in moderation. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darkazana 1,736 Posted December 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 #131 Yes the yew can live to a good age. The oldest one I have seen is the Fortingall Yew near Aberfeldy in Perthshire, it is believed to be over 5000 years old, possibly the oldest on earth. Here is a link to a piece about it. http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/fortingall/yew/index.html #132 Hi Carni, yes my step count has been quite good as we have been busy decorating and getting the house ready for Christmas visitors. Still trying to keep fit, though not needing treadmill at the moment. Haven't been out walking much yet, but have visited Boston a few times, quite a decent little market town, despite reports of violence there (mainly domestic apparently, not on the streets).Haven't been on Nottstalgia much to chat but have been lurking in the background, reading the posts. Sounds like you've been having fun down the canal Carni!!! ​ 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted December 22, 2015 Report Share Posted December 22, 2015 Oh Yes, We do see Life. I don't think Mr Nuddy was trying to impress me darkazana. He had his eyes on the two fellows about 100yards in front of us! Neither he or the fellows were aware that we were there! We must have been giving the silent approach on our cycles. Glad to see your doing OK. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeverilPeril 3,300 Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 darkazana - the Larch tree got her own back on me yesterday. I had to chainsaw several big branches off that were threatening the phone wires and cottage. As I was manoeuvring a heavy branch ready to cut into logs it slipped (moved by an unseen hand?) and it fell across my foot!*!*! I was sure that it had broken my instep. Needed medical attention but a lot better today. I should have said a few words of apology before firing up the chainsaw 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darkazana 1,736 Posted February 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 Oh dear PeverilPeril. Hope your foot recovers soon. I have to admit I usually ask a tree if I need to take something from it (I'm sure that will amuse many!!) At least it was just the branch which slipped. In a similar vein, last year I authorised the removal of several overgrown elder bushes from my Mums garden, not having apologised to the bushes first (the Lady Elder is a particularly important tree mythically) and it so happened that I really struggled to find any elderflowers or berries for my cordial and flu remedy last season....just retribution? More than likely. I hope I have been forgiven for this year 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 My apple tree was giving very little in the way of apples so I tried talking nicely to it ........................................To no avail. So I threatened it with the being chopped..................had some quite good fruit since 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeverilPeril 3,300 Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 Talking to trees may seem quite silly or eccentric to some, but there is a sound, logical reason for it. I talk (silently) to all sorts of things such as special natural scenes such as swaying grass or heather. It is just a way of acknowledging what is around us and part of our existence. I don't think of myself as a tree hugger - just an observer of the most important and precious things that keep us alive.. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 You can get away with talking to your self ......................................People will think you are on your mobile 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
catfan 14,795 Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 Used to be a sign of madness. ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 No that was looking for the hairs on the palm of you hand Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjamin1945 16,281 Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 Think it still is Catfan..............i do it all the time..........even argue with mesen........... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjamin1945 16,281 Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 #142................2nd sign was finding em............. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted February 19, 2016 Report Share Posted February 19, 2016 Or scars on your "life line" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,429 Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 143. Oo wins Ben? ;-) 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
benjamin1945 16,281 Posted February 20, 2016 Report Share Posted February 20, 2016 Not me.......... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darkazana 1,736 Posted March 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2016 Blessed Ostara and Easter have passed, but I thought I would just add a link to a site about Ishtar, an ancient Egyptian god who recently was connected to the pagan celebration of Ostara on facebook. Having read the facebook post I thought this might add an interesting slant to this thread, so I googled Ishtar and the following link came up. It seems it could all lead to a contentious debate.....hopefully not on this thread http://bellejar.ca/2013/03/28easter-is-not-named-after-ishtar-and-other-truths-i-have-to-tell-you/ hmmm just tried the link and it doesn't quite bring up the page, but if you search Ishtar on their page's search engine it then comes up....bizarrely!! 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeverilPeril 3,300 Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 darkazana -Those links are very thought provoking and definately not for discussion on here! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blondie 1,392 Posted March 31, 2016 Report Share Posted March 31, 2016 Most celebrations are originated from Paganism.........What a jolly lot they were..... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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