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Rowan Moon
January 21st - February 17th
The Rowan is the second Celtic Moon month and provides spiritual
strength as rowan or mountain ash. This month offers you the opportunity
to strengthen your resolve and nurture your dreams. Wear white to
cast spells, use white candles and eat white foods to attune to
the season.
This tree is adept at surviving in harsh conditions, and often
grows on craggy mountains, higher than any other tree. Its ability
to flourish in inaccessible locations teaches us to persevere. Rowan
Moon sometimes referred to as "the whispering tree", the
rowan tree's magic was well known among the Celts. The Rowan is
also known as the witchen tree, witchwood and witchbane.
The Rowan Tree, or Mountain Ash, is chiefly grown for its beauty,
although it has a finely gained wood. The fruits of the tree give
the rowan its distinctive appearance. The rowan blossoms in May,
giving clusters of scented, creamy-white flowers, which fall to
reveal dense clusters of small green berries. As these berries mature,
they ripen to a rich red colour; this contrast of red berries and
green leaves was thought to be the inspiration for Scottish tartan,
given the proliferation of rowan trees in the Highlands of Scotland.
When these berries have been eaten, the leaves of the rowan turn
to gold, pink and scarlet, and remain on the tree until late October.
The ripened berries, while a wonderful sight, are also an important
and welcome source of food during the winter months for some of
our favourite birds, such as thrushes. The Rowan is a small deciduous
tree, growing up to 30 feet in height. A species of the rose family,
it can live for upwards of 200 years, and as its branches rarely
die, it keeps its graceful shape for the duration if its life. The
rowan tends not to form woods of its own, but is found among other
trees, aiding them by shading new saplings; it is often planted
specifically to protect young trees, but is eventually dwarfed and
smothered by the very trees it once protected. It likes plenty of
light and air, and is often found at high altitudes.
The fruit and bark of the rowan are used as medicines. Rowan fruit
was used for jellies to compliment game. Sweetened with sugar, the
strained jelly is a good substitute for cranberry sauce. A tart
jelly can be made with crab apples and rowan berries. Rowan's berry
is shaped like a five-pointed star, and is the symbol of magical
protection against spells and enchantments. The rowan berries reveal
a natural pentagram at their base, a symbol of the womb of the Earth
Goddess and of protection. These physical attributes give the tree
associations of healing and guardianship. The Rowan tree was believed
to be magical tree, which grew red berries that were the food of
the Gods. These berries were so sacred that it was believed that
the Gods guarded them jealously and kept them from man. A gargle
was made from the rowan tree too, since it was said to have astringent
properties. It was useful in tanning and making black dye. Ale was
made from rowan berries.
A sprig of rowan placed over the door of one's main entrance kept
evil out. Many planted this tree around their house for protection
as well. Leafy rowan twigs bound with red ribbon were often placed
in stables and biers to protect livestock. Rowan is thought to protect
one from lightning and was known as the wildwood or quickbeam because
of this association. The Rowan was placed in churchyards to scare
away demons that might disturb the sleep of the dead. Rowan wands
protected bewitched horses and animals. Rowan stakes were driven
into corpses to stop their ghosts from visiting, especially when
they died under unusual circumstances or in violence.
The Celtic Fire festival of Imbolic (2nd February) falls in the
Rowan Moon, lending this time associations with the Goddess Brigid
to whom the festivities are dedicated. Brigid represents the mother
of the new born Sun and all candle magic is sacred to her (Candlemas).
Like the Snowdrops peeking out of the ground to greet the goddess,
white is a powerful magical symbol during this month. Rowana, the
Tree Goddess, is patroness of the knowledge of runes.
Rowan, or mountain ash, is a potent tool for divination. Collect
rowan sprigs during the Rowan Moon to use as catalysts during your
divination exercises. The Druids inscribed symbols onto rowan rods.
These were scattered about as a question was asked, and the varied
patterns created by the fallen sticks determined the answer. The
Druids also believed that the Creator, Celi who was an invisible
god, manifested in nature including the restless elements such as
lightning, which was also associated with Dragons. Dragons are associated
with new life and thus this period of time is also associated with
the coming of new life out of the dark winter. The Druids used rowan
fires with incantations to summon spirits that might help them in
forthcoming battle
Rowan’s qualities are protection, magic, intuition, a protector
against enchantment, and as a guard of the sacred gateways into
the Otherworld. Rowan symbols are The Green Dragon, Duck, The Crane,
Insight and Blessing, the Planet Uranus
Rowan individuals are basically idealistic and progressive thinkers
possessed of visionary minds. Artistic, original and unconventional.
Rowan people can appear to others as detached and aloof for they
are self-contained individuals and the rest of humanity does not
always share their vision. If Rowans are unable to find an outlet
for their powerful imagination, they easily become restless and
quarrelsome. In terms of a career, the Rowan individual is naturally
drawn toward modern technology and possesses an overwhelming desire
to reorganize and improve on anything, which might be outdated.
Rowan Tree Facts
Scientific Name: Sorbus aucuparia
Height: Reaches heights of approximately 15 - 20 metres.
Wood: Smooth and Shiny grey becoming green-brown
Leaves: Divided into smaller leaves with jagged edges.
Flowers: Small and white with a pleasant fragrance.
Fruit: Red berries that develop in late summer.
Distribution: Found in temperate and mild climates throughout
Asia and Europe. Rowan Trees were also planted in Welsh churchyards.
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