The Magic of Tree Roots

To learn tree root magic, I followed my propensity to learn the magical properties of trees directly, instead of secondhand—I woodwork and sit with trees.

I became obsessed with tree roots. Here’s what I sensed about some tree roots I encountered. The post also includes photos of tree root pendants I made.

Tree Roots Make Miracles

The tree roots I worked with had palpable energy. It was almost visible to the eye.

Their energy bypasses time and anything else that could completely block or even delay one’s goals. In that vein, using tree roots magically (which could mean simply wearing a pendant made of a tree root), I experience the archetype of magic: miracles come to pass against all logic and reason. This occurs in a specific manner:

Obstacles Become Irrelevant

Obstacles to the fulfillment of my wishes become a non-issue; I reach goals regardless of obstacles, and without acknowledging them or otherwise dealing with them.

I’m not suggesting tree root magic, in ignoring an obstacle, blasts through it without even noticing. I’m saying I needn’t concern myself magically with an obstacle to my desired goal—needn’t remove barriers, circumvent barriers, or deal with them any other way. I needn’t limit myself by fixating on the route to my goals (in the sense of believing I must remove blocks in order for the route they are blocking to open for me); magic will get me there along the route that magic chooses.

To reiterate and expand on what I’ve said: Roadblocks are a non-issue because, even if all impediments remain in place, my wish is fulfilled because tree roots are truly magic, the essential archetype of it, fulfilling my wishes against all reason, helping me dwell in a realm where I’m not hemmed as I would be living in the logical world—and the road blocks it insists will hinder me—but can instead trust in an enchanted world.

Going About My Merry Way

My experience that tree root magic can bypass obstacles without necessarily even removing them affirms my belief about life overall: I find it vital, when at all possible, to leave the parts of life that aren’t “mine” as is; that includes neither removing blocks or otherwise dealing with them, but just going about my merry way; a focus on removing blocks or otherwise dealing with them distracts me from living my life and working toward my goals. Of course, there are many times we have to remove blocks, but I’m not addressing those times here.

Not Pulling the Foundation Out from Under Myself

When I told a student of mine (who prefers to remain anonymous) that I felt tree root magic bypasses obstacles without even removing them, he had an brilliant insight: roots, as they grow, move around stones and other impediments, which become part of the foundation of the tree, holding it firmly in place. I love that idea. It affirms my desire to leave what isn’t “mine” as is, and affirms my belief that everything has its place so if, in my magic or another part of life, I fuss with something that’s “not mine,” I might actually harm myself in the long run, e.g., pull a foundation out from under me. Instead, I want to refrain from either moving something to get it out of my way or making it part of my foundation. (There are, of course, many exceptions to this.)

Blackthorn tree root pendant:

Thoughts from a Root Worker and a Sister Wood Witch

My sense of tree root magic is congruent with what Kate, an amazing woodworker, wrote me: “I’ve been told by a root worker that roots have a kind of distilled version of the tree energy. … I’ve always found roots of all kinds to be tenacious, persevering, ancient and ageless at the same time. … They’re also in touch with the dark, hidden, secret magics and ancient truths.”

(I’ve never heard the term Wood Witch. I made it up— though I imagine someone else has used the term at some point, though perhaps not to mean the same thing I mean. Wood Witch—that makes me happy. To my knowledge, there aren’t many witches who dedicate themselves to crafting magical wood items, and coining a term for it feels like it affirms the important enchantment of such crafting and adds yet more magic to the items.)

I promised posts about the magical properties of trees and, after posting some blogs of that nature, I had to stop adding more for a bit. If you’re a writer, you know what that’s like; you work on one project full-tilt and then your writing energy needs to go elsewhere for a while.

So I’m happy to have gotten this post up today. I must’ve written it a few years ago!

… Except, I want to add this now:

Wood Talismans

Synchronicity: I’m realizing tree root magic is exactly what I need right now. I’m going to put on one of my tree root pendants and, some time soon, make a few more, which will be available for sale. I have a few pieces of tree root left I can woodwork. When I make a wood amulet, even one I’m going to sell, its magic surrounds me and fills my day. I love making talismans. It’s truly a spiritual discipline for me and part of my ongoing shamanic journey.

My newsletter subscribers usually get first dibs on the talismans I make. I don’t have time to make many talismans for sale, and the crafting of each one is very personal to me, so I like them going mostly to folks kind enough to subscribe to my newsletter. Click the banner below to subscribe.

Newsletters also announce my upcoming classes, including Tree Magic, Fairy Druid lessons, and Learn Ogham Divination, an online course that teaches you how to do divination with the ancient Ogham tree alphabet.