The Hazel Tree

One look at the hazel tree and it's easy to see why the Celtic meaning deals with creativity, and why the druids held it in such high regards. The hazel's unusual branch formations make it a delight to ponder, and was often used for inspiration in art, as well as poetry. 

The bards, ovates and druids of the Celtic day would intently observe its crazy branches. Doing so would lead them into other worlds of delightful fantasy. Similar to the way our modern imaginations can be captured by a good movie, the creative Celts were artistically motivated by the seemingly random and wild contortions of the hazel.

A more commonly known fact is that the hazel is considered a container of ancient knowledge. Ingestion of the hazel nuts is proposed to induce visions, heighten awareness, and lead to epiphanies. The legend of Fionn MacCumhail tells of his gaining the wisdom of the universe by simply coming in contact with the essence of the hazel nut.

He did this through the salmon, which were known to eat the hazel nuts that  dropped around a sacred pond encircled by nine hazel trees. It was fabled that from their diet of the nuts, the salmon were keys to infinite knowledge. Fionn burned his finger while preparing a soup of these very salmon. Instinctively, Fionn thrust his finger in his mouth to soothe the burn and by this slight contact he became enlightened.

Interestingly, today we find that the hazel nut has proven to be a brain food. The nut, itself, contains double the protein and healthy fats making it a natural nourishment for brain function.

Nature Connection:

• When you are creatively stuck or your intellectual growth seems stagnate, call upon the energy of the hazel tree. Better yet, eat a few hazelnuts, or make a necklace from them. Often, such necklaces were worn for protection as well as to illicit visions.