Tag: Green Man

How to do a Green Man Ritual

I found this great Green Man by Abby Willowroot and thought I ought to share!

A Green Man Ritual

Practicing the ways of the Green Man means living in harmony with nature and living according to the seasons. It means looking for the blessings and gifts that are unique to each time of the year.  Without winter, there is no spring; without summer there is no harvest.  rituals fo the Green Man can be done for many purposes – to heal the environment, to restore balance, or to ensure abundance and the success of new ventures.  Green Man rituals should be performed with green, white or light blue, and yellow candles.  Green candles are for growth, health and vegetation.  White or blue candles represent air.  Yelow candles shine with the light of the Sun and its vital energy and warmth.

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Symbols used in Green Man rituals may include: a growing plant, a branch, fruit, dried grains, a small bowl of earth, leaves, berries, and acorns or other nuts.

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A Green Man Invocation

I call to you now, spirit of nature, strong and free

Come and teach me, I am ready to honour you

I celebrate your gifts; I am ready to learn your truths

As my ancestors did before me.

I see your power and your pain, beneath the green mantle

Of the scars on your body and the great sadness in your eyes

You are no longer abandoned, we hear you again

We are ready, to honour your ways

Reveal yourself, Green Man

Weave your spells of green magic

Teach me and I will listen for your voice;

I will celebrate your sacred wisdom ways.

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It is best to do a Green Man ritual outside, and if possible in a wooded place. Take your shoes off, sink your toes into the cool earth, and feel the energy of the Green Man move up through your body.  Before you begin your ritual, take a few moments to listen to the trees, notice how they rustle, creak and groan as the wind passes through them.  Breathe in the oxygen they have produced for you, and know this is the miracle of the Green Man’s Magic.

In earlier times peasants knew the ways of the fields and forest, and gave back to the Earth with the sacrifice to the Green Man.  Today we still have opportunities to make sacrifices and give back to the Earth, but the sacrifices we are making are those of care, awareness, and moderation.  Recycling and conservation are contemporary Green Man sacrifices.

Today the Green Man is reemerging into our consciousness.  His presence brings balance and energy to the reclaiming of our ancient heritage.  For men, the Green Man is especially important, as he is a guide to accessing balanced male power. In our time, the Green Man is emerging with a clear, strong voice, guiding us toward a healthier and more stable balance with nature.

By Abby Willowroot

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You can find all my lovely Green Man items here. Do you honour the Green Man?  Have you done any Green Man rituals or similar?  Leave your comments and experiences below!

Learn about the Green Man

Who is the Green Man?

Green Man JewelleryThe GreenMan is that spirit, energy, presence, inherent in every cell of the vegetative realm, and transmitted to the animal/human realms through the foods we eat, the flowers we smell, the trees we hug. he is interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, representing the cycle of growth being reborn anew each spring.

Although the Green man is today commonly associated with Paganism, in many ways he transcends any one religion as you will find his symbolism used in many cultures and religions around the world. The Green Man motif has many different faces and variations and is often related to natural vegetative deities springing up in different cultures throughout the ages. He has been found on tombs as long ago as the 2nd Century and he can also be seen in medieval and ancient myths, from the Green Knight of the Arthurian legends to Robin Hood. Some of the earliest Green Men have been traced to ancient Rome.

A good search of many churches and cathedrals will often lead you to discover a carving of a human head within a mass of leaves. Sometimes, the leaves appear to grow out of the head itself; at other times the human head seems to be a chance result of the configuration of the leaves.

I’ve got some lovely Green man products in my shop

A beautiful Green Man Pendant that can be used to help to raise planetary energy for spell workings, or simply as a gorgeous piece of jewellery. You can take it to a green area like a forest or park and meditate with it in your hand or around your neck.

A stunning Green Man Altar Cloth or wall covering depicting the Green Man in his verdant foliate form. A delightful muted green in colour, the celtic knotwork and oak leaves designs on its surface take on greater significance as you place your altar item in harmony with its swirling markings or use it to decorate your wall.

 

What is Ogham?

Many experts believe that the Ogham was a symbolic system used by the Druids containing their sacred teachings.  Theirs was an oral tradition and each of the letters contained certain teachings as well as a Mystery (or several that were all related).  You can find many examples of Ogham letters carved onto trees around England and Ireland.

Today many people use Ogham for divination, often carving the symbols onto sticks. I recently did a tree energy workshop, working with willow, and got to carve the Ogham symbol into my talisman of willow!