Plant Witchery: Discover the Sacred Language, Wisdom, and Magic of 200 Plants - Juliet Diaz 2020

Hazel Corylus
A Compendium of Plants

ESSENTIAL PROPERTIES

wisdom, psychic ability

The hazel tree was sacred to Irish cultures—so much so that cutting one down could be punishable by death. There is a story that nine hazel trees grew around a sacred pool, and their fallen nuts were eaten by the salmon living there, who absorbed the hazel trees’ wisdom. A druid and his student made camp by the pool, and the student was instructed to catch and clean the fish. He had been ordered not to eat it, but he cut himself, and when he licked his finger clean, he absorbed some of the fish’s blood with his own, thereby gaining all its knowledge. The student was Fionn Mac Cumhaill, a legendary Irish hero.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Hazelnuts are delicious and packed with nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy fats. They are known for improving blood sugar levels, regulating blood pressure, and reducing inflammation. Pliny the Elder recommended using the bark to cure a cough, and a poultice made from the nuts and shells may ease rheumatism.

MAGICAL PROPERTIES

Hazelnuts are sacred and powerful, but like all nuts, they are often overlooked. But nut Magic should be a part of every Plant Witch’s practice—they amplify your work and increase the vibrations of your spells. If you want to awaken the gifts you carry within, hazel will help you.

PLANT WISDOM

Hazel teaches us that all we need is already within us. Work with hazel to access your inner wisdom, learning how to use yourself as a tool for divination. If you dream of hazel, that means good news is on its way. If you can’t find a tree to sit with, simply hold hazelnuts in your hands while meditating, or keep them on your altar or in your sacred space. I keep them in my pocket while hiking or walking in nature, for they can connect us to nature spirits.