The Magic of Trees: A Guide to Their Sacred Wisdom & Metaphysical Properties - Tess Whitehurst 2017

Eucalyptus
The Trees

Although eucalyptus is one of Australia’s most famous natives, perhaps no other tree reminds me more potently of my home state of California, a state where—particularly in the coastal areas—the lofty silvery gray-green trees have been naturalized so thoroughly since being introduced in the 1850s that you notice them (and smell them) everywhere.

But you needn’t have grown up in a tropical locale to be familiar with the scent of eucalyptus. A popular ingredient in cough drops, chest rubs, and other cold remedies, her fresh and purifying aroma reminds many of us of healing from every variety of respiratory congestion, from sniffles to coughs to sinus infections.

A tree that draws copious amounts of water from the soil and is simultaneously highly flammable (due to its oil), and a tree that is usually situated in bright, sunshiny locales located next to large bodies of water, eucalyptus has a uniquely dynamic elemental makeup that is simultaneously potently aligned with both water and fire. This is mirrored in a healing dynamic that is both warming and cooling at the same time, a sensation that can be noticeably detected when inhaling the scent of the essential oil or using medicine or body products that contain it.

You may be surprised to learn there are hundreds of varieties of eucalyptus trees, although only a portion of these appear in places other than Australia.

Magical Uses

Abundance

How’s this for an abundance charm: researchers have found that eucalyptus trees actually prospect for gold, as they draw particles of this most precious metal up through their roots and out into their very leaves. They also send their roots very deeply into the earth to tap right into abundant water sources as they concurrently soak in sunlight at an uncommonly rapid rate, effectively fueling their vitality and expansion from both above and below. Not to mention, their lush, potent scent helps instantly align us with a feeling that’s both energizing and relaxing, which places us right in the emotional center of prosperity consciousness. This can be of particular help when we seem to have been mired in depression, stagnation, or fear with regard to finances.

To give your finances and wealth consciousness a boost, diffuse the essential oil in your space or anoint your wallet with it (or simply place a fresh leaf or two in your wallet or near your financial documents). Here’s another idea: on a new moon, place ten to twenty drops of eucalyptus oil in a small dropper bottle and fill the rest of the way with a carrier oil such as jojoba or sweet almond. Hold it in both hands and visualize very bright green or teal light with golden sparkles filling and surrounding it, empowering it with the energy of wealth. To experience greater prosperity, anoint your palms lightly with it first thing every morning until the new moon. (If you have sensitive skin, add fewer drops of essential oil into the mix or skip this step.)

Cleansing and Clearing

As mentioned above, eucalyptus is associated powerfully with the highly cleansing elements of water and fire. In much the same way that the trees are sometimes planted in swampy areas to clear excess moisture and reduce the threat of malaria, eucalyptus helps clear mucus and infection from the respiratory tract. Energetically, this action is mirrored by the trees’ ability to clear negativity from, and raise the overall vibration of, a space or person. For this purpose, create a small broom from fresh branches and sweep the air while moving in a counterclockwise direction throughout a space, or sweep the person’s aura (i.e., invisible energy field). Alternatively, diffuse the essential oil in a space, mist with water into which you’ve added a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil, or inhale the scent. Adding a few drops of the essential oil to cleaning supplies or body products (provided your skin is not overly sensitive) can also provide a cleansing and clearing action.

Fame

Because they’re so packed with oil, eucalyptus trees are so flammable that they have been known to literally explode when exposed to fire. In feng shui and in the popular vernacular, fire is associated with fame. For example, when someone is becoming well-known, we say that they are “on fire,” “about to catch,” or “exploding.” The old cliché “I can see it now—my name in lights” also paints a fiery picture, as does the very fact that we refer to celebrities as “stars.” Perhaps it’s no coincidence that eucalyptus trees have made themselves right at home in Hollywood, though Southern California certainly doesn’t need any more flammable material in its forests.

Because of this fiery tendency of eucalyptus, as well as their proclivity for growing and spreading quickly, this tree makes for a good magical ingredient when it comes to rituals related to fame. Employ leaves, bark, sticks, branches, or oil in spells related to this purpose. For example:

EUCALYPTUS “ON FIRE” RITUAL

To help increase your visibility and reputation in any given area, lovingly gather and dry nine eucalyptus leaves. When the moon is between new and full, and when it’s in the sign of Leo, stand before a raging campfire, fire pit, or fireplace and hold the leaves in both hands. Visualize and feel yourself surrounded in a ball of bright, golden-orange, fiery light. Call to mind positive images and feelings associated with receiving the type of recognition you desire. To make sure that your fame is purely positive and doesn’t veer into infamy, make an inner vow that you shall use your fame for love and positivity rather than for ego desires. Then place the leaves in the flames. As they burn, say:

Leaves of fire, burning bright

Surround me in your gorgeous light.

I vow to be a force of good

And to spread love like fire on wood.

My flames of fame shall now be fanned

As my name spreads throughout the land.

Healing Depression and Raising the Spirits

Energetically, depression might be compared to a swamp, as it feels stagnant and leaves unfavorable conditions in its wake. In the same way the eucalyptus draws swamp water up and away, transmuting it into vibrant, fragrant life, eucalyptus can help draw out the energetic and emotional toxins and replace stuck, depressed feelings with those of euphoria and health. This can help get energy moving and propel one out of a rut. For this purpose, spend time in quiet contemplation with a tree, add a few drops of the essential oil to your bathwater (as long as your skin isn’t too sensitive), or diffuse the essential oil in your space.

Physical Healing

Popularly, eucalyptus is perhaps best known for its healing ability. When I feel like I might be catching a cold or an infection, one of the first things I do is diffuse the essential oil in the space in order to strengthen my immunity and neutralize the challenging effects of any bacteria or viruses. Traditionally, the Aborigines employed it in healing infections and fevers, and its fame has now spread throughout the world for this purpose. A popular ingredient in cough drops, cold medicine, cold and throat remedy teas, and chest rubs, it helps open the airways of the lungs, has an antiseptic action, and helps clear mucus from the lungs. It also helps sooth skin and muscle pain with its unique warming/cooling action.

Repelling Insects

I love it when our elders pass down folk wisdom. Once when my cats had fleas, my dad counseled me to place eucalyptus leaves under the rug (a recommendation he had in turn received from my grandma), so I did. While I also used the flea medicine my vet prescribed, I’m sure the leaves didn’t hurt in keeping the fleas from coming back, and they certainly smelled good. Similarly, eucalyptus oil is often an ingredient in natural insect repellents, which I so prefer to the highly toxic, nonaromatherapeutic, and earth-hostile versions. When guarding against insect infestations of any sort, you might also diffuse eucalyptus essential oil in your space, along with any combination of peppermint, citronella, and/or clove.

Stress Relief

Have you ever hung out with a koala? I haven’t, but I wish I had! I hear they are extremely mellow. As we know, they basically eat and hang out in eucalyptus trees all day. So if you want to get rid of stress, you might make like a koala and hang out with eucalyptus or just diffuse the essential oil in your space. (But don’t eat the leaves! Koalas have some sort of evolutionary superpower going on where they can do such a thing without receiving any toxic effects. We, however, have no such power.)

Soothing Grief

In addition to eucalyptus’s recognized ability to soothe pain, eucalyptus’s energetic clearing action can help expectorate the tears and draw out the emotional toxins related to grief and heartbreak. Additionally, while eucalyptus leaves are a silvery gray-green, the scent and energy of the tree is more like a vibrant bright green, similar to the color associated with the heart chakra. While time really is the only real cure for loss-related pain, eucalyptus can help soothe the heart and smooth the path to healing.

Magical Correspondences

Elements: Water, Fire

Gender: Female

Planet: Saturn