Druids are priests of the Celtic tribes, their magic was closely associated with trees. They were also royal advisers, healers, scholars, judges, and mediators between God and men. The staff played an important role for the druids. He was not just a cane that served as a support for a person, but a magical object, a symbol that means power and strength.
What material was the staff made of?
The staff was an essential attribute for a magician. The rod helped him and increased his spiritual power. Certain spells were invested in this item. The druid determined the tree he liked and made the staff himself.
The material for the creation of the staff was trees of various species: ash, hazel, oak, elder and others. Hardwood trees were more suitable for this purpose. The magical properties of the staff depended on the wood material.
Sorcery was attributed to ash, since ancient times it has been used for fortune telling and magic. The ash cane has been compared to the rod of the sun god. The main god Odin had a spear made from this light wood. It is able to ward off dark forces, the ash support was considered magical, helped well in healing and was used for general and solar magic.
Oak is the king among the trees, it was considered sacred by many peoples, it was a symbol of longevity, immense vitality and wisdom. The branches of this tree served as raw materials for the creation of a magic staff.
Hazel (hazel) was also considered a tree of wisdom and magic. A rod from it was used as a magical protection from evil spirits. Hazel is also seen as a symbol of justice.
Pine is considered a tree of knowledge, mountain ash serves as protection for the home, yew is associated with eternal life, elderberry is a good remedy for witchcraft and evil. Alder is the tree that protects the family.
The procedure for making a wand
The basis for the staff was a small solid tree or a large branch. He had to ask permission to sacrifice his life and become an assistant to the druid. The tree was cut with a feeling of regret and with the certainty that the need for it is worth it. When a branch was needed, the tree was asked permission to cut it. Only after receiving consent, a tree or a branch was cut down, brought to him or the earth gifts in the form of grain, semiprecious stones or beer.
The staff should have a comfortable weight, length and shape. The priests could put symbols on it or leave it clean. After cutting down a tree or cutting off a branch, it was necessary to immediately start processing the tree. The bark was peeled off with a knife, then the staff was polished, it was hung in a dark, ventilated room to dry for three months.
The staff was decorated with carvings or runes and other writing were burned on it. A stone was inserted into the knob of the staff, which had strength and helped the druids. They necessarily gave the staff a name, since they considered it alive and therefore addressed it by name.
The staff told the priest how best to act for a particular person or how to act for the common good.
