Respite Under a Linden Tree

I yearn for every moment to be a delight
For worry and stress to give way
To endless days of leisurely respite
From now until forever and ever
Let me fear no more and have no need for hope
Let me sit under a linden tree and just abide
In the bliss of serene stillness.

…..Brian Chung

Linden tree

Linden tree is also known as Lime tree and is a very special tree. I have been waiting months for the Linden tree by Ballymakeogh graveyard to bear her spring leaves so that I can make this remedy. May 5th 2017 was the day I found myself here in the bright sun gathering her buds and leaves.

There is much that this tree told me about her healing properties; so much that I just transcribed my meditation notes for you below as you may find a meaning in my words that calls out and connects with you. I have also summarized here in bullet points some healing actions that may assist you in your emotional, spiritual and physical journey.

I have no doubts that this tree will call me again later in the Summer and Autumn months when she bears her blossoms and seeds to make a similar yet different healing remedy. Plants are simply amazing; just as we change through the seasons so too do the plants and with the changing seasons they share different gifts to support us through the seasons of our path and journey.

Embrace the plants healing; for it is a rare gift that transcends the mind and speaks only to the heart.

Puppy assisted the collection process:

Spring Linden key healing energies:

• Connection
• Support for the healers and the centre of the family or community.
• Restoration of balance in the cycle of giving and receiving.
• Fertility, reproduction and the greater meaning of this as it applies to your life, your work and your journey.
• New beginnings; Linden assists you to be very much centered in the here and now; she assists the release of cords pulling us back into the past and the drain of incessant worry about the future. We become better at ‘just being’.
• Firmly rooted in the here and now; a sense of peace, contentment and certainty in the here and now.
• Sacred tree to the Celts, Scandinavians and Eastern Europeans – Linden nourishes with something that has been a strong part of our ancestry. This may be important for those living and working abroad.
• It is hard to describe this one and I will try, but excuse my lack of words for describing something that is a feeling: “feeling free to have a heart full of love for lost souls and loved ones; without a sense of pain, loss, grief, emptiness or loneliness”. Permission for the souls to fly free and for our own souls to travel light. Such connections may be to lost loved ones, unborn babies, and the realm of love that we sense and yet may not see.
• Release of resentment. Resentment does have a habit of coming up through the best of us on occasion when we have a role of giving and caring for others. None of us are perfect and at times, selfless giving can be a task in itself. Although the giver and healer makes that choice to bring unconditional light into the lives of others; at times our ‘humanness’ gives rise to expectations and resentment. This is normal. It is OK to have an awareness of this; and it is also good to speak up when boundaries have been trodden on, for us to feel safe to create better boundaries and ask for some of our own needs to be met, and also for us to release resentment and any pent-up emotions that may impact our own health and emotional balance.
• The tree of Dreams; night-time support,dreaming and meditation support.
• Self appreciation.
• Connection to something bigger; comfort.

Linden tree healing essence details:

When: 5-5-17
How: Sun and Moon
Additional healing support: Surrounded by other wildflowers; I did not feel a nudge to use crystals while this remedy was being made.

Voice recording of meditation with Linden tree leaves

This is a recording taken while I meditated and is, except for the italics, word for word as I said it. While the Linden remedy was being made I took some leaves, chewed on them and drifted into meditative connection with the tree. I purposely do not research the plants and trees before I make the essences and instead meditate on their healing message and anything else that chooses to be seen. This is so that I am channelling their healing as purely and uninfluenced as possible. After I have made the remedy I will then out of interest and a desire to learn more, research further.  I have added some interesting historical and healing tidbits for Linden later in this article. This is as much for me as it is for you as I am always truly fascinated and intrigued by all that I see in my meditations. Please note that I always fully research plant safety and toxicology before taking or making any remedies.

Please enjoy my words and do remember that if the plant calls to you, your intuition as to how she may assist you may be different to my interpretation and unique to you; honour this! We don’t always need to know the why’s when the unfolding of the healing is so beautiful.

Linden – I am lying here with Linden (on my tongue), collected on the 5th May 2017. Linden – the tree of new beginnings.

The tree is symbolic of the centre of community, which would relate to this type of person in life – the centre of the family, importance, how everything revolves around that. (As in a person of importance, without their being a need to emphasise this importance; a central support person, Mother, and nurturer of others. This remedy is created such that these people themselves can seek support and nurture from the Linden tree to rebalance what is given).

It tastes slightly bitter to me. Resentment. This remedy heals resentment within, so it would especially apply to women in relation to how they care for the family and a resentment that often gets directed back towards their partners (or their parents and children) at times of frustration and fatigue, in relation to the sharing of chores, and responsibility in the home (and more). Or resentment towards others that they (the person in question) struggle to maintain a boundary of giving, and hence feel depleted by or when they feel that their role leads to sacrifices and missed opportunity. (I am not saying that this resentment is correct or incorrect; everything we feel is based on perceptions. Resentment feels real and sometimes has multiple true reasons and Linden will assist this when it wears us down and leads to anger or depression, feeling isolated or just wanting to run away from everyone. This is especially so when others fail to see things from anything other than their own view-point; which can feel tough when you are the person trying to see it from all sides).

Ability to breathe.

Letting lost souls go; cords of attachment to loved ones no longer with us, or perhaps that we have always sensed in the invisible. (I am going to add here, that some sensitive persons and healers can also feel our connections to ancestors and the trauma in the land. If this is feeling heavy for you, Linden may help. For me, when I feel ancestral spirit presence this is often a nudge about something more….so I listen).

Feeling strong in the present.
Aware of spirit and soul around us but firmly grounded here in the present so an ability to ‘live’ and ‘be here’ in this life.

Dreams
This is the tree of dreams. Whoa (this) feels a bit trippy. I know that it is just an energy (said to myself to feel comfortable in what I am feeling). I feel a very strong connection to my third eye and my crown chakra. It’s a beautiful feeling. It’s not that there are any thoughts in there, just that I feel certain in my connection to what I can see and what I can know even though I am not feeling anything else other than that (peace).

Self appreciation.
Beauty for all of who you are and a letting go. Just a feeling. It’s not that it’s a letting go, it’s just that there is nothing there holding or pulling back. It’s just quite a free feeling.

No worry. No past, no future: just here.

Connection to the angelic realm or whatever that means for you, (be that) spirit or religion, love, universal force, our ancestors and guides. There is just a sense of surety. “I know what I need”, “I’m doing what I need to do”, “and I’m feeling what I need to feel”. There is no shoulds, musts, have tos, must change, need to be. It just kind of all feels timeless right now (my tummy gurgled strongly at this point, this is related to a solar plexus clearing).

I sense it (Linden tree remedy) is helpful around balancing a woman’s menstrual cycle; especially around menstruation and creating more ease within the greater sensitivities that happen in that (premenstrual) time – increased perceptions, increased telepathy, increased psychic abilities and sensitivities which can feel very overwhelming for those that don’t understand what’s going on. That’s when bingeing on food or other negative strategies, tearfulness, heightened emotions, anger (and) all of these things (happen) because you are not really understanding that you are just feeling MORE so I feel some support from Linden (will work to assist) for this.

Reproduction
(I didn’t add to this in my meditation notes; I feel that this remedy will assist with emotional issues related to an energy block holding people back in the context of reproduction. Where things in the past, and worry about the future are linked with reproduction issues in the now. This does not rule out a need for medical assessment, good nutrition, and perhaps herbal or other support. Linden tree remedy will assist you with your journey).

Almost feels like a tree that you can place a wish on. Like a wishing well. I must research whether Linden tree had gifts given to them for in return for the realisation of ‘dreams’. A bit like a money tree or a wishing well.

I keep seeing ribbons and cobwebs (in my mind’s eye). So a connection to spider. I must look into the symbolism of spider (here it is: Spider Spirit animal).  Spiders can weave a beautiful web and they are all trailing in the sunlight (the vision that I was seeing). Ribbons would to me signify celebration, marriage, and town festivals; so perhaps I am seeing some of the tradition and history surrounding this wonderful tree. An energy that will translate in her healing. 

It (Linden) is a light, bright energy. Today it is harvested on a sunny yet very windy day so it is definitely a spring (into Summer) remedy. I am choosing spring buds and young tender leaves. (they are the most beautiful shade of green).

Linden is very helpful at night-time and for sleep, making dreams clearer and more positive. Removing the worry and anxiety that one feels when they wake fearful in the middle of the night.

You choose how you weave the web of your life.

You are no longer a victim to what goes on around you. There is an increasing realization that the life around you is based on the decisions and choices and actions that you take. How you view and perceive yourself and whether you are a victim or someone who is, I wont say in control of life, because we are never really in control of life, but one who feels more connected to the flow of life and trusting and able to move with it making choices and decisions that feel best.

You are not a victim.

There is a strong European connection– old, old energy, Druidic energy, Irish, British, Nordic (Scandinavian), Germanic, Eastern Europe; it doesn’t really go further down than that (i.e. suit people from lower latitudes). It is quite specific to Northern and Eastern Europeans and I guess Americans and others that are connected to Northern Europe through ancestry. (Interestingly Lime tree is found in Asia; but different species). 

Linden will help connect you to your roots, ancestry, your place of being.

This remedy is strong enough to act as a stand alone. Don’t expect lightning bolts with this remedy it takes you to the here and now; for example my here and now is lying down meditating; no fireworks, no dramatic changes it just feels nice. I am going to switch off (recording) now and allow myself to travel with this remedy. It definitely is very suited to women

How to Take:

Linden remedy can be taken for general support (and everything mentioned above), for sleep, dreams, and meditations. This is a spring/ summer remedy but does not restrict her use to these seasons; sometimes e need a lift during the other heavier Winter months.

I hope that Linden will travel with you on your journeys, and am honoured if you chose to take my remedy.

Much Love,

Andrea

Interesting tidbits found in explorations about Linden / Lime tree in folklore, medicine, and history.

Limes are hermaphroditic, having perfect flowers with both male and female parts, pollinated by insects.

Linden tree leaves are heart-shaped

Some trees can reach considerable ages; trees of 1000 to 2,000 years old have been recorded (Wikipedia) 

Eminescu’s Linden Tree

The tree produces fragrant and nectar-producing flowers, the medicinal herb lime blossom (if you can find it, try limeflower tea). They are very important honey plants for beekeepers, producing a very pale but richly flavoured  honey. The flowers are also used for herbal teas and tinctures.

In Britain and Germany  villagers would assemble to celebrate and dance under a Linden (tilia) tree, and to hold their judicial meetings.  It was believed that the tree would help unearth the truth and help to restore justice and peace.

In Germanic mythology, the Linden tree is associated with Freyja, the guardian of life and goddess of fortune, love and truth. Therefore, her tree was considered a tree of peace and it often formed the central meeting place of many villages and rural communities.

In Poland, the linden is a highly revered tree, at the heart of many Polish legends. In Polish, the month of July, Lipiec, is named for the lipa, or linden tree. According to Polish legend an old Linden tree should never be cut down: to do so is certain to result in misfortune for both the axeman and his family. In Christian legend, the tree is linked with the Virgin Mary, whose image was often discerned in the dark branches of the tree. Today in Poland it’s common to see roadside shrines under a linden tree. Since the tree is believed to be favorite of the Blessed Mother, prayers offered under it are considered to have a good chance of being answered.

The tree figures in history and folklore across Europe.  In Slavic mythology, the linden was considered a sacred tree. In Estonia and Lithuania, women made sacrifices in front of linden trees, asking for fertility and domestic tranquillity.  For the Germanic people, too, the lime tree was hallowed, and judicial cases were often tried under a lime tree as it was said to inspire fairness and justice.   In German folklore, the linden was associated with lovers and romance, and appears as a romantic symbol in medieval poetry from the German lands and eastern Europe

(taken from The intoxicating scent of Lime trees)

Click here to read more about the Linden/ Lime tree in culture: Lime tree in culture

International World War Peace Tree.  – Nov. 11, 1918″. The date marks the end of World War I.

credit to http://peace.maripo.com/e_nm_co_2009.htm for the photos and Wikipedia for the simple story of this tree.

The tree has its origins in Germany. It was brought to the United States in 1912 as a seedling by Joseph Freudenburg, prior to World War I. When the treaty with Germany was signed in 1918, a picnic was held on the property of his sister-in-law Mrs. Wortman, and during the picnic, Freudenburg’s tree was transplanted to its current location at the intersection of St. Joseph and Orchard in celebration of the end the war. The planting and dedication of this tree by German American immigrants served as a sign of their loyalty to America and also to build local community harmony.

Freudenburg mounted a flagpole near the tree, but the flagpole has since been removed, although its cement base remains. The garden of flowers that once adorned the tree has also disappeared.^[1]

The tree has been maintained since its arrival in America by the same family.

SACRED TREES OF NORWAY AND SWEDEN: A FRILUFTSLIV QUEST by Douglas Forell Hulmes. Please click the link to read more: and see here http://prescott.academia.edu/DougHulmes

Some excepts from this wonderful article; please refer to the original as it is a fascinating read, not only about our connections to the trees, their role of importance on our farms, our lands, in our gardens, within society and their importance environmentally; the article also explores mythology and delves into the writings of Tolkien. Truth is I cannot even do this article justice in the description; READ it!

Talk of what Home is – snow and fir forest is Home.

From the first moment they are ours.

Before anyone has told us that it is snow and fir forests.

They have a place in us, and since then they are there,

always, always.
Come home.
Go in there bending branches –

Go on till you know what it means to belong.

………..A special tradition that is shared by many Scandinavians is the planting or the knowing of a special tree in Swedish called a “Vårdträd‟, and in Norwegian a “Tuntre‟; a sacred tree planted in the center of the yard on a family farm that reflects an intimacy with place. The caring for the tree demonstrates respect for ancestors‟ spirits that were/are believed to reside in the tree, and is a moral reminder of caring for the farm or place where one lives. One Norwegian told me that the “tuntre‟ provided a direct connection with the nature spirits that lived underground at his farm. The tradition of sacred trees in Scandinavia goes back to the pre-Christian Viking Age, and likely long before that. Remarkably, it is a tradition that can still be seen as part of the cultural landscape throughout the Scandinavian countries.

………. In pre-Christian times a tree was planted on the grave of the 6 original farmer to honor him and his descendants. The care and regard of the tree was believed to help insure the health of the farm. The tradition of planting a tree in the center of the farm continues today in parts of Norway. In Sweden there is a similar tradition, and the tree was called a „vårdträd‟, or caring/guardian tree.

Tolkien’s writings speak of ancient Norse myths.

…..Odin Sacrifices One of His Eyes to Gain the Wisdom and Intuition of the Norns. In order for Odin to gain the Wisdom and intuition of the Norns and Yggdrasil, he must sacrifice one of his eyes. I spoke to Kjærsti Skjeldal, a Professor of Folklore, at Telemark University, and asked her the meaning of this symbolism. She said: It’s obvious, men believe what they see, women believe what they intuit. In order for Odin to gain the Wisdom and intuition of the Norns, he had to give up some of what he could see. The symbolic meaning of this Norse myth seems relevant today, when Western culture is obsessed with logic, knowledge, and technology, which are generally stereotyped as male qualities of thought and action, yet seriously lacking in the Wisdom to guide us towards ecological sustainability. Gandalf – “sorcerer elf‟ – appealed to Tolkien when choosing this name for his wizard. He carried a powerful staff that for Odin, in Norse mythology, was taken from the World Tree Yggdrasil: In Odin’s character we can see both of Tolkien’s great magicians: Gandalf the Grey and Sauron the Ring Lord. (Day, 1994, p. 37).

The message of Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings‟, is that power corrupts. Can power be seen as the assumption of Western culture that knowledge and technology will allow us to control nature, and the result of this dangerous assumption is the end of the world as we know it, not unlike the final battle, Ragnarök, of Norse mythology?

…..Deciduous trees are generally planted as the “tuntre‟ or “vårdträd‟, possibly to reflect the cycles of the seasons and of life and death and the return of life in the spring. Long-lived deciduous trees like oak, ash, linden, maple, and elm are common varieties used, while birch and mountain ash replace the more southerly varieties as one gains elevation or latitude………….

Although this is a piece about Linden tree I just cannot help but share another extract from this wonderful paper. Read these words, and think….

To the Seri Indians living along the west coast of Sonora on the desert coast of the Sea of Cortez, Home is not a building, it is more a sense of place; it is the land, the plants and animals that live there. It is the sea, the desert, the wind, the stars, and the ancestors whose spirits live among the desert plants and speak to them in dreams.

It is generations of wisdom handed down through the centuries of how to survive in a harsh arid landscape. It is the knowledge of plants that ripen during different seasons providing a steady source of food, of secret water sources hidden in remote desert canyons.

To the Seri Indians, Home is where The People have lived and died, and where their songs, dances, and myths reflect their closeness to the land.

To most Americans, home is a house, the people and possibly the animals that live in the house, and perhaps the yard around the house. For most Americans, they have lived in many houses, in many places.

Most Americans live far from their parents, and even farther from their grandparents. Few Americans know much about the lives of their ancestors, and perhaps do not even know where they originally came from. They have few stories handed down from generation to generation, and have at best a very superficial knowledge of the place where they live.

Unfortunately, most Americans have little sense of place, and very little that reflects a closeness to the land…………………

……It is easy to underestimate the power of a long-termed association with the land, not just with a specific spot but with the span of it in memory and imagination, how it fills, for example, one‟s dreams.

For some people, what they are is not finished at the skin, but continues with the reach of the senses out into the land.

If the land is summarily disfigured or reorganized, it causes them psychological pain. Again, such people are attached to the land as if by luminous fibers; and they live in a kind of time that is not of the moment but, in concert with memory, extensive, measured by a lifetime.

To cut these fibers causes not only pain but a sense of dislocation.