Hawthorn Wisdom

I’m refusing to send a Happy New Year message today.

Nothing wrong with them, but it’s not the energy that resonates with me in the dark of winter.

January has never felt like the start of the year for me. August/September did when I was a teacher. And now, newly, I’m resonating more with the Earth-based rhythm of the Celtic Year, which begins Nov. 1, and even (surprisingly) with the Christian new year which begins with the advent season, four Sundays before Christmas.

Both begin in the dark of the year in the Northern hemisphere where I live. They begin in the mystery, in the waiting.

As I have been honoring this slow, meditative energy in me and continuing my practice of walking the land which I wrote about a few weeks ago I’ve also felt a deepening of my connection with trees.

And we have a new tree friend who joined us here! When she arrived on Dec. 4 she shone bright against the dull green and browns of early winter in Baltimore.

She’s a Hawthorn. I’d been wanting one for a while as Hawthorn has shown up as an important and powerful supporter for me through my friend Lisa Estabrook’s Soulflower deck and through the Herbcrafters Tarot deck I have. And there she was for half-price - last one on the lot at the garden center where we bought our Christmas tree.

In the Soulflower deck, Hawthorn sends a message of Courage. In the Herbcrafter’s deck, she is associated with The Lovers. Both messages speak to the Heart.

I am seeking to be more open-hearted - while also protecting my heart with good boundaries - emotional and energetic ones especially.

So Hawthorn has good medicine for me.

I’m finding that setting good boundaries — in the form of stating my needs, setting clear expectations, and saying no to obligations and commitments that aren’t aligned with what’s true for me — is helping me to shed layers of resentment that and fear that has been keeping my heart guarded.

These are important lessons, especially for women, and those of us schooled in being of service so much that we ended up living lives of perpetual sacrifice.

The Hawthorn tree embodies clear boundaries and open-hearted generosity perfectly. Her blossoms, berries, and leaves are all beneficial for humans, for our hearts in particular - both physically and emotionally.

And also, she has some SERIOUS thorns!

I was concerned when our tree first arrived that I hadn’t gotten the right one because at first I couldn’t see any thorns and everything I’d read said she had them.

Then, looking closely, running my hands over her bark and branches, I discovered one. (Do you see it pointing toward the ground on the lower branch?)

Suddenly my heart felt sad. “Oh!” I thought, “Of course! They must have removed your thorns at the garden center.”

And while it makes total sense for the protection of those who work there, I felt the pain of the loss for the tree. Her thorns are of her essence. Part of her magic and her medicine - just as much as her fruit and flowers are. She isn’t fully herself without them.

What if the same is true for us?

In myth and legend, Hawthorn trees are known to be magical and powerful protectors - because of their thorns.

What if your “thorns” — those parts of you that poke and scratch and prevent connection sometimes — are an essential part of your beauty, your magic, and your power too?

I recently returned to a lovely little book Daily Prayer with the Corremeela Community and this reflection on Hawthorn reminded me of the “Prayer for Courage”. So I’m going to close by sharing it with you. (NOTE: The Irish word “Croi” (pronounced Kree) means “heart.”)

 Courage comes from the heart

And we are always welcomed by God,

The Croi of all being.

We bear witness to our faith

knowing that we are called to live lives of courage,

love and reconciliation

in the ordinary and extraordinary

moments of each day

We bear witness, too, to our failures

and our complicity in the fractures of our world.

May we be courageous today.

May we learn today.

May we love today.

Amen.

Here’s to thriving and equity, strong boundaries and big love,

Deb

P.S. If you decide you want to order Lisa’s Soulflower deck, I encourage you to order directly from her (while her supplies last) rather than Amazon or the like. She will get a more financial benefit from your purchase that way, which is a beautiful way to support her healing work in the world.

A close-up of Hawthorn berries. The berries, blossoms, and leaves can all be used for tea, good for the physical and emotional heart according to many trained herbalists. (I am not an herbalist, nor am I a doctor giving medical advice, but Google will help you find more info if you so choose!)