Hazel has been used in traditional medicine for draining and restoring the elasticity of lungs. The nuts are a good source of magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, copper, fatty acids and protein. Hazelnuts can be powdered and added to mead or honeyed water to help with a cough.
Associations
Masculine; Element air; Mercury; Wednesday; Hermes, Mercury; Thor; Fionn; Artemis, Diana; Lazdona; the crane; brown; band-red agate; wisdom; springs and wells; salmon.
Magical Usages
According to lore, Hawthorn is one of the nine traditional woods burned in the Balefire by the Druids at Beltaine, burned for wisdom. Known in ancient times as the “Tree of Wisdom”.
Spirit contact, manifestation, protection, prosperity, wisdom, dreams, divination, dowsing, knowledge, marriage, inspiration, wrath, fertility, intelligence, reconciliation, poetic inspiration, anti-lightning charm.
A couple of twigs bound with gold or red thread to form a solar cross is carried for protection and good luck.
The mistletoe that grows on Hazel protects you from being bewitched. Sleep under a hazel tree and you will have vivid dreams.
Hazel is sacred to the Fey. A wand made of the wood can be used to call the Fey. Hazel can be used as dowsing rods to find ley lines. Forked branches can be used to find water or buried treasure.
Twigs, nuts and branches should be gathered after sunset on Samhain for that is when the magic(k)al power of the tree is at its peak.
However, it would be best if you didn’t cut Hazel with a knife, but a flint.
