REED ~ Ngetal

28th October ~ 24th November

Reeds, or rushes, as they are also known, are more closely related to grasses than trees. They are included in the Tree Calendar as a gateway to the Otherworld. Reeds grow in muddy waters, their roots reaching deep into the unknown... They symbolically link the Underworld with our World above.

In Egypt, the durable, strong fibres were employed for many important practical uses. Not only paper, but also cloth and sails were fashioned from them, whilst the hollow stalks could be bundled and used for thatching and for building light structures such as Reed boats or effigies of the Gods.

They were also used to make arrow shafts, a symbol of power and royalty. As strewing herbs they purified and consecrated the temples and sacred spaces with their sweet fragrance. Rich in volatile oils, they are valued for their medicinal properties as well as for their aphrodisiac and narcotic actions, which provide the key to their sacred significance.

Reed signifies the 12th month of the Celtic Tree Calendar, the time of the year when the veils between the worlds are thinnest, and the Priestess ventures into the Underworld to be transformed in the realm of Hades.

Wear Reed Tree Wisdom Perfume to attune to the mysteries of life, death and transformation and to meditate on the meaning of the soul's journey.