Wiccan friends tell me that the Oak is a symbol for the male principle. Oak trees have been perceived as sacred and holy for thousands of years.
Getting my male to investigate herbal remedies specifically for males is nearly impossible, but I still find owning The Male Herbal, by James Green, herbalist, quite invaluable. Page 76 in that text lists Oak bark, (Quercus spp.) along with Agrimony as herbs that carry an astringent tone for the digestive system. These are herbs which tone and strengthen the digestive system through their astringent properties. I won't tell my guy about this, in case he finds there is oak-aged beer in The Beer Store, but homeopathic principles permit me to explore with tiny amounts and with thoughts carrying the vibration of the herbal property, if need be.
The wonderful illustrated book, The Natural Pharmacy, by Miriam Polunin and Christopher Robbins, lists dried Oak bark as well as oak galls as useful remedies for a variety of ailments, as a mouthwash for inflamed gums or ulcers, or as a vaginal douche. It can be applied locally for the treatment of hemorrhoids, burns, or weeping wounds.
As I compare my mans' heart to heart-of-oak, strong, stalwart, great strength, he does not need to know that the Oak is also called by the name Fagaceae! Inevitably, he would wonder why I am likening him to a Beech!!
ace SUFFIX of/made of (material); resembling (material); similar to, -like fagace.ae ADJ 1 1 GEN S F POS fagace.ae ADJ 1 1 DAT S F POS fagace.ae ADJ 1 1 NOM P F POS fagus, fagi N F beech tree; * FROM http://www.nd.edu/~archives/latin.htm
Otherwise, Oak has such good vibes as a symbol of strength, and the clusters of healthy nuts (acorns) in their delightful cups are known as symbolic of male fertility.
We children, when I was little, used to use the acorn cups on stems as little fairy pipes, or as cups and saucers for our imaginary friends.
Oaks can grow up to 130 feet tall.
1. Sacred trees
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Shire/3951/dryadart.html
The Sacred ---"grove is the center of their whole religion. It is regarded as the cradle of the race and the dwelling place of the supreme god to whom all things are subject and obedient.
Tacitus, the Roman historian.
Read about why trees and groves are cherished in history. There are tribes called Men of Oak....
2.Oak & Acorn: The Pentagram
Worth reading, very cultured. When researching I was looking for oak symbolism and this site bears the name only, but the research within it into the symbol of the Pentacle is well worth studying, so I have linked to it for readers' interest.
3.Wicca Oak Circle
"Here in the 90's where environmental concern has become paramount the neo-pagan movement is also in full swing. Herein lie the views of the members of The Oak Tree Circle, a Wiccan coven in the Barrie area.
The person interviewed for the purpose of this paper is Myrddin. He holds the position of High Priest in The Oak Tree Circle. In the Oak Tree Circle, the members try to maintain balance between the male and female aspects though as stated by Myrddin, it is a difficult task.
The balance in the gender of the members tends to shift toward the female, and in conjunction with that so does the participation in the coven. In addition, Myrddin states that though they attempt to give equal reverence to the male and female aspects of the deity, the rituals are often geared more toward the female aspect."
This site includes poems, among them The Wiccan Rede. Initiates recite the Rede, a prayer or incantation.
4.Enchanted Oak Top Sites
5. Oak (Sacred Trees Symbolism table)
OAK (Duir) from June 10 - July 7
symbol The White Horse
God The Golden Wheel the Planet Jupiter (Jovyn)
Oak Trees symbolized the turning of the year, change, sacrifice, and understanding. . The Oak represents lifes trials and changes in becoming "that which always shall be"...It represents the soul, which, for Celtic worshippers is "eye of god."
6.Trees symbolism List (Go to "Tree Properties")
http://kaero.digitalrice.com/wicca/
7.Symbols for the Dead: How To Interpret Gravestone Motifs
http://www.savinggraves.com/education/carvings.htm
The following is abstracted from symbols list - A to Z .What does it mean to find a grave marker sculpted with an open book, an acorn, or a cupid? Some people are very serious about preserving the peace of final resting places.
"Acorn - As the seed of the oak, the acorn is a symbol of potential. In Norse and Celtic culture, acorns symbolized life, fertility and immortality. Druids ate acorns, believing them to have prophetic qualities, and acorns were sacred to the god Thor whose Tree of Life was the oak. "Acorns and oak leaves form one of the circular 'hex' signs used by the Amish and Mennonite communities of southern Pennsylvania, the various signs believed to bestow favors such as protection or natural abundance"..
8.Sacred Symbols: Chess
http://chesmayn.valuehost.co.uk/Jupiter.htm /type in Trees.htm or Jupiter .htm
The following is a quotation. This site is worth exploring. It is extensive. I never thought chess had significance as a mystical path! Oak is represented here as the Planet Jupiter, on the Jupiter page.
"KI (king) of the gods. He had an oracle at Dodona where the oracular responses were given by the priests from their interpretation of the rustling of the leaves of the sacred oak. The oak tree is sacred to Zeus because it is more often struck by lightning than any other species."
This extensive site offers little known symbolism from the Jain religion.
copyright Sue Risk, Northdays Image 2004 - 2015