Tuesday, April 11, 2017

The Magic of Redbuds



Spring has finally come to my neck of the woods. The tulips are pushing up through the ground, the daffodils are blooming, and my favorite sign of spring is here…the blooms on redbud trees! One grows very close to where we live, and the moon gets tangled in it often. It was really lovely to see it blooming during the pink full moon this year.

Redbud trees are all about the magic of love and new beginnings for me, from the first pink buds in early spring to the heart-shaped leaves that will emerge in a few weeks. I’ve heard superstitions of restless spirits being drawn to redbuds, but I haven’t (yet) had that experience.

I have a couple of redbud rituals to share. When a branch is blooming, I cut a piece for my altar to enjoy some of the first flowers of spring. I pop it in a vase with a rose quartz at the bottom and make a wish. When the flowers begin to wilt, I take it outside on a windy day.  I strip the blossoms from the branch and cast them to the winds, remembering my wish. I suspect this is a holdover from wishing on dandelions as a little girl.

When the heart-shaped leaves are full and leathery, in late spring or early summer, I sometimes write a wish on a leaf and bury it. I’m convinced that the earth can ruminate solutions to my dilemmas better than I can!


What’s blooming in your area right now? Any blossoms that you’d like to cast to the wind or water?