In the Celtic Tree Calendar, the oak rules from June 10 through July 7, the longest days of the year. The peak of this period is the summer solstice. This year, it occurs on Friday, June 20, at 10:41 p.m., EDT.
Although days grow warmer, light decreases, signaling the inevitable winter. Especially in ancient times, the solstice represented the hard work necessary to guarantee an abundant harvest. And an abundant harvest meant no one would die of starvation. Thus, it was a sacred festival.
The oak is represented in the Ogham alphabet as Duir (pronounced DOO-er), the origin of the words “door” and “druid.” Oak trees are seen as guardians that provide shelter and sustenance while connecting us to our ancestors. Known for their impressive size, durability, and longevity, oaks are a natural symbol of strength, protection, and wisdom.
The symbolism of Duir, however, goes far deeper than the length of daylight and the simple strength of a tree.
The Oak King and the Holly King
Enter the Oak King and the Holly King, twin brothers who constantly battle for control of the Earth. During summer, the Oak King is at the height of his strength, while the Holly King rules the winter. On each solstice (summer and winter), each loses or gains power. One cannot exist without the other.
From this perspective, it makes sense that the Celts divided the year into only two seasons: summer and winter.
In the eight-minute video Oak King vs Holly King: The Bi-Annual Battle of the Ages Saga, middle-grade teacher Rob Traquair relates the story with music by Jethro Tull.
Not only did this dual personification of summer and winter exist in Celtic tradition, it was also revered in Ireland before the Celts arrived. The word solstice means “sun standing still,” or grianstad in Irish. Neolithic sites like Newgrange and Knowth were built in alignment with the Sun.
Druids—Doorkeepers of Lore
Because they believed oak trees were gateways to the spiritual realm, Druids sought out oak groves for their rituals. Not only did they regard these spaces as imbued with energy, but the structure also protected the priests and amplified their power.
Druids used acorns, leaves, and bark to make potions and medicines. They listened to leaf rustlings to divine messages from the gods, burned the leaves to purify the air, and burned the wood for midsummer fires. The groves were also a place for transition from life to death. Ritual sacrifices of animals for feasts were held in the oak groves, with blood fertilizing the trees as an offering.
Anything that grew on the oak was especially sacred. Druids allegedly cut mistletoe ritualistically from the oak with a golden sickle.
Often referred to as “mighty oaks,” they are struck by lightning more than other trees, which may have been interpreted as a divine act. And while hawthorn trees are often called “fairy trees,” the oaks were also a safe haven for the faeries, perhaps as portals to the fairy realm.
Leave a Reply