Yew. Mythology, Symbolism and Folklore of the Yew Tree (Ioho / Eiwaz)
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- Опубліковано 14 жов 2024
- To support my work as a folklorist and storyteller, please consider making a small donation on Patreon: / thestorycrow
This series of videos on the mythology, symbolism and folklore of trees and plants of Britain, Ireland and northern Europe.
As today is Samhain, or Halloween, I will be looking at the Yew Tree. Traditionally thought of as the tree of the dead, the spirit world and of the Ancestors.
The Yew (Ioho) is the 20th and last letter of the Druidic Tree Alphabet known as Ogham, so I will talk about some of the magical associations of this tree in the Celtic worldview (as I understand it).
I will also discuss the related symbology in the folklore of the Germanic, Norse and Anglo-Saxon speaking peoples, where the Yew is represented by the Eiwaz / Eoh rune.
Finally, I will tell a story about the God Odin / Woden and his quest for knowlege into the underworld beneath the roots of the the World Tree Yggdrassil - which - in this version - is a Yew tree.
I know this is an old video. But I wanted to say sorry for your loss. I discovered you because I just lost my mum 6 weeks ago and I've found being in nature helps a little. So I had been really drawn to trees intensely and your videos have been so soothing and helpful. I do hope you are well and wanted you to know your videos are so appreciated.
I’m sorry to hear that. I feel you there. Nature really helps. It’s almost like you can feel them in the breeze and the sunlight in the trees. Sending you love and light 🙏♥️
@@TheStoryCrow thank you, yes and to you also x
My condolences, I'm sorry for your loss, and hope you peace and love
🙏
Your a fabulous story teller!
Wonderful story - and very interesting to sacrifice oneself to oneself for knowledge. Resonates on a deeper level. I remember as a child climbing on the Yew tree which grows on our family grave and always felt very secure and sheltered by the energy of this tree.
Wow, a yew on the family grave, that’s one very lucky and protected family 🌳🙏
You should have a look at the yew in a place in Scotland called the Douglas support no one knows the history of the tree,its in a Glen and it must be ancient @TheStoryCrow
Sacrificing oneself to oneself aligns with the idea of the Universal Consciousness 'sacrificing' his wholeness by dividing himself into a myriad of separate conscious beings that have 'forgotten' who they are so they can experience and gain knowledge unavailable to the Universal Consciousness. Something like that!
I've just come across your channel and absolutely love it. Your storytelling skill is great. I found myself hanging on to every word! I love Yew trees and used to play among them as a child, in a local graveyard. Since living in our rented house a Yew tree has suddenly appeared in our back garden ( a while back ). It started off as a very small sapling and is now about 3 foot tall. ❤
That’s awesome, look after the little guy, it will probably outlive us all!
Firstly Im sorry your mum has moved on to the next adventure, I lost mine over 3 years ago & I still remember hearing the news like it was yesterday, yet she walks with me everyday & still guides my choices. They may have moved on but they will never be forgotten cuz we are a part of them so will always be eternally connected .
I like to carve using only broken or wind fallen wood & Yew is one of my favourite tress not only because they are true ancient trees that have seen so much history & must have such stories to tell Im sure but also because the grain is so beautiful when carved & just stunning once you sand it up. Its also classed a soft wood yet its harder than oak to carve. It also contains Taxol within the bark & the needles which is a chemical used for the treatment of cancers so while its poisonous & will kill you it will also cure you. Im really enjoying your videos on the sacred trees so Thank you & keep up the great content. 🤟
My heart is with you( as is your Mum!) I am seeing this video a year past your posting. The passing of my Dad in 2018 was the hardest season of my life. I’m so blessed as he and I are firm believers of connection between the living and other realm. He visits me and we chat regularly. A man of his word, he promised if he was able he’d stay in touch😊 I hope your process with grieving her has reached the season of it being a different relationship with the sharper edges off the pain of her moving on. Sending you and Tam all the love, light and good energy I can. Thank you for the gift of your knowledge and passion in these videos. They help heal and inspire me in many ways.. my art, my thoughts, putting things in perspective on a low day. ….
Thank you for these thoughtful words. Sending love and light right back ☺️✨🙏
Loved the Odin story and all. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it sister 🙏✨
Absolutely loved it! What a wonderful story for Halloween. :) And my sincerest condolences for the loss of your mother, what a great way to honour her memory
Hey, thanks for coming back and for your kind words. ☺️
Firstly, although a year on, I'd like to pass my condolences for the loss of your mother, I lost mine 22 years ago now and still feel her presence.
My Grandfather was as hed say "born on the hay". His parents travelled the west coast of scotland from near Glasgow to Longtown wintering on the estate at Longtown in Cumbria.
When I was born in 1965, my mother told me how he hired a car and took me (and her) and laid me beneath "loads of different bloody trees...him and his Gypsy stuff speaking over me in Romany.
I never understood it at all, never knew what trees they were except for the last one as my mother pointed it out one day saying thats the last tree your granddad took you to, it was the actual tree in a local(ish) village graveyard, and it was a Yew tree.
Im only 2½ minutes in while writing this as i suddenly realised (possibly) what he was doing, did he take me through the alphabet of trees?
He also insisted that I should never be christened or tied to a religion, im the only one younger and older in my family who never was.
I have another tree/ woodland experience but this is long enough already.
Thanks for your words.
It sounds like a hedge row education of sorts, the old gypsy way. You may not remember it, but it will be with you somehow. Lucky boy
🌳😉✨🙏
Beautiful, please do the Rowan Tree next! It’s my celtic ogham birth tree! ❤❤❤
Yes, good shout. Might wait till there’s a few more leaves on the fella though 😂😬
Thanks for watching 🌳🙏✨
Found you totally randomly, thank you UA-cam algorithms LOL! Really really interesting documentaries and they way you tell the tales. I never realised how much I loved trees.
Condolences for your loss. I hope the trees and the spiritualism they represent bring you comfort and strength.
They do 🙏🌳
Thanks for dropping in, and hail the algorithm goblins! 👹
Congratulations on your mums passing now you can have an even closer relationship with her!!! I recently lost my mom suddenly (13 months) and just learned of a new perspective. We had this gorgeous conversation yesterday!!! I just saw her in a marble ✨✨✨she had all her pets and a beautiful outfit and we just hung out a bit - talked about big things for a short time - glad you’re telling stories again and I know your moms passing was over a year also bc I heard the Ivy tale. Your mom is excited to hear from you soon!!! ✨✨✨
Love this. Thank you 🙏❤️✨
Thank you
Fantastic really enjoyed this video and the story of Odin and i know its a year or so later but sorry to here of your mothers death but you will see her again one day she will be waiting for you all with her family, bless you all from Budo
I hope so. Wishing you well from over here in Wiltshire ✨🙏☺️
I'm sorry for the loss of your mum although it was a year ago 💗There's a tiny church in a tiny village in south west wales that has 3 enormous yew tree's. 2 are male and one is female. You can go inside the female yew (if she allows you in 🙏) and ask for a blessing and leave a gift. Well worth a visit x
Thanks for the words. It was a couple of years ago now…
What village is the church in? I’m driving through west wales in the truck in October - sounds like it’s worth a visit!
@@TheStoryCrow sorry I meant south east!! it's in monmouthshire. Church of St Aeddan in Bettws Newydd. Still worth a visit though! 😊
🙏
hi, in Buckfastleigh where i live we have a 1000 year old yew tree at the top church ruins.
I think I know it. You live in a very beautiful place. ⛰️ 🌳
only just found your channel but its exactly my bag,thankyou very inspirational
Pleased to hear it mate. Welcome 🙏😉
Wonderful! So many lessons to ponder in this story. Thank you. And I'm so sorry for the loss of your mother.
🙏
Just lovely. I did have trouble with the sound though.
Thank you. Yes it’s terrible. Sorry 😅
Vafþrúðnismál? I like your version of it :) condolences friend.
Oh my goodness 😮 you are the most riveting and intoxicating and enchanting storyteller that I have ever seen or heard!! How expressive and knowledgeable you are, and what a wonderful gift to share with humanity. I have a question for you but I'm going to try to see if I can find you online and write to an email address as UA-cam never gives me my notifications. It is specifically about my recent interactions with and a gift from a yew tree Yew tree. 🌳 ❤
Great storytelling. Authentic Bard like. Loved it and will be exploring into many more. Thank You. 🌳🌳
Really appreciate the comment, and I’ll keep making videos 👍☺️
Excellent.
Thank you ✨🧚🏼♂️💚🌳
Glad you enjoyed it 🌳 💀 🕰️ 🧙♂️
@@TheStoryCrow Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night…
🎶 A coral room, by Kate Bush
and heartfelt condolences 💐🕊️
I used to run away to my friendly yew in the graveyard of the church where I was baptised. Hey, I was at Runnymede eco village too!
An interesting and too transient realm that one
@@TheStoryCrow indeed… I didn’t get there until we’d been moved off the National Trust land. Managed to stay for a couple of months. I found I had a hobbit/lord of the rings thing going on 🤭
I absolutely love where you are sitting
That’s my local churchyard 🪦
@@TheStoryCrow I love cemeteries
Recently found your channel, thank you for the stories and the background information!
My pleasure, thank you for taking an interest ✨🙏🌲
Nice labyrinth 😊
Superb telling, you have a wonderful breadth of knowledge, thank you for sharing it 🌞❤🌚
Thank you kindly 😊🌲✨
Thankyou. I knew that Yew could be very old but I didnt know they had that capacity to regenerate. Yes, parallels between celtic and Buddhist beliefs.
Samsara tree 🌳
Was trying to find a yew tree for a ritual with Hecate. I live on Åland Islands and I'm not sure if they're native here. Anyways I spend 3 full days searching for a specimen and on the fourth day I found two trees; Guess where? Literally a few feet from a graveyard. In the occult community this plant is connected to raising the dead & necromancy, being a saturnine plant.
Amazing. Thanks for this. The history of your islands sound fascinating. I’d be surprised if yews weren’t native there. Thanks for watching and good luck on the left handed path 🙏
@@TheStoryCrow
Thanks! Your channel is absolutely amazing, you're so charismatic and your voice is captivating to listen to. Gives me goosebumps!
I’m so sorry that you lost your Mum. It’s not something you ever get over.
Thank you. You’re right 🙏
wonderful thank you
Thank you too! 🙏☺️🌳
Fantastic. Can’t wait for more of these. 🌳
Loving your videos. Curious if you plan to do Hawthorne?
Very soon ☺️🙏🌳
@@TheStoryCrow I'll be looking forward whilst watching your back catalogue.
First visit, will call again . Thanks
Please do, and thanks.
Hello, I am a plant enthusiast from China, and I apologize for my limited English proficiency. In the original text of the Poetic Edda, does "winter-green needle-ash" refer to the yew tree as the World Tree? I came across this notion in a popular science book called "The Living Wisdom of Trees," and it seemed to have a solid basis. I have also come across some etymological explanations. Can we determine for sure that it is the yew tree? I am very curious and have been searching for more information over the past few years, but I haven't been able to reach a definitive conclusion. Many people believe it refers to the white wax tree. However, regardless of the answer, both my girlfriend and I love your videos. They have taught me a lot, and I appreciate your creations. The content is truly amazing!
Hello my friend. I find it so endearing when Chinese people apologise for their proficiency in English, and then right a comment in pitch perfect English, especially considering as I don’t speak a word of Chinese.
Now, I’m not a Norse specialist by any means, but that description seems to me to be definitely a Yew tree. Funnily enough, I’m currently reading a book of Skaldic poetry, which I think has the same verse format as the poetic Edda, and it sounds like a similar metaphorical description as I’m reading in there.
What I do know is that descriptions of Yggdrasil as a Yew seem to be earlier then descriptions of Yggdrasil as an Ash - but I think it may also depend on region - which would make sense - based on differing soils and climates. But I doubt that is the only factor. In the Celtic worldview, the world tree is usually an Oak - despite Yew and Ash being very common.
So in short, I don’t know if we can ever know for sure whether the definitive ‘World Tree’ is a Yew in the Viking imagination as a whole. But in that description - I’d say yes.
Hope that helps, and thanks for watching my videos. I’m pleased they are finding an audience in China. What a great body of Myth and Folklore there is in that part of the world.
Hello my friend. I find it so endearing when Chinese people apologise for their proficiency in English, and then right a comment in pitch perfect English, especially considering as I don’t speak a word of Chinese.
Now, I’m not a Norse specialist by any means, but that description seems to me to be definitely a Yew tree. Funnily enough, I’m currently reading a book of Skaldic poetry, which I think has the same verse format as the poetic Edda, and it sounds like a similar metaphorical description as I’m reading in there.
What I do know is that descriptions of Yggdrasil as a Yew seem to be earlier then descriptions of Yggdrasil as an Ash - but I think it may also depend on region - which would make sense - based on differing soils and climates. But I doubt that is the only factor. In the Celtic worldview, the world tree is usually an Oak - despite Yew and Ash being very common.
So in short, I don’t know if we can ever know for sure whether the definitive ‘World Tree’ is a Yew in the Viking imagination as a whole. But in that description - I’d say yes.
Hope that helps, and thanks for watching my videos. I’m pleased they are finding an audience in China. What a great body of Myth and Folklore there is in that part of the world.
@@TheStoryCrow Thank you very much for your response! It deepened my understanding of this story. Exploring ancient cultures is truly fascinating, even if sometimes there are no definitive answers. The process of exchange itself brings joy. I salute the bards, as it is the stories you convey that uphold this world. I wish you all the best in the future, which is expressed in Chinese as "万事顺意" (May everything go smoothly).
I have a 13th century * (or older) executioners axe. It is hafted with English yew. Still solid,
That is AWESOME
Thank you for this Video. The Eye that was the Price is the Optic Thalamus The Third Eye the Pituitary Gland and the Pineal Gland , the Pineal Gland produce the GOD Molecule DMT Dimethyltryptamine.
I enjoy comments like this. Happy journeys in inter dimensional hyper space friend 👾 👁️ 🧠 😉
The Yew berries are actually edible minus the seed inside .
Yup! Doesn’t seem worth the risk though 😂
the audio needs to be cleaned up a bit love.
Yes, I don’t think my mic was connected 🤦 the second half with the story is better. Thanks for stopping by ☺️
@@TheStoryCrow I like your stuff. I'm Irish decent (almost entirely) but I always love the retelling of the trees people do.
May I make a request as maybe a side project with your content? I love hearing about lore and old sayings behind plants from all over the world. There is ALOT of straight forward knowledge attached to them. Could you throw In a few videos of folk lore on trees and plants? As an example it is said that after May the Devil uses stinging nettles to sew his shirt. This is actually true in regards to stinging nettles is a plant that was used by all the First Nations tribes in Canada and the US as thread for sewing. yet many have no idea about this.
@@ashleyking3385 Thanks again Ashley. I’m also of Irish descent, hence why I do like to lean into the Celtic mythology and folklore. Thanks also for your request. I will continue to make videos on plant and tree lore, as I find it fascinating. Watch this space ☺️ I also did not know that about nettles. Will revisit that when I make a nettle video 😅 thanks again
It is said that if you have a yew tree in your garden you will never be poor.
The word "toxic" comes from the Latin and Greek words for the yew tree as it is poisonous in most of its parts!