The Wisdom of the Celtic Trees: Breathwork with Nature’s Guidance
The Wisdom of the Celtic Trees: Breathwork with Nature’s Guidance
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Rooted in ancient rhythms. Guided by the breath. Aligned with the trees.
In my online breathwork sessions, I draw from the deep well of Celtic tree wisdom. Each tree in the Celtic Tree Calendar carries its own story, energy, and invitation—mirroring the seasons of our own lives. When we breathe with the energy of the trees, we reconnect with the natural world, our inner rhythm, and a deeper truth.
This page is a sacred space—a virtual grove—where you can explore the energies of each Celtic tree and how I weave them into our breathwork journeys. Each section shares the traditional lore of the tree, its energetic themes, and how I bring its essence into the breath.
🌳 Birch (Beith) – New Beginnings, Purity, and Hope
🌳 Birch (Beith) – New Beginnings, Purity, and Hope
Date: December 24 – January 20
Element: Air
Botanical note:
Botanical note:
The birch is one of the first trees to grow back after land has been cleared. It symbolises resilience and the courage to start again.
Energy & Themes:
Energy & Themes:
Fresh starts
Shedding the old
Innocence and clarity
Rebirth
In Breathwork:
In Breathwork:
Birch journeys invite you to peel back old layers—like bark shedding from the tree—and breathe into your true beginning. We focus on lightness, inner clarity, and reawakening your dreams. It’s a breath of soft courage and inner brightness.
🌳 Rowan (Luis) – Protection, Strength, and Vision
🌳 Rowan (Luis) – Protection, Strength, and Vision
Date: January 21 – February 17
Element: Fire
Botanical note
Botanical note
The rowan tree is often planted near doorways to protect the home. Its bright red berries are linked with the unseen realms.
Energy & Themes:
Energy & Themes:
- Inner strength
- Spiritual sight
- Boundaries and protection
- Trusting your intuition
In Breathwork:
In Breathwork:
With Rowan, the breath becomes a shield and a lantern. We use the breath to strengthen our energy field, tune into guidance, and reclaim our inner fire. Often paired with the imagery of a protective cloak or fiery root system.
🌳Ash (Nion)–Connection, Balance and the World Tree
🌳Ash (Nion)–Connection, Balance and the World Tree
Date: February 18 – March 17
Element: Water
Botanical note:
Botanical note:
Ash trees are tall and strong, with roots that reach deep into the earth and branches that stretch high into the skies. They’ve long been seen as bridges between worlds.
Ash trees are tall and strong, with roots that reach deep into the earth and branches that stretch high into the skies. They’ve long been seen as bridges between worlds.
Energy & Themes:
Energy & Themes:
Interconnection
Harmony between inner and outer
Journeying between the realms
Emotional and spiritual balance
In Breathwork:
In Breathwork:
Ash breathwork sessions often focus on reconnecting with the self and the wider web of life. We explore the idea of breath as a bridge—between body and soul, conscious and unconscious, seen and unseen. These journeys feel expansive and deeply aligning.
🌳 Alder (Fearn) – Bridging Inner and Outer Worlds
🌳 Alder (Fearn) – Bridging Inner and Outer Worlds
Date: March 18 – April 14
Element: Fire
Botanical note:
Alder trees thrive near water, yet their wood doesn’t rot when wet. They were used to make bridges—both literally and spiritually.Botanical note:
Energy & Themes:
Energy & Themes:
Action and flow
Courage to express and step forward
Bridging intuition with action
Emotional resilience
In Breathwork:
In Breathwork:
With Alder, we breathe into action without force. This tree guides sessions where participants are moving from stillness into aligned action, learning to flow through resistance and trust their instincts. Alder helps awaken bravery in the body.
🌳 Willow (Saille)–Emotional Flow, Intuition and Healing
🌳 Willow (Saille)–Emotional Flow, Intuition and Healing
Date: April 15 – May 12
Element: Water
Botanical note:
Botanical note:
Willows grow beside water, their long branches swaying in the breeze. They are known for their deep connection to the moon and feminine cycles.
Energy & Themes:
Energy & Themes:
Surrender and release
Deep emotional healing
Feminine energy
Honouring cycles
In Breathwork:
In Breathwork:
Willow sessions are tender and flowing. They invite release through the breath—of tears, tension, old stories. We work with fluid breath patterns, honouring the wisdom of the body and the rise and fall of emotion. A session of surrender and soft strength.
🌳 Hawthorn (Huath)–Heart Medicine, Transformation, and Boundaries
🌳 Hawthorn (Huath)–Heart Medicine, Transformation, and Boundaries
Date: May 13 – June 9
Element: Fire
Botanical note:
Botanical note:
Hawthorn trees are both beautiful and protective, blooming with delicate flowers while guarding with strong thorns. Traditionally linked to the fae and the heart.
Energy & Themes:
Energy & Themes:
Heart opening
Protection through boundaries
Sacred transformation
Tender courage
In Breathwork:
In Breathwork:
In Hawthorn journeys, we focus on the heart space—on what is blooming and what needs guarding. These sessions balance openness with discernment, supporting transformation with safety. Often paired with gentle heart coherence and emotional exploration.
🌳 Oak (Duir) – Strength, Sovereignty, and Sacred Leadership
🌳 Oak (Duir) – Strength, Sovereignty, and Sacred Leadership
Date: June 10 – July 7
Element: Earth
Botanical note:
Botanical note:
Oak trees are wise elders of the forest. Their acorns grow into mighty trees. The word “Duir” shares roots with “door”—symbolising thresholds and new choices.
Energy & Themes:
Energy & Themes:
Strength rooted in truth
Leadership and responsibility
Inner authority
Holding space for others
In Breathwork:
In Breathwork:
Oak breathwork brings grounding and empowerment. We explore how to stand tall while staying rooted. These sessions are supportive for those stepping into new roles, speaking truth, or calling back personal power. Breath becomes a pillar of strength.
🌳 Holly (Tinne) – Protection, Courage, and Inner Warrior
🌳 Holly (Tinne) – Protection, Courage, and Inner Warrior
Date: July 8 – August 4
Element: Fire
Botanical note:
Botanical note:
The holly tree stands evergreen through the darkest winters, its spiny leaves and red berries symbolising endurance and quiet strength. It was planted near homes for protection.
Energy & Themes:
Energy & Themes:
Courage and calm under pressure
Defending what matters
Inner warrior energy
Dignity and endurance
In Breathwork:
In Breathwork:
Holly journeys call in your quiet inner strength. We breathe into the parts of us that keep going even in hard times—those calm and steady reserves we don’t always notice. The breath here becomes armour and medicine, helping you feel safe, protected, and resilient.
🌳 Hazel (Coll) – Wisdom, Inspiration, and Deep Knowing
🌳 Hazel (Coll) – Wisdom, Inspiration, and Deep Knowing
Date: August 5 – September 1
Element: Air
Botanical note:
Botanical note:
In Celtic myth, the Salmon of Wisdom gained its insight from eating the hazelnuts that fell into the sacred well. Hazel has long been seen as a tree of insight and creativity.
Energy & Themes:
Energy & Themes:
Inner knowing
Creative flow
Intuition and insight
Integration of knowledge
In Breathwork:
In Breathwork:
Hazel invites stillness and reflection. These sessions often work well with journaling or intention-setting. We use the breath to tap into our own wells of wisdom and allow inspiration to rise gently to the surface. A beautiful tree for guidance and clarity.
🌳 Apple (Quert) – Love, Beauty, and Choice
🌳 Apple (Quert) – Love, Beauty, and Choice
Date: September 2 – September 29
Element: Water
Botanical note:
Botanical note:
The apple tree is central in Celtic lore, associated with the Otherworld, healing, and sacred gardens. Its fruit, when sliced, reveals a five-pointed star—a symbol of magic and wholeness.
Energy & Themes:
Energy & Themes:
Love and sensuality
Making empowered choices
Abundance and delight
Sacred beauty
In Breathwork:
Apple breathwork is soft, heart-led, and deeply nurturing. These sessions encourage participants to breathe into self-love, to choose what truly nourishes them, and to savour the beauty in their lives. We often work with the breath as a gentle invitation to come home to joy.
🌳 Vine (Muin) – Joy, Release, and True Expression
🌳 Vine (Muin) – Joy, Release, and True Expression
Date: September 30 – October 27
Element: Earth
Botanical note:
Botanical note:
Though not a traditional tree, the vine is honoured for its fruits and its ability to grow wildly. In Celtic symbolism, it represents ecstasy, release, and the sweet chaos of transformation.
Energy & Themes:
Energy & Themes:
Letting go
Pleasure and expression
Celebration of life
Trust in unfolding
In Breathwork:
In Breathwork:
With Vine, we invite the breath to help us uncoil what’s been too tightly held. These sessions often bring emotional release, joy, or movement. We focus on loosening expectations, letting energy flow freely, and allowing ourselves to be seen and felt without judgment.
🌳Ivy (Gort)–Perseverance, Growth through Challenge
🌳Ivy (Gort)–Perseverance, Growth through Challenge
Date: October 28 – November 24
Element: Water
Botanical note:
Botanical note:
Ivy grows in spirals, winding through what seems impossible. It clings, climbs, and thrives in unexpected places—reminding us of the slow, steady strength of resilience.
Energy & Themes:
Energy & Themes:
Persistence
Adaptability
Growth through hardship
Hidden strength
In Breathwork:
Ivy journeys offer a breath of encouragement and trust. These sessions are powerful for times of transition, when you’re holding on or climbing out. The breath becomes a steady companion—helping you grow, even when things feel tangled or unclear.
🌳Reed (Ngetal)–Clarity, Purpose, and Speaking Your Truth
🌳Reed (Ngetal)–Clarity, Purpose, and Speaking Your Truth
Date: November 25 – December 22
Element: Air
Botanical note:
Botanical note:
Reeds grow in wetlands and are used to make pens and instruments. They represent both communication and alignment—cutting through the noise to find truth.
Energy & Themes:
Energy & Themes:
Focus and direction
Purposeful action
Clear communication
Truth-telling
In Breathwork:
In Breathwork:
Reed breathwork helps us get still enough to hear our own truth. These sessions often include breath and voice—sighing, humming, or affirming out loud. We use the breath to strip back the clutter, focus our energy, and remember what we’re really here to say or do.
🌳 Elder (Ruis) – Endings, Release, and Spiritual Insight
🌳 Elder (Ruis) – Endings, Release, and Spiritual Insight
Date: December 23
Element: Earth
Botanical note:
Botanical note:
Elder is a tree of endings and beginnings, associated with death, rebirth, and deep transformation. Every part of the elder has medicinal properties—symbolising the cycles of life and the wisdom of letting go.
Energy & Themes:
Energy & Themes:
Closure and completion
Spiritual depth
Ancestral connection
Rest and renewal
In Breathwork:
In Breathwork:
Elder sessions are quiet and sacred. We breathe into the spaces between, honouring what’s ending and allowing space for what may come. These journeys often feel like a deep exhale—letting go, shedding skin, and connecting with the mystery of life beyond what we see.
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