Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings.   For this week’s Femme Fatale Friday, I will be discussing the White Lady, the Faery Queen of the Birch Tree, also known as the Lady of the Forest!   

You see, the power of the Birch Tree has been well discussed in Faerylore, folklore, Druidry, and the Ogham.   She is considered the most feminine of trees, heralding new beginnings.   I have always adored the Birch Tree, with her beautiful silvery white presence and her fresh energy.   She is the beginning, which is why in Druidry, she is aligned with the time between Winter Solstice and Imbolc.   As an interesting sidenote, in Druidry, the Winter Solstice is celebrated as Alban Arthuan, which translates to the Light of Arthur, linking King Arthur to the rebirth of the Sun.   The fact that she is associated with the time between Winter Solstice and Imbolc places the energy of the Birch Tree in the middle of the height of Winter and the dawning of Spring, a time full of renewal, as it is at Imbolc that Snowdrops first begin to break through the hard earth as a sign of hope for the dawning Spring!   

The appearance of the Birch Tree in an Ogham reading is stated by John Michael Greer in The Druidry Handbook: Spiritual Practice Rooted in the Living Earth to be “a favorable sign in most matters, though there may be discomforts involved.”   I have to say that this statement just seems to get to the root of the matter when it comes to evolution and change with the turning of the Wheel of the Year.   After all, no growth or rebirth can occur until we have cleared away that which no longer serves, which can indeed be an uncomfortable experience.

To me, the Lady of the Forest, the Lady in White, the Faery Queen of the Birch Tree, is intimately linked to the Star card in Tarot, for she shares the Star card’s energy of hope for renewal.   I always find that the Star card is very potent in the time between Yuletide and Imbolc, and all the way through the Spring Equinox, as the Star card is a Divine Feminine card that reminds us of softness and the beauty of innocent Maiden energy.   The Birch Tree also holds this reminder of the beauty of purity and innocence of Maidenhood, and how this is the energy that truly births renewal!   

Furthermore, there is a cyclical energy to the Birch Tree, for she heralds a new beginning, but also honors the ending of the old cycle.   Her energy is most present at transition points, guiding us out of the Dark Half of the Year and into the Light Half of the Year.   Her energy is potent to work with when looking to call forth blessings as a new cycle begins, for she is there at the threshold, blessing new beginnings.   For this reason, she is also associated with childbirth, as she is associated with all great change and the ever-turning cycle!    

According to Paul Rhys Mountfort in the book Ogam: The Celtic Oracle of the Trees, the Lady in White is often visualized as “The Birch Goddess of Birth enshrined in the trunk of the birch tree, her upward-branching arms outstretched.”   I personally love this visualization that the author gives us, as it shows a potent energy of renewal and rebirth, exemplifying the Birch Tree’s connection to not only Maidenhood, but the potential for Motherhood, for she is a Faery Queen who aids in birth!   Mountfort also relays several folklore tales associated with the Birch Tree, including The Pursuit of Diarmaid and Grainne, which has the archetypal energy of an Old King (or Hero) setting his sights on a beautiful bride who falls in love with his younger Knight (or Nephew).   The author further points out this story as having clear connections with the love triangles of Tristan, Iseult, and Marc and Lancelot, Guinevere, and Arthur!   That much is clear to see, as is the reasoning for Birch often being associated with love tokens.   So, we can see that the White Lady also blesses new love, in addition to her energy of renewal and rebirth!

Beyond the connection with these stories, Teresa Moorey relays a Czechoslovakian tale about the Lady in White in The Fairy Bible: The Definitive Guide to the World of Fairies.   In this story, a young maiden is approached by a Lady in White in a Birch Grove as she is dancing instead of doing her spinning.   It seems that the Lady of the Forest has taken a liking to the young maiden because of the true joy with which she dances.   The Birch Faery does not scold her for abandoning her chores to enjoy life, instead reminding her that there is still time to do the work later.   In this way, the Birch Tree’s associations with renewal and rebirth also serve as a reminder to enjoy life, and to balance hard work with pleasure!   I really love this soft and sweet energy shown in this story.

When I read the above story shared by Teresa Moorey, the story reminded me greatly of Tolkien’s story of Beren and Luthien.   After all, Luthien often dances in the forest, just like the maiden in the story, and her song is said to melt the snow, and flowers are said to spring forth from the frozen earth where she steps.   This has a clear link to the Birch energy of renewal, and stories of the Birch Tree, which is unsurprising, as Tolkien did love trees!   The flowers sprouting in Luthien’s footprints remind me of Olwen, from the story of How Culwch Won Olwen, found in The Mabinogion, for Olwen has white flowers spring up with each of her steps also.    It is very interesting, given that Olwen is a very pure maiden, whose heart is fought for in great trials by her beloved Culwch, giving her clear ties to the Birch Tree’s energy of hope and renewal!   Her father is even a giant who will die if Olwen marries, which further ties to the cyclical nature of the Birch Tree, for his life must be sacrificed as a new man marries his daughter.

So, yes, there is so much deep and beautiful Faerylore and myth tied to the Birch Tree.   Her beautiful presence is so beloved to me, as she is one of my favorite trees, alongside Apple, Hawthorn, Elder, and Oak.   I hope you have enjoyed this exploration of the Birch Tree.   What is your favorite association with the Birch Tree?   Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a lovely artwork of a White Birch Witch.   I found the art on https://es.pinterest.com/pin/357895501622901710/.                            

LINK TO AVALONIAN ROSE FAERY MYSTERIES PATREON: patreon.com/AvalonianRoseFaeryMysteries

Further Reading

• The Druidry Handbook: Spiritual Practice Rooted in the Living Earth by John Michael Greer
• Ogam: The Celtic Oracle of the Trees by Paul Rhys Mountfort
• The Fairy Bible: The Definitive Guide to the World of Fairies by Teresa Moorey
• Beren and Luthien by J.R.R. Tolkien
• The Mabinogion translated by Sioned Davies
• https://lotr.fandom.com/wiki/Lúthien