D is for Dogwood...

Dear Littler B,

In keeping up with the challenge at hand from the A to Z challenge - here we are today with the letter D.  As explained in yesterdays letter, for the purposes of this campaign, while trees are not herbs per say I am including them as they contain both practical and spiritual uses.

I am hoping that I can get this letter to you and not have a gap between letters as this is information you will need and use over the decades.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEE WHY

So here we go with the letter D.

 


is for Dogwood...

 

Origin and Identification

At this point I know you already know what a dogwood tree is. Mom has one in the front yard with the 4 petaled flowers that start as white and fade to pink on the edges.  I can't imagine anyone in the lower 48 don't know how to identify one on site.  The Dogwood species (or Cornus) actually consists of up to 60 different variations of tree. They are usually only found in North America and Eurasia / Asia areas.  Old English names vary but an interesting tid bit of information is that one of the earliest names for this tree is the "whippletree" as referred to in the Canterbury Tales. The berries from the tree used to be known as dog berries or hound berries. (keep that in your hat for later in this letter)

Practical Uses of Dogwood

The dogwood tree has highly resilient wood, it is known for being to absorb a lot of energy/force without breaking or miss-shaping. (Possibly one of the main reasons it is used for what it is on the metaphysical side but I'm getting ahead of myself.) For this reason, dogwood is often used to make handles for things that need to perform that function such as golf clubs and tool handles.  In the old days it was even used to make wooden teeth as well as some of the first effective chewing sticks/toothbrushes.  

The inner bark can be used brewed into a tea for treatment of headache and fever.  The fruits of the tree are used to treat diarrhea and other conditions. The fruit of the Cornus Kosa variety known is the most widely consumed that I have seen so far. The leaves or bark can be made into a tincture to apply to skin for use in treatment of skin conditions like eczema. The petals of the tree are edible such as the redbud variety and are often used in jams and candied.

  

 

Metaphysical Uses of Dogwood

There is a story about the dogwood tree in Christianity as it relates to the crucifixion. Allegedly the dogwood lumber was used for the building of the cross. As a reminder of its part in the crucifixion, it was deemed that the tree would forever grow short so as not to ever be able to be used in such a way again.  The flowers were tipped in red to resemble it's part in the blood and two petals would grow longer than the others so as to form a cross. Pink dogwoods are said to be such for their shame in the spilling of the blood A great rendition of the story can be found at Creation Tips



To the Celtic, this wood is known as the hero's tree as it is associated Cuchulain (the Dog of Chullain) who was known for his loyalty and hero status. For this reasons the wood is used in times where heroism, protection or super-human characteristics are needed.

By E. Wallcousins - Charles Squire, Celtic Myths and Legends, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3486105

The Dogwood was chosen by me today for its two most well known metaphysical properties. It is known for protection and wish granting.  Dogwood leaves can be pressed into a protection amulet or wood carved into an amulet itself.  It is also said that the sap of a dogwood placed on a cloth during Midsummer Eve (6/19/16 in the US) and carried with you constantly will grant any wish you may have.


Well, that is about it for me today. I have much to catch up on and it is already mid-afternoon.  Until tomorrow and letter E!

Much love and hope for a wiser you from a not so wise me,

Bigger Little B. 

I Challenge You

Dear Readers,

Today I am going to take a step outside of my normal format (in a way) to address you dear reader as opposed to the typical letter to myself. I decided because it is Leap Day, it was a chance to shake it up and deviate for a day.

I want to talk to you all about a subject that is very near and dear to my heart, Communication.

As defined by dictionary.com

Communication[kuh-myoo-ni-key-shuh n] 
noun

1. the act or process of communicating; fact of being communicated.

2. the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing or signs.

3. Something imparted, interchanged, or transmitted.

4. a document or message imparting news, views, information, etc

5. passage, or an opportunity or means of passage between places.

In the day and age that we are in, so many people send a multitude messages and post so many comments on this site or that, but hardly say anything of meaning. The personal aspect of communication has been stripped away from our day to day life. We are able to drop a message to anyone and have it delivered to their intended recipient within seconds no matter where in the world that person is.

We have become a society that attempts to get our thoughts and purpose out in 140 characters or less. As a result we are often quick to the point and lack feeling and substance in what we say. The art of language has been butchered into quick one-liners and acronyms.


In the day before we all took to our "inbox" to search for that couple line message answering a question or sending the most recent photo we went to our mailboxes to wait for a letter to arrive, old fashioned hand written letters.  They would come to us in beautiful script (which most children today can not even read as it is not taught in a large number of schools), depending on who they were directed to they might have drawings in the margins or the light scent of perfume. Often times they would be multiple pages with thought out sentiment that people today don't necessarily take the time to include.

"I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead"  ~ Mark Twain

I stumbled upon a site recently that supports the importance of letters as they used to be. The organization is called Letters Live. Unfortunately for me they are based out of England, but fortunate for me it seems one of my absolute favorite actors takes part in the organization so I have gotten to watch him read several letters like this one:

Benedict Cumberbatch in Letters Live

YOUR CHALLENGE


I urge you - oh dedicated social media user, visit this website and look around. Go to YouTube and search for Letters Live.  Listen to the thoughtfulness and beauty that is in a single letter.  Let it inspire you to take up a pen and a piece of paper. Take up multiple pieces of paper if the spirit hits you and write a letter from the heart. You will not have the backspace button at hand so the thoughts you put down will be provoking and real.

Now comes the twist that you knew I would put on it.  As you prepare to put your ink to paper I want you to envision the recipient of your letter. I want you to see the person as if they were right there with you, sitting just across the table from you.  Imagine that person in the flesh, solid, listening, curious as to what you have to say.

Now, I want you to imagine the face of that person is yours at the age of 16 years old.

"Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart" ~ Wordsworth

So many of you have expressed the feeling that you had thought of doing something like this.  Today, I encourage you to write that letter.

Sincerely,

Bidy




I would love to hear from you, my readers. I would love you to share your letter with me and if inspired and are interested in writing a guest post, allow me to share your letters with my readers.

You can reach me via email at:   Bidy@dearlittlerme.com