by Susan Sheppard
Green was once considered to be an unlucky color since it was believed to belong to the fairies. Thus, fairies might feel slighted or become jealous if human beings claimed their special color – as so was once thought. In Scotland, it was held that all ghosts gave off a soft, green glow, especially when witnessed at night. 
Green is also the color of the earth (belonging to elemental, spiritual forces) and to other worlds, such as aliens who are often portrayed as green-skinned (hence, “little green men”) or otherwise wearing green clothing. In Europe, evergreen was used to celebrate the winter solstice which still exists in our modern celebration of Christmas.
The color green was once revered by the ancient Egyptians using it mostly on the face of the god Osiris who stood for fertility and a green death mask. The Egyptians believed the color green represented fertility and growth, belonging to the netherworld, or the land of the dead. In Islamic teachings, God is said to wear green silk in heaven. Green implies resurrection, or rather “to live again.” Fairy outlaw Robin Hood is always portrayed wearing green. Sometimes the Devil is also said to be clothed in green, wearing a black mask and revealing his erection, but this only points out his association with Pan, or the Horned God, a male fertility symbol which stands for earthly life and growth.
Green is also the color of the earth (belonging to elemental, spiritual forces) and to other worlds, such as aliens who are often portrayed as green-skinned (hence, “little green men”) or otherwise wearing green clothing. In Europe, evergreen was used to celebrate the winter solstice which still exists in our modern celebration of Christmas.
The color green was once revered by the ancient Egyptians using it mostly on the face of the god Osiris who stood for fertility and a green death mask. The Egyptians believed the color green represented fertility and growth, belonging to the netherworld, or the land of the dead. In Islamic teachings, God is said to wear green silk in heaven. Green implies resurrection, or rather “to live again.” Fairy outlaw Robin Hood is always portrayed wearing green. Sometimes the Devil is also said to be clothed in green, wearing a black mask and revealing his erection, but this only points out his association with Pan, or the Horned God, a male fertility symbol which stands for earthly life and growth.
Green Ladies
Fairies that protect the wilds and are found to live in trees, green lady fairies are mostly associated with the yew tree, oak, willow, holly and elm. One must ask permission of Green Ladies before cutting down a tree or it will anger her into seeking fairy retribution. The Green Lady is also a fairy ghost in Scotland that haunts a family right before a death is to occur. Also called the Ghlaistig uaine, or ‘Green Ghlaistig,’ she is related to Highland spirits and categorized with brownies or Gruagachs. When she appears she is wearing a bewitching green gown that hides her feet which are the cloven feet of a goat. The Green Ghlaistig is considered a sort of a demon and should be avoided. Traveling alone, the Green lady is seldom seen and is repelled by hounds or dogs. She will put weak-minded individuals under her enchantment and lead the sick into their graves. Green Ladies haunt areas of Scotland, mainly estates and castles such as Donolly Castle, Skipness Castle, and Crathes Castle where the fairy ghost emerges by the fireplace and picks up a spectral infant. She also appears in the ruins of a castle at Caerphilly near Cardiff in Wales. The Green Lady is one good example that in the Britain, fairies and ghosts are very much entwined. Fairies are very much allied with “hauntings” in the United Kingdom, a surprising concept in the United States where fairies are associated with daylight, mushrooms, fairy dust and flowers. In Scotland certain roads or bypasses are called “fairy roads” or “spoke roads” and are considered very haunted. Green ladies can often appear in the shape of rambling ivy. This is how she hides in the daylight. If watched long enough, witnesses claim to see her stir slightly in the greenery and once she is sure her presence is known, she will emerge and extend her hand to witnesses. Once she does this, the Green Lady always fades.
Fairies that protect the wilds and are found to live in trees, green lady fairies are mostly associated with the yew tree, oak, willow, holly and elm. One must ask permission of Green Ladies before cutting down a tree or it will anger her into seeking fairy retribution. The Green Lady is also a fairy ghost in Scotland that haunts a family right before a death is to occur. Also called the Ghlaistig uaine, or ‘Green Ghlaistig,’ she is related to Highland spirits and categorized with brownies or Gruagachs. When she appears she is wearing a bewitching green gown that hides her feet which are the cloven feet of a goat. The Green Ghlaistig is considered a sort of a demon and should be avoided. Traveling alone, the Green lady is seldom seen and is repelled by hounds or dogs. She will put weak-minded individuals under her enchantment and lead the sick into their graves. Green Ladies haunt areas of Scotland, mainly estates and castles such as Donolly Castle, Skipness Castle, and Crathes Castle where the fairy ghost emerges by the fireplace and picks up a spectral infant. She also appears in the ruins of a castle at Caerphilly near Cardiff in Wales. The Green Lady is one good example that in the Britain, fairies and ghosts are very much entwined. Fairies are very much allied with “hauntings” in the United Kingdom, a surprising concept in the United States where fairies are associated with daylight, mushrooms, fairy dust and flowers. In Scotland certain roads or bypasses are called “fairy roads” or “spoke roads” and are considered very haunted. Green ladies can often appear in the shape of rambling ivy. This is how she hides in the daylight. If watched long enough, witnesses claim to see her stir slightly in the greenery and once she is sure her presence is known, she will emerge and extend her hand to witnesses. Once she does this, the Green Lady always fades.
Green Man
Also referred to as “Jack in the Green,” the Green Man is primarily a Celtic nature spirit, the foliate King of Green who reigns over the fairies, greenery and elementals. The Green Man is the Lord over nature sprites, and whatever grows and flowers as a principle divinity revered mainly by the ancient Celts and other early European tribes.
But the Green Man does not only belong to the Celts, he belongs to every culture and civilization, including the Egyptians where he appears as the God Osiris, portrayed in temple paintings with a green face, representing not only vegetation, but the greenness of decay and death, an ultimate transformation. The green man’s face looms on carved doorways of churches in the British Isles, where he is also Robin Hood, or the Wild Man of the Forest. His image is over 1,000 years old. The Green Man appeared even earlier in Europe as Herne the Hunter or Cernunnos, and there is evidence he is the root behind our modern concept of Santa Claus. The Green Man is portrayed throughout Europe in Church art or on other old buildings appearing in three guises: the foliate head, where his face is covered with leaves, the disgorging head, where plants or leaves spew from his mouth, and the bloodsucker head, where vegetation grows from the various orifices in his face. It also seems that Herne the Hunter or Green man is also a type of ghost.
Also referred to as “Jack in the Green,” the Green Man is primarily a Celtic nature spirit, the foliate King of Green who reigns over the fairies, greenery and elementals. The Green Man is the Lord over nature sprites, and whatever grows and flowers as a principle divinity revered mainly by the ancient Celts and other early European tribes.
But the Green Man does not only belong to the Celts, he belongs to every culture and civilization, including the Egyptians where he appears as the God Osiris, portrayed in temple paintings with a green face, representing not only vegetation, but the greenness of decay and death, an ultimate transformation. The green man’s face looms on carved doorways of churches in the British Isles, where he is also Robin Hood, or the Wild Man of the Forest. His image is over 1,000 years old. The Green Man appeared even earlier in Europe as Herne the Hunter or Cernunnos, and there is evidence he is the root behind our modern concept of Santa Claus. The Green Man is portrayed throughout Europe in Church art or on other old buildings appearing in three guises: the foliate head, where his face is covered with leaves, the disgorging head, where plants or leaves spew from his mouth, and the bloodsucker head, where vegetation grows from the various orifices in his face. It also seems that Herne the Hunter or Green man is also a type of ghost.
As we delve into hauntings, we sometimes forget that nature itself has a spirit and is made up of many spirits. Many sacred sites that have elemental energies, such as Stonehenge and more recently, crop circles report strange events. When photographed, such sacred sites reveal in pictures typical ghost orbs, and vortexes. Are these sacred sites haunted? Or do they simply swim with spiritual energies unleashed in ancient times?
Green Witchcraft
In popular culture witches have been referred to as “Black” or “White” in times past, but in the last few decades, there has been the rise of something called “Green Witchcraft,” a merging of a pagan concepts with modern modes of witchcraft, a path or a way that seeks the divine in nature and the natural world, meaning “heaven is around us, and within us... not just above us.”
Green witches do not have particular dogma, or religious absolutes. They rely upon intuition and often work alone and without any coven. They personally respond to nature and its forces, as well as tapping into their innate psychic abilities. They are similar to “cottage witches” primarily domestic with an emphasis on revering and aligning her powers with nature. One specialty of the Green witch is working with herbs and also the fairies. Sometimes referred to as “cunning folk” or “granny witch,” it was not unusual for the Green witch to work as the midwife of the village. Green witches honor the ideas of gods and goddesses, but you do not have to believe in gods and goddesses to be a Green witch. Green witches revere the plants, the flowers, trees, mountains, streams, oceans, and all elements in nature, as well as distant planets. Often, the Green witch is a “solitary,” or rather, one that works on her ow
In popular culture witches have been referred to as “Black” or “White” in times past, but in the last few decades, there has been the rise of something called “Green Witchcraft,” a merging of a pagan concepts with modern modes of witchcraft, a path or a way that seeks the divine in nature and the natural world, meaning “heaven is around us, and within us... not just above us.”
Green witches do not have particular dogma, or religious absolutes. They rely upon intuition and often work alone and without any coven. They personally respond to nature and its forces, as well as tapping into their innate psychic abilities. They are similar to “cottage witches” primarily domestic with an emphasis on revering and aligning her powers with nature. One specialty of the Green witch is working with herbs and also the fairies. Sometimes referred to as “cunning folk” or “granny witch,” it was not unusual for the Green witch to work as the midwife of the village. Green witches honor the ideas of gods and goddesses, but you do not have to believe in gods and goddesses to be a Green witch. Green witches revere the plants, the flowers, trees, mountains, streams, oceans, and all elements in nature, as well as distant planets. Often, the Green witch is a “solitary,” or rather, one that works on her ow
VERY informative. I don't know why but this article seemed to put off an energy to me that I feel I needed. Thank you so much!!! Lots of love and blessings to you.
ReplyDeleteRose
Yes, we certainly are "greens," your area has tons of green energy. I've had some green spiritual things, as well, like green orbs waking me up at night. Hope all goes well with you, Rose, Love Susan
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