Conifers in fashionable rock gardens have become part of the landscapes of summer cottages and private homes. However, such a flowerbed with rocks is far removed from Russian folk traditions. In the old days, it was believed that a fir tree had no place near a home or in a yard. This tree has a purpose other than simply being a landscape ornament.
Symbol of eternal life
The spruce is a controversial tree. In the age of high technology, it's perceived solely as a symbol of celebration and the coming of the New Year, completely forgetting the traditions of our ancestors. They treated the tree with both respect and awe. They knew all its beneficial properties and exploited them. And they associated bad omens with the prickly tree. The most famous saying goes: "In a birch forest, have fun; in a spruce forest, hang yourself."
Read also
For the ancient Slavs, the spruce was a two-faced tree. It protected the family hearth and its inhabitants from illness, but more often it was planted in cemeteries, surrounded by spruce branches around the deceased, and used to cover the floors in such situations. The spruce was the center of a sacred grove. In other cases, it was planted behind the bathhouse, on the border between one's own territory and the other world. For the Slavs, this refers to the conventional line between the living and those who have departed for eternal life.
A fairy tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it
In folklore, the Christmas tree is associated with the most unpleasant omens. It brings misfortune, drives men out of the home, and drains energy. While the tale may be a lie, it does contain a hint. Let's consider the observations of our predecessors, and what properties they attributed to the evergreen beauty:
- prevents single people from finding their other half;
- you won’t see an heir in the house, only girls will be born, provided that the husband has not yet abandoned the family;
- if it dries out or dies for other reasons, the owner of the site will have a hard time;
- if it outgrows the person who planted it, troubles will befall him, if it grows taller than the building, global problems will threaten the owner, even death;
- and whoever cuts down this sacred tree will have his legs damaged.
Read also
These signs are enough to make you seriously consider whether you need a Christmas tree near your home. It's even more beautiful to admire from afar. At full height and volume, it creates a beautiful picture when covered in winter snow, or catching fallen yellow aspen leaves, or setting off the bright red rowan berries. Farther away, at the edge of the property.
Whose signs work for them?
In ancient times, people gained knowledge primarily through observing the world around them, the slightest changes in nature that followed them. They noticed patterns, memorized them, and drew conclusions. Some of this remained at the level of superstition. If you don't know about them, they don't influence you. Plant a Christmas tree, admire its beauty, decorate it for the New Year.
Other facts have been confirmed by scientists. Biologists advise against planting this conifer species near a house. Their arguments are objective:
- The spruce tree can cause the greatest disaster - a fire in the village; the tree and its dry needles around it can instantly catch fire from the smallest spark, then the fire will quickly spread to houses that were previously entirely made of wood;
- There's no point in planting any plants near the tree; pay attention to how it grows in its natural environment. At best, hardy grass, butter mushrooms, and fly agarics thrive; the ground is mostly covered with a dense carpet of fallen brown needles.
- A solitary tree often attracts lightning - a sign proven by scientists and life. The ancients believed that lightning would strike a spruce tree first, so they never hid under it even during a severe thunderstorm;
- A strong, wide root system located in the upper soil layer can damage the foundation of a house.
Read also
Even knowing the negative beliefs, one cannot stop loving this magnificent tree. Refusing to plant one near one's home doesn't mean forbidding walks in the pine forest. This is where the air is purest, with the rich aroma of needles, which intensifies after rain. Doctors send patients with cardiovascular diseases to such forests, where their energy is nourished and their biofield is improved.
Natasha Zueva
Interesting article!