In folk medicine, parts - bark, leaves, buds and flowers - of different trees have always been used. Useful qualities were associated not only with the healing properties of the juices contained in them, but also with the special energy that folk legends endowed each of these trees with.
According to the most ancient beliefs of the Slavs, there were trees with positive and negative energy. It was useful to have some on the farm, build from them, make furniture and kitchen utensils. Others were recommended to be avoided so as not to create a bad atmosphere in the home.
Trees with poor energy
Willow
According to the Slavs, the willow possessed powerful negative energy. The very appearance of a weeping willow with drooping branches set up a negative mood. The ancestors considered willow to be a tree of drowned women and suicides. In ancient times, there were beliefs that forest spirits lived in its branches, taking the form of young beauties. They could also be the restless souls of girls drowned in the river.
The willow attracted women who were experiencing acute mental pain. But she did not heal her, but aggravated her even more, therefore she was considered something like a vampire tree. Willow belonged to the so-called "female" trees. According to modern doctors, willow's bad reputation is caused by its appearance. Heavy branches bent to the ground can lead to sad thoughts in people prone to melancholy. It does not do any other harm.
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Aspen
The Slavs also considered aspen a vampire tree. In their opinion, it was a powerful accumulator of negative energy and literally "sucked" strength from people. Unpleasant associations in our ancestors were also caused by aspen leaves trembling from the slightest breath of breeze. This phenomenon resembled the whispering of invisible spirits, so popular beliefs endowed the aspen with powerful magical properties.
Probably, it was from here in the Middle Ages that the legend arose that only an aspen stake could kill a vampire. In fact, these are just superstitions. Most trees, once considered dangerous, do no harm to humans.
Poplar
Poplar was also endowed with very similar properties. In ancient times, it was believed that he also collects all the negative, “bad” energy. It was not recommended to sleep under a poplar, as it supposedly could take away strength from a person. Modern science claims that this is a simple superstition. Poplar does not have any such effect. Of course, if people do not convince themselves of this.
Bird cherry and mountain ash
These plants were also considered vampires, “sucking” energy from a person. Moreover, their fruits and leaves were widely used in everyday life and folk medicine, which can easily be explained by the abundance of vitamins in them. Rowan fruits, rich in vitamin C, are especially good for helping with colds.
Bird cherry was considered a intoxicating plant. This is due to the strong aroma it exudes during the flowering period. There is some truth in this. Indeed, the very strong smell of bird cherry can cause headaches, nasal congestion and watery eyes in sensitive people and allergy sufferers.
Trees with good energy
The Slavs referred to plants with positive energy as fruit trees (pears, apple trees, cherries), as well as oak, pine, maple, cedar and of course birch, a symbol of Russian soulfulness. These trees, according to ancestors, gave people strength, health and peace of mind.
Science fully agrees with this. Wildlife has healing properties that have a very positive effect on the psycho-emotional state of a person. It already, in turn, has a beneficial effect on physical health. It is not for nothing that since ancient times the Slavs have sought peace and tranquility in their souls, walking in the forests and meadows. There they received a powerful energy boost that helped to cope with any disaster.