It has long been believed that in May birch has the greatest healing power. Therefore, in the period from May 1 to May 12, they collected its juice and gave it to sick, sick and weak people to drink, so that they would sooner recover and gain strength. To prevent the tree from becoming exhausted, no more than 1 liter of sap was collected from each birch, the wound was carefully covered up and the tree was thanked for its help. For more than a year, this tree was not touched and no branches were cut from the donor tree for a year. It was believed that if you turn to a birch tree too often for help, she can take offense and take revenge on the person who offended her, sending him "confusion" and failure in his personal life.
Usually, trees from 7 to 50 years old growing in the forest were used to collect birch sap, since it was believed that besides health, birch can give a person and youth, and for this the tree itself should not be too old. In May, half-open birch buds and young sticky leaves were collected for medicinal purposes.
• In the old days they said: “Birch is a wayward and capricious tree. She does not welcome every person, she does not help everyone. But if she loves someone - to be happy and successful in everything. " Knowing the "capriciousness" of the tree, they tried not to plant a birch near the house, so they placed a birch at the gate so that trouble would not enter the yard, and put a bench near it so that at the right time you could talk to the tree, ask him for strength and help.
• Birch especially favors children, innocent girls and pregnant women. For children, swings were placed near the birches, the girls decorated the birches with their ribbons, taken from the braid, on the holiday of Lada and Lelya, on Ivan Kupala in order to get married successfully. Until now, in the villages, they resort to such love magic. A birch twig is placed on Friday on the threshold, through which the one on which they wish to act must step over. Having done this, the rod, which no one should see, is placed in a dry and hot place, saying three times: "Yes, you dry (name) from love for (name), as this rod dries." When the person they are talking about has passed through the threshold, the twig is removed to a secret place, then the sauna is heated, this twig is placed on the upper shelf, more steam is given and, turning to the side where the bar lies, they say: “Steam, bar, and be soft as flufflet the heart of the servant of God (name) be to me, the servant of God (name), as soft as you. " After that, the bath is locked, and after a while they take a twig, carry it to the water at dawn and let it go downstream.
• Before giving birth, pregnant women asked the birch for strength and help so that the childbirth was easy and successful, and the child grew up healthy and happy. Birch branches were also used to impart fertility to newlyweds, to heal from infertility.
• Birch belongs to the zodiac sign Cancer. She broadcasts for us his strength and the moving, unstable energy of the moon. Its energy is cold and refreshing, like clear water, and just like water after bathing, it puts us in a dream, lifting people to the heights of heaven. She gives a person the support of his kind. Birch deals with new beginnings and adoption or birth.
• Birch has the power to impart life. This life force gives birth to all things every year. The aspect of empowering and energizing provides a purifying effect. Birch has the power to exorcise harmful or malevolent influences with eternal vitality.
• Birch gives men masculinity, and women give femininity to both, gives self-confidence, in their strengths and capabilities, and also helps to maintain good physical shape,
Promotional video:
• Among all Slavs it was believed that birch branches, tucked under the roof of a house, left in the attic, protected from lightning, thunder, hail; stuck in the middle of crops in the field, they drive away rodents and birds; abandoned on garden beds, protect cabbage from caterpillars. Birch branches were also stuck into the field in order to get a rich harvest.
• With the help of birch branches and birch brooms, they tried to protect themselves from evil spirits and diseases. Birch is a tree that stays awake all day. She falls asleep just before dawn. As the first roosters sing, scattering evil spirits with their voice, the birch plunges into a sweet and deep sleep for 2 hours, so that, waking up at dawn, to give the world its pure strength. She sleeps at about 3-5 in the morning, and the peak of vigor is at 6-9 in the morning: at this time people went to the growing birch to "transmit" diseases to it (water left over after bathing the patient was poured under the birch). In the text of the Russian conspiracy from the angina pectoris, the motive of the threat in relation to the disease sounds: "I throw the toad under the birch bush, so that it does not hurt, so that it does not ache."
• Birch branches (especially spring ones that have just blossomed) are rightly considered an excellent talisman that drives away sorrows and ailments, protects children from diseases and many other troubles. Because of these properties, cradles for newborns were made from birch wood. During the rituals of exorcism of the demon, witches were flogged with birch rods, therefore lazy people and lunatics in some places are still fed with birch porridge.
• Communication with birch is useful for people with upset nerves, who are in a state of depression. This tree relieves fatigue, neutralizes the negative effects of everyday stress, and helps to restore mental harmony.
Shcherbakova Tatiana