Quick correspondence:
Gender: male
Planet: Saturn (or Mars)
Element: Fire (or Air)
Magickal uses:
Healing, protection, fertility,
money, prosperity, cleansing,
endurance
As an evergreen, pine is thought to help with both literal and metaphorical endurance of the heart and mind through winter. This can be generalised to endurance throughout other difficult times, and so meditating under a pine tree is meant to provide a new outlook and renewed vigour to rise to challenges.
Physically, the oil has several uses. It can be added to a chest rub to loosen phlegm or added to a skin preparation to help with itching and acne. It can also be used in massage oil for muscle or joint pain. The needles get their distinctive scent from an essential oil called pinenes, which are decongesting and anti microbial. They can be simmered in water and used as an inhalation for help with catarrh, put in a bath for muscular aches and pains, or made into a tea with high concentrations of vitamins A and C. For any of these purposes, chop the needles first to release the oils.
If you wish to gather the resin for incense you may find some on the trunks of mature trees. If you are not lucky enough to find any then you can gather the resin by making a small cut on the trunk and waiting for it to seep out but this should only be done carefully and on mature trees.
Pinecones are believed to ward of evil when carried and similarly pine can be burned in the hearth or made into wreaths for this purpose. Pincones are a symbol of fertility, particularly for males. They are sometimes used to top wands in a similar way to acorns. The pine tree is associated with Saturn and Saturnalia (a Roman winter festival celebrating the god Saturn).
The needles have culinary uses and can be used in vinegar, biscuits, wine and a Swedish tea called tallsrunt. The bark (the inner, white bark) has been used in bread. And of course pine nuts are a delicious addition to many dishes and are traditionally one of the main ingredients in pesto.
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