Pagan Book of Hours : Day of the Alder Tree

Calendar of the Moon
1 Fearn/Elaphebolion

Day of the Alder Tree

Color: Crimson
Element: Earth
Altar: Upon a crimson cloth set a vase of alder twigs collected earlier and forced to bud, a single crimson candle, a pot of soil, seeds, a bowl of water, and a bell.
Offerings: Plant seeds. Stoke fires.
Daily Meal: Vegan

Invocation to the Green Man of the Alder Tree

Hail, Green Man of the Spring!
Alder tree of the charcoal-burners,
Battle-witch of all woods,
Tree that is hottest in the fight,
Wood that surrounds and sweetens
All the quiet-eyed cow gives forth,
Wood no water can corrupt,
Blessed of Bran and his bridge,
Whistle-pipe that summons winds,
Triple of colors, many of trunks,
Whose grove is the largest living
Creature in the entire world.
Your seagulls wheel and mew
Over the salt sea and its inland shores,
Yet you are the tree of Fire
And the place where Fire touches Water.
We hail you, sacred alder tree,
Green Man of the Spring,
On this the time of your warming.

Chant:
Crimson is the blood of trees
Crimson is the dawn we seize
Crimson are the sunset seas.

(Each comes forward and plants a seed in the pot of soil, saying, "Hail Green Man of the Earth!" Water is poured onto the pot, and then the rest is poured out as a libation. Ring bell and dismiss.)

[Pagan Book of Hours]