Elder - Sambucus nigra

Elder is an ancient and spiritual plant. Originally it was dedicated to the goddess of the underworld Hel (the English word ‚hell‘ was derived from her name as well as the German ‚Hölle‘). This goddess is still well know from Brothers Grimm‘s fairy tale Frau Holle (English: Mother Hulda). This fairy tale describes the journey of two girls to the underworld. The entrance is marked by an elderberry tree. The way the girls behave in the underworld determines their fate when they come back to the Earth‘s surface (reincarnate).

The essence of Elder pulls you out of your usual patterns of thinking. It can make you see things in new and unfamiliar ways. Unaffected by worldly and material matters surprising insights may arise.

Meditation with the Elder corresponds to the shamanic journey to the underworld. What you experience there, can bring substantial knowledge in dealing with your responsibilities in this earthly existence. You can understand things from a higher vantage point. Pettiness and selfishness have no business there. The implementation of lessons learned into practice and reality can be promote and strengthened when you combine Elder with Walnut.