The Tree of Life

Some believers of the old ways had beliefs that the world hung from a silver thread. It
was also believed that it hung attached to a fixed pointing the heavens that stable point
being the North Pole Star. No seasons, politics, or religion could ever change that fixed
point. It was thought that the heavens must have rotated around this star with the analogy
of a great mystical mill that churned out the riches and wealth of the universe, gifts from
Spirit to those who deserved them.
The Pole Star was seen as the umbilical cord to the heavens, called, “Mother Bond of
Heaven” by the Babylonians. Several different cultures likened this silver thread to that
of the Universal Tree, Tree of Life, Tree of Yggdrasil, or Cosmic Tree. In Wicca, we find
an old magickal charm (author unknown) that matches the idea of a magickal mill/pole in
the following incantation, called The Mill of Magick:

Fire flame and fire burn make the mill of magick turn;
Work the will for which I pray.
Air breathe and air blow make the magick mill go work the will for which we pray.
Water heat and water boil make the mill of magick toil;
Work the will for which we pray.
Earth without and Earth within make the mill of magick spin,
Work the will for which we pray.
As below it is above make the mill of magick love;
Work the will for which we pray.

When we as people analyze astrology, religion, and magick, we discover that often these
systems share the many same tools (fire, air, water, earth, and spirit). These form a
correspondence and show a primal drive of magick. It lies in the concept of unity
between which is without, and which is within, and that of which is above, and that of
which is below.

Also, an even more shocking connection to this rhyme is the Celtic myth of Duibhne,
King of Dalraidian, Ireland, who found himself in an unlikely enchantment- basically,
even though he still takes on human form, he acts like a bird. In his condition he does not
want to be seen in this pathetic state, he hides away to ponder what he can do to get out
of this nightmare of a situation.
On his journey he meets the hag of the mill, who “is the Cailleach na Dudain or Old
Woman of the Mill, who regulates the turning Mill of Life and Death; and is the Gaelic
counterpart of the British Goddess Arianrhod of the Caer Sidi.” Arianrhod means “Silver
Wheel”, and this interesting Goddess has several associations, including Keeper of Time
and Custodian of the Silver Wheel of Stars (the zodiac). The wheel (some say) was made
by three Druidesses (the Triple Goddess). It is Arianrhod’s Wheel that becomes the
astrological chart you wish to interpret or the Wheel of the Year of the Wiccan High Holy
Days. Once again we see that Spirit, magick, and you are one, whether we think of a tree,
a wheel, or an enchanted mill that connects us all together