Pine Cone Magick

There are two types of pine cones: male and female. Although they differ from one species to another, all pine trees have distinct male and female parts. Male cones are smaller, softer, and are found lower down the trees at the base of branches. Female cones are larger, woody, and situated higher up the tree at the tip of a branch. Both male and female cones have individual overlapping plates known as scales because they resemble fish scales.

The form, size, and shape of female cones vary between types of pine trees. Females have two types of scales: bract scales and seed scales. Bract scales develop first with two ovules on the upper side. They open temporarily to receive pollen from male cones and then close up as fertilized seeds mature. Depending on the pine tree, maturation can be between 6 to 24 months.

During maturation, the more robust seed scales develop to protect the seeds. When the seeds are ripe, the cone opens to allow seed dispersal. It’s not that simple, however. A mature female cone will open and close several times to ensure optimal conditions for spreading her seeds. Her scales are closed in wet conditions and open in dry when the seeds can easily be carried far by the wind.

Female cones continue these open and closed cycles long after their seeds are gone, even when falling to the forest floor. For centuries they were a barometer to detect humidity in the air or dampness in the soil.

On the other hand, male cones have a much shorter life cycle. Their scales harbor pollen sacs, which open under ideal dry conditions, allowing the pollen to be carried to receptive female cones on nearby trees. Once their pollen is released, the job of a male cone is done.

Different parts of pine trees, including cones, have been used by healers for millennia to treat several health conditions. Pine is loaded with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.

Pine nuts are the seeds that form within the female cones, but not all pine species have edible seeds. Years ago, they were a vital harvest to see people through the cold, barren winter months. Today they’re mainly used in baking, sauces, pestos, and salads.

They’re packed with essential nutrients, including protein, healthy fats, fiber, minerals, and vitamins. While ancient healers wouldn’t have known the science behind conditions like blood sugar and cardiovascular disease, research has shown that pine nuts can lower cholesterol, contribute to heart health, and stabilize blood sugar.

Jam made from pine cones originates from Eastern Europe, where it’s still found on supermarket shelves today. It’s made from young, soft cones and used to cure colds and respiratory infections and treat bronchial asthma. Eaten as is or stirred into boiling water, pine cone jam is also an anti-oxidant immune booster.

Pine cones have been a symbol of regeneration, resurrection, the circle of life, eternal life, and enlightenment since the beginning of time. They can be found in religious and cultural figures and representations and have been found on ancient artifacts.

In ancient Egypt, the staff of Osiris has two spiraling snakes rising up to meet at a pine cone.

To the ancient Romans, pine cones were associated with Venus, the goddess of love.

Ancient Assyrian carvings dating back to 716 BCE show winged people holding pine cones as a symbol of awakening, consciousness, enlightenment, fertility, and immortality.

Various Hindu deities are frequently depicted holding pine cones in their outstretched hands.

The Mexican goddess of agriculture, Chicomecōātl, was sometimes depicted with an offering of pine cones in her hands.

The Celts used pine cones as fertility charms and placed them under their pillows or mattresses at night.

A pine cone is carved into the ceremonial staff carried by the Roman Catholic pope. There’s also an enormous bronze statue of a pine cone in the Vatican City.

In Finland and Sweden, cone cows are a traditional toy for children dating back hundreds of years. They’re still commonplace today.

The brow chakra, ajna, or third eye is associated with the pineal gland, which is frequently closely linked with the pine cone. The pineal gland is nestled between the two hemispheres of the brain and resembles a pine cone in shape. It produces melatonin, is interconnected with the body’s perception of light, and modulates our circadian rhythms and sleep patterns.

Mabon is the second of three harvest celebrations in the Wheel of the Year. Also known as the autumn equinox or Harvest Home, it honors the goddess and god for the bounty they bring throughout the harvest. It also celebrates the equal daylight and night of the equinox.

In Wiccan mythology, the goddess is transitioning into the crone. The god has almost wholly transitioned to the next world, awaiting rebirth. Ancient pagans stored their harvest while making offerings of cider and herbs to the trees and plants. Harvesting was done with gratitude in the waning sunlight, in the full knowledge that the sun and fertility would return once again.

The emphasis of Mabon is balance and acceptance that rebirth follows death, as is proven by the new seeds harvested and stored for sowing, followed by the emergence of new life. Autumn is a time of balance, reflection, gathering, and gratitude, as well as a time to contemplate the concept that what we sow is what we will reap.

The pine cone represents all of these, making it an excellent correspondence at Mabon. Whether used to decorate your home, your Mabon altar or as the focus of a spell or ritual, pine cones’ vibrational energy will enhance your intentions.

While this spell can be used for conception and healthy pregnancy, it can also be used to manifest any intention. If you want something, make sure it comes from a place of purity, that you’re willing to take responsibility and work for it. Remember the universal code: as you sow, so you reap.

Hang the bonded pine cones as a talisman somewhere close to where your dream will manifest. For example, hang it in your bedroom if you want to become pregnant. Conversely, hang it close to your desk or workstation if it's an educational or career goal.

Once your intentions have manifested, thank the talisman and bury it in your garden or an area of forest.

Visiting sacred places that have higher spiritual, mystical, metaphysical, and magickal energy can be an amazing experience in and of itself. But if you really want to connect to the energy and power of the place, performing a meditation ritual or spell there is an unintrusive way to do so. Certain areas are still in use by those actively practicing their religion, some are popular tourist spots that draw large crowds, and others are in the middle of nowhere with few resources around. So, doing a meditation ritual instead of intricate spell work allows you to connect to the magick of the space without intruding on any other visitors or risking harm to the site.

That isn’t to say you can’t bring any supplies! If you have a portable altar kit made (Wicca Magazine has a how-to article on creating one), you can definitely use that. Or bring crystals or other objects that have meaning to you or share energies with the site you are visiting. For example, if the site is strong in the Fire element, you might bring a crystal or object to imbue with that power or that has Fire as a correspondence.

The most important thing to do before visiting a site and doing a meditation ritual is to research the history and current use of the site. You need to know if the site is sacred to a culture or religion outside your own, actively in use for religious purposes, or if there are restrictions on activities and items you can bring in. You may also wish to research the best time of day to visit, both for crowd sizes and energy surges. Is the site’s energy strongest at sunrise? Does night hold stronger mystical powers? You want to visit when you can best connect with the energies of the site.

Next, plan your meditation. If the site is sacred to another culture (either current or past), make sure the beginning of your meditation offers acknowledgment and respect to that culture and religion. Have a plan for bringing and using any crystals or other tools. If visiting alone or at risky times, have a safety plan in place.

For the meditation itself, begin with any acknowledgments and respect for the culture whose site you are at. Then, move into an acknowledgment of the site itself and its energies. The meditation path is yours from there. Are you on a journey, seeking assistance from the energies of the space? Are you just looking to connect with and express gratitude to the world at large through a sacred space? Do you need some healing or closure that might only be found through the assistance of powerful energies in a sacred space? Whatever your reasons for meditating, feel your body, mind, and spirit connect with the site you are at and visualize the energies around you. And don’t discount the benefits of a walking meditation for larger sites.