Celtic dictionary: Holly

July 8 - August 4 - "Moon of Encirclement"

The Holly was responsible for maintaining the balance between the positive and the negative aspects of one's self. It restored lost energy, helping one finalize one's venture. The Holly was associated with goodwill and love (traits of many Gods and Goddesses), for which reason it was often seen planted near homes, to offer protection against demons. Celtic successors were crowned with Holly wreaths and the branches were carried by men for good luck. Seen as the evergreen twin of the Oak in Celtic mythology, the Holly ruled the dark part of the year, whereas the Oak ruled over the light. Together with the Ivy and the Mistletoe, the Holly was seen as a powerful symbol of life, due to its perennial foliage and Winter fruit.

The Druids regarded the Holly as sacred plant and advised people to take it into their homes in Winter, to provide sanctuary for the Elves and Faeries. The same Druids used Holly as protection against elementals, poison, evil spirits and lightning. The idea that Holly offers protection against lightning came from the fact that the spikes on its leaves act as tiny conductors, rendering the tree immune. The plant was also useful in dream magic. In Celtic folklore, the leaves had to be collected in silence, bound in a white cloth that was then tied with nine knots. When placed under the pillow, this was supposed to make dreams come through.

The flowers of the Holly bloom in Spring and produce red berries in Autumn, which last throughout the Winter season. In order to produce these berries, a male and a female tree are needed. And it is only the female tree that produces the above mentioned berries that, as lovely as they look, are quite poisonous.

The Holly person can be of two distinct types. And it is as such with every tree in the zodiac: a first type called 'the new moon', related to the first two weeks of the sign, and 'the full moon' that obviously goes to the last two weeks of the respective sign.

The 'new moon' individual is prone to offering emotional and financial support to others, while getting involved in other's dreams and ambitions. Unfortunately, this may lead to a form of blind optimism that may prove harmful to the 'new moon' Holly. Quite on the opposite, the 'full moon' stands on a more selfish angle, being committed to his or her own dreams and endeavors. The only inconvenience with the 'full moon' individuals is that they are hypersensitive to criticism and may have to pull back from society every once in a while.

Overall, the Holly individuals are hard boiled and effective when facing vicissitudes. They feel better as assistants rather than leaders and possess a great deal of logic and efficiency. Being sort of protective and even possessive relationship-wise, their constant need for affection and attention make them rather demanding in a romantic liaison. The Holly persons keep on striving for perfection, this often leading them to losing their confidence and bias. With a strong ability to influence the state of affairs and a great deal of personal integrity, the Hollies prefer dealing with things away from the limelight. One major drawback of the Holly individuals is the negative way they perceive personal criticism. Reserved individuals and avoiding making rush decisions until they gather all the facts, the Holly characters manage to bring off the toughest of problems through the use of simple logic.

Being such calculated persons, the Holly individuals best suit jobs the likes of bankers or insurance agents. As lovers, they are affectionate and constant, if at times over-protective. The Holly characters may get standoffish from time to time and need a quiet sanctuary to take a break from everyday responsibilities.

Holly individuals must learn that they can overcome all challenges provided their effort is concerted. Also, they must be aware of and cultivate their instinctive intuition in order to better adapt to the fast-paced reality.

The Ogham symbol that is associated with the Holly is Tinne.

The lucky gemstone of the ones born under this sign is the Red Carnelian, a form of quartz with colors ranging from reddish-orange, through red, to reddish-brown. Its color can change if the stone is placed in the sunlight. The Red Carnelian was known to offer its wearer protection from negative emotions, such as anger, jealousy or rage. The gem possesses a lot of medicinal qualities, being said to cure asthma and arthritis, lower blood pressure and fevers and stimulate the appetite.

The flower of the Holly is the Meadowsweet (aka Queen of the Meadow). The Meadowsweet flowers in late Summer and is a perennial plant. Growing near streams and wet meadows, the Meadowsweet was one of the three sacred herbs of the Druids. In medicine, the plant is used as an astringent and diuretic. Its leaves were once used to make tea and also a tonic treatment for stomach diseases.

The celestial body associated with the Holly is planet Earth ('Abred'), the Goddess of the earth.

The Holly deity is Danu, the Mother Goddess. Mother of many gods and goddesses (among which Dagda, Ogma or Llyr), Danu is associated with universal wisdom, the act of creation, the four seasons and nature's fertility. Danu was celebrated by the Celts on May 1 (on Beltane) and her totemic animal was the Mare. The Holly is also held sacred by Lugh, God of Medicine and Habondia, Goddess of Abundance.

Two animals are the representations of the Holly: the Cat and the Unicorn. In Celtic lore, the cat was regarded as a vicious, feral and evil creature, most probably because cats hadn't been tamed during the time of the Druids. However, the Cat was regarded as a powerful protector, especially in skirmish situations. The Unicorn was to the Celts the symbol of purity and magical power. The white horse, with legs of an antelope, tail of a lion and a single horn on its forehead aided in understanding the strong bond between the physical and spiritual realities.

There are also other lesser influences for each sign of the Celtic zodiac. These influences can be traced by the specific date of birth within the major sign. In the case of the individual born under the sign of the Holly, there are three influences, similar to the 'ascendants' in the European zodiac:

 

July 8 - July 14 - The Fir

July 15 - July 25 - The Elm

July 26 - August 4 - The Cypress

 

The approximate equivalent of the Holly sign in the Western/European zodiac is the Leo (July 23 - August 22).