Stone: Black Obsidian
Color: Crimson
Bird: Geese, Kingfisher
Deity: Coventina, Morrigan, Rhiannon, Manannan Mac Lir, Poseidon, Pwyll
Folk Names: Sweet flag, myrtle grass, norfolk reed
Reed has served as a floor covering, roofing, and room deodorizer. The powdered root was used as an insecticide against fleas. Soaked in fat the stalks made a cheap alternative to candles. Other uses include arrow shafts and writing pens. Reed flutes were a subject of legend; it is rumored that the Pied Piper’s magical flute was made of reed, and Pan’s flute may also have been made from reed. Today reed is used in wood-wind instruments. Medicinally the plant was used to treat eye problems.
Dreaming of Reed means not all your friends are true. Handling them in dreams mean that you may be deceived in business.
Use reed with your favorite spell for balance and harmony. Reed is used to make flutes, and a small piece from the reed can be used symbolically to invite sweet harmony into your life. Sing your incantation to it and then place it where you will see it often.
The Reed, called Ngetal by the Celts (“nyettle“), is identified with the submerged or hidden dryad, and can be thought of as the hidden roots of all life. Reed represents the turning within that we must undergo to nurture our spirits. The Reed is associated with the mysteries of death, and it is no accident that its month is when we observe Samhain. For now is the time when the boundaries part between the beloved dead and the living of this world.
Therefore, the Reed Month is most favorable for communication with ancestral spirits and the strengthening of all family ties. Its magickal associations are with fertility, love, protection, and family concerns. Like this astrological time of Scorpio, it is ruled by Pluto.
Samhain is the final harvest, and The Reed reminds us that Winter is approaching. It is a month of turning our energies toward hearth and home. The Reed symbolizes family, fidelity and trust.
Traditionally, reeds are burned to honor the household spirits and a family’s patron deity. In fact, in ancient Scotland, a broken reed was an omen of familial betrayal. You might wish to place reeds throughout your home, especially in the kitchen, to bring blessings of unity to your family.
The time of The Reed is a time of Fate and Destiny. It is associated with the hero of the Mabinogion, Pwyll (“pooeel“), who trades places with the Lord of the Underworld, Arawen (corresponding to Pluto). So this is the time of deep prophecy, communication with spirits, and the ability to face our shadow.
The Reed month is an especially good time to honor The Morrigan, Hecate, Rhiannon, and The Cailleach. The Celtic month of The Reed ends November 24.
Learning Wicca and the Tradition of the Craft 