Genus: Olea – Family: Oleaceae

When olive tree appears, it signifies a time of awakening and making peace with our self. The concept of judgment is flipped from external judgment to inner acknowledgment where we become comfortable in our own skin with nothing to hide.

In Greek mythology, Athena (goddess of wisdom & war) was proclaimed the winner over Poseidon (god of the seas) for producing the better “gift” of an olive tree versus a well of seawater. Her rewards would be the naming of Athens Greece in her honor.

During the Olympic games first held in 776 BCE, athletes were massaged with olive oil to give them the wisdom, power and strength of Athena before competing and being judged in various events. The victors were given crowns made of olive leaves. Olive oil was also used as the sacred fuel for the “eternal flame”.

The ancient Romans were continually passing judgment as they battled between war and peace. Mars, the Roman god of war,  was seen as the bringer of peace when he held an olive branch.

The olive branch is a sacred symbol of peace in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Several countries also incorporate olive branches into their national emblems.

Olive signals a time of integrity and peaceful power, when we are being asked to own the decisions we have made.

The olive, Olea europaea (European olive) is an evergreen native to the Mediterranean basin. Fossil evidence dates its origins to 20-40 million years ago in Italy. It was first cultivated around 5000 BCE. Olive trees are able to live for over 2000 years. They thrive on well-drained sunny slopes in hot weather. Olive wood is very hard with a fine grain and is highly prized for its color and durability. Almost 90% of all olives that are harvested are pressed into olive oil. The Greeks massaged olive oil onto their bodies for cleansing and good health. In Ayurvedic medicine this is known as Abhyanga. The olive tree indicates that a period of cleansing and healthy choices is needed.

Message: Olive acknowledges that we have reached a milestone in our journey of awakening. The olive spirit reminds us to honor and reflect on our life. This is a time to learn from our experiences and understand the themes that seem to reappear. Equally important is to honor how we maintained our integrity by remaining true to ourselves in the face of adversity. If we feel we have not achieved what we had hoped for now would be a time to reassess our expectations and goals. This journey through life is made up of many smaller journeys and the olive tree encourages us to remain true to ourselves so we can make peace with our self and feel it in our heart.

Challenge: Being inauthentic, feeling like a failure, lying to yourself and others when representing yourself in public.

If you liked what you read and want more... you may be interested in having the actual guidebook and card deck. The 204 page full-color book is sold separately from the cards. My goal is to find a publisher who can offer this as a set. In the meantime, you can purchase either the book or cards via these links. Thank you for you support. Laural

Tree Spirit Tarot – Return to the Garden of our Soul

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