On The Laurel Tree

For Laura, My Mother, on her 75th Birthday

I once heard my mother wonder about her name, Laura.

Some names, like Theodore (my own given name for which Tad is short) mean ‘gift from God.’ I mean, how much better can you get. Lucy comes from ‘light’. Luna, there’s the moon. And so on it goes.

But what does ‘Laura’ mean?

My father died when I was nine years old from M.S. leaving my mother with two young boys. She worked multiple jobs, sent us to Waldorf School, for which I am forever grateful, and held things together.

Instead of candy, she’d buy us banana chips (which I loved and still love).

She was a local distributor for Weleda and Wala homeopathic products in Edmonton.

She never pushed religion on either of us. She encouraged love, service and kindness to grow. She’s become, thanks to my brother, a wonderful grandmother reclaiming her deep skill at knitting.

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Laurels in History:

The laurel tree which was used to weave crowns and wreaths and whose meaning was victory for sporting events, in particular the Pythian Games which were held to honour Apollo.

From the laurel we get the terms laureate, baccalaureate, poet laureate, and Nobel laureate—all of which speak to the high level of achievement of someone in the arts or sciences.

A crown of bay good fortune brings
to poets, cooks, scholars, kings.
–Carolyn Dille & Susan Belsinger

Theophrastus says that the fire-drill, being a wood that ignites easily, was made of laurel.

In Cuisine:

The leaves of the laurel, or ‘bay laurel’ are the very leaves we put into our soups and stews to season them with that intense, intoxicating and irreplaceable taste and smell.

In Mythology:

“The classical legend of bay’s origin was Daphne’s transformation into the laurel tree during her pursuit by Apollo. Versions vary; one infers that the nymph Daphne was a fiercely independent, rather wild creature and rather than give herself to Apollo, she pleaded with her father, the river god Ladonas, to transform her. Another account indicates that Apollo was wounded by an arrow of Eros (cupid) and fell madly in love with Daphne, who fled from his advances and was changed into the slender bay laurel moments before her capture. All agree that Apollo was so astounded by the tree’s beauty that he claimed the laurel as his own and dedicated it to reward the highest achievements of Greek civilization.” - Source.

Another versions renders it like this:

“In Greek mythology Apollo’s obsession with the laurel tree began when he mocked Eros, god of love. Eros shot a golden arrow into Apollo’s heart that made him fall in love with Daphne, a nature nymph. In turn, Daphne was struck with a lead arrow that made her hate Apollo. Desperate to get away from Apollo she cried, “Let me be free of this man from this moment forward!”. This cry for help, transformed her into a laurel tree. Undeterred, Apollo vowed to love her forever. He used his powers of immortality to render Daphne, the laurel tree, to be “forever green”.” - Source

“The greatest courter is not the one who gets what they want but the one who, out of love, makes the one they are courting to be seen by the world for the grand being they really are.“ - Martin Prechtel in Rescuing The Light

But there is more to this story than meets the eye, as Professor Max Muller lays out in his book Comparative Mythology: An Essay.

“In this case, Indra behaves rather unceremoniously to the daughter of the sky; but, in other places, she is loved by all the bright gods of heaven, not excluding her own father. The Sun, it is said, Rv. i. 115, 2, follows her from behind, as a man follows a woman. ' She, the Dawn, whose cart is drawn by white horses, is carried away in triumph by the two Asvins,' — as the Leukippidcs are carried off by the Dioskuroi. ' If now we translate, or rather transliterate, Dahand into Greek, Daphne stands before us, and her whole history is intelligible.

Daphne is 'young, and beautiful — Apollo loves her — she flies before him, and dies as he embraces her with his brilliant rays.' Or, as another poet of the Veda (x. 189), expresses it, ' The Dawn comes near to him — she expires as soon as he begins to breathe— the mighty one irradiates the sky.' Any one who has eyes to see and a heart to feel with nature like the poets of old, may still see Daphne and Apollo — the dawn rushing and trembling through the sky, and fading away at the sudden approach of the bright sun.

The metamorphosis of Daphne into a laurel-tree is a continuation of the myth of peculiarly Greek growth. Daphne, in Greek, meant no longer the dawn, but it had become the name of the laurel. Hence the tree Daphne was considered sacred to the lover of Daphne, the dawn, and Daphne herself was fabled to have been changed into a tree when praying to her mother to protect her from the violence of Apollo.

Without the help of the Veda, the name of Daphne and the legend attached to her, would have remained unintelligible.”

And so Daphne is the dawn to Apollo’s sun.

Spiritual Awakening and Knowledge

“According to mythology, Pythia, the priestess of the Oracle of Delphi, when she had to predict the future or give advice to the Greek world, she chewed laurel leaves. The inhalation of incense from burning the leaves, combined with their consumption, was the ‘secret’ of her delirium. Thanks to them she could see her oracles. This practice reflects the deeper symbolism of laurel as a means of accessing deeper, spiritual truths. Most likely, the plant represents knowledge, attunement to the spiritual world, and the ability to “see” beyond everyday reality.” - Source

She would also sit on a tripod made of laurel wood and held a branch of laurel in her hand.

As Medicine:

The products of the laurel tree are known to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. It rejuvenates and relieves stress.

Protection Against Evil:

“Since bay was so strongly associated with the gods and people of high esteem, it gained the reputation of protecting against all manner of natural and manmade disasters. Sorcerers and poisoners could not harm the person who carried bay. It was believed that lightning would not strike where bay was planted. The Caesars appropriated bay as their special protector against accidents and conspiracies. Though not notably successful, its efficacy in this field was maintained even in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century England. Witches and devils were supposedly rendered helpless by it.” - Source.

Laurel was also used as often as garlic against epidemics.

The Message of Laurel:

“Laurel reminds us to be the moderator of our life as we reclaim our voice. Through self-control we can rebalance our life. This is not a time of excess or extremes; it is a time of inner stillness as we discover a deeper level of our true self. By standing in our truth we can discern what is right for us now. This empowers us to speak up for ourselves as we step into our truth. Laurel is a strong spirit that reminds us of our strengths and desires. It encourages us to continue believing in ourselves and the goals we have set.” - Source.

Endurance:

“Yet, the laurel is not merely a symbol of past achievements; laurel is also a testament to enduring strength and resilience, like a willow tree. Its evergreen leaves symbolize endurance. It represents the ability to withstand challenges, adversity, and the passage of time.”

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My Mother:

And so it is with my mother.

Of all her family, she born as the rainbow sheep, a distinct flavour.

Like the verdant leaves of the evergreen laurel, her life is, like the dawn, full of rich colour and a deep love for it. Like the colour-filled dusk, who the dawn becomes when she returns, she saw the Sun of my father go down first.

Like the action of a bow drill, I have seen my mother labour for the hard won, hot coals of spiritual insight and acceptance.

Like the laurel wreath, she has a capacity to recognize and honour greatness in others and speak her appreciation.

Like the medicine of the laurel tree my mother seeks to make peace and sooth inflammation where it appears in relationships.

My mother, in putting us in Waldorf, sought to protect us from a society gone mad.

My mother has sought for moderation in her life and, in conversations, seeks to bring balance without making the other person wrong.

She has endured a great deal in her life as so many single mothers have.

She has earned her laurels to rest on and the time to rest.