Some other symbolic things or ideas that the cloud is often symbolic of mystery, dreams, secrets, emotions, and potential. VioletteRose from Atlanta on May 05, 2014: Great information about the English Ivy, thanks so much for sharing :) I love learning about these! In early fall the leaves start turning brilliant red drawing oohs and aahs from every passer by. The bunch of ivy was sometimes known as a bush. Ivy spiritual meaning. I like using it, and it is a pretty plant. During the journey back to Cornwall, Tristan and Isolde fell in love after drinking a love potion. It has been introduced to many other parts of the world as an ornamental plant. Ivy grows in such a way that it intertwines and connects with both itself and whatever it grows along. Blossom Time: Ivy blooms in the later part of summer up to the early fall. Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on May 13, 2014: Hi, marieryan. I bought it from Home Depot where it was marked as English Ivy. Ivy clings to any surface, making it a perfect representation of wedded love and fidelity. Because it had the ability to form dense thickets in woodland, grow where other plants could not and block out the light from even the mighty oak, ivy was believed to be very powerful by the Druids, more powerful than its enemy, the vine and quite sinister. (When love shall vanquish folly.) As flocks of birds are moving to change their current location to survive the cold temperatures of winter, their spiritual meaning is all about changing and finding new solutions and options in order to survive. IVY: Symbolically, the ivy has always been closely identified with death and immortality. I love Canada, but a part of me is still British! Despite the plant's association with wine and the fact that its fruits are the same color as some grapes, English ivy berries are poisonous and mustn't be eaten. The Mexican Kickapoos associate cattails with water serpents and make offerings to the snake people before gathering cattails. Because it is forever green, it is a symbol of fidelity and eternal life. In 1937, Adams was assigned to write a report of a football game between two universities belonging to today's Ivy League. Today ivy is often used at weddings, where it symbolizes fidelity. I don't think it can be English ivy if it turns red in the fall, though, since English ivy stays green all year long. Ivy has large leaves with interesting shapes, spreads rapidly over a wide variety of supports, and is evergreen and perennial. It is a beautiful creeper and with symbolism, tradition and mythology that you pointed out behind it, I am sure my family will start respecting it even more. I have a horrible fence at the back of my yard, made up of old, dead bushes. Spiritually, ivy symbolises immortality and eternal life. Spiralling inward and outward, seeking enlightenment and companionship. In ancient Egypt ivy was … Marie Ryan from Andalusia, Spain on May 13, 2014: Interesting...I loved the explanation of "A good wine needs no bush"-. Embrace your light, and let’s rise together! Christians adopted the holly tradition from Druid, Celtic and Roman traditions, and its symbolism changed to reflect Christian beliefs. The plant is often admired for its beautiful appearance on the walls of buildings. Natural and Spiritual Aspects of Poison Ivy Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) is "a shrub or climbing vine, older stems of vines fastened to trees by a dense growth of aerial rootlets and often climbing into treetops. Perhaps it's infected by a parasite or pest, for example, or is receiving too much or too little water. Ivy is one of the plants used in the celebrations of Christmas. It really caught my eye and educated me on the background of this beautiful plant. Voted up. A branch or bunch of ivy was often hung on a pole outside a tavern to indicate that the building sold wine or ale. Faith Reaper from southern USA on May 03, 2014: Fascinating hub, Alicia! I think that plant symbolism is an interesting topic to explore. Marie-Lan Nguyen, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5 License. The festivals related to Dionysus sometimes included drunken frenzy and ecstasy as an important component of the revelry. I pulled a weed the other day. I appreciate your kind comment, the vote and the share. It's fun to learn more about the topic. Thank you for the comment and the votes, Faith! Used at weddings intertwined with holly, the ivy would symbolise fidelity and at Yule-tide, would bring peace to the household. Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on October 15, 2014: Thank you, sujaya venkatesh. A common story on carol websites is that good-natured singing contests were held during the time when the two carols were popular. Pagan customs such as bringing evergreens into the house during the winter solstice continued even after Christianity became dominant in Britain. i'-vi (kissos): The only mention of the word in all the sacred writings is in 2 Macc 6:7 in connection with the oppression of the Jews by Antiochus Epiphanes: "On the day of the king's birth every month they were brought by bitter constraint to eat of the sacrifices; and when the feast of Bacchus (Dionysus) was kept, the Jews were compelled to go in procession to Dionysus, carrying ivy," this plant (Hedera helix) … It seems the link between holly and ivy was just too strong for the ivy to be left out of this famous carol, even though the holly was to be the main subject of the carol. Seven blooms on a stalk represent the seven gifts of the Spirit. Temptation, A Spiritual Poison Ivy. Hail: This ice falls from the sky and barrages the dreamer’s landscape, symbolizing a torrent of personal, social, political, or religious dogma that seems to overshadow simple, straightforward faith. Ivy was also linked to inspiration and worn by poets in the form of a crown. It looked harmless but turned out to be poison ivy. Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on September 15, 2014: Thank you for the very informative comment, Colin323! I am surprised. Ivy, being an evergreen plant, represents eternity, fidelity, and strong affectionate attachment, such as wedded love and friendship. Its characteristics include binding, restricting, attachment, freedom, uniting and linking with others. Investigating the symbolic meanings of ivy - and other plants - is a very interesting activity! Deb Hirt from Stillwater, OK on May 22, 2014: I enjoyed the historical info on the holly and the ivy, and I am one that likes English ivy. In Ancient Rome, Dionysus was known as Bacchus. I think we have forgotten much of the power of this symbolism and that our forebears lived in a world where they saw meaning and symbols throughout the natural world and their lived. I hope you find the berries. Dennis Hoyman from Southwestern, Pennsylvania on May 06, 2014: This is Gardener Den I love your hub on growing English Ivy and the history of English Ivy. Ivy – symbol of strength and determination Ivy has many superstitions and beliefs attached to it. love beyond the grave. The term "ivy" is commonly associated with English ivy (Hedera helix), and it identifies a climbing evergreen shrub that has dark green, five-pointed leaves. Many of these customs are still popular during today's Christmas celebrations. You always do such a thorough and complete job, very well done. In ancient Greece ivy was the plant of Dionysus because of its vigour. The Symbolic Meanings of Ivy. © by Druid Priestess Jyoti Eagles – Ogham Cards. Tenacity, ruthlessness, achievement restriction. Because they fly high into the sky, Lightworkers often tell us that they are messengers of the Gods who provide humans with a bridge between the mundane and spiritual life. The ivy is an example of the twists and turns our friendships have over … The plant can look very attractive on a fence. English ivy reproductive stems and flowers; the leaves are oval and pointed instead of lobed, H. Zell, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 License. Search for self. The "holly" in the carol refers to Christ and the theme of the carol is his life. Ivy carved into a tombstone is said to represent friendship, fidelity and immortality. The rash has now spread all over my arms and face. IVY. In the last verse of this carol, Ivy appears to have won the debate about who "will have the mastery" as Holly goes down on one knee in front of her. Color: The greenish white color of the flowers of ivy gives it its meaning too. Ivy has an interesting history full of folklore and tradition. The ivy wreath is symbolic of conviviality (gaiety or joviality). I appreciate your comment and the vote. Being evergreen in nature, the Ivy represented the perennial aspects of … Spiritual Meanings: At the spiritual level ivy as a dream symbol symbolizes immortality and eternal life. The outside of your home must look beautiful. And many southwestern … In most versions of the ancient stories about Dionysus, his father is Zeus, the king of the gods, and his mother is the human Seleme. Latin: Hedera Helix. Personal Development and transformation. Hyssop is used as a symbol of penitence and humility. Ivy was symbolic of the journey of the soul and the spiral toward to the self. They are associated with water and rain by the Pueblo tribes, and used ceremonially in rain dances. Most people chose this as the best definition of ivy: The definition of ivy is... See the dictionary meaning, pronunciation, and sentence examples. Now that you know more about the symbolism behind clouds and some of the different types of clouds you can tell a better story about your tattoo, get your first cloud tattoo, or maybe even just feel better about a cloud cover up tattoo. Alpha (A), the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and Omega (Ω), the last letter, are often found combined into a single symbol representing Christ.. Thank you so much for the comment and the share, Carolyn! Learn about the Element of Water so you can better … (When Christianity emerged, the early council tried to ban the use of Ivy in decoration because of its Pagan Association  – and yet we often see Jesus wearing a crown of Ivy and/or thorns?). The Ivy is much misunderstood and is assumed that it strangles the host it climbs. Why did grapes and ivy become associated with Dionysus/Bacchus? These factors aren't believed to be directly responsible for the term Ivy League, however. They may also indicate that holly was brought indoors as a winter decoration while ivy wasn't. Up votes and pinning to my plants board. Astrology Birth: September 30th – October 27th search for self-brings transformation, English: Ivy "Good wine needs no bush", meaning that something of merit doesn't need to be advertised because the good news will travel by word of mouth. Linda Crampton (author) from British Columbia, Canada on May 22, 2014: Hi, Deb. Thank you very much for the lovely comment, Gardener Den! I love the way you didn't burden the reader with too many details on this plant's natural history, which we can get anywhere, but focused instead on the historical and mythological traditions of the plant. It is not by coincidence that much of our plant life […] Voted up, shared, etc... Have a great week. Even before she became a professor, she was an active investigator in the area of English literature and carols. According to superstition, holly brings good luck to the man of the house and ivy to the lady. Sometimes called a "sword lily," it refers to Mary's sorrow at Christ's Passion. Re 'The Holly and the Ivy', I learned about this for a hub about Christmas carols I once wrote, and I concur with the view expressed here. Because ivy has the symbolism of constant affection, we can recognise that, psychologically; we are in need of love and affection. He's wearing a crown or wreath of ivy leaves from the reproductive stage of the plant. Today, Christians consider holly symbolic of Jesus Christ in two ways. It's interesting to hear how widespread ivy is. The spiritual meaning of the Ivy comes from its independence, its determination to outperform itself. In the Middle Ages, holly represented the masculine element, perhaps because of its prickles and harder leaves, while ivy represented the female element. I wonder if your plant is Boston ivy? Numerology: The ivy is number 2. In the Middle Ages, ivy was still associated with wine. This was perhaps the start of the tradition of using the word ivy in the group name for the universities. Blessings to you. I was born in Britain and grew up there. Fill the flower pot with all-purpose potting soil. A flock of birds means it’s time for new adjustments and assessments. I appreciate your support. Very interesting and nicely researched! Ivy has clusters of greenish yellow flowers and produces clumps of blue-black berries. My sister had the brainwave to start training an ivy plant along it last year. Nithya Venkat from Dubai on May 07, 2014: Great hub, about the English Ivy. Ever furrowing and intertwining, the ivy is an example of the twists and turns our friendships take - but also a testimony to the long-lasting connections and bonds we form with our friends that last over the years. Thanks for the comment. 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