Knock on Wood

The Knock at the Door challenge got me thinking. Why, when we say things we may be uncertain of, do we proceed to knock on a table, a door, or our heads? What compels us to comply with superstition?

Well, let me tell you that this little thing we do spans two thousand years across different cultures and faiths.

According to most sources, when we knock on wood, we are actually performing a mini ritual, rooted in Druidism.

Trees are at the centre of the Druid belief system. Trees are sacred; groves would provide natural sanctuaries for rituals and teachings.

To druids, trees are wise beings with long lifespans and deep connections to the earth. As such, trees reflect the seasons and the cycle of life itself.

The belief is that trees embody the axis mundi (world axis), connecting the heavens with the underworld through their branches and roots.

Even the druid alphabet, the Ogham script, is often referred to as the Celtic Tree alphabet because each letter is associated with a different tree or plant.

According to Druidism, oak trees are known for their strength and endurance, and birch trees for their protection. Each tree has its own spirit and its purpose, some healing, some not.

It is believed that knocking on the tree would summon the spirit that resides within the tree. Usually for protection. This belief is found in other pagan beliefs also, both ancient and neo.

In Greek mythology, the dryads are tree nymphs, spiritual beings who live within trees. They were guardians of nature believed to have lived in oak trees, and it is said that they punished those who harmed their trees.

Gods like Artemis were said to protect them, which meant cutting down a tree could be seen as an act of sacrilege. In Slavic folklore, it is the leshy, the forest shape-shifting guardian. In Japan, it is the kodama.

Whether it's the tree of life, the tree of knowledge, the tree of immortality or Yggdrasil. Trees are universally at the centre of it all, with roots across many traditions.

The practice of touching wood was carried on through the Christianisation of Europe. Knocking or touching the wood of the true cross or Holy Wood was believed to bring protection and blessings. In the Middle Ages, relics were used for this very purpose; they became a divine security blanket.

Elsewhere in old German traditions, holz anrühren (touching wood) was a way of avoiding tempting fate after speaking of good luck. Touching (or knocking) keeps the malevolent spirits at bay, like creepy gargoyles on old churches.

Strangely, this mini-ritual has its roots in the origins of the childhood game, tag.

You know, tag your it?

Well, in the 19th century, tag was called tiggy-touch-wood, where if you touched wood, you would be safe from being tagged. Further reinforcing the idea that wood provides protection.

Once the kids grow up, what was once a cultural practice becomes an adult superstition. Then that superstition grows and becomes a part of the culture that the people resonate with.

In modern times, we knock on wood so as not to tempt fate. It gives us a sense of control in uncertainty, even if we don't remember why we do it.

It is a small ritual that we all do, no matter where we come from or where we call home. With wood being one of the rarest materials in the universe, I am not surprised that, since we have existed, trees have been labelled as sacred and an important symbol tied to worship.

I wanted to write about this because it is a quirky fact, but it also highlights the importance of our relationship with nature and how the relationship has been slowly severed over time, and yet we still carry these things with us. We are a part of nature, and we forget that.

So just remember, whenever you knock on wood or touch a tree, you are summoning the spirit of the tree for your protection. In some cases, trees may like you so much that a wish may be granted.

But be careful; bad things may happen to those who cause the trees harm.

I will never look at doors the same...

Happy spooky season!

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