The Green Man.

The Green Man.

The Green Man is primarily a vegetation god. He helps with fertilisation of the Earth as well as being Lord of the Trees and Guardian of the Earth. He symbolises the spirit of harvest and the growth of all things from the Earth.

He is traditionally depicted as a male face with oak leaves sprouting from his face, hence his connection to the oak. Like most greenery, he sleeps in Autumn and withers in Winter, but always comes back in the Spring. This is symbolic that no matter how hard the battle or goal is, it takes time to mature. No matter how bitter the winter is he always prevails, and therefore never dies - symbolising the completion of goals and the success of inner battles.

The Green Man is pre-Christian in origin but later adopted by Gothic carvers and placed in thousands of churches and cathedrals throughout Europe. James Frazer put forth the idea that the Green Man was a great vegetation God of the Pagans that was snuck into Christian context by craftsmen still following the ancient ways.

He is most worshipped at Beltane and traditionally represents the season Summer. He can be a passive counterpoint to the Horned God of Winter.

The Green Man stands for humanity's kinship with trees and woods, irrepressible life, and the cycle of renewal and birth.




Written by myself, adapted from Catherine Noble Beyer's article "The Green Man" and other sources.