A Tree of Protection and Thin Places: The Juniper

From liquid courage on the battlefield to cemetery meditation spots, this episode traces the many lives of one small, tenacious tree.

In This Episode

We start with a story from the Thirty Years' War, where Dutch soldiers reportedly sipped genever, a juniper flavored liqueur, before battle, possibly giving rise to the phrase "Dutch courage." From there, the episode follows juniper across centuries and continents:

• The genever connection — how this juniper spirit became the ancestor of gin, and why "Dutch courage" probably meant something closer to calm resolve than a whiskey-fueled dare
• Ancient Egypt — juniper oil and tar as ingredients in mummification, traded in from the eastern Mediterranean for their antifungal and antibacterial properties
• Pencils and fence posts — how Juniperus virginiana (eastern red cedar) earned its place in everyday American life thanks to rot- and splinter-resistant wood
• A conservation paradox — overharvested for the pencil industry a century ago, this same juniper is now overtaking Great Plains grasslands due to fire suppression, while holding steady elsewhere
• Native American uses — medicinal treatments for colds, asthma, rheumatism, and bleeding, plus use in cordage and spiritual cleansing
• A personal reflection — a walk through a historic cemetery and an encounter with a "thin place" beneath a juniper's branches, and what that Celtic concept of liminal space means
• European folklore — burning juniper branches to ward off evil spirits, witches, and bad luck
• Growing your own — tips on choosing varieties

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