Wisdom of Trees
Healing with Tees-from the book-Kindling the Celtic Spirit
Bark, flowers, leaves, berries, and nuts-herbalists past and present have used all the different parts of the tree. Yet people also recognized that the real healer was the spirit of the tree itself. In some places the oak tree was considered so powerful that healing could occur simply by walking around the tree and wishing the ailment to be carried off by the first bird alighting on its branches. In Wales rubbing the oak with the palm of your left hand on Midsummer's Day kept you healthy all year. Tree spirit medicine was at work a couple of years ago when a woman stood between two ancient yew trees at a sacred center in North Wales. The woman had breast cancer and was taken there by healers who had discovered the curative power of these trees. As she stood between the trees, we felt an enormous bolt of energy course through her body, and from that moment on she was cancer free. Interestingly enough, yew contains a substance called taxol, which is used in the treatment of breast cancer.
Recently, a few people on the cutting edge of alternative medicine have rediscovered the ancient art of tree spirit medicine based on Celtic tree lore.
The Wisdom of Trees
Imitate the magnificent trees that speak no words of their rapture, but only breathe largely the luminous breeze. D.H. Lawrence
One of the most essential teaching of Celtic spirituality is that the natural world is radiantly alive and sentient. Learning to perceive trees as conscious, living members of our planetary community opens the way for the next step in the evolution of modern Western consciousness-to realize that members of what ecopsychologist David Abram calls the "more-than-human" world are as conscious in their own way as the human race. When this is fully realized, it opens up entirely new possibilities of relationship, a subject we will explore more in the next chapter as the lengthening days coax us out to spend more time in the Green World, to use Scottish poet Fiona MacLeod's term for nature. We can start by getting to know these great wise beings whom the modern world has regarded merely as providers of timber or as decorative props on the human stage.
To walk among trees is to reconnect with our deep ancestral roots in the forest. To look through the spiraling branches of a giant redwood is to contemplate a living mandala; to gaze at the colors of a maple in autumn is to witness the ever-changing canvas of sublime artist. To inhale the fragrance of pine and cedar is to absorb the essences of nature. Trees can help clear our minds from the frenzy of our fast-track lives, inspire our thoughts, calm our emotions, and fill us with serenity. They are elders on this planet who embody an ineffable wisdom that they will share with us if we but seek it out. I have found that just a short while spent in the presence of certain trees can make me feel soothed and relaxed, as is the tree itself is gently helping me put my fears and anxieties into a broader perspective. Recent scientific studies have confirmed what many of us know intuitively-that trees can reduce the stress in our lives. My own research has shown that trees not only take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen; they also act as purifiers by absorbing the negative emotional energy given off by human beings and transmuting it into healthy positive energy. They breathe in noise and breathe out silence; they inhale our pain and exhale peace. They take into themselves all the cacophony of the world of humans and machines and turn it into a dance of wind on branches, the swaying of green canopies, sun dapple on leaves, and all the joyous movement of light.
Connecting with Trees
In order to make a connection with the Tree Kingdom, begin by taking notice of the trees in your neighborhood or nearby park. When you take a walk, look at them and greet them warmly as you would a beautiful dog or cat you chanced to meet. (You can do this silently if there are people about.) Each time you go by, notice the changes in the growth and color of their branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit as the year turns. Also notice more subtle changes of mood and energy. Smile at them and touch them as you pass. Sit beneath a tree to eat your lunch, have an afternoon nap, or relax after work. Let the lives of trees become part of your experience of your immediate world.
To deepen your relationship with trees, go to a park or wilderness area or to any woods where you will not be disturbed.
1. Wander through different groups of trees, quiet your mind, and practice tuning into their energy. In some parts of the forest the trees may seem more "awake" than in others. Some may appear to exude warmth and friendliness, while others remain aloof. Notice how different species emanate different kinds of energy.
2. Let yourself be drawn toward one tree in particular, and move closer to it. Observe every part of it from root to top. Every tree has an energy field, an aura. See if you can detect where the aura begins by walking toward and away from the tree and using the palms of your hands to sense its energy.
3. Send warm energy toward the tree from your heart, and ask if it will allow you to draw closer and spend some time with it. If it is granted, walk closer to the tree and circle it slowly in a sunwise direction. Then put both your hands and your body against the trunk and tune into its consciousness. Notice how the tree looks close up, how it smells, and how it feels against your skin.
4. Rub a fresh leaf or needle between your fingers and inhale the fragrance.
5. Now sit down against the trunk and open yourself to the power of the tree. Let it take you into a deep state of meditation. You don't have to do anything other than stay relaxed and present and let the tree calm your thoughts and gently cleanse your mind of all the agitation of modern living. Enjoy this state of peace for as long as you want.
6. When you are ready, stand up and place your hands on its trunk again, sending it thanks from your heart. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude toward trees is an important part of building a relationship with them. We have received their gifts for many millions of years and given so little back in return.
They are beautiful in their peace,
They are wise in their silence.
They will stand after we are dust.
They teach us, and we tend them.
Bark, flowers, leaves, berries, and nuts-herbalists past and present have used all the different parts of the tree. Yet people also recognized that the real healer was the spirit of the tree itself. In some places the oak tree was considered so powerful that healing could occur simply by walking around the tree and wishing the ailment to be carried off by the first bird alighting on its branches. In Wales rubbing the oak with the palm of your left hand on Midsummer's Day kept you healthy all year. Tree spirit medicine was at work a couple of years ago when a woman stood between two ancient yew trees at a sacred center in North Wales. The woman had breast cancer and was taken there by healers who had discovered the curative power of these trees. As she stood between the trees, we felt an enormous bolt of energy course through her body, and from that moment on she was cancer free. Interestingly enough, yew contains a substance called taxol, which is used in the treatment of breast cancer.
Recently, a few people on the cutting edge of alternative medicine have rediscovered the ancient art of tree spirit medicine based on Celtic tree lore.
The Wisdom of Trees
Imitate the magnificent trees that speak no words of their rapture, but only breathe largely the luminous breeze. D.H. Lawrence
One of the most essential teaching of Celtic spirituality is that the natural world is radiantly alive and sentient. Learning to perceive trees as conscious, living members of our planetary community opens the way for the next step in the evolution of modern Western consciousness-to realize that members of what ecopsychologist David Abram calls the "more-than-human" world are as conscious in their own way as the human race. When this is fully realized, it opens up entirely new possibilities of relationship, a subject we will explore more in the next chapter as the lengthening days coax us out to spend more time in the Green World, to use Scottish poet Fiona MacLeod's term for nature. We can start by getting to know these great wise beings whom the modern world has regarded merely as providers of timber or as decorative props on the human stage.
To walk among trees is to reconnect with our deep ancestral roots in the forest. To look through the spiraling branches of a giant redwood is to contemplate a living mandala; to gaze at the colors of a maple in autumn is to witness the ever-changing canvas of sublime artist. To inhale the fragrance of pine and cedar is to absorb the essences of nature. Trees can help clear our minds from the frenzy of our fast-track lives, inspire our thoughts, calm our emotions, and fill us with serenity. They are elders on this planet who embody an ineffable wisdom that they will share with us if we but seek it out. I have found that just a short while spent in the presence of certain trees can make me feel soothed and relaxed, as is the tree itself is gently helping me put my fears and anxieties into a broader perspective. Recent scientific studies have confirmed what many of us know intuitively-that trees can reduce the stress in our lives. My own research has shown that trees not only take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen; they also act as purifiers by absorbing the negative emotional energy given off by human beings and transmuting it into healthy positive energy. They breathe in noise and breathe out silence; they inhale our pain and exhale peace. They take into themselves all the cacophony of the world of humans and machines and turn it into a dance of wind on branches, the swaying of green canopies, sun dapple on leaves, and all the joyous movement of light.
Connecting with Trees
In order to make a connection with the Tree Kingdom, begin by taking notice of the trees in your neighborhood or nearby park. When you take a walk, look at them and greet them warmly as you would a beautiful dog or cat you chanced to meet. (You can do this silently if there are people about.) Each time you go by, notice the changes in the growth and color of their branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit as the year turns. Also notice more subtle changes of mood and energy. Smile at them and touch them as you pass. Sit beneath a tree to eat your lunch, have an afternoon nap, or relax after work. Let the lives of trees become part of your experience of your immediate world.
To deepen your relationship with trees, go to a park or wilderness area or to any woods where you will not be disturbed.
1. Wander through different groups of trees, quiet your mind, and practice tuning into their energy. In some parts of the forest the trees may seem more "awake" than in others. Some may appear to exude warmth and friendliness, while others remain aloof. Notice how different species emanate different kinds of energy.
2. Let yourself be drawn toward one tree in particular, and move closer to it. Observe every part of it from root to top. Every tree has an energy field, an aura. See if you can detect where the aura begins by walking toward and away from the tree and using the palms of your hands to sense its energy.
3. Send warm energy toward the tree from your heart, and ask if it will allow you to draw closer and spend some time with it. If it is granted, walk closer to the tree and circle it slowly in a sunwise direction. Then put both your hands and your body against the trunk and tune into its consciousness. Notice how the tree looks close up, how it smells, and how it feels against your skin.
4. Rub a fresh leaf or needle between your fingers and inhale the fragrance.
5. Now sit down against the trunk and open yourself to the power of the tree. Let it take you into a deep state of meditation. You don't have to do anything other than stay relaxed and present and let the tree calm your thoughts and gently cleanse your mind of all the agitation of modern living. Enjoy this state of peace for as long as you want.
6. When you are ready, stand up and place your hands on its trunk again, sending it thanks from your heart. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude toward trees is an important part of building a relationship with them. We have received their gifts for many millions of years and given so little back in return.
They are beautiful in their peace,
They are wise in their silence.
They will stand after we are dust.
They teach us, and we tend them.
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