Working With The Spirits Of Trees

There are Spirits dwelling within and all around Nature....

There are Water Spirits, Rock Spirits, Tree Spirits, Plant Spirits, and so forth and so on. Each has its own deep wisdom and power. When we befriend these Nature Spirits, our own lives are made incredibly more richer by the contact.

Today, we are going to focus on working with The Spirits Of Trees.

Now if you love trees, this article will give you a means, a language if you will, for further communication with trees. And if you do not love trees (shock of shocks!), then it is my sincerest hope that this information will help to open up a new path to you.

Have you ever noticed that when you go into the forest or a peaceful park, how you feel relaxed, calm, refreshed and renewed? This is the gift of the Tree Spirits who are surrounding you; and they emanate vibrations of peace and serenity, sharing with us their highly evolved consciousness, out of love.

You can talk to trees and they can talk to you. You can also enlist their aid and their incredible strength - and most importantly, you can help them in return. Trees are, simply put, remarkable beings! They are ageless, patient, strong, serene, loving, giving, nurturing and kind. Your life can be renewed and rewarded by befriending the trees. And I will be teaching you how to commune with the trees in a language that they, and indeed all of Nature's Spirits, understand. Always remember that theirs in not a world of logic as we understand it, although they do possess intelligence and wisdom - it is different from, and in many ways, beyond our own. For theirs is a Way that reaches back to the beginning of time, before the Age of Dinosaurs... and is infinitely more ancient than any humans can know or understand.

So how are we to communicate with trees you might ask? Through LOVE (The Universal Language), with creativity, with passion, humor and playfulness - all the range of positive human emotion. Please bear in mind though, that when communing with Tree Spirits, one must not do so in a mechanical, hollow, unfeeling manner - for this will not work very well at all. One must sincerely put their heart and soul into the prayer for it to be truly heard - This is the language the trees understand.

Now to be totally frank with you, I believe that tree prayers are best done when they are spontaneous and from the Soul, so any ideas you read here are just that: ideas. Hopefully they will inspire you and get you started in developing your own joyful and powerful relationship with the Tree Beings.

Please Remember: Only ask the tree beings for that which is positive and for the good for all. Be ever mindful that what you do comes back to you in Mind, Body, and Spirit - which is what I think of as the "Rule Of Three". So never try to use their power for selfish or hateful ends as they will refuse you. Only use the power of the trees only to help and to heal.

Step 1: Learn To Appreciate Trees

The first step to establishing good communications with trees is to nourish a sincere love and respect for them. Visit nature often. A tranquil forest is the best, but unfortunately, this is not always possible. So in instances such as this, a local park or your back yard will suffice.

Be mindful of all that trees do for humanity and the world. They give oxygen, shade, prevent soil erosion, create homes for birds and other animals, create shelters for us, cool the air in the summer, create paper and other wood based materials and most importantly - provide a beauty that is one of the main features of this green and blue planet.

Walk amongst the trees often.... stand or sit in reverence and contemplation, with you back touching the base of the trees trunk, in contemplation of your favorite tree. Speak your gratitude to it... speak your love and respect out loud to the Tree Spirit.

Never, ever, destroy a tree or any part of it needlessly. That would be like asking a favor from a friend, only to turn around and physically harm them!

Step 2: Be A Tree Hugger!

This may sound a bit silly to some folks, but there's good reasons for hugging trees! Trees are unique beings, their roots reach deep into the Earth to draw upon its energy. Therefore, trees know of the Deep Mysteries of the Earth. But they also know the Mysteries and the powers of the Heavens - of Sun, Moon and star-lit sky, for their leaves reach ever upwards drawing upon the energy from above. It could be safely said that Tree Beings reach further in both directions than any other beings on Earth!

When you hug a tree with an open heart, you will become aware of the flow of energy between Heaven and Earth. That is the Energy of the Universe, coursing through the tree. As you feel this flow, you can better understand the power of the world and the forces of the Universe. Tree hugging will also helps to balance our own energy. For example, let's say that you are what some might call a "spacey" person, or that you "aren't very well grounded".... Well tree hugging can get you grounded and in touch with the firm and stabilizing energies of Mama Earth. On the other hand, if you are considered too mundane, too practical, and would like to be more intuitive, psychic, and free flowing - tree hugging can grant you celestial, spiritual energy.

Step 3: Opening Communications

Not only do we hug trees to balance ourselves, we do it to communicate with them. There is no rule that says while you are hugging a tree you can't be talking to it as well. Simply lean your cheek to the bark and whisper to the tree how you feel, or what you are thinking. I say "whisper" to the tree, because trees tend to communicate through whispering. This can best be heard through the whispering of a trees leaves. Talk to the tree like a dear and precious friend. Open your heart and listen to what the tree has to say to you... Now some folks say that they "hear" the voice of the tree speaking to them inside their minds. Others say that they hear them in their heart. Then there are those who can see with the inner eye what the trees are trying to convey to them. And then there are those who can not put into words how the exchange takes place.

Just remember to be open to hearing the trees voice, however it should choose to speak to you. This may not be as easy as you might think at first. It could take a week or more - or even months before you can hear what they are saying, but don't give up! The trees want to communicate with us, and a faithful effort on the part of humans is usually rewarded.

Step 4: Sharing A Gift

It is very important that we humans don't just take from our tree friends. What kind of one-sided friendship would that be! So it is always proper to leave a gift for the trees that you develop relationships with. Be mindful that the tree you choose to work and commune with, is symbolic of all trees.

Traditionally, Native Americans gift trees with cornmeal, because cornmeal is sacred to them. You too may also decide to use cornmeal or another type of food or drink offering. You decide what is a relevant gift for you to leave for the tree. Some folks decide to leave money, by burying it at the base of the tree or by leaving coins on the earth around the base. Some sprinkle food around the tree or leave it in a little pile at the trunk's base. Some leave crystals or other semi-precious or precious stones. Then there are those who leave tie-on offerings of brightly colored ribbons or strips of cloth as offerings of friendship and thanks. I have also heard of people pouring a good drink of water at its roots during a dry season, or leaving manure around the tree base. Always be sure that the spirit of thanksgiving and love is in your heart as you leave your offering, whatever it may be. Just use your own intuition, imagination and good judgment to choose the appropriate gift for the Tree Spirits.

Step 5: Ask Your Question

After lovingly gifting the tree with your present, you may then ask the tree your question. I highly recommend keeping the question simple, to the point, and brief. Speak clearly, and honestly from your heart. Please do not get into the habit of asking for something each and every time you work with a Tree Spirit. Sometimes it is just good to be thankful, period.

Now once you have given your gift to the tree, take a moment to be still and listen what the tree has to say to you, and you might find that the tree has a gift to give you in return, even if you haven't asked for one.

In Conclusion

Well my friend, I hope this small blog has given those of you who already love and adore trees, the inspiration to get out there and start up a magickal working relationship with one; and for those of you who have honestly never considered trees in this manner, I hope that I have given you pause to stop and re-evaluate how you think and feel about Tree Beings/Spirits.

"Sometimes thou may'st walk in Groves, which being full of Majestie will much advance the Soul." - Thomas Vaughan, Anima Magica Abscondita

"The groves were God's first temples." - William Cullen Bryant, A Forest Hymn

"The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn." - Ralph Waldo Emerson