Tree Talking.
From a young age Trees have held a special place in my life. What child doesn’t want to climb a tree? We all yearned for a tree house, had a tree swing, dug around tree roots or collected bright colored autumn leaves. The connection with Children is magickal and very real, but it doesn’t stop there. Even into Adulthood, a stand of trees such as willows drooping over a lakeside, an explosion of pink Mimosa or stands of Cherry trees in full bloom inspire Artists, Poets and Lovers drawing strong emotions.
Realization of a prescience, recognition, accepting that it was reaching out to me and I was being spoken to in soft voices began in my early teens. Opportunity to horseback ride through forested river banks for protracted periods alone on the Ouachita River solidified this relationship. Learning the language of trees was a slow process that began by acceptance of what I was actually seeing and letting go of what I had been told I should see. This connection to the Web of Life once achieved does not ever leave someone and the voices never still. The connection grew stronger during my years in England and Wales where I connected with the Yew. When I visited Glastonbury It sang in wondrous voices.
Here I pay homage and respect to my high school Biology teacher, Venita Patterson. She had a bowl full of small e’s torn from a newspaper. She gave us one each and said, draw what you see, not what you think you see. As we studied the e’s through a microscope, The shredded fibers were what I saw and drew. But, as she knew would happen, most of the class drew the e itself. This was a classic example of what I am saying.
There is historical speculation the very first tree. Well, we weren’t around to see it as they were here far before we were. The usage in Magick and the Craft is inescapable in so much as lovely parchment paper, wands, besom, mortars that I have in my craft room. The tree of life represents the connection of the Earth and the Universe as trees give us shade, provide wood for fire, shelter and give us food, oxygen to breathe, A life sustainer that stands with us in this modern age, mostly forgotten, neglected and undervalued. But they remain steadfast in their place on earth, patiently waiting till we too are gone and a remnant of the passage of time.
When I started Tree Talking in the 7o’s, divination, scrying, I started by choosing a tree that was near where I spent a lot of time. My focal tree for this time in my life is a 40 year old Sugar Gum in my back yard. He is cranky, has a dry sense of humor and hates being hugged. He and I had a slow start. He called to me when we were looking at houses.
The house wasn’t the best choice, but I had to have it. Over the ensuing months of settling in, I would go out and walk around the garden and put my hand on his trunk.
Once I sat under his branches making a Staff. It started to rain and before I knew it I was standing up and propelled towards the house. I quite clearly heard “lightening”, ”go”. I was astonished, turned to look back and started laughing. This was a good two years into our relationship.
“Old Man” the spirit who resides in this tree has every new comer come out to visit him and 
pay respects. He is a portal and gateway. He chooses who he will speak to or not.
And very few have seen his face, though more have heard his voice. When I do ritual around his root spread , the energy is undeniably like stepping into a different Realm of existence. Joining with ‘Old Man” is a true gift and has been a relationship worth nurturing.
When joining, I relax, ground, center and force nothing, simply deep breathe, and meditate. The tree will reach out , and complete our connection.. I go places where it is secluded, but safe. Where we won’t be disturbed and can have privacy to a great extent. I sit with the tree, eat my lunch under the tree with my back to it. I bring gifts such as tying yarn around the trunk, sticks, stones, corn, gourds, milk, honey and Ginger and leave them when I go.
There is no way to tell when or if i will be accepted and am prepared to wait a long time as trees have a different perception of time than we do. They are slow to recognize us and get into sync with our faster pace.. The energy waves of Trees are not electromagnetic nor chemical. Science is just beginning to unravel the Mystery of Tree Talking. But it is very real and worth the wait for those who want to connect as so few of us do. We are so selfish and impatient in this day and age.
Once a connection is made where I feel the tree, Know I have been accepted, I return to a meditative state, imagining I am a wind eddy and swirl up the trunk, along the branches and see the tree from different aspects. from the limb branch back to the trunk, from the top of the tree to the ground. I love to play in the trees’ arms. ,laying in the tree’s branches like I did as a child with my Mother.. In this way a beginning of trust is made with the residing Tree Spirit that lives within the Tree..
Making Tree wands, simple sticks to elaborate wands, I stick them in the ground among the tree roots and call a circle. Using a ritual hand made wooden Athame , hand crafted with symbols, I stick it into the ground to make a connection as part of the root system, an intent for the duration of the circle hat I wish to be connected and grounded in that place and time and will remain till the Tree Spirit is finished.. I ask questions. sit quietly, wait, never rush. am respectful and know this process can take hours.. The answers will come during this time I am connected with the Universe and Mother Earth.
As I disconnect, I do it so slowly as this can be a shock for the Tree.Spirit and myself as we travel so far at times. Remembering the connection is as deep as the roots of the tree in the Underworld and the arms of the branches In the Roof of the Universe. It usually leaves me disorientated for awhile while I assimilate what I experienced.
Sliante
Starwalker
Further resources:
Tree Magick by Gillian Kemp
Beneficent Powers of Tree-Spirits
Science Frontiers
