| A
walk in the woods makes it easy to understand the awe and reverence
our ancestors had for trees. However, the human-tree relationship
had its beginnings long before people trod upon the earth.Millions
of years ago trees evolved into giants of the planet, and became
the most successful form of plant life in the competition for sunlight
and other resources. While they created advantages for themselves,
they were also steadfast providers for certain members of the animal
kingdom. Small creatures sought protection from predators in the
aerial arms of trees, and finding a convenient bounty of food aloft,
they stayed and made their homes among the welcoming branches.
Establishing a symbiotic association with the trees, these creatures
provided additional means for dispersing pollen and seeds. Some
of these animals, classified as prosimians, developed their distinctive
characteristics, such as both eyes in the front of the head, and
evolved into the simians that eventually came down from the trees.
Darwin explained the rest.
With these prosimians in mind, it could be said that if it were
not for the trees we would not be here. Biologically speaking, it
can also be said that we could not remain here if it weren’t
for the trees, as they are largely responsible for creating and
maintaining earth’s atmosphere.
It was the “big blue marble” view of earth and its atmosphere
that sparked scientist James Lovelock’s Gaia theory (the Earth
as a living, self-regulating entity ). Lovelock said that when he
saw pictures of earth taken from outer space he had an epiphany
of the atmosphere burning like a blue flame. He realized how crucial
the cycles of the elements were for life, and how humans are part
of the environment, not separate from it. As we breathe, we take
oxygen into our bodies and it becomes part of us. Trees produce
the oxygen we take in. We breathe out carbon dioxide and trees take
that in. Because of this basic biology, we still have a symbiotic
association with the trees. However, a great deal has transpired
in this relationship since the time of the prosimians.
Biology aside, our civilization could not have developed without
trees. After humans first attached sharpened stones to the ends
of sticks to extend their reach as hunters, and kindled fires for
warmth and cooking, there was no going back because trees had taken
on a new importance in human life. Providing the basics was just
the beginning. The more we learned to use our brains and make plans,
the more we relied on trees for shelter, furniture and tools for
almost everything. Wood for wagons, ships and bridges to get us
from here to there allowed people to spread out and travel farther.
We humans also developed the peculiar activities of writing and
music, which relied on wood—and the forests continued to fall
under the axe.
Long before this great rush to consume wood, people viewed trees
as something more than a source of food, shelter and raw material.
Perhaps it was the biological connection through breathing that
allowed people to sense the spark of life that we hold in common
with the trees. Trees became part of human spiritual and cultural
traditions as well as one of the most powerful symbols that embody
life. Trees served as vivid reminders of the cycle of life, death
and rebirth, and they seemed imbued with magic because they simultaneously
dwelled in the three realms of heaven, earth and underworld. Ancestors,
other spirits and even the Divine could be found amongst the trees
of the woods. The forest was a place of beautiful mystery and deep
transformation. People could sense the subtle energy that moved
through the trees because it also moved through them. The connection
between human and green world was real and central to everyday life,
but somewhere along the way we lost this sense of connection.
We lost our way through the woods and forgot that we, too, are part
of the natural world. We continued to use more that the trees had
to offer, such as gums, oils, rubber, turpentine, pitch, cork, as
well as charcoal for smelting ore. Without trees, metal crafts could
not have been developed. We continued to use more of everything,
and the forests dwindled.
Since the time of Newton, scientists viewed the world as a machine
instead of a living system—trees were just fuel for man’s
engine. In the excitement of scientific discovery, reverence for
nature was trampled. Religious leaders of the time were also caught
up in the stampede to place humans above everything else. According
to the church fathers, nature represented chaos and the wild, Pagan,
female side of things that were classified as evil and beneath the
dignity of “man”. In their minds, nature had to be subdued
and controlled. As technologies advanced, a false sense of power
expanded, and the momentum that moved us farther from the natural
world increased. Now, “virtual reality” separates us
even more from the world that was once revered as sacred.
While it seems that we have traded material wealth for spiritual
poverty, quite possibly the pendulum has swung to its full extent
and is now circling back. Greater numbers of people are searching
for spiritual fulfillment, and are consciously making everyday choices
that are in line with their beliefs. Even the scientific community
is beginning to acknowledge how incredibly complex and beautiful
life on earth is, and some are bold enough to say that we humans
are amateurs—even though we know a lot, we actually know very
little. The gap between science and spirituality is not the chasm
it once was. There is an acknowledgement of the wisdom that comes
from within—within ourselves and within nature.
As part of this change, people are rediscovering the majesty of
trees and are appreciating with wonder these magnificent giants
because in the woods you can’t help but feel part of the natural
world. With that feeling comes self-realization of returning to
Source, to the Divine. Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki noted
that the forest is helping people to realize that nature is not
“out there” and separate. He said, “How you see
the world is how you live in it.” For Pagans this translates
to intention and manifestation. We know that the integrity of our
spiritual lives is intimately bound to the integrity of the natural
world.
Trees provide a gateway into a wider world of spirit which can help
us find our place in the “web of life” and its timeless
mysteries. Trees provide multiple pathways to tap into this web
for magical and spiritual purposes, as well as to simply embrace
and enhance life. Like music, trees speak to something deep and
primal within us. They can help us open our souls to the power and
spirit of earth’s rhythms. They can help us harvest the fruit
of our spiritual journey and find the seeds of our future.
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