Every year I find I’m drawn to a set of symbols or archetypes that call to me for deeper exploration. Some connections I’ve been exploring for years, and it’s always a curious delight to see how the investigation unfolds.
I’ve often felt a similarity to an artist working in series, or as though I were compiling my own personal book of definitions. A WeberWikipedia.
Last night a friend saw my energy as tree-like and it was lovely been seen that way as I often experience myself that way. But it also re-awakened the urge to return to my work with tree symbology and I can’t wait to see how this gets expressed.
I’ve mentioned often on this blog (see here) that I love working with the practice of Lectio Divina, and that each month a bit of poetry shows up that becomes what I work with for the month. And today the piece showed up.
Trees are the earth’s endless effort to speak to the listening heaven.
~Rabindranath Tagore
Do you feel a particular affinity with trees? One tree in particular? What messages to trees whisper to you? Do tell, I’d love to hear.
I’m a fan of the willow. It’s long been a sheltering friend. Did you know there’s a Tarot of Trees? 😀
There’s a lovely willow in my neighborhood that I like to stop by and say hello to – along with all the birds who like to hide in there. 😉
Thanks for the hedz up about the tree deck – I’m going to go to take an on-line peek at it now.
My husband and I love visiting the redwoods. Touching the trees and listening to their presence is so peaceful and awe-inspiring. We’re looking for a tree of life to decorate our hobby shed. The only time I found trees odd was a radiata pine forest in Australia. The forest was alive and dead. There weren’t any animals in the forest because there were no native species that lived in that type of habitat.
Thanks for the post.
Mmm, yes – redwoods are so powerfully amazing! And what an interesting experience about the Australian forest.
Hope you find the perfect tree of life for your space. I painted my own version on a re-claimed door panel and keep it propped in my living room as an altar backdrop.
Deborah, Your art is so restful to me. And your practices. A tree quote to add to your “forest,” attributed to various people and/or “Chinese proverb” or “African proverb”:
The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is today.
Oh thank you Janet for sharing that proverb – I love it! I’m a huge collector of proverbs as well – so a tree quote AND a proverb is a double win. 😉 I’m also totally claiming your wonderful expression and will henceforth consider my gathering as populating my “forest”. Yes!
I also love trees. I am not drawn to one tree in particular over another. On our property the past 27 years that we have lived here since when we built our home, we have been planting trees to celebrate births, also passings (my husband’s parents) and a great-niece of mine that was a baby, we also have a few anniversary trees, one for us and one to remember my parents 50th wedding anniversary a few years back even a few to when Canada celebrated it’s 125 anniversary. I feel blessed that we have a forest behind our home also. Great post Deborah. xo
I so love the practice of planting celebratory and rememberance trees, and it sounds like you’re doing your part to add to the tree joy quotient in the world! I live on a tiny bit of property so all my tree planting needs to be done elsewhere.
I just love the colors and the texture in the piece you posted. It is really beautiful! I have a wooded area behind my house and I love to look at the shapes that have formed on the trunks – I imagine a little colony of fairies back there sometimes when the light is just right filtering through the trees
Thanks for stopping by Vickie. Your wooded area sounds magical, and I’m glad the fairies let you peek into their space.
Oh, Deborah! I love trees. The tree readings I do are so fascinating and tell so much about someone, based on how they draw a simple tree. I can’t wait to share this gift in the membership program!
Oh Michele I’m thrilled to discover you’re a dendrographologist! I can’t wait until you offer this class. What fun!