Communing with trees

Communing with trees. The Old Ways Remembered.

In the hush of woodland or the edge of a hedgerow, there stands an ancient truth: trees listen. Long before stone and script, our folk knew this, knew the hush beneath boughs was sacred, and that healing could be sought not only from herbs, but from bark, leaf, and root.

To lay a hand upon a tree is not just whimsy, it’s a quiet act of connection. A reaching out. Our ancestors believed trees could carry burdens, witness sorrow, and lend strength when bones felt hollow. Oak for courage. Yew for memory. Birch for new beginnings.

A Simple Tree Ritual (for comfort, healing, or guidance):

Find the right tree. Let your feet lead. One may call to you without words.

Stand in stillness. Let the chatter of the mind settle. Breathe slow.

Touch the tree. Palm flat or fingers curled, whatever feels natural. You may rest your brow against the bark.

Speak your need. Whisper it, or think it, as though speaking to an elder who knows you well.

Leave a token, or a blessing. A strand of hair, a breath, a quiet word. Not litter, just presence.

Not every tree gives answers. Some just hold you in their silence. But that can be enough.

The woods are older than kings, older than names. And they remember.

- Woodlarking