Phetasy News - Tree Medicine
Phetasy News - Tree Medicine
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Greetings from the Phetaverse!
We had trees planted today, one Red Oak and three Eagleston Hollys, and I cannot express how much joy they bring me. What’s incredible is how instantaneously a tree changes the entire landscape and, for lack of a better word, vibe. I’ve always been a tree hugger; it physically pains me to see a perfectly good tree get cut down—but planting trees is the exact opposite of that feeling. Planting trees makes my heart soar. I’m not alone. The critters and creatures and creepy crawlers all started buzzing and flying around the trees immediately. My child smiled at the sight of them. Trees are magic. They are life affirming.
It was important for me to get some trees in right away, and not just to increase the resale value on my beautiful home, but for all the wonderful benefits they offer. Shade. Privacy. The rustle of the leaves in the wind. Another living thing we have the opportunity to nurture and love that will grow with us.
I love planting trees, but I’ve never been able to plant my own, in my own yard. This is all a completely new experience for me. Turning the symbolic idea of putting down roots into a literal tree planting project felt empowering and supportive of my decision to move to Texas. It’s been a crazy, chaotic three months. We’ve changed our entire life and at times it’s been hard not to feel disoriented. One of my favorite meditations to do when I’m scattered is a good tree meditation. The powerful visualization of roots spreading into Earth in order to support the branches expand to the sky always helps me find stability. Tree pose is one of my favorite yoga poses for this reason. Grounding down. Finding your balance. Drawing up.
What are your favorite trees? Please send us pictures!
Thumbnail artwork by Lara Cullen.
Email laracullenstudio@gmail.com to inquire or contact her.
I also love planting trees. I planted two pear trees at my family cabin last year. In early spring, a rabbit came and girdled the entire trunk (ripped off the bark) of the larger tree. This kills the tree and I was heartbroken. But before I ripped it out of the ground I did a little research on whether it was possible to save a sapling in this state. It turns out you can cut it down to just under the damage and the tree will send up a new shoot that will replace the trunk. If it sends up more than one you just trim the others away as they sprout. Trees in this state tend to grow quickly because the root system is large and established. It seems to be growing about an inch or so every few days— a nice reminder of the tenacity of nature.
My absolute favorite tree is the Larch, though. They grow natively in my area, and there are a number of them on the property where I’m building my home. They are conifers but change color in the autumn — a glowing orange to yellow, appearing after the deciduous trees have peaked. I tend to think of them as a symbol of late-life parenthood — their colors blazing bright long after all the others.
A picture: https://changingseasons.substack.com/p/larch-season-f217f9476847