The Living Wisdom of Trees

Fred Hageneder is a naturalist and harpist as well as being a co-founder of the Ancient Yew Group and the author of other books on trees. The introduction explains the extent of folklore on trees intertwined with the cycles of life and symbolically represented by the tree of life and the tree of knowledge. He discusses the historical importance of sacred groves and the importance of reaching a sustainable balance with the planet, where trees play a critical role. Most of the book is devoted to and encyclopaedic coverage of 50 species describing natural features, individual symbolism, historical associations, practical uses, healing properties and observations from culture, myth and symbol. There are many fascinating details, for instance that the almond represents the white goddess because of its blossom, while the word can be traced etymologically to the Sumerian ama ga meaning Great Mother. And as Blackthorn had recently been in blossom, I consulted this entry and found that it symbolises the balance between light and darkness while its fruit is the sloe used in gin. A very useful and informative reference book. Fred will be speaking and playing at the postponed Mystics and Scientists conference.