healingways
NATURE
CONNECTING WITH
THE POWER OF TREES
by S. Alison Chabonais
paper, shelter, recreation and space to commune with nature; and because they stretch from Earth to heaven, trees have been revered since before recorded time. Even with today’s technology, we still rely daily upon all of their products and we need trees to help counteract glob-
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warming and protect the planet. In her new book, Lives of the
Trees, Diana Wells explores the history of 100 distinctive tree species, from the versatile acacia to the long-lived yew, known in Japan as ichii, or tree of God. Wells notes
that the Tree of Life appears in cul- tures worldwide, while individual trees have been
considered sacred. She remarks that, “The words ‘tree’ and ‘truth’ share the original Old English word root, treow.” “Nothing contributes
more to men’s long lives than the planting of many trees,” observed English writer and gar- dener John Evelyn as early as 1664. Scientists are even using cores from a 1,000-year-old Southeast Asian evergreen, the Fokienia hodginsii tree, to decode the climate history that affects us all. Every year, people around the world celebrate anew the complex living communities we call trees on World Forestry Day at the spring equinox (autumnal equinox in the southern hemisphere).
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San Diego Edition
ecause trees are larger and older than we can ever hope to be; because they provide shade, food, medi- cines, furniture, wood for musical instruments, fuel,
Joe H. Slate, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and author of Con-
necting to the Power of Nature, offers a step-by-step guide to
an enriching walk in the woods as a gateway to self-empow- erment. “It facilitates a positive interaction with nature that builds feelings of worth and self-assurance, while balancing and bringing into harmony the mind, body and spir- for years, as a psychology professor, now emeritus, of Athens State Univer- sity, in Alabama. He advises that
walkers follow marked trails during daylight hours and allow plenty of time to soak in the
experience. Joining hands
before and after the walk also reinforces the ex- pressed sense of purpose.
a commitment to no goals. Think of the for- est as an enormous repository of energy that is receptive to goals that may be as simple as experiencing
the serenity and beauty of the forest to foster bet- ter health, self-insight and career success.
Select a safe forest setting with a trail for the walk,
preferably in the company of a partner or group that can add both protection and interactive enrichment.
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