Healing in My Bones: The Wisdom of the Land & the Power of Celtic Tree Lore

From my earliest days, trees have been the backdrop to stories passed down in my family.

It was my dad who first showed me the beauty of the woodlands. He sometimes spoke of his childhood, shaped by the rugged landscapes of Co Tyrone. The hardships of farm life, the weight of history pressing down - reparations from the 1870 land reforms still being paid in the 1970s.

In a family of eleven, he and his father forged a bond, anchored by the land. They braved societal norms, forgoing pesticides and herbicides, seeing them for the earth's poison they were.

This deep connection to the land ran through generations of my family. My father and grandfather defended their lands from fox hunts and stood by their beloved animals, even when it was time to sell them. Sometimes the cows didn't go to the slaughter house.

And then there were the stories. The tales of fairy trees standing sentinel in the fields, guardians of grain and old Celtic magic. This legacy of tree lore became a shared language as these tales helped me feel connected to each tree, knowing its story.

Growing up with this love for nature instilled in me, I have come to understand that true wisdom comes from learning from nature, not just about it.

In our modern world, we often fall into the trap of seeing nature as something separate from ourselves – an object to be studied, controlled, or exploited.

But as shamanic traditions have long recognised, we are an integral part of the natural world, and our well-being is deeply intertwined with the health of the earth.

Shamanic Traditions: Learning from Nature

In shamanic traditions worldwide, trees are seen as powerful allies and teachers. Shamans understand that by connecting with the spirit of a tree, we can access ancient wisdom and guidance for healing and transformation. This is not a matter of intellectually learning about trees, but rather of opening ourselves to their presence and allowing them to share their knowledge directly. By cultivating a relationship of respect and reciprocity with the natural world, we can tap into a profound source of wisdom and healing.

"The only way to truly learn
about plants is to open yourself
to their teaching.
They are the teachers,
we are the students.
They speak, we listen"

- Stephen Harrod Buhner

The Celtic Connection: Trees as Guardians and Guides

In Celtic traditions, this shamanic understanding of nature is deeply ingrained. The Celts saw trees as guardians and guides, each species holding its own unique energy and lessons. The Celtic tree calendar, which assigns a tree to each lunar month, provides a framework for aligning ourselves with the wisdom of the trees throughout the year.

By attuning ourselves to the rhythms of nature and the wisdom of the Celtic tree calendar, we can access a source of guidance and support for our own healing journeys. As we connect with the spirit of each tree, we are invited to explore the parallels between their growth and resilience and our own lives.

This understanding of the interconnectedness of all living beings and the importance of compassion for all life is beautifully reflected in the legacy of one of my ancestors, Dugald Semple.

Discovering a Legacy of Compassion: Dugald Semple and the Vegan Movement

When I worked at the Vegan Society between 2012 and 2014, I was fascinated to learn about the history of the vegan movement and its early pioneers. As I explored the archives, I made a surprising discovery – one of the co-founders of the Vegan Society in the 1940s was Dugald Semple, who, after some digging, I found out was one of my ancestors.

Dugald Semple was a remarkable man – a dedicated advocate for animal rights, simple living, and a fruitarian diet.

He understood that by extending our circle of compassion to include all living beings, we could create a more peaceful and sustainable world.

This of course resonated deeply with my own values of veganism and the connection to nature that had been nurtured in me since childhood.

As I learned more about Dugald's life and work, I felt a sense of connection to this ancestral legacy of compassion. His vision of a world where all beings are treated with respect and kindness aligned seamlessly with the wisdom of the Celtic traditions and the shamanic understanding of our interconnectedness with nature.

Personal Healing, Planetary Healing

As we deepen our connection to nature and learn from the trees and other living beings, we can experience a journey of personal healing that has far-reaching implications for the health of the planet. When we begin to heal ourselves, we become more attuned to the interconnectedness of all life and more committed to creating a world where all beings can thrive.

“The heart that breaks open can contain the whole universe.
The heart that breaks open can contain the whole world."

- Joanna Macy

This understanding is beautifully encapsulated by ecophilosopher Joanna Macy. By opening our hearts to the wisdom of nature and the suffering of the world, we become agents of transformation, working towards a future of greater harmony and sustainability.

This is the essence of the transformative healing we seek to facilitate through the Celtic Tree Moon Sound Baths.

Healing with the Magic of Celtic Tree Moon Sound Baths

My Dad’s passing in 2017 left a void, but in the woods, I sense his presence, walking beside me. In his last days, the sight of trees from his window brought him peace. This series of Celtic Tree Moon sound baths is my way of honouring him, my Granddad, Dugald, and my other ancestors, and their deep bond with the land.

Through these immersive experiences, we create a sacred space for personal and collective healing to unfold. As we journey through the energy of each tree month, we access the ancient wisdom of nature and plant the seeds for a more compassionate and resilient world.

I invite you to join us on this journey of healing – for ourselves, for the animals, and for the planet we call home. Together, let us step into the enchanted forest of our imagination, sit beneath the branches of a sacred tree, and open ourselves to their teachings.

As we learn from nature, rather than simply about it, we cultivate the resilience and insight needed to navigate life's challenges and contribute to a more just and sustainable future for all beings.