The Healing Energies of Trees

by Patrice Bouchardon

A guide to the healing energies of trees, offering practical exercises to discover the unique qualities of individual trees and access their energy to gain support and renewed vitality. The text describes how illness arises, the stages of healing and which tree to turn to in each situation.

Genres: Nature, Spirituality, Nonfiction

159 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I give this author credit for having the guts to say half the things he says in this book.

(i.e., "How do you meet a tree?" and later "At first we could only look at the tree and observe without getting much further....we touched the trees, we smelled them, we tasted the buds and the sap ....we put an ear to the trunk to confirm that all was quiet...)"

This is the ultimate tree hugger book. LOL.

I'm not trying to be disrespectful, I agree that everything is made up of energy but the way he writes the book is very funny.

So go out and hug a tree today....you'll feel better LOL.

[An · Rating 4 out of 5]

The greatest value of this book can be found in its invitation to explore our experience with and relation to the trees that surround us. The author guides us to perceive subtleties in our perception through our senses and notice the impact the interaction with the trees has on us. Even though the foundation of the exercises in mindfulness and meditation is clear, I still find it incredibly helpful to be led step by step to peel back the layers and deepen the experience.

In the second part of this book, Bouchardon shares his experience with 7 particular trees and shrubs. I am yet to discover if this matches my own experience and am mindful that being told beforehand of their energies may influence my experience of them. In that regard, I'm unsure to what extent I find this section helpful. However, I can also see how someone looking for support in a particular area may find it handy to know beforehand which tree or shrub to lean towards. It does contradict the message of learning to lean into your intuition in your connection with trees though.

[Rachel Nelson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I recently started reading this book that I picked up from a local plant nursery. While it features stunning photographs of trees, its claims about the healing properties of tree oils—both for physical and mental ailments—based on the energy frequencies emitted by the trees are questionable at best. The book briefly touches on topics like the ego and the idea of manifesting challenges for personal growth, but it lacks any clinical depth. I find it difficult to accept this level of pseudoscience. In contrast, books like Braiding Sweetgrass and Breath successfully bridge indigenous practices with empirical science, offering grounded insights. It’s disappointing that this book focuses more on its visual appeal, as there may be some truth within its pages, but the lack of scientific rigor makes it hard to take seriously, and especially recommend to those who could truly benefit from meditation, cleansing rituals, forest bathing, and simple introspection. These are the practices the author actually recommends but under terms like “asking a tree a question, which type of tree should you ask?”, and especially, which type of snake-I mean tree-oil should you buy directly from the author as she sells them.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very easy read! There wasn't any ground breaking information in this book for me, but it has a lot of good exercises laid out that should aid in the process of learning to listen to trees.

[Sylvia Clare · Rating 2 out of 5]

depends on where you are with your journey into understanding healing but i found this book too full of lovely photos and lacking on substance or real depth.

[꧁ k e l s e y ꧂ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A valuable resource.

[TT · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this lovely book from a hidden bookstore in Macau "边度有书".

[Luce Cronin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful insight into the energy of trees. Contains lots of practical exercises enabling you to be more aware of individual trees and their contribution to our daily lives.