What are Tree Spirits?

[Dryadia2]

Having an interest in Dryads, I found this article interesting:

What are Tree Spirits?
Working with the Faeries and Spirits Associated with Trees
http://paganismwicca.suite101.com/artic ... ee_spirits

And here's what 'wiki' has to say about Dryads:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryad

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[Dathi]

Greetings Dryadia,

Whatcha make of this fellow? A flea-market special, but I think he's cool!

Treedrude.jpg

Tree Drude

(118.97 KiB) Downloaded 1564 times

CFN,

Dathi

[katie bridgewater]

I wonder if trees believe that people have tree-shaped spirits living inside them that they can only see when they meditate...?

[Sencha]

Got wood?

[otter oonagh]

good question Katie ? i wonder that too !

I personally don't see tree spirit having an human shape spirit , I instead associated the spirit with human characteristics , like they are young or old , they are of a feminine or masculine energy , they talkative or not , and I see this without the need of meditation !!
Like I don't see Gods and Goddesses having a human shape neither , but to found a " middle ground " to talk , it is quiet human , to associated then to some of our characteristics , isn't it ? and do they have some similarities with us , I like to think so !

[Sencha]

Perhaps a shape for something that has no shape?

[Maena]

Yes, Sencha, I believe something like that. Interpretation into human perception.

Think my little willow inspired doodle is something akin perhaps?


Dathi, love your Tree Drude

[Sencha]

Nice drawing...
I think that ultimately, we're all the same thing in different forms. The forms are the illusion. We are the reality.

[Maena]

Ahh, more than just an illusion: manifestation on another level: in matter, in individuality. I believe there's nothing less about this reality, although it is most definitely not "all there is". But through this limitation in form comes a unique opportunity of experience and perception. To be gathered, harvested, recycled, added to the continuum, perhaps.
As we as individuals confined to our physical form may long for the boundless freedom of unity in spirit, so unity may long for the confinement of material individuality. To feel rain on your skin, to see the colours of dawn, experience the physical longings, cravings, allures of the senses to name some. If there would be no drive from one to other, there would be no creation or cycle, only static singularity.


erm, one of my thoughts on the univers budding, I'm not that good with words

[Sencha]

If there would be no drive from one to other, there would be no creation or cycle, only static singularity.

True. Without polarity, there'd be no creative force. A battery needs two poles in order for the 'juice' to flow.

[Dathi]

Greetings,
A quick related link, found via Michael's Glastonbury Zodiac link.
http://uk.geocities.com/yuri.leitch@bti ... -text.html

CFN,

Dathi

[Dryadia2]

Greetings everyone!
Sorry for the late reply, but I've been on vacation.
I love the 'Tree Drude', Dathi. What a great 'find'!
Beautiful 'doodle', Maena!

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[Corwen]

Its hard to disentangle psychological projection and the external world sometimes. Sometimes stories are important but its also important not to mistake story and metaphor for objective reality. Story and metaphor are vital human modes of perception, but a tree is a tree, a beautiful non human person (living and relating entity) we share the world with, and remarkable in itself just for that. Might it be more useful to speak in terms of persons rather than spirits?

[cursuswalker]

Nice drawing...
I think that ultimately, we're all the same thing in different forms. The forms are the illusion. We are the reality.

This much is true. In that the forms allow us to regard ourselves as "separate" from otger forms of life and even other races.

Every living thing is related to every other living thing. The only thing that allows us to deny this is the fact that all the intermediate forms are dead.

[deepwater]

Could tree spirits also be the keepers of bad or confusing dreams and they send them out when a tree is harmed or is dieing to be kept by the other trees but not all the dreams make it to a tree but to us instead,,like a library of experiences of good and bad

[Corwen]

Have you heard of Occam's Razor?

[cursuswalker]

Have you heard of Occam's Razor?

[Sencha]

I see trees as archetypes. For example, most of the religions of the world have some sort of Sacred Tree...the Tree of Life is found in the Bible, in Celtic mythology, and in some ancient Greek myths. Buddha was enlightened under a lotus tree. The Vikings had Yggdrasil, etc.
If these archetypes have meaning to you, then it's irrelevant whether or not there are actually dryads living in them.

[alarkin84]

I have a guardian angel which is tree spirit in human form ~ any ideas on the meaning behind that? Ive red that tree spirits can be dangerous any truth behind that?

[DaRC]

Tree spirits, in my experience (IME), can be good or bad.
There was a tree spirit# on a road where I grew up that the hardest man in the village wouldn't walk past after dark...

However, alarkin perhaps it's more important for you to explore the connection yourself?
What type of tree is the spirit from?

# In this instance I'm ignoring earlier discussion on the nature of tree spirits (actual, personal or psychological projection)