Do you want to learn how to talk to trees? Have you ever wondered if you, too, can learn to communicate with tree spirits? Read on to learn more about connecting with trees.
When I wrote my book If Trees Could Talk: Life Lessons from the Wisdom of the Woods last year in 2019, I got a lot of questions about my process for collecting the tree stories. People were curious and wanted to know more about how to communicate with tree spirits. They wanted to learn a spiritual way to make contact with trees.
Some of the most commonly asked questions were:
- “Can anyone talk to trees?”
- “Will you write a book about how to talk to trees?”
- “Will you run a course or a workshop to teach people how to talk to trees?”
The answer to all of these questions is “Yes!” Anyone and everyone can talk to trees if they put in the time and effort involved. Yes, I am currently writing a book about how to talk to trees—I've received lots of emails from readers who want to learn how, and I want to make it easier for people to connect with Nature. And yes, I now have an online course on this topic. Learn more and sign up here.
But for now, I'm writing this blog post on how to talk to trees. If you have any questions, please pop them in the comments, or contact me and let me know. I'll be adding to this post from time to time when I see what questions people have.
Can you talk to trees? Can humans talk to trees?
Yes! You can talk to trees and, as you'll learn here, they can talk back to you. You'll learn exactly how to get started in this blog post.
Humans can talk to trees verbally (out loud), or we can talk to them silently (in our minds). Both ways work, and it's just a matter of preference regarding how you want to talk to trees.
Can trees hear when spoken to?
Kind of. Of course, trees don't have ears as we do, but tree spirits can pick up the message of our words when we talk to them. This means that when you talk to a tree, it can understand the message of what you're telling it.
Can trees talk to humans?
Yes! If you've read my book, then you know that I received the stories of 28 English trees, which I then collected into one book:If Trees Could Talk. I regularly receive emails from readers around the world who have given it a try and realized that they, too, can talk to trees. I also get emails from people who have had a spontaneous experience with a tree: they weren't looking to start a conversation, but a tree reached out and spoke to them first.
This can be a bit unnerving for some people. If you haven't set the intention to talk to trees, and one speaks up to you, it can make you feel like something's wrong with you. But there's nothing to worry about. Treescan talk to humans. Read on to learn more!
Can everyone do it?
Yes! I do believe that if people invest time and effort into learning, everyone can learn how to talk to trees. It's like learning any new skill: it takes time and practice. You wouldn't expect to pick up a violin and play it perfectly on the first day, would you?
There was one thing that made it easier for me to learn how to talk to trees: I already had experience in channeling spirit guides. I worked through Cara Wilde's Channel Your Guide course and Sanaya Roman's Opening to Channel course, and both of those gave me the skills I needed to more easily connect with trees and hear their voices.
Who are you actually talking to?
This was a question I got asked before my first appearance on ITV This Morning. Apparently “conjuring spirits” is not allowed on UK television, so they wanted to make sure I wasn't going to do that. Here's how I explained it: when I speak to another person, I'm not speaking to their body—their flesh and blood. I'm speaking to the thing within them that makes them alive—their soul, their spirit.
When I talk to a tree or a plant, I'm talking to the spirit of the tree or plant—the thing that makes them alive.
What are tree spirits?
To me, it's the energy that makes the tree alive—their life force energy. It's the soul of the tree.
Most people would probably agree that people have a soul or a spirit, but not everyone is as accepting of the idea of other living beings having a spirit. And that's okay. Talking to trees isn't for everyone.
I believe that everything has a spirit: animals, plants, and minerals. And everything else, too—including inanimate objects. That's still a hard concept for me to wrap my head around, but it's what I feel to be true, based on my experiences. The idea that everything has a spirit is known as “animism.” If you want to learn more about that, the blog Anima Monday, which I regularly contribute to, has a great article on this topic: Why Animism? … and what is it anyway?
Do trees like when you talk to them?
Some do, some don't, and some are indifferent. Trees are just like people—they're all individuals. That's why I encourage people to ask permission when approaching a tree, especially for the first time.
Certain trees have a reputation for being grumpy. I once read that old oaks are particularly grumpy. While I have not necessarily found this to be true for this or any other species of tree, I have met individuals who didn't want to talk, and that's fine.
What does it mean to talk to the trees?
It's just like talking to people, really! Except that very few people are doing it. When you talk to trees, it allows you to have a deeper connection with Nature.
And because you may have to slow down and quiet your mind so you can listen to the often subtle messages that trees send us, you may find yourself experiencing lower stress levels and increased wellbeing. One of the most frequent messages I received from trees when writing my bookIf Trees Could Talkwas: “Slow down; you move too fast.”
A few rules
I've read articles online saying that you need to approach the tree from the east and walk clockwise around it. To keep the sun behind you. And all kinds of other technical tips. This has not been my experience, and I think this overcomplicates things. When you speak with another person, do you approach them from a specific cardinal direction? Do you walk around them in a circle? No.
The most important thing is to be respectful. This goes for talking with people, and it goes for talking with trees, plants, and other living beings. That's really the only rule you need to follow when connecting with trees: respect.
How to connect with tree spirits
If you're just getting started talking to trees, make sure you head to a place where you feel comfortable spending some time with the tree. That may be in a secluded woodland, where you won't have to worry about other people passing by. Or perhaps that makes you uncomfortable, and you'd rather be in park with other people around. Do what works for you.
I'd recommend bringing a journal or notebook with you to make it easier for you to talk to the trees. You can use your everyday journal, or have a special one just for the trees. You might also want to bring a small offering for the tree, like a flower or a few grains of corn from your garden.
Find a tree
Pick one that piques your interest and approach it. Ask (either silently or in your head) if it's okay for you to sit with it and maybe talk. Pause for the answer. You might get a clear “yes” or “no” or you might feel in your gut that it's okay or not okay. If the tree wants to talk, approach it respectfully. If it doesn't, thank it and find another tree. Don't take it personally if the tree doesn't want to talk—you don't talk to every stranger who approaches you, do you?
Sit quietly near the tree, perhaps with your back up against its trunk. Connect with your own senses. Notice all the little details: what do you see all around you? What do you hear? How do you feel? What can you smell and taste? This is your starting point. If you brought a journal or notebook, write this all down.
If you brought an offering for the tree, set it down and thank the tree for allowing you to spend some time with it.
Ask the tree some questions
Ask if it's okay for you to touch the tree. Get a feeling for the answer, and respond appropriately. In my book If Trees Could Talk, one of the trees said that they like to be touched. The tree was very enthusiastic about trees wanting to be touched as people walk by them in the forest. But of course, not every tree will feel the same way.
Asking the trees these simple questions (“May I sit with you?” and “May I touch you?”) will help you to strengthen your connection with them. You might want to start talking to the tree now: explain why you came out today (you want to learn to talk to trees). Explain why trees are important to you. Let the tree get to know you. You can do this internally (in your mind) or verbally (out loud).
This might be enough for you. Or you might want to ask the tree a specific question. Start with something easy! Don't go straight into deep philosophical questions like “What is the meaning of life?”
Listen to the answer. It might come in a variety of forms: a vision or a symbol, spoken words that you hear in your mind, a feeling, a taste or a smell.
Cultivate your clair senses
When you learn how to talk to trees, the first thing you'll notice is that connecting with trees is not like talking with another person. You probably won't hear their voices out loud, but rather in your head. Or you might not hear a voice at all—you might see an image in your mind, or feel an emotion, or smell a scent. This, I think, is what makes communicating with trees so difficult for some people. You have to re-learn how to communicate. And it's a lot more subtle than communicating with people.
Let's talk about the clair senses, because that's how you're going to get your response from the trees. We often hear talk of these in terms of psychic ability, which you may or may not believe in. And if you don't, that's perfectly fine. Belief in psychic ability is not necessary for you to understand these concepts.
These clair senses are also ways in which the trees can speak to us. They're like the different “languages” that trees and plant spirits use to communicate with us. You know how we can communicate with each other using the spoken word, the written word, or with sign language? It's like that.
There are three primary clair senses that you're probably familiar with, and four less common clair senses that may be new to you. Let's explore these different languages.
Clairvoyance
I can't remember ever experiencing this, despite being a highly visual person. This particular “language” or method of communication involves presenting you with visual cues or symbols. You might get a specific mental image that will give you clues as to what the tree is trying to tell you.
Clairaudience
This is one of the primary languages that the trees will use to speak to me. I'll hear words—usually complete sentences. If you've read my bookIf Trees Could Talk, you'll see just how clearly their words come through. When I collected the stories for the book, I allowed their words to flow through me, and I spoke them aloud and recorded them on my phone.
Clairsentience
This communication method involves getting a feeling somewhere in your body, without any outer stimuli to trigger that feeling. It could be in your gut, or it could involve chills all over your body. If you ask a tree a question, you might get a response in the form of a feeling, like a glow of happiness spreading throughout your body, or a sense of peace and relaxation. It might be subtle, or it might be unusually strong. Pay attention to how you're feeling when you talk to trees—and how your feelings change, especially after asking a question.
Clairempathy
Clairempathy allows us to sense or feel the attitudes, emotions, or beliefs of another person—or tree. It's like you feel their energy or vibration, and that can give you useful information them. This relates to clairsentience. If you ask a tree how it's feeling, you might simply feel their response, rather than hearing the words “happy” or “sad.”
Clairgustance
This is an odd one: it involves tasting a substance or food without having anything in your mouth. Because this is such a strange sensation, it may be the tree telling you to pay attention, or it may be a way of providing some type of (tasty) symbol that directly relates to the message you need to receive. It might also be a way of letting you know whether something is right (delicious) or wrong (not delicious) for you—or it might be a yes (delicious) or no (not delicious) answer.
Clairscent or Clairalience
This is precisely what it sounds like: smelling a fragrance or an odor that is not present in your surroundings. I've experienced this before, for example, smelling a familiar perfume that someone I know wears, despite them not being present. But this has never come up when I talk with trees. As with clairgustance, it might also be the tree's way of letting you know whether something is right (pleasant odor) or wrong (unpleasant odor) for you—or it might be a yes (pleasant odor) or no (unpleasant odor) answer.
Clairtangency
In psychic terms, this usually refers to someone who can handle an object or touch something and receive information about that object. In terms of talking with trees, this could mean touching the tree and receiving the message in that way. Touching the tree's bark, leaves, or branchesmight serve as a trigger for your other clair senses, allowing you to receive a much clearer message via clairvoyance, clairaudience, or clairsentience.
How to talk to trees
Remember that your conversation with the trees can take on any of the above forms of language. They will transmit their messages to you, and your system will receive them using one or more of the clair senses. Remember to pay attention and to notice the details: what was going on when you first sat down with the tree? And what's going on now that you're attempting communication?
Do you feel differently? Do you hear anything different? Have any symbols or images popped into your mind? Do you feel feelings that aren't yours? Has an unexpected scent or taste come into your awareness? What happens when you touch the tree?
How do you spiritually connect with a tree?
When we speak with a tree spirit, we are spiritually connecting with the tree. Once you've formed a connection with a tree, you might want to engage in other types of spiritual connection. You might try meditating next to a tree, or working with the energy of the tree in some way. You could also ask the tree for healing. There are many ways of connecting with trees.
Remember, always get the tree's permission and consent before working with the tree's energy.
How do you know it's real?
This is one of the most common questions people have when they start channeling or talking to trees and plant spirits. How do you know it's not just all in your head? How do you know that it's real, and not a mental illness?
When I channel spirit guides or talk to trees, their voices are different from mine. And I don't just mean the sound of their voices—the language they use is different. They word things differently. They don't sound like the way I speak.
Pay attention to the words the trees use when they speak to you. Is that how you talk? Probably not.
If you're still in doubt, you can ask the trees for a sign that it's really them talking to you, and not just your inner fantasies or delusions.
Is it normal to talk to trees?
Hm. What's “normal?” I'd definitely say it's uncommon, in the sense that it's not something that everybody knows how to do. But since I wrote my bookIf Trees Could Talk, so many readers have reached out to me to share their experiences of talking to trees.
Connecting with trees in this way is a very enriching experience, and I encourage you to give it a try. It really expands how we engage with nature, and it adds a new layer to our outdoor experiences and adventures.
Can we communicate with multiple trees?
Yes! If you've read my bookIf Trees Could Talk, you may remember I communicated with a few different groups of trees: Chalice Well Yews, Juniper Bottom Yews, Avebury Beeches, The Grandmothers, The Three Witches, Twin Sycamores, and The Somerset Four.
When communicating with multiple trees, or groups of trees, you can do this in different ways. You can go up to each tree individually and talk to it, then move on to the next one, or you can sit in the middle of the grove and speak to them as a collective. I've done it both ways. I spoke with each of the two Chalice Well Yews individually, and I did the same with The Somerset Four. With Juniper Bottom Yews, Avebury Beeches, The Grandmothers, The Three Witches, and Twin Sycamores I spoke with each group as a collective.
Should I be barefoot? Can I hurt the tree?
It's important for us to be aware of our surroundings when we're in the outdoors. For example, you may have seen some of the photos on my website where I'm in a bluebell forest. No bluebells were harmed in this photo session! The photographer was really skilled in leading me down little trails where I could sit or stand without damaging the flowers.
In the same way, make sure that you aren't trampling any delicate plants or protected species when you go out to communicate with trees. Keep an eye on where you're placing your feet and where you decide to sit down. You don't have to be barefoot, but you can if you like. Just remember to be respectful of their home.
Troubleshooting
You might find that talking to trees is easy for you. Or you might find that it takes time and effort—and more patience than you expected. Remember to slow down and be patient. Learning a new skill takes time.
Most importantly, remember that the messages can come through one or more of the clair senses. Be sure to slow down, relax, and tune in to these subtle methods of communication.
The tree doesn't feel like talking
Also, remember that not all trees want to talk. Let's go back to that one rule: respect. Would you walk up to a random (human) stranger and expect them to be happy to have a conversation with you? Probably not. So don't be surprised if not every tree wants to have a conversation with you—and don't take it personally. Connecting with trees is easy, as long as you're approaching trees that want to connect.
Can't communicate with a certain tree species
I've received emails from people who struggle to communicate with a specific tree species: pines or oaks, for example. I once read on a blog that oaks were hard to communicate with because they can be grumpy. While I have met grumpy old oaks, that hasn't been my experience with the entire species.
This is an interesting situation. I don't necessarily think that there are certain species that don't like to talk. If you're determined to overcome the challenge of communicating with a particular species, I'd recommend doing a little work: do some journalling about how you feel about that species. What do you think of it? What do you like about it? Why do you want to communicate with pines/oaks/etc. in particular?
Try spending more time with trees of this species. First, connect with the tree and see if you can get consent: does it want to hang out with you? Is it okay if you sit with it? Does it want to talk? Listen for the response, and remember the concept of clairsentience: the answer could come in a different way than you're used to.
If it's okay with the tree, sit with your back up against it and feel yourself connecting energetically with the tree. Envision yourself sending the tree peace, light, and love—or whatever positive intentions you want to send the tree. Envision yourself sending these positive intentions to the entire species of trees.
You can also spend some time talking to trees of this species, without expecting a response. Tell them how you're feeling, and why you'd like to connect with them and communicate with them. You can also leave an offering to the tree, such as a drink of water or a song.
What if you need to cut down a tree?
I occasionally get emails from people who have to do tree work such as pruning or even cutting down a tree. They ask me how to do it in a respectful, compassionate way that shows that value the life of the tree. Here are some ideas on compassionate ways to cut down trees. I've got a separate blog post on that topic: Cutting Down Trees: Compassionate and Spiritual Practices to Honor a Tree's Life.
Further questions?
I'm currently writing a book on how to talk to trees. If you have any further questions that I haven't covered here, please get in touch. People contact me all the time with questions regarding tree communication, and I regularly update this article with answers to questions people have asked me.
