A Healing Grove: African Tree Remedies and Rituals for Body and Spirit
"It is a rare gift to understand and relay the messages offered in the language of trees; this book contains primal language, originating in Africa, brought to us by this emissary of nature's spoken word."
--Malidoma P. Some, elder, diviner, author of Of Water and Spirit: Ritual, Magic and Initiation in the Life of an African Shaman
"A unique exploration of the forest that deepens our cultural awareness and enriches our connection with the green world. This important reference work belongs on the bookshelf of anyone serious about natural healing."
--Sandra Kynes, author of A Year of Ritual: Sabbats & Esbats for Solitaries & Covens and Whispers from the Woods: The Lore & Magic of Trees
Foreword:
"The highest praise that I can give a book is to say that I wish I'd written it; A Healing Grove: African Tree Remedies and Rituals for the Body and Spirit is one such book. Stephanie Rose Bird--visual artist, educator, brilliant herbalist, evocative writer--has crafted a crucial and important book, sharing valuable, rare information that has never been more needed and relevant than it is today. She tells the story of the sacred wood: how to live in it, learn from it, derive spiritual enrichment from it, and how to preserve and protect it. A Healing Grove is packed not only with information but also with functional, accessible recipes, remedies, and rituals to serve mind, body, soul, and spirit, derived from a variety of African and African American traditons."
--Judika Illes, author of The Element Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells and Earth Mother Magic
Contents:
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Preface: Seeing the Forest for the Trees: Story Within "A Healing Grove"
Introduction: Holly, Oak, and Pine: Enter My Personal Forest
I. Our Heritage and Traditions
1] Igboro-Egun: Grove of the Ancestors
2] Calabash: Vessel of African Culture, Spirituality, and Survival
3] Black Folk Be Workin' Dem Roots Long, Long Time: an African Herbalist's Overview
4] Ceremonies, Rites, and Oracles of the Wood: Transatlantic African Tree Veneration
II. Remedies and Rituals for Daily Life
5] Out Bush: Filters, Shields, and Field Guides
6] Ways and Means: Tools and Techniques for Africa-Inspired Herbalists
7] Seed, Nuts, Pods, and Oils
8] Fruit of Mother Nature's Labor: Soul-Nourishing Berry and Fruit Trees
9] Bark, Gum, Sap, Resins, and Moss Mediicine
10] Very Important Palms: VIPs of Transatlantic Tree World
Epilogue: Seeds of Hope: Participation in Villages Far and Wide
Resources and Organizations
Appendix A: Resources
Appendix B: Study and Apprenticeships
Notes
Glossary
Bibliography
Index