Do trees have souls?

[Nameless]

Originally Posted by Tobi

It must be so wonderful to have a sacred bond with a tree, and to be conscious of its Soul. I do love trees and always have but haven't yet learned to open to them in my Heart in a way that would be so beautiful.
There are 5 majestic Oak trees on the 300m stretch just past my house. I stop and focus on them with my care and interest and love. I try to imagine their history (They have been there a VERY long time) I told them I do love them and look on them as Guardans in a way, of my home.
It would be so nice to know them in a deeper way....I am trying to open up to them.

I too have tried to open up to trees, with limited success. I think it takes practice and patience and willingness to be open. Anyway, I was watching a show on Shamans the other day, and one of the things the young Shaman had to learn was to open up to a tree. He kept trying and wasn't getting anyway and was told by the older Shaman teaching him, don't open with my mind: send light from your solar plexis to the tree. So, thought I'd share that.

My son showed me this video the other day, during a conversation we were having about music. I couldn't find much about it, so I don't know if it's "real" but it sure was interesting. Supposedly this guy took a slice of a tree (I know - I don't know where he got it) and tried different things using techology that we have today to see if he could hear anything when he hooked up a turntable to the tree. It's interesting, even if it's a hoaxy thing :) He called it "Years"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYLaPVi_I2U

[kapamati1]

In the Native American culture some believe the trees are our ancestors. I don't now about that. But, I do feel they have souls and a spirit as big as THEY are. I am blessed to have large trees in my yard. Mostly Sycamores. There is this one tree I have always been drawn too. When I'm sad or contemplative, I sit under it. I have also meditated under it. I feel it's spirit. It feels my pain and tried to comfort me. I know that sounds nuts. But, it does. It's roots are huge. I feel so loved and calmed when I sit under this tree. I know her spirit is motherly or nurturing. How I know that...I'm not sure. I've tried to name her. But, every time I settle on a name, when I come back I draw a total blank. It's like she doesn't like what I've called her..lol...or I need to earnestly ask her instead of trying to just "name" her. Hope that makes sense.

[Astro]

I understand with certainty that trees' do indeed have souls.

[Squatchit]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtb11P1FWnc

2

[Shekinah]

Separation is an illusion fabricated by ego. All life shares a singular collective Spirit. We are ONE.

[Scribe of the Sky]

Squatchit

[DavidMcCann]

All living beings have a soul: it's what makes them live. But I find it difficult to believe that a tree's soul would be complex, since they don't have to do much, compared to animals. Most societies have distinguished between more than one soul in humans: at the least, a "breath soul" that keeps the body going and dissipates at death, and a "free soul" which can go traveling and survives the death of the body. Many societies believe that at least some animals have a free soul, but I've not heard of plants being attributed one.

One thing that occurs to me is the disparity in life spans. If a tree lives for hundreds of years, that may mean that it operates on a different time scale to us, so to speak. The processes, if any, in its soul would probably be too slow for us to perceive.

Also, I think we have to distinguish between the soul of a tree and a spirit which may dwell in the tree, like the Greek dryad. Every tree needs a (breath) soul, but not every one will get a dryad.

[Shekinah]

Spirit is a much more accurate word both for tree, animal and human animal. We all share 98% common DNA and manifest a similar bio-electric life force. The Spirit of a tree seems able to co-mingle with that of a human as so many have achieved enlightenment and philosophical enchantment in the presence of a tree. As a life form goes a tree is probably to be considered most Holy as it gives so much and takes only what we cannot use, it is symbolic of peacefulness and beauty. It is a silent sentinel as it reaches for the heavens and dances in the wind.

[Skytiger]

Indeed trees have souls. Living in the country with many cedar, juniper, mesquite, and other trees, it's easy to feel their energy around me. Trees bring peace to my soul and beauty to the land.
I rather think that perhaps trees are more advanced than us humans, as some are thousands of years old, long enough to learn many things.