Myths of the Sacred Tree

by Moyra Caldecott

Essential to life on earth since the beginning of time, trees hold a special place in our collective rooted in the earth, reaching skyward, nourished by the elements, and enlivened by the sap running through their veins, they provide a metaphor for what it means to be human.

Moyra Caldecott has gathered here a collection of myths celebrating the rich symbolism of trees, all bringing to life a time when the natural world was deeply respected and trees and forests were thought to be inhabited by spirits and divine beings.

Bound by the organized structure of modern life, the human spirit yearns for the wildness and freedom of primal nature represented by forests in their natural state. Caldecott's book has captured and given voice to this spirit.

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, Nature, Folklore, Spirituality, Reference

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1993

About the author

Started academic career by obtaining degrees in English Literature and Philosophy.

* Briefly lectured in English Literature at university level.

* Raised three children and had a most interesting and stimulating life as the wife of Oliver Caldecott in London from 1951 to 1989. (Oliver was an editor at Penguin, Readers Union, and Hutchinson and founded his own publishing firm Wildwood House with his partner Dieter Pevsner. His last editorial post was at Rider, for Century Hutchinson. He was also a very good artist.)

* Took evening classes in palaeontology (geology always a favourite subject), religious studies and mythology.

* Was secretary of the Dulwich Group in the ’sixties, a most successful poetry reading group. Read a lot. Wrote books. Met many interesting people and had many interesting discussions. Travelled a lot.


* Her life has also been enriched by the interests of her children: Religion – Conservation – Art.

* She has had various experiences she considers to be ‘paranormal’, including a dramatic healing from angina. She gives talks to various personal growth and consciousness raising groups, and groups interested in the ancient sacred sites of Britain.

* Her most successful book so far, Guardians Of The Tall Stones, is set in ancient Bronze Age Britain, and is required reading for some groups visiting the sacred sites of Britain from America. It has been in print continuously since 1977.

* Myths and legends are a particular passion and she follows Jung and Joseph Campbell in believing that they are not ‘just’ stories but actually deep and meaningful expressions of the universal and eternal in the human psyche.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

While some of the stories were interesting, the trees in the stories often were not sacred in themselves. I felt the commentaries were shallow and often missed what seemed to be point of the stories.

[Sylvia Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely read of so many myths and folk tales - all with history and meaning embedded into them. Stories are how children often learn a lot more than just passing the time of day. I liked the idea of grouping these stories around the theme of trees. The summary analyses of each story showed much about the author and how they read each story, and how stories also fit into the greater spiritual narrative of the universe and the commonality of all human people's.

[airy xie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story is our way of learning.
A wonderful closing.
I want to read more about trees.

[Dominic Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the telling of the stories rushed with too much focus on the analysis.

[Skelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!

[Stephen Pearl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fine example of the symbolic interpretation of myths. The Tree theme ties stories from cultures around the world together and grants a reflective insight into our own existence. Though at times the writers religious bias does come through it is easy to ignore in light of the insights she brings to the work.
All in all, this is an excellent book with a lot to teach the open minded reader. Also not a bad read as it is phrased in a light, easy-reading way that draws one along and makes the ancient stories come alive. I highly recommend this work to anyone who understands and respects the view that mythology, of all societies, is a mirror that grants us insights into our mental and spiritual natures if we are willing to spend the time and effort to look past the trivial surface story.

[Zee · Rating 2 out of 5]

thought this book was going to be all about different cultures views on trees, like highlighting Yggdrasil and the druid's worship of oak trees, the Tree of Life myth, etc. Instead, it was like reading a series of stories that only vaguely had something to do with trees, juxtaposed with commentary where the author is clearly misreading the story or finding meaning out of nothing. I was rather disappointed.