The Mystical World of Trees: They Love, Nurture and Communicate

by Deborah Burst

We all have one, that favorite tree where we confide our life-long dreams. But do they hear our words? And do they have feelings? Burst delves deep inside the mystical world of trees to answer these questions, to explore how they breathe, think and communicate. Beneath the earth there’s brain activity among the roots as they search for nutrients and share their bounty with young and old. And it is there science has found trees experience pain and have memories. The term family tree has taken on a whole new meaning; the trees themselves have family members, children whom they pass down generations of knowledge. And there is an intricate balance of life between man and tree. Forests mimic much what we desire, to live, propagate and provide for others. They clean our air, a vital element in the world’s ecosystem and provide water to forests hundreds of miles away. In the Fate of the Forest chapter, we learn the effect of mass urbanization, the changing climate and how our forests are fighting back. Researchers from all over the world are bringing forth evidence in the symbiotic relationship between nature and humans. Yes, trees do talk to us, but a silent accord that brings peace and tranquility. Discover the healing power of nature, proof in both science and personal anecdotes; just a walk through a park lowers stress and boosts mental health. The frontal lobes of the brain relax and the scent of pine trees strengthens the immune system. A book on trees wouldn’t be complete without words of wisdom from environmental legends of Henry David Thoreau, John Muir and Ansel Adams. Inspired by their work, Burst includes personal essays and photographs in her discovery of the natural world. There is a fine line between reality and fantasy, from blockbuster books to film and television adaptations, creatives across the world bring to life the mystical magic of trees. We’ll step inside scenes of The Narnia Chronicles, Lord of the Rings and the Game of Thrones. And to top things off, a fairy tale comes true with the discovery of a buried treasure, an ancient forest at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.

136 pages, Paperback

Published September 23, 2017

About the author

I love getting lost inside old cemeteries, just me and my camera exploring every headstone and every cracked crevice. And I love the drama of thunderstorms as they slowly crawl across the graveyards...yes, I'm a confessed taphophile, a lover of cemeteries with a passion in photographing and writing about historic churches and their cemeteries.

It is here inside these gothic abodes that the dead continue their story. The funerary architecture brings to life the religious and artistic history from New Orleans to the haunting bayous across southeast Louisiana. It's a ghoulish art exhibit with shadowed headstones sharing epitaphs of beloved children, prominent aristocrats and fallen war heroes.

My book, Louisiana's Sacred Places: Churches, Cemeteries and Voodoo, brings to life a trail of history and mystery with the New Orleans' cities of the dead, backroad churchyards and the calling of spirits in a Voodoo ceremony.

Print and eBook available on Amazon, Smashwords, and signed copies at http://www.deborahburst.com

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book chock full of stunning photographs (so happy they're in color!) and thoughtful prose. When I came to the part where Deborah's mom passed away I couldn't help the tears; it was just so beautifully written.