3 Responses to Seeing People as Trees.

1. hirundine608 says:

   January 24, 2013 at 03:55

   I’ve always been a believer of trees. In that, they may be sentient beings? With an intelligence, humans in the world of instant communication fail to realize. It is known that plant life can communicate, including trees. Just in different ways. Trees require long periods of time to grow. Far longer than any human. They are also one of the longest lived species on this planet. Of around 13,00 years and longer.

   Humans, with machinery. Can fell and strip a tree in about ten minutes. Maybe less? It takes that tree to regrow, an investment in time of a hundred years or more.

   Living in a heavily forested part of our globe. Trees are treated, they call it harvesting, like cattle. To say, we do not judge them? Is actually far from the truth. They are graded and sized. How many bits of 2×4 can be gained, etc.

   While it is true that people are constantly sizing up the human opposition. Due to self-preservation and reproduction. So do trees. They crowd out their opposition cutting off sunlight and spread of rooting system to gain as much water and nutrient as possible. Trees attack their competitors with poisonous growth inhibitors, etc.

   I certainly remember Baba Ram Dass and “Be here now”. Advice I have always cherished. This analogy becomes a little far-fetched and maybe; not well thought through?

   That their cellular construction, makes trees desirable building materials, fuel and shade. Some are used as a food source and medicine. Other species and parasites seek them out. They are likely more judged than humans?

   Reply
   • Ken McMurtrie says:

     January 24, 2013 at 10:50

     Thanks for your contribution Jamie.
     Marvelous “creatures”. Have an intelligence of their own, survival resources as you say, and plants apparently do have some means of communicating, apparently even some spiritual presence. Notwithstanding the finer aspects, they are a beautiful part of nature and provide us with many practical benefits.
     Perhaps it is insulting to a tree that we sometimes align/malign dead-head persons as wooden headed etc.
     If it’s the analogy with people that you refer to, I believe that the author’s intent is to simply impress the differences in the tree world being an example for humans to consider that our human differences, however many and varied, should be accepted as normal and appreciated.

     Reply
     • hirundine608 says:

       January 24, 2013 at 12:35

       Hi Ken,
       I thought I made the point that both humans and trees; do a fair share of judgmental behaviour?

       On a side note, the analogy made by Ram Dass. Seemed a tad flawed. As I pointed out. Judgements that I really have little problem with. Unlike trees, I am able to tolerate others growing beside me. I do not seek to grow and smother the competition. Although, some humans appear to? The real problem with judgmental behaviour, is how it’s followed up.

       My growth as a human is continually adjusting to the challenges and how to co-operate. Bent and twisted limbs or defects of spirit are to be embraced; as a means for personal growth. I see that all people have their flaws, their cross to bear. If you will? Some are just a little more obvious to us; than others. It is the maya, karma and dharma. The school, the teacher and the lesson in this life.

       Whereas, any trees that come under my care, I prune and tend. Adjusting them to suit a purpose of bearing better fruit, or increasing shade – whatever. When I owned a tree lot. An acreage. I would open out the centre of a tree to allow it to breathe better, etc.

       Maybe I’m weird? Spent too much time in forests?
       “The trouble with normal is it always gets worse”. ~ B. Cockburn.
       Cheers Jamie.