Shaman Pathways - Trees of the Goddess

I've noticed that Sentier's explanations of the cards does not match the book that came with them or other interpretations I've seen elsewhere, but given that all this tree stuff about the ogham was made up later anyway, possibly interpretations from Robert Graves' "The White Goddess" which many scholars do not believe sound, I guess it doesn't really matter whether Sentier matches or not. What I love is the feeling of a whole system, in concert with moon phases, etc. I love the way she writes and things about the ogham and the trees. It's deeply meaningful to me and opens my mind and heart to thinking through these metaphors we use to describe and connect to deity and that's what matters to me. If you're a pure reconstructionist it might not work for you but then, ogham cards in general as a divination tool probably isn't going to work for you either since the history is pretty opaque and iffy.

Wonderful book...simple to the point but full of magical information...I love it!! :) Highly reccommended!! A++++

This was a solid, practical, and quick little book on the ogham. It doesn't do anything too new, but by the same token it is still a great read with tried and true wisdom and practices featured in its body.

Let me preface this by saying I am not finished reading this. I am reading/digesting this slowly using it to learn about trees in a full hearted spiritual way. It is more than I expected. It is comprehensive, yet easy to read. I shall update this when finished, but right now it is Five Star!

Very pleased with product and speed of delivery.... thanks!

good reading

Highly recommended. ‘Trees of the Goddess’ is the latest in a series of books written by Elen Sentier for Shaman Pathways. It is both deeply traditional and highly innovative – very much this author’s note. It goes with her championship of the way of the awenyddion, standing for the ever-renewing indigenous seership of Britain.The innovation is simple yet profound. This book directly concerns our relationship with the trees, rather than letters or divination. That relationship, like everything on the planet, has a context of cycles and seasons. Our life-world, and that of the trees, is defined by the dance of earth, moon and sun. We have this in common with our ancestors, attested by their lore and stories, and it establishes our continuity with them. The book is a reflective celebration of these simple truths and their archetypal resonance. The framework of the ogham tree alphabet provides a strong and focused conceptual foundation, in service to direct experience. The suggested activities at the end – in sections on ways to work with the trees, moon bath, allies, making your ogham staves and spirit keeping, are an invitation to experiential exploration.The book is traditional in its use of the ogham tree alphabet and largely faithful to Robert Graves’ ‘The White Goddess’. The author endorses his linking of 13 of the trees to Ogham consonants as they move through the 13 months of the lunar year from the winter solstice; and the linking of the 5 Ogham vowels to 5 stations of the solar year (the solstices, equinoxes and Samhain). She largely follows Graves’ trees, in his order, though there are some exceptions – the vine is banished, leaving bramble to take the full weight of Muinn; and there are some changes of terminology, like guelder rose instead of ‘dwarf elder’. I realise that many people today are highly sceptical of Graves’ work, but its problems are for me not relevant to this book. For ‘Trees of the Goddess’ is not much concerned with the history of ogham, its specific cultural origin, or its use as an alphabet. It is about here-and-now relationship with the trees, honouring the Goddess and aware that our ancestors had some such relationship too.

My own approach to tree lore and the Ogham is entirely traditional so I found Elen Sentier's book a fascinating look into an entirely different approach to the subject. Elen weaves together the older material with a wide array of modern material, including insight's from Robert Graves' book the White Goddess, moon lore, metal associations, and spiritual concepts. She also includes a lot of tree and plant lore and some different deity related material. She covers the 20 Ogham by breaking them up into the 12 months of the year, each month with a chapter which contains 1 or 2 Ogham. Towards the end she also discusses mistletoe and how to connect to the energies of the trees and plants as well as how to make your own Ogham staves. Ultimately this book is not about the academic history of the Ogham or the historic beliefs and practices associated with them, but is about the author's vision of the living symbols of the trees and how they can be connected to and worked with today.

Well written out book, recommend.

Gostei bastante. Cheio de informação.

This is very useful and i’m grateful for all this important information about the trees. There are certain things i dont agree with her about: the need for all the ritual, and other things. I like the direct style of her writing and she’s right in many other ways. She has proper in-depth knowledge that is hard to find.When i read this i feel a great connection and it’s wonderful to learn these things about the trees from someone who writes down to earth, honest, authentic things.

I have it by my side in my conservatory to refer to when I am writing about the seasons. It is a great handbook to have if you are interested in birth trees.

Packed with lived, experienced wisdom of the trees and how they were associated with each month of our year in Celtic culture which is making a revival as we re-learn how to care about and for our natural environment. I have found it inspiring and created a New Year ritual with a birch log (new beginnings) which engaged the whole family and enabled u to share our gratitude for 2015 and our hopes for 2016. I strongly recommend it. It is a short, clear and very readable book.