How to Talk to Trees: Communicating With Tree Spirits

Do you want to learn how to talk to trees? Have you ever wondered if you, too, can learn to communicate with tree spirits? Read on to learn more about connecting with trees.

When I wrote my book If Trees Could Talk: Life Lessons from the Wisdom of the Woods last year in 2019, I got a lot of questions about my process for collecting the tree stories. People were curious and wanted to know more about how to communicate with tree spirits. They wanted to learn a spiritual way to make contact with trees.

Some of the most commonly asked questions were:

“Can anyone talk to trees?”

“Will you write a book about how to talk to trees?”

“Will you run a course or a workshop to teach people how to talk to trees?”

The answer to all of these questions is “Yes!” Anyone and everyone can talk to trees, if they put in the time and effort involved. Yes, I am currently writing a book about how to talk to trees—I've received lots of emails from readers who want to learn how, and I want to make it easier for people to connect with Nature. And yes, I now have an online course on this topic. Learn more and sign up here.

But for now, I'm writing this blog post on how to talk to trees. If you have any questions, please pop them in the comments, or contact me and let me know. I'll be adding to this post from time to time when I see what questions people have.

Can you talk to trees? Can humans talk to trees?

Yes! You can talk to trees and, as you'll learn here, they can talk back to you. You'll learn exactly how to get started in this blog post.

Humans can talk to trees verbally (out loud), or we can talk to them silently (in your mind). Both ways work, and it's just a matter of preference how you want to talk to trees.

Can trees hear when spoken to?

Kind of. Of course, trees don't have ears like we do, but tree spirits can pick up the message of our words when we talk to them. This means that when you talk to a tree, it can understand the message of what you're telling it.

Can trees talk to humans?

Yes! If you've read my book, then you know that I received the stories of 28 English trees, which I then collected into one book: If Trees Could Talk. I regularly receive emails from readers around the world who have given it a try and realized that they, too, can talk to trees. I also get emails from people who have had a spontaneous experience with a tree: they weren't looking to start a conversation, but a tree reached out and spoke to them first.

This can be a bit unnerving for some people. If you haven't set the intention to talk to trees, and one speaks up to you, it can make you feel like something's wrong with you. But there's nothing to worry about. Trees can talk to humans. Read on to learn more!

Can everyone do it?

Yes! I do believe that if people invest the time and effort into learning, everyone can learn how to talk to trees. It's like learning any new skill: it takes time and practice. You wouldn't expect to pick up a violin and play it perfectly on the first day, would you?

There was one thing that made it easier for me learn how to talk to trees: I already had experience in channeling spirit guides. I worked through Cara Wilde's Channel Your Guide course and Sanaya Roman's Opening to Channel course, and both of those gave me the skills I needed to more easily connect with trees and hear their voices.

Who are you actually talking to?

This was a question I got asked before my first appearance on ITV This Morning. Apparently “conjuring spirits” is not allowed on UK television, so they wanted to make sure I wasn't going to do that. Here's how I explained it: when I speak to another person, I'm not speaking to their body—their flesh and blood. I'm speaking to the thing within them that makes them alive—their soul, their spirit.

When I talk to a tree or a plant, I'm talking to the spirit of the tree or plant—the thing that makes them alive.

What are tree spirits

To me, it's the energy that makes the tree alive—their life force energy. It's the soul of the tree.

Most people would probably agree that people have a soul or a spirit, but not everyone is as accepting of the idea of other living beings having a spirit. And that's okay. Talking to trees isn't for everyone.

I believe that everything has a spirit: animals, plants, and minerals. And everything else, too—including inanimate objects. That's still a hard concept for me to wrap my head around, but it's what I feel to be true, based on my experiences. The idea that everything has a spirit is known as “animism.” If you want to learn more about that, the blog Anima Monday, which I regularly contribute to, has a great article on this topic: Why Animism? … and what is it anyway?

Do trees like when you talk to them?

Some do, some don't, some are indifferent. Trees are just like people—they're all individuals. That's why I encourage people to ask permission when approaching a tree, especially for the first time.

Certain trees have the reputation of being grumpy. I once read that old oaks are particularly grumpy. While I have not necessarily found this to be true for this or any other species of tree, I have met individuals who didn't want to talk, and that's fine.

What does it mean to talk to the trees?

It's just like talking to people, really! Except that very few people are doing it. When you talk to trees, it allows you to have a deeper connection with Nature.

And because you may have to slow down and quiet your mind so you can listen to the often subtle messages that trees send us, you may find yourself experiencing lower stress levels and increased wellbeing. One of the most frequent messages I received from trees when writing my book If Trees Could Talk was: “Slow down; you move too fast.”

A few rules

I've read articles online saying that you need to approach the tree from the east, and walk clockwise around it. To keep the sun behind you. And all kinds of other technical tips. This has not been my experience, and I think this overcomplicates things. When you speak with another person, do you approach them from a specific cardinal direction? Do you walk around them in a circle? No.

The most important thing is to be respectful. This goes for talking with people, and it goes for talking with trees, plants, and other living beings. That's really the only rule you need to follow when connecting with trees: respect.

How to connect with tree spirits

If you're just getting started talking to trees, make sure you head to a place where you feel comfortable spending some time with the tree. That may be in a secluded woodland, where you won't have to worry about other people passing by. Or perhaps that makes you uncomfortable, and you'd rather be in park with other people around. Do what works for you.

I'd recommend bringing a journal or notebook with you to make it easier for you to talk to the trees. You can use your everyday journal, or have a special one just for the trees. You might also want to bring a small offering for the tree, like a flower or a few grains of corn from your garden.

Find a tree

Pick one that piques your interest and approach it. Ask (either silently or in your head) if it's okay for you to sit with it and maybe talk. Pause for the answer. You might get a clear “yes” or “no” or you might feel in your gut that it's okay or not okay. If the tree wants to talk, approach it respectfully. If it doesn't, thank it and find another tree. Don't take it personally if the tree doesn't want to talk—you don't talk to every stranger who approaches you, do you?

Sit quietly near the tree, perhaps with your back up against its trunk. Connect with your own senses. Notice all the little details: what do you see all around you? What do you hear? How do you feel? What can you smell and taste? This is your starting point. If you brought a journal or notebook, write this all down.

If you brought an offering for the tree, set it down and thank the tree for allowing you to spend some time with it.

Ask the tree some questions

Ask if it's okay for you to touch the tree. Get a feeling for the answer, and respond appropriately. In my book If Trees Could Talk, one of the trees said that they like to be touched. The tree was very enthusiastic about trees wanting to be touched as people walk by them in the forest. But of course, not every tree will feel the same way.

Asking the trees these simple questions (“May I sit with you?” and “May I touch you?”) will help you to strengthen your connection with them. You might want to start talking to the tree now: explain why you came out today (you want to learn to talk to trees). Explain why trees are important to you. Let the tree get to know you. You can do this internally (in your mind) or verbally (out loud).

This might be enough for you. Or you might want to ask the tree a specific question. Start with something easy! Don't go straight into deep philosophical questions like “What is the meaning of life?”

Listen to the answer. It might come in a variety of forms: a vision or a symbol, spoken words that you hear in your mind, a feeling, a taste or smell.