Encounters with Trees: A Study of Extraordinary Experiences in Nature

People sometimes experience moments of deep connection with trees that go beyond intellectual understanding, revealing the tree's 'beingness' in an intuitive way. Through semi-structured interviews and a phenomenological approach, this dissertation found that such encounters can range from casual conversations to profound experiences that alter a person's perception of physical reality. Some encounters were significant enough to lead to career changes. While existing research has focused on communication between trees and human attitudes toward them, this study provides new context for the rich interactions and relationships between humans and trees, and the effects these encounters may have on both parties.

Study at a glance

Abstract

There has been much focus in recent years on plant intelligence and the possibility of communication between trees, but very little on the possibility of communication between humans and trees. This dissertation centres on people’s encounters with trees— moments of connection during which a humans experience the ‘beingness’ of trees. I use the definition of ‘encounter’ given by Stephan Harding as: ‘the being, coming forth from itself as itself, revealing itself to you in a way that’s beyond your intellect, in a way that’s much more deeply intuitive, and much harder to express’.1 Employing semi-structured interviews and a phenomenological approach, this research aims to discover what these encounters can entail and how they affect the people who experience them. I found that people were having profound experiences with trees that were sometimes as extreme as changing their perception of physical reality. Other experiences were more like casual conversations, but some nevertheless had effects as significant as changes in career. While existing research explores the communication between trees and the attitudes of humans concerning trees, this study brings new context to the interactions and rich relationships between humans and trees, as well as the effects these encounters may have for both the humans and trees involved