What is it about Pine Trees?

[Tarn]

My beliefs are centered around nature. I have always been drawn to nature my entire life. The only thing that feels better than being among trees is being around, or in, water. But trees are much more available to me than water.

But I've notices that, for as much as any tree, or collection of trees, can make me feel much better; there is something about pine trees that sets them apart from all other trees. There is a different and special calm that they bring to me. There is a certain familiarity with Pine trees that I don't find with any other tree. For lack of a better explanation, it just "feels right" when I'm around Pine trees.

Is there something special about Pine trees that I, obviously, don't know? Do Pine trees have a special "power" that other trees don't? Or is it nothing more than I get along better with Pine trees than I do other trees? Kind of like how I love all animals, but I get along best with dogs, kind of thing.

Thanks in advance.

[Willow]

Re: What is it about Pine Trees?

http://www.ecoenchantments.co.uk/myogham_scotspinepage.html

Read, enjoy. Different people have different affinities , but I feel more at home around Pines too.

[Sekhem]

Re: What is it about Pine Trees?

Trees are a part of nature, which follows in the Ma'at, so I have done some study into trees and their respective magikal uses. The pine tree is often something that is seen as the new rebirth of nature, and has strong ties into abundance and love. It could be one of your deities calling out to you through the use of the Pine Trees and calling you to seek rebirth, or love.

Just my two cents. (;

[monsno_leedra]

Re: What is it about Pine Trees?

My beliefs are centered around nature. I have always been drawn to nature my entire life. The only thing that feels better than being among trees is being around, or in, water. But trees are much more available to me than water.

But I've notices that, for as much as any tree, or collection of trees, can make me feel much better; there is something about pine trees that sets them apart from all other trees. There is a different and special calm that they bring to me. There is a certain familiarity with Pine trees that I don't find with any other tree. For lack of a better explanation, it just "feels right" when I'm around Pine trees.

Is there something special about Pine trees that I, obviously, don't know? Do Pine trees have a special "power" that other trees don't? Or is it nothing more than I get along better with Pine trees than I do other trees? Kind of like how I love all animals, but I get along best with dogs, kind of thing.

Thanks in advance.

Just out of curiosity but what tree's are you calling pine tree's? May sound strange but I find many people think all the evergreens are pine tree's, especially so if they have any type of cone on them, not even counting the various families that make up the actual "Pine" tree's. White Pines are different than Virginia pines which are still different from Scrub Pines. Yet all of that different from Hemlocks, cedars, spruce, etc. It's like is the fig flat or square? Hemlock and some other evergreen's have flat figs while many pines have square ones so they roll under your finger tips and the palm of your hand. Then there is how many fibers per strand, white pines tend to have 5, Virginia tend to have 3 don't recall for Yellow pine though I think it was also 5.

In the Northwest Hemlocks were a sacred tree for a number of Native American Nations. In the east the Cedar was a sacred tree, especially regarding purification and blessing. Amount of sap is a good indicator for which type of pine it is. White Pines tend to have a lot of sap and it streaks down the sides while Virginia Pines have clumps of sap yet the bark is also different in that Virginia is flaky while the white pine is relatively smooth for instance.

For me White Pine is soothing and soft. Virginia Pine is harsh and rigid. Spruce is majestic to me, especially Blue Spruce. Hemlock, usually found by itself, feels dominating and alive as it influences its surroundings.

At times I've found that people also place the various Hollies into the Pine category regardless of it being the actual tree or the bush. Hollies are one of the few tree's though that is definitely male & female thus tend to be found in pairs or groups. They feel very similar to the Spruces and Hemlocks to me but seem more friendly to avians than the others.

[thalassa]

Re: What is it about Pine Trees?

I have to agree with Monsno, that pine trees are pretty darn varied by species (and also by individual tree) in their treesonality (yes, I totally made that up, purely for fun)...

Access/proximity to trees in general have demonstrated in numerous studies that they improve physical health, mental well-being, improve longetivity, etc, and have even been connected with a decrease in crime in neighborhoods where there are more trees/more green space.

Why pine trees specifically? Probably just your personal preference...my personal favorite trees include sassafras, Paw Paw, Southern Live Oak, the Longleaf and Loblolly pines, the tulip popular, red bud, wild black cherry, pecan, and crepe myrtle.

[oldhippie]

Re: What is it about Pine Trees?

I like the way pine and cedar trees smell,to me they have a soothing smell.
but then again I do like all trees

[Tarn]

Re: What is it about Pine Trees?

Just out of curiosity but what tree's are you calling pine tree's?

It is the Blue Spruce that impacts me the most. But any and all Pine trees seem to impact me much more than any other tree. I'm not what I'd call sensitive to the energies of trees and other plants. But for whatever reason, I simply feel like I'm in the right place when I'm around Pine trees. In the Midwest, the New England states, even in Scotland. Location seems to have little to do with it. And this has gone on all my life.

http://www.ecoenchantments.co.uk/myo...spinepage.html

Read, enjoy. Different people have different affinities , but I feel more at home around Pines too.

Very good read. I bookmarked it so I can return to it.

Trees are a part of nature, which follows in the Ma'at, so I have done some study into trees and their respective magikal uses. The pine tree is often something that is seen as the new rebirth of nature, and has strong ties into abundance and love. It could be one of your deities calling out to you through the use of the Pine Trees and calling you to seek rebirth, or love.

Just my two cents. (;

I have not doubt that a Deity can call to me through a single, or many trees. Although I don't think that this is the case here. I've always felt something different around Pine trees more than other trees. This during my times of being a Christian, time of ignoring all Deities, and now on the pagan part of my path. It's always been there.

I have to agree with Monsno, that pine trees are pretty darn varied by species (and also by individual tree) in their treesonality (yes, I totally made that up, purely for fun)...

Access/proximity to trees in general have demonstrated in numerous studies that they improve physical health, mental well-being, improve longetivity, etc, and have even been connected with a decrease in crime in neighborhoods where there are more trees/more green space.

Why pine trees specifically? Probably just your personal preference...my personal favorite trees include sassafras, Paw Paw, Southern Live Oak, the Longleaf and Loblolly pines, the tulip popular, red bud, wild black cherry, pecan, and crepe myrtle.

I say that I don't prefer Pine trees over other trees, but that is, obviously, not completely true. What I mean is that I don't consciously prefer Pine trees more than any other type of tree. But I do feel the most at ease around them. So yes, I do prefer that feeling.

[KahlanAmnell]

Re: What is it about Pine Trees?

I feel the best when I am in a forest of temperate (deciduous) hardwoods.

[Rae'ya]

Re: What is it about Pine Trees?

Is there something special about Pine trees that I, obviously, don't know?

All plant species have an energy and a 'grandparent spirit', just like animal energies and 'grandparent spirits' (often erroneously called 'totems'). Whether that is 'special' is completely dependent on the context and the individual person who is interacting with them. They may have something special in relation to you, but not to anyone else.

Or is it nothing more than I get along better with Pine trees than I do other trees? Kind of like how I love all animals, but I get along best with dogs, kind of thing.

This is the more accurate scenario... where you have an affinity for this tree, or this tree energy has something to teach you. Unfortunately, plant energies don't relate with people as much as animal energies because of the species difference and the fact that many people just don't see them in the same way. But if you are a 'plant person' then it could be that Blue Spruce is an energy that resonates with you, or represents something particularly important to your life at the moment.

I have to agree with Monsno, that pine trees are pretty darn varied by species (and also by individual tree) in their treesonality (yes, I totally made that up, purely for fun)...

Access/proximity to trees in general have demonstrated in numerous studies that they improve physical health, mental well-being, improve longetivity, etc, and have even been connected with a decrease in crime in neighborhoods where there are more trees/more green space.

Why pine trees specifically? Probably just your personal preference...my personal favorite trees include sassafras, Paw Paw, Southern Live Oak, the Longleaf and Loblolly pines, the tulip popular, red bud, wild black cherry, pecan, and crepe myrtle.

Listen to Thalassa... she knows what she's talking about lol. Just wanted to second this entire post (including the agreeing with MonSno part).

I'm going to use 'treesonality' from now on. It's totally a word.

It is the Blue Spruce that impacts me the most. But any and all Pine trees seem to impact me much more than any other tree.

Do you include all the pines, firs, spruces, cedars and hemlocks when you say 'pine trees'? What about cypress, juniper and yew?

Thalassa can correct me if I'm wrong (and I'll defer to that as she has training that I don't on the matter) but my understanding is that while spruce trees are conifers, they aren't pines in the strictest sense. It's tricky, because all spruce, fir, pine and a few others are in the 'Pinaceae' family, which is sometimes called the 'Pine Family' but it's not strictly accurate to call a fir or a spruce a 'pine'. The taxonomy is confusing, but it's normally more accurate to categorize a species by genus rather than by family.

It's kind of like with animals... dogs and wolves are in the canine genus, so it's accurate to call them canines (though wolves are usually referred to as lupine, not canine). However, foxes are in the vulpes genus and are referred to as vulpine. All three of these species are in the Canidae family, but you can't accurately call a fox a canine. You can call it a canid, but not a canine. The two terms are similar but not the same. So with the spruce vs pines... they are both Pinaceae, but they are not both of the Pinus genus.

Why does that matter? Well it may not matter to you, which is absolutely fine. But to me, lumping spruce, fir, cedars and pines all together does not make sense energetically. By calling them all pines, it infers that they are all of a similar energy 'species'... like saying that all canids have a similar energy. Most dog people would not count themselves to also be fox people, or dhole people. Or a little more obvious... all sharks are technically fish, but I'm sure that shark people really do not relate so well to goldfish, or goldfish people to lampreys.

Of course, conifers as a larger group do tend to have a slightly different energetic flavour than say, cycads. But when I'm talking about animal or plant energies I find it much more meaningful to use narrower classifications rather than broad ones.

- - - Updated - - -

I feel the best when I am in a forest of temperate (deciduous) hardwoods.

Sometimes when we feel an affinity for a particular broad category of plant species, we are actually connecting more with the landspirit than the plant energy. I don't necessarily think that's what Tarn is experiencing, but AdamKane's post made me think of this.

When our energy connection comes from a type of forest or a biome rather than a singular species, then we are actually connecting with that particular combination of multiple species... that particular ecosystem, which includes a number of plant energies, a number of stone energies, a number of animal energies and a landspirit.

[Aeran]

Re: What is it about Pine Trees?

They are pretty great. There's a big plantation of them down the road a bit from my house which has turned into something of a miniature forest, with a creek at the bottom, opening onto rolling hillside fields, and the whole area has a really vibrant energy that I can't get enough of, even people I know who aren't particularly connected to nature seem to love it.

[Lilium of the Valley]

Re: What is it about Pine Trees?

My beliefs are centered around nature. I have always been drawn to nature my entire life. The only thing that feels better than being among trees is being around, or in, water. But trees are much more available to me than water.

But I've notices that, for as much as any tree, or collection of trees, can make me feel much better; there is something about pine trees that sets them apart from all other trees. There is a different and special calm that they bring to me. There is a certain familiarity with Pine trees that I don't find with any other tree. For lack of a better explanation, it just "feels right" when I'm around Pine trees.

Is there something special about Pine trees that I, obviously, don't know? Do Pine trees have a special "power" that other trees don't? Or is it nothing more than I get along better with Pine trees than I do other trees? Kind of like how I love all animals, but I get along best with dogs, kind of thing.

Thanks in advance.

As far as my experiences go, it's not so much about "what is special about this tree?" it's more about the individual being drawn to it, as in "why is this connection special?". Any other person would feel the same way about any other tree type. As for me it's weeping Willows. They give me a sense of emotional calm, peace and serenity. IMO it's all about your personal connection with the attributes of that specific type.
Of course every tree type is known to have it's own set of strengths, why you feel drawn to the pine tree specifically is hard to say, many will give you many different reasons. IMO when this happens, I have found that the strength attributes of the tree give you something that your soul is seeking, longing for, needing.
For an example I will use myself and the Willow, 2 of it's many attributes are healing and calming. I am a very not so calm person, and at the time when I found the Willow, I needed soul healing to say the least. So whenever I was around them, I felt so good, I felt these things that I was needing in my life. When I looked at the branches hanging low over the water and slowly moving back an forth, the silent noise the leaves made in the wind, ever so softly. I felt as calm as ever. It was tranquilizing, almost hypnotizing. This tree completed me. And still does to this day.
So if you ask me, you are drawn to it because it is giving you something you are needing. Go online find lists of tree attributes, read up on fables, stories, scientific facts even about the pine tree. Then reflect on yourself (maybe with a meditation or whatever you are use to, a ritual etc), reflect on your personality, your life, the daily situation you are in right now. Then compare them, I'm sure you will find exactly why this tree is making you feel this way.

[Tarn]

Re: What is it about Pine Trees?

... Do you include all the pines, firs, spruces, cedars and hemlocks when you say 'pine trees'? What about cypress, juniper and yew?

Allow me to share my botanical knowledge with you: If it stays green in the winter, and has needles instead of leaves, and does not lose these needles in the winter... then it's a pine tree. That's it! Unfortunately, I don't know all the Latin names of the trees, nor do I know what classes and sub classes they fit into. All I know is that when I'm around Blue Spruce, there is something that is just right about it.

As far as my experiences go, it's not so much about "what is special about this tree?" it's more about the individual being drawn to it,...

Interesting point of view. One I hadn't considered. Thanks.

As for the rest in general, lots of good input and ideas. Some I knew about, others are new things to consider. One of the great things about this site; there are so many people with so many different views. It really helps in getting the big picture.

[monsno_leedra]

Re: What is it about Pine Trees?

Allow me to share my botanical knowledge with you: If it stays green in the winter, and has needles instead of leaves, and does not lose these needles in the winter... then it's a pine tree. That's it! Unfortunately, I don't know all the Latin names of the trees, nor do I know what classes and sub classes they fit into. All I know is that when I'm around Blue Spruce, there is something that is just right about it.

Of all the evergreen's the Blue Spruce is my favorite to look at and be near. Its strange to say but it has a strength and structure to me that speaks of an ability to stand before the realities of life but also shows it can bend before the storm vice being broken and shattered by it. Where we used to live there was a large Blue Spruce that with stood a lot of winter storms that brought down large Cedar and White Pine tree's in the area. Yet that Blue Spruce just swayed with the wind and carried the weight of all that snow until it shook itself and the snow came crashing down to the ground. I always pictured it as a stately lady with her prime and proper attitude towards things and yet almost mother like in her ability to watch over the family. I know many times the Blue Spruce has reminded me I have to bend with the situation less I be broken by it and fall to the litter upon the forest floor of life.

Can't say it makes me feel the way that the Hemlock does nor has it appeared in my dreams and waking visions like the Hemlock so I don't know as much about it because of that. The Hemlock to me is knowledge and mystical energies that simply permeate everything around it regardless of it being plant, stone or animal / reptile. It purifies like the Cedar does and has many of the sweeping characteristic of the Cedar fronds. Yet I have to admit it is also a tree that is associated with Hekate as are its tiny cones which may be one of the reasons it is so appealing and calling to me.

Have to admit I don't know all the Latin names or families they fall into nor sub-categories. Heck I still call them conifers though I understand that is not the proper usage anymore.

[Rae'ya]

Re: What is it about Pine Trees?

Allow me to share my botanical knowledge with you: If it stays green in the winter, and has needles instead of leaves, and does not lose these needles in the winter... then it's a pine tree. That's it! Unfortunately, I don't know all the Latin names of the trees, nor do I know what classes and sub classes they fit into. All I know is that when I'm around Blue Spruce, there is something that is just right about it.

Nor do I, and it's entirely possible that I am wrong on that sort of thing lol. What I know of this comes from my research into the Australian pine trees... none of which are actually pine trees!

It's interesting being Australian because sometimes it just gives me a different perspective on things like plants and animals... and this is one of those things that I am particularly sensitive to, specifically because I'm Australian. We don't actually have native spruce or fir trees, nor even pine trees. When many Australians talk about pine trees, they are talking about things like Norfolk Island Pines (which are not actually pines), Pencil Pines (which are actually cypress trees) or even Casuarina/Sheoaks, which are not even conifers, let alone pines. Here in Adelaide we do actually have plantations of true (non-native) pines, but I had never seen a real pine tree until I moved here when I was twelve. And if we're talking about non-native trees, we tend to talk about them by specific species rather than broad groups. So I just automatically keep them all separate and use the narrower categories to differentiate.

Evergreens are a strange thing for me, because most native Australian trees are evergreen. So the term 'evergreen', while it conjures up images of conifers for people in the Northern Hemisphere, to me has no specific image related to it. We don't really talk about evergreen trees here, because it's the deciduous ones that are unusual... I remember being in Louisiana in February/March and seeing the bare deciduous woods, which was just very alien to me!

[KahlanAmnell]

Re: What is it about Pine Trees?

I know a few pine latin names, but they are all eastern U.S. pines.
Pinus Palustris: Longleaf Pine
Pinus Taeda: Loblolly Pine
Pinus Echinata: Shortleaf Pine
Pinus Resinosa: Red Pine
Pinus Strobus: Eastern White Pine