From Living Woods issue 55

Forest bathing teacher HELENA SKOOG reviews Tree Wisdom by the international opera singer Vincent Karche

TREE WISDOM
Vincent Karche
Hay House Publishing
Paperback 224 pages £8.56
ISBN 978-1788173896

Vincent Karche – I salute you! Your generous spirit has opened up fresh levels of understanding in my experience of the woods, and your joyous song of nature has brightened my soul.

As a fellow woods-person I have the honour of sharing many aspects of your journey across the seas that separate our lands, but we share the knowledge that we hear from our deep-rooted friends and companions within our forest floors.

The timing of this important work of nature recognition is so vital, and truly essential for these current times, when the world’s attention is being seduced by the ubiquitous blue screen. With the elemental balances of both nature’s essences and our own vital energy balances crying out for harmonisation, Vincent has set the tone for a clarion call to all nations and cultures.

At times it seems as if the blinkered look no closer than their computer interfaces, hooked and plugged into a noisy (but strangely deaf) world, a colourful (yet fearsome) realm, where disturbing visions of the future are called into being. This book envisions the cultural world seven generations hence, describing how trees will outlive and survive us, providing shelter, company, companionship, fuel, sustenance, joy and beauty for our descendants.

Opera singer and one-time forester, Vincent Karche lost his voice and was advised by a shamanic healer that he must find himself again in order to repair his vocal chords. The courage of this man in taking the less-trodden pathways to healing shine as an example of the essential aspects of the re-birthing journey. Vincent has created a narrative whereby his experience has been translated into the company of the trees, where he has found solace, encouragement and healing. Vincent has produced 12 meditations, linked to the seasons, to help all of us find peace among the trees.

Living and breathing, and indeed singing, with these steadfast and durable friends as close allies, Vincent has re-birthed the song of the forest. Using the forest as nature’s amplification system, he activated the deep mycelium which communicates profoundly out of our immediate sight, but transmits the secret languages of the silence and darkness between all rooted plants. Singing into the wind, he calls the leaves to dance in the sunlight, the bright buds to smile in the spring air, and beckons the autumn leaves to fall with grace to carpet the forest floor with golden hues.

Through his profound shamanic journey, Vincent has found his place, both within the extant world, and deep within his soul. In this pressing time of evolutionary exponentials, it is the wisdom of the trees that patiently awaits your arrival for the true unification of souls.

Vincent, I would like to invite you to sing in my forest – and we can share languages of healing, expressions of growth and the vitality of regeneration.

Swedish teacher and workshop leader, HELENA SKOOG runs forest bathing workshops in her Sussex woodland.
markgolding.co.uk/forest-bathing; [email protected]