Book Review

The Magic of Trees:
Discovering the Magic Within

by Jessica Baumgartner

Publisher: Witch Way Magazine

312 Pages

Publication: February 25, 2023

 

 

“I wrote this book during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout those early lockdowns, the forests were still there for me. Parks and trails remained to be explored. Birds still sang, and the animals continued their cycle of life and death without change. The trees in my backyard remained friends. No matter how closed off the world became, the sky was still blue, and the trees continued to paint it with emerald and gold leaves…”

Although this quote is found in the Conclusion: Continue to Grow of the The Magic of Trees: Discovering the Magic Within by Jessica Baumgartner, it aptly expresses the deep emotional connection that Ms. Baumgartner has to the natural world, in particular, trees. This is a title that immediately encourages the reader to step outside and find the haven and magic of a tree sheltered space while taking in the words set to page. That being said, however, many of the activities encouraged are written in a very simplistic style that makes them equally as effective if your only option is to visualize the tree-lined settings.

The Magic of Trees: Discovering the Magic Within is crafted into Nine (9) sections that move the reader through a chronology that parallels the life of trees. These are further divided into aligned focus chapters that offer the reader the opportunity to explore meditations, rituals and spell work that enhances the theme of each section’s intention. The overall feel of the book is one of simplicity. And, much like the workings and craft of the Witch, the beauty of this title is in the direct and organic approach Ms. Baumgartner takes in sharing her love and respect for the natural world.

“As a child, my friends and I pretended to be animals. We looked to these creatures for guidance and climbed trees, never realizing that the branches and limbs themselves were unlocking magic hiding beneath our hands. Over time the bond between bark and birth grew deeper. The picnics and games played before forest giants stayed with me. The energies built and obtained in the forests guide everyone who listens without requiring profound lessons, rules, or judgments. A sense of love and enjoyment is built and tended…”

As the reader moves through the chapters of the first section of writings entitled Tree Magick and the Inner Child there is a deep sense of awakening the inner child and the abandon and joy many felt being outdoors, climbing trees, sitting under their branches and communing with nature. This theme is carried methodically through the chapters of the book and is embedded in the activities suggested to rekindle those ways of moving through the world.

Chapter 1: Tree Meditations For the Inner Child reinforces this theme with nine (9) meditations that rekindle the intuitive nature of our younger selves in seeking solace and comfort amongst the trees. One of these meditations, “Following the Patterns (To be done when wishing to better connect with nature)” is straight out of elementary school curriculum as the reader is encourage to create bark rubbings. The magic streams through in the instructions to “feel” the rubbings created and allow your senses to awaken to what arises as inspiration from and connection to the natural world.

Subsequent sections guide the reader through Tree Planting Energy, Empowering Tree Magic, The Music of Trees and Aging Like the Trees, to name a few. There is also a lovely addition of writings using the creative energy of trees in sections focused on Rooting Pregnancy Power with Tree Energy and Tree Parent Power.

Being a 67-year old human, I was quite interested in the chapters within the section of Aging Like the Trees. I especially enjoyed Chapter 25: Tree Aging Meditations and one of its deeply empowering meditations, “Growing with Grace (To appreciate your life journey)”. The reader is guided through a series of physical actions moving through the years of child, young adult, middle age and the present elder years, mimicking the growth of a beautiful tree of age and the strength and life it still carries into its aging.

There are so many more excellent chapters in this book that it was difficult to choose just one or two. And, although there is a plethora of suggested ritual, spells, meditations and magical workings, each holds its own in not feeling like a cleverly reconstructed version of multiple others in the book. I found this particularly appealing given the underpinnings of the writing are that of seeing the trees through the eyes of your younger self as a starting point of connection. And as we know children are vast in their creativeness and perspective.

Would I Recommend:

The Magic of Trees: Discovering the Magic Within by Jessica Baumgartner is pure joy to read. Regardless of the reader’s predispositions towards being in nature, digging in the dirt or engaging in environmental preservation efforts, there is something for everyone in the abundance of meditations and workings that call to the natural energies and strengths of trees to infuse and enliven with their gifts.

“Like the trees of a forest that rely on the strength of the oldest to guide new roots as they twist further beneath the surface, humans also require direction. Finding the inner compass is less complicated than one may think. Like a riddle that solves too easily, charging energies to keep the spirit young is less defined by great displays of ability and more magnified/attained through small joys. Even the most enlightened beings smile at a flower. The strongest trees still bow to saplings when the wind blows. Their simple grace is akin to the bliss of childhood…”

About the Author:

Jessica Baumgartner is a Pagan mother of four whose children’s books about love and understanding have received critical acclaim and multiple awards.

She is a member of the Missouri Writer’s Guild and author of “The Magic of Nature: Meditations and Spells to Find Your Inner Voice,” “Walk Your Path,” “The Golden Rule,” and “My Family Is Different.” Her work has been featured by, “Witch Way Magazine”, “Witchology Magazine,” “Aspire Magazine,” “Light of Consciousness Magazine,” “Conscious Shift Magazine,” “The New Spirit Journal,” “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” “Circle Magazine,” “The Witches’ Voice,” and many more.

 

The Magic of Trees on Amazon

 

 

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About the Author:

Robin Fennelly

Robin Fennelly is an Elder within The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition and serves as High Priestess of Coven of the Mystic Path, the 12th Coven within the Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition. She teaches and facilitates classes for the Pagan Experience Study Group that serves as foundation for membership within Coven of the Mystic Path.

Her spiritual journey is strongly rooted in both Eastern philosophy and the Western Magickal systems from which she has formed a core foundation that is diverse in knowledge and rich in spiritual practice.  A life-long learner, her practice has evolved from the classical and philosophical teachings of books, practical experience and enrichment of this knowledge base by attending workshops of various spiritual traditions presented by master teachers.

Robin formally came to the Wiccan path in 1994. Following a practice as a solitary for 2 years, she dedicated to Oak and Willow Coven of The Assembly of the Sacred Wheel Tradition in November of 1996. She received her 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th (Elder) degrees within the Assembly Tradition and has served as High Priestess of two ASW covens since Samhain of 2001 and the Winter Solstice of 2015.

As a teacher of esoteric and magickal studies she uses Energetic Anatomy, Tarot, Astrology, Hermetic Qabala, Eastern Philosophy, and Numerology as the foundations of her diverse selection of workshops and writings for more than 25 years. Exploration of varied energetic protocol has been the focus of her work for some time now and the information gained through direct experience informs all of her magickal and spiritual work.

Robin’s writings have been featured online, and in print Internationally.  She has authored several books incorporating her unique style of writing making use of poetry, prose and pathworking to enhance the concepts presented.  She has taught extensively throughout the Pagan community, including Sacred Space Conference, Spring Magick, Between the Worlds Interfaith Conference and Free Spirit Gathering Festival. Her most recent projects include a channel on youtube: A Journey to the Inner Chamber. She also shares audio pathworkings and ritual on her bandcamp site: Teachings on the Path with Robin.

Robin is the owner of Holistic Embrace providing services for mind, body and spirit such as Tarot readings, Astrology reports, Spiritual Guidance and other related offerings.  She lives in Eastern Pennsylvania and her life is blessed by a 40+- year marriage, five children and the opportunity to work in the field of public education.

Robin’s Website: www.robinfennelly.com
Coven of the Mystic Path, ASW: www.covenofthemysticpath.org

Her books can be found on Amazon or purchased directly through her website:
For more info: http://www.robinfennelly.com/books.html

The Inner Chamber, Vol. 1 It’s Written in the Stars-Astrology
The Inner Chamber, Vol. 2 Poetry of the Spheres-Qabalah
The Inner Chamber, Vol. 3 Awakening the Paths-Qabalah
The Light of SELF: Consciousness, Spiritual Practice and Learning to
Breathe
Magickal Verse: A Collection of Poetry and Prose
A Year of Gaia: The Eternal Cord
The Elemental Year: Aligning the Elements of SELF
Temple of the Sun and Moon: Luminous Devotions
Sleeping with the Goddess: Nights of Devotion
A Weekly Reflection: Musings for the Year
The Magickal Pen: A Collection of Esoteric Writings
The Enchanted Gate: Musings on the Magick of the Natural World
The Temple of the Sun: An Astrological Solar Year
Writings in the Shadow: An Exploration of the Shadow Nature