What Will You Learn?

Trees are a familiar feature of any landscape, yet we rarely think about them. They are necessary for maintaining the health of the global ecosystem and provide many material things but they are more of an integral part of our lives than we may at first consider. The Secret Life of Trees Diploma Course aims to enlighten you on the importance of trees, how they are able to feel, see, hear, smell and speak, and the specific ways trees can contribute even more to our mental balance, harmony, and health.

The Secret Life of Trees Diploma Course begins by outlining the importance of trees to life on Earth, the benefits they have to humankind, and the roles they play in our health, communities, and our future.

You’ll be taken on a journey through the history and development of trees, from the first “true tree”, to the types of trees we know and grow today. You’ll gain an understanding of the difference between a tree and shrub and become familiar with some of the oldest trees on Earth.

With such an incredibly long ancestry, it’s unsurprising that trees have had a special significance to humans throughout the centuries. You’ll examine the meanings and mythologies bestowed upon trees, their religious associations, “motifs”, such as the World Tree and the Tree of Life, and sacred trees and groves.

Along with their role in religion, trees have also been central to the shaping of many powerful nations. Through the Secret Life of Trees Diploma Course, you’ll explore how human relationships with trees have helped – and hindered – the progress of nations. In particular, the course explains the UK’s 1217 Charter of the Forest, the importance of trees in the two world wars, and how that need shaped the lives of a section of British society and the welfare of the country as a whole. You’ll also be introduced to some the biggest and most important reforestation projects happening in the world today.

From the examining the human relationship with trees, the course then moves on to the experiences of the trees themselves. You’ll look at how trees “sense” the world and the difference between human and tree senses. The sleep patterns of trees are explored, including how and why they sleep, the problems that can occur if they don’t get enough sleep, and how their sleep patterns change with the seasons.

Gender is something else that we share with trees. The Secret Life of Trees Diploma Course explains what it means for a tree to be “male” or female” and how gender is a fluid trait within trees. You’ll learn how gender manifests itself in trees and how to define tree sexuality.

Research highlights the ways trees communicate with each other. The course explores research that has revealed how trees grow and protect their communities, using an underground network. It also discusses “the language of trees”.

Along with being essential to human life, trees also contribute greatly to wellness. The Secret Life of Trees Diploma Course delves into the healing power of trees, highlighting conventional and traditional medicine’s dependency on them. You’ll be introduced to various trees that can be used for your own medicine-making and how to harvest parts of a tree to make teas and poultices, to aid recovery from pain and sickness.

You’ll learn how embracing trees can help balance and build up the strength of your mind, as you discover practices that will deepen your connection with trees. You’ll explore meditation practices, taken primarily from the Taoist tradition of tree meditation, and touch on other traditional and contemporary practices, including the Shaman Tree Dieta practice of some Amazonian tribes and forest bathing.

By the end of the course you will:

• Understand how important trees are to the life of the planet
• Have a greater appreciation of the influence trees have had on the world over billions of years
• Comprehend the significance of trees in world religions and cultures
• Know how to determine the gender of a tree
• Be aware of how trees communicate with one another
• Understand what it means for trees to feel, see, hear, smell and speak
• Be knowledgeable about which trees are prone to specific health complaints
• Be able to harvest parts of a tree to make healing teas and poultices
• Understand how meditating with trees can restore mental balance and harmony
• Be able to practice tree meditation
• Know about certain meditative practices such as forest bathing and the Shaman Tree
  Dieta