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- | ===Tree walk in Forêt de Soignes=== | + | ==== Tree walk in Forêt de Soignes/ |
- | in the framework of [[http:// | + | |
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+ | Initially developed in collaboration with Z33 and Heath Bunting and performed | ||
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+ | === Itinerary === | ||
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+ | == Start == | ||
+ | Entrance Drève du Comte/ | ||
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+ | **Accessibility**: | ||
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+ | **Duration**: | ||
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+ | // Click on the image for large view (with many thanks to [[http:// | ||
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+ | **A little introduction** | ||
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+ | During this walk you will meet the trees who gave birth to the Silent Political Party of Trees. These trees are part of the Forêt de Soignes/ | ||
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+ | The trees that belong to this forest enjoy exclusive rights compared to other trees in the Brussels' | ||
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+ | They decided to found the silent Political Party of Trees. The first idea they whispered in their leaves was to consider them as ' | ||
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+ | You can read more on the construction of the arboreal persona [[http:// | ||
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+ | **Walk & become a member of the Silent Political Party of Trees** | ||
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+ | By chosing to walk and become a member of the Party of Trees, you're not joining any regular type of political party you know. They will not represent their ego nor short term views. Trees are networked species. They aim for their own survival, that is true, but they will always realise this in collaboration with others. | ||
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+ | Giving your trust to trees is very easy: they will not abuse your rights, you will still have the right to cut their limbs, when that seems to be necessary for your own survival. | ||
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+ | By giving your trust, you choose to connect with the energy of the trees, and to live and think with them as they will become your close friends. In return you will regain the connection with the nature and become the unseparable entity of it. You will rediscover the wisdom and instincts inside you. They will empower you as a human being and as a part of the living society on earth. | ||
- | The trees in the Forêt de Soignes are the arboreal persona with most rights in the Brussels' | + | So if you're happy with all this, just put one foot in front of the other, and take the Sentier des Endymions/ |
- | // | + | |
- | //EU Green corridor// | + | |
- | When you walk down the Drève du Comte from the parking space, you find a beautiful oak at your left hand side, just before taking to path that leads you to the field with picnic tables. | ||
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- | ** * Oak** | + | ** * Oak, Eik, Chêne, Quercus robur** |
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+ | // The best way to listen to the oak, is to stand against it, touching its strong scarred skin. // | ||
Please meet the oak, the father, priest and the guardian of the world. | Please meet the oak, the father, priest and the guardian of the world. | ||
- | Three of the past, the present and the future. This oak has lived more than 100 years and will survive us by another 150 to 200 years if the climat | + | Tree of the past, the present and the future. This oak has lived more than 100 years and will survive us by another 150 to 200 years if the climate |
Oak grows as deep as it grows tall. | Oak grows as deep as it grows tall. | ||
It provides shelter and food to millions species in the forest. | It provides shelter and food to millions species in the forest. | ||
- | One grown oak is equivalent to a metropole as big as New York. It can have up to 350 species living in, on, around and from him. | + | One grown oak is equivalent to a metropole as big as New York. It can have up to 350 different communities of species living in, on, around and from him. |
- | Among the sacred trees in many legends, the mighty oak stands noble and tall as The Tree of Life. The oak tree in folklore and myths represents great symbolic meanings to the pantheons of mythology, to the druids, the faeries, and many cultures around the world. | + | Among the sacred trees in many legends, the mighty oak stands noble and tall as The Tree of Life. The oak tree in folklore and myths represents great symbolic meanings to the pantheons of mythology, to the druids, the faeries, and many cultures around the world. It is the representative of truth and justice. |
It is a slow grower. So it is all about time. | It is a slow grower. So it is all about time. | ||
- | Just imagine growing trough your life so slowly that 500 years can fly by. Imagine species, landscape situations you could witness. Well Oak does. It is a time machine. If we learn its language | + | Just imagine growing trough your life so slowly that 500 years can fly by. Imagine species, landscape situations you could witness. Well Oak does. It is a time machine. If we learn its language, we will take on the habit of looking back, living now and projecting ourselves in a far future, and all this at the same moment. We will discover |
+ | Take your own time with the oak. Once you're done, walk on and concentrate on yourself, your breath, your heartbeat, your body, your rhythm. | ||
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+ | **//More about the oak//** | ||
- | **// | ||
Throughout the major cultures of Europe the oak tree has been held in high esteem. To the Greeks, Romans, Celts, Slavs and Teutonic tribes the oak was foremost amongst venerated trees, and in each case associated with the supreme god in their pantheon, oak being sacred to Zeus, Jupiter, Dagda, Perun and Thor, respectively. Each of these gods also had dominion over rain, thunder and lightning, and it is surely no coincidence that oak trees appear to be more prone to lightning strikes than other trees, whether because of their wood's low electrical resistance or the fact that they were frequently the largest, tallest living things in the landscape. | Throughout the major cultures of Europe the oak tree has been held in high esteem. To the Greeks, Romans, Celts, Slavs and Teutonic tribes the oak was foremost amongst venerated trees, and in each case associated with the supreme god in their pantheon, oak being sacred to Zeus, Jupiter, Dagda, Perun and Thor, respectively. Each of these gods also had dominion over rain, thunder and lightning, and it is surely no coincidence that oak trees appear to be more prone to lightning strikes than other trees, whether because of their wood's low electrical resistance or the fact that they were frequently the largest, tallest living things in the landscape. | ||
The Druids frequently worshipped and practised their rites in oak groves (the word Druid was probably a Gaelic derivation of their word for oak, Duir, and meant men of the oaks). Mistletoe, probably the Druids' | The Druids frequently worshipped and practised their rites in oak groves (the word Druid was probably a Gaelic derivation of their word for oak, Duir, and meant men of the oaks). Mistletoe, probably the Druids' | ||
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Ancient kings presented themselves as the personifications of these gods, taking on the responsibility not only for success in battle but also the fertility of the land, which relied on rainfall. They wore crowns of oak leaves, as a symbol of the god they represented as kings on Earth. Similarly, successful Roman commanders were presented with crowns of oak leaves during their victory parades, and oak leaves have continued as decorative icons of military prowess to the present day. | Ancient kings presented themselves as the personifications of these gods, taking on the responsibility not only for success in battle but also the fertility of the land, which relied on rainfall. They wore crowns of oak leaves, as a symbol of the god they represented as kings on Earth. Similarly, successful Roman commanders were presented with crowns of oak leaves during their victory parades, and oak leaves have continued as decorative icons of military prowess to the present day. | ||
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Oak leaves' | Oak leaves' | ||
If the oak before the ash, then we'll only have a splash. If the ash before the oak, Then we'll surely have a soak! | If the oak before the ash, then we'll only have a splash. If the ash before the oak, Then we'll surely have a soak! | ||
In Celtic mythology, oak is the tree of doors, believed to be a gateway between worlds, or a place where portals could be erected. In Norse mythology, the oak was sacred to the thunder god, Thor. Some scholars speculate that this is because the oak, as the largest tree in northern Europe, was the one most often struck by lightning. In Classical mythology, the oak was a symbol of Zeus and his sacred tree. | In Celtic mythology, oak is the tree of doors, believed to be a gateway between worlds, or a place where portals could be erected. In Norse mythology, the oak was sacred to the thunder god, Thor. Some scholars speculate that this is because the oak, as the largest tree in northern Europe, was the one most often struck by lightning. In Classical mythology, the oak was a symbol of Zeus and his sacred tree. | ||
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The Oak tree is traditionally sacred to Serbs and is widely used throughout Serbia on national and regional symbols both old and new. In the Bible, the oak tree at Shechem is the site where Jacob buries the foreign gods of his people. In addition, Joshua erects a stone under an oak tree as the first covenant of the Lord. In Isaiah 61, the prophet refers to the Israelites as “Oaks of Righteousness”. | The Oak tree is traditionally sacred to Serbs and is widely used throughout Serbia on national and regional symbols both old and new. In the Bible, the oak tree at Shechem is the site where Jacob buries the foreign gods of his people. In addition, Joshua erects a stone under an oak tree as the first covenant of the Lord. In Isaiah 61, the prophet refers to the Israelites as “Oaks of Righteousness”. | ||
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The oak tree is used as a symbol by a number of political parties. It is the symbol of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, and formerly of the Progressive Democrats in Ireland. In the cultural arena, the oak leaf is the symbol of the National Trust (UK) and The Royal Oak Foundation. | The oak tree is used as a symbol by a number of political parties. It is the symbol of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, and formerly of the Progressive Democrats in Ireland. In the cultural arena, the oak leaf is the symbol of the National Trust (UK) and The Royal Oak Foundation. | ||
- | ** * Vlier, | + | ** * Elder, |
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+ | // The best way to listen to the elder, is to smell its flowers, to touch its spotted skin, to taste its leaves and to look closely at all its details. // | ||
Please meet the pharmacist of the forest. | Please meet the pharmacist of the forest. | ||
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**//Healing power//** | **//Healing power//** | ||
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The entire tree is to be used for healing purposes. | The entire tree is to be used for healing purposes. | ||
Flowers and berries are used in treating the flu, alleviating allergies, and boosting overall respiratory health. | Flowers and berries are used in treating the flu, alleviating allergies, and boosting overall respiratory health. | ||
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Eating raw berries can cause nausea and stomach aches. | Eating raw berries can cause nausea and stomach aches. | ||
- | Washing her face in dew gathered from elderflowers was believed to enhance and preserve a woman' | + | Washing her face in dew gathered from elderflowers was believed to enhance and preserve a woman' |
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+ | A couple of cups of hot elderflower tea before bedtime helps to bring on a cleansing sweat to combat cold and flu-like symptoms, and elderberry drinks were formerly prescribed to sooth throat complaints. | ||
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+ | A fine elderflower champagne can be made using the yeasts naturally present in the blossoms, which can also be dipped in a batter and eaten as fritters. | ||
**// | **// | ||
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Branches from the elder are also used to make the flutes. Magic flute? Sounds can heal deepest illnesses... | Branches from the elder are also used to make the flutes. Magic flute? Sounds can heal deepest illnesses... | ||
In common with other trees with white blossom, such as hawthorn and rowan, the elder had strong associations with Faery- and Goddess-centred mythology. | In common with other trees with white blossom, such as hawthorn and rowan, the elder had strong associations with Faery- and Goddess-centred mythology. | ||
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Like rowan, the elder was thought of as being a protective tree, and it was auspicious if it was growing near one's dwelling, especially if it had seeded itself there. If the rowan' | Like rowan, the elder was thought of as being a protective tree, and it was auspicious if it was growing near one's dwelling, especially if it had seeded itself there. If the rowan' | ||
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Cheese cloths and other linen involved in dairying were hung out to dry on elder trees, and the smell they absorbed from the leaves may have contributed to hygiene in the dairy. | Cheese cloths and other linen involved in dairying were hung out to dry on elder trees, and the smell they absorbed from the leaves may have contributed to hygiene in the dairy. | ||
Elder trees were also traditionally planted by bake houses as protection from the Devil (what with all those hellishly hot ovens within!) and loaves and cakes put out to cool under the elders. Any foods left out overnight under an elder however were considered a gift to the faeries. | Elder trees were also traditionally planted by bake houses as protection from the Devil (what with all those hellishly hot ovens within!) and loaves and cakes put out to cool under the elders. Any foods left out overnight under an elder however were considered a gift to the faeries. | ||
In common with many other native trees and plants with potent pagan associations, | In common with many other native trees and plants with potent pagan associations, | ||
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Notwithstanding these negative beliefs, elder continued to be put to such a wide range of medicinal uses that the mediaeval herbalist John Evelyn called it "a kind of Catholicon against all Infirmities whatever" | Notwithstanding these negative beliefs, elder continued to be put to such a wide range of medicinal uses that the mediaeval herbalist John Evelyn called it "a kind of Catholicon against all Infirmities whatever" | ||
- | *** Hazelnut, hazelnoot, corylus** | + | *** Hazelnut, hazelnoot, noisetier, corylus** |
{{: | {{: | ||
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+ | // | ||
Please meet the witch of the forest. | Please meet the witch of the forest. |