Table Of ContentMind/Body/Spirit, AfricAn AMericAn s
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“It is a rare gift to understand and relay the messages offered in the language of trees; this
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book contains primal language, originating in Africa, brought to us by this emissary of
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nature’s spoken word.”
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—Malidoma P. Somé, elder, diviner, author of Of Water and the
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Spirit: Ritual, Magic and Initiation in the Life of an African Shaman o
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“A unique exploration of the forest that deepens our cultural awareness and enriches our e
connection with the green world. This important reference work belongs on the bookshelf b
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of anyone serious about natural healing.” r
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—Sandra Kynes, author of A Year of Ritual: Sabbats & Esbats for Solitaries
& Covens and Whispers from the Woods: The Lore & Magic of Trees
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Reclaiming traditions based on plants and herbs has never been more important than it
is today. Widespread use of chemicals, hormones, and additives introduce unknown
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substances into our bodies. on a larger scale, our future on the planet depends on our
ability and willingness to incorporate earth-friendly practices into daily life. Where better to e
look for natural remedies and soothing rituals than Africa? it is, after all, the Mother con- A
tinent, the birthplace of the entire human race, and the keeper of ancient earth knowledge.
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no newcomer to these traditions, Stephanie rose Bird explores the practical, spiritual, and
historical aspects of trees in the heritage of African Americans and describes how we can i
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adapt traditional practices to enrich our lives. The topics she covers are as diverse as a wood
should be, including everything from hunting, gathering, and processing to natural divina- g
tion, omens, signs, and forest medicine for wellness and beauty. illustrated by the author, who
is a professional visual artist as well as a practitioner of the traditions in the book, A Healing
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Grove will lead not only to personal healing but also to a lifestyle that will heal our earth.
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Stephanie RoSe BiRd is the author of Sticks, Stones, Roots, and Bones: Hoodoo, Mojo,
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and Conjuring with Herbs and Four Seasons of Mojo: An Herbal Guide for the Natural Home.
in addition to her work as a writer, an artist, and an independent scholar, she is a practicing
herbalist and aromatherapist.
e a l ing
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african tree remedies and
rituals for body and spirit
stephanie rose bird
Foreword by Judika Illes
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Bird, Stephanie Rose, 1960–
A healing grove : African tree remedies and rituals for the body and
spirit / Stephanie Rose Bird.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-55652-764-7
1. African American magic. I. Title.
BF1622.A34B 568 2009
615.8’8—dc22
2008052195
Cover and interior design: Sarah Olson
Illustrations: Stephanie Rose Bird
© 2009 by Stephanie Rose Bird, Foreword © 2009 by Judika Illes
All rights reserved
Published by Lawrence Hill Books
An imprint of Chicago Review Press, Incorporated
814 North Franklin Street
Chicago, Illinois 60610
ISBN 978-1-55652-764-7
Printed in the United States of America
5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Acknowledgments · vii
Foreword · ix
Preface: Seeing the Forest for the Trees: Story Within A Healing Grove · xi
Introduction: Holly, Oak, and Pine: Enter My Personal Forest · xv
I: OUR HERITAGE AND TRADITIONS
1 | Igboro-Egun: Grove of the Ancestors · 3
2 | Calabash: Vessel of African Culture, Spirituality, and Survival · 17
3 | Black Folk Be Workin’ Dem Roots Long, Long Time:
An African Herbalist’s Overview · 27
4 | Ceremonies, Rites, and Oracles of the Wood:
Transatlantic African Tree Veneration · 39
II: REMEDIES AND RITUALS FOR DAILY LIFE
5 | Out Bush: Filters, Shields, and Field Guides · 59
6 | Ways and Means: Tools and Techniques for Africa-Inspired Herbalists · 79
7 | Seeds, Nuts, Pods, and Oils · 93
8 | Fruit of Mother Nature’s Labor: Soul-Nourishing Berry and Fruit Trees · 113
9 | Bark, Gum, Sap, Resins, and Moss Medicine · 145
10 | Very Important Palms: VIPs of Transatlantic Tree World · 163
Epilogue: Seeds of Hope: Participation in Villages Far and Wide · 187
Resources and Organizations · 205
Appendix A: Resources · 209
Appendix B: Study and Apprenticeships · 213
Notes · 215
Glossary · 225
Bibliography · 231
Index · 239
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This book is dedicated to the oak tree on Spill-
way Drive on Paradise Lake that befriended me,
the oak that was strong, yet a soft sponge for my
tears, a patient caregiver, comfortable seat and
support system, and a listener without judgment
or opinion, and to my father who kept that tree
healthy, strong, and safe in my absence.
A Healing Grove was written with love and
gratitude for the lessons learned and those
yet to come . . . lessons of the oak.
Acknowledgments
Special thanks to Daniel Zima and Jannette Giles-Hypes for their careful help and
attention to detail in the developmental stages of this book. Thanks to Yuval Taylor
for believing in this project from early on. Heartfelt thanks to Susan Branadini
Betz for kind support and editorial input throughout the project. Thanks also to
the editorial, art, and PR teams at Lawrence Hill Books, Independent Publishers
Group. Thanks to the creator and the Great Goddess for shepherding this book through its many
twists and turns. Blessed Be!
vii
Foreword
judika illes
The highest praise that I can give a book is to say that I wish I’d written it; A
Healing Grove: African Tree Remedies and Rituals for the Body and Spirit is one
such book. Stephanie Rose Bird—visual artist, educator, brilliant herbalist,
evocative writer—has crafted a crucial and important book, sharing valuable,
rare information that has never been more needed and relevant than it is today.
She tells the story of the sacred wood: how to live in it, learn from it, derive
spiritual enrichment from it, and how to preserve and protect it. A Healing Grove is packed not only
with information but also with functional, accessible recipes, remedies, and rituals to serve mind,
body, soul, and spirit, derived from a variety of African and African American traditions.
No newcomer to these traditions, Bird’s book follows her journey from New Jersey’s Pine Bar-
rens (a true seer, Bird is able to recognize the Pine Barrens as a powerful sacred grove) across the
United States. Africa is always the touchstone, the persistent and tenacious ancestral mother wis-
dom and spiritual foundation that refuses to fade away.
Reclaiming botanical and herbal information has never been more important than it is today. So
much of our future depends on our ability to reclaim and use ancient Earth knowledge. Although
many botanicals and herbals have been published, they tend to focus on Europe and the Americas.
ix
