I have a favorite sound.
To be precise, it’s not a singular sound but a multitude.
Have you ever stood in the presence of a tree and listened to the wind pass through its leaves? The roots and body stand defiant and unmoved. But listen. The branches stretch out their tongues and whisper shhhhh.
Trees make symphonies without their trunks ever moving, almost as if the stillness of their centers amplifies their sound. The tree may appear still, but if you look closer, you’ll see that each leaf flails with breath. The tree may seem alone, but plow deep and you’ll unearth its secret gnarled roots—the grotesque and the beautiful—creeping in the soil, reaching toward the ancestors.
Thomas Merton said, “No writing on the solitary, meditative dimensions of life can say anything that has not already been said better by the wind in the pine trees.” I hold this close.
— Cole Arthur Riley, This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories That Make Us (Convergent Books, February 22, 2022)
Notes:
- Photo: DK @ Daybreak 6:54 am August 29, 2021.
- Post Title & Inspiration: Aldous Huxley: “It’s dark because you are trying too hard. Lightly child, lightly. Learn to do everything lightly. Yes, feel lightly even though you’re feeling deeply. Just lightly let things happen and lightly cope with them.”
Live & Learn 
I so love it too and there is a word for it: psithurism.
“These sounds of wind in the trees and the rustling of leaves have enchanted so many people over time that they invented a word to describe them: psithurism. Like many words that begin with “ps,” the “p” at the beginning of psithurism is silent, and the word is pronounced sith-err-iz-um.”
LikeLiked by 6 people
Thank you! I learned something today.
LikeLiked by 2 people
One of my favourite sounds 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
Nothing like it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
So calming, to me.
LikeLike
I, too, am mesmerized by this sound (and now know what to call it…thank you, Beth!) This passage brought to mind Suzanne Simard’s book, ‘Finding the Mother Tree.’ So much happening below the surface….❤️
https://www.npr.org/2021/04/29/991986724/the-social-lives-of-trees
LikeLiked by 4 people
Thanks for sharing the link Lori!
LikeLiked by 2 people
There are a few books on the social lives of trees. I look at them and try to figure out which one to choose! I might just choose this one 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
Well there you go.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right! And there I will go 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You JoAnna Appleseed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LOL
LikeLike
I found the interview with Simard utterly fascinating, Dale. The book is in my queue…☺️
LikeLiked by 1 person
And is added to mine… that queue is sooooooo long! 😉
LikeLike
The symphony of sound from the trees, sounds that change with the type of leaf that is singing – another gift from Mother Nature. The differences can be subtle, and demand your attention if you’re fortunate enough to stop and listen. Beth taught us both something today – never heard of the word, and I love the way it sounds – its pronunciation is perfect for its definition!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, different leaves, new song!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Not sure if you intentionally chose an Irish name for today’s post, David. Love how he incorporates the Merton quote to finish off this tranquil posture before the eloquence of the trees.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Smiling. No Daniel. It didn’t dawn on me that it was St. Patrick’s Day until later in the morning. (And I think “he” is a “she”) and agree it was a beautiful finish…
LikeLike
https://lookingforthelight.blog/2022/03/17/new-blogs-to-follow-in-2022/
LikeLiked by 1 person
I often stand amongst the trees and love the sound. Psithurism from marcescent leaves, particularly. Those leaves, usually oak, that remain on the trees in the winter have a particular sound. Love this. Perfect photo to go with your excerpt 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. Fun Fact. Look @ Lower Left side of tree on left side. I had no idea until I posted this photo.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What am I looking at?
LikeLiked by 1 person
An Owl!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am on a small laptop. I need to move to a bigger screen!
Oh! I see it. I was looking at the trunk and ground, not the leaves. What a fantabulous discovery…
And now… you can say you’ve capture one… even if you didn’t realise it at the time!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! I’ve never seen one live! And apparently was standing right in front of her and didn’t see it then either. DUH!
LikeLike
That owl is probably jamming to some Wishbone Ash. Or Black Oak Arkansas, lol.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! you’re right!
LikeLike
Reminds me of something I saved a while back, the first part. Wouldn’t surprise me had a gathered it here, or over at Alive on All Channels.
https://www.littletoller.co.uk/the-clearing/tallgrass-by-robin-wall-kimmerer/?fbclid=IwAR1tqbiJsw3Eqz1QhGp3tphHE1W3rzfJLxOLpxlf0lCOu42F4A7VGszetDA
LikeLiked by 1 person
Really good Steve. Thank you for sharing.
LikeLike
Also this which is probably totally inappropriate for a classy site like yours.
http://srevestories.blogspot.com/2012/02/my-friend-at-assorted.html
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love the post and esp the closing lines Steve:
“Stepping out of my car to go in to work today, I had many things on my To-Do List. As I started up the steps to the building, a strong wind sang through the trees and I flashed back to that day. I wish I had the luxury of time to just sit down and enjoy the song today.”
Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
YES! I have stood under black cottonwoods in Montana and made a little video of the leaves whispering very loudly as the wind passed through the trees. A memorable experience.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Black Cottonwoods. I can hear the leaves whispering.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a beautiful sound.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for sith-err-iz-um,…and for mention of Thomas Merton, an interesting thinker, and tragic life.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So true….
LikeLike
Thanks, Beth! the sound of water in a stream burbling over rocks is another soothing sound. I wonder if there is a specific word for that sound, too.
LikeLike
I like sitting under an overhang and listening to rain (and wind) hitting the various leaves in my back garden. We also have a hammock for sitting between trees and watching the leaves rustle in the wind.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like Fantasy Island Kevin. Beautiful!
LikeLike
My favorite sound — wind through pine trees — happy memories of Northern Ontario summer camp.
The verb for the sound is soughing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Soughing!” I learned something today. Thanks!
LikeLike
I had to look it up! verb
gerund or present participle: soughing
(of the wind in trees, the sea, etc.) make a moaning, whistling, or rushing sound.
“the soughing of the wind in the canopy of branches”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yup! It’s not often used, but it’s the right one.
LikeLike
wow…. what a brilliant ‘telling’ post. And I too have a deep love for trees, also for the ‘noise’ (I call it talking, singing) of their leaves. One of my fondest memories is having been at the beach of our lake with my baby, him happily kicking his tiny legs on the rug he was placed and when I watched him, I saw that his joy was the spiel of the leaves of the tree he lied under, the dappling sunlight, the sweet sound of those rustling leaves and the birds singing in the branches! I also had a very special ‘contact’ to my (now) late mother regarding an old tree and the possibility that I would (be allowed to) use ‘that’ old tree for her obituary notice, together with the wonderful poem by Maya Angelou ‘When great trees fall’…. In the end we took another photo I took and another text but I shared it with some friends and they agreed that it was ‘her’.
This weekend I took photos of a magnificent very, very old tree with a near-empty trunk, I should send you some photos, stunning. BUT very low at this old, distorted tree young branches grew and they pushed out lovely young green leaves. I titled that photo: And spring WILL come…. btw, it snowed over the last 3 days after 2 weeks of perfect spring weather!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It snowed the last 3 days. Wow!
LikeLike
And love your deep love of trees. Simpatico.
LikeLike