Book Review: Trees of the Goddess by Elen Sentier

The spirits of the trees of the goddess still live in the woods and they will speak with us, show us things, take us on journeys, if we ask. The goddess will help us to find the old ways that our elders knew … the ways where reality is huge and exciting rather than small and frightening. I offer you the gifts that were given to me all those years ago. – Elen Sentier

Trees of the Goddess by Elen Sentier is a beautiful and connected work enlightening readers to the messages of Ogham. I thoroughly enjoyed the magic the author tapped into when presenting simple but meaning interpretations of each Ogham. If you are looking for new ways to approach Ogham or are looking for a way to reconnect, this is the book for you!

The book is organized by month. Which is really my biggest problem with the book. If you are new to Ogham it can be tricky to remember which symbol goes with which month. That adds a little time to the process when using the book as a reference point. Those more familiar with Ogham, though, will likely not be impacted by this.

Each tree has it’s own section. It starts with some quick points like Concept, Watch words, what letter it represents in English, and the Time for the tree. Then it includes a graphic of the symbol for the tree. Each tree also gets a wonderful description of how it appears and grows in nature. I was really impressed with the detail that is given for each tree. Learning about the natural properties allow readers to become more familiar with identifying, using, and understanding the tree for themselves rather than just memorizing a meaning. The concept (or meaning, message, ect) given for each tree is sweet and simple. The author doesn’t waste readers’ time with long explanations or convoluted stories. Some trees also feature other information about the myths, history, or other associated symbols. It’s an impressive amount of information presented in an accessible manner. Beyond having difficulty finding the tree I was looking for, I really appreciated using this book as a resource while using Ogham for divination. I connected with the author’s concepts a lot. The concept words also seem to stick in my head much better than some other resources I’ve used in the past. It’s been a fabulous addition to my Ogham study. Sometimes, I did wish that all the trees were as flushed out as the four or five that had lots of stories and descriptions. I think the author did a wonderful job presenting the Ogham.

I also ADORED the artwork the author has done on her website. Check it out! Y