Banyan Trees

Great Trees Are Prayers

Years ago our family travelled to Fort Myers, Florida to visit Thomas Edison’s summer house where he worked on many of his inventions such as light bulbs, movie projectors, and the phonograph. While meandering his extensive botanical gardens I came across my first massive banyan tree and was mesmerized by its size and weirdly sci-fi earthly expression. Years later while teaching a course in Delhi I was also treated to another banyan tree known as “the walking tree” which extended for literally a city block shooting its roots up into the air and then down again into the ground forming new tree trunks (hence: “the walking tree”). For me it was a marvellous sight to behold!

Recently I came across the writings of Rabindranath Tagore and greatly appreciated his poetic insight on the great banyan trees of India:

Be still, my heart, these great trees are prayers.” (Tagore, “The Heart of God”)

I found his minimalist musing consoling as I thought of all of the world’s great trees lifting up their voices in prayer (perhaps like the Ents of Tolkien?). How we need prayer. How we need the creative expression of planet earth to lift up their united voices for God to intervene and interrupt the ongoing human madness of global degradation.

Maybe it can be done? “Hope not deferred,” as the Proverb writer suggests?

Perhaps, Tagore knows more about it from his practice of eastern spirituality than we do from our practice of western utilitarianism? On that front I am unsure, but I do find comfort in the thought that our great trees, including the banyan trees of Edison and Delhi, continue to lift up their silent prayers of supplication to the Creator, Sustainer and Healer of all life.

Banyan trees and humans alike.