a question about an old Russian Tradition

[Marlow Shami]

Dear Yelena--

Thank you for your suggestions. Unfortunately, I do not speak Russian. Who 
publishes the "Slavic Antiquities" edition. Is this a book or journal? If it is 
published in English I may be able to find an issue via a university. 

In particular, I am interested in the tying of the red ribbon around a sweet 
birch tree. The tying saved a young girl from an "evil" stepmother, as the 
tale goes, she had tied the red string on the tree to save it from a storm. Years 
later the tree somehow saved the same girl from the stepmother as an act of 
gratitude for the girl caring to help the tree.

I reference this in a short autobiographical piece I've written for an 
anthology entitled "Courting the Wild" published by Ecological Studies Institute. As 
a young child growing up in the suburbs of New York City I'd take my fathers 
red neck ties and tie them on the sweet birch in the woods behind my house. My 
father was Palistinian/Circissian, Mother American. The home life was not 
healthy hence, all the time I spent in the woods with the trees. I share these 
details in hopes they might help you understand the area of superstition I'm 
most interested in.

The editors of the anthology want more information on the Russian Tradition 
that "saved" me, in a sense, and inspired my future career integrating 
Ecopsychology and Nature-based healing. I'm working on the revision this month. Your 
comments/direction is greatly appreciated. 

I do have a FAX here if needed.

Thanks for your interest and assistance--

Sincerely--

Marlow Shami






> 
> Dear Marlow,
> 
> You have asked a very complicated question. All three superstitions you have 
> mentioned before is a tiny drop in the whole sea of superstitions about 
> trees in Russian folklore tradition. I may offer to your attention an 
> article about tree in the third volume of "Slavic Antiquities" edition. Do 
> you have it? In my collection there are more then 100 magic spells from 
> different illnesses when a healer ties a ribbon around birch, oak, aspen and 
> other trees while pronouncing of a magic spell . To be more concrete I need 
> to send you articles about this traditions. Do you read Russian?
> 
> Thank you, sincerely yours,
> Dr. Yelena Minyonok
> 



Create balance and healing by deepening your relationship with Nature.

Marlow D. J. Shami M.S.
NaturalSense ®
PO Box 33
Goshen, CT 06756
USA

TEL: (860) 491-2067
Email: MShami at aol.com
www.naturalsense.org

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