"It feels kind of enchanted."
Meher Mount
Your Friday photo is in honor of National Love a Tree Day…
Baba’s Tree at Meher Mount is beloved by many. It was graced by the presence of Avatar of the Age, Meher Baba in 1956. Today, many visitors spend time at the tree in quiet contemplation to find inspiration, solace and joy.
This photo of the deer grazing by Baba’s Tree, which is to the right out of the picture, was taken by guest caretaker Juan Mendez.
Eric Carlson, former resident caretaker, describes how the deer interact with the tree and area around it. His comments are part of his interview for the upcoming documentary about Baba’s Tree, Tree of Fire.
“It feels kind of enchanted.”
I would say that all of nature recognizes on some level, something going on that goes beyond the tree itself.
I have sat at Baba’s Tree for hours and noticed that animals, like deer and coyotes, seem to be attracted to the area. Now you could say, well, that's just the geographic location. It could be a strategic crossing.
But it does seem like they like to hang around the area.
Sometimes I'll go down to Baba’s Tree, and there will be deer bedded down inside the low roped-off enclosure. And I feel kind of bad for spooking them out of there. I want to say, “Wait, wait, you don't have to go. You can stay.”
And sometimes when I'm there, the deer won't even go that far. They literally see you and they don't feel that threatened.
So that's what I observed at Baba’s Tree. It feels kind of enchanted.
~Eric Carlson, Resident Caretaker, 2019-2022
Tree of Fire — Coming Late Summer
The documentary, Tree of Fire, is the journey of a seemingly ordinary oak tree blessed by the presence of Avatar Meher Baba. For decades, Baba’s Tree fulfills its role of inspiring others. Then one night the tree is felled by fire and high winds. Its very existence is threatened.
Through the tree’s own resilience and love, it is transformed by fire to emerge even more powerful in radiating Meher Baba’s love.
National Love a Tree Day
On May 16th each year, National Love a Tree Day celebrates the joys of life provided by trees.
Trees provide more than just beautiful landscapes and a shady canopy on a sunny day. They provide habitat and structure for strong ecosystems. They play a significant role in reducing erosion, moderating the climate, and providing oxygen. Large quantities of carbon are stored in their tissues as trees remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.