The Hoop and the Tree: A Compass for Finding a Deeper Relationship with All Life

This is a book for seekers of personal development and planetary healing. Imagine a vertical axis running through the center of your being, from your deepest roots up to your highest aspirations. This is the Tree, which anchors and centers you. Now imagine this Tree encircled by concentric rings of family, friends, all of humanity, and the encompassing beauty of nature. This is the Hoop of relationship. This simple yet life-changing volume fully explains for the first time the power of these two ubiquitous symbols to bring us a whole new understanding of ourselves and our place in the world. Through explorations of their deep meaning in psychology, Native American and other spiritual traditions, myth and fairy tale, author Chris Hoffman shows how we can use the Hoop and the Tree to be happier in our relationships, increase our connection with nature, create a more functional society, and live lives of balance and fulfillment. This twentieth anniversary edition, revised and expanded, offers additional insights into practical applications, describes the initiations needed for a fully lived life, and gives simple exercises for visualizing and integrating one’s own deep structure of wholeness.

Chris Hoffman has facilitated human and organization development in a variety of clinical and organizational settings, including for Naropa University, several community mental health programs, and a Fortune 500 energy company.  He now devotes most of his time to volunteer climate protection work and writing. A widely published poet and retired licensed professional counselor, he holds a BA from Yale University, a Masters degree from Northeastern University, and an MBA from University of Colorado. He lives in Colorado. See more at his website, www.hoopandtree.org.