From Science to the Essence of a Tree:
Local Firm’s Tinctures Battle Disease
by Lily Ryan
Aylmer’s Daniel Tigner feels a deep connection with trees, as he explores the relationship trees have with their environment. From this exploration, a company “Canadian Forest Tree Essences” was born. Mr Tigner produces tree essence remedies, which are tinctures made from trees. Most remedies are combinations of tree essences and are focused on helping humans with various imbalances. Each remedy has a different emotional profile. “The essences are in the lineage of Bach Flower Remedies,” Mr Tigner told the Bulletin. “The vibration, not the chemistry is the healer with plant essences. They harmonize the dis-ease; disease is disharmony.”
Mr Tigner has worked with the tree essences for thirty years. “My father, Grant Tigner, 
is a well-known artist who painted trees,” said Daniel Tigner. “I spent a lot of time with him in forests.” He started making the tree essences around 1980. “Trees are living beings we share this planet with,” he says, noting that many historical and spiritual events happened in the presence of trees. “The burning bush in the Bible, Buddha was enlightened under a tree, and so on,” said Mr Tigner, stressing that trees are entwined with human history. He explains that the knowledge of the healing presence of trees can be found through deeply tuning in with a tree. “Without projecting, we can attune to these qualities,” says Mr Tigner.
—Start with a mother tincture
Creating a mother tincture is the beginning of the process. Mr Tigner and his partner — Céline Cloutier 
go into a forest and attune with a tree in full energy, usually a flowering one if it is deciduous. With spring water and a stainless steel bowl, they find enough flowers from the tree to fill the bowl. The flowers sit in the water from one to thirty hours – long enough for the spring water to absorb the energy or the “presence” of the tree. This infusion is then preserved with alcohol and becomes the mother tincture.
This tincture holds the vibration of the tree, and it is this vibration that balances disharmonies in humans, pets, and plants, even buildings. It is sold in combination with other essences under names such as “Life Embrace”. “Yes, it’s a poetic name,” said Mr Tigner, “but it describes the effect of the combination; “Life Embrace” supports a person to shine as themselves, to stand in their own light.”
—A favourite in spas
The Canadian Tree Essences Company was recently recognized with an award for innovative spa treatments. The Aylmer company has teamed with Holz Spa in Ottawa to provide balancing spa treatments. For this they won the Best New Alternative Therapy for 2009 award.
The essences can be purchased at Sol Natural Foods in Aylmer, Quebec, Canada.