A47_8340

Princess
From the balcony overlooking the forest, I am greeted by the sight of the majestic tree, an ironwood (Dinizia excelsa) standing 181 feet tall. Many mornings I have painted Her Majesty, as the first rays of light illuminated and highlighted her in all her splendor. As is common among tree climbers, I respectfully baptized her “Princess”, due to her regal attire finely sewn by the morning sunlight. Her central position in the valley contributes to her regal prominence. The reader will find this tree several times in my photographs and I will always identify her as the Princess. The imposing ironwood has opened its powerful arms to many adventures and has always evoked remarkable emotions in me and my climbing companions. On happy climbing days, the essence of our souls is present in the generous canopy of the Princess, generating strong feelings of euphoria, elevating our energetic vibration and producing precious hormonal substances in our brains, recognized as the chemistry of happiness. For some, it may seem like just a literary description, but I can understand that lack of experience is a limiting factor in assimilating the immense intelligence of trees and their effect on those who come closer. Centuries-old beings like the Princess are much more than humans can reason. I believe there will be a time when humanity will unveil this hidden potential of trees and, yes, communicate with this much older and wiser civilization.

A47_8340 – Leonide Principe
Equipment: NIKON D2X with lens AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED set at 70 mm – Exposition: ISO: 100 – Aperture: 4.5 – Shutter: 1/125 – Program: Manual – Exp. Comp.: -0.7,
Original digital capture of a real life scene –
Original file size: 4320px x 2868px
Location: Abra144 (Presidente Figueiredo – Amazonas Brazil)
Date: June 24, 2007 – Time: 6:38:26 AM
Collection: Tropical Rain Forest – Persons shown: none
Keywords:
angelim-ferro, angelim-vermelho, Dinizia excelsa, iron tree, árvore emergente, big trees, emergent tree, árvores, trees, FLORA, plantas, plants, forest views, floresta tropical úmida, rain forest, rainforest, Tropical Rain Forest, paisagens, landscapes, abra144, Presidente Figueiredo, Amazonas, Amazônia, Amazon, Amazonian, Brazil, Brasil, Brazilian, América do Sul, South America
EN1 Princess A47_8340
PT1 Princesa A47_8340
© – Leonide Principe, all right reserved
https://leonideprincipe.photos

B08_0724

The Princess age
Behold, Princess, the majestic Dinizia excelsa at 180 feet, recorded in its glory within the forest. Her imposing wooden structure transcends the jungle canopy and rises as an emergent tree. She faces the seasonal storms, with roots firmly gripping the earth, resisting for centuries. The age of Princess? An old shaman from an isolated village could assert without hesitation how many times Sirius star entered conjunction with the Sun. But this is too much for our science… Based on other trunks assessed by scientists, I estimate she may be between 300 and 500 years old. It’s important to remember that trees are eternal, without biological mechanisms determining their lifespan. Their longevity extends as long as external conditions permit. Some trees can live for thousands of years, being revered in their natural habitats. The giant sequoia, for example, can live up to 3,200 years and is the largest tree in terms of volume. Despite their population being greatly reduced, they can still be found primarily on the West Coast of the United States.
As visitors to my home hear the stories of Princess and other trees, they retreat into silence at the feet of the Excelsa and there they realize the gentle strength of the giant.

B08_0724 – Leonide Principe
Equipment: NIKON D200 with lens 12.0-24.0 mm f/4.0 set at 12 mm – Exposition: ISO: 100 – Aperture: 4 – Shutter: 1/20 – Program: Normal – Exp. Comp.: 0.0,
Original digital capture of a real life scene –
Original file size: 2616px x 3900px
Location: Abra144 (Presidente Figueiredo – Amazonas Brazil)
Date: June 21, 2006 – Time: 9:10:53 AM
Collection: Tropical Rain Forest – Persons shown: tourist
Keywords:
angelim-ferro, angelim-vermelho, Dinizia excelsa, iron tree, árvore emergente, big trees, emergent tree, árvores, trees, FLORA, plantas, plants, forest views, floresta tropical úmida, rain forest, rainforest, Tropical Rain Forest, paisagens, landscapes, abra144, Presidente Figueiredo, Amazonas, Amazônia, Amazon, Amazonian, Brazil, Brasil, Brazilian, América do Sul, South America, turistas, tourists, TURISMO, TOURISM, ecoturismo, ecotourism
EN2 The Princess’s Trunk B08_0724
PT2 O tronco da Princesa B08_0724
© – Leonide Principe, all right reserved
https://leonideprincipe.photos

A63_1082

In communion with the forest
What a more evolved feeling this is! Notice, dear reader, this unique moment of eternity, beyond time. Notice how this feeling of freedom, fullness, and communion with the forest can become a powerful medicine against all the diseases of our disoriented world. On a tree, diving into the coral reef, sailing on the ocean, at the summit of a mountain, on a simple walk in the woods, the Mother is present, sweeping away the pounding thoughts of samsara, opening up a horizon of expansion and comfort. You can say with certainty: “Now yes, I’m home!”
The tree climber surrendered to the purest state of consciousness, several minutes passed, I know she was in heaven, both literally and metaphorically, and I too participated in that moment with all the other climbers, by reflex.

A63_1082 – Leonide Principe
Equipment: NIKON D2X with lens AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED set at 70 mm – Exposition: ISO: 100 – Aperture: 8.5 – Shutter: 1/320 – Program: Normal – Exp. Comp.: 0.0,
Original digital capture of a real life scene –
Original file size: 2868px x 4320px
Location: Abra144 (Presidente Figueiredo – Amazonas Brazil)
Date: June 29, 2008 – Time: 2:34:50 PM
Collection: Treeclimbing – Persons shown: Treeclimber
Keywords:
escalada em árvores, Recreational Tree Climbing, treeclimbing, ecoturismo, ecotourism, TURISMO, TOURISM, Abra144, Presidente Figueiredo, Amazonas, Amazônia, Amazon, Amazonian, Brazil, Brasil, Brazilian, América do Sul, South America, angelim-ferro, angelim-vermelho, Dinizia excelsa, iron tree, árvore emergente, big trees, emergent tree, árvores, trees, FLORA, plantas, plants
EN3 In communion with the forest A63_1082
PT3 Em comunhão com a floresta A63_1082
© – Leonide Principe, all right reserved
https://leonideprincipe.photos