The book "Liepos motinėlės" (Mother Linden) by Daiva Červokienė

This book is about one of Lithuania's best-loved trees: the linden. The author looks at lindens from many angles: those of naturalists, folklorists, experts in folk traditions, sauna masters and doctors. Special attention goes to the linden's place in Lithuanian culture, its everyday uses and its role in traditional folk medicine. Richly illustrated, the book invites readers of all ages on a journey through nature, folklore and old customs.

Contents

• Nature: differences between linden species, linden groves in Lithuania, protected, remarkable and unique linden trees.
• Lindens in folklore: their role in songs and legends, the link with the goddess Laima, the origin of the name "motinėlės" (little mothers), planting traditions and the linden's place in the homestead, weather lore based on lindens.
• Observations by sauna masters and bioenergy practitioners.
• The month of July (liepa in Lithuanian, named after the linden): the origin of the name, E. Šimkūnaitė's tale about the healing symbolism of lindens, and horoscopes for those born in July.
• Lindens in traditional and modern medical practice and folk customs.
• Linden honey and its cultural meaning.
• Villages named after lindens, and a visit to Gižai, the "Linden Village", home to an educational programme for a decade now.
• Tree of the Year and Medicinal Plant of the Year elections, in which lindens also take part.
• Curiosities: weather lore and the "Linden" qigong meditation.
• Recipes and experience of Lithuanian herbalists using linden flowers and other medicinal plant material, shared by Jadvyga Balvočiūtė, Gražina Gaidienė, Žanna Jankovskaja, Danutė Kunčienė, Marius Lasinskas, Danguolė and Juozas Vasiliauskas, and others.

About the author

Daiva Červokienė is a journalist and a member of the National Association of Journalists-Creators, writing mostly about health and nature. She graduated from the Faculty of Journalism at Vilnius University and, as a student, took part in the Ramuva local heritage club. She has published two books for children and three for adults: "21st-Century Lithuanian Herbalists: How to Overcome Illness" (2009), "How Trees Heal" (2016) and "They Made Semeliškės Famous" (2021). "Liepos motinėlės" continues her book "How Trees Heal", expanding its chapter on linden trees.

Please note: the book is in Lithuanian.