The Hollow Tree: Fighting Addiction with Traditional Native Healing

Susan Manitowabi is an assistant professor of Native Human Services at
Laurentian University in Sudbury.

In this truly inspiring book, the author uses the metaphor of the hollow
tree—“an empty shell with no substance”—to describe how he was
consumed with feelings of inferiority, anger, and resentment as the
result of an addiction to alcohol.

The Hollow Tree is an account of Nabigon’s journey back to life as he
struggled to overcome his addiction. He began that journey by learning
about traditional healing methods such as use of sweetgrass; about the
“hub” as a means of addressing feelings of inferiority; about the
four sacred directions of the medicine wheel necessary to regain a sense
of harmony and balance in life; and about the sweatlodge ceremony as a
means of purifying the body, mind, and spirit. Nabigon used all of these
tools in his journey back to wellness, a life free from the influences
of alcohol.

The Hollow Tree is an excellent resource for counsellors, therapists,
and those in the helping professions seeking practical ways to apply the
teachings in their practice.