BJPsych Advances (2015), vol. 21, 185–187 doi: 10.1192/apt.bp.114.013490 Tolstoy’s oak tree metaphor: MINDREADING depression, recovery and psychiatric ‘spiritual ecology’ Jeremy Holmes times for Leo. They had 13 children. However, Jeremy Holmes is a retired SUMMARY with Tolstoy’s increasing fame, accumulated consultant medical psychotherapist and general psychiatrist. He is Tolstoy’s life and work illustrate resilience, disciples and hangers-on, and eccentric views the transcendence of trauma and the enduring currently Visiting Professor to (e.g. on marital celibacy – a precept he signally the Department of Psychology, impact of childhood loss. I have chosen the failed to practise!) the marriage deteriorated, University of Exeter, UK. famous oak tree passage from War and Peace to often into open warfare, and was beset by Correspondence Jeremy Holmes, illustrate recovery from the self-preoccupation of School of Psychology, University of depression and the theme of ‘eco-spirituality’ – Sophia’s suicide threats (Fig 2). At the age of 82, Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK. Email: the idea that post-depressive connectedness and possibly in the early stages of a confusional state,
[email protected] love apply not just to significant others but also to Tolstoy precipitously left home, accompanied by nature and the environment. his daughter Alexandra. A day later he died of pneumonia at Astapovo railway station en route DECLARATION OF INTEREST to the Caucasus. None. War and Peace I seem to re-read War and Peace roughly every Leo Tolstoy’s novels War and Peace (1869) 20 years – my fourth cycle is fast approaching.