Song of Increase: Listening to the Wisdom of Honeybees for Kinder Beekeeping and a Better World

The most joyful emanation produced by a colony of bees is known as the “song of increase”—declaring that the hive is flourishing and the bees are happy in its abundance. Song of Increase takes us inside the world of the honeybee to glean the wisdom of these fascinating creatures with whom humanity has shared a sacred bond for millennia.

Within these pages is a bee-centric approach to living with honeybees, rather than advice for simply maximizing the products they provide. Jacqueline Freeman takes us beyond traditional beekeeping and offers a way to work in harmony with honeybees for both their good and ours. “Our way is one of kind observation,” she explains, “where we create supportive homes and fields for bees to live in, as well as tend the heartfelt relationships we form by being together.”

Song of Increase focuses on hidden aspects of apiculture that lead us naturally to more sustainable practices. Freeman illuminates the unity consciousness that guides every action in the colony and how this profound awareness can influence the way we see both the natural world and ourselves. Each chapter presents a wealth of information about the life of bees, including Freeman’s personal insights and direct teachings received from the bees themselves.

Contents Include:

I. The Song of Unity: How Bees See Themselves, Their Colony, and the World
II. The Song of Belonging: The Sacred Work of the Queen, Drones, Maidens, and Pips
III. The Song of Communion: How Bees Create a Perfect Home
IV. The Song of the World: The Communion of Bees and Flowers
V. The Song of Increase: The Blessings of the Swarm and the Ascension of a New Queen
VI. The Song of Abundance: The Generosity of Bees
VII. The Song of Sharing: How We Can Help Our Bee Friends

• The Sacred Bee in Ancient Times and Folklore (Dover Books on Anthropology and Folklore)
• The Shamanic Way of the Bee: Ancient Wisdom and Healing Practices of the Bee Masters
• Honeybee Democracy
• A Monk in the Bee Hive: A Short Discourse on Bees, Monks and Sacred Geometry
• Bees: (CW 351)
• Following the Wild Bees: The Craft and Science of Bee Hunting
• At the Hive Entrance
• Toward Saving the Honeybee
• Top-Bar Beekeeping: Organic Practices for Honeybee Health
• Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping, Revised Edition