The Tree and the Spiral explores a simple but radical idea: kindness is not just a moral choice — it is a biological, psychological, and social force that shapes our lives from the inside out.
Blending neuroscience, positive psychology, systems thinking, and everyday human experience, the book shows how small acts of compassion create upward spirals that transform individuals, relationships, communities, and even entire systems.
Using the metaphors of a tree and a spiral, the book guides readers through an ever-widening journey: from caring for ourselves, to caring for others, to caring for the world. Along the way, it explores how trust, belonging, curiosity, and cooperation form the hidden architecture of human flourishing.
Kindness, this book argues, is not naïve or sentimental. It is practical. It is powerful. And it is one of the most reliable technologies we have for building better lives and a better society.
Part science, part philosophy, part practical guide, The Tree and the Spiral offers a hopeful, grounded roadmap for living with more courage, connection, and compassion.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Seckman is a library director and community leader whose work has included public libraries, homeless shelters, and recovery centers. Those experiences convinced him that kindness is not an abstract ideal, but a practical force that shapes whether people heal or harden.
Drawing on neuroscience, psychology, and years of real-world experience, David writes about the everyday habits and environments that help individuals and communities thrive. He believes compassion is not sentimental or naïve, but one of the most powerful and reliable tools available for building healthier lives and stronger societies.
Kindness moves in widening circles: from the self, to relationships, to neighborhoods, to institutions and public policy. But it doesn’t travel in a straight line. It spreads through networks of influence — reshaping what feels normal, what feels safe, and what people expect from one another. Systems of care make us more patient, more trusting, more alive. Systems of cruelty do the opposite. And it’s all happening at once, in countless small interactions that quietly reinforce what comes next.
The Tree and the Spiral is his first book.
From The Tree and the Spiral
“Kindness begins underground. Before branches open, before a single leaf unfurls, the roots go down first. Humans work the same way. When the body feels safe, our words soften, our patience returns, and kindness feels natural again.”
“Every small act of compassion creates a loop. One kind moment makes the next kind moment more likely. Over time, these loops become spirals — shaping who we are and what our communities become.”
“Instead of survival of the fittest, a more accurate description of human progress might be survival of the most cooperative. Dominance and aggression may win short-term battles, but they never create long-term success. When we build relationships and societies on kindness, trust, and mutual care, everyone has a role to play in our shared wellbeing.”
Selected excerpts from the forthcoming book
Core ideas from the book
Events and Appearances
Talks, readings, and conversations related to The Tree and the Spiral will be listed here as they are scheduled — including both in-person and virtual events.
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Kindness grows where people gather