How beautifully leaves grow old.

How full of light and color are their last days.

~John Burrows

The awareness of trees as conscious beings rather than something to harvest for human needs can completely transform how we feel when we walk among them. It makes us mindful and compassionate as we walk under their branches and watch the dance of dying leaves.

Of course, they have no brain or central nervous system like we do, so it unlikely that they are self-aware, but research has shown that trees process information, have senses similar to taste, hearing, touch and smell and feel emotions such as pain, distress and perhaps even love.

Peter Wohlleben, a German forester and author, has studied trees for over 40 years and has made some astounding discoveries. He noted that the large venerable trees will often feed the young saplings sugar through the mycorrhizal network, similar, he feels, to suckling. Although they will feed all the samplings, they generally show favoritism towards their own species. He calls them Mother Trees.

Can you see any of these matriarchs? When these trees are cut down, the health of the rest of the forest is stunted and the trees grow much more slowly even though they have more access to sunshine. It has been shown that some trees will continue to feed the stumps of old mother trees as if reluctant to see them die.

Look and see if you can see two trees growing close together. Note how they seem to be careful not to intrude on the other’s space in the sunshine. According to Wohlleben, these trees have a closely connected root system and, when one dies, the other will soon follow as if they were mated for life.

Do you see areas where a limb has been cut or a tree stump indicates a tree once resided there? Although trees have no central nervous system to process the feelings of pain, studies have shown that, when cut, a tree send out electrical signals like wounded tissue.

As you walk through these ancient beings and listen to the leaves whisper among themselves, do you feel the peace that seems to exude from them? Surrender to that wisdom of spirit. Soften to the humbling realization of how little we still know of the everyday environment around us.

 

Tree Meditation

If we surrendered to earth’s intelligence we could rise up rooted, like trees.  ~Rainer Maria Rilke

During your walk, if the weather is nice, find a spot to relax and meditate. Otherwise, meditate by a window where you can see some trees.

Wherever you are, close your eyes and focus on your connection with the Earth. Notice how the Earth supports you as it always has throughout your life.

Give over your impulse to control anything now and release yourself to gravity: feel your shoulders and arms feel heavy as they succumb to the pull.

Your torso feels relaxed as it sinks towards the Earth but your legs and spine are light and erect, creating a lovely elongation. Your legs release any tension within them and also feel languid and heavy. Focus for a minute on your breathing and allow it to be natural.

Then, in your mind as you sit there, see small roots begin to spring from your feet and start to burrow into the earth to where the fungal network connects them to the plants and trees. With each breath, these roots move and twine around the delicate fibers of the network.

You are now gathering sweetness and wisdom from the trees. Imagine that your breath serves to push love and compassion out through the roots in your feet into the network in exchange for this life-giving nectar. Feel it spread with a golden light throughout the area, going farther with each exhalation. When the area is filled with the sparkle of your love, surrender your roots to Earth’s intelligence.

What would you like from this ancient mother? Do you need healing, solace, reassurance? Feel a tingling or light start to move through your roots to your feet. Draw it up your legs and feel whatever you need start to saturate your limbs.

Let it climb up your legs and fill the vessel that your pelvis provides to nurture your emotional core in your belly. Let it move up and flood your heart with lightness and euphoria.

Look up at the pristine sky and the canopy of leaves shielding you from that infinite blue. Get lost for a moment in the shapes, colors and textures.  You are now a part of this majesty.

Now fully surrender to Earth’s intelligence and just rest there for a few moments.   When you are ready, come back and see if you don’t rise up more rooted like a tree.

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Torri’s book is available for purchase here.