Welcome to your glorious tree of life

If there is one analogy I use a lot in life, it is that of being a tree. Perhaps it is because trees are one of my favourite things in the world and I find them so inspiring and comforting and nurturing. Who knows? But nonetheless and for whatever reason I would love to share with you today, this analogy and trust that it gives you a new sense of your own power, connectedness and ability to be flexible with the winds of change, that often come along in life.

In fact, there is a wonderful meditation I like to do with my Dance for Parkinson’s clients at the beginning of each class, but it is a meditation that can be shared, enjoyed and valued by all. So you may like to try this at home.

Firstly find a comfy chair and sit with your feet connecting strongly with the floor and your hands resting on your lap, making sure you feel comfortable with good back support and that you are nice and warm. Then simply breathe in and out really deeply, feeling all the goodness of the world pouring into you as you breathe in…….1, 2, 3 and then let all the worries and concerns you currently have leave you as you breathe out…..1, 2,3.

Repeat this action over and over.

And as you do this imagine you are a tree.  But not just any tree. A strong,  proud, formidable, powerful tree, that has been in this forest for a very long time. Your body is your trunk  - standing tall and proud, your arms are your branches, reaching out to the light and swaying gently in the breeze. And most importantly – you can feel the energy, the sunlight from above, pulsing down through your body or tree trunk from head to toe – top to bottom. Lighting you up from within and sending energy right along your trunk and branches and down into the root structure you have set up over the years.  When this energy reaches down to your feet – imagine it going out through the soles of your feet and into the floor like tree roots – anchoring you to the earth and providing a conduit for sustenance and life. Breathe in all the goodness of the world. Breathe out any negativity and let a wonderful calm come over you. Simply bask in the sunlight and breathe in all the goodness that surrounds you.

This is a wonderful meditation to ground you at the beginning of each day, or to use if you suddenly feel overwhelmed or unsettled during your day. Stay with it for 10  - 15 minutes if you can and really settle into that grounded feeling and imagine the sunlight on your leaves [ arms] and the stability you feel through your feet making such strong contact with the floor. Sending those tree roots [your life force and energy ] out into the world to keep you grounded and centred.

Why does this meditation work so well? I think it is perhaps that there are so many elements that are relatable when you see yourself as that tree.

Firstly, as human beings we all like to take root somewhere and create a sense of stability in our lives. Sending out our energy into the world, grounded through the earth, gives us a sense of belonging and these tree roots also represent what bring us sustenance. The roots we send out into our communities represent all the connections we make through different social groups, family, friends, and the like. They feed us what we need as humans – love, compassion, friendship, guidance, human interactions and a sense of belonging.

Then we have our body and our sense of self – our tree trunk. And much like a real tree it needs to be at all times both strong and centred, but also flexible to sway with the changes and winds of life.

Then we have our branches and leaves. To me these represent the seasons of our life. Sometimes in full bloom and then at other times shedding all our leaves, to cast off the old and make room for the new. The new shoots. The new leaves. The new way of being and doing. A simple and repetitive cycle that is seamless, effortless and unavoidable. It is just “how it is”. A constant cycle of casting off, resting and then rebirth.

So imagine you are just like a huge and glorious tree.

You take root, ground yourself and rejoice in your very existence. Planting roots in all directions that on one hand ground you to yourself, the earth, the forest around you and your life experience here and now. But also these very same roots feed you, nurture you with everything you need to grow, flower, expand, contract, weather the storms and sway with the winds of change.You rest in the Winter, flower in the Spring, bask in the glory of Summer, allow your leaves to fall in the Autumn, and then continue your cycle of rest and rebirth and fulfil the true potentiality of your existence.

Magical in its simplicity and design.

As this glorious tree, you breathe in all the good and release all the negativity. Constantly cycling through the positive and negative energies that surround you. Keeping all that is good and releasing back to the Earth all that is not productive or nurturing for your particular tree. You feel strong and proud and naturally able to cope with all seasons and all times. You go with the weather and all it brings easily and effortlessly. And most importantly, you have taken root and assured yourself a constant and reliable support system and root structure that runs deep to support you through it all, supplying you with constant nutrients and a physical connectedness and centred-ness to all that is.

So welcome to your very own Tree of Life.

Enjoy it.

Love it.

Feel it.

Send out your roots in whatever direction will bring you the most stability and joy.

Allow your trunk to weather all storms and bend with the winds of change that can sometimes push you around.

Produce the flowers and blossoms that best show off your unique nature.

Bask in the glory of your summer. Rest in Winter. Enjoy the frivolity of Spring. Allow Autumn it’s time and place…….being open to fully experiencing all Seasons of your life.

For through it all – you shall remain constant, grounded, swaying in the breeze and taking in all the sunlight, rain and nutrients that comes your way to give you all you need to survive and flourish and grow.

#Discover You. #Love You. #Be You

Christine