10/24/2020
Spend Time with Trees
Trees are good company:
Most of us are instinctively drawn to trees, perhaps because our interaction with trees goes back to when we were proto-humans. Without the tree's fruit and shelter from predators, we might not have existed. Colorful fruit speeded up the development of color vision. Planning the next leap made us thoughtful and strong. When life got a little too crazy on the ground, there was shelter above, where few could go. Material for sleeping platforms was right at hand. Time to rest, to regroup brought the group together. Now fast forward something like a million years to forest bathing.
Forest bathing is a translation of the Japanese phrase shinrin yoku. Dip, wade or plunge or into a space that is dominated by trees, cultivated or wild, whether you are walking or sitting , this is forest bathing, the results of which are feeling rested, lower blood pressure, refocused clarity of thought, and feeling calm, all plain to any practitioner. Spending time in parks or the forest is very good for people; reconnecting with these outside beings, our ancient companions and teachers, is as natural as sunlight.
Trees are creators of sacred space:
I have stood in the redwoods and in York Minster, and although they are very different spaces, they have their similarities. Call it what you will, they are powerful spaces, sacred spaces that naturally call for quiet, reverence and curiosity. There is a good chance you might learn something here. Sit down, be quiet, let your thoughts and problems go--see what comes back.
Large old tree in a public space:
Any place where you find a single large old tree or a group, you will find people congregating underneath those trees. You have some time before your busy day continues, with a favorite beverage, and either alone or with others, or your lunch and a book, your feet naturally take you to the space around those old trees. A young child turned loose in this space will run in wonder, gazing upward, looking around try to take in the whole tree experience. There are good reasons why we act this way among trees.
Trees have good vibes.
Trees are refreshing givers of energy. All living things are creatures of energy, perhaps I could use the word vibes. We all know the difference between good and bad vibes. The people you like to be with give off vibes that feel good to you, you get energy from them, and they get energy from you.
So it is with trees, with one major difference, trees don't have bad vibes, some are stronger than others, but trees put out only good energy. This is a strong part of their attraction. These ideas about the feel of things is hard to measure. There is no right or wrong here, if tree energy works for you, that's great; if not, that's OK too. We self-proclaimed forest bathers know that tree energy works for us.
Meet the trees:
The process of encountering trees is very simple. If you own trees in your own garden, then just simply sit with them, share a cup of tea. Meet the trees in a natural state, where your senses can be directed to the tree; it's as alive as you are in this moment, like a child, a dog or a friend, just in a different way. Unplug, shut off your phone, remove your ear plugs, this way your ongoing day is not a distraction, now you can hear the breeze moving in the tree, watch the play of light as the sun moves through the canopy. This is a good time to do nothing, even if only for a few minutes. Just meet your tree.
https://krltreeservice.com/blog/194-spend-time-with-trees
