Hello my friend.
I'm so glad you're here.
Because today we are going on a very special journey.
A journey into nature.
And on this journey,
We are going to find a beautiful tree.
And spend some quiet time sitting beneath it.
We are going to slow down,
Listen,
Notice,
And connect with this wonderful living being.
But first,
Let's help our bodies become nice and comfortable.
Find a cozy place to lie down or sit.
Perhaps you are resting after a busy day on the couch.
Perhaps you're sitting still for a long car ride.
Or even laying down,
Preparing for a restful night's sleep.
Wherever you are,
Let your hands rest softly.
Let your shoulders drop.
Relax your tummy.
Your legs.
Your feet.
And if you would like to,
Gently close your eyes.
Notice your breath.
Feel your tummy gently rising as you breathe in.
And falling as you breathe out.
Let's take one slow breath together.
Breathing in.
And breathing out.
Again,
Breathing in.
And breathing out.
With every breath out,
You can feel yourself become a little softer.
A little quieter.
And a little more still.
And now.
Let's begin our journey.
Imagine yourself walking along a little forest path.
The path is soft beneath your feet.
Perhaps there are leaves scattered across the ground.
Little sticks.
Moss.
And tiny plants growing between the trees.
The air feels fresh.
You can hear birds somewhere above you.
Maybe you can hear insects buzzing softly nearby.
And as you walk,
You notice a very special tree.
It is standing quietly in a little clearing.
You feel drawn towards it.
So,
You walk closer.
And closer.
Until you are standing right beside it.
Take a moment to look at your tree.
What does it look like?
Is it very tall?
Or perhaps small and round.
Are its branches long and winding.
All strong and wide.
Look at the color of its bark.
Perhaps it is brown.
Gray.
All even a little green with moss.
Imagine now,
Sitting down beneath the tree.
Its branches stretch above you,
Like a great,
Big umbrella.
You are completely comfortable here.
You can rest your back against the trunk and feel its solid strength behind you.
Take a moment to notice the tree.
To really notice it.
Look at the patterns in its box.
Perhaps there are little cracks,
Lines,
Bumps and grooves.
If you could reach out and touch it,
What might the bark feel like?
Would it feel rough?
Smooth.
Cool.
Warm from the sunshine.
Now,
Imagine placing your hand gently against the tree.
You don't need to do anything.
Just notice.
Imagine that you can feel the tree's quiet presence beneath your hand.
It's been standing here,
Growing.
Changing,
And living,
Perhaps long before you arrive.
And it may continue growing long after you are gone.
Did you know that trees are living beings?
They breathe.
Grow.
Drink water,
And respond to the world around them.
Their leaves use sunlight to help make the food they need to grow.
And beneath your feet,
Something very special is happening too.
Imagine that you can see beneath the earth.
The soil becomes gently transparent,
And you can see the tree's roots spreading out underneath you.
Some roots stretch deep into the earth,
While others spread outwards,
Like fingers reaching through the soil.
They hold the tray steady.
They help the tree find water and nutrients.
And they connect the tree to the earth beneath it.
Imagine your own body becoming very still.
And imagine that you can feel those roots beneath you.
Strong.
Steady.
And grounded.
The earth is holding the tree.
And the tree is reaching into the earth.
Did you know that some trees can live for hundreds of years and even thousands of years?
Imagine how much the tree might have witnessed.
Rain falling.
Sun shining.
Birds flying overhead.
Animals resting beneath its branches.
Children playing nearby.
Perhaps climbing on the tree.
Seasons changing again and again and again.
The tree doesn't rush.
It simply grows one season at a time.
Now,
Lift your imagination upwards towards the branches.
Look at the leaves above you.
Perhaps they are bright green.
DAPE Green.
Yellow or even golden.
And look closely.
Because tiny pieces of sunlight are shining through the spaces between the leaves.
Creating little patches of golden light dancing across the ground.
Maybe one lands on your hand.
Maybe another lands on your knee.
And as the leaves move in the breeze,
The little patches of sunlight move too.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Imagine the warm sunlight resting gently on your skin.
Now,
Become very quiet and listen.
This tree is not alone.
Look closely,
And you might notice a tiny spider moving between the branches.
A little beetle beneath the bark.
An ant traveling along the ground.
A butterfly resting on a leaf.
And high above you,
Perhaps a bird has made its home amongst the branches.
This tree is a home,
A shelter,
A place to rest,
A place to hide.
A place to find food.
Did you know a single tree can provide food and shelter for many different animals and insects.
Some creatures live in the box.
Some in the branches.
Some amongst the leaves,
And others live around the roots beneath the ground.
So,
Even when a tree looks quiet,
There can be a whole little world living within it.
Imagine all those tiny lives moving around you while you sit peacefully beneath the tree.
You don't need to disturb them.
Or worry about them.
You can simply sit and notice.
You are a quiet visitor in their world.
And perhaps,
For just a moment,
You can feel grateful for this tree.
For its shade.
For its beauty.
For the oxygen it helps create.
For the homes it provides.
For the creatures it supports.
And simply for being here.
Now,
Place your hand gently over your heart.
And think about this tree.
It doesn't need to hurry.
It doesn't compare itself to the tree beside it.
It doesn't worry about whether it is growing quickly enough.
It simply grows,
In its own way,
In its own time.
And perhaps we can learn something from that.
You don't need to rush.
You don't need to be like anyone else.
You are allowed to grow softly.
You are allowed to rest.
You are allowed to change with the seasons.
And you can be strong while still being gentle,
Just like the tree.
Take one more slow breath in.
And breathe it out.
Feel the earth beneath you.
Feel the tree behind you.
Feel the air around you.
And imagine that you are connected to the earth.
To the sky.
To the trees.
And to all the little creatures around you.
You belong here too.
Now,
Our time beneath the tree is coming to an end.
Thank the tree in whatever way feels right for you.
Perhaps you can simply place your hand against its trunk.
Or send it a quiet thank you in your heart.
And slowly.
Imagine you begin walking back along the forest path.
The sounds of the forest become quieter behind you.
And now.
.
.
Notice your breath again.
Feel your tummy rising as you breathe in.
And falling as you breathe out.
Notice your body resting beneath you.
Feeling your hands,
Arms.
Legs and your feet.
Wriggle your fingers gently,
And then wriggle your toes.
Begin to notice the room around you.
The sounds nearby.
The air on your skin.
The place where your body is resting.
Take one final slow breath in.
And slowly breathe it out.
And remember what the tree taught us today.
You don't need to rush.
You can grow in your own time.
You can rest when you need to.
You can be strong and gentle at the same time.
And just like the tree.
You are connected to the beautiful world around you.
Thank you for joining me beneath the tree today.
Thank you for slowing down.
For listening.
And for taking this quiet moment to connect with nature.
If you are listening during the day,
You may now gently open your eyes,
Stretch your body and move throughout your day again.
Or,
If you are listening at bedtime,
You can simply stay right here,
Resting beneath your imaginary tree.
Listening to the gentle breeze.
And allowing yourself to drift peacefully into sleep.
Bye for now,
My friend.
You you you
