For today's practice,
You might choose to sit comfortably inside or venture outside to the backyard,
To a nearby park,
Out in the woods.
Whether in your mind's eye or you can find the real life version,
Find yourself standing under a tree.
If you are generating this image in your mind,
Maybe you find a tall redwood tree,
Strong,
Everlasting.
Perhaps you found a favorite tree in your backyard.
Maybe you've just been for a walk and you've found a place to sit under a tree enjoying the shade.
Wherever you are,
Notice this tree.
See its height.
Notice its leaves.
Can you see the light shining in between the branches?
Notice all of the colors here on the tree and its bark and its leaves.
Maybe this tree is hosting other forms of life,
Moss,
Mushrooms,
Maybe a bird's nest.
Can you notice the tree blowing in the wind,
Wavering but steady?
Take a moment to reflect on everything that it took to get this tree to its state today.
Less than half of all saplings make it to the state of tree.
How strong these roots must be,
How rich the soil.
Appreciate how long this tree has been in this place.
Some trees might grow 10 to 15 feet high in about 10 years.
Some other species might take nearly a century to reach their maximum height.
Think of the storms this tree weathered to still be here,
The perfect conditions that manifested to give this tree life.
And allow yourself a few moments of appreciation for everything that trees do for us.
The oxygen that they produce,
That we breathe,
Their welcomed shade on a hot day.
Giving themselves as a resource for building materials,
Paper.
Appreciate their sheer beauty through the seasons,
Whether turning bright colors in autumn or flowering and fruiting in spring and summer.
Put yourself in awe of trees.
Awe is a feeling of wonder,
Reverence,
And respect that can be inspired by something that is grand,
Powerful,
Or sublime.
Perhaps you can remember a time when you felt a sense of awe.
Or maybe you can think of something that you've never done before that you think might allow you to experience awe.
Maybe you just continue to sit with this image of a tree in its glory,
Waving in the wind,
A pillar of strength and tenacity to grow and thrive no matter what the environment throws at it.
Continue to imagine yourself in an experience of awe.
When you notice what's happening in your body,
Are you tense or relaxed?
Is there a tingle or a desire to get up and go?
Notice your heart rate and your breath cycle.
Does this feeling of awe spark any thought patterns or inspire you to take any action?
Simply notice what this brings up for you.
Try not to get too locked in to assigning meaning or starting to make plans,
But simply appreciate.
Cultivating a sense of awe in our life can make us calmer,
Kinder,
More creative.
It reigns in the ego and allows us to feel more connected to the earth and to other beings.
Awe reminds us that there are processes at work that are beyond our comprehension,
Which can improve our sense of faith in the universe and our connection to a higher power.
You can find a sense of awe in easily accessible things like nature,
Music,
A piece of art,
Observing admirable behaviors in those around us.
Perhaps you find awe in that sense of transcendence you get watching your favorite sports team win and cheering along with your fellow fans.
Perhaps you find awe in birth or death.
Awe allows us to feel deeply inspired.
Sometimes this sense finds us and other times we need to search for these moments and create our own sense of awe.
Maybe that's simply having a mindful moment in the woods,
Watching the tides of the ocean,
Or a quiet coffee alone or with friends.
Even small moments can bring a big sense of awe and wonder into our life.
Where will you create awe for yourself in the coming days or weeks?
Perhaps you simply return to this meditation.
Wherever you find it,
Practice often and be well.
Namaste.
