Hi,
And welcome to this tree meditation.
Today we'll be practicing a visualization to feel into the serenity,
The stillness,
And the wisdom of nature.
Start by finding a comfortable position,
Preferably seated.
Make sure that your back is tall,
That your chest is open.
And on your own rhythm,
Take some deep inhales through your nostrils and slowly,
Gently release them through your mouth.
With each new exhale,
Allow your shoulders to fall a little more to your sides and the muscles in your face to soften.
If you haven't already,
You can gently close your eyes and your mouth and turn your attention within,
Letting your breath fall back into its natural rhythm.
And now,
Bring to your mind's eye the image of the most beautiful tree you can think of,
Perhaps a tree you know and that you can't help but marvel at anytime you see it,
Or perhaps a tree straight out of your imagination that inspires you a sense of awe and tranquility.
Visualize its overall shape,
The details of its colors and shades,
And its subtle movements whenever a breeze of wind brushes past it.
And as you observe this tree with your whole undivided attention,
Imagine that you become the tree.
Feel your body become this living organism with roots in the earth and its trunk elevated towards the sky.
Notice how this shift in perspective feels.
And as you discover this new organism of yours,
Bring your attention to how you make contact with the ground beneath you.
And imagine the roots that are anchored in the ground beneath you,
Giving you a sense of stability and serenity.
And move your attention to your upper body.
Imagine that there's some wind that's gently blowing on your leaves and branches,
Making your trunk sway gently from side to side,
From front to back.
And as you're swaying,
Notice how your roots keep you anchored,
Even when the winds get a bit strong.
The wind gently subsides,
And your trunk comes back to its natural position of equilibrium.
And now visualize all the water and nutrients that you're drawing from the ground,
Coming up from your roots and nourishing all the parts of your body.
From the ground up,
Take a moment to scan the different sensations in your organism,
Becoming conscious of all the fluids circulating within you,
Softening tight areas,
Repairing damaged tissue,
And filling you up with a lively energy.
Bring your attention to what is happening at your surface,
Perhaps the heat and light of the sun,
The soft caresses of the wind,
Or small droplets of humidity.
And with each inhale,
Relax into this feeling of being a living organism,
Constantly nourished by your environment.
Now,
Bring your attention to your branches and observe them as they slowly grow themselves,
As they virgin new leaves and flowers in spring,
And let them go and fall.
And notice how your branches,
Without you having to figure anything out,
Or having to strain or tense up in any way,
Know how to take care of themselves,
That there's a very deep wisdom inscribed in every cell of your body.
Now visualize everything that surrounds you,
And notice how you benefit your environment just by being the tree you are.
You provide shade to anyone who wants to sit by your side,
A shelter for birds and small animals,
And fruits and medicine in abundance to anyone who desires it.
And enjoy this feeling of being a living being that provides abundantly to your environment.
Finally,
Bring your attention to your entire organism and your environment,
And acknowledge how far you've come from being just a tiny seed to being the big,
Beautiful tree you are now,
And take a moment to remember any big storms you had to go through,
And how during each one of these storms your roots grew a little deeper underneath you.
Perhaps bringing a sense of gratitude for having made it where you are today,
For having grown past difficulties again and again.
And also notice that in this very moment,
Slowly,
Almost imperceptibly,
Your roots are growing a little bit deeper.
Your trunk is elevating higher.
You're able to benefit even more from your environment,
And to give even more of your gifts to the living beings around you.
And just finally resting in this feeling of gratitude,
Of being able to give and receive abundantly.
You can gently come out of this visualization and back into your human form,
Sitting here in this room,
And just move this human body of yours in any way that feels comfortable.
I hope you enjoyed this meditation.
I find that these visualizations can have a powerful soothing effect on my mood.
So there's any imagery that provided you with a soothing sensation or a pleasant sensation,
Perhaps the feeling of being anchored or of being nourished by your environment.
I invite you to take it with you in your daily life,
Particularly in moments when you feel some agitation.
And I'll see you next time for some new meditations.
