Accepting Change (Tree Meditation)

Thich Nhat Hanh once said, "Impermanence does not necessarily lead to suffering. What makes us suffer is wanting things to be permanent when they are not." The purpose of this meditation is to gradually accept impermanence, whether we see changes around us as good or bad. This practice uses the image of a tree to illustrate this idea of change being inevitable yet still beautiful and able to contribute to our personal growth.

Transcript

Hi, Welcome. The Serenity Prayer is commonly quoted as, God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference. This meditation we're using today is meant for those times mentioned in the first part of this prayer, In the things we cannot change. Because change is not always easy. It's not something we always want to accept. And it's sometimes a moment of suffering. So this meditation is meant to make that less overwhelming, To help us shift our perspective slightly of these current circumstances that we're unable to change. So to begin, Let's go ahead and sit back or stand, Lie down, Whichever is most comfortable for you in a position that allows us to be alert, Yet relaxed. And begin to close the eyes. Perhaps place a hand over your heart. See if you can feel your heart beating, Whether that be against the palm of your hand, Or you can just feel it within you. Can you find your heart? Can you feel it? See what you can find and what you feel. And now hold onto this idea, This thought, This sensation of your heart beating. Let it gradually fade into the background as you bring to mind the image of a tree. And this is a tree with leaves, Many, Many leaves. Can be whatever shape, Whatever size, Whatever type of tree, Any tree with leaves. And this tree is a very special, Unique tree. And it is whatever you want it to be because this tree is you. This tree has roots, Massive roots that plunge deep into the earth, Soaking up the nourishment that it needs to stay alive. These roots you can think of as your heartbeat, That sensation against the palm of your hand, Or what you're able to sense just by sitting here with your eyes closed. Imagine this tree in the summertime. When the sun is bright, The days are long, And the air is warm, Even hot. And this tree has green leaves, Bright and full. It's healthy. It's strong. And there are birds that fly in and out of the branches, Little animals that crawl up and down the side of the bark. Maybe there are some holes, Little crevices where small animals rest during the night, Or whenever they'd like to get out of the sun into the shade. And here the tree stands firmly rooted to the ground. Here it stands. With time, The season begins to change. The air becomes a little cooler. And the sun isn't out as much as it is in the summertime. Because of this, The tree's leaves begin to change color. Rather than bright, Vivid greens, They shift. The colors change to reds, Yellows, Golds. Still bright colors, They're just different. They're not what they were before. Now the tree looks different now. It is still here, Still firmly rooted to the ground, Tapping into the earth for nourishment or strength. And with time, The sun is not around as much, Not there to warm this tree, To provide it with that same sunlight that the leaves need to survive. And pretty soon, They begin to change color even more, And they turn more brown. They dry out, They shrivel, And they fall one by one until they blanket the ground. And the tree is left bare. The branches are exposed now to the wind, To the rain, To the sun when it does come out. And once again, The appearance of this tree has changed. But animals are still here. Rodents fly into the branches to rest every once in a while. Rodents tend to hide in the crevices, Where they store their food for the colder months ahead. And the tree still stands here, Firmly rooted to the ground, Standing tall and strong. With time, The air continues to change, The temperature continues to drop. And pretty soon, The rain that falls isn't rain anymore. Now it's fluffy white snow. It covers the branches of the tree, Decorating it in a soft, White coat that sparkles in the sunlight. It's cold. And occasionally, Ice forms and crystals on the edges of the branches. But the tree sparkles in the sun. And here it still stands. Even though the winds blow by and the nights are long, They seem much longer than they were before. And even under those starry nights, The tree stands in its snowy coat, Rooted deep into the ground, Being nourished by what's there. Now, This snow, It doesn't last forever. It may seem like it lasts a while, But it's not forever. The temperature begins to rise again. The sun seems to stay around longer during the days. The snow melts, Drips off the tree, Off the branches. As it melts around the base of the tree, It soaks deep into the soil, Enrichening it. And as the temperature continues to climb, And the surroundings continue to change, Tiny buds begin appearing on the branches of the tree. They're all over. They seem without number. There's so many. And one by one, Each of these tiny buds begins to open, And blossoms emerge. Pinks, Whites, Yellows, Really whatever colors you want them to be, All blossoming all over the tree, Making it appear as though it's a fluffy cloud of color. And the animals start to return. Those who have been asleep within the tree begin to come out. Some have babies. New birds begin to flock to the trees to build their nests and lay their eggs. And once again, This tree is changed in appearance, But it's still the same tree. Its roots are still in the same place. They've even grown, Anchoring the tree even more into the ground. Still, Standing tall. Still here. And with time, The temperature continues to climb. The air is much warmer than it was before. And the buds, The little flowers, Begin to move over for the brand new leaves that are taking their place. They start so small, So tender, That they grow, They bloom, Until each branch is covered with a thick coat of leaves, Soaking in the sunlight, Bringing further nourishment to the tree. Perhaps they're a little different than they were the last summer. The tree is still that same tree with those same roots deep in the ground, Being nourished by the life force, By the nutrients that are there. The same way you are nourished by the blood coursing through your veins, Being pumped by this precious heart. You like this tree are nourished. And you, Like this tree, Experience changes. Some pleasant, Some desirable, And some not so much. But you are still here. You are still you, Being nourished, Being kept alive by this beautiful heart that you feel deep within you, Beneath the palm of your hand. Here you are. And any time you need to remember this tree, You can always come back to see what's here, What season this tree is in. Know that you are safe, That you are nourished, And that changes will come and they will go. But this is okay because we're growing like the tree. Our views will change. They'll evolve. Our environments will do the same. We are still us. We still have our roots. We still have our strength. As this meditation draws to a close, Internalize this image of the tree. Recognize that you can come back anytime you choose. Begin to reacquaint yourself with your surroundings. Perhaps wiggle the fingers and toes, Beginning to open the eyes, Welcoming yourself back into this moment. Thank you for joining me for this meditation. Come back and enjoy the rest of your day.