Lessons from Trees
28-Nov-06
In Bangalore I often come across ladies standing with their hands joined in front of a tree, or even bowed down touching her forehead on the ground.
Since childhood, I have seen people worshipping trees. They say prayers and make offerings, but I never understood the meaning behind it. I am also aware of people who worship other aspects of nature like animals, rivers, and mountains.
I asked a laughter club member why some people worship trees. He passed on a beautiful piece of wisdom I want to share with you.
The Sky asked the tree what is your secret of happiness? You go through many hardships and extremes of weather, what makes you happy?
The tree said, I am Happy for many reasons Whatever fruits I bear I give away to the world. Anyone can shelter in my shade be it man, woman or animals. Birds can make nests in my branches. People can use my wood, bark leaves for different pursposes.
Most importantly I give unconditionally to all, be they saint or sinner — all are welcome to enjoy my gifts.
My happiness comes from the joy of giving of myself unconditionally.
What a wonderful story. Many thanks. Let us imagine how intricate this unspoken relationship with trees affects us in ways we aren’t aware of. During a meditation, I had the great fortune to be near some very old trees. Helped by some background knowlege of the inner lives of trees, I could feel the energy flowing through them. Water flowing from the roots to the leaves in great quantities and sugar returning back to feed the roots. All the while the gift of life, oxygen, is being freely given to us to sustain life on our planet. Layer upon layer, the complexity of the bark spoke volumes of the tree’s own life. During a moment of contemplation, a piece of bark fell from the tree in front of me. I was overcome considering the chances of this happening and I had a wonderful time imagining the significance of the occasion. I said “thank you” to the tree and touched it as a friend touches another….And I felt a laugh swell up inside. Ha! Ha! Ha! I laughed for joy and the fact that I was alive.
Chris Hartridge
Comment by Chris Hartridge — November 28, 2006 @ 4:43 pm
Since I’m a little girl I’ve had a very special connection with trees and nature. A few years ago the connection took again a deeper turn…
Trees are really like said here a manifestation of uncondition love and they can even be there personaly for you and you for them. I have always dreamt to combine a silent walking stopping by trees… with laughter-yoga.
I’ve done it once and it was a great plaesure for all and wil be done more often in the future.
warm laughter hug from Kunti Bellière (Belgian/Tahiti)
Comment by Kuntidevi Belli貥 — November 28, 2006 @ 7:09 pm
My daily walk amoung the Loblolly Pines and ancient oaks is my sunrise ritual
Sometimes, I hum the melody from the song “TREES”
————–”I think that I shall never see
——————————-a thing as lovely as a tree”
Silly, and yet, wonderful stuff that helps me giggle my way into a new day.
JCD
Comment by JOE DAVIS — November 30, 2006 @ 5:26 pm
I often hug a tree when I feel I need to root myself and be more grounded. I find that when I do this, the tree seems to pull my negative energy and stress down into the ground.
Trees are amazing and incredible, they have such a calming and tranquil influence on me. I always feel a sense of wonder and appreciation for them when I am surrounded by their quiet magic.
Loving trees (and laughter) in Alberta, Canada.
Heather Thomas
Comment by Heather Thomas — December 1, 2006 @ 12:34 pm
I have always felt a connection with trees, whenever i can i excape to be near a tree behind our house by the creek; it’s so peaceful there. I canot imagine life without trees i enjoy planting new trees and seeing them grow. I even name the trees i plant, like my childrens names.
Comment by claudine arseneau — December 7, 2006 @ 3:06 pm
This is the first time that I hear that people worships trees. I have never seen it, but I have done it. As a college student, I used to relax by sitting close to the trees at Campus and sometimes I used to put my ear close the trunk to hear what they have to say. My friends looked at me with awe, and sometimes thought it was “something crazy” but I believed in it and felt peace. I have a very special connection with nature. When I travel I always go to a park for a walk. Happy, Happy New Year filled with Laughter!!!
Comment by Zulma Rodriguez — December 27, 2006 @ 12:28 pm
The natives in B.C. Canada call trees their elder brothers, and offer them gifts of tobacco. They honour them for their gifts, and give them gratitude. I, too, have always felt a special connection to “my elder brothers. When I walk in the forest I offer them silent thanks for their gifts to us, and always feel a wave of love flow to me as I bless them. They respond in such a wonderful way. When I’m feeling stressed, I love to walk on a forest path, and just come into rapport with the trees. It always heals and grounds my spirit.
Comment by Deirdre McKeown — February 12, 2007 @ 3:15 am
Hi - what great stuff about trees. As a child living in the rural area of Arkansas, my Dad owned about 100 acres with all kinds and ages of trees and every day I would walk for what seemed like a long time just in the back of the house among the trees - it was sooooo peaceful. Since being a Sr. citizen now and living in the metro area of the tri state area, things are soooo hectic, but in doing meditation sometimes, I can escape back to that calming, feeling, that I felt as a child walking in the woods. I also used the small trees maybe 6″ in diameter to ride on, just bend them down and then ride on them like a seesaw. Poor trees, I guess that sometime in their life they straightened up into normal trees.
Comment by DEX LEVIN — February 14, 2007 @ 9:59 am
Trees are lovely creatures. Our neighbour had a beautiful blue spruce that bordered our property. For whatever reason, the neighbour decided to cut down the tree! When I looked out one day to see the men with their big cutting machines and this tree reduced to wood chips, I cried. I decided to have a ceremony to honour the tree and acknowledge my own grief at its passing. I played a song “Bonny Portmore” as sung by Loreena McKennitt which is about the destruction of old growth forests of Portmore Castle in Ireland (but the destruction is happening all over the world). My favourite verse is:
All the Birds in the forest, they bitterly weep
Saying “where shall we shelter or where will we sleep?”
For the Oak and the Ash they are all cutten down
And the walls of Bonny Portmore are all down to the ground.
Comment by Donna Costa — March 6, 2007 @ 11:46 am