TREE WISDOM

[relaxer]

Brothers on sisters,

 

 

We've touched on the subject of life as practice. ALL of life, from eating - to walking - to talking to Mom, exists as mirrors. The experience itself is a reflection of our state of being, and through exposure to this reflection there is awareness of the entity that is identified by name, our name. Truth is reflected. The experience of this truth is so subtle and seems to exist only in present moment awareness. When the mind is loud, the reflection just flickers on a broken mirror, hardly able to be integrated, lost.

 

A well-structured and dedicated practice can flower over time. Isn't it beautiful when a practice that was once viewed as a "tool" for some sort of advancement becomes a love affair with the very act itself. This is what I would refer to as flowering. There is no short cut to flowering. A plant must mature and in due time, under the right conditions and nurturing, a flower may appear. It might not.

 

Once one flower appears, many seem to follow. "Practices" that were once ignored become new playgrounds for awareness and interest. Flossing teeth can become a rich practice. Floss from the center.

 

I am rambling.

 

One particular aspect that I really love about this place is our ability to relate the experience of our practices. By understanding the way others have nurtured their practices into flowering, we might gain a deeper and clearer seeing into new methods of nurturing our own. Thanks for this.

 

to the question:

 

I've had a love and been drawn to trees for a very long time. I used to spend entire summers in them. Some have used trees in "spiritual" practice in one way or another since the dawn of man. My teacher often relates stories of one of his teachers, a master from Singapore. His teacher always spoke very highly of trees. He stressed the importance of treating them as you would another human or friend. If you've never met, take the time to introduce yourself, tell her your name and ask permission to spend some time with her. I always like hearing these stories. They seem to be a mixture of esoteric mysticism and hard pragmatic lessons for life. When I was younger, I often shrugged such stories off as flowery eastern metaphor, hippy stuff. As practice has deepened, is see the pragmatic nature of the wisdom in those words.

 

So I now wonder,

 

How many of you were chosen by trees as a student? How did your "practice" with them begin? How was it sustained? There is no tree-communication college, unfortunately. Currently, my main practice is in clay. I understand that the best way to receive wisdom, often, is to sit and be silent. I, however, would never tell a student to just sit by a piece of clay to discover its nature, to learn from it. For this, action is required. This is what good clay tradition is built on- discovering the most efficient way of opening to the voice or taste of clay. The Japanese call it TSUCHI AJI "taste of clay". How does one efficiently open to the "taste of tree"? Are there traditions built around this river of human experience? If so I would really like to hear some stories or any wisdom that you may have been given over the years (eg ceremony, ways of communicating, ways of offering, ways of showing respect). I really like the site and enjoy reading your words. For some reason I've been thinking about this a lot lately... The trees must be speaking up... Thank you for taking the time to read this.

 

ben

[Aetherous]

At least personally, I go for walks and put the whole idea out of my mind. All of a sudden, I will notice a strong affinity for a certain tree. Then I will begin to look at it and admire it, and end up sharing energy with it (because I am there simply admiring it, that's all it takes).

 

Like a friend, a tree may have a good day and a bad day. Sometimes you don't jive with certain friends, no matter the day...it's on you.

 

So finding the ideal moment is important, along with the ideal tree. You may have a strong bond with a tree today, but then tomorrow maybe that same spark of life just isn't there between you two.

 

I think hugging a tree, or putting your forehead against it (like you would put your forehead against a loved one's forehead, when doing eskimo kisses or something), is a great thing to do. In doing this, you can come to know its character and personality.

 

Once I did that and felt that the tree had a father type of presence...it was really odd. I've never had abandonment issues or anything...my relationship with my dad is fine...but the feeling of this being treating me as a loving father would, was something very moving at the time. Very heart opening and relaxing.

 

Consider...humans and trees have a symbiotic relationship. We need them to survive. They enjoy our carbon dioxide that we exhale and emanate. Sometimes we plant them...sometimes we cut them down. But they are just there for us. So respecting that, and treating them like our lifelong companions...like brothers or best friends...rather than something to simply dominate, is good.

 

Some cultures go as far as to worship certain trees. Some Mongolians, I have read, consider it horrible luck to cut evergreen trees. The Norse type people said the same thing for various trees like oak, elm, spruce, birch, etc.

 

In my own experience, there can also be trees that are essentially telling you to piss off. Best to just forget about it and find another tree. All things in nature communicate primarily by feeling. The only way to be sure that what you're feeling is correct, is to be 100% sure you're feeling it correctly...if you're kind of uncertain, might as well not even bother.

 

...

 

Oh also, I once read about a guitar that had a saying etched into it. It said something like:

 

"In life, I stood silent, but in death I sweetly sing."

 

So moral of the story is: maybe sometimes it's okay to use your friends!

Edited August 6, 2011 by Scotty

[zerostao]

"There is no tree-communication college, unfortunately."

there are forests. find a suitable grove and listen.

 

edit> trees make wonderful baguazhang trainers.

and it is easier to have it "made in the shade"

while hanging out with trees.

 

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

 

the poet who wrote this was killed at the second battle of the marne 1918

Edited August 6, 2011 by zerostao

[relaxer]

Thank you for the replies.

 

It seems like you're both pointing to bringing an open sensitivity/receptivity to open the lines of communication. This feels right. Like I said before, there are no shortcuts.

 

I, however, still can't help but feel a vacuum of knowledge when it comes to this topic. Cultures must have certain protocols in establishing connection. It must sound as if I'm getting picky and asking for the million dollar answer, like I'm out to get something from this type of communication or practice, but it's a little more subtle than that.

 

It must come from my Japanese ancestry. In that culture, there is usually a way of doing things. There is a way to enter a room, to inspect of tea bowl, to sharpen and put away a blade, etc... For a while, I thought it was all so mechanical, but after a while you realize the wisdom and beauty in the old ways. In America, there is no way of doing anything. Everybody seems to be doing it for the first time, which is beautiful in it's own sense, but usually it's pretty ugly to watch and lacks any sensitivity to the layers and beauty of the act itself.

 

ben

[Jetsun]

This is a topic of great interest to me too and yesterday I did a Shamanic tree ceremony from the medicine wheel teachings(coincidence this topic comes up now?). The ceremony involves placing four stones around the tree in the four cardinal directions then making an offering to the tree to pay your respects and ask for its help, then with your back to the tree you move around the tree asking particular questions depending on the direction you face then wait to see what answers come up. It was the first time I did it and I was surprised by the insight I got from it and I will be doing it again.

 

Here in the UK there used to be a great mystical Druid tradition to do with the power of the trees but unfortunately most of the tradition is lost, but what I discovered in my research is that out of all the trees the Yew tree was considered the most sacred and powerful ally (as well as being the oldest with some thousands of years old) and the Druids would worship these trees and circles of them would be considered very holy, far more holy and powerful than famous stone circle sites like Stonehenge. I also found out that many Churches are built with Yew trees in their courtyard and considering it is a rare tree this is no coincidence.

 

I understand there is a tree Qigong taught on the Stillness Movement workshop and would be interested to hear about peoples experiences with that.

[suninmyeyes]

Worshipping Tulasi(not proper tree,but ..)in India

 

Banyan tree worship,also in India

[zerostao]

This is a topic of great interest to me too and yesterday I did a Shamanic tree ceremony from the medicine wheel teachings(coincidence this topic comes up now?). The ceremony involves placing four stones around the tree in the four cardinal directions then making an offering to the tree to pay your respects and ask for its help, then with your back to the tree you move around the tree asking particular questions depending on the direction you face then wait to see what answers come up. It was the first time I did it and I was surprised by the insight I got from it and I will be doing it again.

 

Here in the UK there used to be a great mystical Druid tradition to do with the power of the trees but unfortunately most of the tradition is lost, but what I discovered in my research is that out of all the trees the Yew tree was considered the most sacred and powerful ally (as well as being the oldest with some thousands of years old) and the Druids would worship these trees and circles of them would be considered very holy, far more holy and powerful than famous stone circle sites like Stonehenge. I also found out that many Churches are built with Yew trees in their courtyard and considering it is a rare tree this is no coincidence.

 

I understand there is a tree Qigong taught on the Stillness Movement workshop and would be interested to hear about peoples experiences with that.

 

interesting about the yew tree as i am aware of some native american "reverence"

to that particular tree.

tree qigong-best in the mornings, not for cloudy or rainy days, def not during thunderstorms

not at night. face the side of the tree that is facing the morning sun. cedars are great. evergreens, pines,

whatever tree you choose and have good connection with make sure it is filled with leaves.

stand on the roots if you can. these are my observations and not associated with any particular school or style.

there is the natural symbiotic relationship that scotty mentioned. you may feel a sensation much like the flow of electric current.

[Bubbles]

edited

Edited August 24, 2011 by bubbles

[Aetherous]

stand on the roots if you can.

 

Yup, that totally increases the connection.

[relaxer]

The ceremony involves placing four stones around the tree in the four cardinal directions then making an offering to the tree to pay your respects and ask for its help, then with your back to the tree you move around the tree asking particular questions depending on the direction you face then wait to see what answers come up. It was the first time I did it and I was surprised by the insight I got from it and I will be doing it again.

 

 

Thanks for the description of your ceremony. It sounds like a great one. I live in South Dakota, USA. It's Lakota country. I've only been able to practice with and learn from very few native healers, but the power of the experiences, though few, is strong and deep. The Yew tree is also very fascinating. I'm going to do some searching tonight on the subject.

 

stand on the roots if you can.

 

Does this mean ON the roots, as in bottoms of feet on the root itself? mmm That would make zhan zhuang pretty tough : ) I'll give it a try.

 

Why not befriend a tree?

[Birch]

I had a spontaneous desire to thank a bunch of them (trees) the other day. It turned out to be a bit much. I felt so much gratitude for them that I welled up and cried for a while out of sorrow for what "we" are doing to them. Anyway, I did it because I figured taking from them was being done enough. I'm not sure I would do it again. Yes, many of them are pissed but they seemed to tolerate my antics. I felt very small and young and stupid.

[Taomeow]

"There is no tree-communication college, unfortunately."

there are forests. find a suitable grove and listen.

 

edit> trees make wonderful baguazhang trainers.

and it is easier to have it "made in the shade"

while hanging out with trees.

 

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

 

the poet who wrote this was killed at the second battle of the marne 1918

 

Nice...

 

Ogden Nash came up with an alternative opening in 1933:

 

I think that I shall never see

A billboard lovely as a tree.

Perhaps, unless the billboards fall,

I'll never see a tree at all.

[Taomeow]

I had a spontaneous desire to thank a bunch of them (trees) the other day. It turned out to be a bit much. I felt so much gratitude for them that I welled up and cried for a while out of sorrow for what "we" are doing to them. Anyway, I did it because I figured taking from them was being done enough. I'm not sure I would do it again. Yes, many of them are pissed but they seemed to tolerate my antics. I felt very small and young and stupid.

 

I think that's great. Emotional (sic), even passionate contacts with all creatures are humanizing to us, and their absence, dehumanizing... regardless of how they react to our emotions. (Sometimes passionately, I've experienced that.)

 

When no one is watching/listening, I talk to everything. I used to exclude man-made objects, but a couple of episodes convinced me they should be included too. Once I touched a famous monument and introduced myself, as I often do with live stuff. It zapped me with an introduction of its own: "I am pain." But how.

 

On a lighter note, I always call out the name of any everyday object I'm looking for. They always respond -- always. Car keys! Cheese grater! Jade earring from the left ear! They all know their names. Try it and see. Whatever you've misplaced longs to be found -- you just have to let it know you miss it and need it. If you don't care, they don't care to form relationships with you. If you care but don't tell them, they might not know.

[zerostao]

re-reading this thread, i now have an immediate urge to hug a tree,

and hug -K-, and Taomeow and suninmyeyes

wth, group hug

trees make great friends.

Edited August 10, 2011 by zerostao

[suninmyeyes]

I think that's great. Emotional (sic), even passionate contacts with all creatures are humanizing to us, and their absence, dehumanizing... regardless of how they react to our emotions. (Sometimes passionately, I've experienced that.)

 

When no one is watching/listening, I talk to everything. I used to exclude man-made objects, but a couple of episodes convinced me they should be included too. Once I touched a famous monument and introduced myself, as I often do with live stuff. It zapped me with an introduction of its own: "I am pain." But how.

 

On a lighter note, I always call out the name of any everyday object I'm looking for. They always respond -- always. Car keys! Cheese grater! Jade earring from the left ear! They all know their names. Try it and see. Whatever you've misplaced longs to be found -- you just have to let it know you miss it and need it. If you don't care, they don't care to form relationships with you. If you care but don't tell them, they might not know.

Love this post.

When I am looking for something I think about it or call it out too and my body starts automatically walking towards that direction.

Everything is alive and the needs to be treated with the utmost respect and attention is what I am getting at these days.Even the skin from the lychees and the lap top keyboard,not to mention alarm clock.

That is how life becomes a close friend.

Edited August 10, 2011 by suninmyeyes

[Birch]

re-reading this thread, i now have an immediate urge to hug a tree,

and hug -K-, and Taomeow and suninmyeyes

wth, group hug

trees make great friends.

 

Aw sweet ZT :-)

 

I have quite a number of them and they all have character :-)

 

I liked TaoMeow's post about things. I had a spontaneous experience that went down similarly in a supermarket while mid-K-weirdness. It ought to be said that whatever's left of any original food in the artificial stuff is very upset. I guess I hadn't realized I could just go and do this type of thing on purpose (well, I mean there was a purpose when I did, but I guess I just went along with it). Anyway, short of sounding like a nutter, I tend to follow my spontaneous desires in such matters and then I get to explain it as weirdness (K is a good bucket for all of that stuff:-))