I love being around trees because they give me a big boost of energy. Do trees have spirits? If not, why do they seem as if they are conscious? I currently live in a city that’s polluted, and I long to move to the country. Do you think that living in the country is better for us spiritually? Are there more nature spirits there?
Y.
Dreamchaser:
I love trees as well. My adoptive mother taught me all about trees when she would take me out in the woods to pick leaves. We would press them between waxed paper and then she would teach me to identify trees by their leaves. She would also quote a poem to me by Joyce Kilmer:
I think that I shall never see
A poem as 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.
Trees are living beings, and they give us life. They can share energy with us, and we can share energy with them. If you watch trees closely, you’ll see that on hot days, their leaves will droop to the ground as if they’re beaten down by the heat.
When rain is coming, trees lift their leaves up towards the sky to catch the rain, teaching us how to reach out to get what we need from the universe.
Trees house birds, squirrels and the occasional scared cat. They provide shelter for us when it’s hot or raining. That has always shown me that the universe will provide for my daily needs and protection. Trees sway in the wind but seldom break. There are many lessons we can learn about life from trees.
I don’t think the country is more spiritual than the city. I think individuals must find the best place for them. I know people who couldn’t live anywhere but in the middle of a big, loud city. Other people like myself prefer wide open spaces and lots of clean air to breathe. I think your issue is that you personally aren’t suited for city life.
Everything in nature is alive, so everything in nature has a spirit — even grass has a spirit. Have you ever walked into a field of high grass and run your hands over it? Did you feel the energy from the grass and the land it was growing on? If not, do so! Get out of the city more often to renew your own spirit.
I wish you many wonderful interactions with nature.
*****
Astrea:
The earth, its seasons, the lengthening and shortening of days, the swift phases of the moon, dense forests — all nature is beautiful. The earth and its magic were once regarded with wonder. When the earth is happy, you can almost feel her gentle chuckle under your feet. When we deface or scar her, we diminish all life.
So help celebrate the earth today by planting one tree. Seek out a quiet spot with a huge old tree that seems to embody the wisdom of many centuries.
All of nature contains energy. What you sense from trees is that energy. As it touches you more than other kinds of natural energy, connecting with it shouldn’t be very difficult for you.
Become a “tree hugger.” Put your arms around a tree and feel the green, growing energy flowing into your body. Sit beneath the shade of a tree and relax under its caring branches. Climb up into a sturdy tree and feel what the the wind.
Very old trees contain ancient magical power. To tap into this and communicate through a certain tree, take a spool of white thread and wind it around the tree as you say:
Beneath this tree a network wends of roots,
Thus I connect to friends.
Through the branches, my message goes,
My words upon their way do flow.
A letter takes too long to write,
I want to feel their love tonight.
These roots go deep and intertwine,
To form our network underground.
I say the words, go round the tree,
And thus I send my love to thee.
All growing plants in nature contain positive energy. It’s not an accident that they take the waste from our breath (carbon dioxide) and turn it into new breath (oxygen) for us. All natural things (including humans) are connected to one another in some way. One energy feeds another and that other feeds another. This is the cycle of life.
Whether you live in the city or the country, you can enjoy all of nature. There are parks in New York City that have every bit as much positive energy as the deep woods of east Texas. Humans make a place livable. If the people around you in the city seem negative, get away from those people. Find a place to live that feels right to you.