It doesn’t matter where you are or what season it is – the best way to understand what you should be doing is to look at the nearest tree. Happily, they are always doing whatever is best at that time of year. In the spring they start growing, in summer they blossom, in autumn they start preparing for the rest period in winter. And, in winter… they rest, sleeping through the dark time and when the light starts returning at Winter Solstice they start quietly preparing for grow again in spring.
If only we were as smart as a tree! The advent of the electric light has – on one level – completely ruined us because we never have cycles of light and dark and we never respond to the light in the right way. We just keep on and on inside all our buildings with our artificial light and never even think to look at what is really happening outside them. That is real. The rest is mostly a carefully constructed illusion…
And, most people often wonder why they are exhausted and out of synch with almost everything, including themselves. It’s no great surprise to me! So few of us actually go with the flow. Trees do… well, until we buggered up the ecosystem, of course, and now I am quite sure sometimes they are completely confused and never quite know what to do anymore because the weather is so strange.
But, trees are and always will be your best guide to what you should be doing at any time. And, at this time of year, in autumn you should be looking at your life to see what you need to let go of before you enter the inward cycle of growth at Samhain. The light is dying. Every day is getting shorter and shorter, so you need to be thinking of what seeds you need to plant inside you and let them germinate and grow in the darkness, so everything is ready to sprout at Imbolc, making you ready for spring when it arrives, not to mention the next outward cycle of growth.
You seriously need to lose the useless and inappropriate things in your life in the same way the trees shed all their leaves. They let go of the old, so at the right time, new things can sprout, grow and blossom.
So please – do an life review and see what you need to release and do it. You will feel better… and then go and talk to a tree! Or, if you can’t quite go that far, if that is way too close to wacky for you… sit or stand with any tree and just breathe in its energy. Trees are always happy to share, but always be grateful for that sharing afterwards!
One thing you can do is look for your mum and dad trees. Somewhere near you will be two trees (not necessarily the same type) who stand ready to support you in the same way parents do. Find them and get to know them and be open to receiving their love, their support and their wisdom. You will be completely amazed. You don’t have to meditate next to them if they are in a place you can’t get to. Once you have identified them, you can reach out in your meditations and connect with them. Your intention gets you there! It’s astonishing!
And, as well as looking at trees to see what you need to be doing, you can also connect with the qualities they hold. Each tree will have different energies and you can connect with them in the same way you would connect with crystals and the qualities they hold. It’s ridiculously easy. All you have to do is sit quietly, see which tree you are drawn to and ask them to share the energy of the quality you are most in need of at the time you are working.
To get you started here are several trees that leapt out at me when I started to think about what I was going to write. I know heather isn’t a tree, but it wanted to be on the list and who am I to judge plant energy as less than tree energy? Did you know the Celts used to make their brooms with heather, so the plant became a physical symbol of clearing and cleansing, giving you purity! I love that!
And, always remember that anything that grows can be a wonderful ally to work with!
Apple Tree: Truth, Peace, Beauty, Honesty, Fertility, Remembrance.
Aspen Tree: Focus, Purity, Awareness, Transition, Opportunity, Connectivity, Transformation.
Oak Tree: Strength, Wisdom, Nobility, Family, Loyalty, Power, Longevity, Heritage, Honour.
Rowan Tree: Power, Vision, Balance, Healing, Connection, Protection, Magic, Transformation.
Yew Tree: Power, Honour, Silence, Illusion, Strength, Longevity, Leadership, Introspection, Ancestors.
Heather: Luck, Purity, Beauty, Cleansing, Attraction, Protection.
So, this should be more than enough to get you started! Find a tree and start connecting immediately. They are wonderful, marvellous beings who deserve a lot more love and respect than most people ever give them. Bless them every time you see them and be open to feel the response. You’ll be completely amazed!
Bright Blessings!
Gailx