Tree Meditation

Meditation is so helpful when it comes to dealing with stress and anxiety, and even more so when you are coping with the daily struggle of a chronic illness. It's like giving yourself a time-out to rest and recharge your batteries. During meditation, your parasympathetic nervous system is activated - this is the body's state of rest, relaxation and repair, in contrast to the active fight-or-flight state, which is governed by the sympathetic nervous system. In today's world, most of us exist in a sympathetic nervous state far more than our bodies were ever designed for, so it is very important to make time to allow your body to enter the reparative state it is in need of.

I was first introduced to this particular meditation a few years ago, and it has remained one of my favourites ever since. It seems to help when feeling fearful and in need of grounding, but also when feeling a general loss of connection. It somehow manages to anchor you while simultaneously creating a feeling of lightness. Apparently, it is often used with hyperactive children to great effect.

There's just something about trees that I find so reassuring. I have been known to randomly hug trees, and I can never resist touching them as I walk by. I also highly recommend putting your ear to the trunk of a tree on a windy day - I did this once with an olive tree in the garden, and couldn't believe it when I could hear a sound like running water within. You might look a bit odd to any passers-by, but I say do it all the same!

Not everyone is comfortable with meditation, nor does everyone like visualisation-based meditation (I have included some images, which may be a helpful starting point). So, for those of you who wish, get comfortable, take a deep breath, and be a tree:

Imagine you are a tree, standing strong and tall.

Your roots spread down through your feet into the earth. They go deep into the earth, down through soil, rock and stone. Down, down through the earth, all the way to its core.

At the earth's centre there is an enormous ball of warm light, like an underground sun. 

Your roots move into this light and draw up the warmth, light and energy of Mother Earth.

Photo credit- paul bica via Visualhunt : CC BY .jpg

This light gradually travels up your roots, up through the earth, into your feet, up your legs and into your belly, warming you and grounding you.

The light moves into your heart, across your shoulders, down your arms, into your hands and fingers, and out through your fingertips.

It moves up your neck and into your head, filling you whole.

From your head, your branches spread up and outwards, stretching towards the heavens.

They reach up and up, into the sky, where they meet the sun, moon and stars.

The silvery light of the heavens touches the tips of your branches and starts moving down them.

This light travels along your branches, into your head, your shoulders and down your arms, into your hands, through your fingers, and out your fingertips.

The light moves into your heart, filling you with heavenly energy, and travels down through your torso, belly, into your legs and feet, and down your roots, where it meets the warm energy of the earth.

Both energies are constantly flowing, up and down through you in perfect harmony, connecting you to both earth and sky. The lights mix within you, creating strength and safety.

Photo credit- sagesolar via VisualHunt : CC BY.jpg

You live in this light, you are strong and safe here, and you are always connected to heaven and earth - you are a part of both.

Now slowly and gently, you come back to the here and now and to your body, remembering you are still connected.