5. Tree Hugging

I admit it, I confess, yes - I am a tree hugger! In fact, I embraced several of my bark-attired friends yesterday evening. It's not just a whimsical fancy though as you will discover if you ever try it yourself. Putting your arms round one of these wise and beautiful denizens of the forest is a really wonderful grounding and energising exercise. Get right up close to the tree and rest your body on it with your arms circling the trunk and your face resting against the bark. Then look up into it's branches and prepare to be overwhelmed, especially if it's quite a big tree. Actually, I am saying "it" when in fact they are definitely he or she. You will be able to tell what kind of tree spirit you are hugging from the general "male" or "female" ambience it gives. There are two lovely big sycamores in my local graveyard who I visited last night and they are undoubtedly a couple, the female tree is very warm and fragrant and giving whereas her husband though still wonderful to embrace is slightly more aloof but very enigmatic.

The trees seem to love it when we step under their branches, they welcome us and seem delighted that we haven't just walked on by. Trees are very healing and giving, as well as being good for the environment of course, if we want to we can draw up healing energy through them from the earth. This is an excellent habit to get into for anyone who does energy work as we need to revitalise ourselves in order to be able to be a good channel for energy for others. Getting some wonderful green tree energy is a great way to clear any bits of debris that we may have hanging around our auras. Try it, its free and its fun! Who knows, the tree spirit may even tell you some of its secrets : )

As well as regular tree hugging you can also use the symbolism of the tree, its branches and its roots as a good grounding and centering meditation, as follows:

Ideally, sit under a favourite tree or if this is not possible simply visualise yourself sat with your back resting on its trunk. Now, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in and out until you are calm and you are breathing slowly and evenly. Then imagine that on each out breath you are pushing strong roots through the base of your spinal column deep into the earth so that they entwine with the roots of the tree, let them carry on down, down, down right to the earth's core and when you feel you are so strongly rooted that not even a hurricane could dislodge you start to draw up on each in breath the earth's energy, just like the tree does through it's roots. Draw this healing energy up through your body up your spine and out through the top of the head where it merges with the trees branches and comes flowing down through them to fall back down to ground again where it returns to its source. Continue with this until you have a complete cycle of energy being drawn up and returned and enjoy this for as long as you wish. When you are ready, gradually retract your roots back up through the earth and into the base of your spine again and then open your eyes.

Try this meditation and visualisation to literally root yourself if you are feeling a bit "spacey" or that your head has too many thoughts in it battling for space, it's an excellent exercise to do if your root chakra is a bit closed.

In any event, get in a clinch with a leafy friend at the earliest opportunity!

Love and blessings

Anna

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