A bunch of tree-hugging hippie crap!

A bunch of tree-hugging hippie crap!

Hello everyone, I'm glad to be back! I'm and have been going through a lot of changes the last month, which involved a lot of thinking, soul-searching, taking action and loads of other kinds of busy-ness, so that's why have have not been posting a lot last month. I have been posting on my facebook page, if you haven't checked it out yet, make sure you do and 'like' it to get regular updates and inspirational quotes and pictures! The link is www.facebook.com/pages/Happy-Healing-Art

A lot of you will know the TV series 'South Park', an animated series about a bunch of four kids. One of them, Kenny, gets killed in every episode ('oh my god, they killed Kenny - you b*st*rds!' is probably their most famous catchphrase) and another one is Cartman, the  fat, obnoxious kid. One of his most famous lines is: 'That's all a bunch of tree-hugging hippie crap!'

Why do hippies and other people hug trees?

First of all: it feels good. Nature is the best medicine. As everything is energy, it also includes trees, naturally. Trees have a strong healing energy, and every tree has a different energy, just like people and places. Next to my terrace I have two trees. They look the same (don't ask me what type they are - hey, I'm a city girl!), but their vibrational energy is very different. One has a more calming, the other a more stimulating energy. That's why I gave the the nicknames 'tea' and 'coffee'. 

Generally speaking, trees are very helpful to ground yourself. And no, you don't even need to hug them! Just in case you're worried that people might think you're nuts because you walk around your local park hugging trees... 

First of all ask the tree for permission (you can do it quietly inside your head - it will understand). It is an act  of courtesy, as you don't like it either when strangers come up and touch you! 

Plant your feet firmly on the ground, and place both your hands on the tree to connect with it. Then consciously and deeply breathe in and out. You have formed a closed circuit with the tree. Its energy will flow through you and back though the tree. Now you are exchanging energies with the tree, and best of all, it's beneficial for both of you. Do this as long as you are comfortable. 

Hold the intention of healing for the both of you and just feel love and healing flowing through you, from your heart to your hands to the tree and back again; or from your heart through your right hand into the tree and from the tree through your left hand and back into your heart. 

It works with any tree you feel you 'like'. You don't need to go into the woods if it's not possible for you, any tree in your local park or garden is fine, even just a tree on the side of the road (note: if you're in France, beware of dog turds!). The important thing is that you resonate with the tree, just like you might resonate and make friends with a person.

Trees have an important role in several mythologies and religions. They symbolize the connection between heaven and earth and  also renewal. They have deep roots in the earth, grow strong and their branches seemingly reach out for the sky. After being bare over winter, they blossom in spring, carry leaves and fruit in summer and shed their leaves in fall; each year without fail. They show us the circle of life and they protect us from the elements (avoid them during thunderstorms though!).

The Buddha is said to have achieved enlightenment sitting under the Bodhi tree. 

In the the Christian-Jewish tradition, the Tree of Life features in the Old Testament, where it is associated with wisdom. 

The Egyptians sycamore  tree stood on the threshold of life and death and connected the two worlds. 

In the Celtic world, trees were revered for having special powers and it was believed they served as the abode of fairies. 

In the Norse tradition, Yggdrasil, a giant tree,  is said to be the World Tree in which the nine worlds existed. It was a giant ash tree considered to be very holy.

At Christmas we put evergreen trees into our homes and decorate them.

In the Holy Roman Empire, rooted in ancient German tribal law, assemblies and tribal courts were held under the linden tree.

In Europe, Maypoles are erected. Tree trunks are put up either on May 1st or the evening before and decorated and danced around, to celebrate the renewal of the seasons and fertility.

In Wish-trees you can hang a note with your wish or a piece of cloth to make your wishes come true, sometimes votive offerings like coins, alcohol, food etc are made.

The Glastonbury Thorn in Glastonbury, England, is a hawthorn tree that is considered sacred, it is said to have miraculously sprouted from the staff of Joseph of Arimathea. Contrary to 'regular' hawthorns it does not bloom once, but twice a year, the second time around the holiday of Christmas.

Customs exists in which nail and hair clippings of sick people were put into trees to take away a person's sickness and banish it into the trees.

In Arab tradition sacred trees are haunted by angels or jinns and sacrifices are made, if a sick person slept underneath a sacred tree he would in his dream receive a prescription to cure his disease..

And on top of all that, they provide us with oxygen so that we can breathe!

So go out and befriend a tree! 

Love, Light and Healing,

Anya