There needs to be a place for magic and the imagination for the creative spirit to thrive. To breathe in fresh air – a gift from the trees. For they are a community of beings that greatly contribute to the wellbeing of humans - all creatures, all life on this planet. They are infused with life force energy and every part of their anatomy attuned with the ecosystem. Their life-giving properties, through the synthesis of carbon dioxide and water from the leaves, draw power from the sun, releasing oxygen. The trees’ stillness and cellular respiration – their inhalation of carbon dioxide and exhalation of oxygen, replicate the patterns of life throughout our planet.

And the roots comprise a whole network of underground transmissions amongst them.

Native American tribes refer to trees as the Standing People. All indigenous tribes have understood and recognised their sacredness. Every indigenous culture assigns symbolic meaning to individual trees embedded in their particular species which link to their medicinal properties.

Trees are known to have a consciousness in their very own tree way of being.

And it is likely that there is much more about them that we cannot measure through material means. But it is known through various arbour community projects that they lower stress levels, relieve tension, reduce aggression, help calm the body and uplift a gloomy mindset.

Nature is wild. And crucial for our wellbeing.

Being in nature and connecting with nature opens a doorway to one’s inner spaciousness. To breathe, to cleanse the blood, move the circulation and feel the heartbeat of the soil beneath our feet, teeming with activity that most people are not even aware of.

So many children and young people feel drained, stressed and exhausted from the pressures they experience to perform and achieve high grades at school or college. And parents need to be grounded amidst the multiple responsibilities and concerns that can arise at any given moment. So creating harmony and balance is important to replenish and relax the nervous system.

Here are 5 tips to embrace Nature’s healing gifts:

Tip 1:

Connect to a tree. Place your hands on the tree bark or if a particular tree is easy to put your arms around its trunk. You can also make contact with your forehead and your feet placed on the ground surrounded by its roots. Feel this connection through your body, or imagine that there is an exchange of energies, filling your being with calm and Light.  Notice your breath and begin to breathe consciously in rhythm with the pulse of the tree - the outbreath and the in-breath, slowly, deeply but without force. Imagine that you are breathing down into the tree’s roots. Further, imagine that the entire tree is grounding you, that you are being held, loved and nurtured. Be still and stay present to the connection. And in the same moment, drop any cynicism that may arise and allow yourself to feel a swelling of gratitude to this life-giving tree.

Tip 2:

Walk barefoot on the earth – also known as grounding or Earthing, to experience contact with the earth’s electrons. Grounding is immensely important to be embodied. Stress, anxiety and traumatic experiences get stored in the body. This connection to the earth aids in creating more inner and outer balance and supports the nervous system. By calming, slowing down, connecting to one’s higher Self and the Earth, is a way to disengage from mind-racing thoughts and create an inner space, to raise one’s vibration. Essentially, this translates into a sense of wellbeing that can lead to inspirations and to feeling a sense of gratitude. Being receptive and grateful heightens one’s awareness levels.

Tip 3:

Standing meditation amidst nature brings a focus to the senses of sounds, sight, smells. Feel the elements – the wind, rain, sun’s rays or the Moon. Whatever surrounds you from the natural world, invite the energies into your body through your breath.

Tip 4:

Conscious walking is about being present in the here and now. Notice everything around you, such as the tiniest of Nature’s details, that you would normally pass by. See what signals from Nature you receive, a feather, a stone, a bird? Indigenous tribes have always been alert and highly sensitive to ‘signs’ and the consciousness of all things. Allow your imagination to flow – picking up a stone, using all of your 6 senses, if words come to you, you could jot them down. 

Tip 5:

Creating in Nature, draw or paint a leaf or something small, tuning into your 5 senses. Tune into your 6th sense – your intuition and your heart, allowing your receptivity to flow in the way you connect with your subject. Calibrating your heightened awareness, really see every vein, subtle changes in colour, shape and texture in a leaf for example. Move into a space of wonder as the pencil or brush aligns with your higher consciousness.