Why You Too, Should Hug Trees

Today, my little friend, "Sa-bam-bam" and I went to the park to lunch and play. It was an ordinary visit, except for one moment, which has stayed with me throughout the day. As we were making our way to leave, my tot-friend approached a tall tree and proceeded to explore it's textured bark. This inspired me to hug the tree, to see if he'd follow suit. He did. But this is not the exceptional occurrence, neither is Sam's request to climb said tree. No, the moment was entirely mine, unless Sam experienced the same thing, which I cannot know because he's still too young to convey abstract concepts. When I gently flung my arms about the trunk, I felt an equally gentle energy pull my subtle-self downward with it. I felt myself become embodied and grounded. It was a calming sensation, very nurturing and very connecting. Now, this is not the first time I've hugged a tree, but it is the first time I've been so aware of such a sensation. I felt the feeling I've been searching for through many energetic exercises and visualizations, which have worked for me to varying degrees, but which take a considerable amount of focus and effort. This moment of tree meets beast was blissfully effortless. My experience with the tree is remarkable because feeling grounded in my body is difficult for me. For much of my life, I've felt outside of my body, floating alongside it, but not inside it. Over the past 6 years or so, my body has been begging me to love it better, to energize it with my life force, lest I whither away in heaps of pain and discomfort. It has taken chronic health issues to help me realize the importance of modifying my relationship with this vehicle called body. I've been presented with the option to give into a life of suffering or to rise up to a life of balance. I've chosen the latter. So, here's where tree-hugging comes in. If it's so easy to draw my subtle-self into my physical self and even deeper into Earth, just by embracing a tree, I'm going to make that a routine part of my daily actions. Like many of us born in the US, I am a creature of ease and convenience and let me tell you, to become grounded, snuggling with trees is a lot easier and faster than doing a standing tree meditation. Not only that, by coming into direct contact with another living being, I'm more deeply connecting to myself, as well as the infinite wellsprings of life. So, if you see me around town cuddling the rough skin of our leafy friends, I invite you to join me, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised!