NATURE HEALS - How a tree can teach us about life and the nervous system

There is something very special about living in the jungle. As a girl from the flat dry prairies, being surrounded by giant trees, volcanoes, monkeys and sloths is a huge change; but for some reason, to me, it feels like home. I often find myself coming back to a foundational meditation teaching I learned in my early twenties:

Life is like a tree.

Tree Roots & Nervous System

Trees & Stress: Tree's need the stress of wind and rain to harden their bark and to stand up straight. If they don't have wind they will grow tall quickly but then fall over and die. Similar to the way that we humans need to face challenges in order to grow, in fact if we are not challenged enough we can become ill. 

Trees & Boundaries: When a tree is injured, it can heal itself by sealing off the damaged area and growing new tissue. Some trees can even regenerate lost branches or leaves. Peripheral nerves can regenerate to some extent after injury, and the brain can form new connections through neuroplasticity, especially after trauma. 

Trees & Community: The root system of a tree connects it to the earth, providing stability, nutrients, and water, it uses electrical signals to communicate, provide and receive nutrients from other living things. Humans use our sensory-motor system to communicate impulses of safety and needs throughout the body. When we have safety or need it, we use those signals to give hugs, share food and other connections. 

Branches of the Nerve

Branches of a tree

The first image is a small branch of the human nervous system. The second image is the branches of a tree. 

Trees & Balance: Trees grow as much into the darkness as they do into the light; and when there is problems they often rely on the hidden parts of themselves for support. Human's, as much as we try to live happily, will always have problems, we grow from relying on the foundation's of our lives and the wisdom we nurture in dark times. 

Trees & Compound Interest: Starting from a small number of buds, as the tree grows, it produces more leaves, which in turn allow the tree to absorb more sunlight. This increased energy intake enables the tree to grow larger, producing even more leaves in the following season. Humans, when we make small investments into thing's like meditation, movement, and personal growth, we change incrementally. The capacity of our growth, depends on what we are willing to absorb, but with dedication our life blooms into something beautiful. 

We can learn so much about our nervous system and how to heal through nature. Just as trees grow and thrive by facing challenges, healing injuries, and relying on their roots for support, we too can strengthen our nervous system by embracing stress, healing from trauma, and nurturing the unseen parts of ourselves. Through consistent practices like meditation and movement, we can absorb more of life’s energy and transform, just like a tree blossoming with each season.

Homework:

Take some time in the next few weeks to sit in meditation, with your eyes open, far enough away from a tree that you can see it. Begin to breathe and as you inhale think breathing in gifts from green plants, as you exhale think breathing out gifts for green plants. 

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