Sól Rituals - Connect With A Tree

A simple practice to reconnect with Mother Earth

Welcome to Sól Seeker, this is my altar and my offering to you. Sól Seeker was created for individuals who lead busy lives yet seek a grounding practice to reconnect with themselves. It is also where I rehabilitate myself and my healing journey by offering the tools I’ve gathered along the way.

You may read or listen to the introduction, or follow along in the text as you listen to the recorded audio.

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Trees Are Alive Beings

Regardless of your belief, I'm sure many of you agree that trees and plants have their own life. They are known to converse with each other through their root system. They also warn each other when intruders come along and release something in the air that repels predators and alerts their nearby friends. Trees are incredible beings, in my opinion. A mother tree takes care of its own by sending nutrition to its kin first before sharing it with other species around. I learned this from Suzanne Simard's book Finding the Mother Tree and Peter Wohlleben's Hidden Life of Trees. Both are great books about trees.

There is something magical about being surrounded by trees, they make us feel more calm and grounded. My mind and nervous system calm down as I enter the forest or a park with lots of trees. The Studio Ghibli movie “Totoro” was my favorite movie growing up and I would watch it every day or maybe even twice a day like kids watch Frozen (is this still the IT movie mamas, papas, and teachers?) In Totoro, the younger sister Mei is exploring her new neighborhood as they just moved into their new home. She falls into this big camphor tree and lands on the big Totoro. In many cultures, trees are considered holy and have healing powers; in Japan it is believed that spirits such as Kodamas (tree spirits) live in the forest as protectors. In Hong Kong where I’m from, in my village, there are two really old trees, and people lay offerings and pray there, build shrines around it, and more. I saw a similar practice when I was in Thailand earlier this summer. I am certain this is not just practiced in Southeast Asia but is universal in other cultures around the Earth. Trees are deeply connected to Mother Earth and I believe they have a lot they can teach us.

Every year on my birthday, me and Dan, we go off to visit a park or forest to be surrounded by nature and trees. This photo is from December last year on my Solar return.

For this Sunday devotion, I invite you to connect with a tree or a plant. We all have access to the wisdom they hold, and we are all capable of listening, should we try. Below, you will find a grounding meditation (audio) and the practice and how-to for connecting with trees, both in text and guided audio available.

This is a paid subscription post. Please consider joining us for $11 USD / 77 RMB per month. Posts go out on Sundays at 8 am, with 3-4 posts per month—a small investment for you to reconnect with nature and yourself through various simple yet powerful practices you can do on your own. Email me for payment options and any questions you may have.

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