We take trees so much for granted that we pass by their beauty and are unaware of their strength and vitality. This author often thinks of them as symbols of grace and great strength because they have been in place so long and their roots are firmly in the ground, yet they reach toward the sunlight. In its lifetime a tree is shaken by winds and storms, but it goes through them and fulfills its purpose.

A tree’s life is closely analogous to our own. We are always reaching for the spiritual aspects of life while remaining rooted in our own ground, the reality that surrounds us. That helps us remain stable while withstanding the vicissitudes of life. If we really *look* at the trees around us, they can give us a sense of belonging to the universe. Here are some ways to do this:

This author feels that trees have a certain consciousness of their own, and that when we sit among them there is an exchange in consciousness. They have an enormous abundance of vitality that they freely share, which is compatible with our own energy. In a general sense, she believes trees like us to be among them as friends. If you quietly say to them, “I appreciate you,” or tell them how beautiful they are, their reaction to your thoughts will give you some of their enormous energy. In that way there will be a sort of communication between you and the trees. They like this interchange of feelings, and such an atmosphere of amiability and peacefulness will attract other wildlife as well.

The author often suggests to her patients that when they are outdoors they should sit at the base of a tree and lean against its trunk to more easily assimilate its energies. If one opens oneself, the stream of vitality continually being sent out by the tree can be drawn upon, and that is deeply relaxing and quieting. If this is done frequently, one becomes aware of feeling of consciousness from the tree, and it is a very friendly feeling.

This experience of the easy and pleasant therapeutic exchange of energies in the presence of trees can effortlessly be brought to memory at a later date. She finds that to get rid of a very harassing thought, instead of thinking the opposite of that thought, just visualizing a tree, particularly one that I like, can effortlessly act as a substitute for the harassing thought and give her a sense of peace and stability. She sometimes thinks that visualizing a tee is the easiest therapy of all, for the relationship can affect us deeply and the memory of it can be of great help in times of need.