Day Thirty-three: Looking at a tree

Go look at a tree. Without the filter of demands and projected ideas about what a tree is feeling and thinking and judging about us, we can just hang out in love around a tree. If we slow down and give ourselves the time to experience this tree, and then open to listening to and finding the love inside this slowness.

Nature is a reminder of how easy love can be.

At times in my life, my holy trilogy has been: Now, Nature and Love, and I have woven words to the effect of helping us remember how similar these all are.

The tree and love. Go look at a beautiful tree, and give yourself enough time to really appreciate it.

Our first hint about love: if we don’t spent time with one another, if they are just a passing experience in the rush of our lives, how can we love? And going beyond the hint: spend enough time in nature today to find a tree, and give it some time and easy attention. Not just a rushed glance and then back to so called “thinking.” But real “quality time,” look at and really take in with love, attention, gratitude and wonder (and maybe even curiosity) the tree, or a whole bunch of trees.

As you give yourself time and permission to “hang out” with this tree, notice the following freedoms: we are free from caring what the tree thinks and feels and opines about us. We are free, in other words for those addictive behaviors we have around many of our fellow humans, free from caring, worry, striving for the usual: trying to get outside approval, love, affection, attention and so on. This would be ridiculous with a tree. And so, we are free to simply ( and this simplicity is huge), look at and maybe even SEE the tree.


AND we don’t have any requirements for the tree: it doesn’t have to be taller, or lose weight, or be wittier. It doesn’t have to like us more or laugh at our jokes. It doesn’t have to “understand” us, or “take our side.” It doesn’t have to give us anything.

It is just itself.

So here’s our ticket for loving the tree: we don’t want anything from the tree, we don’t demand anything from the tree, we are obsessed with the tree’s take on us. We judge not. We fear not the tree’s judgment.

We spent time with the tree in a state of non-wanting and nor-demanding. And we fall in love.

Nice hints.

Nice hints indeed, and don’t just nod in agreement, or frown in disagreement, but do go on outside and find a tree and give this a try.


And then the rest of the day, see, hear and experience as much of nature as fully as you can. See when the falling in love happens.

When it doesn’t.

Notice for yourself what seems to make the difference.

Enjoy the learning and don’t worry about “getting it right.”

(Your own body and breathing can be part of the ongoing exploration if you can’t get to “outside” nature today.)

Use as much slowness and awareness as possible.

63: Seeing the tree, part 2

Looking at a tree, 2

Some have said: if you want to learn about Love, spend time in Nature.

I am one of those people.

We’ve had one look at a tree day, already, back some thirty days, so time to put Nature in our hearts and minds and awareness as the center of our day.

(Of course, if we are playing the sensing our 5 lines game, the two arms, two legs and one spine, we are in the nature of being alive in a human body, and the nature of having an awareness to be aware of being alive and to be aware of our 5 lines. This is a particularly useful way to live one’s live.
End of mini-sermon.)

Today, sensing our five lines or not, let’s turn a sweet and useful part of our attention on nature outside our windows, nature outside our homes, nature outside our eyes and skulls and brains.

Of course, this body, this long tall skeleton on two feet with the look see listen hear smell and taste stuff up top was designed in Nature and by Nature, so hey, let’s make today a day of:

“Be aware of the miracle of being in a human body while being out in Nature, or looking out at Nature, or imagining Nature.”

What’s out there to look at touch listen to feel smell taste? Depends on where you are the season your cloths and time and space and spirit.

And, get out some, even ten minutes, no matter how cold, even in the gosh darn rain, a little bit, and see what you can do to fall in love with the source of Earthly life.

Let Nature remind you of God. Let your connection to God remind you of Nature. Let one spill into each other in the silence and peace and ease that is being in the present.

Do your best, but don’t try too hard. Just be awake to Now, Nature and Love/ God. See how they flow in and out together.

Day Thirty-three: Seeing, really "seeing" the tree

DAY THIRTY-THREE:
Go look at a tree.

Nature is a reminder of how easy love can be.

At times in my life, my holy trilogy has been: Now, Nature and Love, and I have woven words to the effect of helping us remember how similar these all are.

The tree and love. Go look at a beautiful tree, and give yourself enough time to really appreciate it.

Our first hint about love: it requires time. If we don’t spent time with another, if they (or the tree) are just a passing experience in the rush of our life, how can we love them?

Then enjoy this tree and notice the following freedoms: we are free from caring what the tree thinks about us, we are free from trying to get the tree’s approval, love, affection, attention and so on.

And we don’t have any requirements for the tree: it doesn’t have to be taller, or lose weight, or be wittier.

Big hints: we don’t want anything from the tree, we don’t demand anything from the tree.

We spent time with the tree is a state of non-wanting and nor-demanding. And we fall in love.

Nice hints.

Nice hints indeed, and don’t just nod in agreement, or frown in disagreement, but do out and find a tree and give this a try.

And then the rest of the day, see, hear and experience as much of nature as fully as you can. See when the falling in love happens.

When it doesn’t.

Notice for yourself when the love happens most easily.

Enjoy the learning and don’t worry about “getting it right.”

Your own body and breathing can be part of the ongoing exploration if you can’t get to “outside” nature today.

Use as much slowness and awareness as possible.