Talking to trees (7.6.14)

Good morning. Happy Sunday!

This week I had the assignment of talking to trees. This is for my Shamanism class, of course. Now, I have talked to trees before, or maybe just listened, but this week I am at a loss because there simply are no trees around me. So I spent a few days lamenting my lack of trees and then I realized the trees have been talking to me since we moved here. Mostly they are telling me to plant more trees. I did have a nice conversation with the young Aspen we planted in the corner of our garden. Her name is Joy, I learned, and she told me to bring her some friends.

You don't have to talk to trees to feel close to nature, but have you ever tried it? It is wonderful. I have stood among the tall pines and let their energy soak into my bones, swaying in the wind gently, like they do. I have hugged trees, smelled Ponderosas (they smell like strawberries), and stood in awe of an old Elm that spread its branches out into the sky in a park near my childhood home. I have always had a pretty good relationship with trees. I have always felt close to them when I am in their presence.

Here in the Alpine desert, I live among the salt brush, chamisa, prickly pear and various wildflowers. They speak to me too, in subtle ways, mostly by displaying their seasonal colors like pretty outfits they all put on to complement each other. The greens are amazing, believe it or not, and with a discerning eye, one can pick out the subtle variations between the plants. The prickly pears are blooming yellow flowers, and an occasional pink flower stands out like a surprise against the dull sand. There is purple knapweed blooming everywhere, and another yellow flower that takes over the open spaces in harmony with the knapweed. There is a primrose, with white blooms, and another purple flower with a delicate, star shaped flower on the end of its stems. There are several varieties of grasses and other desert plants hidden between the salt brush. I have yet to identify all of the plants that live around me, but I am ever conscious of them and the beauty they lend to this desert palette.

No, you don't have to talk to trees to be close to Nature. Nature shows her colors in many different ways and beckons us to take part in the beauty around us. All living things have their own voices and if we stop, be still, and simply listen we can hear some of the amazing things they have to say.

What is Nature saying to you?

Love to all.

~Rev. Kerry