I have been thinking a great deal about nature lately, and especially trees. Through all the seasons—the bursting of buds in the spring, the last leaf that flies away in the fall, and even in the cold, dark of winter. Trees protect us in many ways, but they share energy, too. Anything living has energy, and trees are no different. You know that stones have energies (vibrations), although they are not technically “alive,” the minerals hanging in caves keep growing. And even though they keep growing, the vibrations remain the same –in the cave or in the store. The vibration remains the same. What about trees, when they are no longer wood? Petrified wood is considered a stone, so it no longer contains the tree’s energy. Just like the stones and the earth we walk on, live trees have an energy that we experience each time we’re in their presence. It’s my wish that this brief article will create your awareness of the trees around you. 

So, we know wood holds energy easily, because of its cellular make up. This helps to explain the “haunted” feeling many wood houses contain. The house may not be truly haunted, there may not be spirits roaming around. It could likely be the wood of the home itself; it holds the memories lived within it. The good, the bad, the ugly, the sublime. We’ve read about, know about, or have even seen balls of energy that suddenly appear after a strong emotional occurrence—whether joyous or violent. They can change the feel of a space, as well; this is why we often “sage,” or “cleanse” a home to dispel, or literally clear the air. Homes of wood hold energies. What about the trees in our backyard, the parks we visit? Absolutely! They also make a difference in our lives as they give off energy. And we exchange our energies with theirs each time we share space. 

Sometime I will share with you a book I read about specific trees, their energies, and the people that are drawn to them. It talked about personality types that resonate with specific tree energies. I believe this. There’s also a social component to this connection. Many of the earth-based, indigenous, or “tribal” customs have taught us to think about the power of trees. The Oak Tree. In our modern culture many of us associate oak trees with strength. What about the Weeping Willow? Wisdom is considered its energy perhaps because we believe that those who have wept have experienced a lot in life? The Linden tree has been linked with love and lovers for centuries. Most people will picture a palm tree as soon as “relaxation” is mentioned. The cherry tree, so often associated with George Washington’s famous “I cannot tell a lie…” And so the cherry tree has become, in America, anyway, a symbol of truth. And what of the cherry blossom? Life is beautiful, as beautiful as the cherry blossom, but just as fleeting. Truth. Energy, myth, legend, symbolism, history inform us about the roles of trees in our lives. 

With all the traditions that have gone before us trees have been at the center of ritual, protection, and life force since the beginning. Their roots ground us to the earth, and their trunks, branches, and leaves mimic our own life’s cycle. The energies written about here have been generated by different elements: how each tree looks, where they live, and who has danced around them. The roots absorb the energy of the people who danced around them, further connecting living things. Before next time, I will be digging into metaphysical energies of trees, especially the ones in the St. Cloud area, so we can be ready upon their awakening in the spring. As most of us do, the trees, too, rest in the winter. 

We share our memories in wood, and it, too, shares with us. Place your hands on a tree, and breathe deeply. Quiet your mind as you breathe. You may feel, or hear, or just have a sense of knowing Mother Earth. The energy of a tree evolves as it grows. Our ability to connect with them grows, too; they provide the air we breathe, we care for them, admire them, and believe they are part of the energetic world. They keep our secrets, too, and hold them for eons. Listen and the tree’s energy will speak to you. Now go hug a tree!

j.m.s.