Tree Talk

I communicated with a tree today. Believe me, I –of all people- never thought I’d say such a thing, but it’s true.

As part of my month-long (2x a week) class called Immersions in the Stream of Cosmic Sound, we went into the woods and “sounded” with trees and plants. The assignment was to walk around, on our own, and wait till a tree or a plant “called out” to us, and then to listen and "sound" (make tones or sing or hum or whatever) to it.

The instructor, Rich Goodhart, had specifically said that saplings don’t really have that much to “say” so to not go to a sapling.

So, what did I do? I went to a sapling of course. I dunno, it was just a young, thin, tall tree-ling that was hunched over the trail, and I felt like it needed my support.

Again, I can’t believe I’m saying these things, but I really honestly felt it at the time – AND I feel like I honestly started somewhat of a rapport with this tree. I even want to go back and visit it from time to time (despite my fear of contracting Lyme disease from the ticks in the woods).

Anyway, here’s what I did – I simply stood by my tree (a song comes to mind “Stand By Your Man”) and made tones. I was moving around quite a bit while doing this, actually, because the mosquitoes and flies were quite persistently attacking me. (Hell, maybe I was communicatin' with Them too - sayin' something like "Are your ready to rumble?!")

Anyway, the whole scene had to have looked totally bizarro, like if a stranger happened upon us – Here I was, humming and making noises obviously TO a tree, all the while smacking myself, swatting the air, and moving around in jerky motions. I mean, What The…?

OK, I'll give you that - it SOUNDS totally whackadoodle, that's for dang sure! However, it was really quite nice. I'm not sure what was "said" between me and said tree/sapling, but I do feel like we were chattin' or like I was soothing it somehow. In fact - you're NOT going to believe this! - at one point during this "talk", I was making a fairly low-sounding tones, but something in me said the tree wanted to hear a higher pitch. So, I moved up a few notches in pitch (not that I know ANYTHING about singing but you know). Just as I did, a gentle breeze came up and a big leafy branch of the tree swooped down and brushed my hair, like a gentle nudge, like a comforting pat on the head. I'm serious! I couldn't believe it!

So, all I'm saying is... well, I had some really GOOD nature-oriented time today... and it definitely took me back to my youth -- when I used to hum to soothe myself, rocking back and forth while groan-singing "my mommy, me me me; my daddy, dee dee dee". It's a good thing, and if music or sounds soothe you in ANY way, you should consider Just Sounding to yourself, whenever you want! The vibrations you feel in your heart and chest can ONLY be good!

That's all I'm saying.

Tomorrow maybe I'll go visit my friend, the Soothing Sapling.