What Kind of Tree are You?

“What an irony it is that these living beings whose shade we sit in, whose fruit we eat, whose limbs we climb, whose roots we water, to whom most of us rarely give a second thought, are so poorly understood. We need to come, as soon as possible, to a profound understanding and appreciation for trees and forests and the vital role they play, for they are among our best allies in the uncertain future that is unfolding.” ― Jim Robbins,

There is a popular metaphor within this health-sphere; one that likens us human beans to trees. Who doesn’t love a tree? (and, for that matter, who doesn’t love a good metaphor?)

It goes a little like this…

We are, each of us, a beautiful, big tree.

The soil that surrounds our tree is our foundation – and it stands for our core. It’s a representation of everything that made us who we are. It’s our upbringing and connection to our nearest and dearest. It’s our environment. It’s our ties to our family. And, along with all the nurturing and love we have received it also contains all the rubbish and pollution we have collected along the way, whatever form that may take.

The roots and trunk of our tree are our central nervous system. They are a symbol of how securely we stand in this world. They determine our resilience and our sense of place in the world. And, of course, if the soil surrounding our root system isn’t healthy, it stands to reason that our tree will develop serious health issues over time, too.

Our tree’s leaves are the individual components of our physiology – our organs, our muscles, our bones, our hormones, our bodily functions, our mental health. If we don’t look after our whole tree, by the time we find indication of ill health on our leaves, it will be impossible to cure without looking to the soil and root system of our tree.

I think it’s quite a lovely analogy…

“Some trees grow straight, while others grow gnarled and twisted. Yet none are imperfect. Perfection is merely a perception.”
― Donald L. Hicks, ‘Look into the stillness’

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