Have you ever tried to push over a healthy tree?
Lessons from 10 days in the forest + Do you see a turtle or an owl?
When was the last time you sat quietly amongst the trees and listened?
I asked myself this question at the beginning of our forest getaway last week and I couldn’t recall.
Other than reaching out to briefly rest my palm on tree trunks as I pass, it’s been months since I’ve spent longer than a few minutes in the company of trees. Which was probably the reason I felt called to go to the forest.
I grew up in Dorset, amongst rolling hills and wildflower meadows.
We foraged blackberries, crab apples and sloes from the hedgerows and wild mushrooms if we were lucky enough to find some.
We climbed trees and built makeshift wigwams.
We made bows and arrows from elder branches and I still have a scar on my finger from when I cut myself whittling a spoon.
Being in nature is like being at home.
Last week, we were up in the Chattahoochee Mountains in beautiful North Georgia. We had a gap in between moving apartments and felt called to go and immerse ourselves in the forest rather than stay in the city.
For the first 6 days, we had no Wi-fi or mobile signal and it felt like medicine; The most natural, wholesome, healing medicine you can imagine.
Mornings in the middle of the forest hit differently. The air feels pure, the noises are welcome and the energy is vibrant and pulsing with life.
Each morning and night - and most of the day - I sat, watched and listened as the trees shuffled and shimmied around me.
I’m convinced we can learn all the lessons we need for a healthy and harmonious life, from nature.
Here is what I learned from listening to the forest:
Trees without deep roots will fall
Have you ever tried to push over a healthy tree? You can't - unless it's a bonsai or you’re Jack Reacher (Yes, I love a good action show).
A healthy tree's root system spreads deep into the soil, acting as an anchor to weather even the wildest storms.
Last week I witnessed trees fall in the heart of the forest. The comforting woodland hum was broken by the cracks and creaks of falling trunks and branches.
At first, it was a shock to see a 40-foot tree towering into the canopy one minute and collapse into the arms of the forest the next.
Yet, this was nature revealing what we see on the outside is often determined by what’s beneath the surface.
Sound familiar?
Trees that grow shallow roots are more vulnerable to nature's volatility; Heavy winds and rain can easily topple what once seemed unshakeable. Deep roots, grounded in fertile soil will keep them strong.
I know I feel more strong and resilient when I feel rooted and secure.
Perhaps our lesson is to discover what soil, what environment, is most nourishing to us. Once we find what helps us to feel healthy, vital and alive, and root into that, it will support us to grow, no matter what winds may blow.
Trees choose where to direct their energy
The tree closest to our cabin window had a long dead branch. I sat and stared at that branch for hours, mesmerised by the grooves and indents that made it look like the head of a turtle. A very long head.
(Scroll down to the bottom to see the ‘turtle’)
I named it as our totem of good fortune. It watched peacefully over our morning yoga and helped me win at cards a few times in the evenings.
Despite its lifeless - albeit characterful - limb, the tree was tall and strong with a thick canopy of bright, vibrant leaves.
Why did the branch not fall off? I asked myself. Surely it serves no purpose anymore.
This reminded me of how many times I’ve wanted to cut loose the parts of me I no longer identify with; The parts of me I’ve killed off to allow new parts to bud and grow. They’ve often felt like dead weight to shed.
Yet this magnificent tree showed me that it’s not necessary to remove anything. The dead branch will remain part of the tree for as long as it does. The tree doesn’t concern itself with trying to break it off, it just chooses where to direct its energy to. It chooses to direct its energy upwards into new growth and leaves.
If trees can continue to grow with dead branches, so can we. We don’t have to get rid of all of the bits of ourselves we’ve exiled; past selves or ego parts. We can continue to flourish and also acknowledge how these parts have supported our growth. And perhaps, like the tree, it’s these parts that add to our character.
The forest is the epitome of nature in harmony
Being submerged in the forest reminds me of standing in front of the Ocean. I feel equally special and insignificant at the same time. Just as the ocean appears so vast, the forest feels so dense.
It’s hard not to feel small - especially when you’ve been floored by tiny mosquitos. And yet there is a silent understanding that we are all part of the same ecosystem. Nothing is more superior or worthy than any other living organism.
In Chattahoochee, the forest is home to bears, snakes, coyotes and spiders.
A crack of wood and a crunch of leaves stopped me still in my tracks one morning. I turned around to see the whisp of a deer’s white tail; A thankfully gentle reminder that I wasn’t alone in the forest.
When I stood still I could hear the crickets, the bees, the squirrels, the birds, the beetles and the leaves rustle in the wind. I had this humbling realisation that all of this had been here long before me and would exist long after; it came with the taste of impermanence.
All around is the life, death, life cycle in action. Trees fall with a crack and sigh and become nourishment for new growth. Each animal and insect exists as fuel for the next in the chain.
There is a rhythm in the forest that feels as pure as it does unforgiving. As one life ends the next begins. Seemingly with ease and little fuss.
Just as each tree, animal, and insect plays its part in the forest's harmony, we too have our role in the cycle.
The wisdom of the forest reminds us of our own impermanence and interconnectedness. It invites us to find our unique rhythm within the greater symphony of life.
In doing so, we might just discover how to live in harmony with the world around us, contributing to the cycle of life with heartfelt intention and soulful purpose.
When was the last time you sat quietly amongst the trees and listened?
Perhaps it's time to reconnect with nature and find your own lessons in the whispers of the leaves.
Before I sign off, here’s a close-up of my turtle totem. My husband says it looks more like an Owl - I don’t see it. What about you?
If you want to check out Getaway, consider using my referral link so we both get $25 off our stays. They have cabins all over the US and having just spent 10 days in two locations, I can highly recommend them. Feel free to send me a message if you have any questions.
Until next time. Let's live, one breath at a time.
Farah x
Def see a 🐢 over an 🦉!! Beautiful contemplation ❤️