Mind Tools & Inspirations: Large vibrant tree
In this 3-minute practice you imagine or have a sense of a large, vibrant tree. See what arises in you when you wait and allow an experience to show up.
TRY THIS…
If you have time, let me guide you so you can focus on your experience.
HERE IS THE PRACTICE
Sit comfortably and close your eyes.
Bring your attention to your breathing.
As you inhale, allow your spine to gently lengthen.
As you exhale, relax.
While you are inhaling, your spine gently lengthens.
While you are exhaling let your back relax.
Do this a couple more times.
Now sit comfortably.
Imagine or have a sense of a large, vibrant tree.
Perhaps an actual large tree you have seen comes to mind.
Or just a sense of a tree.
There’s no hurry. Have a sense of a large, vibrant tree.
Notice the trunk.
The roots.
The branches.
Have your arms down by your sides.
As you inhale, raise your arms up from the front toward to sky. Reaching up.
As you exhale your arms float down.
While you inhale your arms come up from the front, reaching up.
While you exhale your arms float down.
Continue moving and breathing like this at your own pace.
Again sit comfortably.
Return to your large, vibrant tree.
Imagine or have a sense of how it feels to be a large, vibrant tree.
Stay with the feeling for as long as you like.
WHY DO THIS?
A large vibrant tree sounds pretty straightforward. But actually, every person’s experience is unique to them. You’ve encountered A LOT of trees over your lifetime. What tree showed up during the practice? What did you notice about that tree? What feelings showed up when you sensed how it feels to be a large, vibrant tree?
Trees are still. They are strong. They connect with the earth and the sky. Big trees are ancient.
Mind Tools & Inspirations are experiences for busy, smart, curious people to help you operate your human system.
To access the full set of Mind Tools visit https://www.yogamindtools.com/mind-tools-inspirations
I add a new experience every week.
Kindly,
Carrie
Carrie Heeter, PhD
Yoga Mind Tools
A tree can't travel, but my mind can. I thought about different trees that stood out in my life. Willow trees were my safe climbing space, wind-dancers; but each was taken down by the men who valued homogenous lawns more. This practice made it fun to imagine they sprung right back up after the insult of a chainsaw. The Oak at my grandparents' place was next. It shaded dozens of barbeques. The barbeques dried up around the time the tree came down. Then there were the trees that insurance made us take down at our 3rd house...the ones that cost more than a vacation each year to remove! I need to concentrate on a tree that did not either parish on it's own; from mother nature - or became a nuisance. I need to think about something that still exists. I like "being the tree". Maybe one of the two peach trees Tim and Aug planted for me;)