Tree-being movement meditation

Tree movement mediation

This is a wonderful movement meditation for grounding your whole being when you are feeling disconnected or uprooted. You may do this meditation as a dance movement practice or as a sitting meditation. This meditation will help you feel held by the earth and more energized.

Time: 10-30 minutes or longer if you wish.

Suggestions: You may want to find some meditative music to play as you move or sit. Like other meditations, I suggest you read the guidelines and take a few moment to absorb the words. Don’t worry about doing it right or remembering everything. Make this meditation work for you. Listen to how tree comes into being within you. 

Beginning

Begin by focusing on your breath.

1. Take three big breaths. Breath in through your nose and out your mouth.
2. Slowly scan your body from the top of your head down to your toes noticing sensations along the way.
3. Spend a few minutes just noticing any tingling, tightness, emptiness… notice emotions, notice thoughts.

Part 1 Roots

Sit comfortably or stand with your feet shoulder width apart.

1. Feel the soles of your feet touching the ground. Can drop your weight down into the earth?
2. Begin by sending roots down into the earth through the soles of your feet and down through your toes. Imagine roots growing deep into the earth, going further and further down.
3. Feel or image sending unwanted energy down into the Earth where she receives and regenerates.
4. With each out breath send all that you no longer need down into the core of the earth to be renewed.
5. As you breathe in, bring healing earth energy up in through your roots, through the soles of your feet into your body.
6. Take a two to ten minutes, releasing old energy and receiving fresh new earth energy through the soles of your feet.
7. If you can’t feel it’s okay to imagine.

Part 2 Trunk

Maintain your feet, your roots, firmly planted into the earth shoulder width apart.

1. Slowly shift your attention upwards into your body. Bring energy up to the core of your being.
2. Feel or imagine energy rising up your tree trunk, up your legs, your hips and your spine all the way into the top of your spinal column just behind your eyes.
3. Release unwanted energy down into the earth and bring up strength and new energy into the core, into the trunk of your tree being.
4. Take two to ten minutes receiving and releasing energy up through your roots into your trunk. Imagine or feel the movement of energy and and strength within the core trunk of your body.

Part 3 Branches and leaves

Maintain your feet firmly rooted into the ground.

1. Now imagine growing branches and leaves up into the sky receiving light and moisture from the environment.
2. If this is a movement meditation allow your arms to grow out like branches, your fingers like leaves all around you receiving light energy. 
3. Receive breath and creative energy though your leaves. Feel your leaves taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen.
4. Spend two to ten minutes exploring your being tree receiving and releasing energy, breath, moisture.
5. Imaging a gentle breeze blowing through your leaves and branches, around your trunk, cleansing and clearing all remaining stagnant energy.
6. Imaging and feel a light shower cleansing and nourishing your whole being.
7. Take a few minutes to dance, to move your whole tree being, releasing and receiving energy and nutrients. 
8. Notice the soles of your feet with each step. Can you maintain your your sense of grounding, rooting as you move your whole tree-being? Take time to explore, play as tree in gentle motion. Enjoy your exploration.

Closure

When you feel complete. Notice the tingling, rootedness of your whole being.

1. Take a few moments either in stillness or in movement to thank the earth for supporting and nurturing you.
2. Thank the sky and environment for the space and nourishment they provide.
3. Take time to thank your whole tree being, your body and all trees for helping maintain a balanced environment for us to comfortably live in.

Improvise, imagine and feel the movement of energy in your body. You may want to try this meditation outside, near or in the midst of trees.