I thought I’d share one of my favorite meditations to do outside. I started doing it in Sweden in 2008, as a way to release stress and recharge myself in a grounding way. Already in 1995, I learned about how some Native American tribes see trees as “The Standing people” with their own spirit and have often felt a certain type of peace when I go for my walks alone. I used to think of nature as my church. But, while Buddha sat, I prefer to stand:
Go for a walk in a park, or better yet, in the woods. Choose a tree, go up to it and gently put your hand on the bark with affection.
Now, place your back against it as close as possible, so that you can liken your spine with its trunk, aligning yourself with the tree, pushing your back against it and breathe.
Let any excessive energy, such as anger or frustration go down into the ground as if it was a lightening rod. Imagine that your anger is like thunder, that you release into the ground.
Take a couple of deep breaths with closed eyes and let yourself feel smaller than the tree. Recognize that the tree is older, wiser, taller and both more stable and flexible than you are. Gently let this feeling fill you. And say thank you to the tree.
Your root-chakra grounding you with the roots, and your crown-chakra with the tree’s crown.
Open your eyes, stretch, and hopefully you'll now feel refreshed!