People Reading

from March 2021 Gallup Journey Magazine

Gallup Journey Over The Years Chuck Van Drunen

“Her trees are more social than even Patricia [the botanist] suspected. There are no individuals. There aren’t even separate species. Everything in the forest is the forest. Trees fight no more than do the leaves on a single tree. It seems most of nature isn’t red in tooth and claw, after all”.

These discoveries make us revisit our notions of what makes up a healthy forest and how best to plant trees, especially in urban areas.

Being with Trees

Facts and figures might impress you as they do me. In China they have inventively used technology to engage people in planting trees. They developed Alipay, an app that rewards eco-friendly actions with actual trees planted (Nature Conservancy Magazine summer 2020). But a good place to start celebrating trees is by actually connecting with them. “Pointing at the moon is not the moon”, as the ancient Eastern saying goes; so too, “Reading about trees is not being with a tree”. You do not need to be an expert or a scientist to benefit from experiencing trees. Just be present, breathe deeply, observe closely, cultivate stillness, and enjoy the moment.

We can sit by a tree in our yard, a park, or a forest, and begin to feel the slowness, quiet, and presence of trees and our oneness with them. We can stroll through uninhabited areas, walking barefoot when we can. This is Forest Bathing or Shinrin-yoku in Japanese. I just discovered this a year ago, but it is an ancient practice. The benefits to humans are great and the science behind it all, for instance how it helps our immune system, is described in Dr. Qing Li’s book. Recognizing the importance of this tree therapy for the health of its people, Japan has set aside reserves just for Forest Bathing. When you can’t get outside, there are good tips on how to bring the outside in: a “grounding mat” at your desk, candle scents, living plants, or even a poster of a forest.

So let’s all get outside and be and breathe with trees! They have given us many gifts and now it is time to appreciate them and certainly the time to help them if we can.

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