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Muir Woods

Walking the Land: Tree Touching

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Should you touch or hug a tree, or not? A cautionary tale.

I never touch a tree without it’s permission first. If you have a copy of my book, WALKING THE LAND, there is a specific ceremonial method in there to show you how to approach a tree and see if they want you to touch them.

Here is a cautionary tale I experienced: In Muir Woods, north of San Francisco, CA, there is an incredible ‘temple’ of redwoods. And there’s a path people hike through the area. In one particular spot the path is a sharp 90 degree turn. And everyone puts their hand on the redwood that grows at that corner to make that step up and turn. When I came upon it, I gave the tree a gift of cornmeal and introduced myself to it mentally, giving my name.

I asked it if wanted to be touched. I got such an angry blast of energy from it, that I was, at first, shocked. Because in my experience, if you come with a clear heart/good intentions, give the cornmeal gift and ask permission, 90% of the trees love to commune physically with us (such as a hand on the bark or a hug).

Sequoia and Hiker
I doubt this hiker gave this tree cornmeal and asked whether she could lean up against it and put her boot on its trunk. Don’t do this. It is disrespectful. Go through your cornmeal ceremony and ask the tree, instead, if you can touch it. Put yourself in the place of this tree. Would you like a human to come along and do this without its permission? See the tree as a human being, instead. How would you feel if this hiker just decided to do this without your input and/or permission first?

Once I got past the shock over the anger and outrage of the redwood tree spirit, I asked why it was angry. He said that every person who came past him, put their hand on him and took his energy from him for themselves. Now, this deserves a serious look. There are people who are needy and will unconsciously take your energyfrom you whether they touch you physically, or not. In this case, the tree was slowly being deprived of its energy and dying because human after human was unknowingly taking from it at that corner. I asked the tree what I could do to help him. He asked for his energy back.

I did a journey for him and all the small bits of energy from thousands of people who took from him, were returned. My guides also created an energy “shield” for the tree so that from that time forward, if people placed their hand on this redwood, the shield would protect the tree and not allow his energy to be taken. The tree was very happy.

Lesson learned here: ask first. Don’t assume every tree wants you to touch it. Always ask. Treat the tree as you would a human—if you want to think of it in this way. Would you lay a hand on a stranger or hug them without proper introductions and that individual giving you permission to touch them? Of course you wouldn’t. Apply this to everything in Nature. Not everything wants a human hand on.

Muir Woods Trail
Here’s a photo from Muir Woods. When my experience with the redwood happened, the boardwalks were not there. Now that they are, it helps protect the trees, their roots, and soil from human hands and feet.

CORNMEAL CEREMONY

Follow these simple steps to communicate with anything in Nature (all our relations), trees, flowers, bushes, rocks, etc.:

  • Always carry a small bag of cornmeal (of any color) with you. Give a pinch of the cornmeal to the tree (as an example).
  • Introduce yourself by name. You can do this out loud, or you can use mental telepathy to “communicate” with the tree. Give them your name. And ask if you have their permission to touch them. EXAMPLE: “Hi, my name is Eileen. I would love to touch you. Do I have your permission?”
  • A tree does not speak English. They are all love/heart, so it is an energy communication between them and us. Some people will feel a warmth in their heart, or around them. Or, you may feel invisible arms come around you, pulling you forward. Or, you may feel a bubbly, happy sensation around you. This is the tree’s way of saying, “Yes, you can touch me.”
  • If you get a cold, wind-like energy or feeling, or even a feeling of invisible hands pushing you gently away from the tree, or there is no answer or feeling/sensation? That is “NO, don’t touch or hug me.”
  • Regardless of the answer, give cornmeal a second time when you are finished with the communication.

PC: DepositPhotos

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