I Kissed a Tree, and I Liked It
I have a favorite hike nearby where I’ve stumbled upon a particular tree—literally! I fell right on my face in front of it once during a run. This tree, with its beautiful hues of purple and beige, caught my attention time and time again on this hike. Each time I pass, I touch it, and I have even kissed it.
Trees have become a pathway to a deeper relationship and understanding of nature for me. There have been several instances supporting my journey toward forming emotional connections with trees, communicating with them, and receiving their knowledge and medicine. It’s a friendship that can be passed from generation to generation. If you take the time to get to know trees, you’ll also begin to change, expanding your awareness of the tremendous natural transformations that occur every single day. You become more connected to the awe and wonder that is foundational for spiritual health.
One day, I lay on my sofa, waking up to see my big, beautiful tree standing tall and strong. I closed my eyes and thought about how a tree is as big underground as it is above the earth’s surface. I pondered how many years it had been there, feeling our human movements through vibrations underground. It feels the seasons in temperature, knows when the bugs, worms, and beetles are in and out of hibernation. It holds the wisdom of the soil, understanding where its nutrients lie. It's natural ability to balance its growth above and below ground. It cares for itself and feeds its energy into its highest branches. It effortlessly moves in rhythm with the seasons, engaging in reflection during the winter and activity in the summer. We never see a tree try to go against this rhythm as humans do, often feeling like victims of winter’s chilly, dark chapter. We have much to learn from trees. They are our elders and celestial beings.
Before I bought this house, before I even knew which house it would be, the tree communicated with me. It came to me, aware that I was to purchase the property it stood on, telling me that it watches over and protects the house. Upon my first arrival to my house, I went out into the yard and placed my hand on it for a special moment—a moment that turned into wrapping my arms around its trunk. Since moving in, this tree has informed me in dreams that another set of trees on the property were diseased and needed my attention, which turned out to be true. To this day, I check in with this tree, asking it to protect us while communicating with it as if it’s feels it is part of the house.
Recently, I posted a video on my Instagram expressing my emotions over our local central power company cutting down half of this tree in our front yard. We kept every part of the tree we could, spending an unexpected half of our day moving the massive trunk logs from the front yard into a nice pile along the side of the fence and the purchasing of our very first wheelbarrow.
A 2024 study in Finland showed that humans can have decades-long relationships with tree friends that elicit joy, admiration, and connection to something larger than themselves. My editor sent me a local advertisement for an 8-week course called “Slow Blooming,” where participants cultivate a mindful relationship with a single tree as it awakens from winter hibernation. While I haven't decided if I’m going to participate, it’s enchanting to know there are opportunities out there to help people cultivate deeper relationships with the seasons and the land.
On my personal path to a holistic lifestyle, my relationship with trees has been a profound teacher. Don't you just love the idea of building a deep connection with an ancient living giant? When will your first tree kiss be?
