The first tree
"Heida": we start "our afternoon" with the sound of drums and accordions, rattling bells, singing and dancing. The afternoon when the first tree of the tree circle around the world is planted. And the final project of our annual training programme "Lead the Change" takes place. With a campfire, burying the old and sowing the new, tree guessing, guerrilla coaching, invitations to marvel, free hugs, jam sales, face painting, singing and making music together, playing, ... simply being really alive. And always at the centre: the tree. A hornbeam, already quite large, with a slender trunk and outstretched branches, leaning against a bench in its pot and waiting. Silently and quietly, waiting for its grand entrance.
It is decorated with ribbons of blessings and wishes and adorned with folded cranes. Sung about, stroked, cherished. Honoured with the elm dance. And then picked up and carried to the planting site.
There we gather in a circle, the tree is lowered into the prepared earth. Tim, the strong source and the courageous visionary of the tree circle around the world, stands by the tree. Some of us help with the digging, then suddenly there is silence and astonishment. One of the helpers, an African-American man who has just turned up a few minutes ago and has unexpectedly joined us, begins to speak. The group becomes agitated. What is this? Is he going to torpedo our ceremony? But he talks about himself and his history with trees - and does something very touching at the end: He blesses the tree. Just as Tim had planned and wished. As if he had known. The two embrace - and we start to sing. Singing songs of small and large trees, of Mother Earth, of laughter and growth. The cranes and lots of colourful stones from Eva's mother accompany us.
Each and every one of us is allowed to water the tree, give it water, wishes, blessings and good thoughts. I love the fact that it's not just us from the course who do this, but also the guests who join us during the afternoon. There is a lot of connection in the air, mindfulness and love. For nature, the trees and the people. It feels like a beautiful, strong community that is starting something big here!
Encounter under the tree
One of the best moments for me during the planting of the first tree for the tree circle around the world began when everything was already over. The tree had been planted and watered, the earth trodden down and fixed, the stones placed and the cranes removed. The visitors had already said their goodbyes and we from the course set about tidying up. Tim, the idea generator and motivator, the source for the tree circle around the world, stayed by the tree for a short while - and then lay down under it. Stretched out, arms wide open.
I love lying under trees. How nice it would be to do the same with "our tree"! And yet there were these conflicting voices inside me: "But you should help down there now...", "I can't leave the others alone", "Maybe Tim would rather enjoy the moment on his own and I should leave so as not to disturb him?", "What should everyone else think of you if you don't do anything at all?", "I should probably do something useful", "Where would we end up if everyone did that?". Yes, where would we end up? People would be lying under trees, looking up at the branches and the sky, feeling the earth beneath them, pausing, taking a deep breath, realising connectedness, enjoying the moment, being grateful - and then perhaps carrying on with whatever they were doing a little more mindfully, joyfully and connectedly... A beautiful idea.
That tipped the scales: I lay down next to it. Looked up at the sky. Admired our tree. Enjoyed this completely different perspective. Noticing the birds all around. The subtle movements of the leaves. The scratching of the earth. Tim's skin against mine. I imagined what the tree would experience in the future: Family picnics, whispers of love in the moonlight, children scrambling up the tree, bees, birds, squirrels, the woman seeking rest in its shade after a bike ride, our reunion in 10 years' time, and soooo much more. I have become calm and peaceful inside, have arrived completely in the moment, just being there.
At some point I looked over at Tim: "That's nice! Thanks for showing me!". And he told me that this was his greatest wish: that he wasn't lying there alone, but that someone would join him. That he was really happy now. "Mmmhmmm", he said to me. And I thought about the many thoughts at the beginning that had almost stopped me because I wanted to do something "meaningful". "Sometimes the most meaningful thing is to do nothing at all. Just being there is enough."
Thank you for this wonderful realisation and the wonderful conclusion to this encounter by the tree. I am here. 😊
