I am coming out of the closet…

I AM A TREE HUGGER

I have been carrying a secret in my heart. Something about me that I have tucked away. Something I do, when others are not around. So, here it goes: I am a tree hugger. I hug trees. I go into the forest, I scan my surroundings, look left and right, try to pick up any sounds of snapping branches or the sound of approaching footsteps on soil and fallen leaves, and when the coast is clear, I go all in. I hug trees left and right. It’s the most wonderful feeling in the world. To sense phantom arms wrapping around me, being bundled and held in a cloak of loving energy. I feel the tree hugging me, just as I am hugging the tree. It’s a wonderful exchange of energy. Something that has enriched my life tremendously. I laugh at the times when I needed alcohol or drugs to feel bliss or ecstasy, now I just hug trees.

I don’t just hug trees. I talk to them. I greet them. I introduce myself. I ask questions. Sometimes I high-five trees. And most of all, I admire trees. I stand in front of them and appreciate their uniqueness, their beauty, the miracle of their being. The structure and feel of their bark, the shape and colour of their leaves, the pattern of branches going upwards or downwards. I find trees so incredibly beautiful, mighty, and it brings me great joy. So why was I in the tree hugging closet, you might ask? Well, let me ask you: have you ever seen anyone hugging a tree? And if you have or if you would see it, what would you think? Would you laugh? Would you think that person has been dropped on the head as a child? Would you think someone who believes trees are alive, beings just like us, and talk to them, that they have utterly lost their minds? We have long lived in a society that saw the living world as things, that saw the earth as a thing that we could exploit for our own benefit. Not too very long ago, people who went out in the woods to connect with nature were burned at the stake for witch activities. Nowadays such tactics are not allowed anymore, but shame is a very effective tool to keep people from behaving a certain way.

“Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth.” - Herman Hesse

Trees are ancient beings who know the way.

Whether you are aware of it or not, there is a taboo on hugging trees. There is a taboo on connecting with the natural world as living beings. And to my utter frustration, the feeling of shame and fear of judgement are sometimes so overwhelming that I dread going to the park or forest. I ignore many trees reaching out to me, just because I am too busy scanning for my surroundings, making sure there are no people around to witness my crazy. It frustrates me to no end. Of course I know that nothing will happen to me. That I can go into the forest and hug a tree and be perfectly safe. I know that even if the whole world would judge me as a lunatic, nothing would happen. Absolutely nothing. And yet, every time it feels like I am doing something very wrong, something I better hide from others.

It has made me think, why do I feel this way? Shame works in interesting ways. Something that can seem like no big deal for one person, can feel like death to someone else. That is how I would describe shame. Shame feels like I am about to drive into a wall going 100km an hour, death only moments away. So, it’s no surprise that shame is a very powerful tool to control people. There is no need to burn people, punish them, if you can simply inflict shame. So why is a taboo on tree hugging needed? Because trees are wisdom keepers. Trees are ancient beings who know the way. They know the way of harmony, peace, collaboration, joy, beauty, unconditional love. And they can show us the way. They can show us how to create a world that is undivided, where there is not one person or group of people at the top, but where everyone stands at the same summit. A forest is a living entity, all trees connected and supporting each other. If there is one tree without enough sunlight, other trees will provide it for him/her. I am not one to use science as the ultimate and only truth, but I am going to throw it in here anyway: science has actually proven that trees communicate and work together.

Trees are wisdom keepers and they have long waited to share their wisdom with us. For humans to notice them again, to feel their gentle nudges and open themselves up to the subtle language of trees. So I think it’s very important that we all start hugging trees. If you feel stressed: go hug a tree. If you are in doubt: go hug a tree. If you feel lonely: go hug a tree. I am right there with you.