According to the ancient Daoists, we are all made of 5 elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Harmony in life is achieved when we balance these elements.
We focus on increasing our wood element when we want to expand, grow, accomplish goals, and strengthen our personal boundaries. The wood element meditation is particularly helpful for those who feel like they are lacking initiative and drive, are having trouble sticking to their goals and following through, need to be more assertive and stand up for themselves, and/or want to be more generous. Due to the fact that the wood element relates to our liver and gallbladder organs, this meditation will also help to detoxify these organs.
Any tree, large or small, will do, but certain types of trees can be more effective for certain problems. For example, pine trees are particularly healing for our emotions. The redwoods have a calming energy and can be used when someone really needs to build a sense of self and personal boundaries, to clear emotional pain when boundaries have been crossed in the past, and want to really expand into their full potential.
Wood Meditation:
Simply sit comfortably by a tree. (Always ask permission first to work with the tree.) Close your eyes and keep the image of the tree in your mind or gently focus your gaze on the tree. As you inhale, imagine breathing in light from the tree. As you exhale, imagine exhaling light into the tree.
Feel your roots going deep into the earth. Feel yourself expanding indefinitely up into the sky. Feel the cool water circulating in your body; calming and freeing you. Feel the sense of expansion, of being so full that you give freely without expecting anything in return. Open to the positive qualities of the wood element; generosity, expansion, and boundless freedom.
Finally, simply sit receptive to what the tree has to teach you. Do not judge. Simply allow whatever thoughts and feelings that come up to do so. End with a feeling of gratitude: for the tree, for the experience, for what you learned, etc.
