HomeVolume 4October 2019 The secret of trees

DAAJI shares some thoughts on the benefits we receive from trees, and how important they are to our life on Earth.

Once upon a time, it so happened that a great sage from the early 20th century, Ram Chandra, visited a village in the tribal area of Rawati in the Malwa district of present-day Madhya Pradesh in India. He was so enamoured of the place, because it reminded him of the ancient ashram of the saint Kakabhushundi. Whoever entered that ashram felt a sense of liberation.

After going there, Ram Chandra wrote, “The natural beauty and the innocent people of the village were the attractions. I liked this place very much and felt I should stay there forever. … I was eager to make my dream come true of building an ashram like that of Kakabhushundi. Such places have a better capacity to absorb feelings and Transmission than people do, and can retain them for a longer period. As a result, whoever goes there cannot but be influenced. This is the reason why even today this place looks like Brindavan. Even if one looks at it from the traditional angle, one can do better sadhana here than in other places.”

So in 2007 I went looking for this village, now called Raoti. The moment I reached the nearby railway station I could see that there were hardly any trees around for hundreds of hectares; most of them had been cut down. Imagine how much greener it would have been back then! As I reached the village, I noticed a stream that had almost dried up, and on the banks were beautiful trees, including a huge banyan tree with a giant canopy. The thought arose that Lalaji must have visited this very spot, so I sat there and felt immensely benefited.


Trees retain spiritual charge as it is given,
without any disturbance.
They are like vibration banks.

What is so special about trees? First, they retain spiritual charge for a longer period than humans, because we have consciousness of a different order. We have the possibility of wilfully evolving, and also of falling down. We can improve or destroy. Trees retain spiritual charge as it is given, without any disturbance. They are like vibration banks. So future generations also benefit, as trees do not deplete the spiritual charge. Trees do not go backwards in the field of evolution, but they also do not evolve wilfully. It is this lack of will that protects the charge once infused in them.


When the heart is filled with love,
tenderness, softness and suppleness,
we become so creative and so adaptable.
We then naturally care for the rest of creation.

Also, certain trees grow tall and sturdy, like mahogany, oak and acacia. They cannot easily be cut, as their wood is strong. Compare them to chikoo, apricot, apple, plum, guava, jamun, fig and mango, which are tender, and yield the most beautiful fruits. During the summer season, you will see mango trees laden with so many fruits that the branches bend to almost touch the ground. In contrast, sturdier trees with hard wood cannot bend and do not have praiseworthy fruits.

Such mighty trees can easily be destroyed by a tornado, but look at a humble blade of grass! Similarly, it is the softness of the heart that makes it yield with reverence, and humility has a chance to sing the song of sweetness. What can a bitter and arrogant heart sing? It can only hurt others.

At the human level, it is worthwhile observing men and women. Women are loving and tender, both physically and emotionally. Love fosters tenderness, whereas arrogance and ego foster harshness. Women keep the species going through their tenderness and love; come what may, they go through life with acceptance. It is their inherent nature, bestowed lavishly on them by God.

When the heart is filled with love, tenderness, softness and suppleness, we become so creative and so adaptable. We then naturally care for the rest of creation. Heartfulness Meditation enhances these qualities, especially love. It is because of love that we can accept, and acceptance is a nobler quality than tolerance. Peace is the natural outcome in such a heart. And where there is peace, there is happiness.


Article by DAAJI (Kamlesh Patel)
Art by FABIO KOHLER



Comments

Daaji

Kamlesh Patel is known to many as Daaji. He is the Heartfulness Guide in a tradition of Yoga meditation that is over 100 years old, overseeing 14,000 certified Heartfulness trainers and many volunteers in over 160 countries. He is an inn... Read More

LEAVE A REPLY