searching for trees such as these
“Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher.”
A spiritual teacher once warned me against diving down the rabbit hole of trying to understand my soul’s purpose on this earth.
He made the case that most people, when given the opportunity to see what they are meant for, will become so entranced with figuring out how to get there that they will distract themselves from taking the everyday steps required to bring their purpose to life.
I used to be quite resistant to this take.
Surely, if I were given a glimpse into my reason for incarnating into this lifetime, my ego would be so uniquely humble as to step aside.
Right?
Unfortunately for the lifespan of this particular delusion, I eventually realized that I was not the exception to the rule. If my anticipatory thoughts around something as simple as an email have the capacity to push me into a frozen state for days on end, what would I do with something so large as my dharma?
I guess the guru knew what he was talking about.
With no divine plan to hunt down, what’s a girl to do?
Well, in my case, I started consulting the trees.
Assembling the tree council wasn’t so much a voluntary act. Given how many cacti I’ve accidentally killed, I’d be surprised if a plant of any kind were to respond ‘polo’ to my ‘marco’.
Luckily, no outbound calls were needed. One evening, much to my surprise, the panel of trees reached out to me.
I was on a walk in my new-at-the-time neighborhood thinking about how wonderful it might be to settle down in such a beautiful place. When suddenly, out of nowhere, I heard a loud whisper.
“You won’t be here long. This isn’t it for you. Don’t get too comfortable.”
It was jarring. And confusing. And to be honest, it felt a bit rude?
Either way, against my will, the arboreal advisory board had spoken. And they were right.
(Oh god, I sound like a hippie. Or the Lorax.)
Despite my best intentions, I only lived in that place for two years. Every time I made an attempt to settle in more permanently, it was as if nature herself conspired to make my living situation as hostile and uncomfortable as possible.
I’ve been listening to the trees ever since.
And if you’re looking for some guidance, I can’t recommend them enough.
The trees don’t really take questions. It’s not an advice on-demand situation. But if you’re willing to listen, I assure you they will have something to say. They may even point you where you need to go.
Come to think of it, maybe it’s the same with our soul’s purpose.
The more we try to track it down, the more elusive it becomes.
But if we can just stay present and be open, maybe our life’s purpose simply speaks through us.
Maybe my life’s purpose is listening to the trees.
Maybe I am the Lorax after all.
Or god forbid… a hippie.