When I think about the forest, I think about all the different trees and animals that exist together in peace and chaos. There is an understanding of life, death, and survival. The trees exist in all sizes until it is their time to go, and they give up their space for new life. The space a tree once took up is never taken for granted, and there is no time for the trees to judge one another based on texture, shape, or color. They stand among each other, sharing the resources of the sun and rain.
I think about the animals as well. The prey, the predators, and everything in between. They all have the same mission: to survive another day. It is not about the worries of tomorrow for them. It is about taking life day by day, grateful to run, crawl, fly, and jump as a means of living.
The trees give them life as well. They do not cling to their seeds or their fruits. They let them go, trusting that new life will be made. Whether that life looks like them or becomes nourishment for an animal is not a concern in the forest.
I think about how the rivers and streams flow, creating spaces to nourish and cleanse. Even without stepping into the water, the frequencies of its calming sounds can be healing. To be led by calm waters is a good thing.
How to be more like the forest? It is a question I ask a lot.
I think the answer is in finding peace even when there is chaos, in not taking life for granted, in holding space for others, in not judging yourself or others, in being present, in movement, and in creating a sound mind.
-Illumination Forest
