The unrelenting challenges of our lives can often resemble the act of traversing a dense, shadowy forest. Each towering tree signifies life's unyielding difficulties, their sprawling roots the discomforts we tread upon. The heavy moist air, thick with tension. Forest insects and animals carry ghostly whispers of uncertainty, making every step feel like an exercise in caution.
Pockets of relief emerge now and then like tiny forest clearings, punctuating the constant barrage of unshakeable fears and unmet yearnings. There for a moment, gone the next.
At some point, we realise that we can't find respite from the unrelenting turmoil of life by trying to escape the forest. Regardless of how far or fast we run, the forest's edge remains unreachable; its vastness is limitless. In a parallel manner, the chase for worldly accomplishments — the perfect career, the ideal relationship, or the unique creation — only provides momentary relief, like brief clearings. But they never bring the forest to an end.
Recognising the endless expanse of the forest, some of us are compelled to ascend. Through cleansing, healing, and harnessing both medicinal and ethereal powers, we rise from the shadowed forest floor, journeying through the understory, and reaching ever closer to the canopy.
It’s lighter up there. The open sky more easily visible.
The treetops, though inviting, present their own set of challenges. As we ascend, the unyielding tug of gravity strains us, demanding balance on branches that thin with height. And in time, the deep interconnectedness of existence summons us back to the realm of names and forms, pulling us down to the forest floor once more.
Beyond the ephemeral glimpses of the open sky, however, the treetops also impart lessons through the whispering wind for those who are willing to listen. As she rustles, breathes, and dances with the leaves at such elevations, the wind conveys a profound message: our true longing isn't for a break in the canopy or the forest’s edge.
What we truly desire above all else is an end to our own apparent separation from the forest.
Upon realising we are the forest, its beauty and inherent tranquility permeate our being. We climb to the tops of the canopy to gasp at the heights. Sometimes we swing from tree-to-tree in the understory, and sometimes we roll in the forest floor soil.
Each act we take, a joyous and playful celebration of our deep-rooted love for the forest that we all are.
Take care,
David