Ammi’s Adventures: Trees

Hi! I’m Ammi. My name means “the whole world is inside of me,” and I think it’s true: I carry the whole world in my mind and heart and body. I know you do, too! I like to play games, explore, and discover what makes me, me. I’m so glad we’re together on this journey!  When was the last time you hugged a tree? I can hardly imagine how many trees I’ve sat with, whispered to, climbed on, eaten from, been shaded by, and hugged in my life! Can you? Trees are our friends and trees are our teachers. Trees are alive just like us and they can help us learn about ourselves. Think about a favorite tree, which one comes to mind? Maybe there’s one in your backyard or in the park down the street. Perhaps at your school, by the lake, or in the forest where you went camping? Think about that tree now and notice its presence.  What is the tree’s bark like? Smooth, rough, thick, peeling? The bark protects the tree like skin, it’s a barrier from the elements. The bark says, “I am a tree.” Just like a tree, we need boundaries too!  Think about the tree’s roots. Are they thick or thin, bumpy or knotted? Can you imagine how far they go and how they connect with all the living things that we don’t get to see? The roots anchor the tree into the earth, and keep it steady no matter what happens. The roots say, “I am safe.” We need to feel grounded and held too!   What about the tree’s trunk? Is it wide or narrow, short or long, straight or bent? It is the tree’s core, its body. The trunk says, “I am strong.” We need to feel solid and steady within ourselves too!  Now think about the tree’s branches and leaves. Every tree is unique! Some bring fruit, others are evergreen. Some branches are twisted together and others are sky high! Like arms, hands, and fingers, they express beauty and create nourishment for the world. They say, “I am whole.” We belong here too! We all have beautiful gifts to share!  There is so much change happening. For all of us. Even for the trees. With all this change, it’s helpful to remember what is true. What is true is what holds, even in the midst of change. What is true is different for everyone. Let’s play with the trees together! 

A 5-Minute Meditation for Kids

Just like the environment around a tree is always changing, our lives are always changing too. Everything changes. But no matter what the changes are, we can anchor into our seed, and find what is true. We can remember we are like the trees.  Love from your friend and fellow tree lover, Ammi 

Getting to Know Ourselves More

“I am me. I am safe. I am strong. I am whole.”  Say these sentences aloud or quietly to yourself. Repeat them three times. Notice how you feel. Say them again. Say them as many times as you want, over and over again. Draw them, paint them, make a sticker and put it on your wall. Repeat them to yourself when you are in a car, on the bus, on your bicycle, on an airplane, in bed. Whisper them to yourself when you are worried, or frightened, or unsure. Remind yourself of them when you’ve forgotten. Come back to them when you are confused. They will reconnect you with your seed. When you are feeling clear and bright and certain, here are some fun questions to ask yourself. What are you ready to shed and in what ways are you ready to grow? Where will your branches reach? What changes will you create in our world? What new ideas are you here to bring? What new systems are you here to bring in? What change do you stand for? Be you. Be safe. Be strong. Be whole. You are so deeply loved. 

READ MORE

Heather Hawk Feinberg July 5, 2021

Heather Hawk Feinberg May 6, 2021

Heather Hawk Feinberg March 1, 2021