A Strong Tree in the Storm

AA wrote: Visst är det skönt att kunna fina egen styrka i sig själv. Men det utesluter ju inte att man kan få ett ännu större välbefinnande om man kan finna en trygg plats i samvaro med med någon annan om det känns motigt. Själv minns jag med glädje de gångerna då jag av någon anledning hade upplevt någon motgång då jag kom hem till föräldrahemmet. Pappa befann sig i teverummet och lyssnade på nyheterna, medan mamma stökade i köket. Det var så tryggt i denna enformiga kontinuitet att veta att vad som än sker så finns det något inte tiden rår på

A Strong Tree in the Storm

Picture a tree in a storm. At the top of the tree, the small branches and leaves are swaying violently in the wind. The tree looks vulnerable, quite fragile – it seems it can break at any time.  But if you look at the trunk, you will see that the tree is solid: and if you look down to its root structure, you will know that the tree is deeply and firmly rooted in the soil. The tree is quite strong. It can resist the storm. 

We are also a kind of tree. Our trunk, our centre, is just below our navel. The zones of our thinking and our emotions are at the levels of our head and chest. When we are taken hold of by a strong emotion, like despair, fear anger or jealousy, we should do our best to leave the zone of the storm and go down to the valley to practice breathing in and out. If we stay in the winds of the storm, it may be too dangerous. We can go for refuge into the trunk breathing in and out, aware of the rising and falling of our abdomen. 

                                                  Thich Nhat Hanh: Touching Peace

This is one of the best and most helpful teachings I know. I’m reading it often, to anchor it in my consciousness so that whenever a strong emotion takes hold of me, there’s a chance that I remember the image of the strong tree… 

When emotions get strong and a storm is rising, instead of becoming desperate, forgetting to breathe, or overreacting, I go down to the centre of my body and simply follow my breath. It doesn’t take very long before the storm has passed and my tree stands calm and tall again.