How To Be With a Tree

Hey Rebel,

I stumbled across an email I sent out a few years back and wanted to put it out into the world once again, as it made me smile.

Also, don’t forget to check out this week’s podcast, You Can’t Feel the Future…

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Hey rebel,

In today’s edition of the Rebel Weekly, we’re keeping it very simple...

At some point today, I want you to go and ‘be’ with a tree.

(This may sound a bit shit at first, but I guarantee it’s the opposite of a bit shit).

Here are some instructions...

Instructions on how to be with a tree

1. Locate a tree

2. Be with the tree

*I’m being silly, but it really is that simple - I’ll break it down a little more so that it becomes this simple...

Photo by Trent Haaland on Unsplash

More detailed instructions on how to be with a tree

1. Locate a tree

2. Get close to the tree (does it need a hug?)

3. Now you’re a treehugger - sorry!

4. Imagine you didn’t know that trees were called trees

5. In fact - imagine you know nothing about this ‘thing’ you’re with

6. Explore it as if for the first time - feel it, smell it, be with it completely

7. Get behind the idea or the concept of ‘tree’ and consider how fucking amazing this thing is - unlearn everything you ‘know’ about it (I know this seems impossible, but do it anyway)

8. Be with the tree for as long as makes sense

9. What are you now curious to know now that you know nothing?

10. Do you feel connected to this newly discovered thing?

11. Does it need another hug?

12. Ponder how a four-letter word could possibly represent the infinite complexity of this incredible thing…

13. Imagine what life would be like if you spent more time being with things like this

14. Send that tree some love

15. Receive some love from the tree

16. Go about your day

Sometimes life seems complex, like everything is conspiring against us in the ultimate shit sandwich - but you can always go and be with something in this way.

Be with your sofa this way - why not?

The cool thing is that being with something totally is also the same BEing totally with yourself. When you’re fully involved in being, there is no time to ‘go’ anywhere else - no time for past and future and doing becomes secondary.

You are so hyper aware of the now that your ‘life situation’ falls away, and all that remains is your life - and this, my friend, is one great place to hang out.

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With love,

Sam