A Lesson In Resiliency
As usual, my teacher showed up in nature. And, as usual, slowing down, observing my environment very closely and deeply listening, the teachings of the moment arrived before my eyes and revealed themselves to my inner ear. The ear that hears beyond sound. What I might term the ear of perception. In some wisdom traditions it is called the eye of perception, but in this case, in my experience, it was an inner hearing that resulted from deep listening.
The teaching in this case was from a very old tree.
I have been living in Portugal for the last three weeks, the last two of those in the southern part called the Algarve. I have been walking in the countryside where I have been staying. The other day on my walk, something called to me. It beckoned me to leave the well worn, dirt roadway that I was on and venture off onto a narrow, rocky path that led down into one of the tilled plots that is home to olive and alfarroba* trees.
As I made my way carefully down this path I suddenly came face to face with the one who had called. She was an ancient, gnarled, and uniquely beautiful alfarroba. Her trunk was enormous, wide in girth and contorted in twists and turns. As I paid homage to her wisdom, to what she had experienced in all the years of her life, I was struck by the lesson she wanted to transmit. Out of this huge weathered and worn trunk, that looked to me like it was mostly dead wood, sprouted many young, vibrant branches adorned with green leaves that shone in the sun. They had a juicy and verdant glow that spoke of youth and vitality, health and vigor. So much life force!
I was humbled by her fortitude, her resiliency and her generosity (the dark brown pods that lay scattered on the ground). This tree had obviously weathered many storms, many different environmental changes and still she was growing with potency and strength. I thought of the words of the Dalai Lama, “ Never give up, no matter what is going on, never give up.”
The teaching I took away:
Stay rooted.
Stay connected to Source, whatever that is for you.
There is no lack of life force energy, just tap in.
New growth can and does flourish through and from the old.
*Alfarroba is the Portuguese name for carob. They have been grown in this region for hundreds of years for food for animals and humans.