My Tree of Life

I went to a marketplace event this past weekend with my mother. This exhibition takes place annually where local artisans of India represent their state’s handlooms, artifacts, and accessories. As I was browsing through the different stalls and admiring the diverse prints, patterns, and fabrics, I stopped in my tracks at a booth selling artwork from Odisha, an eastern state in India. The products at this stall were hand painted on silk, palm leaves, or cloth canvas. I can’t explain why, but my heart instantly connected with one painting in particular, which was aptly titled “The Tree of Life.” I’ve included an image of it for you in this blog, as I’ve pondered my attraction to this specific painting. In this week’s blog, I delve deeper into my interpretation of how this piece of art is relevant to each of our lives. I go beyond the usual mythological beliefs associated with the tree of life as the painting has inspired me in a whole new way.??

As background, this artwork is called Tala Patra where various epics and stories are etched out on bound palm leaves. I was fascinated by the originality and the subtlety of this art form. As I stared at the artwork, I realized what it was trying to tell me.?

We need to find our own extraordinary?

We are normally enamored by the trees that appear unique or ones that have beautifully colored leaves. The unique shape, height, and colors will draw us in. In this process of admiring the extraordinary, we gloss over the “ordinary.”??

Do you ever see trees comparing and competing with each other when it comes to their appearance? I have yet to see such a phenomenon. No matter their appearance or age, they stay rooted and unfazed by their surrounding trees. As humans, we are the exact opposite. ?

We constantly compare, yearn, and compete without even recognizing the beauty within us. We find ourselves ordinary wanting to become extraordinary, when the extraordinary is already within us. If we focused on our growth and our abilities, we would have more to offer ourselves and this world. Sadly, instead we leave ourselves stunted because we spend a good chunk of our time chasing.??

If you think even for one second that there is nothing extraordinary about you, then you don’t know yourself well at all. There are qualities that only you possess. Moreover, these qualities, if used to their full potential, will set you on a path of unfathomable fulfillment and happiness. Like the tree, flourish as who you are instead of constantly trying to be who you are not.??

For years, I berated myself for being such a sensitive soul. I saw and felt emotions that most people did not; however, if it wasn’t for this empathy and silent observation, I would have never found my calling as a health coach. More importantly, I would never have had the courage to overcome my trauma and help my parents do the same to be the family unit that we are today. Like the tree, please do not take who you are for granted.??

We belong to the seasons?

Over the last couple of years, I have realized that the more I fight my circumstances, the more difficult they feel. The more I accept them and work on changing my mindset, the more I flow and feel at peace. Just like the tree.??

Have you ever seen the tree hide or escape usual storms and seasonal changes? Never. Aside from devastating natural and human caused calamities, it cyclically and bravely endures, because it is blessed with coping tools. That is how it was built. To thrive, adapt, and survive to the best of its abilities and until its dying breath.??

What if we learnt to flow the same way? To emulate that flow, we need to tap into our healthy coping mechanisms that were once a part of us. Over time, through pain and sorrow, those tools have submerged. We have to strive to uncover those tools and build new ones to flow.??

We need to be first in line?

We have a tendency to seek validation and appreciation from others. We give, give, and give until we explode, or our bodies say, “no more”. Even then, we give. The tree gives us life, but it first gives itself life. It knows that without fulfilling its needs, it cannot provide for mankind and our planet.??

Do you think the tree is selfish to spread its roots, absorb sunlight, soil, and water? Of course not. Those are its necessities. So why do we hesitate when it comes to our needs? We are deserving of the love, understanding, and care we part with others.??

The tree also receives willingly. It never refuses help whether, sadly, it is being cut, destroyed in a fire, or rotting. If help is available, it gladly accepts it. We need to do the same. We don’t need to go through life’s difficulties on our own. We can reach out for help, but that only occurs when we feel worthy to receive. ?

You want that high paying job? It’s yours the minute you feel worthy of it. You want to meet the love of your life? It is also yours the minute you think you deserve such love. To accept, you have to first be willing to receive without guilt, compromise, or doubt.?

We need to be seen?

Whether anyone stops to admire the tree or not, it preens on full display. It doesn’t hide or seek solitude. It remains undeterred by anyone else’s opinion or care of it. Love yourself the same way. See yourself through your eyes instead of your lover’s, family’s or friends’. Nobody else gets to label your beauty, personality or dreams.??

When you feel unattractive, unintelligent, or not enough, it reflects someone else’s opinion of you. You’ve been held to standards created by society to hold you back. Instead, see yourself for who you are and can become. If you aren’t happy with yourself today, that is alright. You still have the right to love and nurture yourself. It is only through that love and understanding that you will grow into the person you wish to be.??

We need faith?

The tree has unshakable faith that it will survive and serve its purpose. It doesn’t grow thinking of the next calamity or fearing the future. If we had similar faith that tomorrow will be better, then we would see the beauty of this life. We worry constantly about all the uncertainties instead of the certainty of hard work and consistency.??

It is this steadfast faith that determines the survival of the so-called fittest.???

We need stop playing?hide-and-seek?

The tree doesn’t hide its scars or naked branches. It is not ashamed or embarrassed of all that it is has seen, survived, and weathered. It proudly shows its complexities, sometimes including its roots.??

So why do we hide behind our trauma? Why are we so afraid of our complex nature? We are constantly attempting to neatly arrange ourselves, our lives, and our thoughts. We perpetually ask ourselves why we can’t be more like others who seem to have their lives together. We shut off our vulnerabilities and rarely let them out. When we do, we feel incompetent and ashamed.?

Like the tree, our scars and histories make us intricately and breathtakingly humane. When shared, they connect us in ways that matter. We need each other more than we know, but we can only be there for each other when we’ve figured ourselves out.??

The tree of life painting may not resonate with you. You may wonder what on earth I saw in this painting, but that is a matter of opinion ??. What matters is what you see in yourself. You are the tree of life, so stop hiding, waiting, and compromising with yourself.??

Learn more at www.imperfectbodies.com. If you enjoyed this information, then please share it with others.?

My guide to overcome stress available here: https://fierce-originator-1156.ck.page?

Check out this week’s wellness video content on YouTube: Find Your Focus Through The Growth Mindset 1 @theskillspark?

All the best,?

Chaitni?

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