Tree Yoga School · Practice beside a tree
Sassafras · About five minutes
More than one way to be.
Read once, then give your attention to the tree. Spend a few minutes, or less if that suits you.
Find a comfortable place.
Sit or stand on stable ground in a permitted place, keeping your usual supports. A bench, wheelchair, or accessible path is enough. Keep paths clear and let your breathing stay natural. There is no need to touch the tree.
Settle at a viewpoint
Choose a permitted place and a supported position. Keep branches and roots undisturbed.
Describe one detail
Choose a leaf, twig, or bark pattern. Silently name its outline in ordinary words. No botanical vocabulary is required.
Find a difference
Compare another visible detail. Notice one similarity and one difference without ranking them. In winter, compare branch shapes instead.
Leave a question open
Breathe naturally. Carry one curious question into your day and allow yourself time to learn the answer.
An optional five minutes
You can practice without a timer. Start it when you are ready to turn your attention to the tree.
5:00
Silent by default. Begin whenever you like.
Keep this page open for the closing sound. A locked screen or backgrounded browser may delay it; the time will catch up when you return.
When you are ready
Where did a second look make your first impression more spacious?
Reflect quietly, or write a sentence in your own notebook. Let the visit be enough.