CHAPTER 3

Who and How

Anyone and

Everyone

Tree Yoga is for everyone, and there are no exceptions. Anyone can benefit greatly from this practice. There is no circumstance, limitation, or injury that can completely prevent you from practicing. This cannot be said about many other wellness modalities. Not everyone can lift weights, and not everyone can go running. However, Tree Yoga is something anyone can do.

Suppose you are in the later stages of life, and have limited mobility. You can still do a great deal with the tree. You can place yourself next to a tree and do many poses, as well as deep breathing and meditation. Women who are pregnant can practice easily throughout the entire pregnancy. Literally anyone can practice Tree Yoga anytime. All you need to do is place yourself next to a tree and start breathing consciously.

Three Ways

to Practice

There are three primary ways to practice Tree Yoga. First, you can practice yoga poses next to and connected to a tree. Second, you can practice meditation under a tree. Third, you can combine Tree Yoga with hiking. It is important to understand that with all three of these methods of practice, the majority of benefits are coming from the energy of the trees. They are coming from you being in the trees’ healthy electromagnetic fields.

Practicing yoga with a tree is the ideal way to practice yoga. I have practiced countless different styles, and I have practiced in a variety of settings. I did Bikram Yoga for years. I’ve practiced and taught Aerial Yoga, Chair Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Heated Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, and Water Yoga. I’ve been practicing for over 15 years, and I’ve been teaching for a decade now. I’ve nearly well over 10,000 classes at this point, and I have spent thousands of more hours practicing. Tree Yoga is the best way to practice. This is not to knock any other school or style of Yoga, however the benefits of Tree Yoga are unmatched. To this day, I am still blown away that nearly no one else has thought of doing yoga with a tree. The types of yoga are endless. They range from Laughter Yoga to Rage Yoga; from Yin Yoga to Power Yoga. Don’t forget about Beer Yoga and 420 Yoga. However, where is Tree Yoga?

Simply put, it is good to practice yoga poses, but it is great to do it next to a tree. Not only are you getting the benefit from the tree’s electromagnetic field, but you can get a much better stretch in many Tree Yoga poses. You can use the tree as leverage to really enhance the stretch, getting yourself deeper. Additionally, you can use the tree as support to get into poses you normally can’t do. By doing this, you can prime the nervous system to learn, or relearn, any pose or any move.

Similar to with practicing yoga poses, practicing meditation next to a tree is the ideal way to practice meditation. The primary goal of meditation is to fully bring yourself into the present moment. When you practice next to a tree, the tree basically does that for you. It really does help you relax and settle into the now. Have you ever noticed that you are naturally more relaxed and present while in nature? It is because the energy of the trees is gently pulling you into the present and dissolving your stress. Yes, it is highly beneficial to practice meditation in any setting. However, it is most beneficial to practice meditation next to a tree — in the tree’s electromagnetic field. Think about the energy you are connecting with when you do this. Trees are the ultimate embodiment of presence, which is the goal of meditation. They are literally in the same spot for their entire lives — fully in the present moment all the time. When you sit by a tree, you connect with and become that energy. This is a fundamental teaching of yoga. What you focus on, you connect with. What you connect with, you become.

Again, like yoga and meditation, Tree Yoga Hiking is the best way to hike and experience nature. Hiking, or just walking in nature, is a phenomenal thing to do. You always feel so recharged and refreshed. You have more clarity and less stress. This is because you are practicing forest bathing. Remember, forest bathing is placing yourself in the healthy environment of nature — bathing in the peaceful and positive energy, while the negative energy is washed away. As mentioned in the previous chapter, this happens due to you walking through the electromagnetic fields of the trees, and these fields are where all the benefits of forest bathing come from. When hiking, most people just walk through the outer edges of the trees’ electromagnetic fields. Although this is still beneficial, we have discussed how this is where the positive energy is the weakest and least concentrated. The closer to the trunk you get, the stronger the positive energy becomes. The benefits are often amplified beyond belief. Next time you go for a hike or a walk in nature, slow it down and spend some time connecting with various trees. Slowing down in itself will allow you to receive more benefit, but the greatest benefits come from directly connecting to the trees. Look for power trees, or trees with exceptionally large trunks. The energy of these trees is especially strong. Spend some time connecting with these power trees. You can also look for clusters or rings of trees and connect with multiple trees simultaneously. You will be amazed at the types of trees you find when you just start looking, and you will be in awe of how your energy shifts, as well as all the health benefits.

Finding the

Right Tree

How do you find the best trees to work with? It depends on the situation. First and foremost, there are some trees you do not want to work with. Do not practice with trees that are dying or ones that have dead branches overhead. Spend some time inspecting each tree before you work with it. Do not practice with a tree growing on unstable ground or in a dangerous setting. Sometimes, moss and other plants can be covering unstable ground — always look around. Obviously, do not practice with a tree growing on the edge of a cliff, or anything of the sort. Additionally, do not practice with trees that are small and young. Any tree that has a trunk with a diameter smaller than six inches is not a good tree to work with. You can damage the tree, and also injure yourself. Lastly, check the entire trunk before practicing with a tree. On rare occasions, I have found nails in the trunk. Tree Yoga is supposed to be a peaceful and blissful experience. The last thing you want to happen is place your hand on a nail when getting into a pose.

When you are practicing yoga poses with a tree, look for a tree that has a trunk diameter of at least six inches, but less than two feet. It doesn’t have to be exact, but that is the general range. Also, find a tree on ground that is as level as possible. Once again, it doesn’t have to be perfect, but you don’t want to be on a steep hill. You don’t need a lot of space, but you want enough for the poses you plan to practice.

When you are practicing meditation, look for trees which have the biggest trunks. These trees have the strongest electromagnetic fields, which greatly aid in relaxing the body, centering the mind, and pulling us into the present moment. Some of these trees have been in the same spot for hundreds of years. Think about that level of presence!

While practicing Tree Yoga Hiking, connect with as many different trees as possible. This is an opportunity to connect with all types of trees; with trees of all shapes and sizes. You will probably find some favorite trees, and it is a great thing to spend extra time with these gems. You can visit them again and again.

Unplugging and

Tree Plugging

One of the main things we want to do with Tree Yoga is to unplug from technology. Instead, we want to plug into a tree — a much healthier and positive source of energy. This is more a scientific statement than a spiritual one. There is a full spectrum of electromagnetic fields, with trees being on the most positive end of the spectrum. However, unlike the electromagnetic fields of trees, the electromagnetic fields of cell phones, computers, and wireless technologies are on the negative end of the spectrum. Instead of healing us, they harm us on the deepest level. Most of us are constantly swimming in a swamp of negative electromagnetic fields and wireless radiation. This is poisoning us from the inside-out, and it is a more serious problem than most people acknowledge.

Nowadays, people are plugged into technology almost all the time. They spend all day on their cell phones and computers. Although this may initially sound crazy and exaggerated, cell phones and computers are the new cigarettes, and most people are smoking multiple packs per day. This is a more important part of the book than you may realize. Too many people gloss over this, or they dismiss it as untrue. Spending too much time in negative electromagnetic fields is worse than smoking — a lot worse. The poison reaches deeper, and it is often too subtle to recognize. Damage from negative electromagnetic fields may take years to manifest, and the disease is typically not connected back to the actual cause.

Technology is not evil, and it is amazing what it allows us to do. I am not trying to ruin technology for you, but if you don’t have a balanced relationship with technology, your entire life could be ruined. The vast majority of people do not have a balanced relationship, and they don’t realize how deadly this attachment, or addiction, to technology actually is. Although you can’t visibly see what is happening as with smoking cigarettes, there is tremendous harm being done to the body and mind with this imbalanced use of technology. The rise of technology is directly correlated with the rise of all forms of mental illness. It is not a coincidence. The overstimulation from technology wires the brain in maladaptive ways. Further, being plugged into technology too often can result in heart issues, obesity, physical weakness, and reproductive problems.

It is absolutely essential to unplug from technology on a daily basis. I call this virtual fasting. Just like fasting from food, we can fast from technology. We can, and should, spend several hours a day unplugged. I also suggest doing your best to go unplugged for an entire day once per week, or as often as you can. I know life gets busy, but this simply has to be done, otherwise severe health complications can result. Most people don’t take this seriously because they can’t see what is happening. However, remember that you are being poisoned on the deepest level — your energy — when you spend too much time plugged into technology. When you practice Tree Yoga, practice virtual fasting. Do it free of technology. Don’t have your cell phone on you, or your computer close by. Don’t use headphones or listen to music. Take a break from all the stimulation, and connect with peace. Get out of the negative energy, and into the positive. This heals you, and brings you into greater health. However, it also gives you the clarity to establish a more balanced and harmonious relationship with technology. That way, you can use it safely with moderation. You can protect yourself from any potential negative effects. You can be in control of the tool, instead of it being in control of you.

As a caveat and interesting paradox, the best place to use technology is next to a tree. When you are practicing Tree Yoga poses and meditation, or Tree Yoga Hiking, ideally be completely unplugged from technology. However, when you do find yourself working on the computer or using the cell phone, try to do it next to a tree whenever you can. That way, you are in the tree’s positive electromagnetic field. This cancels out the negative electromagnetic field of a computer or cell phone so that you can use it free of any potential harmful effects.

The Tree

and You

Tree Yoga should be primarily about the connection between you and the tree. Initially, it is helpful to take a few classes, as well as to read this book. However, you eventually want to develop your own personal practice. Silence is powerful — much more powerful than any sound. When you get quiet, you can start to hear what the trees have to say. The trees really do have so much to teach us. Let the tree become your teacher. Turn Tree Yoga into a one-on-one private lesson between you and the greatest teacher of all time — nature.

It is the same as anything else. You need some help at the start. You learn how to play basketball by watching other people play, and then trying out what you watched yourself. This applies to everything, including Tree Yoga. At first, you can follow my cues and use my instruction. However, once you know what to do, do it by yourself, and fully be with the tree. Bring all of your focus to the tree you are practicing with. Bring all of your awareness to the present moment you are in. This allows you to establish the best connection. Over time, you will find yourself developing a beautiful relationship with trees, and with nature.

Alone and

Together

The foundation of the practice is the one-on-one relationship between you and the tree. However, it is also a joyous experience to practice Tree Yoga with other people. One of my favorite things to do now is hang out with friends around an awesome tree. You can all do Tree Yoga together, or you can just sit and talk about life. You can have a picnic, or you can play a game. Whatever you decide to do, you are benefiting because you are in the tree’s electromagnetic field.

Practicing Tree Yoga with a group is one of the best ways to bond with other people and improve the quality of the relationships. Instead of always going to the bar or to a restaurant, try gathering around a great tree. It is completely free, and it is also healthier than the typical group activity. Everyone will be more relaxed and in a better mood — setting the stage for a fantastic experience.

Props and

Equipment

There are no props that are completely necessary to practice Tree Yoga. You can easily practice without any props. No equipment is needed. However, I do recommend utilizing a few things. First, I recommend having a yoga mat, or using a towel. The towel actually often works better than a yoga mat. Second, I recommend investing in some gymnastics rings. You can find great sets on Amazon for a reasonable price. Most run around $40 or $50, and many have a lifetime warrantee. This really is a solid investment to make, and it opens you up to some awesome stretches and advanced Tree Yoga poses.

Ideally, you want to practice Tree Yoga barefoot, with bare hands. However, in the colder weather, dress appropriately. Wear shoes and gloves if it gets too cold. Wear a hat, and utilize cold weather gear as you need to. You want to be comfortable. Yes, you get the most benefit from a direct skin-to-tree connection due to the high concentration of nerves in the hands, however there are still a great deal of benefits to be had by simply being in the electromagnetic field of the tree.

Mosquitoes, Ticks,

and Other Bugs

Bugs are a part of nature. There is no getting around it. However, don’t let mosquitoes, ticks, and other bugs prevent you from practicing Tree Yoga. Instead, use the appropriate tools that will allow you to still enjoy the practice.

Some areas get very bad with mosquitoes during the warmer months. It is not fun, or a good idea, to sit there and get eaten alive while you try to practice. If you find yourself in a situation where the mosquitoes are bad, use some of these tips. Wear long sleeves and long pants. Utilize bug spray — ideally with minimal harsh chemicals. The essential oil eucalyptus works very well. You can also invest in a personal mosquito net for your head and face. They are about $10 on Amazon. Additionally, you can purchase an entire personal mosquito net for $30 or less. You hang this net from a tree branch, and can practice nearly any pose with complete protection from mosquitoes. Even during times of the year when mosquitoes seem unbearable, you can usually find mosquito-free trees in your local park.

In regards to ticks, do not practice Tree Yoga in long grass while out in the middle of the woods. Always check yourself for ticks after practicing in the forest — especially in the warmer months. Inspecting the tree and the area around the tree before you practice really is an essential step. Some tree branches have bee hives. Other trees are surrounded by large ant hills. You do not want to practice Tree Yoga in areas where you notice these things. Bugs really don’t have to be a problem. You just need to be aware of the solutions.

Poison Ivy and

Other Plants

If you are going to practice Tree Yoga in the forest, or even in your backyard, you want to be aware of what poison ivy looks like, as well as other poisonous plants local to your area. Stay away from these trees, or clear the area of these poisonous plants before practicing. Again, this comes back to always checking the tree and the surrounding area before you practice Tree Yoga. It also boils down to awareness. How aware are you of your environment?

If you do happen to have an encounter with poison ivy or another plant of the sort, do not panic. You typically have about four hours to wash the exposed body parts before there are any negative effects. Take a shower and clean the area you suspect may be infected as soon as possible.

Caring and

Respecting Nature

When you have a positive relationship with a person, you care for that person. We want to take the same approach with a tree. Take care of your tree the best you can. Make it, and keep it, a sacred thing. Have the best intentions, and the utmost respect. Something I like to do is pick up any trash I may notice around trees I like to practice with. This is an old Boy Scout mentality. You leave the campsite in a better condition than which you found it. This doesn’t have to be a dramatic improvement. It can be as simple as picking up a few pieces of trash, or even just one. You can do this on nature walks as well. A little goodness goes a long way.