Today we will talk about what we can learn from nature. Specifically from the tree. When you look at the tree, you only see whatever that is above the ground. That which is below the ground, you do not see. Let us just compare the tree to our spiritual and physical journey. It tells you something. When you see a person, you see the person physically but what you don’t see you don’t know. Just like the tree you don’t see the roots, you only see the tree. You only see how the person wishes to present himself or herself to you. Underneath that physical appearance if it is rotten, you don’t know. So, when you deal with people you must always be guarded.
Do you realise that how tall the tree grows, the root must grow as deep and as far and wide? Not many people know of this. It tells you that on your spiritual journey, take your time to grow. The higher you climb, your foundation must be very deep and the roots tells us your faith, your believe and how much resolve you have on your journey. It means how you persevere and that means you must have the strength to carry on this journey. If not, when one storm comes and you will collapse.
Now how many of you realise that as far as the tree branches spread out, the roots must also spread out in the same balance. If not, the tree will fall. It teaches us that when the tree spreads its branches, it is giving shelter to people. It means it is helping people. People rest under the tree, people take shade. At the same time what is underneath the tree which you don’t see is the roots that grows that tells you that if you want to help, you must have the resources to help. You must have resources in time, in money, and in your ability to help. If you don’t have these three, the branch can be very wide but the tree is not steady. Again, one strong wind and it will fall.
So, in providing shade and shelter for people, you must make sure that your roots are strong, your faith is strong, you have the resources, in time, money, health or ability to help, your skill to help people, this is something you must have before you can provide the shade to help people.
Now you look at the tree again, if you cut the tree down, as long as the roots are strong, as long as your roots are deep and healthy which means your faith is strong, your resolve is strong, your perseverance is strong and you have the ability to carry on, you will grow again. Any tree you cut, as along as the roots are good, it will grow again. Once the roots are rotten, the tree will never grow.
Now how do we compare this with our journey in life. The roots of a tree are like our mind. People can poison our minds. When the roots are poisoned, some people can pour acid into the ground to kill the tree, once your roots are poisoned, once your mind is poisoned, your roots are no longer strong. Your faith is shaken. Once that happens, your tree will collapse, definitely.
So if you wish to journey very high in the spiritual path, your faith must be very strong. Your ability to persevere, which means people cannot shake you or influence you in your believe. That means people cannot poison your mind, people can tell you what they want but your mind is strong enough to push aside all this thing because your faith is strong. As long as you hang on to your faith that there is One who is bigger than all of us, who is looking after us, taking care of us, providing us with all our needs. That is something you must hang on to.
If someone comes to tell you that this is nonsense, that whatever you do is your own work, your thinking is your own. These are the people who try to poison you, just like the person who poisons the tree because he does not like the tree. Once the roots get damaged, that is the end of the tree. Once your mind is damaged or poisoned, that is the end of you. If you wish to travel this journey, be very careful of people who try to influence you in your thinking.
Now, coming back to the ability to help people, as your roots grow further and further out, that means to say the resources that you need to help people must be there. Understanding must be there, which means to say, on a spiritual journey, go and ask if you do not know. Learn as much as you can. Whether you use it in this life or the next, it does not matter. Knowledge gives you understanding and when you apply your knowledge it gives wisdom.
Now, in order for the tree to grow, it must shed its leaves. So what it tells you is that you must shed your negatives. Now, ultimately, if it is a fruit bearing tree, the tree cannot eat its own fruits. It gives it to others, it is unconditional love. It gives for the sake of giving and aspect nothing in return.
Ultimately what the tree asks you to do is, after you have eaten the fruit, please plant the seed so that life can form again. So for us who are on the spiritual journey, when you help others, be mindful of your own ability and skills to help. When you reach the stage like the tree which bears fruits, when you can touch the lives of others, be mindful of your ego. Always say I am not the doer. It is Him within me that does all the doing.
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