Oak Tree

Let's discuss the oak tree. I have found this to be a wonderful example of existence. A painting with words, produced for the minds eye.

At the beginning we can think of our soul as a seed. The seed has ingrained genetic memories that drive the production of roots and sprout, if the appropriate environmental conditions exist. Once this process begins, we can begin our metaphorical journey.

As the genetic memories of atomic structure and energy conversion drive the seed to grow it's roots and sprout, life emerges. The sprout struggles to break the hold of the earth and the darkness into which it was born. As it does this, it steadily ventures deeper into the darkness with precision and desire. The path of the root is one of darkness, searching for a foundation for the seedling's climb toward the light of the sun. These tentacles radiate out in an ever expanding half sphere, searching vigilantly for more support, more nourishment, and more understanding.

When the sprout finally breaks free of the dirt, the definition of the tree begins to form. We can see the infant branches twisting upward and the gentle stalk taking shape. The stalk is where we will focus, for this is our conscious soul. The trunk of the tree is the memory keeper, the energy conduit between the light and the dark. It exists simultaneously in light and darkness. This is where we reside as our conscious selves. In other words, you are the trunk and you are where you are right now because you are still growing.

Now, remembering that our conscious soul is the trunk, let's add some eyes to the midpoint of the trunk and assume they rotate 360 degrees. As a baby tree our view of the world would limited to the constraints of three dimensional existence. We could only see so far in any direction and therefore would not know of that which existed outside of this viewpoint. We would create memories of our existence in the form of tree rings, building them out from the inside. We would not see our roots, for they are hidden in the darkness. We would have a perception of something strong enabling us to remain a tree on the earth, but may not "know" that they are roots, constantly growing into the darkness the further toward the light we reach. Yet they still exist and serve a magnificent function. A tree cannot exist without it's roots, plumbing into the depths of the unknown below.

While all of this is going on underground, out of sight, the trunk and branches are making their move toward the heavens. The branches reach and reach in a mirror of the roots below. All of this growth occurs while we, the trunk, steadily increase our field of view and our memory. Soon we cannot see the branches in the sky, yet we still have the perception of them. There must be something up there sending down all this sustenance, as it is also coming from below.

As the tree matures and it's understanding improves, branches begin to grow down toward the earth as root occasionally pierces soil into the light. The forming of the sphere of light and dark is progressing. Foundations into the dark realm where knowledge is the nourishment while the trunk strives toward the light with it's arms and fingers. The field of view expanded exponentially as our soul begins to comprehend the diversity of existence all around it. We are the expanding and adapting tree trunk of this great oak.

As the tides of season force yearly death and rebirth, we as the tree experience many lifetimes. Each spring being reborn from death. Thus is the cycle of our soul's existence. We will always be the tree as we will die and are reborn many times along our journey into the light. And just as the tree does not fear winter, but sheds it's armor in triumph, so must we understand that in order to progress we must be willing to shed our armor's. We must be willing to accept our destined physical death as proudly as the tree, with complete understanding that this death equates to a new existence as a much larger entity.

The key point is that without the roots plumbing into the darkness, away from the path of light, there could be no trunk and branch to strive for the light. You must have a foundation of darkness in order to progress on your spiritual journey upwards. You must embrace the dark side of your soul as you would the light side. You must see the benefits of the darkness and the unseen. You must revel in the dirt to appreciate being clean. You must exist in hell to even contemplate a heaven.

Just as the yin yang swirls constantly, so does our adventure of growth and expansion. If you picture carefully the yin yang symbol, you will notice it resembles our metaphorical oak tree, as a balance of dark and light. Learning is why we are here.

ciao from the coconut....