The tree is a symbol of a sense of belonging and connection. Many people today feel that they do not fully fit into their environment (family, work, cultural...) They can establish very intense connections (online) but at the same time may feel a great loneliness or that they are without a place to contribute.
The tree is a symbol of a sense of belonging and connection
Many people today feel that they do not fully fit into their environment (family, work, cultural...) They can establish very intense connections (online) but at the same time may feel a great loneliness or that they are without a place to contribute, express themselves, or simply without having to prove anything. This disconnection can lead to many consequences: anxiety, depression, emotional emptiness, social isolation, extreme individualism, loss of commitment, lack of purpose...
The tree represents the individual, an individual who has an identity, a structure, a history. Its extensive root system demonstrates a sense of belonging, a place where it resides, a connection with its environment. These roots are often invisible but they provide the nutrients that sustain the tree. Without them, the individual cannot grow, cannot bloom, cannot withstand storms. If we were to uproot these roots, leaving them floating, we would be disconnecting the tree from its origin, its history, its support element, and its nutritional base. And if it were unable to find another fertile ground to regrow its roots, it would die. Perhaps it would hold on for a while, its leaves would still be green, but it would slowly die. It would be functioning and producing, but temporarily. It needs these roots, it needs these connections, this history, it needs its world of relationships. However, the tree can re-root itself if it finds a good base, a good environment. It can even develop deeper, more conscious roots, perhaps in a different way than it was doing before but in a more beneficial manner.
The tree, a static being that cannot move, extends its roots, its branches towards what it needs, what allows it to live. It seeks water, seeks food, seeks light. It stretches out to achieve what it needs. It takes advantage of its characteristics to achieve its goals. Its essence, its reason for being leads it to make transformations, to 'design strategies', to foster relationships, to create a more favorable environment. It compensates for headwinds, increases height in dark places, extends roots to capture water, corrects damage caused by external circumstances...
•What is my world of relationships?
•Who do I relate to?
•How do I relate in each circumstance, in each place?
•What are my environments? Do they allow me to grow both internally and externally?
•What allows me to grow?