The Tree, The Yogi and The Child

The Tree and The Yogi and The Child come ‘Together as One’ in this article that is 100% made of quotes from Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi’s lecture offered in 1983 in Switzerland. Enjoy it!

“Even when you get your Realization (when Kundalini energy is awakened and reaches the Crown Chakra), you are sometimes in a growing stage, up to a point. Like you’re nourished by the Mother Earth all the time but you’re not aware of it. In the same way, the womb of Sahaja Yoga nourishes you to grow up into beautiful beings. Still, you have to come up to a point when it has to click in such a way that you start feeling the awareness of that unbounding love… That happens to everyone, but it happens more to people who try to be in the centre and don’t go on ‘ego trips’.

Some Sahaja Yogis I’ve known have been boasting that: ‘I’m the one who is going to …  and I’m this and I’m that… I’m a separate person and Mother is specially selecting me.’ Anyone who thinks like that is no more a Sahaja Yogi.

It’s like he is holding onto a tree and thinking that by holding onto one leaf he is going to dominate the whole tree. Such a person will just have that little leaf in his hand which will also die out after some time.”

“You have to run in the way of the roots, of the branches, of the leaves, of the flowers and of the fruits. You have to be the essence of the tree that nourishes and not just the outward leaves with wrong ideas about yourself. And the people who are limited by their small personal problems also must know that they will have the same fate in Sahaja Yoga.

“Put the problems of the Tree always ahead of the problem of a leaf.”

“Now it is high time to jump from that little area to the vast area which has no bounds. And once that happens, you will be surprised all these petty little problems will drop out in the ocean of greatness. Don’t indulge into them, and leave them in the hands of the tree. So that all your small petty problems will be looked after by that nourishing force. Because you belong to a Tree of great wisdom, tree of great sustenance and religion, and tree of great mastery, the mastery that you can never know how great it is. You belong to a Tree that has complete security for you, and you belong to a very great tree which gives you complete witnessing of the drama, and which gives you understanding that the Whole is a part and parcel of you, and you are part and parcel of the Whole.

So you belong to the Great Ocean of Love and Generosity. This Great Tree of Life has everything integrated within itself. This is the tree of life that has been described in the Bible, the Tree of Fire they call it.”

Now, you have become One with it. You are blessed by it and You are loved by it and You are gently guided by it. It’s so gentle that you do not even feel the guidance-like a leaf when it fails on the ground it doesn’t make any sound. Try to become identified with that power- that is what you are. Like the meaning of the word is identified with the word, like the moonlight is identified with the moon, sunlight is identified with the sun. Let that identification be that Oneness, that Integration so that you become the Light of God’s love, that people know God through integration, so that you become the light of God’s love, that people know God through your depths and your fruits. It is the most fulfilling job, highest paid in every way, the most satisfying, energy giving and dynamic.”

“You don’t have to give up anything, just be organized in the Light of your Spirit yourself.

All the above are excerpts from the advices offered by Shri Mataji – the founder of Sahaja Yoga Meditation – to sahaja yoga practitioners, in Switzerland, 1983.

This article is a sincere dedication to anyone that ever had felt a connection with, or an inclination towards trees.. For sure it happened to many of us, when being in nature, to feel like embracing a tree and as Shri Mataji was saying above, to run in the way of the roots, of the branches, of the leaves and try to live the essence of that tree.. For sure we’ve seen children doing this, naturally, spontaneously, without any thinking or purpose.. We all had this fascination for the miracle of a seed’s becoming into a tree. Why not for the one that we are already carrying within .. or we should say .. that in such a subtle way, is supporting our being..  with a graceful power. During the silence of our sahaja yoga meditation practice, one may clearly experience the becoming happening within, as a developing tree nurtured by the most potent and loving sap, Kundalini energy. And really, let’s confess, we all feel like little children when we are around powerful majestic trees. On the other hand, as adults there is this sense of responsibility growing from within that we should be capable to offer the needed shelter and support, at least to our children, becoming the reliable strong trees in their lives..

(click!) Mountain – Poem by Shri Mataji (video)

(click!) Refining the Silver we Are .. with Kundalini Energy

(watch video) Hear and watch the Fall Trees by the Lake Ontario

Drop a comment if you feel rewarded with the beauty shared in this article. We hope you’ve enjoyed this article! 🙂

This Post Has 44 Comments

  1. Shivani

    Loved this submission – very very much – and the photographs (esp. of the willow tree) also look so beautiful! 🙂

    Thanks.

    1. Divya

      So, uplifting, just when I have been surrounded by so many dark thoughts about my being. Thank you from my being…..

  2. armaity bhabha

    I would like to share 3 of my poems which have a bearing on this wonderful subtle subject which you have so lovingly touched upon.
    ——————————————–

    Oh Mother, of what multicolored hue
    is the flower that has bloomed
    in the soil of my heart,
    to lend its color to the entire part.
    The seed of ‘shraddha’
    that Thou sowed in it,
    soon sprouted and seeking Thy light
    blossomed into a tree
    with its branches upright.

    ——————————————–
    The day I planted my little seed
    at Thy Lotus Feet, oh Mother,
    under Thy divine light and love
    with the cool sprinkling
    of Thy sweet waters;
    it burst open out of its shell
    and leaped to form a green plumule
    quivering with joy of pure life.
    How it grew from a dot of existence
    into a tender sapling and therefrom
    into a mighty tree
    was outside my purview.
    It was only when I found myself
    under its all-compassing shelter that I realized its true stature !
    ——————————————–

    There stood two mighty trees side by side
    the ‘peepal’ and the ‘gulmohor’
    entwined with all their beauty bright.
    Their branches interweaved
    and their leaves intermingled
    both reaching out to the eternal light.
    Let’s learn a lesson from these beigs mute
    how in perfect harmony
    one gets to hear a lute!!

    1. Manga

      Dear Armaity, very sweet words well knitted into poems. Thank you :).

    2. Brent fidler

      Amaitty.. As a poet myself, your words vibrated with truth and inspiration.. Keep writing.

  3. chandra

    Very thought provoking. Has to read twice to understand HER real message. Thank you for your selection.

  4. Manga

    Its a beautiful talk of MOther. Thank you for sharing. I really enjoyed the colours and pictures.

  5. Mhin Umlas

    Its a good sharing, something that you have to fulfill good things on earth while you live so that when things gone people will remember your good things done…I LOVE YOU MOTHER….

  6. Ashwani sehgal

    Beautifull, full of love & vibration.Thanks

  7. adrian

    The Tree of Life… is the Treasure within… there is no need to look for alchemy to transform externals into riches… just go to the wisdom of the Tree… it is already connected.

    1. adrian

      The threads of the invisible aspect of the tree are intertwined into the fabric of the life we wish to experience from within. This is in full color always… so enjoy.

  8. Liz

    I LOVE Trees.
    Thank you for posting this!

  9. abhay

    AS SAID ABOVE THAT WE MUST READ IT TWICE BUT I THINK WE MUST READ EACH LINE COUPLE OF TIMES TO UNDERSTNAD THE REAL DEPTH OF MOTHER’S WORDS. EACH WORD HAS GOT A DEEP MEANING AND MANY ANSWERS ARE HIDING IN HER WORDS …..SO…

    1. adrian

      That is what it means to be “self reponsible”.

      1. adrian kraayeveld

        The child requires parental “shelter and support”!

        Yes…

        However, in order to grow like the tree… there is a deeper meaning, not only hidden in the tree… also in the words of Shri Mataji!

        The word support…
        for the growing child…

        may simply mean…
        to be free of “neediness” and “having imagination stifled”!

        Then a wondrous growth occurs.

  10. Helen

    Beautiful pictures and the explanation is filled with loving love. Thank you

  11. Debbie

    Wow – the beauty of nature that’s all around us which we take for granted. Yes, these beautiful, strong, vibrant trees started with a seed – imagine that. How magnificent is Mother Nature. In the same way and through Sahaja Yoga, we can evolve, we can plant our seed and grow strong roots and develop into majestic, pure, beautiful human beings. After seeing this posting, I feel a strong urge to meditate right now and so it shall be.

    Lots of love always.

  12. Özlem Gibeau

    Amazing pictures.Thanks for sharing,
    Lots of love ,
    Özlem

  13. Ayesha

    I feel the same way as debbie said and want to grow within and be part&parcel of this beautiful tree of life,this article is very deep,need to be understand by many times reading it.

  14. adrian

    So simple…

    So many branches to explore…

    And they are all growing constantly…

    Yet they are All One…

    From the Seed.

    Beautiful

  15. sima

    I loved it.

  16. Antoinette Wells

    So much amazing work has gone into this blog to transmit this pure knowledge! The knowledge or the roots, the knowledge of the Tree. Thank you again Iona for your beautiful compilation! and the well chosen pictures to accompany it!

  17. Sudershan

    Beautiful .

  18. Donna

    Absolutely beautiful, thank you so very much for sharing.

  19. vijaya

    viji just desires to hold onto the Eternal Tree…..NOT the leaf….great awe inspiring talk by our Mother.

    Joy giving beautiful pictures of Mother Nature bursting with colors so soothing. Thank you Ioana.

    Eternally grateful to You Ma…the Mother of the universe.

  20. Dear Sahajee,
    Jai Shree Mataji
    We are leading organization work on environment protection & preserve natural resources in India. we are very happy to see
    this mind blowing nature photos we try to load these photos on our website which can be displayed all over the world for all nature lovers Thanks once again for such a beautiful photos. If you permit us for displaying this all photos on our website, we will be thankful.we are waiting for reply. With regards
    SATISH THAKARE MUMBAI, INDIA

    1. Ioana

      Dear Satish, please make a link to our website for the photos that you want to use as the original source. Thank you in advance.

  21. shey

    how lucky are we yogis to know what this bright tree is very beautiful thanks.

  22. Colleen

    Love this analogy of Sahaja Yoga and ourselves *as the tree*, the tree of life, the tree of fire, amazing. All trees in a forest are connected by their root system, very inspiring. Beautiful pictures, thank you.

    1. adrian kraayeveld

      And…
      The wisdom of the tree…
      Shows its courage…
      And initiative…
      In standing…
      Tall…
      And free…

      To be with “The Light”.

  23. cheryl

    Such words of wisdom, an analogy easily understood by all who can appreciate nature and therefore so powerful. A picture is worth a thousand words and when graced with these appropriately selected quotes from Shri Mataji, Truth emerges like leaves in spring! Thank you for this wonderful article guiding us to inner growth and connection, with trees, with nature, with Spirit, with the Whole that is God in all His glory, and at the same time to the recognition and expression of our true and higher selves.
    A special thank you to Armaity for sharing poetry so beautiful and reverberating. And also to Adrian for same “So simple… So many branches to explore… And they are all growing constantly… Yet they are All One… From the Seed. Beautiful”

  24. Elsie Kuly

    This article resonated deeply within me. I knew when I came to the Sahaja Yoga group looking for peace and love within myself that I had found something very special. the words of Shri Mataji -I belong to the Great Oceean of Love and Generosity I found it there in the group of beautiful people. The bible refers to it as the Tree of Fire.
    Although I cannot come to meetings regularly because of my health issues and those of an ill husband I feel the contact strongly from the e-mail that is sent to me.I continue to meditate. I have in my life now two great nephews who have lost their mother and their father Although they are older they turn to me and I have been given this gift – to love and care for them and they give their love in return. Ilove trees – all kinds and need to live ain a community where there are many trees. with love and thanks to you all

  25. adrian

    The awareness of awareness

    You ask what is that?
    In the first paragraph, Shri Mataji speaks of awareness,
    Up to a point… even though you may feel that you have been realized.
    It is simply being aware that the expansion of the love within requires
    your participation… that is being aware of your newly discovered awareness of awareness.

    For example… When I consider WHO I am, I think of about how I may speak with another. I may be in a conversation where we are attempting to determine who is right and who is wrong!

    Right and wrong is part of the language of duality or polar opposites… and is centered on the Ego’s attempt to be in charge! That of course may be the origin of all that we come to understand with respect to “conflict”.

    On the other hand… “What we are Is… that is Divine”… the Divine or “The What” does not use the vibration or language of right and wrong, It only knows Love.

    So how do we or how can we transcend the boundary between the Who and the What?… Perhaps it is as simple as “beginning to become more aware of the language we use in communication”!

    Simply become aware of the words used in the course of communication or in relating. Past conditionings often use the language of Duality, this newer language allows us to incorporate the language of “Non Duality”.

    This is becoming aware of awareness. A greater awareness… and that I feel is what it means to become more fully realized.

    And as we become more aware, the old ways of speaking and communicating are left behind… Ah!… no more arguing, no more conflict… just peace and an even greater awareness of the beauty that is within and without.

    Perhaps that is a different way of understanding Shri Mataji’s message.

    Taking responsibility for creating a greater awareness of Self. That is a newer vibration… a more harmonious One, which is like a marriage between “The Who and The What”…

    Now you are The One.

    1. adrian

      More about Awareness of awareness.

      “Right and wrong, good and bad, beautiful and ugly”… these are all distinctions of duality… they are simply metaphors for possible expressions of experience in Life. They are choices… so are we aware of the moments in which we choose from these alternatives and how they may influence our relationships from a vibrational perspective?

      So, when we use words such as those described above… we may not be aware that there are other alternatives.

      For example… before using the words good or bad we may choose to consider that we are programmed to react without giving thought to outcome! What we may choose to do is simply to only “listen”… or to say… “That is an interesting thought”… and leave it at that. The point is… if there is one to be made… it is “neutral, and in that “a loving response”. If that were the outcome… we realize that we have planted a seed for thought, and nothing more than that… we leave the door open for further dialogue. The Ego has been removed from the experience.

      That is simply a harmonious outcome, one that is in the moment with a natural flow… vibrationally, resulting in neither chaos nor rigidity.

      What I have just described is an approach that requires a connection or balanced relation between the What(Divine) and the Who(self). And in effect represents an awareness of awareness. This is what I feel Shri Mataji is attempting to describe in her thought about expanding into the realization regarding Self Realization.

      Being with the One.

  26. Maria

    Another amazing article article that uses the metaphorical tree of life in its most complete sense. It was such a pleasure reading it and getting a stronger sense of what this energy within us; the kundalini, truly is! 🙂

  27. Jos Boven

    Another voice : a converted forester tells about his experiences with trees.
    From the famous book of Peter Wohlleben: Das geheime Leben der Bäume (The Secret Life of Trees), Ludwig Verlag, München, Germany, 2016.
    “When trees are attacked by insects, they produce aromatic substances to get rid of them. It emits electrical signals, just as the human body, when it gets hurt. But trees are very slow and it makes an hour before the antibodies are stored in the leaves to spoil the dinner of the parasite. Even if the roots have problems, this information is transmitted in the whole tree and then the leaves can produce aromatic substances. Oak trees for instance send poisonous tamins to their bark and leaves, and they kill the gnawing insects, or the taste of bark and leaves changes from tasteful salad into bitter bile. This defence takes time and therefore they warn each other when there is danger through their roots. When this message is circulated, all neighbouring trees pomp poison in their ‘arteries’. To make this information process go faster, trees rely on the fungus field between their roots. One teaspoon of woodland contains a few kilometres of these fungus treads and transport the message of the trees to their neighbours.”

    For more information on trees, flowers, stones etc. that emit vibrations you can go to: https://www.independent.academia.edu/josboven

    Or:Sahaja Yoga Jos Boven

  28. Anjali Gandhi

    “feeling the awareness of that unbounding love”…YES this truly happens with sahaja yoga practice. With this awareness hope gets restored. Everything dead within and outside start to blossom. It is like the welcoming of spring. Beautiful, fragrant, melodious, redeeming.

  29. Ioana

    From New Zealand reader, sent as a comment on What’s up to this article:

    “Everything pieced together so beautifully .. the words .. the amazing pictures .. an explosion of Mother’s love .. thank you..

  30. Ann Kristine Pearson

    Beautiful! Lovely!

  31. Kyla

    This metaphor of the tree, and being the essence of the tree, not just one part (such as the leaf) makes it simple and clear to me to see life.

    There have been many times that I have focussed on a leaf that has been part of my tree, that has maybe garnered positive or negative attention by myself or someone else, but that in general I felt it as a great distraction from who I truly am. This metaphor of the tree makes it simple to understand how that happens. It was just a small superficial quality that was being given more meaning and more attention than it should have.
    And those leaves, they change, but the essence of our spirit remains.

    The more we can connect with and grasp the greater essence of who we are as the spirit, as the whole tree, or even as a tree amongst a forrest, then we don’t get so attached to those features of the leaves, or of the branches. We will likely encounter much less resistance to the ebbs and flow of life, and to our own natural evolution.
    This article helped make some important understandings click for me today, in a more tangible way.

    Here are some lines that felt particularly affirming to me:

    “Because you belong to a tree… …of great mastery, the mastery that you can never know how great it is. You belong to a Tree that has complete security for you”
    “You are gently guided by it. It’s so gentle that you do not even feel the guidance”

    When I meditate and I am thoughtless, it becomes so easy to identify with the essence. The worries of the external parts, which may just be 1 leaf or 1 flower, completely disappear. I feel whole and I feel unbounded.

  32. Helen

    This is so enlightening. Gives such an awakened meaning to life – so needed in these challenging times!!
    So important to meditate!

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