Laying here under the base of my favourite tree where I used to practice hours of yoga during my 200 hour teacher training I now marvel at both the signs of decay and the potential for new growth.

Two years ago there was a terrible infestation of gypsy moth in the area. This tree and several more around it were devastated by the caterpillars and today they stand here dead. It baffles my mind that something so big and mighty as this hemlock tree could be taken down by something so small.

All along the trunk of the tree are the signs of the work of woodpeckers and other birds burrowing holes. While this tree begins to decay it becomes home to all kinds of insects. And while the signs of decay are so obvious now, as I lay here on my back I also see so many cones still clinging to its branches holding the seeds containing the blueprint for future growth.

Nature is beckoning us to slow down and observe it’s magnificent beauty and the secrets of life contained within. We will all face our dying days. We will all go through the great cycle of decay. But as we move through life, may we remember that as we live we plant seeds all along our way. Our daily acts of kindness and love have rippling impacts all around us far and wide. While we may not be able to see the legacy of our impact here in this life, those seeds that we planted through our daily actions live on long after we have passed. ❤️❤️❤️

The thing that I used to love most about practicing under this beautiful hemlock was how the light would reflect off the water from the lake below it and land on all the needles and branches of the tree.

To be honest these last couple years I’ve found it too sad to come and lay under this tree to be witness to its dying. Funny how this feeling exists in life as those of us around us approach end of life we often feel uncomfortable getting too close to that.

Just now as I finished writing this post, I looked up to the tree for any closing insights, and stretching out across all its branches was the dancing shimmering light reflected off the water. Thank you spirit for reminding me that even in death and darkness there is always light. 🙏🏻✨