A tree witnesses ebb and flow of life yet stays the same, says Sant Rajinder Singh
If you look at a tree in your neighbourhood, you may notice that it remains fairly constant under a variety of circumstances. The tree is mostly unchanging while everything around it changes. It remains rooted in its spot as the leaves change; its outer dress changes, but the trunk and branches remain the same. In spring, there are freshly formed buds popping up from the branches. In summer, the tree is bedecked with rich green leaves. Then, in autumn the leaves turn to red, orange, yellow, and golden. As winter approaches, leaves fall off, revealing the branches and limbs of the tree. Although the leaves may change, the tree remains fairly fixed.
The weather around the tree also changes. The temperature outside may be slightly cool in spring with some warm days, and there can be heavy rain soaking everything around the tree. Then come the hot, sultry days of summer or alternatively, dry hot air. In the fall, cooler air arrives, then in winter the tree is covered with snow and ice. Occasionally there may be a hurricane or tornado that blows so hard it threatens to snap the tree. There may be floods or a drought with no rain at all. Some trees are shaken to their roots by an earthquake, while others bear the intense heat of a fire. All kinds of natural disasters may come and go, yet the tree remains.
The tree also remains constant while people come and go around it. One day parents play with their newborn and relax under the tree. On another day children play with their dolls and stuffed toys, while others play hide and seek. A parent may put up a swing, hanging it from the tree. Students bring their books to read and study in the shade. A married couple may have a picnic under the tree, while old friends gather to reminisce about great times they shared. The tree is witness to the ebb and flow of life that passes, yet it remains the same.
Generations come and go
Generations come and go. As one generation grows up and passes away, a new generation takes its place. Over hundreds of years a tree might be visited by the parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and even great-great grandparents of a young child just entering the world. While the cast of characters visiting the tree changes, the tree remains the same.
The constancy of the tree provides an instructive lesson for those of us on the spiritual path. How can the lesson of the tree help usIJ Success on the spiritual path rests on stilling the mind. We need stillness to meditate successfully. We need to be still and unchanging like the tree within our own mind in order to have fruitful meditations. Meditation is a process of focusing on the light and sound within. It is always there, but we need to have a still mind to find it. Any thoughts will distract us from seeing and hearing that light and sound in meditation.
If we are like the tree, then thoughts can come and go around us like the changing seasons, yet we remain unaffected. The seasons of our life may change, but we remain focused within. We may be a young child, then a teen, and then a young adult, but we remain fixed on the light and sound within our meditation. We may be a couple getting married, or having a first child, but we remain focused within. As parents of children or teens we remain fixed on the light and sound within. We could be marrying off our children and becoming grandparents, but we remain fixed on the light and sound within. We may be retiring and enjoying the golden years of life, but we remain fixed on the light and sound within. Even when going though times of sickness, we remain focused on the light and sound within. No matter what season we experience in our life, we need to be like the tree, unchanging and constant, with our attention fixed on God and the light and sound within during our meditations.
Daily life Fluctuations
Besides the seasons of our life changing, we may experience daily fluctuations. One day we are the beneficiary of good fortune and the next day ill luck comes our way. One day, we get a good job or a promotion and money is just flying into our hands. The next day, we may lose our job, get demoted, or lose our money in the stock market, and money is just flying out of our hands. But if we are like the tree, the financial ups and downs of life do not take us off course. We remain fixed on the light and sound within.
There may be fluctuations in our name and fame. One day, we may have our ten minutes of fame in the newspaper for winning an award, for being recognised for our service, or winning a championship. The next day, we are suffering ignominy or slander and are under attack for something we did not do or our views with which others disagree. We go from fame to scandal in the twinkling of an eye. But we remain like the tree, unchanged and constant, with our attention focused on God and the light and sound within.
The wiles of the mind
People experience ups and downs in relationships. In fact, any two people who live, play, or work together will experience fluctuations even throughout the course of a day. One moment we are happy with our spouse, partner, friend, co-worker, or neighbour. They are the best thing since apple pie. They make us happy; they are loving and caring. Then the next moment, someone has a different idea about how to do something, someone is stressed out and short-tempered, or there is disagreement over a misunderstanding. The same people become the enemy. We suddenly feel they are out to get us, to hurt us, to make our lives miserable. Then after we get fed up with fighting, maybe a few minutes, a few hours, or a few days later, everyone calms down, talks it over, makes up, and life is rosy again. Things go along fine for a while, and then there is another flare-up.
Our emotions are on a roller coaster as we go from joy to pain. But if we are like the tree, we remain steady and constant. We are loving and caring no matter how the other person behaves, speaks, or acts. We are able to deal with the slings and arrows of the times in a calm and collected manner, keeping our attention focused on God.
let us be like the tree and remain unperturbed and stable no matter what is happening. If we can still our mind no matter what is going on, we will find quick progress in meditation and soar on our spiritual journey back to God.
The writer is a spiritual leader