Wisdom of nature

Bristlecone Pine Tree-Strength and Perseverance

I think we can all agree that nature is amazing.  I am always in awe of the animals, the plants, the sky, you name it, I’m amazed.  But why talk about nature as a spiritual symbol or reflecting on personal growth?  Many aspects of nature can be used as a metaphor for life.  The wisdom of nature has so many lessons for us all.  We can learn from nature and how it survives, how it grows, the balance of it all and the complexity but also the simplicity of it.  I love to look at nature to help get through the day a little easier or find a new perspective in my life. Take for instance the bristlecone pine tree.  This is not an ordinary, everyday pine tree that you see in the forest.  This is a SPECIAL pine tree and I mean special.  This tree is one of my favorites out of all the varieties of pines.  Why?  Because of its resilience and perseverance to survive in very diverse and harsh environments.  The bristlecone exists at high altitudes up to 11,000 feet where the winds blow at hurricane speed and the temperatures rival the Antarctic and they still stand, stoically in the face of weather that would bring down many other trees.  You can recognize this tree by the shape of its branches, kind of like a bristle brush.  It has 5-prong needles, and the needles are shorter than a ponderosa pine tree and longer than a spruce.  The pine cones on this tree start out as a purplish/blue color and after two years, grows into a brown, sturdy cone. (See photo) It does not grow as tall as the formidable ponderosa or spruce but how it keeps growing speaks of its resilience. The bristlecones can live for thousands of years.  The oldest known bristlecone is over 4800 years old found in the White Mountains of California called Methuselah.  It can resist drought.  And it can grow in the crappiest of soil, no problem for this tree as it likes it that way.  The crappier the better.  It has extremely dense wood, that means it is resistant to rot.  Its stumps last far longer than a ponderosa.  So once you figure out what exactly a bristlecone looks like, you will be feasting your eyes on one of the most amazing trees on the planet.  We went camping and we had the honor of being surrounded by these trees.  We found one knocked down on its side but one root was still in the ground, allowing it to still survive even being pushed over. (See photos) There was another tree that had been hit by lightning and three quarters of it was gone. As a matter of fact, a little critter, probably a squirrel, claimed it as its home in the hole where it was struck but half of it was still alive and thriving.  (See photo) So what does this have to do with you and your life? When we were camping, I felt so amazed and in awe of these trees right in our camp.  It reminded me of times when I needed their strength and it also said that we will get through anything, if we just persevere and hold on tight.  Nature shows us their wisdom and how to learn from their diversity.  The bristlecone shows extraordinary strength and resilience in the face of adversity.  It is a symbol of surviving in conditions that are not survivable by other species.  The bristlecone is such a metaphor of strength and resilience in an environment that could bring it down.  It reminds me of a time in my life when I had to have strength to keep going each day.  I was running a business that just never really took off which was stressful enough but during that same time, my mom had bone cancer and was slowly getting sicker each day.  My heart was heavy, but when I went by to check on them, I felt I had to be stoic, and strong so that I would not break down in front of them.  It was important to me to show a strong front for what both my parents were facing.  It was so hard, but I did it, and I got through it but being stoic was what I needed to do, just like the bristlecone.  When “hard” is facing you straight on, think of the resilience of the bristlecone, know that nature lives it each day and survives and even thrives after a while.  If you must, find a bristlecone pine forest and sit amongst their strength.  Let your spirit feed off them. And when you feel you are having a hard time, think of the bristlecone and maybe, just maybe, you will have an inch more strength than you did just a moment ago.  It works for me but try it out for yourself.  Food for thought questions: When have you had strength in a very difficult situation? When was a time where you could have used a little more strength to get you through a hard time? How would you use the metaphor of the mighty bristlecone pine tree to help you get through your day a little stronger?  How could you use this to help others who need strength right now? Information about the bristlecone pine tree found on wikipedia. Copyright Pearl Coaching LLC 2026 All photos and article are not for reproduction. All rights reserved.

Spirituality

Spiritual Bypass

I was reminded of this term, Spiritual Bypass, and when I first heard it, it seemed confusing to me.  Spiritual Bypass was first introduced by a psychotherapist named John Welwood in the 80’s.  He defined Spiritual Bypass as using “spiritual ideas and practices to sidestep personal, emotional ‘unfinished business,’ to shore up a shaky sense of self, or to belittle basic needs, feelings, and developmental tasks,” from his book Toward a Psychology of Awakening. I’ve always been intrigued by this statement as I hang around many spiritually-based people.  I used to attend Mile Hi Church and I would attend the business group on Thursday mornings.  Sometimes I would run into some really “out there” people, in my opinion, of course.  One man was always overly happy and ALWAYS raved about life or others.  He didn’t seem authentic in his happiness and enthusiasm, so I wondered about it.  Would this be a good example of Spiritual Bypass, someone who may be going through a divorce but show people that he or she is extremely happy and excited about life?  Who knows, maybe in that instance, the person is super happy to be rid of their mate, but I think we instinctively know when we meet people who are overly enthusiastic.  In the Spiritual community, it is touted to be authentic and truthful about how you feel and what is going on with you.  I tend to be honest about how I’m feeling to people close to me.  If I’m depressed, I say so.  If they ask me how I’m doing and I’m feeling discouraged, I say so. I do know people who are not an open book so it is always a guessing game as to how they are really doing.  It does come down to trust.  Do we trust this person to share how we are doing?  I think we instinctively know.  Truth is part of Spiritual Bypass, being truthful to ourselves about what is going on with us, not masking it with a Spiritual response. Currently, truth is a misnomer.  We are always questioning if what we hear is true.  I was always a person in the past that if someone said something to me, I believed it.  Another word for that is being gullible.  Yep, that would be me.  But now, in this political and media-driven environment, we have to question everything.  I don’t believe everything I hear anymore and maybe that is a good thing. But going back to Spiritual Bypass, we may think we know the truth and we use spirituality or religion to explain it away, would this be Spiritual Bypass? I don’t know but all I know is I’m going to keep an eye out when I may be using Spiritual Bypass.   My mom used to call it “holier than thou”.  Is that Spiritual Bypass?  What do you think? 

Food for Thought

The Energy Of It

I’ve been thinking lately about the energy that is given out, mostly by people, and how that impacts our thoughts, emotions, and actions.  It can be words that are said, it can be actions that are taken or even in our body language. For instance, if you are driving and someone cuts you off and you give them the “finger”, what kind of energy does that convey?  If the same thing happens and you give the person a smile when you drive by, what kind of energy does that convey?  It can all be interpreted in many ways.  It really is about how you take it in, where your mind goes and how you react.  Our body is made up of many different systems, such as your lymphatic system, the nervous system, the blood stream with thousands of veins.  Can these systems be influenced by energy?  There are many different quantum theories on how our body, mind and the systems associated can be influenced by energy, such as our thoughts and emotions.  For instance, there is the magnetic field which can affect your body and mind.  There are protons and neutrons that are affected by energy waves.  I’m certainly not an expert physicist and I don’t want to be, but I know that how we are in the world sends out energy, either positive or negative, even neutral.  And how does this affect our health?  Many practitioners say we develop disease through “dis=ease”, when we are uncomfortable or our systems are out of whack.  Do our moods positively or negatively affect the health of our cells?  We hear that people come through their cancer well because of their positive attitude.    Our thoughts and actions send out energy to our body, mind and the world.  If you have a thought that people are out to get you, that is the energy that you will convey to your body and the people around you.  People may not see it directly but will pick it up, maybe something like “that guy has a chip on their shoulder” or “he seems like an angry guy”.  And how do they know?  By the scowl on your face, or your turned-down frown or your crossed arms or a combination of all of these.  On the flip side, in the movie What the Bleep Do We Know, there is a character named Jennifer who is always a ray of sunshine, even when her roommate, Amanda, is angry about the world.  She just gives her a hug and tells her she hopes she gets to feeling better. The angry character is looking at her like she is crazy.  What kind of energy is each of these characters emitting?  Opposite energy, one is angry, one is loving.  So what kind of energy is the country emitting right now?  There is so much anger right now, on both sides of the political aisle, in personal relationships, in interactions at the grocery store, and so on.  And on the opposite end, there are the monks who are walking for peace.  They are leaving positive energy in their wake.   People love this positive(finally) interaction.  What kind of energy do you think the current administration is conveying?  What kind of energy do you think the liberals are giving out?  And so what do we do?  First, pay attention to what kind of energy you may be giving out.  Is it positive, or negative?  What is it that shows what energy you are giving out?  How can you change it to a more productive or positive energy?  Give me your thoughts.  And the second is to be mindful of the energies surrounding you.  Are you putting yourself into a toxic environment?  How does that affect your thoughts, emotions and your life?  I am very careful of where I spend my time and I try and hang out with people who bring me up, not tear me down.  So notice the energies surrounding you that you are taking in such as the news and social media. Also look at your family, friends, and coworkers. Look at how you feel around these people. If they are negative, is it worth it hanging around them? Your health could be in the balance.

Emotion, Grace, Spirit, Spirituality

Higher Alignment

I was reading the book “What If It All Goes Right?” by Mendhi Audlin.  The author mentioned a phrase that I cannot get out of my mind, and I use repeatedly these days.  It is “Higher Alignment”.  Audlin defines Higher Alignment as “the ability to find and amplify the positive aspects of any reality.  From this mindset, you can use every circumstance for the “Higher” purpose of bringing more goodness to your life and to the world.”(pg. 35)  The key here is bringing positive aspects to ANY reality.  We make up our world.  We have stories and sometimes we want to stick to them because we know we are “right” and everyone should think like this.  But is it really in service to all involved?  Do you feel better being right or resentful?  How is that working for you?  But what is the “Higher Alignment” thought that can bring you more peace, happiness and calmness?  I’ve heard the terms “Higher Self” or “God Energy” or “connecting to Source” or even “taking the high road”, coined by Michelle Obama.  But this phrase, Higher Alignment, sums it up for me.  It is a change agent for me.  I shift my thinking and emotions and energy when I think about how I can be in Higher Alignment, how I can kick my ego to the curb and know that all there is to know is love.  And how do we invoke love for ourselves or others or be in Higher Alignment?  The answer?  Choose a different story.  Higher Alignment speaks of the crux of spirituality.  It isn’t voodoo.  It isn’t witchcraft.  It is connecting to a place that is more loving than we are now and sometimes, we need a pathway to our Higher Self.  When we are in anger, self-pity or self-doubt, sadness, selfishness, etc, I think of how I get into “Higher Alignment” to where I am right now.  How can I think of a situation differently that is more loving? Take it from me, it isn’t easy but it sure beats going through life sad, mad or resentful.  Trust me, I’ve been there.  I’ve SO wanted to be right but it didn’t get me anywhere except the satisfaction of saying “I told you so”.  Isn’t that a lower alignment?  I think so.  So how can I apply love to the situation instead of judging or being self-righteous or stuffing or ignoring my feelings? When you are in a negative place, find a story that connects you to your “Higher Alignment” and see how it changes your thoughts, feelings and your day, maybe even your life.

Emotion, Food for Thought

I Hate Hate

A friend of mine said the following statement to me, “I hate hate” and it is so true for me.  Our country is so divided with such hate these days that it wears heavy on my heart each day.  And now, I’m tired of hearing it from both sides.  The more hate we spew out into the world, the more it fuels the other side.  And hate is such a strong word.  I sure have found myself using that word a lot lately.  I remember using it as a kid, saying “I hate peas”, or “I hate my teacher”.  My mom would say that hate was such a strong word, maybe tone it down with “don’t like” or “not good”.  But now, hate seems to be the word of the day.  And the other problem is that it is everywhere.  We can’t get away from it unless we go to Walden Pond and live in the woods for a year without a phone, TV, people or a car.  That sounds kind of inviting really.  So what do we do?  Here are some ideas:  ~ Reframe it.  When we are feeling that hate inside, reframe it into something more positive.  Such as, maybe we are saying, “I hate how the country is right now”, which is true for me.  I really hate where we are right now with all the hate (there I go saying “hate” again).  So how can I reframe this, so I don’t go into such fear about where our country is going.  I could say to myself “There is a lot of good in our country.”  Phew, now that feels a lot better. ~ Check the facts.  So much of social media is not true.  When you read a post that is about hate, fact check it.  See if what they are saying is or is not true and maybe there is an explanation to what they are saying.  In other words, don’t fall into the trap that all the hate spewed is true anyway.  ~ Don’t use the word hate.  Maybe I will listen to my mom’s words and not say the word “hate” and change it into something that is not so dramatic.  Here are other words to use instead of hate:  dislike greatly, feel aversion towards, find intolerable, shudder at, recoil from.  These don’t hold as much of a punch to it and maybe it will ease up the tension in the air a bit. ~ Go positive.  If something is said that is a rant on hate, look at the bright side of the rant.  Look at the good that can come out of it or see another side that could be positive.  Positivity is a great thing to spew out in the world.  So maybe next time you are confronted with hate, either inside yourself or from others, just ask yourself, how can you change it around so we can squash this hate that is ravaging our country?  Any thoughts? 

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