Tree Hugging in Winter for Clearing Out Heavy Energy
Barefoot on the Earth is such a great way to release heavy energy and recalibrate oneself. But what is one to do in the Winter when barefoot activity is just not the completely sane choice to make? Well, at least not any lengthy barefooting outside.
Here are two ideas to allow yourself to let go of, release, and/or wash away the heavy energy that we carry and can weigh us down energetically. Releasing this has healing impacts on the physical body, nervous system relaxing and immune system boosting, as well as the mind and spirit.
1) Energy Bathing
Wherever you are, whenever you need to release heavy energy (think sad, angry, depressed, often thought of as negative or dark energy):
Close your eyes
Think of yourself standing barefoot on the Earth, in your favorite outdoor space of course
Visualize water or colorful healing light raining down on you, any color that makes sense to you
As the color of choice comes over you, washing away heavy energy, visualize the energy flowing into the Earth
Stand and visualize this as long as you need to to feel lighter in Body-Mind-Spirit
Barefoot on a 50 degree day in December 2020.
Barefoot on the Earth is such a great way to release heavy energy and recalibrate oneself. But what is one to do in the Winter when barefoot activity is just not the completely sane choice to make? Well, at least not any lengthy barefooting outside.
Here are three ideas to allow yourself to let go of, release, and/or wash away the heavy energy that we carry. Heavy can weigh us down energetically. Releasing this has healing impacts on the physical body, relaxes the nervous system and boosts the immune system (yes, this is proven phenomena from years of research in Yoga, Forest Bathing, and Energy Medicine work), as well as the mind and spirit.
1) Energy Bathing
Wherever you are, whenever you need to release heavy energy (think sad, angry, depressed… all often thought of as negative or dark energy):
Close your eyes
Think of yourself standing barefoot on the Earth, in your favorite outdoor space of course
Visualize water or colorful healing light raining down on you, any color that makes sense to you
As the color of choice comes over you, washing away heavy energy, visualize the energy you are letting go of, flowing into the Earth
Stand and visualize this as long as you need to to feel lighter in Body-Mind-Spirit
2) Tree Hugging is a fine way to release some heavy energy into the Earth. Remember to do this respectfully of the Trees. Approach the Trees like you would people: until you have established a hugging relationship with them, ask politely before you dive in for the big hug. Would you hug strangers you meet on the street? Ok, if you are like me, maybe you would. But my kids tell me this is weird so use your best judgement.
Take a walk in the Woods, listening to the woods. Yup, this means you will need to See, Hear, Smell, Taste, and Feel FULLY: a full on sensual experience. Think of Spring Rain and how you can smell the Earthy, wet floor in the Woods, taste the freshness of the Rain, feel the Rain misting on your face, hear the plop-plop-plop of rain on a rock, and see the beauty of the Rain’s mist and showers in front of your face. Immerse in this mindset with whatever is happening in the Woods today.
Turn off podcasts/ music / and the urge to catch up on phone conversations. In fact, shut your phone ringer off.
Approach a Tree of choice and ask if you can hug it. Wait for the Yes.
Wrap your arms around the Tree and place your forehead up against the bark.
Breathe in the Smell. Feel the barks texture on your forehead’s skin. Weave your heavy energy together with the Tree’s energy and wash it down the Tree’s inner trunk, through the roots, and into the Earth.
Thank the Tree for transporting this energy into the Earth.
3. Or, try this Chakra clearing ritual.
Whatever you chose to do, to release what you no longer need, make it your experience.
Change up my suggestions to fit your needs.
Release, let go, and allow Mother Earth to recycle your heavy energy into healing energy.
Interested in learning more skills to change your Lifestyle Medicine to Self Heal in Body-Mind-Spirit?
Join me for the next Session of Sacred Circle Wise Women Mentorship.
Clearing the Energy Body
The Energy Body is part of all Energy Medicine healing traditions. Our Life Force or Chi (Life Force has many names in different cultures and traditions) flows through the Energy Body on channels called meridians or nadis. Again, each tradition has their own name for these energy carrying channels of your body and for the Energy Body itself.
Energy needs to flow freely through these channels. If your energy is blocked from free flow, stagnation occurs. This is much like the flow of water, if water flow is blocked, stagnation occurs. *Stagnant energy contributes to ill health.
These channels of energy have energy centers, chakras, on them. Your life force energy circles around on these channels and is then redistributed. Think of this like your breaker box in your home. The electrical wires in your home, like your meridians, carry energy. The breaker box has center points, chakras, that distribute the energy into these home wires.
*If energy, the electricity, in your home was stagnant there would be problems using electrical outlets and appliances in the rooms whose electrical supplies were not coming through. This is what happens to your body; when the energy is stagnant and not flowing freely, the organs supplied with energy on that meridian will receive low levels of life force energy.
The Energy Body is part of all Energy Medicine healing traditions. Our Life Force or Chi (Life Force has many names in different cultures and traditions) flows through the Energy Body on channels called meridians or nadis. Again, each tradition has their own name for these energy carrying channels of your body and for the Energy Body itself.
Energy needs to flow freely through these channels. If your energy is blocked from free flow, stagnation occurs. This is much like the flow of water, if water flow is blocked, stagnation occurs. *Stagnant energy contributes to ill health.
These channels of energy have energy centers, chakras, on them. Your life force energy circles around on these channels and is then redistributed. Think of this like your breaker box in your home. The electrical wires in your home, like your meridians, carry energy. The breaker box has center points, chakras, that distribute the energy into these home wires.
*If energy, the electricity, in your home was stagnant there would be problems using electrical outlets and appliances in the rooms whose electrical supplies were not coming through. This is what happens to your body; when the energy is stagnant and not flowing freely, the organs supplied with energy on that meridian will receive low levels of life force energy.
Another visual to explain this flow are traffic circles. Think of the flow of cars (energy) moving into the traffic circles and the car (energy) is then distributed elsewhere as it exits the traffic circle.
Your body has several main Chakras and many more smaller ones throughout your energy field. Depending on the Yoga, Shamanic, or Energy Medicine system you were trained in there could be 3 to 8 or more main Chakras recognized and 122 or more smaller ones throughout your energy field. These are all whirling “traffic circles” of energy that distribute your life force energy about your body, organs, tissues, and cells.
Through breath work and visually meditating on the flow of energy, you can redirect energy in your body. You can use the below Chakra Clearing technique to clear energy blockages and shift your stagnant energy.
i created this meditation years ago. I have since, in my shamanic training, learned other similar chakra clearing techniques. Use this as a guide. Create what works for you and makes sense to you.
The above image shows 7 Chakras. Starting at the bottom, in red, is the root Chakra, orange is sacral, yellow is solar plexus, green is heart, blue is throat, purple is 3rd eye, and the top chakra is often shown as crystal / white and is the crown Chakra.
The 8th Chakra is in the mid brain and is the pineal Chakra. It is found by drawing a straight line back from the Third Eye and down from the Crown Chakras. Where this line intersects is the 8th Chakra. This chakra would be considered #7 and the Crown Chakra would be #8 in an eight chakra system.
There is also a series of chakras above the head that are recognized as part of the Chakra system.
We will focus on the 7/8 Chakras within the length of the physical body.
Lifestyle Medicine habits help to keep your Life Force Energy flowing freely: Yoga, Acupuncture, Massage, Acupressure, Reflexology, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Reiki, and many more are all forms of Energy Medicine.
After a series of Yoga poses and breath work, I like to do a seated meditation where I actively work my Chakras to move energy and clear blockages. I do this visualization before I do Shamanic work and sometimes when I am lying in bed to relax for sleep.
Chakra Clearing Visualization How To
To increase your energy level, start at your root chakra and work up to the crown chakra.
To calm energy (anxiety or sleep needs) start at the crown chakra and work down to the root chakra.
Once you have decided if you want to increase or decrease your energy level, use this technique to clear energy blockages.
I am going to describe the technique from the Root Chakra up, like I would do after an AM Yoga pose and breath work session.
To decrease energy for sleep, do the same way but start at the Crown and work your way down to the Root Chakra.
Over the years, I have used various visuals to open my chakras. Play with ideas and find what works for you.
Prep work for opening the chakras, I visualize opening them in one of three ways:
like a sliding barn door
like a double barn door and both doors open outward and lie flat against the barn walls
swirling the chakra counter clockwise (energy in the chakras naturally flows clockwise)
Some people sense the Root Chakra’s door as being located at the lowest point on the pubic bone. Some people sense the Root Chakra door as being located on the peri-anal floor (pelvic floor). Go with what feels correct for you and your body / energy body.
Take at least 5 slow, deep belly breaths. Feel your diaphragm drop down. Feel your chest expand so that all of your ribs from collar bone down to your waist open, allowing the lungs to fill deeply. Feel the ribs settle back to allow the breath to leave the body.
On your last exhale, visualize the Root Chakra opening. On the next inhale, pull healing **white light energy into the chakra and swirl it clockwise. Exhale and close the chakra.
Take a slow deep cleansing breath. Inhale deeply and exhale visualizing the Sacral Chakra opening on the exhale. Inhale drawing white light energy into the Sacral Chakra and swirling the energy clockwise. Exhale and close the chakra.
Take a slow deep cleansing breath. Inhale deeply and exhale visualizing the Solar Plexus Chakra opening on the exhale. Inhale drawing white light energy into the Solar Plexus Chakra and swirling the energy clockwise. Exhale and close the chakra.
Take a slow deep cleansing breath. Inhale deeply and exhale visualizing the Heart Chakra opening on the exhale. Inhale drawing white light energy into the Heart Chakra and swirling the energy clockwise. Exhale and close the chakra.
Take a slow deep cleansing breath. Inhale deeply and exhale visualizing the Throat Chakra opening on the exhale. Inhale drawing white light energy into the Throat Chakra and swirling the energy clockwise. Exhale and close the chakra.
Take a slow deep cleansing breath. Inhale deeply and exhale visualizing the Third Eye Chakra opening on the exhale. Inhale drawing white light energy into the Third Eye Chakra and swirling the energy clockwise. Exhale but keep the chakra open. We use the Third Eye Chakra to get back to the Pineal Gland Chakra.
Take a slow deep cleansing breath. Inhale drawing white light energy into the Third Eye Chakra pulling the energy back into the brain to the Pineal Gland (mid brain area) and swirling the energy clockwise. Exhale and close the chakra.
Take a slow deep cleansing breath. Inhale deeply and exhale visualizing the Crown Chakra opening on the exhale. Inhale drawing white light energy into the Crown Chakra and swirling the energy clockwise. Exhale and close the chakra.
Take 5 slow, deep cleansing breaths expanding the chest fully and dropping the diaphragm. As you do these breaths, visualize white light swirling like a spiral up your center chakra channel and back down. Up with inhale, down with exhale.
Relax and just feel your body’s energy flow before moving on with your day.
**White light is a healing light energy. You can also pick a color of your choice for specific work on your energy.
Pink energy for unconditional love
Purple energy for healing
Green energy for abundance
Blue energy for calming
Yellow, orange. or red energy to light your fire
Etc. The color you use can be specific to you and have your own personal meaning.
Post Note: If you are freaking out because I sometimes spell chakra with a capital C and sometimes not, breathe. I will explain.
If I speak of the Root Chakra, I see this as a proper name and capitalize. I vacillate back and forth on just the word chakra being a proper name / noun.
This is akin to me capitalizing Dandelion or Stinging Nettle… it is their name. This goes back to my work in Plant Spirit Medicine and honoring plants as sacred.