A Dream About a Tree Reveals the Path to a Balanced and Sacred Spiritual Life
Explore the symbolism of a tree and how nature mirrors your soul's journey
Great Creator, Grandmother Earth, and Grandfather Sky, open our hearts to understand the sacred path between the soaring heights of spirit and the fertile depths of our souls. Guide us in the same way that You guide the rivers to their source, the birds to their nests, and the trees toward light and deep rootedness. Grant us eyes that see beyond the surface, feet that tread gently on this sacred Earth, and hearts strong enough to reach heights but only with a humility enough to bow to the soil. May we feel Your breath in the wind, Your wisdom in the trees, and Your invitation in our dreams. Aho.
I have been reading a book, The Way of St. Francis by Murray Bodo, OFM, and in a chapter titled, The Woman of the Desert, there is a description of St. Francis as he goes to Rome to meet with Pope Innocent III (yes, that was his chosen name). As Francis is leaving Rome to return to Assisi, he has a dream about encountering a tree.
In the dream, Francis is walking down a path when he sees a tall, beautiful, and strong tree. As he stands underneath it, he is lifted toward the sky and the top of the tree. When he reaches his hand out to touch the top of the tree, the tree gently bends toward the ground. As he and others interpret this dream, there is a realization that this tree-bending is a symbol of uniting Heaven with Earth in a way that points to a sacred action of the Most High bending or bowing in a posture of humility to kiss earth and soil.
Nature has always been such a powerful spiritual teacher. Across faith traditions, the tree is a sacred symbol that represents life, transformation, and the divine connection between Heaven and Earth.
There is a great deal of spiritual richness in the symbolism and the dream. First, the tree represents a connection to the Divine and a return to the Earth. It becomes a reminder that our spiritual growth is not just about rising up, but also about rooting deeply, which is often what I focus on in my writing and spiritual journey. For me, they are interconnected.
But, here is a great kicker. When St. Francis touches the top of the tree, he is not suspended in a mystical experience. Instead, he brings the sacred back to the ground, as if to invite Heaven to be on Earth, which makes this so much more authentic, embodied, and humble.
In the book, French Franciscan Eloi Leclerc provides a further explanation, suggesting that this movement reflects a return to the maternal, which, in turn, represents the creative and hidden aspects of our inner life that give birth to spiritual transformation.
So, when we honor both the highs and lows of the spirit and soul, we begin to live a more balanced spiritual life. I know… I had to sit with that for a bit before I could wrap my head and heart around it.
Whether you follow a particular faith tradition or are simply seeking a deeper spiritual connection, the image of the tree is an invitation to go inward and explore the sacred terrain of your soul, bonding with nature. Trees, like all of creation, remind us that the Divine Mystery is not far off in the heavens above. It lives in the sky above, the breath within, the body we inhabit, and the Earth that holds us.
There is something beautifully mystical about nature being an unlimited broadcasting station, as George Washington Carver said. If and when we tune into that station through dreams, silence, or being in nature, we are reminded that we are already home.
That’s the beauty of spiritual wisdom in any tradition. It may seem like a puzzle, but when you look inside yourself, you naturally grow. In every leaf, breeze, or sacred dream, you’re reminded that the Divine isn’t far away because it lives in your breath, being, and sense of belonging.
So, go ahead and spend more time gazing at the sunrise or sunset, letting your breath be the prayer it is.
I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in. — George Washington Carver
Was there a time when you experienced the intersection of a spiritual high that grounded you to Mother Earth? What was that experience like, and how has it become a part of your spiritual journey?
When you think about new birth (the kind that is represented by the symbolism of trees), what maternal or inner wisdom are you being invited to?
In what ways can you honor the “dark soil” within you as sacred rather than something you avoid?
Tree Meditation: Sit or stand beneath a large tree (if possible). If this is not possible, find an image of a tree, even if it is a digital image. Imagine your spirit reaching up to its highest branches as your spiritual roots dig deep into the earth. Breathe with the tree.
A Meal of Gratitude: This week, prepare a meal with intention and gratitude. As you prep and cook, reflect on the nurturers of your food that play a role in your sustainability — the farmers, ranchers, land, and ancestors. Offer a prayer of gratitude.
Ground with the Sacred: Find a concrete and humble way to bring your inspiration and creativity to life. Maybe it’s your writing, helping someone, or tending a garden. Let any or all of your creative outlets be a path to grounding with all that is holy within you and around you.
May you walk the path of both sky and soil,
May your hands reach toward that which is sacred,
And may your feet always remain rooted in what is real.
May you be lifted by the dreams of the Most High,
And may you bow them gently back to Mother Earth
As an act of love and embodied truth.
May you walk gently,
Walk in beauty,
Walk in balance.
Aho.
May you know that you are loved because you matter.
May your soul be refreshed.
sdg