Trees Can Help Us Transition Into The New Year
- Brainz Magazine
- Dec 12, 2023
- 8 min read
Written by: Carol A Cumberbatch, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
We are fast approaching the festive season, which can mean so many different things to so many different people across our glorious global community. However, the festivities that slowly emerge, sometimes from October, may not feel festive to everyone, for some it may be a time of celebration, for some it may be a time of trepidation, for some it may be apathy, for some it may activate past, present or furture anxieties or traumas, or a time that highlights a lifestyle not yet accomplished. December can bring with it, a mixed bag of perceptions, expectations & experiences that have the potential to build in emotional momentum. However, on the heels of this final month of 2023, 2024 is readying itself to take the baton to launch us into a new cycle of consecutive months…
When considering this exchange of batons like a relay race from one year to the next, I am reminded of the energy & speed that is usually invested by athletes for a smooth transition of the baton from one runner to the next, no easy feat & one that requires a lot of training to complete successfully.
So how do we usually transition from one year to the next after we have navigated the festive season & what it may mean to us personally? One minute we are approaching a festive period that is celebrated globally in multiple ways for multiple reasons, that you may or may not participate in, then it’s swiftly followed by the beginning of a new year, that can come with the expectation of resolutions & reminders of bad experiences that followed previous resolutions. It can stimulate a rollercoaster of emotions & expectations that some of us cannot avoid, which can feel like we enter a new spectrum of prospective experiences, coming at us thick & fast & may range from a time of year that is awaited with joyful anticipation to a time of unrealistic expectations, dread & endurance for a myriad of reasons.
Consequently, how ‘tree like’ are we when faced with our transition into the new year? Are we solid like the trunk, are we connected to our roots, are we in a state of perpetual motion like the leaves that are falling from the branches as the seasons cool, or do we resemble leaves that start as buds, slowly growing in lush green foliage as the temperature warms up?
Ultimately, do we take, or find, or carve out the time to consider our personal universe which will help us identify with how tree like we are & our constellation of care that will assist us in our transition through the festive season & beyond into the new year…
For example, I have grown up used to the label of ‘sensitive’ from my early years into my now 5th decade & its a word that has featured consistently throughout the development of my personal universe & a word that over the years, has metamorphosed from a stinging slight into an appreciated accolade, with the power of that wonderful double edged sword of hindsight!
It’s been a slow transformation that has transported me through many seasons of diverse experiences to get to this point, but again with the wonder of hindsight, its a transformation that may have arrived sooner had I noticed the accessible resources right under my nose, outside of my experiences…in nature.
As humans, we are all multisensory, so learning more about & developing awareness of one’s personal universe; experiences that bring us enjoyment, without involving other humans or put us at risk of harm, is a way to tap into our multisensory abilities & emulate being more treelike, but with legs & a human life of course!
Being born, raised & living in the northern hemisphere, from a cultural heritage that derives from the southern hemisphere, I have noticed that even though I have grown accustomed to seasonal weather this doesn’t mean I have always coped with these seasonal transitions. For many years, I have experienced seasonal affective disorder & as a creative solutions oriented person, I have developed a methodology to navigate my symptoms utilising a concotion of elements; nature, music & making the most of daylight hours.
This methodology comes from a concsious effort to focus on my full multisensory self, informed by years of observation, reading & tweaking to get right for myself, to overstand & manage my emotional ecology & in doing so creating a new narrative for myself experientially through the seasons that come & go every year. Thus becoming acquainted with the complexities of my personal universe & as a result creating a personal constellation of care that works for me, which inevitably nourishes my interactions & experiences.
An integral part of making an aquaintence with my emotional ecology, was accepting that its a spectrum of seasons, much like the seasons I observe in awe, in trees.
My methodology is simplistic, but that works for me with neurodivergence & a chronic physical condition, however, its a methodology that enables me to live a life of joy & appreciation throughout the rollercoaster of my seasons & therefore is a system that makes sense to me in a world that often does not…
My constellation of care methodology consists of trees
Trees are just one exquistie example of nature, but all nature matters…
When we take time to observe trees, we give ourself space to slow down, take a break & indoing so we can regulate our breathing to a level that brings us a sense of peace. When we allow ourselves time to take in the multidimensional awe of trees, we engage our own multisensory selves – sight, sound, taste, smell, touch & multidimensional selves – physical, mental, emotional/ social at a meditative level, which can reset the vagus nerve & induce relaxation.
Observing trees, can remind us that seasons are a natural transition in life, especially at this time of year… when there are fewer leaves on the trees as they encounter the dropping temperatures of winter. But before the winter, we had the magical display of transitions that comes with autumn, where lush greens slowly transform to recast our landscapes slowly & subtly from a spectrum of deep luscious greens into a constantly changing wardrobe of vibrant colour combinations.
Trees provide us with a different language of experiencing our own seasons, we have chroma; the intensity of colours that go from one of hundreds of shades of green into iridescent shades that transcend through evolving continuums of reds, oranges & yellows, incrementally introducing splashes of browns that accentuate the leaves textures like freckles. A natural canvas of beauty that is created right in front of our eyes & changes across the course of the days & weeks & months, just like us…
From spring, to summer to autumn to winter, we are immersed into a fusion of variable seasonal factors & qualities, converging to perform an intense story of texture rich polarities.
As we know, we need trees for many reasons beyond their visual & multisensory beauty, they are the oldest living organism on the planet at 300 million years, they give us oxygen & act as efficient carbon dioxide sinks, earthly.org reports that ‘one single leafy tree can produce as much oxygen in a single season as 10 people inhale in a year’. In addition, trees helps the planet manage climate change by purifying the air, among other many qualities.
Making the most of daylight hours
Is not always possible in the northern hemisphere, but the more natural light we can get, even just through windows stimulates our Vitamin D production which is beneficial for our calcium & phosphate absorption, necessary for maintaining strength in our bones & teeth. Daylight also contributes to the smooth running of our circadian rhythms, which signals our body into waking & sleeping modes, an important function that assists in the management our emotional ecology.
Daylight signifies that the sun has risen, even if it can’t be seen, which stimulates the presence of life, warmth & growth. If we were to watch a seed planted in soil over time lapse film, we would see it slowly growing upwards through the dark soil towards the direction of daylight, piercing the soil to emerge into the daylight where it continues to grow upwards & or outwards, but always in a stronger & larger form than its original seed.
The lotus flower is a wonderful reminder of the power of daylight, growing in deep muddy water, before growing towards the surface of the water, where it opens its pristine, dirt & water repellent leaves.
Daylight can make a difference to our emotional ecology & therefore our personal universe, as can SAD lamps as an alternative when it's lacking naturally. But the representation of daylight, illuminating our days with a variety of brightness, shadow & countless diffusions in between & across seasons & weather conditions can also gift us with a multitude of aesthetic & spiritual contexts that can inspire & inform us in developing our constellation of care during our transition into the new year.
Music
Oh too many to mention, as I have a very eclectic yet loyal appetite for music, a daily staple to my emotional ecology…but there are 2 I feel impelled to include to assist in communicating my methodology.
Bob Marley expressed it perfectly when he sang ‘one good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain’ & Freddy Mecury goes further when singing ‘kind of magic’.
Like daylight & nature, music has the potential to be absorbed into our multisensory receptors & influence our emotional, cognitive processes & reward networks, contributing to brain plasticity. We are blessed with so much music from every generation & era to choose from, as music really is an international & global language, whether it is the tempo, sounds, melody, harmony, rhythm, vibrations or lyrics or specific instruments, most of us have experienced music that has lifted us, transported us, embraced us & these reactions indicate a connection & impact that can alter our personal universe, even if it only lasts for the duration of the music or sounds we are experiencing.
Music can award us with a break from or an accompaniment to usual tasks that come with life, a chosen transition that can activate a relaxed or uplifted or fun or reminiscent sense of self, that can temporarily whisk us away from the ups & downs, chaos & responsibilities, plans & stresses, twists & turns; experiences that can come at this time of the year that can add predictable & or unexpected colours & textures to the landscapes of our days & nights.
The seasonal changes of trees can inspire us to create a narrative for our constellation of care at our own pace, to explore & acquaint ourselves with our emotional ecology, which is an evolving work in progress. In doing so, our narrative installs the rhythms that enable us to function at a place that brings us peace amidst whatever environment we encounter. Like trees standing solid & tall amidst different landscapes, weather conditions & the fluctuating temperatures that come with the different seasons of their life cycle…
Trees show us that our journey of transitions from day to day & year to year, can consist of flexibility, consideration & self compassion to develop the awareness & acceptance of self; the good the bad & the ugly that we all inherently experience.
Seasons Greetings!
Carol A Cumberbatch, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Carol is an artist & an award winning short filmmaker; OTHER (RIMA 2005) assisting communities in the UK & internationally, creating bespoke interpersonal & intrapersonal projects & experiences that explore & stimulate the many shapes of wellness, awareness, life solutions & reflection through creative mediums.
A self confessed social media hermit, Carol is passionate about the natural learning environment, with an innate apetite for personal development, which she has enjoyed cultivating over many years after being deemed not equipped for higher learning as a young person.
Regardless of the pessimism of this early narrative, Carol has consistently created her path, resulting in decades of experience designing & facilitating innovative holistic journeys (parallel to post graduate studies) for individuals & groups in education, community settings, NHS, Creative Industries, alongside private practice as a Dramatherapist, Creative Clinical Supervisor, Cultural & Diversity Consultant & University Associate Lecturer.
Supporting others to discover their unique path to improved experiences amidst complex journeys.
Carol self published a book of her art & poetry, called Gezellig Heart in 2023.
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