Have you ever felt called to walk into a forest or thicket of trees? Just by their shape trees seem to reach out in welcome. Trees will beckon you to come into their world for a spiritual experience sure to bring peace to your heart.

A cluster of trees is like a family, sheltering each other from the elements and offering protection for the beings that live within the home that the trees provide. As you approach the tree line the aroma of damp leaves reminiscent of autumn fills your nostrils. A smile comes across your face as you step into the woods, breathing in deeply the scent of damp earth. The air is cool and fresh, clearing your mind.

The leaves and twigs crackle under your feet as you move forward, the stoic tree trunks all around you in various sizes and textures. Ants, beetles, and caterpillars can be seen here and there, climbing up the sides of the trees and along the branches. Squirrels move about the fallen leaves looking for acorns. Wildflowers are growing among the rocks and low foliage like bright little gems adding color to an otherwise neutral landscape. The light is a bit dimmer here, as the sun can only get through between the thick tree branches. The world you left behind seems far away, and you are now a part of this serene place of wonder.

Walking along between the trees you can hear the chorus of various birds. You look up to see a male warbler singing his heart out for his mate, while letting the other birds know that this place is his home. A frog ahead of you jumps away to safety, looking for his next meal. In the V of a tree trunk is a beautiful spider web, with the talented spotted craftsman sitting in the center. A bit of morning dew is still present on the web, and the small shaft of sunlight shining through the trees makes the web glisten. You gaze at the web in awe and then move on.

What is that sound? An owl’s hoot! He is carefully hidden in the high canopy of branches. As you ponder the sound your approach scatters a family of small quail. You stop to watch them scurry away, their soft sounds reprimanding you for disturbing them. A doe is up ahead and she has spotted you. She uses her dainty legs to leap into the air, gracefully bounding over fallen trees and flashing her white tail as she bids you farewell. The sight of her takes your breath away.

A chipmunk crosses your path as you continue on to a grove of evergreens. Long needled pines welcome you into their home. As you step onto the carpet of dropped needles you smell the lovely aroma of the trees. For a moment the thought of winter holiday cheer comes to mind, and then it is gone as you discover the delicate mushrooms growing all around your feet. The gray and brown mushrooms are homes to insects, and maybe even some tiny fairies, you think to yourself as your imagination wanders.

After a while it is time for you to go, so you turn around and backtrack through the woods, enjoying the sounds of birdsong, the company of the animals, and the enticing smells of this hidden world. You feel light on your feet and a sense of calm as you marvel at the magic of life you have just witnessed. The walk is done and you emerge from the woods into the bright sunshine warming your face.