In Every Breath, A Gift: The Symbiosis Between Trees and People 

A Sacred Exchange 

Walk into a forest, and something shifts. You may not see it at first, but your body feels it — a softening, a sense of grounding, a return. It’s not imagination. It’s not coincidence. It is ancient, intelligent, and beautifully mutual. 

At its most basic, our relationship with trees is symbiotic. We exhale carbon dioxide, and trees, in their wisdom, absorb it. In turn, they release oxygen — the breath we rely on for life. This exchange is not a transaction; it is a gift. It is a sacred rhythm, a reminder that every breath is part of a greater whole. 

But this connection goes far beyond chemistry. 

The Silent Language of Trees 

Science has only recently begun to uncover what Indigenous peoples and mystics have known for millennia — that trees are alive in ways we’re only beginning to understand. Trees communicate through intricate underground networks of mycorrhizal fungi, often called the “Wood Wide Web.” Through this system, trees share nutrients, send distress signals, and even support weaker or younger trees. Forests act less like a collection of individuals and more like a single, interconnected organism. 

Research by ecologist Suzanne Simard has shown that mother trees — older, larger trees — can recognize their offspring and prioritize them with resources. Trees remember, adapt, and respond. They are sentient in a way that invites awe. 

And trees also communicate with us. 

The Frequency of the Forest 

Everything in nature emits frequency — subtle electromagnetic waves that affect all living beings. Studies in Japan on “Shinrin-yoku,” or forest bathing, show that spending time among trees reduces cortisol levels, lowers heart rate, and boosts immune function. The forest literally heals us. It calms the nervous system and awakens the parasympathetic state — where restoration, creativity, and inner peace live. 

Some researchers believe that trees, like all living beings, have a biofield — a vibrational field that resonates with our own. When we’re in the presence of trees, our energy synchronizes with theirs. It’s as if we are being tuned, gently and lovingly, back to the frequency of life.   

Consciousness in the Canopy 

To walk through a forest is to enter a living cathedral — one where stillness speaks louder than words and wisdom is felt, not taught. The forest is conscious. It watches. It remembers. It welcomes. 

When we bring our own consciousness into nature — when we become present, aware, grateful — something beautiful happens. The boundary between “us” and “them” begins to dissolve. We are no longer separate observers of nature, but participants in a shared existence. 

The more we remember this, the more we heal. And the more we heal, the more we give back.    

Reciprocity: Giving Back to the Trees 

Trees give so freely — air, shade, medicine, shelter, wisdom. And we, too, can give. We can plant trees. We can protect forests. We can pause before taking and remember to offer thanks. We can care for the land as if it were part of us — because it is. 

Reciprocity is love in action. It is the understanding that the Earth is not here for us, but with us. That the forest is not a resource to be extracted, but a relationship to be honored.   

We Are Love, and We Are Loved

 

When you walk in nature, try this: slow your breath, place your hand on a tree, and feel. Just feel. Know that you are not alone. Know that your body remembers this connection, even if your mind has forgotten. There is love in every breeze, every leaf, every moment of stillness. 

The trees remind us of something profound: that life is cooperative, not competitive. That giving and receiving are the same breath. That we belong — deeply and inherently — to the Earth. 

And the forest, in its infinite patience, is always waiting for us to remember. 

Works Cited 

Li, Qing. Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness. Viking, 2018. 

Mancuso, Stefano. The Revolutionary Genius of Plants: A New Understanding of Plant Intelligence and Behavior. Atria Books, 2018. 

Simard, Suzanne. Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest. Knopf, 2021. 

Gagliano, Monica. Thus Spoke the Plant: A Remarkable Journey of Groundbreaking Scientific Discoveries and Personal Encounters with Plants. North Atlantic Books, 2018.

Kimmerer, Robin Wall. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. Milkweed Editions, 2013.

Selhub, Eva M., and Alan C. Logan. Your Brain on Nature: The Science of Nature’s Influence on Your Health, Happiness and Vitality. Wiley, 2012.