There is an undeniable quality to the old growth forest. A richness in the air. An ancient magic that seems to permeate the landscape around you. It is in the Earth and the Trees, drawn up from the planet's womb and lifted high into the forest canopy by the ancient evergreens. Trees. They have a magic all their own. Whether we hear its summons in the midst of the wilderness or answer it's beckoning call to climb and play among its branches when we are young, we all have felt its presence. We can learn much from trees, if only we would stop and listen, both in the physical realm and in the worlds beyond.
There is an old spiritual law that states, "As above, so below... as within, so without..." reminding us that the fabric of the spirit world is reflected in the world around us. One of the clearest signs of this is the life/death/rebirth cycle reflected in deciduous trees. Much like a tree, we are "born" in springtime, fresh and new to this life. Each "year" we grow and mature, reflecting back upon our life in our "autumn days" and finally relaxing into the arms of death in "winter." When spring returns, we are born again, a new life coming to us. But as with the rings of a tree, we continue to add to what we've already learned, growing and developing through a process known as spritual alchemy.
Besides being a reflection of spiritual laws, trees are also a source of energy and wisdom. Having stood in the forest since they were young, in some cases hundreds of years, trees have recorded every incident that has occurred around them. We can find physical evidence in the rings of a tree; each ring marking the climatic and environmental variables during that year of growth. But trees are no only physical creatures. Much like us, they inhabit the spiritual world as well. As such, they have recorded each moment of an area's magical life. Ask them to tell you about it sometime. Leave them an offering of spring water or organic apple juice, poured into the earth around their roots. After an appropriate length of time, come back and lean against the trunk. Speak to them, either verbally or in your mind of what you hope to learn from them. Then close your eyes, clear your mind and "listen." You may be surprised at the response you'll get.
Trees are also a tremendous source of energy, having their roots sunk deep into the energy of the earth and their branches high in the air. They are nourished by the water of earth and rain and fed by the fire of the sun. As such, they embody all four elements, adding the fifth (Spirit) when you remember their innate ties to the spiritual world. As such, it is possible to draw energy from them, much as you would draw it from the earth. But remember, we consider all beings to be alive. As such, remember that you are only "borrowing" the energy. And to maintain a proper balance, you should always give back at least as much as you take.