With the climate at its BEST in DUBAI during this time of the year – Morning walks are a preferred choice for many including me. We look forward to these days of Pleasurable Steps…when the cold breeze blowing on our faces refreshes the soul…and as the sky gets painted by the legendary painter himself – One feels honored to have started the day with this CHOICE 🙂
Today I take you on yet another quest that introduced me to the IMPORTANCE of some BEAUTIES that are found in abundance where I stay.
It was one of those BLESSED DAYS… Palm trees on the left, cold breezes puffing the clouds, the sky getting emphasized by God’s Magic Wand – minute by minute – the blue heavens opening – the sunbeams entering the horizons – and you know your DAY is MADE !!!
As I was going ahead with my usual morning walk…all of a sudden the scene in front of me CHANGED – I was hypnotized – The never-ending row of trees seemed to cast a spell on me – I paused to capture the KODAK MOMENT.
I had been walking on this track – year after year & never did I pause to appreciate the tress that stood there tall & straight…smiling at me…This was my MORNING BLESSING – I received a GIFT from MOTHER NATURE that bought with itself a Meaningful Message of LIFE from Life itself 🙂
In that very MOMENT – I said to myself – Mother Nature is filled with so many BLESSING & yet we often fail to notice the BEAUTY that surrounds us in the simplest of things…
The Beauty & Blessings of Mother Nature have been & will always be there in our life…However…It is our ignorance & lack of awareness that comes in the way of our BLESSINGS.
With mixed feeling in my heart – I came back home…and as I reflected upon the happenings…I realized that…Even in that moment of a brief encounter – I learned that
If I seek BLESSING – then AWARENESS is what I must adopt – and it is this attitude that can lead me to NEW EXPERIENCES each day.
Have a look at this picture below & you will know what I am hinting at…
Thich Nhat Hanh — Your words are so TRUE 🙂
“Awareness is like the sun. When it shines on things, they are transformed.”
These fringes of the palm are so ordinary & yet when positioned against the Sun’s rays – they fascinate us with their simplicity & style…This is how our vision CHANGES when we adopt the attitude of AWARENESS in our journeys.
Reality is the illusion created by the mind, based on perceptions.
Change your perception, and you change your reality.
Today’s lesson comes from the humble palm trees…The quintessential image of a tropical paradise is incomplete if we don’t sight a palm tree. As children we have always loved sketching these tropical beauties alongside a sunny beach setting…But the palm tree is much more significant than you might think…and these sturdy plants have so many lessons to teach if we care to listen.
“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.”
Aldous Leonard Huxley – I followed your advice – and the learnings are just amazing… The first & foremost connect that I received was that “Palm Trees” have been mentioned in many religious scriptures…each having their respective references to quote…which goes to proves that palm trees have a history with humans as old as the first societies.
My research introduced me to some mysterious connects associated with the Palm tree. Let’s know some…
Palm trees have the capability to survive & thrive in the difficult conditions & therefore are considered as a symbol of triumph over adversity. The palm branch is regarded as a symbol of victory & triumph & hence in ancient Greece & Rome…
A palm branch was awarded to victorious champions of games and wars.
This association with the Palm tree was something NEW to me – To be awarded a “Palm Branch” was regarded as the GREATEST SUCCESS – I wish we could bring back this honor to the humble Palm & to Mother Nature too…and LOOK up at the PALM TREES with ADMIRATION 🙂
There was yet very unique ritual followed in the earlier times…The soldiers who were LUCKY to have endured the test of time – conquered their adversity and won their battles were welcomed with a unique style.
The palm trees were spread upon the path of returning heroes – as a sign of their SUCCESS – and a gesture of “WELCOME HOME” because of the symbolic association of Victory with the Palm tree.
Legend has it that the palm tree is believed to holds the nest of the phoenix. This investigation strengthens the belief of the palm being a symbol of rebirth & reawakening…and so in some part of the world like the Mesopotamian religions & the ancient Egypt – the palm tree is taken as a symbol of everlasting life.
I am not aware of the phoenix association – but since I come from a science background – I have my reasons to support the logic of the Palm Tree being considered a symbol of everlasting life with some facts.
In my biology classes – I have learnt that Palms are very different in their growth strategy. A little scientific understanding will help you connect the dots…to the eternal life that is associated with Palms.
Palms are monocots – which means they have one terminal bud. And in times of adversity…the palms may sometimes lose all their fronds (leaves) and still survive as long as the bud is not damaged 🙂
It does take time to have the leaves grow back & even if the tree appears dead, stripped of all its leaves, life goes on within the thriving bud…The decision to letting these leaves fall is a strategy adopted by the tree to survive the harshness of life.
Do you see a MESSAGE – a MOTIVATION in their approach to GROWTH – it is this attitude toward growth which inspires HOPE in my HEART 🙂
The message is clear – as long as the “WILL to SURVIVE” is there in our HEARTS – one can never perish – With HOPE & FAITH one can always FIGHT back & come out from victorious from all HARDSHIPS 🙂
The Palm tree knows how to survive & hence deserves the symbolic connect of rebirth & renewal. Let us LEARN to be HOPEFUL like the palm & if the need arises…shed some dead leaves – & that too with confidence.
One must not get entangled in the darkness that engulfs us in our difficult times…Unnecessary baggage is always a burden – it will never let us survive…Let go off those dead phases of your life – just like the palm tree does…
The old must go…if GROWTH is what you SEEK in your SOUL – Beena Gurdasani
Storms & Palm Tree share a Fabulous connect…and here comes yet another inspirational lesson…
We all have been through a storm – But have you noticed a palm tree in the storm – Wild storms and extreme weather conditions can make these palm trees dance wildly – But it is rare to find a Palm tree broken – This is the specialty of these trees – Palm trees are designed to bend even to the point of being horizontal to the ground…they bend but they never break – They know the survival techniques & when the skies are clear – they stand up again – High & Straight – Proud & Tall.
But how does the palm achieve this – Once again – science comes to our help. Scientifically it has been proven that the trunk of the palm tree is very flexible…and so it bends to the maximum capacity but doesn’t BREAK…& when the storm is over the palm tree stands upright again and this time the palm tree is actually much stronger than it was before the storm.
We too must aspire to be like the palm tree – BEND but don’t BREAK. The storms are your testing time – Rise every time like the phoenix – Recovery is your GOAL & that is what you must strive for – Be Victorious like the Palm. 
With personal experience I say that every adversity in my life has made me stronger after it has passed – Yes the hardships are always challenging but it is these hardships that shaped my personality & made me who I am today – Confident & Strong – Smiling & Eternal – I am TODAY – Indeed it goes beyond saying that …One always comes back from the storm feeling better and stronger than ever.
Here is my favourite song…Hope you ENJOY & take back the CONNECTS on a musical Note 🙂
I admire & I aspire to be like the Palm TREE – getting STRONGER & STRONGER after every Storm.
Palm trees are our teachers – teaching us lessons of survival & strength at all times…To stand upright again after every storm & that too with more vigor is my LEARNING of this week .
Growing up in Dubai, I was constantly surrounded by palms…however as a child, I thought these palms were ordinary & were grown only because of their climatic requirements which matched their survival in this arid land – As a student of science – this was my only learning associated with these palm trees …
How ignorant I was then… 😦
But today with this new understanding – I feel – Mother Nature is always bountiful – with lessons galore 🙂 She is the BEST TEACHER – it is we who fail when it comes to being GOOD STUDENTS.
Since the day MOTHER NATURE introduced me to the learnings behind these majestic tropical beauties – I find myself constantly looking upward at the swaying fronds and reviewing the lessons learnt.
I am THANKFUL to the PALM TREES – My silent teachers, they have inspired me in ways beyond my expectations – leading me to new insights…& awareness of their presence in this BEAUTIFUL WORLD.
Standing TALL…swaying in the Breeze…Palms are now the closest to my heart as I take my Morning Walks 🙂
Elegant – Tough – Incredible survivors are the PALM TREES
They have so much to share…so the next time you take the choice to go for a walk in your favorite spot – Be attentive – look around – open our heart for the lessons these High spirited BEAUTIES are whispering to your soul !!!
Journeys & Reflections 