Vriksh Sankalpa – Nature Our Teacher

Prasiddhi Singh

 

Vriksh Sankalpa – Nature Our Teacher is an eco-yogic series talking of nature, culture and learning to inspire everyone not just to think but also to act.

A lesson from the Sandalwood Tree

Hari Om. I am Sandalwood Tree. In India I am known as the Chandana and Srigandha. My botanical name is Santalum album or S.album for short. I am known for my heartwood. I have a huge family called Santalaceae with 1,000 species mostly found in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Northern Australia. I grow in a temperature between 0 to 38°C (32 to 100F). We are dry deciduous trees. We are small tropical trees that can grow about 20m high. My family and I have a fair lifespan of about 80 to100 years. I originated in the South Western Ghats of India, especially from Coorg (Kodagu) in Karnataka but I am everywhere!

Starting from when you use my soaps and cosmetic products to actually make yourself feel fresh by my perfumes, incense sticks and air freshener, you even use me as a tilak on your forehead. You can use my oil best as diffusing frankincense, cleansing sprays to avoid negativity and obviously you can use my oil on your body. You can use my wood for multiple woodwork and carving items and even make my japa malas. My powder when scattered around a place helps to clear it of negativity. My paste can be used on your neck or chest to help align with your heart chakra and when you worship the deities I can be your best friend.

But I am more than just a good-smelling oil, powder or paste I am your benefactor in multiple other ways. Let me share the Top 7:

1. Protection: Termites tend to eat the outer layer (sapwood) of mine but the inner layer (heartwood) remains safe because of the leathery quality that protects my heartwood which cannot be eaten by the termite or other insects. I also have a powerful energy that offers powerful protection against negative energy.
2. Calmness: The fragrance of my wood has a deeply calming effect on your body, mind and spirit, and this is why I am used in multiple meditative and contemplative practices in many cultures across the world.
3. Prosperity: It is believed that my family and its trees are abodes of the Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity. My Sanskrit name is Sriganda which means ‘The scent that is dearest to the Goddess‘.
4. Worship: The wood of my tree has been used in prayers and offerings to the divine. My wood has also been used to build temples, statues of deities and other valuable things used in spiritual rituals. In East Asia including China, Japan and Korea, my incense is used during worships.
5. Spirituality: The cooling properties of my wood are an aid to spirituality which helps you feel more mindful, which is why in Hinduism there is a tradition to apply my sandalwood paste on the forehead, neck and chest areas.
6. Positivity: The atmosphere you are in matters and I can help you enhance it. A great way is to use my wood by burning it on hot charcoal, and then take the smoke around the place while feeling the positive vibes.
7. Creativity: I can help you to stimulate the pineal and pituitary gland by bringing clarity, promote intuition and make the best use of your creative energy.

But I am sad. Despite my uses and benefits due to the global sandalwood boom my species is going extinct; for instance, currently, 95% of the global production comes from India, yet 90% of this enters the market from wild and mostly uncontrolled jungle harvesting, which is why I need your help to protect my family and yours as well. So please think about me.

Sankalpa – LOVE

So that was the Sandalwood Tree telling its story. While understanding about how useful and beneficial it is, I also realized that love or bhakti is something that we can learn from sandalwood. During the process of cutting the sandalwood tree to create the sandalwood perfume, the tree leaves the fragrance of sandalwood on the axe as a symbol of love. The more we rub  sandalwood  against  a stone, the more its fragrance spreads. Even when you burn sandalwood it wafts its glory into the entire neighbourhood. This is the enchanting beauty of LOVE and bhakti that we can learn from sandalwood. Similarly, we should have unconditional love towards the planet, community, ourselves and the Sandalwood Tree.

Now I will request you to please recite the pledge as you read; don’t forget to fill in the blank.

I hope you are following your Eco-Resolution Diary for the Palm Tree – SERVE.

To help you, here are some questions for you to check how well you understand the importance of the Sandalwood Tree and its sankalpa – LOVE in your life and how well you fulfil your pledge. Remember, you should not only think but also act. This is your weekly Tick Box for you Eco-Resolution Diary:

1. Did I plant, water or take care of a tree?
2. Did I talk about the environment to friends and neighbours?
3. Have I been practising LOVE to live a yogic-sustainable lifestyle?
4. Have I started practising the beauty of forgiveness like the Sandalwood Tree?
5. Have I been mindful about the Sandalwood Tree for enriching my life through its spiritual products?