Friends of Trees
The Non-Profit We Are Supporting in 2020 is…
Every year, I make a donation to a non-profit dedicated to the well-being of our local ecosystems and the people who depend on them. This year I am supporting Friends of Trees! For 30 years, Friends of Trees has been helping plant trees in neighborhoods around Portland, Eugene, and Vancouver for little to no cost thanks to their Tree Scholarship Fund. They also work on maintaining watershed health and habitat restoration in the Columbia Gorge and throughout Washington County. This is all achieved through the time and generosity of the volunteers in the community.
How to Get Involved
When you receive a treatment at Well Forest Acupuncture, you are making a conscious choice to invest in your health and your community. If you feel like getting your hands in the soil, volunteer opportunities are abundant in the winter and spring months with Friends of Trees. Learn more about Friends of Trees!
How Does Do Trees Relate to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)?
Trees are commonly used as metaphors in various healing practices. They often appear in visualization techniques—such as ‘grounding’ ourselves or staying ‘rooted’ during life’s storms. Wood is one of the Five Elements that guide the foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory. It is associated with the Liver and the Liver energy that moves Qi up and out in all directions, like the branches of a tree. This concept is crucial in helping TCM practitioners recognize when there is stagnation so they can restore the smooth flow of Qi in the body.
Have you ever seen a Hawthorn tree? A Magnolia tree? You’re looking right at medicine. Tree bark, leaves and flowers are commonly used in Chinese herbal formulas!
There’s so much more to discuss when it comes to trees, but we’ll leave it at this for now. Take a walk, hug a tree, sit next to one, look at one. At the very least thank it for its contribution to the oxygen you breathe.
For the love of trees,
Kecia Fox, MSOM, LAc
Kecia Fox is a Licensed acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner in Portland, Oregon, specializing in holistic treatment of chronic pain and stress. Book appointment online.