Can Trees Love?

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There were nearly 400 people from around the world on the Zoom calls. As we watched a live-stream image together, we collectively sent love to a 25-year-old Sugar Gum Maple tree for ten minutes. We repeated the exercise for four consecutive days.

The tree lives on the grounds of the HeartMath Institute (HMI) in the Santa Cruz Mountains of northern California. Founded in 1991, HMI is a nonprofit organization that has been studying the electrical activity of the human heart for more than 35 years. For nearly a decade, HMI has been studying the electrical activity of trees around the world.

The Sugar Gum Maple during one of the sessions

In this particular experiment, scientists monitored the electrical activity of the chosen tree and three nearby maples that were planted at the same time. Previous research had already shown that trees respond when people send them love from close proximity. This time, however, the researchers wanted to know what would happen if the senders were far away. The results—shown in the graph below—were remarkable.

Electrical activity of the trees before, during, and after the experiment

Participating in the HMI experiment reminded me of Suzanne Simard’s pioneering research. In her book Finding the Mother Tree, Simard reveals how trees communicate with each other through underground fungal networks and airborne molecules, forming an intricate web of mutual support and shared intelligence across vast forests. Simard also showed that the older “mother” trees nourish the next generation.

Love from Afar

The idea that we can energetically connect with other living beings, even over long distances, is not new to me. I learned this firsthand during the early months of the COVID lockdown.

At the time, I was volunteering with a monthly Healing Touch clinic. When our group decided to shift to distance sessions, I hesitated. As a new practitioner, I doubted my ability to sense energy without being physically present. But the other healers encouraged me to try. 

To my surprise, I discovered that I could still read my client’s energy clearly. During my first distance session, I detected an energetic anomaly in my client’s knee. Imagine my amazement when he confirmed that was experiencing knee pain!

Since then, distance healing has become an integral part of my practice. It’s especially helpful when clients are in the post-surgical recovery room or when they live in another state. I’ve even worked remotely with animals—dogs, in particular.

But distance healing does not require special powers or mystical abilities. Research collaborations led by Lynne McTaggart, author of The Intention Experiment and The Power of Eight, quantitatively measure the power of intention sent from afar. Her global experiments have demonstrated that collective focus can help plants heal, purify water, accelerate seed growth, and even reduce violence in high-crime neighborhoods. In one of the seed experiments, the intenders were in Australia--850 miles from the seeds in a lab at the University of Arizona.

The Power of Your Heart's Intention

So, what can we learn from this?

First and foremost, each of us possesses an invisible strength—the power of our heart’s electromagnetic field. Whether you are sending love to a tree, a dog, or another person, your heart’s energy has a tangible influence on the world around you. When groups unite with a shared intention, that influence is amplified.

Second, the love you send outward always circles back. Participants in McTaggart’s intention experiments frequently report unexpected healing in their own lives and relationships. As Intention Circle member, Susan, shared following an Intend for Peace session:

I was in a crappy mood before the call so I was surprised how peaceful and relaxed I felt afterwards!

In a world often dominated by stories of conflict, division, and despair, it’s easy to feel powerless. Yet, love and intention remain our most profound tools for transformation. They cost nothing to share, and their effects ripple far beyond what we can see before flowing back to us.

So the next time you feel overwhelmed by the world’s troubles, pause for a moment. Send love—to a tree, a person, a place in need. You may be surprised by how powerful your heart truly is.

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Intend for Peace

You possess an invisible strength—the power of your Intention. When people unite their intentions, that power is amplified.

Join a LIVE Intend for Peace gathering and be the change you wish to see in the world. Following a brief grounding and centering exercise, we focus on our intention for peace in a specific geographic region. The entire call lasts about 20 minutes. Everyone is welcome to drop in as your schedule permits.

Signup on my website to be notified of upcoming sessions.