Drawing these small circles is a tranquil activity. My hand knows the form so well that I can enter a state of flow. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi coined the term 'flow' as a psychological term and has written extensively on his research in this area which falls within the realm of positive psychology. Finding flow is "an intrinsically rewarding or optimal state that results from intense engagement with daily activities". It can also be described as being in the zone and Csikszentmihalyi says that when we are in a state of flow our performance is at it's highest. This can happen if you're free to totally concentrate on the task.

So, though these tiny circles appear to be a lot of work and certainly did take time to draw over consecutive days, the process of doing had the same effect on my mind as meditation.

I remember this snippet of a poem from school that expresses some of the reverence I have for trees:

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree

These are the first two lines of the short poem "Trees" by Joyce Kilmer published in 1914. I also think trees are lovely. I am reassured by the stillness of trees. When I stop to lay my hands on a tree trunk I can feel that stillness transfer to me. I love watching the trunks change with the seasons, the riotous shedding of bark followed by the reveal of smooth pale colours after the bark is shed. I relish the heady smell of trees in blossom or the more subtle earthy smell after rain. I love when trees meet overhead and create sheltering tunnels.

I am grateful for the solace of trees.