The Story of Artful Banyan Tree

A small sacred space, attracting those who want to rewrite the future and bring harmony into the world.

"It had all begun with a curiosity, an itch, and a spark deep within me. I wanted to tap into my inner voice and explore what it could bring to life. By following this creative inquiry, a music piece became a dance; a dance transformed into an image, a painting (as shown in the picture); a story emerged from the painting in a poetic form and then led me to a vision:

A future where our collective creativity and longing for connection empower us to reimagine and build a sustainable and inclusive world.

This vision gave me the courage to finally follow my creative aspirations and founded Artful Banyan Tree in the summer of 2023.

My intention is to create a space where people can come together to unleash their creative potential through artistic expression; restore equilibrium by connecting with nature; and enhance overall wellness by incorporating aesthetics into daily life".

- Bella Zhang

The Story of Artful Banyan Tree

This is a tale of an ancient tree.

It started as a small and almost invisible seed hidden under a rock.

One day,

A beam of sunlight came in and shone on the ground,

all the molecules beneath the soil began to wake up.

They were twisting and turning,

singing and dancing,

almost like the magic of alchemy that enlightened their life energy and empowered them to grow and expand.

The seed quickly grew into a sprout,

a sapling,

and then a tree,

a well-grounded strong tree.

Beneath the ground,

the roots were expanding and connecting to the circulatory system of the planet;

And above the ground,

the branches were reaching up to the sky, embracing the air, wind, light, water, and everything that could nourish her heart and soul.

The tree was happy,

She felt alive,

the joy within her heart inspired her to spread the light and sparks to everyone she encountered,

including the fire, thunder, lightning, and storms,

she knew these seemingly destructive creatures would help her gain strength to continuously evolve,

so, she is not afraid.

Day after day,

Year after year,

The tree started to wonder what brought meaning to her life,

and everyone else’s life?

She turned this question into an inquiry,

delving into her own self-exploration and engaging in conversations with others.

On a beautiful summer day,

While she was standing quietly enjoying the sun,

she heard a gentle voice whispering

“Can’t you see, everything is connected, just follow the light!”

At first,

She couldn’t figure out where this voice came from and what the message meant,

But after spending some time mindfully observing,

She could finally see that everything was indeed connected!

The sun, the moon, the clouds, the rain, the wind, the birds, the flowers, the soil…

EVERYTHING,

IS

CONNECTED.

Through every experience and every encounter,

we become who we are today,

who we are and what we do also shape and influence everything around us,

It is an eternal cycle of cause and effect,

taking us from the past to the present,

from the present to the future.

This realisation has made the tree feel both sad and hopeful,

as she could see how our past actions have created all the problems we’re facing today: climate change, deforestation, mass extinctions, conflicts, wars, discrimination, distrust, hatred, egoism, greed, etc.;

But it’s also been said that in the midst of chaos,

there is opportunity,

an opportunity to reunite together and make a change that will ultimately transform our collective path forward.

It’s time to reimagine the future

and build a regenerative ecosystem that supports and rejuvenates the life energy on this planet.

At this moment,

in the centre of the tree,

a seed is suddenly lightening up,

And then slowly blooming into a divine flower.

Every time the tree breathes in,

the light within the flower shines brighter and starts radiating healing energy to its surroundings.

Gradually,

a small sacred space has been formed,

attracting those who want to rewrite the future and bring harmony into the world.

As time goes by,

the tree has become a meeting point for many to come and reconnect with nature.

Through the appreciation of beauty and the natural cycle of life,

people feel empowered by the creative inspiration that is emerging from their bodies and soul.

They say:

Together,

we dance our story

and sing our dreams;

we paint the future with new colours,

and write poems of hope.

Together,

we restore the inner balance,

and experience love, peace, compassion, and kindness towards ourselves and others.