A hippie World Record event...

Actually, most people taking part in it weren't hippies - and the only barefoot person not bringing shoes was me. On May 14, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) and German TV network Pro7 had invited to the Gruga Park at Essen. In order to raise awareness about deforestation and protecting Mama Nature, it was planned to set a new world record in mass tree-hugging.

Aside from creating an event to be reported about during the Pro7 image event week called "Green Seven Week", starting on May 20, the WWF also used the participation of their "Waldmeisterin" and TV presenter Enie van de Meiklokjes to promote the reforestation of alluvial forests along river banks. So, I thought that this would be a nice opportunity to be part of a fun group event as well as giving a little love to Mama Nature.

And, in order to be properly grounded and ensure a proper exchange of positive powers, I went there barefoot, of course.

Feeling Mama Earth at the base of "my" tree...

...and looking up into the canopy

On a horn signal, a total of 848 people hugged their chosen trees and held the embrace for a minute. This was enough to break the previous world record, which had been set in Delamere Forest, Cheshire, UK on Sept. 11, 2011.

One member of the Guinness World Record committee officials proudly presented the official certificate afterwards.

We did it! A new Guinness world record!

And I made it to a local web news portal with a picture that looks like not only me blissfully hugging a tree, but the tree actually hugging back, as one of my Facebook friends put it... and she was right.

The tree and me - hugging each other

The weather on that day was a bit cool and occasionally rainy, too. Normally, I prefer hugging trees in my most natural state, barefoot and naked, being fully one with Mama Nature. Of course, the weather and the nature of this mass event with media presence were not the venue for my personal Nuddhism. But still, the most intense way to hug a tree and make Mama Nature feel our love is to embrace Her skin to skin...

Being in touch with a tree this way feels like cuddling with the beautiful dryad living in it.