Pictured above: Set your intention! Place a word inside the Intention Stick necklace and wear it close to your heart.
Who knew that a spiritual design on a pendant could launch a global movement?
Seven years ago, jewelry designer Scott Berger created a pendant for his wife, Marla, as a gift to celebrate their 21st wedding anniversary. Embossed on the front is the tree of life and engraved on the back are the names of their four children in Hebrew, along with the number 21.
“Marla said that was the most beautiful gift I had ever given her, not because of the jewelry but because of the spiritual meaning of it and that she got to wear all four of our kids close to her heart. And then she said, ‘That’s it!’ ” Scott recalls.
When Scott questioned what she meant by “That’s it,” Marla says, “I’ve been waiting for 21 years. I was looking for that bigger purpose, that divine reason of why the two of us – two souls – were brought together.”
Marla goes on to share that she knew there was always something that they needed to do for humanity and that when she received that gift, that’s what she had been waiting for.
The couple started designing different collections benefitting charities with the tree of life on one side and a name of the cause on the other. They were even asked to create a collection of pieces for the Pope, helping refugee children around the world. The Tree of Life Movement was born.
Shortly after the release of the collection for the Pope, Scott and Marla were invited by the royal family to stay at Windsor Castle for four days to take part with 23 other visionaries and world leaders in discussions and round table meetings on ways to heal the world.
One of the nights during their stay was Simchat Torah. “I have not missed Simchat Torah in more than 25 years, and I wasn’t going to just because we were at the castle,” says Scott.
So when the group gathered that evening in St. George’s tea room he explained to the others (they were the only Jews there) what the holiday was all about. He got everyone’s attention when he added, “We read each of these prayers, and after each prayer, we do a shot – l’chaim!”
Marla and Scott Berger
Scott says that some Orthodox rabbis will somersault to symbolize the flipping of the year. So he decided to do a somersault. “All of a sudden, the CFO of all the embassies does a somersault – then everyone in the room did a somersault,” says Scott. “We formed a circle and started dancing the horah, singing mazal tov and siman tov in the middle of the castle.”
Their last day in London, Scott talked to the group about the spiritual meaning behind the tree of life.
“It’s the roots being sunk deep into mother earth – the subconscious. The trunk is knowledge, consciousness, and the branching is bringing us all together – unifying all mankind,” says Scott. “Then we are growing to the heavens above – the extension of our souls. It’s not being better than anyone else in this world; it’s being better than who you were yesterday. We are here to grow and learn.”
The inspiration for their newest line of jewelry – the Tree of Life Intention Stick – came to Scott during one of his daily meditation sessions. He refers to the inspirational messages he receives during these times as “downloads.”
“One morning four years ago, that download comes in, and I saw this tube. Didn’t think anything of it and a month later I’m in meditation, and I saw our tree being wrapped around the tube,” says Scott. Then he and Marla both started receiving the same words at the same time, 22 in all.
The 22 words they received while meditating became the words that accompany each Intention Stick necklace. The wearer will choose a word (or words) that best describes the intention they want to set and place it inside the hollow stick.
The words are: oneness, believe, faith, gratitude, mindful, be/let it be, love, light, blessed, peace, kindness, health, consciousness, inspire, laugh/joy, courage, happiness, spiritual, trust, knowledge, success and compassion.
Marla explains that the energy we put out is the energy we receive back. “If you are putting out stress, worry and anxiety, only more of that comes back. If you put out love, more love comes back. If you’re putting out gratitude, that’s what you receive. It’s actually the third law of physics.”
They have received thousands of stories from across the globe of the positive effects people are experiencing after wearing the Intention Stick. The stories include everything from mended relationships to physical healing. Many people are so impacted that they give the necklaces to friends and loved ones, keeping the positive energy moving forward.
Scott and Marla feel that all who are part of the Tree of Life movement are healing the world together – tikkun olam. Also, a portion of the proceeds from sales is used to plant trees and aid philanthropic causes around the world.
“When you can touch another soul and watch them fill themselves back up and heal – that’s what brings us our bliss,” says Scott.
Adds Marla, “When you make someone feel loved who doesn’t feel loved or make someone feel they have meaning, who didn’t feel they have meaning or give someone the chance to have purpose, then you’ve done a lot for your own soul and to fill someone else’s.”
For more information on the Tree of Life Movement or the Tree of Life Intention Stick, visit intentionstick.org.
