In the mythology of various peoples and in religious traditions there are many symbols that characterize the connection of God with earthly people, the fictional world with the present. Thus, the tree of life is one of such elements that characterizes the development of life, honoring traditions and keeping the commandments. For different nations the vision of this symbol may differ.

What does the tree of life mean?

It is generally accepted that the tree of life is a kind of mythical symbol denoting the connection between man, God, earth and heaven. He carries within himself deep meaning, which not every person can understand. Here are some interpretations of the tree of life as a symbol of human essence:

1. It can symbolize human life - from birth and development to death.
2. The Tree of Life links Heaven, Hell and daily life of people.
3. Can serve as a symbol.
4. The fruits and leaves on a tree can have special meanings, such as symbolizing health.
5. As a rule, a tree is depicted with thick roots and a crown, which gives it a massive, full-fledged, healthy appearance - this is a symbol of this state of the people, and branched roots are a sign of deep connection with religion, a solid foundation and a certain foundation for further development.

The symbol in question is present in almost all religions. What does the tree of life look like for each of them? In the form of natural wood or schematically - in the form of blocks directed from one to another. The content of this concept will be slightly different, but its essence and meaning for a believer, regardless of religion, will be similar.

Tree of Life in the Bible

In the Book of Genesis, the tree of life in Eden was a tree that was planted by God. It grew in the Garden of Eden along with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eating its fruits provided eternal life. God forbade the first people on earth - Eve, Adam - to eat the fruits of the tree of knowledge; by violating this prohibition, they were expelled from paradise, stopped using the gifts of the tree of life, thereby depriving themselves of eternal life.

Also in the Bible, the tree of life symbolizes the following concepts:

• the presence of God;
• God's help;
• taciturnity;
• wisdom of man;
• observance of commandments and church traditions.

Tree of life in Islam

The Muslim religion has its own similar symbol - Zakkum - a tree growing in the middle of Hell, the fruits of which hungry, sinful people are forced to eat. What does the tree of life mean? in this case? Perhaps this is a symbol of retribution for abandoning one’s God and sinful deeds. As punishment for sinners, a disgusting, fetid tree awaits, the fruits of which will destroy the human body. At the same time, people will not feel hungry, which will force them to use Zakkum as a constant source of food. This will be a kind of punishment for disobedience to religion and traditions.

Tree of Life - Kabbalah

Kabbalah is a religious and mystical teaching in Judaism. The Kabbalistic tree of life looks like a set of ten sefirot - the fundamental concepts of this movement. The Sephirot are considered as a single whole, which personifies the activity of God, and each individual component of the tree will be a symbol of the manifestation of the divine principle.

In such a tree of life the following parts are distinguished:

• the middle pillar is a symbol of tenderness and balance;
• left pillar – severity;
• the right pillar is mercy.

Often the middle pillar symbolizes the short path of a hermit who has renounced worldly life. For the worldly path, the passage of all 10 sefirot is required. In the tree of life of Kabbalah, there is a difference between light and darkness, the feminine and the masculine. If we consider each sephirot, then above it will be female properties, and below it will be masculine.

Tree of Life - Mythology

As a rule, the tree of life in mythology is a symbol of life and its fullness. It is often the opposite of the image of death. In mythological stories, the life cycle is presented from the moment of birth to maximum development, so one can compare this process with the development of a tree - from its planting, the gradual strengthening of the root system, the development of the crown until the period of flowering and the appearance of fruits.

Tree of life among the Slavs

The pagan Slavs have a legend - before the appearance of land on Earth there was an endless sea, in the middle of which there were two trees. Pigeons sat on them, which at a certain point in time dived into the water and took out stones and sand from the bottom. These components became the basis for the earth, sky, sun and moon in the middle of the sea.

Perhaps, according to this legend, the Slavic tree of life became a symbol of the creation of the world and its original center. This image is often found in folk works. Tree of Life in Slavic mythology sometimes it is represented in the form of a large tree, the roots of which reach to the deepest layers of the earth, and its branches reach to the sky and symbolize the passage of time and the surrounding space.

Scandinavian tree of life

The Scandinavian tree of life – the World Tree or Yggdrasil – is represented in the form of a massive ash tree. His distinctive features and symbols:

1. Its branches touch the sky. The highest one protects the abode of the Gods with its shadow.
2. The tree of life has a lush crown that protects everyone who is located under it.
3. It has three roots, which descend into the underworld, and then diverge to the kingdom of people, or to the abode of giants.
4. According to the Scandinavian story, three sisters - Present, Past, Future - water the tree of life with the water of the Urd spring every day, so it is bright green and fresh.
5. As a rule, the Gods gather at the Yggdrasil tree to decide critical issues, and the wisest eagle lives on its branches
6. Despite any trials, the tree gives life to the universe and shelter to those who remain alive.

Celtic tree of life

During the reign of the Celts, there was a certain tradition. Once their tribe occupied a new territory, the Celtic tree of life was chosen from it. Such a large tree in the center of the settlement was a symbol of the unity of the tribe. Around him, future leaders assumed supreme power, receiving permission from above.

Trees are nature's supreme symbol of dynamic growth, seasonal dying and regeneration.

IN different cultures many trees were considered sacred or magical. Respect for the magical power of trees is based on primitive beliefs that gods and spirits live in them.

The symbolism of animate trees has been preserved in European folklore in the images of the tree man or the green man. In fairy tales, trees can both protect and fulfill wishes, and cause obstacles and be frightening and even demonic creatures.

ACACIA

A symbol of immortality, especially in Jewish and Christian traditions. Acacias were used in the construction of shrines and tabernacles in temples. Some believe that the thorny crown of Jesus Christ was woven from acacia. Red and white acacia flowers symbolize the dual unity of life and death. A knotted acacia stick was used by Freemasons in initiation ceremonies and as a mourning attribute.

BANYAN

Sacred tree of India; perhaps it was the banyan tree that became the initial model for the “inverted” Cosmic Tree of the Hindus and Buddhists. Through the exposed “aerial roots” of the banyan tree, in their opinion, the transcendental spirit of the universe is collected and concentrated. Sometimes temples are built among the numerous “aerial roots”.

BIRCH

A healing, protecting tree in northern Europe and among Asian peoples, a sacred tree of the German gods Thor and Freya, and in the east the main element of shamanic rituals, in which it plays the role of a Cosmic Tree, connecting the earthly and spiritual levels of the universe. The central pole of round Asian tents (yurts) was made from birch, which made it a sacred tree in initiation rituals, a symbol of a person’s spiritual ascent through life, as well as cosmic energy.
In Russia, the birch symbolizes spring and girlhood, and is the emblem of young women; it is planted near houses to call upon good spirits. The birch tree's ability to cast out evil spirits was probably the reason why witches were flogged with birch rods during exorcism rituals. Birch is the official national tree of Estonia.

HAWTHORN

In Europe, since ancient times, a tree and its flowers have been endowed with magical properties and associated with the name of the god of marriage Hymen. Flowers were used for wedding wreaths, wood for wedding torches.

The association between its spring flowering and virginity has led to popular belief that he defends chastity. For others, the faint fishy scent of its flowers foreshadowed death if brought into the house.

ELDERBORN (SAMBOOK)

In Northern Europe, especially in Denmark, it was considered a magical tree. They believed that making furniture from its wood was a bad sign.

BRANCH (BRANCH)

The branches bore the symbolism of the tree from which they were cut, which was widely used in spring rites in honor of the gods of fertility. Waving a palm or olive branch was considered a sign of triumph during processions.

Sprigs of white mistletoe are a widespread symbol of rebirth, especially in Celtic regions. The blossoming branch was an allegory of logic in Western medieval iconography.

CHERRY

The emblem of the samurai, possibly related to the structure of this fruit - a hard stone under blood-red skin and flesh. In China, the cherry tree is a symbol of good luck, spring and virginity; The vulva is called the “spring cherry.” In Christian iconography, a cherry is sometimes depicted instead of an apple as a fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; sometimes Christ is depicted with cherries in his hand.

GINKGO

Sacred tree in China; growing near temples, symbolized immortality - thanks to its ancient history and durability. Ginkgo was especially associated with Japan, where it was a symbol of devotion - according to legend, the ginkgo is ready to die for its owner. Since ginkgo was said to help women produce milk, it was also considered happy tree for nursing mothers.

WALNUT

Like other nut-bearing trees, it symbolizes fertility and wisdom or prophecy - knowledge hidden within a hard outer shell. Walnuts were a traditional treat at the December solstice and an emblem of fertility at ancient Roman weddings. In China they were associated with courtship.

PEAR

Symbol of love and motherhood. The symbolism probably comes from the shape of the pear, which resembles the hip part of a woman's body or breasts. In ancient times, it was considered an attribute of the ancient Greek goddesses Hera (in Roman mythology, Juno) and Aphrodite (Venus). In China, this fruit is a symbol of longevity because pear trees live and bear fruit for a long time. Since white was considered a mourning color in China, a blooming pear was a funeral attribute.

TREE

As mythology developed, the idea of ​​a mighty tree that formed the central axis of the flow of divine energy linking the supernatural and natural worlds evolved into the symbolic image of the Tree of Life or the Cosmic Tree. Its roots are immersed in waters the afterlife, and, passing through the earth, it reaches the heavens. This symbol is found in almost all nations. The Tree of Life has often become a metaphor for the creation of the world.

In many traditions it grows on a sacred mountain or in paradise. A source of spiritual energy may flow out from underneath its roots. The snake coiled around its trunk represents the spiraling energy coming from the earth, or serves as a symbol of destruction. Birds' nests in the crown of a tree are emblems of souls and heavenly messengers. With the help of the Tree of Life, humanity rises from lower level development towards spiritual enlightenment, salvation or liberation from the circle of existence.

Medieval images of Christ crucified on a tree, and not on a cross, are related precisely to this, more ancient than Christian, symbolism. Deuteronomy says that the fate of a damned man is to be hanged on a tree. Thus, the crucifixion on the tree strengthens the symbolism of salvation through the crucifixion of Christ, who took upon himself all the sins of the world. This image combines the Tree of Knowledge (the Fall) with the Tree of Life.

By its very form, a tree is a symbol of development; its branches, representing diversity, extend from the trunk, which is a symbol of unity. In Indian iconography, the tree sprouted from the cosmic egg represents Brahma, who creates the material world. In contrast, the inverted Cosmic Tree, whose roots feed on the spiritual energy of the sky and spread it out into the outer world and below, is a favorite image in Kabbalism and other forms of mysticism and magic. The inverted tree is also often used in genealogical charts.

In many traditions, the Tree of Life features stars, lights, globes, or fruits, symbolizing the planets or the cycles of the sun and moon. The lunar symbolism of trees is also common - the moon attracts water just as sap rises up a tree. The fruit of the Tree of Life can also symbolize immortality. In China, for example, it is a peach. Many other fruit-bearing trees are represented as the Tree of Life - the sycamore in Egypt; almonds - in Iran; olive, palm or pomegranate - in other regions of Central Asia and in the Semitic tradition. This cosmic symbolism seems to derive from more primitive cults in which trees were embodiments of the fertile Mother Earth. For this reason, despite their phallic verticality, trees carry feminine symbolism. Thus, in Egyptian iconography, the sacred fig was identified with the goddess Hathor, who was depicted as a tree that provides food and water.

Fertility spell rites for Mother Earth were usually associated with deciduous trees, falling in autumn, their bare branches in winter and blossoming in spring, are a fitting symbol of the seasonal cycles of death and rebirth. The exception was the worship of Attis in Asia Minor and later in the Greco-Roman world. The emblem tree of Attis was the pine tree, the main symbol of immortality. The death of Attis (from castration) and rebirth were celebrated by cutting off the needles of a pine tree and wrapping it in wool. This is probably where the tradition of decorating the maypole comes from - a rite of passage to spell abundance. Dualism in tree symbolism is usually represented by twin trees or a tree with a split trunk. In the legend of Tristan and Isolde, intertwined trees grew from their grave. In the Middle East, the dualistic symbolism of the tree prevails - the Tree of Life grows next to the Tree of Death. This is the biblical Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, whose forbidden fruit, eaten by Eve in the Garden of Eden, brought the curse of mortality to humanity.

BUDDHA TREE

The sacred fig tree (Bodhisattva tree), under which Gautama Buddha meditated until he achieved enlightenment; it is a Buddhist symbol of contemplation, learning and spiritual perfection.

JOJOBA TREE

In Taoism, it is a symbol of pure life and its fruits are fruits that give immortality. This tree “is found in the Islamic paradise as a symbol of the farthest reaches of time and space. IN folk superstitions its thorny shoots had protective powers.

WOOD

Protection is a symbol based on the ancient cults of the beneficial spirits of trees and on the universal tradition according to which the tree is the embodiment of maternal care and vitality. The superstitious touching of wood comes from the supposed magical powers, contained in it. IN Indian tradition wood is the primary substance that forms all things - Brahma. In China it is an emblem of spring and the east.

OAK

Power, endurance, longevity, nobility. The oak tree is sacred to the gods of thunder in Greece, Scandinavia, Germany and Slavic countries, perhaps because the oak tree was believed to be able to withstand a lightning strike.

In Druid beliefs, the oak symbolized the axis of the world, was a natural temple under which rituals were performed, and was associated with masculine strength and wisdom. Although the oak is considered mainly a masculine attribute (the Celts compared the acorn to male member), Cybele, Juno, and other mother goddesses were associated with the oak tree, and the dryads were nymphs of the oak tree. According to Greek legend, Hecracles had an oak club; According to some beliefs, Christ was crucified on an oak cross. Oak leaves are used as military insignia in many countries.

ACORN

Fertility, prosperity; a symbol of spiritual energy growing from the grain of truth. Being part of Old Norse. oak cult, the acorn was an offering to the thunder god Thor. The acorn supposedly has a phallic meaning on some Celtic carvings.

GINSENG

In the East, a symbol of courage. This meaning is apparently based on the phallic shapes that its roots sometimes take. For centuries, ginseng medicines have been used in China as recognized aphrodisiacs. They were said to have a “divine” ability to provide physical health. and mental equilibrium.

WILLOW

For Jews it is a tree of weeping, but in the East it is a symbol of prosperity sexual love, feminine grace, light sadness of separation, the ability to quickly restore mental strength and immortality.

As a lunar and feminine symbol, the willow tree is one of the most celebrated motifs in Chinese painting and decorative arts. She was a Taoist metaphor for patience and compliance. According to Tibetan tradition, willow is the Tree of Life. In Japan, the Ainu believed that the willow was the spine of the first man. Pain-relieving potions made from its bark, and perhaps the serpentine symbolism seen in its flexible branches, may explain its association with health, easy childbirth, and other medicinal and magical benefits in both Asian and Western traditions.

CEDAR

The Tree of Life among the Sumerians, a symbol of power and immortality. The aroma, durability, and impressive height of this conifer have made it a biblical emblem of greatness and longevity, and its tree a symbol of Christ. Cedar was used in the construction of Solomon's Temple, to create Greek and Roman busts of gods and ancestors. Its durability may have been taken into account by Celtic embalmers who used cedar resin in their craft.

CYPRESS

In the West - a mystical symbol of death and mourning. In Asia, cypress is an emblem of longevity and immortality, like other long-living evergreen trees. In Phenicia it was considered the Tree of Life. In Greece, the cypress tree had a dual reputation: it was a symbol of the gloomy god of the underworld Hades and the more cheerful gods Zeus, Apollo, Aphrodite and Hermes. This inconsistency may explain why it became a symbol of rebirth and life after death in mourning ceremonies.

LAUREL

Victory, peace, purification, protection, divinity, secret knowledge, immortality. Fragrant varieties of laurel were the coronation emblem of the. Greece and Rome not only for warriors, but also for poets (which was associated with the god Apollo). He was believed to have purified himself in the laurel groves of the Tempean Valley of Thessaly after killing Python (the monstrous serpent) at Delphi; The soothsayer Pythia chewed laurel leaves before predicting the future.

Laurel was believed to be able to protect against epidemics and lightning; Emperor Tiberius also believed in this, clutching his laurel wreath during a thunderstorm. The nymph Daphne turned into a laurel to escape the harassment of Apollo. Laurel was associated with many gods, including Dionysus (Bacchus), Zeus (Jupiter), Hera (Juno) and Artemis (Diana); he was an emblem of peace. and triumph. Laurel is considered a talisman in North Africa, and in China it is perceived as a tree, sitting under which the moon hare prepares the elixir of immortality. Laurel also christian symbol eternal life.

FOREST

For Carl Jung, it is a symbol of the unconscious and its dangers, but in some traditions, especially Buddhist, it is an image of refuge.
In European folklore and fairy tales, the forest is a place of secrets, dangers, trials or initiations. Getting lost in the forest or finding your way through it are, respectively, metaphors for the lack of experience or the achievement of knowledge about the adult world or about oneself. For sedentary communities, the forest is an unexplored, uncontrolled habitat of minor gods and spirits, some of them terrible, like the Slavic forest spirit goblin.

Forest dampness, earthiness, womb-like darkness were associated in ancient world with the idea of ​​growth and the feminine principle. For the Druids, the forest was the female partner of the sun. Understanding the forest, its plants and animals was a sign of the shamanic gift, especially in Central America. According to Asian tradition, the forest is an analogy to the wild desert of Middle Eastern hermits, a refuge from the world where one can immerse themselves in contemplation and spiritual improvement.

LINDEN

The tree of friendship and cooperation, symbolizing a return to the golden age of antiquity, but also related to the symbolism of village life, more often in Germany, where the linden tree is especially common in the countryside (as in some areas of France). As a honey tree, linden is associated with softness and healing properties.

SHEET

Chinese emblem of happiness. Leaves often symbolize the multiplicity of human lives and their brevity. fallen autumn leaves- an ancient metaphor for the mortality of all living things - in the cinema of the 20th century. have become clichés for depicting the passing of time.

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In addition, it reflects the idea of ​​​​the immortality of all existence and its individual forms (primarily man). The image of the tree of life simultaneously correlates with the second member of the opposition life - death; The image of the tree of death is found, for example, in Pushkin’s poem “Anchar”.

In Romanesque decorative art, the crown of the tree of life appears as a labyrinth of foliage, which introduces additional connotations to this image associated with the idea of ​​chaos and its overcoming.

The image of the tree of knowledge appears in later stages of culture. It symbolizes the ability to distinguish between entities in order to achieve a state of perfection and acts as a parallel to the tree of life (sometimes even merging with the latter). Babylonian mythology describes the tree of truth and the tree of life growing in the heavens. Both of these images are also known in the Egyptian tradition. In Buddhism, the Buddha's tree appears (a fig tree, or fig, called bodhi), under which he gained enlightenment; at the same time, this image correlates with the fig as the world tree in Hinduism. Ash Yggdrasil, the world tree of Scandinavian mythology, to a certain extent performs the functions of the tree of knowledge: trying to gain secret wisdom, God Odin hung on it for nine days and nights, sacrificing himself. (Cf. In Jung, a tree appears as a symbol of mental processes, where the roots personify the unconscious, the trunk - the conscious, and the crown - the transconscious.)

The image of the world tree is widespread in many cultures and is one of the personifications of the world axis, an analogue of the world pillar, the world mountain, a symbol of the center of the world. Three cosmic spheres are associated with three parts of a tree: the lower world is its roots, the earth is its trunk, the crown is the heavens. The world tree itself is endowed with the function of interconnection between the three worlds.
Through this image, the structuring of world space was carried out. For example, parts of the world tree of the ancient Indian tradition, ashwatha (fig tree), are correlated in the Upanishads with different parts of the macrocosm and with different elements social structures. The most important oppositions of culture are associated with the world tree (for example, top - bottom, right - left, heavenly - earthly, male - female).

Viewed vertically, the world tree is identified with various triple structures: first of all, these are three levels of the universe, but also three times, three generations, three parts of the body. Each part of the vertical of the world tree is associated with various groups creatures: frog, mouse, fish, dragon and snake (chthonic forces) are associated with roots; deer, elk, cow, horse, lion, unicorn and other animals (as well as humans) correspond to the trunk; birds are associated with foliage.

The horizontal structure of the world tree indicates the four cardinal directions (for each of which an animal, plant, color, etc. correspondence can be distinguished), correlating with the square and other quaternary forms, and highlights the center; similar symbolism was reflected in various religious buildings (menhir, ziggurat, pyramid, stupa, pagoda). In its horizontal structure, the world tree models numerical and spatial relationships, seasons, parts of the day, and elements.
Thus, the vertical of the world tree corresponds to the number three, transition, dynamic, spiritual principle; horizontal - with the number four, stability, static, material principle. The sum of numerical correspondences conveys the synthesis of two aspects, their product symbolizes perfection and completeness.

Among the symbolic connotations of the image of the world tree are eternal renewal and cosmic rebirth, fertility and sacredness, immortality, absolute reality. The world tree becomes the background of the plot of the so-called main Indo-European myth: the thunder god (correlated with the crown) kills the monster (hidden at the roots) and releases the treasure he stole (localized at the trunk). In mythology, it also appears associated with a ritual that ensures fertility, wealth, and other benefits (for example, the golden fleece hanging on a sacred oak tree). In many cultures, the motive of sacrifice can be traced to the world tree: in this context, we can mention the connection of the latter with the cross - another common cosmic symbol (according to legend, the cross of Christ was made from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil).

There is also an image of an “inverted tree” (arbor inverse), which grows from heaven to earth, thus its roots are in heaven and its branches are on earth. In the Rig Veda, the inverted world tree is described as follows: “From the sky the root reaches down, from the earth it reaches up.” The Kabbalistic tree of the Sephiroth, personifying the stages of divine emanation, appears with its roots growing upward. In the Middle Ages, an inverted tree became a symbol of faith and knowledge and embodied Christ. Perhaps the appearance of the image is associated with ideas about underworld, where all things and phenomena are “inverted”. An inverted tree symbolizes the processes of involution, descent, and emanation of the spirit into the material world.

In a number of traditions, a special type of tree is revered. For example, the birch tree was considered sacred among the Eastern Slavs; ash - among the Scandinavian peoples; bamboo - from the Japanese. Various deities are associated with trees: laurel and the Greek god Apollo; oak and the East Slavic god Perun; in Buddhism, the sacred bodhi tree is an attribute of Buddha and a symbol of enlightenment.
Attached to various trees eigenvalue. Juniper, pine, like other evergreen trees with a “balsamic smell”, are associated with the idea of ​​​​immortality and eternal life. The Christmas tree (usually fir or spruce) personifies ideas about the rebirth and renewal of the world.

Wood as a material (wood) in the Jewish tradition is a symbol of good, while iron is a symbol of evil. Wood is a life-giving force, and iron is sinful flesh. Only in combination with wood does iron lose its harmful power and serve good. On the other hand, in medieval Christian culture, wood is contrasted with stone, which is not susceptible to the destructive influence of fire and time.

The tree symbolizes the unity of sky, earth and water; dynamic life as opposed to the static nature of stone; the “middle tree”, connecting the three worlds, making communication between them possible and giving access to solar forces; center of the world.

Ancient symbols: Tree

The tree, as an ancient symbol, also signifies the feminine principle; food, shelter, protection and support provided by the Great Mother; the power of the inexhaustible and fertility-giving waters that she controls. Trees are often stylized to resemble a female figure.

Immersed by its roots in the bowels of the earth, in contact with the waters in its center, the tree grows in the world of Time, growing rings as an indicator of its age, and its branches reach heaven and eternity, symbolizing differences in terms of manifestations of the material world. The evergreen tree signifies endless life, undying spirit and immortality.

A tree, as an ancient symbol, like a grove, a mountain, a stone and waters, can symbolize the cosmos in the fullness of its connections. The cosmic tree is often depicted growing on the top of a mountain, and sometimes at the top of a column.

The ancient symbols of wood are pillar, pole, jagged pole, branch, etc. They are often depicted accompanied by snake, bird, stars, fruit and various lunar animals. Trees that bear the fruit of life are sacred. These include grapevine, mulberry, peach, date, almond and sesame.

In Christianity, a tree is an image of a person, since it will bear fruits of both good and evil at the same time.

On the other hand, it is a symbol of resurrection, since it brings renewal through the death of Christ on a wooden cross, which was made from the Tree of Knowledge, and thus salvation and life were found on the same tree due to which the Fall and death occurred , and the conqueror was conquered. The Cross is sometimes identified with the Middle Tree, as the vertical axis of relations between Heaven and Earth.

In medieval Christian symbolism, the Tree of the Living and the Dead was known, bearing the fruits of good and evil growing on its different sides. Its trunk was Christ as the ancient symbol of the central cross on Calvary. This tree was the emblem of Saint Zenobia.

• Ancient symbols: Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge

The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge grow in Paradise. The first grows in its center and means restoration, a return to original perfection. This is the cosmic axis, symbolizing unity beyond good and evil.

The second tree is obviously dual, for it bears the fruits of good and evil. In many traditions, this correlates with the first man and his loss of the paradise state, as well as with the waning and waxing phases of the moon, death and rebirth.

The Tree of Life, as an ancient symbol, also symbolizes the beginning and end of a cycle: it has twelve fruits (sometimes ten), which are forms of the sun and which will appear simultaneously at the end of the cycle as manifestations of the One. Immortality can be achieved by eating fruit from the Tree of Life or drinking moisture obtained from this Tree. The Tree of Knowledge is often depicted as a vine (in vino Veritas).

• Ancient Symbols: Branch

The meaning of this symbol is closely intertwined with the symbolism of the Tree of Life, which was often depicted as one branch and was a symbol of the bride and groom. The meaning of the ancient symbols of the Tree: decorating a human home with heather branches on May 1st was part of the spring fertility ritual.

The Golden Branch as an ancient symbol represents the connection between the lower and by the highest Worlds, key to the heavenly world, initiation, magic wand. To break a branch means to kill the king. The symbolism of the branch is also related to the symbolism of the stick, pole and oar.

• Ancient Symbols: Roots

A symbol of connection with the earth, with family. “A person with roots” is said about a person who stands firmly on his own two feet. “Look at the root” - pay attention to the most essential, delve into the essence.

“The root of evil” is the source, the core of evil. “Uproot” means taking a life, cutting off access to food, radically solving a problem. In the ornament, roots as an ancient symbol are represented by interlacing in the form of a hexagon, the letter “Zh” (“live” in Old Russian). Pereplut is the god of roots.

• Ancient Symbols: Forest

Represents the feminine principle. A place of initiation, unknown dangers and darkness. Entering a dark or enchanted forest means a transition when the soul encounters something disastrous and unknown; area of ​​death; secrets of nature that man must penetrate to understand their meaning. The forest as an ancient symbol can also signify a lack of spiritual vision and light; humanity lost in darkness, not guided by God.

• Ancient Symbols: The World Tree

The World Tree is a symbol of the universe. According to Slavic mythology, the world tree - the axis mundi - stands on the outskirts of the Universe (near Lukomorye), its top rests on the heavens, and its roots reach the underworld. The gods ascend and descend along this tree, and you can use it to penetrate into other worlds.

“The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” talks about the legendary singer Boyan, who traveled along the tree, turning into a mouse (aka a squirrel, corresponding to the middle, i.e. earthly, world), into an eagle (corresponding to the sky) and into a wolf (the underworld) .

In a traditional home, a mandatory element was a pole (in nomadic cultures) or a pillar (among sedentary peoples), which also symbolized the axis of the universe.

In East Slavic ornaments, the world tree as an ancient symbol was depicted conventionally. The crown is in a curled, not yet blossomed form, shoots in the middle of the trunk, two roots and between them the grain from which the tree grew.

Building a house, planting a tree and raising a son meant living life correctly and being fulfilled.

Ancient Symbols: Trees

• Ancient symbols: Birch

Symbol of fertility and light. Protects against witches, drives away evil spirits, so lazy people and sleepwalkers were fed birch porridge. “It stands tall and curly, there is wort and oil on this wood, it’s light for the eyes and warm for everyone.”

This riddle about the birch tree shows how necessary it was for our ancestors. Take a steam bath, lubricate the wheel, light a torch, and on a spring day collect healing juice that cleanses the blood and restores strength after a long winter.

Birch as an ancient symbol is a sacred tree throughout Northern Europe. In the Druid horoscope, the day of the summer solstice, June 24, is dedicated to her. At the same time, She symbolized the transition from winter to spring, like the first tree putting out buds. The first month of spring in Ukraine is called “Berezen”.

One of the sacred trees of the Eastern Slavs, the birch, was the “Yarilin” tree among the Russians. Yarilin's Day is an ancient pagan holiday of the fruit-bearing forces of nature, celebrated on June 4 (old style). On this day they danced around the birch tree (the famous Russian folk song “There was a birch tree in the field...”), only after this day it was allowed to cut down the birch tree.

Later, this holiday was linked to Orthodox Easter, it began to depend on the day of Easter and was called “semik” - the seventh Thursday after Easter. Therefore, birch is still considered by Orthodox Russians to be the Trinity tree. On Semik and Trinity, birch trees are consecrated in churches.

The rituals associated with this day - round dances of girls, braiding birch branches, decorating birch trees with ribbons, wreaths of herbs and wreaths of dough (“roes”) - represent the birch tree as a symbol of girlish beauty and chastity.

Birch as an ancient symbol is associated with legends about the Berendey kingdom. There is information that some tribes living in Russia and Belarus buried people in birch bark. The birch tree was revered as a receptacle for the souls of the dead. Birch bark in Ancient Rus' replaced paper, and to this day it is used in traditional crafts (weaving boxes, boxes).

• Ancient symbols: Willow

Among the Eastern Slavs it is a symbol of spring. Among the ancient Slavs, the willow as an ancient symbol symbolized the primary source of the creation of the world, the Tree of Life, the Chumatsky Way in heaven.

In Russia, the willow, as a symbol of spring, replaced the sacred palm branches (frond leaves) on the holiday commemorating the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem (the feast of the frond is celebrated on the last, sixth Sunday of Lent, before Easter). On this day, willow branches were blessed in churches.

The branches brought home after the service were placed in the red corner, the children were beaten with the branches, saying: “Whip the willow, beat them to tears.” We beat to be healthy,” and livestock. Touching a person with a consecrated willow meant connecting him with the forces of the Cosmos and renewing his health.

• Ancient symbols: Oak

One of the most sacred trees, with many symbolic layers associated with it. Means strength, protection, durability, courage, loyalty, man, human body. The oak tree is often associated with the thunder gods and thunder and is considered an emblem of the gods of Heaven and fertility, so it can also symbolize lightning and fire.

The Indo-European root of the word "oak" is identical to the root of the word "tree".

Oak is an ancient symbol of longevity, wisdom, strength and endurance. The oak is dedicated to Zeus, Thor, Perun and other gods of thunder. The altar of Zeus was surrounded by oak trees, and an oak grove grew around the temple of Perun. In honor of Perun, bonfires of oak branches were constantly lit.

Oak is an ancient symbol of male power. In addition, the acorn is a symbol of prosperity, fertility and spiritual energy. According to some beliefs, Christ was crucified on an oak cross. The Lord appeared to Abraham under the shade of the Mamvrian oak tree.

Sacred tree among the Celts and Slavs. Sacrifices were made under it. Individual trees and entire sacred groves were worshiped. With the introduction of Christianity, the ruthless extermination of oak trees began throughout Europe, as the main object of pagan cults.

An ancient symbol of hardness, strength, strength, longevity. In the mysteries, God the Father often appeared under the name or in the form of an oak tree. An oak with acorns is an emblem of maturity, full of strength.

An oak tree without acorns is an ancient symbol of youthful valor.

In Christianity, it is a symbol of Christ as strength, manifested in trouble, firmness in faith and virtue. According to various sources, the cross was made of oak, holly or aspen.

• Ancient symbols: Spruce

Symbolizes courage, integrity and honesty. Symbolized eternal life. The symbolism of spruce was embodied in two non-overlapping meanings:

2) as an ancient symbol of sacrifice and a funeral sign, spruce branches, garlands of spruce paws or spruce brooms are used.

Often spruce branches are specially chopped finely and thrown onto a fresh grave to emphasize the particularity and fragmentary nature of the grave. human life.

Christmas tree. Evergreen tree - ancient symbol winter solstice, as well as the New Year and a new beginning. This is the tree of rebirth and immortality, the Paradise Tree of light and gifts, shining at night. Each light on it is a soul and, in addition, the lights represent the sun, moon and stars shining on the branches of the Cosmic Tree.

• Ancient symbols: Apple tree

Symbol of motherhood, fertility, maternal reverence. This meaning of the apple tree was preserved in the folk tales “Geese-Swans” and “Khavroshechka”.

Since ancient times, the apple, or rather the pomegranate, which appeared among the peoples of Europe under this meaning, was considered an ancient symbol of perfection and an emblem of the Divine gift.

In reality, the symbolic meaning of pomegranate and apple has more ancient origin and is rooted in the wonder that the ancients experienced before appearance these fruits.

• Ancient symbols: Apple

The apple as an ancient symbol means fertility, love, joy, knowledge, wisdom, deification and luxury, but at the same time, deceitfulness and death. The apple was the forbidden fruit of the Golden Age.

Being round, it represents wholeness and unity and is contrasted with the pomegranate, which is made up of many seeds. Offering an apple means making a declaration of love. Like the orange blossom (a symbol of fertility), the apple blossom was used as decoration for brides.

The spherical shape and red or golden color well reflected two concepts: perfection (after all, the shape of a ball is the most perfect geometric shape!) and possession (more precisely, the difficulties of possession, because it is more difficult to grasp a ball with your hand than any other body).

In European and Russian symbolism, the apple often replaces the concept of “fruit”. It is a symbol of temptation, seduction, illicit fruit and work.

In Christianity it has a dual meaning. On the one hand, it means evil and is the fruit of the corruption of Adam and Eve. On the other hand, depicted with Christ or the Virgin Mary, it points to the new Adam and salvation. A monkey with an apple in its mouth means the Fall.

Recently I became interested in the topic of trees of life.

I have long seen trees of life in different interpretations. Wherever this symbol is not used. Figurines, keychains, paintings, pendants, tattoos in the form of a tree crown with well-developed roots have become very popular, but you never knew what it means? And I decided, so to speak, to find out where the roots grow)

The tree of life in one form or another is found in various cultures that were not originally related to each other. There are many names given to this symbol - World Tree, World Table and many others. Its roots, branches and trunk are interdependent and interconnected. Sometimes the tree of life is depicted with fruits or flowers on its branches.

Tree of life among different peoples

There is a tree in Norse mythology Yggdrasil- this is the ash tree that gave Odin wisdom and knowledge about runes. Among the Slavs, the tree of life was a symbol of connection with the Family, the laws of the universe, wisdom and immortality. The Bible also mentions a tree that was planted by God in Paradise.

In Ancient Armenia, the tree of life was painted on the walls of fortresses and the armor of warriors. The Assyrian tree of life was associated with communication with the gods and was used, for the most part, by priests. Trees also play an important role in Germanic mythology. The Egyptians called this symbol Iusat and believed that it united death and life, connecting the world of the living and the world of the dead.

Persian mythology also mentions the sacred world tree, which bears all seeds and is the source of all living things. Medieval alchemists associated it with elixirs of immortality and the philosopher's stone. The Celts had a similar symbol. IN Chinese legends the image of such a tree includes a dragon and a phoenix, the first in itself being a symbol of immortality. It is believed that once every few thousand years a peach ripens on it, and whoever eats it will receive the gift of eternal life.

In Kabbalah, the tree of life is the totality of the sefirot, which is considered in its unity. Supporters of this doctrine believe that it is through him that the activity of God is manifested. The Celts believed that there was a world tree, which was the center of the world. The Aztecs had a completely similar legend.

In mythology different cultures The tree of life symbol has a similar meaning and description. This living creature, beyond the control of the human mind, plays an important role in esotericism and religion, can influence people and has its own mind. Almost always it connects three worlds: ours, heaven and hell, with certain differences in various myths. Also, it can be a symbol of human life, as the process of birth, direct existence and death. Therefore, the meaning of this symbol has a rather deep meaning, and not everyone can fully understand it.

First of all, the meaning of the tree of life lies in the connection and harmony between earth and sky, man and the divine essence. This symbol also means immortality, rebirth after death, fertility.

In Christianity, the tree of life symbolizes the development of the spiritual qualities of each person, his desire to know the Almighty and the connection of each person with the one to whom he turns with prayers.

As mentioned above, fruits, leaves and other elements can be depicted on this tree. Nowadays such images are found in the form of tattoos and embroidery, because it is technically easier to implement this idea in this way. They have additional meaning, usually symbolizing health, salvation of the soul and much more.

Despite the fact that in our time there are many drawing techniques, the crown of the tree of life is always connected to the roots and strives towards them. Both the roots and the crown are depicted as well developed, the tree is in a circle formed by them. This teaches that for stable growth a reliable foundation is required. If you do not feed the roots, waiting for the crown to develop is absolutely useless.

How to make an amudet tree of life?

The most common version of an amulet with the tree of life is a pendant or other decoration. It's easy to purchase. And if you have any needlework skills, you can use, for example, a pattern for a beaded bracelet and make a tree of life amulet with your own hands. It is known that things made with your own hands can become truly stronger amulets than those that were purchased.

As mentioned above, the meaning of the tree of life is a very deep topic for discussion. However, anyone can wear an amulet with the image of this symbol. This sign does not conflict with most religions, because it is found in one form or another in almost all of them. Therefore, there are no restrictions for wearing such a talisman.

The meaning of the tree of life amulet is the desire for constant development, work and enjoyment from it. If you think that this quality will not harm you, you can safely choose this symbol as your talisman. It will help you get rid of laziness, gain wisdom and gain a very special connection with the divine - no matter what religion you prefer.

The tree of life is a good amulet for a pregnant woman. It symbolizes rebirth and the emergence of something new, so it can protect the expectant mother and her child from any evil, and help her raise a worthy member of society. A person who wears this amulet will always have such qualities as hard work and optimism.

The tree of life has quite powerful protective properties, is able to guide you on the true path and give advice in a difficult situation. As home amulet he can save the family, help get rid of scandals and protect everyone living in the house from any evil.

In general, this talisman can safely be called the most universal among all amulets against the evil eye and damage, because the tree of life is suitable for everyone.

Inspired by the material I read, I decided to make a tree of life)

Here's what I got: