The tree of life is a worldly archetype seen in mythology, religion, and philosophy. To some the tree represents the phylogenetic trees showing the descent of evolution, as was widely spread by Charles Darwin in 1872. It is also viewed as the tree of knowledge, which connects heaven and earth, and thus connects all forms of creation. The tree of knowledge or the world or cosmic trees are often portrayed as the same tree.
The tree of life in biology serves as a metaphor that all of life is related by common descent. The evolutionary tree shows the relationships among biological groups, and relationships between organisms. Charles Darwin used the tree’s branching descent to explain his Theory of Evolution. In 2016, scientists unveiled a new tree of life. The researchers found that bacteria create most of life’s branches.
The tree of life is described in the Bible in the Book of Genesis and is portrayed as a tree of the knowledge of good or evil. The tree also appears in Proverbs and Revelation, but there are debates in religious communities as to if these trees are all the same tree. Ellen van Wolde, surveyed Biblical scholars in 1994, concluded that most pay attention to the tree of good and evil, whereas the tree of life rarely gets attention. The tree serves as a symbolic connection to the Creator for Christians.
In Judaism, the tree represents sacred geometry and is a central mystical symbol used in the Kabbalah, it’s also known as the 10 Sephirot. Most explanations of Kabbalah begin and end with the tree of life. Kabbalah is an esoteric school of thought of ancient wisdom used to reach inner peace by becoming less egocentric.
In Hinduism, the Eternal Banyan Tree is mentioned in the ancient Indian texts. The tree represents the Divine Creator and symbolizes longevity. The banyan tree serves a great significance in Indian culture. Lord Krishna rested on the leaves of the tree, the immortal sage, Markandeya received a cosmic vision from the Lord, and Buddha is said to meditate for eternity beneath the banyan tree.
In spirituality, the cosmic world tree of life symbolizes wisdom. The mystic must climb the symbolic tree to understand the subconscious and beyond. The tree of life as a spiritual symbol can represent many things like wisdom, protection, strength, and beauty. The tree is said to encompass all realms of existence. One of the oldest accounts of the world tree comes from ancient Babylon around 3000-4000 B.C.
In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil, an eternal ash tree represents the tree of life. The branches reach out over nine worlds and extend into the heavens. The first root is Asgard, the home of the gods.
In Ancient Egypt, the tree of life shows the order, process, and method of creation. The holy tree is called the sacred Ished tree, which is the persea tree. The persea tree is a fruit tree, similar to the avocado tree. The tree is mentioned in the legend of Osiris. The fruit symbolized the “sacred heart” of Horus and eating it was believed to give the person Eternal life and knowledge of the Divine plan. Symbolically the tree is also associated with the Bennu Bird and Djed mythologies. Later in Egypt’s history, due to the desiccation of the lands, the persea tree died out and its attributes were transferred to the sycamore tree. In Divine Legacy, book one in the Witches of Griffin series, which is not yet released, Kira Griffin is pulled into the magical portal of the sycamore tree. Inside the tree, Kira finds herself in a higher dimensional realm, where the Great pyramids sit amongst lush vegetation and the surrounding energy revitalizes the human spiritual body.
The tree of life is a universal symbol that has been around since ancient times. It is used in spiritual and religious traditions around the world. There is a tree of life that is visited by tourists today. This 400-year old tree is located in Bahrain. This lone tree is covered in green leaves and yet scientists speculate as to the trees water source. Some of the scientists claim that the tree must pull water from the nearest underground stream, which is two miles away. Some claim the tree has learned to pull moisture from the breezes in the Persian Gulf. Others say the tree is still growing in what was once the Garden of Eden and has a mystical water source.
To read my blog on Sacred Geometry: https://lahilden.com/sacred-geometry/
A special thank you to: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/12/science/scientists-unveil-new-tree-of-life.html , https://www.tusker.com/Geografica/tree-of-life/ , http://www.sacredearth.com/ethnobotany/sacred/worldtree.php , http://www.landofpyramids.org/tree-of-life.htm , https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yggdrasill
