Surely more than once you have seen a tattoo of the tree of life and it is a very old symbol that hides a great message about our lives. In general, this tree represents our own existence, from the time we are born with the roots rooted in the ground until we reach the end of our life. In this One HOW TO article, we are going to discover the meaning of the tree of life as well as its origin, so you can understand once and for all what this symbol means that so many people decide to mark on their skin.
What is the tree of life?
You have to know that the tree of life, in general, refers to the cycle of life. However, it is a symbol that can have significant differences depending on the culture in which we find it. However, the base is always the same: this tree represents our life from birth to our end, which is when the tree reaches the heavens. The trunk represents that union between life and death that is life and all the branches that appear on the tree are the multiple paths that we can find but that, in the end, all end up leading us to our trunk.
This symbol has been part of many religions, such as the Christian, the Jewish and the Celtic, and has also been treated as a purely spiritual and personal growth symbol. In fact, this last reading of this tree is what has made many people today wear this image on their skins or on their clothing.
Origin of the tree of life
But let’s talk now about the origin of the tree of life. As we have already said, many religions have given multiple meanings to the tree of life, so below we are going to analyze some of the most important ones with their corresponding interpretations.
In the Jewish religion
The Hebrews also made the tree of life the main symbol of their culture. However, this tree was made up of 10 nodes that were all connected to each other, something that represented harmony and the restoration of peace in the world. This meaning that appeared in ancient Kabbalah was reinterpreted by many other religious traditions, such as Christianity. For the Jews, this tree also refers to the fact that there is a very complex formula of existence and creation, that is, from the earthly to the divine.
The Tree of Life in Christianity
In the Christian religion, the tree of life is considered to be the same tree that God planted in paradise lost. That tree that he gave an apple as fruit and in which the serpent convinced Eve. In the Bible, this reference to the tree of life appears, as in Genesis where it is indicated that it had magical properties since it could offer immortality.
In the Christian conception, the tree of life has often been equated with the cross of Christ. The reason for this simile is that the tree gives life to humanity, just as the cross did. This tree is described as a great, majestic one, which reached higher than the same cypresses and was not comparable to any other tree in the garden of God. It is described as a tree with many branches and with a height that was capable of almost reaching the clouds.
In Celtic culture
The origin of the tree of life must also be sought in the Celtic culture, where trees have always been living beings of great importance. The reason for this is that, for the Celts, trees protected them from the cold and rain, gave them wood to create fire, also gave them fruits for food, and allowed them to build their houses thanks to wood. Therefore, the trees were highly revered by members of this culture.
In addition, trees were considered the symbols of life since they could communicate with the environment in a complete way: with the earth thanks to their roots, with the outside thanks to the trunk, and with the sky thanks to the branches. For the Celts, the tree was the living being that could communicate the earth with the sky and, for this reason, it was so respected.
We advise you to discover more by reading Celtic symbols and their ancestral meaning and Celtic tattoos and their meaning.
The tree of life in Nordic culture
The Nordics were the ones who gave this tree a pagan vision since they did not configure its symbology with any particular religion. For them, the tree was an infinite being, it had neither beginning nor end. The energy between it moved up and down, and thus eating the fruits of a tree was considered to keep people young and fit.
The meaning of the tree of life and its interpretations
Now that we know the origin and what the tree of life is, it is interesting that we stop to know what its basic meaning is and the different interpretations that can be given to this symbol. Basically, we have to start from the basis that the meaning of this tree is related to its own parts, that is:
- Roots deep in the ground
- The trunk that grows from which the roots are nourished
- The branches that are confused and bifurcate
- The leaves, are the elements that are responsible for collecting the water and, therefore, the force
- The fruits that appear thanks to the good condition of the tree
These elements are what make up the tree and, metaphorically speaking, they are also what make up our existence. In addition to this, we must not forget that trees are essential for there to be life on Earth because they provide us with oxygen, therefore, a tree can also refer to our very act of breathing, which is essential to be alive.
The leaves of the tree of life are the ones that offer its “healing” since it supplies it with the water that falls from the sky and allows it to be strong and healthy. And these leaves, seen from a more metaphorical point of view, are our tools to be able to heal ourselves, healing not seen from a physical point of view but, above all, spiritual.
The elements in the tree of life
In addition to this connotation with the cycle of life, this tree is also related to the 4 elements of our world, that is: air, water, fire, and earth. All these essential forces on our planet are what allow the tree to come to life. So, next, we are going to analyze where these forces come from and how they help the tree to be in perfect condition:
- Fire: sunlight is what allows the tree of life to be born and grow
- Earth: this is the element that provides the tree with food since it nourishes the roots
- Water: water filters through the roots and leaves and gives it the vital essence of life because, without water, the tree could not bear fruit and provide food
- Air: the tree of life reaches the highest, to the air, and thanks to this it can benefit the environment and offer us, the oxygen to be able to breathe
Therefore, this type of tree is a living being that enters the planet Earth in a full and profound way. It embraces it with its roots, it needs the Sun to be able to grow and extend its roots and it is from the rain and the air that it can create life and food.
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