Trees were always the symbol of life, rebirthing, renewing, knowledge and wisdom. People from the ancient times had to show respect to the trees everytime during the ages: sometimes for their fruit, sometimes for the remission their greenery’s shadow brought in the hot summer days, for the protection, for the easy workability etc. The first tools, the first weapons, the first homes are made from wood, and the popularity of the wooden material is still high.
The trees got several míthological roles all over Europe: some folks had to think that the world is held by huge trees; the greeks thought that their gods and goddesses were transformed into trees. Celts thought that the first people were formed from trees, and in almost every pagan cultures trees are magical living beings. Some say that trees have their own spirits, some say that there are fairies, gnoes etc. living between the roots, greens or in the log of the trees. Holes are passageways to the spiritual worlds in some shamanic cultures.
(Image source: Google)
You know the phrase: “as above so below”? Some say this phrase gets easily understandable when you observe a tree. The shroud of the tree shows the same pattern as the roots. Trees can be a highway to the “invisible worlds” from the physical world, or a liaison between the underworld and the earth. The two parts: roots and the shroud makes the trees whole, as the earth and the sky makes the world whole, and so, as the god and goddess make the god couple whole, making the harmony between the feminine and masculine energies - and one part could not be exist without the other part.
Some gods and mythical heroes were tying or spiking themselves to trees offering their bodies as a sacrifice for getting some wisdom or secret knowledge. The most known is Odin who was nailing himself to the Yggdrasil for nine days to get the knowledge of the runes:
“I know that I hung on a windy tree
Nine long nights
Wounded by a spear, dedicated to Odin,
Myself to myself,
On that tree of which no man knows
From where its roots run.”
Studying the symbol of a tree can help you in your magical practice. Of course I do not recommend to nail yourself to a tree for days, but if you meditate on this symbol you may find out what “as above so below” really means. Sit down under a tree and calm your mind. If you find a tree with a hole on the log you can “use” it to communicate with other worlds too. After some time you may find out some strange feelings or thoughts - these are definitely not yours. Note them and after 2-3 days try to find out what they mean to you. Teachings from the trees are not obvious, and don’t you think that something is wrong with you when you don’t get clear visions for the first time. Sometimes you only get just a strange feeling or a picture, and after a lot of practice maybe you will get clear visions too.
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