The tree of life is a very well known and refereed to tree in mythology and religion, all having different significances depending on beliefs.
In Celtic Times
Celts were people who were very connected to the nature around them, they had a connection with the Earth. The Tree Of Life was a "tangible part of everyday existence."
They created the 'Tree of Life Knot' - an image of a tree with branches and roots forming a circle around said tree.
The circle makes the tree the centre of the depiction, as trees were the centre of their lives and all that happened. "Celts realised that the absence of greenery would be the absence of life itself."
Celtic mythology then then progressed this into a more otherworldly meaning; the roots and the branches were no longer connected with the roots and instead were reaching up to the top of the diagram, reaching the realm of the gods. The roots grounded the tree the the human world.
The tree being the centre is important because throughout the year as the seasons change so does the tree. The leaves grow, the leaves fall and it's a constant cycle, just as the circle of life. It also represents the help that trees gave us and other living beings; it's a home to insects and small animals, we used the wood to cook food and make water drinkable, to stay warm.
"In Celtic lore, trees were seen as ancestors of human beings, a concept which has actual parallels in the science of evolution. This belief accorded them not just a place in mythology but also in genealogy; it created a personal bond between the people who lived in the forest and the trees in their midst."
The Celts, when finding where to settle would look for a sturdy and strong tree to be the centre of their settlement. That tree was given the same name as the tree of life in celtic times; Crann Bethadh.
In Christianity
It's often thought that the Tree of Life in Christianity is the same as The Tree of Knowledge; the tree that produced the forbidden fruit that was eaten by Adam and Eve. However, two trees were actually mentioned in the Bible, and both the Tree of Life and The Tree of Knowledge could have been meant to be read as separate trees.
In Ancient Egypt
In the carvings of the ancient Egyptians it was told that the Acacia tree was where some of their goddesses and gods were born. " The Egyptians refer to the acacia as the tree within which ‘life and death are enclosed’"
In Buddhism / Hinduism
In Buddhism and Hinduism the Banyan tree is what's seen as the sacred tree. It holds the same kind of symbolism as the tree forming a circle in Celtic beliefs; the Banyan tree grows up like any other tree, however when it reaches adulthood the branches start to grown downwards towards the trunk, and over time starts to resemble a group of trees.
"This unique behavior is taken by Hindus and Buddhists as a symbol of the great Cosmic Dance where all matter is the same, originating in the Universal Truth and returning to it. Ancient Hindu scriptures like the Vedas and Bhagvad Gita reference the banyan tree."
Additionally, the Bodi tree is also seen as sacred by both religions, as it's where it's sad that Buddha became enlightened. It's believed that a bodi tree growing in sri lanka was taken from a cutting from the very tree Buddha sat under. It's not necessarily referred to as the tree of life, however it is thought to be very spiritual.
In Islamic Mythology
Islamic tradition believes that there was only one tree, in contrast to Christianity where it could have been two. The two religions both have the same belief about the Garden of Eden, however they differ over this.
"The Tree of Life in Islam is referred to in the Quran as the Tree of Immortality. The story of the expulsion of Adam and Eve is identical to that in the Torah and Bible; the Devil in the form of a serpent tricks the couple into eating the fruit of the tree, whereupon they gain the knowledge of good and evil."
In Celtic Times
Celts were people who were very connected to the nature around them, they had a connection with the Earth. The Tree Of Life was a "tangible part of everyday existence."
They created the 'Tree of Life Knot' - an image of a tree with branches and roots forming a circle around said tree.
Celtic mythology then then progressed this into a more otherworldly meaning; the roots and the branches were no longer connected with the roots and instead were reaching up to the top of the diagram, reaching the realm of the gods. The roots grounded the tree the the human world.
"In Celtic lore, trees were seen as ancestors of human beings, a concept which has actual parallels in the science of evolution. This belief accorded them not just a place in mythology but also in genealogy; it created a personal bond between the people who lived in the forest and the trees in their midst."
The Celts, when finding where to settle would look for a sturdy and strong tree to be the centre of their settlement. That tree was given the same name as the tree of life in celtic times; Crann Bethadh.
In Christianity
It's often thought that the Tree of Life in Christianity is the same as The Tree of Knowledge; the tree that produced the forbidden fruit that was eaten by Adam and Eve. However, two trees were actually mentioned in the Bible, and both the Tree of Life and The Tree of Knowledge could have been meant to be read as separate trees.
In Ancient Egypt
In the carvings of the ancient Egyptians it was told that the Acacia tree was where some of their goddesses and gods were born. " The Egyptians refer to the acacia as the tree within which ‘life and death are enclosed’"
In Buddhism / Hinduism
In Buddhism and Hinduism the Banyan tree is what's seen as the sacred tree. It holds the same kind of symbolism as the tree forming a circle in Celtic beliefs; the Banyan tree grows up like any other tree, however when it reaches adulthood the branches start to grown downwards towards the trunk, and over time starts to resemble a group of trees.
"This unique behavior is taken by Hindus and Buddhists as a symbol of the great Cosmic Dance where all matter is the same, originating in the Universal Truth and returning to it. Ancient Hindu scriptures like the Vedas and Bhagvad Gita reference the banyan tree."
Additionally, the Bodi tree is also seen as sacred by both religions, as it's where it's sad that Buddha became enlightened. It's believed that a bodi tree growing in sri lanka was taken from a cutting from the very tree Buddha sat under. It's not necessarily referred to as the tree of life, however it is thought to be very spiritual.
In Islamic Mythology
Islamic tradition believes that there was only one tree, in contrast to Christianity where it could have been two. The two religions both have the same belief about the Garden of Eden, however they differ over this.
"The Tree of Life in Islam is referred to in the Quran as the Tree of Immortality. The story of the expulsion of Adam and Eve is identical to that in the Torah and Bible; the Devil in the form of a serpent tricks the couple into eating the fruit of the tree, whereupon they gain the knowledge of good and evil."
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