by Marguerite Elsbeth

The World Tree grows in the center of the universe. It is an ancient

mythological symbol for all creation and our relationship to it, and stands

as an otherworldly roadmap, which may be used to observe and measure our

existence. To all people, the World Tree symbolizes life and death, growth

and development, and is the center of the cosmos.

Some traditions, such as Theosophy and Hinduism, claim that the tree grows

upside down, its roots touching the sky, and its foliage reaching deep into

primal earth. But most affirm that its branches grow upward while it sends

its roots down into the very core of Earth, to brush the cold darkness of

hell, like the cosmic tree Yggdrasil in Norse mythology. Shamans of many

cultures travel the axis of the World Tree to the three worlds: The upper

world of spirit; the middle world in which we live; and the lower world of soul.

Although the concept of the tree is generic, various cultures may recognize

a particular tree as being the sacred World Tree. The European Celts

worshipped the oak, as did the California Indians. Scandinavian people

agreed with the Iroquois Nation that the ash tree was the "tree of life".

The tribes of Siberia venerate the larch, while Plains Indians revere the

cottonwood, and place an eagle, a symbol for Father Sky or the Great Spirit,

on top of the tree during the sundance ceremony. Maple is the World Tree to

some Northeastern tribes; others believe it is an evergreen treethat grows

on the back of a turtle, a symbol of Mother Earth. Despite the differences

in genus, however, the essential meaning of the World Tree remains

unchanged. This is because the real World Tree grows inside each and

everyone of us.

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