The Tree of Life, sometimes referred to as the World Tree or the Tree of Knowledge, appears in the mythology and folklore of cultures around the world. Tree of Life meanings vary slightly from culture to culture. However, a common theme they all share is the idea that a mystical tree connects the physical and spiritual worlds. In addition, the Tree of Life is foundational to supporting all life.
The fact that this ancient symbol for life is a tree is fitting. After all, throughout history, human beings have paid homage to trees. It’s as if our distant ancestors clearly understood how important trees were for supporting life on Earth, even before the times of scientific inquiry. In this post you’ll learn about the Tree of Life and World Tree in different cultures and spiritual beliefs as well as the Tree of Knowledge.
Peoples as diverse as the Vikings, ancient Egyptians, Celts, Native Americans, Jewish mystics, and others all told stories of a Tree of Life. Essentially, the Tree of Life helped to explain the divine plan of how people got here and how they should conduct themselves on Earth.