Celtic / Norse - Tree Of Life Pendent 46

prusaprinters

The Tree of Life – An Ancient Celtic Symbol The Tree of Life has appeared in countless cultures, religions and mythologies all over the world and throughout history. Clearly, the idea of a mystical tree which embodies the essence of life is not unique to any one civilization.Almost every faith has its own version of the Tree of Life, including Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and Hinduism. The Tree of Life symbol even appears on Ancient Egyptian tomb carvings, possibly predating any other culture. However, the Tree of Life is particularly prominent in Celtic tradition and is one of the most enduring and meaningful Celtic symbols.Trees were pivotal to Celtic life and played an important role in the structure of Celtic society and beliefs. Firstly, the trees of Ireland served a number of invaluable practical purposes. Trees were a natural, abundant source of shelter, food and medicine, and their wood was extensively used for building, weaponry and to create fires for warmth. Native Irish trees were clearly essential to Celtic life and were held in such high regard that they were considered sacred.It was believed that trees served a significant spiritual purpose and acted as a gateway or portal between this world and the next. The Celts believed that the trees of Ireland held the spirits of their ancestors and that different types of trees had different magical powers that could aid them in times of hardship and adversity. Tribes and druids would often hold ceremonies and gatherings under trees that were seen as especially hallowed. Under the sprawling coverage of a vast, tremendous tree, they would appoint chieftains in political procedures or perform elaborate rituals to appease the gods.The Tree of Life was seen as a symbol of nature’s immense forces coming together and intertwining to create balance and harmony in the world. It was seen as a representation of strength, durability, protection, knowledge, experience and wisdom.Ultimately, the Tree of Life was a perfectly balanced combination of all the forces necessary to maintain and enrich life on Earth. The entwined branches and roots symbolise how all living things are irrevocably interconnected and bound together, dependent on one another for survival.The symbol is depicted as an Oak tree, as this tree was the largest, strongest and longest-living of all trees. The Oak tree would often attract lightning due to its staggering size and height. The Celts perceived this as a sign from the gods and worshipped the Oak as the most sacred tree of all the native Irish trees.The Celtic word for Oak is daur, which is the origin of the word door. This reinforces the Celtic idea that native Irish trees were doorways to other worlds. Some believed that if you fell asleep under an Oak tree, you might awake in another world.The ancient Irish term for the Tree of Life was Crann Bethadh, which literally translates as ‘The Feeding Tree’. If the Celts ever had to clear land in order to build new settlements, they would plant an Oak tree in the center of the clearing in order to honour the Tree of Life and ensure prosperity.If Celtic tribes were ever at war with one another, they believed that cutting down their enemies’ Crann Bethadh tree was a devastating blow to their defenses that would render them powerless and vulnerable to attack. During warfare, cutting down such a tree belonging to an adversary was seen as a major victory.