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What did the world tree mean for ancient people. golden tree of the ancient egyptians

The tree of life in one form or another is found in various cultures that were not originally connected with each other. Many names have been given to this symbol - the World Tree, the Table of the World and many others. Its roots, branches and trunk are interdependent and interconnected. Sometimes the tree of life is depicted with fruits or flowers on the branches.

In Scandinavian mythology, there is a Yggdrasil tree - this is an ash tree that gave Odin wisdom and knowledge of the runes. Among the Slavs, the tree of life was a symbol of connection with the Family, the laws of the universe, wisdom and immortality. The Bible also mentions a tree that was planted by God in Paradise.

In ancient Armenia, the tree of life was painted on the walls of fortresses and on the armor of warriors. The Assyrian tree of life was associated with communication with the gods and was used, for the most part, by priests. Big role trees also play in Germanic mythology. The Egyptians called this symbol Iusat and believed that it combines death and life, linking the world of the living and the world of the dead.

Persian mythology also mentions the sacred world tree, which bears all the seeds and is the source of all life. Medieval alchemists associated it with elixirs of immortality and the philosopher's stone. There was a similar symbol among the Celts. In Chinese legends, the image of such a tree includes a dragon and a phoenix, the former itself is a symbol of immortality. It is believed that every few thousand years a peach ripens on it, and whoever eats it will receive a gift. eternal life.

In Kabbalah, the tree of life is the totality of the Sefirot, which is considered in its unity. Supporters of this doctrine believe that it is through him that the activity of God is manifested. The Celts believed that there is a world tree, which is the center of the world. The Aztecs had a completely similar legend.

The tree of life - a symbol and its meaning

In mythology different cultures the tree of life symbol has a similar meaning and description. it creature, beyond the control of the human mind, which plays an important role in esotericism and religion, can influence people and has its own mind. Almost always it links three worlds: ours, heaven and hell, with certain differences in various myths. Also, it can be a symbol human life as a process of birth, immediate existence and death. Therefore, the meaning of this symbol has a rather deep meaning, and not everyone can fully understand it.

First of all, the meaning of the tree of life lies in the connection and harmony between earth and sky, man and divine essence. This symbol also means immortality, rebirth after death, fertility.

In Christianity, the tree of life symbolizes the development of the spiritual qualities of each person, his desire to know the Almighty and the connection of each person with those to whom he addresses with prayers.

As mentioned above, fruits, leaves and other elements can be depicted on this tree. Now such images are found in the form of tattoos and embroidery, because it is technically easier to implement this idea in this way. They have an additional meaning, usually symbolizing health, salvation of the soul and much more.

Despite the fact that in our time there are many drawing techniques, the crown of the tree of life always connects with the roots, tends to them. Both the roots and the crown are depicted as well developed, the tree is in a circle formed by them. This teaches that stable growth requires a solid foundation, a foundation. If you do not feed the roots, waiting for the development of the crown is absolutely useless.

Tree of life - how to make an amulet

The most common version of the amulet with the tree of life is a pendant or other decoration. It's easy to purchase. If you have any needlework skill, you can use, for example, a pattern for a beaded bracelet, and make a tree of life amulet with your own hands. It is known that handmade things can become really the strongest amulets than those that were purchased.

Since we are talking about a rather aesthetically pleasing symbol, tattoos with its image are now very popular. Meet various options sketches, in this case a lot depends not only on the meaning of the symbol, but also on the imagination of the master. It is believed that a tattoo with a tree of life symbol cannot harm, since its meaning does not carry negative aspects.

Another way to get a powerful amulet for the home - this is an embroidery of the tree of life according to the scheme. Such embroideries often include other symbols, such as flowers, spikelets, birds and animals. Sometimes such a talisman is combined with Slavic protective symbols. If this is your choice, you should find out the properties of all the symbols that are present on your amulet. We have an excellent article on our site. Slavic amulets which may be useful to you.

Tree of life - the meaning of the amulet

As mentioned above, the meaning of the tree of life is very deep topic for discussion. However, anyone can wear an amulet with the image of this symbol. This sign does not conflict with most religions, because it is found in one form or another in almost every one of them. Therefore, there are no restrictions on wearing such a talisman.

The meaning of the tree of life amulet is the desire for constant development, work and enjoyment from it. If you think that such a quality will not harm you, you can safely choose this symbol as your talisman. It will help you get rid of laziness, gain wisdom and get a very special connection with the divine - regardless of which religion you prefer.

Tree of life - good amulet for a pregnant woman. It symbolizes rebirth and the emergence of a new one, therefore it can also protect future mother and her child from any evil, will help her raise a worthy member of society. A person who wears this amulet will always have such qualities as hard work and optimism.

The tree of life has quite powerful protective properties, is able to direct on the true path and give advice in difficult situation. As a home amulet, he can save the family, help get rid of scandals and protect everyone living in the house from any evil.

In general, this talisman can be safely called the most versatile among all amulets from the evil eye and damage, because the tree of life suits everyone.

Tree of life - the meaning of the symbol and amulet - all the secrets to the site

Wish reliable protection or success in various endeavors? Then use the talismanic wisdom of the Slavs and the knowledge passed down from generation to generation in ancient Russia. Break the cycle of failure by learning about better defense working towards your perfection. Sitate on our website about the choice of amulets, amulets and talismans.

Harmony magical amulet with your biofield depends on several parameters: individual features and desired goals. Do not forget about the difference between an amulet, a talisman and a talisman. The amulet is always made personally, the talisman and amulet can be purchased. In addition, the talisman - attracts positive energy, and the amulet - protects from the negative.

The center of the world for the ancient Slavs was the World Tree (World Tree, World Tree). It is the central axis of the entire universe, including the Earth, and connects the World of people with the World of Gods and the Underworld. Accordingly, the crown of the tree reaches the World of the Gods in heaven - Iriy or Svarga, the roots of the tree go underground and connect the World of the Gods and the World of people with the underworld or the world of the Dead, ruled by Chernobog, Marena and other "dark" Gods.

Somewhere in the sky, behind the clouds (heavenly abysses; above the seventh sky), the crown of a sprawling tree forms an island, here is Iriy (Slavic paradise), where not only Gods and human ancestors live, but also the progenitors of all birds and animals. Thus, the Tree of the World was fundamental in the worldview of the Slavs, its main integral part. At the same time, it is also a staircase, a road through which you can get to any of the worlds. In Slavic folklore, the Tree of the World is called differently. It can be oak, and sycamore, willow, linden, viburnum, cherry, apple tree or pine.

In the views of the ancient Slavs, the World Tree is located on Buyan Island on Alatyr-stone, which is also the center of the universe (the center of the Earth). Judging by some legends, light gods live on its branches, and dark gods live in its roots. The image of this tree has come down to us, both in the form of various fairy tales, legends, epics, incantations, songs, riddles, and in the form of ritual embroidery on clothes, patterns, ceramic decorations, painting dishes, chests, etc. Here is an example of how the Tree of the World is described in one of the Slavic folk tales that existed in Russia and tells about the extraction of a horse by a hero-hero: "... a copper pillar stands, and a horse is tied to it, on the sides there are clear stars, a moon shines on the tail , in the forehead a red sun ... ". This horse is a mythological symbol of the entire universe (the Horse of Dazhdbog, if you remember), which is still tied to the center-pillar or tree.

The image of the World Tree was imitated during funeral rites. In ancient times, people were buried in the branches of trees. Later, this rite was modified and now, after cremation, the ashes of people were left on the so-called Bdyny - pillars with huts, which are also a prototype of the World Tree and help the deceased both ascend to the World of the Gods and descend this tree to the World of People to visit their descendants. It is also worth mentioning that the ancient tribes built huts and temples in such a way that a living tree would be inside, that is, they built a dwelling around a tree - oak, ash, birch and others. Like the idols representing the Gods on earth, the tree inside the house was the embodiment of the World Tree, which could also connect all three worlds and be the main place for some kind of home rituals. This tradition was alive until the beginning of the 20th century practically throughout Russia and beyond, but already in its simplified form. Before the construction of the house, a young tree was dug out and planted in the center or the red corner of the future log house of the building, while saying: “Here you are, my dear friend, a warm house and a shaggy cedar!” There it grew until the very end of construction. Then he was taken out and planted in another place. In ancient times, it grew together with people and towered with its crown above the roof, as if above the firmament.

AT ritual songs and in general traditional folklore, such descriptions of the World Tree have come down to us: a nightingale (as well as other sacred birds - Gamayun, Sirin, Alkonost, Duck, Firebird, etc.) makes a nest in its crown, bees live in the trunk, which bring honey, an ermine lives at the roots, a snake (Shkurupeya) lives in a hole (nest), a demon is chained on a chain (the last apparently later layer that appeared after Christianization), the fruits of the World Tree are the seeds of all existing herbs, flowers, trees. Traditional in folklore are the squabbles of the very snake that lives in the roots and the bird that lives in the crown. At the same time, the serpent constantly threatens to burn the tree, and the bird each time defends itself or goes to the trick. The sun and moon are often placed in the crown of this tree. In Belarusian folklore, beavers live at the roots of a tree, and a falcon lives in the crown, the leaves are covered with beads, the flowers are like silver, the fruits are pure gold. Since this is the World Tree, then Slavic tradition in its folklore, it placed here all the most amazing creatures, ranging from mythological birds to half-humans, half-horses, half-bulls, half-dogs, all possible Deities and creatures. Here their place is near the center of the world.

The World Tree was so revered by the Slavs that it participated in many celebrations. In particular, the tradition of setting up a Christmas tree for the New Year has come down to us to this day. Now no one thinks why this is done, but the main and sacred meaning of the New Year tree is precisely the image of the Center or the Axis of the Universe. In a sense, it is an idol of the Sacred World Tree. Also, a ritual tree was installed just before the construction of a new house in the very center of the planned construction, thus attracting power to this place and making it sacred, with a powerful energy base. The builder of a new dwelling makes his house, as it were, a projection of the center of the universe, the same mystical modeling of the center occurs when a tree is brought into the house, placed in the middle of it or in a red corner. Another rite can serve as a round dance on solar holidays around a tree, which is often chosen birch or oak. In ancient times, there were entire sacred groves, sacred forests, where it was strictly forbidden to cut down or damage trees. This directly applies to the very figure of the World Tree, since, by analogy with it, the sacred trees were the habitat of spirits, creatures, and a kind of stairs (portals) to other worlds. In such groves, holidays, rituals, rituals for curing diseases were held, but this is already a topic for a separate article.

It must be said that the Tree of the World, in one form or another, existed in almost all ancient beliefs, ranging from Scandinavian (evergreen tree Yggdrasil or Great Ash) to Indian (Ashvattha). In Erzya beliefs, the tree is called Echke Tumo, where the nest of the sacred duck Ine Narmun is located, which gives birth to the very egg from which the whole world is born. In Turkic mythology, the tree is called Baiterek - with its roots it holds the earth in place, and with its branches supports the sky so that it does not fall down. In Kabbalah, it is the Mekabtziel Tree. In the Qur'an it is Sidrat al-muntaha. In China, this is Kien-Mu, along which the Sun and Moon descend and descend, lords, sages, Gods, spirits, and so on.

The symbol of the World Tree is depicted in different ways. It can be either a fairly accurate image with roots, branches, leaves and other attributes of an ordinary tree, or a schematic image in the form of a vertical stick and three branches that rush up (Rune World). Also, the Tree of the World is depicted as a woman with raised hands, around which birds fly. In embroidery and painting, elements such as a green tree with leaves and flowers are often present, as a symbol of life and dry wood as a symbol of death. There are such images where spirits and deities are placed on one side of the tree, and glorious warriors, heroes, priests are placed on the other.

If everything went from good feeling, then a busy day runs much more fun. Growing vegetation in many favourite hobby, which gives pleasant feelings not only to his own family, but to everyone around him. Plants are a worthy addition to the design. Walking past a bright corner, it is impossible not to stop looking at some unusual bush. And immediately an idea arises, or maybe decide to grow a garden?

Your tree is a symbol

Tree-symbol (encyclopedia of traditional medicine from Dr. Uzhegov). The fact that shrubs, plants, trees are living beings was known in ancient times. They also knew that each person has his own symbol tree. This tree is determined by the date of birth of a person. Many cases are known when a tree planted at the birth of a person hurt when that person was sick, and withered if the person died.

birch like ancient symbol- the sacred tree of all Northern Europe. In the horoscope of the Druids, the day of the summer solstice, June 24, is dedicated to her. At the same time, She symbolized the transition from winter to spring, as the first tree to bud. The first month of spring in Ukraine is called "birch".

One of the sacred trees Eastern Slavs, birch, was among the Russians a "Yarilin" tree. Yarilin day - ancient pagan holiday fruitful forces of nature, was celebrated on June 4 (according to the old style). On this day, they danced round the birch (the famous Russian folk song “There was a birch in the field.”), only after that day it was allowed to cut the birch.

Later, this holiday was linked with the Orthodox Paschalia, it began to depend on the day of Easter and was called "semik" - the seventh Thursday after Easter. Therefore, birch is still considered by Orthodox Russians to be the Trinity tree. On Semik and Trinity birch is consecrated in temples.

The rituals associated with this day - round dances of girls, braiding birch branches into braids, decorating birch trees with ribbons, wreaths of herbs and wreaths of dough ("goats") - represent a birch as a symbol of girlish beauty, chastity.

Birch as an ancient symbol is associated with legends about the Berendeev kingdom. There is evidence that in some tribes that lived on the territory of Russia and Belarus, people were buried in birch bark. Birch was revered as a receptacle for the souls of the dead. Birch bark in Ancient Russia replaced paper, and to this day it is used in traditional crafts (weaving boxes, tuesks).

Ancient Symbols: Willow

The Eastern Slavs - a symbol of spring. Among the ancient Slavs, the willow as an ancient symbol symbolized the primary source of the creation of the world, the Tree of Life, the Chumatsky Way in heaven.

In Russia, the willow, as a symbol of spring, replaced the sacred palm branches (frond leaves) on the feast of the memory of the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem (the feast of the frond is celebrated on the last, sixth, Sunday of Great Lent, before Easter). On this day, willow branches were consecrated in churches.

The branches brought home after the service were placed in a red corner, children were beaten with branches, saying: “Willow whip, beat to tears. We beat to be healthy”, and livestock. touch a person consecrated willow- meant to connect him with the forces of the Cosmos, to renew his health.

Ancient Symbols: Oak

One of the most sacred trees, with which many symbolic layers are associated. Means strength, protection, durability, courage, loyalty, man, human body. Oak is often associated with the gods of thunder and thunder and is considered the emblem of the gods of Heaven and fertility, so it can also symbolize lightning and fire.

The Indo-European root of the word "oak" is identical to the root of the word "tree".

Oak is an ancient symbol of longevity, wisdom, strength and endurance. The oak is dedicated to Zeus, Thor, Perun and other gods of thunder. The altar of Zeus was surrounded by oaks, and an oak grove grew around the temple of Perun. In honor of Perun, bonfires from oak branches were constantly burned.

Oak is an ancient symbol of male power. In addition, the acorn is a symbol of prosperity, fertility and spiritual energy. According to some beliefs, Christ was crucified with an oak cross. Under the shade of the Mamrian oak, the Lord appeared to Abraham.

Sacred tree among the Celts and the Slavs. Sacrifices were made underneath. They worshiped individual trees and entire sacred groves. With the introduction of Christianity, the ruthless extermination of oaks throughout Europe began, as the main subject of pagan cults.

An ancient symbol of hardness, strength, strength, longevity. In the mysteries, God the Father often appeared under a name or in the form of an oak tree. Oak with acorns - the emblem of maturity, full of strength.

The oak without acorns is an ancient symbol of youthful prowess.

In Christianity, it is a symbol of Christ, as a force that manifests itself in trouble, firmness in faith and virtue. According to various sources, the cross was made of oak, holly or aspen.

Ancient Symbols: Spruce

Symbolizes courage, integrity and honesty. It symbolized eternal life. The symbolism of spruce was embodied in two non-overlapping meanings:

2) as an ancient symbol of sacrifice and a funeral sign, spruce branches, garlands of spruce paws or spruce brooms are used.

Often spruce branches are specially chopped finely and thrown over a fresh grave to emphasize the particularity and fragmentation of human life.

Christmas tree. Evergreen tree - an ancient symbol winter solstice, as well as a New Year and a new beginning. This is the tree of rebirth and immortality, the Paradise Tree of light and gifts, shining at night. Each light on it is a soul and, in addition, the lights represent the sun, moon and stars shining on the branches of the Cosmic Tree.

Ancient symbols: Apple tree

A symbol of motherhood, fertility, maternal reverence. This meaning of the apple tree is preserved in the folk tales Geese-Swans and Khavroshechka.

Since ancient times, the apple, or rather the pomegranate, which appeared among the peoples of Europe under this meaning, was considered an ancient symbol of perfection and the emblem of the Divine gift.

In fact, the symbolic meaning of the pomegranate and apple is of more ancient origin and is rooted in the surprise that the ancients experienced before appearance these fruits.

Ancient Symbols: Apple

An apple as an ancient symbol means fertility, love, joy, knowledge, wisdom, deification and luxury, but at the same time deceit and death. The apple was the forbidden fruit of the Golden Age.

Being round, it represents integrity and unity and is opposed to a pomegranate, consisting of many grains. To offer an apple means to make a declaration of love. Like the orange blossom (a symbol of fertility), the apple blossom was used as a decoration for brides.

The spherical shape and red or golden color well reflected two concepts: perfection (after all, the shape of the ball is the most perfect geometric shape!) and possession (more precisely, the difficulties of possession, because it is more difficult to grasp the ball with your hand than any other body).

In European and Russian symbolism, an apple often replaces the concept of "fruit". It is a symbol of temptation, temptation, unlawful fruit and doing.

In Christianity it has a dual meaning. On the one hand, it means evil and is the fruit of the perversion of Adam and Eve. On the other hand, depicted with Christ or the Virgin Mary, it points to the new Adam and salvation. A monkey with an apple in its mouth means the fall.

Wood

Because the roots of the tree are in the ground. and the branches stretch to the sky. then it, like a person, is a reflection of the “creature of two worlds” and a creature located between the top and the bottom.

In many ancient cultures, not only certain trees or entire groves were revered as the place of residence of supernatural beings (gods, ordinary spirits), but the tree was often considered as the axis of the world. around which the cosmos is grouped - it's like the tree of the world Yggdrasil among the northern Germans or the holy tree of Seiba or Yakhshe among the Maya from Yucatan. It grows in the center of the world and is the support of the heavenly layers, while in each of the four regions of the world one multi-colored tree of this kind grows, which serve as the corner pylons of the sky.
The role of taboo (inviolable) trees in the biblical paradise is known; for the Buddhist, the symbol of the "great awakening" is the pipal tree (Ficus religiosa), under which Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment. The ancient Egyptians revered the sycamore tree, from which the goddess Hathor extends a strengthening drink or food to the dead or their souls in the form of birds. The Sumerian fertility god Dumuzi (Tammuz) was revered as the tree of life. AT Ancient China peach and mulberry trees were revered, among the Celtic priests of the Druids - oak. which was considered sacred, as the personification of the god of thunder and (among the Greeks) the king of the gods Zeus. Holy trees of this kind exist - partly in reality, partly idealized, and partly elevated to a cosmic symbol - in almost all ancient peoples.

In Christian iconography, a tree is a symbol of God-given life, and the passage of its annual cycle indicates life, death and resurrection, while a barren or dead tree, on the contrary, testifies to sin. From the wood of the heavenly “Tree of Knowledge”, a cross was allegedly built for Christ later, which later became the “tree of life”. The tree was repeatedly depicted with branches and leaves and compared with the trunk from the "root of the Lord."

And finally, the symbolism and veneration of trees firmly held in mind the remnant of ancient animism (primitive religion), where trees were not just suppliers of wood, but also animated creatures on which elf-like nymphs lived, and people treated trees with a special feeling. Trees with pictures of saints placed on their trunks (“Forest Prayers” in Austria) indicate this, as does the Christmas tree, which today is widespread almost all over the world as a comforting symbol of all things green and rebirth.

Mary, blessed by the Holy Spirit, who gave the Savior to the world as a tree-fruit, was considered as the “tree of life”. All village shrines and places of pilgrimage, as it seems, convey in our time the tradition of the ancient “holy trees”, in which the symbolism of the Mother of God Mary is “dressed”: Maria-Trekhdubica, Maria-Green, Maria-Lipa, etc .; Bishop Ezzo von Bamberg sang the cross like a fertile tree: “And your branch carries a heavenly load. Sacred blood flowed through you. Your fruit is sweet and good." In the Christian West, legends are widespread about dead trees, branches, or sticks, which, as a sign of evidence of God's mercy, began to turn green. The iconography of the “tree-cross” with branching sprouts in medieval plastic art is in connection with the symbolism of the Resurrection, for which the tree is very suitable with its falling leaves and falling asleep in winter before releasing new shoots. Jewish legend reports that the forefather Abraham, wherever he went, planted trees, which, however, did not want to grow properly; only one in the land of Canaan grew rapidly in height. Through him, Abraham could find out who truly believed in Bot and who was an idolater. Over the faithful, the tree opened its branches and hid him in its shadow; this did not happen over the idolater. In this case, the tree deviated to the side, did not create a shadow and directed its branches in height. Abraham, however, did not distance himself from the idolater, but did everything possible to make him accept the true faith. “By what Adam tasted from the tree of knowledge, he brought death into the world. However, when Abraham came, he healed the world again with another tree.” The legend of the healing tree apparently goes back to Christian symbolism maple. which was brought into the world from the Old Testament. In the early Christian text "Physiologist" ("Physiologus"), an Indian tree "Peridexion" ("Peridexion") is reported, the fruits of which were willingly eaten by pigeons. while the snake could not approach him and shied away from his shadow. It is an indication of the Savior, the “true tree of life”, from the fruits of which believers live, while the devil cannot approach him. In medieval bestiaries, this tree is called "Perindens" ("Perindens"); it protects the doves living in its shadow from the dragon. “The heavenly fruit of the tree is the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, which man received in the sacraments” (Unterkircher).

The opposite of the trees of the restored paradise in Islamic mythology is the Zakkvum tree, the leaves and fruits of which are fed after the last Judgment by the damned sinners and blasphemers. “The thorny branches and bitter fruits of it will swell in their bodies like molten ore” (Beltz, 1980). The garden of the new paradise is full of shade-giving trees with delicious fruits, which are at the disposal of the true God-fearing.

Another tree religious tradition in Islam - this is the tree of the world, on the leaves of which the names of all people are inscribed; those who fell in the name of Allah are exalted by the angel of death Israfil (see Symbols of death. Fig tree).

What does the tree symbol mean?

Emo Lockhart Master (1596) 7 years ago

A tangible image of the universe, given limited opportunities human mind, is a "Tree" ("Tree").

"TREE == tree (Gen. 1, 11; Kings 5. 6); cross (Acts. 5, 30; 10, 39; 13, 29); gallows (Gen. 40, 19; Jos. N. 26, 27); a wooden idol (Deut. 4, 28; 28, 36); a ship or vessel (Wis. 10, 4; 14, 5); a spear (2 Kings 23, 7)" [Complete Church Slavonic Dictionary, M . 1993.)

There are THREE immiscible concepts concerning the category "Tree". The distinction is given in the Bible in a specific form: "And out of the earth the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, and the tree of LIFE in the midst of paradise, and the tree of the knowledge of GOOD and EVIL" (Gen. 2, 9).

We will not dwell on the applied value of the first variety of trees, which have the property "pleasant to look at and good for food", their household and food significance is completely clear. Let us dwell on two other varieties of trees growing in paradise: "TREE OF LIFE" and "TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL".

TREE OF LIFE

The Complete Church Slavonic Dictionary explains its meaning as follows:

"TREE OF LIFE == according to some - this tree was only a conductor of divine grace, according to others - it by its nature had a healing and protective power from illness and death."

"Bible Encyclopedia, M. 1891 / Reprint ed. 1990" clarifies: "It served as an image of our grace-filled and blessed life in the Lord God Jesus Christ - only abiding in Him and uniting with Him, a person can have spiritual and grace-filled life in himself."

The "New Explanatory Bible", Leningrad, 1990, gives the following exegetical commentary on the concept of the "Tree of Life": "Among all the trees of paradise that delighted the eye and nourished the human body, there was one that miraculous power- to communicate immortality to those who eat its fruits (Gen. 3, 22), for which it received the name of the tree of life. The specified feature of this tree was, without a doubt, its natural property, but it was one of the types of a special, supernatural action of Divine Grace - the tasting of its fruits was an external symbolic sign of this grace. The Tree of Life, both in Scripture itself and in the Fathers of the Church, has a mysteriously transformative meaning, pointing mainly to the Tree of the Cross, by which the Lord restored spiritual life to us, and to the sacrament of the Eucharist as the saving fruit of this sacrifice of the Cross, leading to eternal life.

Having expelled the First Men from paradise, God deprived them (together with their descendants) of the "Tree of Life", but left the opportunity to eat its fruits to those who keep the commandments. It acts as a carrier of vitality with its fruits, symbols of eternal life, simultaneously with the "Living Water" located at its roots. General signs"Tree of Life", it is also the "Tree of the World":

* maternal principle, giving life, female type energy;

* drink of life: juice, living water, or its variants (water of the depths, mother waters, etc. honey, wine, blood, seed, drink of immortality);

* food of life: fruits (paradise apples, rejuvenating apples, golden apples). giving vitality. All this gives the "Tree of Life" membership in the complex: birth - fertility - death.

The image of the "Tree of Life" embodied the universal structure of the world - the "World Tree" with a variety of equivalent keywords:

* Cosmic Tree, Tree of Fertility, Tree of Life, Tree of Ascension, Celestial Tree, Shaman Tree, Mystical Tree, Tree of Knowledge, as a description of the function in the ascending version;

* in descending version keywords: Tree of Death, Tree of Evil, Tree of the Underworld, Tree of the Nether, Tree of Descent.

The transformation of the "World Tree" took place in similar images: the Axis of the World, the World Pillar, the World Mountain, the World Man, the First Man, the Temple, the Triumphal Arch, the Column, the Obelisk, the Throne, the Ladder, the Cross, the Goal, etc. All the main oppositions serve to described

Appeal to the World Tree in incantations and Slavic rites

The world tree, which links the three worlds, helps you move between them. We have preserved fairy tales about how a person managed to get into the world of Rule by climbing the trunk of the World Tree.

The image of moving along the trunk of a magic tree has been preserved in Slavic conspiracies. In many ancient conspiracies, a person enters the "God's World" through the image of a "damask oak" or "an uprooted oak" growing on Alatyr-stone, located in the center of the sea-ocean. Moving along the World Tree during the ceremony, the Wise One got into the world of the Slavic Gods, where he could turn to them with a request.

Images of the World Tree on household items and amulets

We meet the drawing with the World Tree on wooden utensils, spinning wheels, old chests. Often the image of a tree growing in three worlds can be seen in the plots of the Mezen painting.

The image of the World Tree is also found in amulets. In the old days, it was most often embroidery or amulets for the home. There are also images of the World Tree on patterns decorating bracelets and other amulets. Now craftsmen often make amulets in the shape of the World Tree itself.

The World Tree, the tree of life - in Slavic mythology, the world axis, the center of the world and the embodiment of the universe as a whole. The crown of the WORLD TREE reaches the heavens, the roots - the underworld (cf. in the article Slavic mythology). The image of the WORLD TREE is typical for Russian riddles and conspiracies. Wed a riddle about the road: “When the light was born, then the oak fell down, and now it lies”; this image combines different - vertical (tree from earth to heaven) and horizontal (road) - coordinates of the world. The WORLD TREE embodies not only spatial, but also temporal coordinates; cf. riddle: “There is an oak, there are 12 branches on the oak, 4 nests on each branch”, etc. - about a year, 12 months, 4 weeks, etc. In conspiracies, the WORLD TREE is placed in the center of the world, on an island in the middle of the ocean (“the umbilical cord of the sea”), where on the stone Alatyr there is a “damask oak” or a sacred tree of cypress, birch, apple tree, sycamore, etc. Gods and saints live in conspiracies on the WORLD TREE - the Mother of God, Paraskeva, etc. trees are demonic and chthonic creatures, a demon is chained, a snake (Shkurupeya) lives in a nest (“rune”), etc.

AT wedding folklore and “vine” songs (performed for the young - “vines”) the image of the WORLD TREE embodied the fertility of wildlife, the tree of life: a nightingale builds a nest in the crown, bees bring honey in the trunk, and an ermine at the roots, bringing out small children, or themselves young, matrimonial bed; near the “three-year-old” tree there is a tower, where a feast takes place and “honey dishes” are prepared (honey is the food of immortality in many traditions). In Belarusian folklore, the image of the WORLD TREE is directly associated with wedding ceremony: the groom should not put horses at the “unlucky tree” of viburnum, but should put them at the happy sycamore, where bees bring honey flowing down to the roots so that the horses get drunk, beavers live at the roots, a falcon lives in the crown, etc.

AT traditional culture the success of any rite was made dependent on how the performed ritual corresponded to the general picture of the world: hence the importance of the image of the WORLD TREE embodying this picture, as in folklore (whether it be a conspiracy or wedding song), and actually in the rite. Wed the use of ritual trees, symbols of the world axis, during a wedding (see also in Art. Tree), building a house (when a ritual tree was placed in the center of the planned building), etc. up to the latest customs to establish a Christmas (New Year) tree, etc. Among the Serbs, the sacred tree “record” was considered a symbol of the well-being of the entire village - with a cross carved on it; in the old days, sacrifices were made near this tree (see Sacrifice). the roots, trunk and carved cross were sprinkled with blood.

In addition to the ritual tree, numerous ritual objects are associated with the symbolism of the WORLD TREE - a Christmas log - a badnyak among the southern Slavs, ritual bread, a loaf, etc. Each rite, therefore, was performed, as it were, in the center of the universe, at the WORLD TREE, and repeated the act of creation world, space renewal (in New Year and etc. calendar holidays), updates social life(wedding, etc.) family rituals) etc. In folklore, the image of the WORLD TREE can be replaced by the image of a pillar, a “beam” (cf. the riddle about the road - “a beam lies in all of Russia”), mountains (cf. the Russian proverb “The world is a golden mountain”), etc.

In the medieval apocrypha, which influenced the formation of the Slavic folk picture of the world, in particular, the myth of the creation of the world is transmitted, where the earth rests on water, water on stone, stone on four whales, whales on a fiery river, that one on universal fire, and fire - on "an iron oak, planted above all else, and all its roots rest on God's power" ("Razumnik", an apocryphal text of the 10th - 11th centuries). In the “Legend of the Cross Tree” by presbyter Jeremiah (Bulgaria, 10th century), Moses plants a tree at the source, “woven” from three trees (spruce, cedar and cypress), a prototype of the Trinity; from this tree, according to many prophecies, a cross should be made for the crucifixion of Christ. Solomon ordered the tree to be cut down to be placed in the Temple, but it did not fit in the Temple and was exposed outside. When the time came for the crucifixion, the tree was sawn into three parts, from the bottom - the root - they made a cross for Christ, setting it on Golgotha, where Adam's head was buried: the blood of the Savior, poured out on the head, saved the soul of the first man. Cypress - a cross tree in Russian folklore, “the father of all trees”, growing on the holy Zion mountains; to this tree, according to spiritual verses, the Pigeon Book falls out, which tells about the foundations of the universe. In the ancient Russian apocrypha about Solomon, in the form of a tree with golden branches, a month at the top, a cornfield at the roots, an ideal state is depicted, where the month is the king, the cornfield is the Orthodox peasantry.

Lit.:

Toporov V.N. On the structure of some archaic texts correlated with the concept of the world tree // Proceedings on sign systems. Issue \ 5. Tartu, 1971;
Ivanov V.V., Toporov V.N. Research in the field of Slavic antiquities. M., 1974 Golden jet spring. Monuments of Bulgarian literature of the IX-XVIII centuries. M., 1990.

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