Tree of Life doesn’t always mean good?

Tree of Life doesn’t always mean good?

Throughout history, the concept Tree of Life has been used in a spiritual and religious context; it even has deep roots in various mythologies. To talk about whether it’s good or bad, we first need to understand the symbol and its meaning. At the same time, the Tree of Life has various implications in cultures and religions, the crux of it all that it represents that all things are interconnected to one another in this universe.

History

The symbol, which depicts a tree with sprawling branches and roots contained in a circle, dates back to ancient times. It has links to philosophy, spirituality, and religion. The earliest known examples of Tree of Life symbol were found in Domuztepe excavations (modern Turkey) and dated back to 7000 BC.

Various Meaning of Tree of Life

It would be unfair to categorize Tree of Life to a single definition as it incorporates several things such as

• Representation of Growth

A tree symbolizes strength and growth and having deep roots; it can weather any storm and keep on growing. The journey of growth that starts from seed to full-grown Tree is similar to humans. The increase is also linked to growth in terms of knowledge and the experiences one gain in life.

• Individuality

As it talks about a single tree, it symbolizes an individual human and his personal growth. Like every Tree, every human is also unique and has their journeys carved out for them in destiny.

• Family

The branches of trees can be referred to as families and how they grow and expand as time passes by. It also gives a chance to see one’s connections with his family and ancestors.

• Peace

The Tree can easily be regarded as a symbol of peace and calm, and human nature is such that it feels at peace in a natural environment. A tall tree standing with breeze fluttering its leaves makes for a relaxing presence.

• Evolution

The evolution of human beings is also represented through the symbol of the Tree of Life. The circle around the Tree represents the universe, and the Tree itself represents the real-life on the planet.

Concept of Tree of Life through History

The idea of Tree of Life has somehow been part of or mentioned in all major religions and civilizations throughout the course. Different theories and mythologies have separate meanings associated with the Tree of Life. Let us discuss when and where this concept has been reviewed and in what context in history one by one.

• Christianity

The most prominent religion in the world has mentioned Tree of Life in its Holy book “The Bible” in the Book of Genesis. In Christianity, it is believed that the Tree is present in the Garden of Eden and is believed to be the source of eternal life. The symbol has various meanings according to religious experts, while the Mormons believe it to represent love. The Catholics, on the other hand, find it as humanity, which is free of sin and corruption. It is also thought that the Tree has healing properties.

• Judaism

In Judaism, it is believed that the Tree nourishes and sustains life. The Jews believe that God created a garden where different kinds of plants were planted, which bore fruits, and the Tree of Life is believed to be at the center of the garden.

• Buddhism

The Tree of Life has a great significance in Buddhism and is known as the Bhodi-tree. It is also referred to as the Tree of enlightenment as it is believed that it was under this tree that Buddha sat and reached an understanding, thus making it an extremely sacred symbol in Buddhism.

• Celtic Beliefs

The concept has great prominence in Celtic beliefs as they believed that trees had power because it provided them with food, shelter, and warmth. The Celts had a different idea of each part of the Tree. They believed that roots, trunk, and branches represented the “the other world,” mortal world, and the heavens, respectively.

• Baha’i Belief

The most profound meaning of the Tree of Life can be found in the Baha’i belief system as they believe that the manifestation of God takes place through the Tree of Life. The founder of the Baha’i faith is considered as Tree of Life, which shows the significance of the Tree of Life in the Baha’i community.

• Iranian Traditions

It’s a myth in Iranian traditions of two trees being the ancestors of all living creatures in life and have been referred to as the Tree of Life.

• Egyptian Culture

The Tree of Life for the Egyptians was the acacia tree. It was believed that the first-ever couple, Isis and Osiris, emerged from this Tree. Similarly, the Tree of Life has a dual meaning as the symbol of death as well as abundance. They believed that the roots of the Tree represented the underworld, Tree as the symbolic center of the universe, and braches representing heaven.

• African Culture

The concept of Tree of Life is also rooted in African culture. The baobab tree (bottle tree) is symbolized as the Tree of Life. Due to the harsh climatic conditions of Africa, this Tree can still store an ample amount of water and bear fruits, which could be a lifesaver in desperate times.

Why it’s not always good

In most of the cultures around the globe throughout history, the concept of Tree of Life has been referred to as sacred because, as mentioned above in detail, it represents growth, individuality, family, peace, life, and spirituality. While in most cases it is considered good but there are a few exceptions we will talk about.

• Adam’s disobedience to God in Islam

In the religion of Islam, Adam is considered as the first human and Eve as the first woman who was created by God. They were allowed to enjoy everything in heaven, except to eat from a particular tree. It was during their time there that Satan appeared in front of them and started conniving them to eat from the Tree. Adam got convinced and in disobedience to God, fed from the Tree, which later led to the two ousters from heaven.  The event is also described in the holy book of the Muslims “Quran.” As a result, the symbol of the Tree in this context is referred to as the disobedience of man towards God and the result one will face.

• Adams cast off from Eden – Judaism

While the Tree symbolizes wisdom in Judaism, it was also the reason which led to the ouster of Adam and Eve. Islam and Judaism share quite similar values and guidelines, and in some instances, their beliefs are also the same. Just like in Islam, Judaism also tells the story that Adam ate from the forbidden Tree, which led to their ouster from the Garden of Eden. In this regard, the Tree of Life was not great, after all.

• The flawed concept of immortality

The idea of immortality through the Tree of Life is faulty, in my opinion, throughout history, philosophers and spiritual preachers have termed the shedding of leaves of a tree and the growing back of new trees as a symbol of rebirth. While this concept may be right for trees, but this doesn’t work on humans, and once they die, there is no evidence of the resurrection. Even if we consider that human offspring carry the traits of their ancestors and takes humankind forward, may in some context hold true, but every individual is unique in its own way, and once they die, there is no coming back.

• Darwins Tree of Life

The concept given by Darwin is that all species are related through evolutionary history. Darwin proposed that there was a common ancestor of all the living beings, and just like a tree grows from a single seed, the living creatures came from a common ancestor. In modern times when scientific evolution is in its prime, modern scientists have rejected this concept and answered this with scientific proofs. Various scientists and universities have come saying that there is no reality to the Tree of Life presented by Darwin.

• Chinese mythology

In Chinese mythology, the depiction of the Tree of Life is through a phoenix and dragon. As the bird is referred to as a mythical creature that rises from its ashes the concept and a dragon being immortal, both these creatures and the concept of Tree of Life represent immortality in Chinese mythology. As mentioned above, the idea of immortality is flawed, so in my opinion, the Tree of life concept is also not right here.

• No single Tree of Life

We must also see that in different cultures and religions, a tree that was sacred and significant to their faith and beliefs had been associated with the Tree of Life. In Buddhism, the Bohdi-tree is considered the Tree of Life. In Egyptian culture, the acacia tree is viewed as the Tree of Life. Similarly, in Chinese mythology, the dragon and phoenix are equated to the Tree of Life. This contrast and difference in each religion and culture to the Tree of Life shows there is no one unique Tree of Life, and everyone has given the Tree of Life its own meaning.

One more contradiction in various religions and cultures one can find about Tree of Life is its representation. In some cultures, the whole Tree has a single meaning, while in some, each part of the tree-like roots, trunk, and branches symbolize different things. It won’t be wrong to say here that every civilization and religion throughout history has molded the Tree of Life concept as per their beliefs and made it such that it compliments their beliefs, values, and traditions.

• Against scientific beliefs

The concept of religion, as we know, has no place in the world of science and where rational ideas are in discussion. The concept of Tree of Life is entirely religious, spiritual, and mythological. In all the debate and points discussed above, it all revolved around religion; thus, no scientific evidence can be taken from it. This point alone is enough to convince that the concept of life is not good but just created to provide emotional stability (the same reason religion was created) to humans and give answers to those questions which could not be answered in those time due to the lack of knowledge and scientific evolution.

Conclusion

Finally, when we talk about the concept of Tree of Life, it’s purely spiritual and mythical. One cannot find any scientific relevance to it, and it’s a concept in the minds of philosophers, spiritual beings, and some religions. The idea which dates back to 7000 BC cannot easily be wiped out of people’s minds, especially when various religions have their sayings on this concept. In the end, we can just say that evidence suggests that Tree of Life is predominantly linked with good and positive; there are some cases where it is considered wrong or flawed.

The silver lining we could take from the meaning of the Tree of Life from all the faiths and beliefs is of the strong, underlining, and hidden sense of unity and staying connected. All religions preach about harmony and living together in peace. It also indicates in most belief systems that everyone is connected with one another with some sort of cosmic energy, which cannot be explained in words. In short, the concept can be used to uplift individual spirits and give them a deeper meaning of life and their individuality.

Meta description: The Tree of Life refers to the Tree in the Garden of Eden, but in literal terms, it refers to a fresh start in life with a positive, good, and a bright future.