Learn the spiritual meaning of trees in some major world religions and the magical and spiritual significance of some trees. Find out how to use trees in your own magic and what they symbolize in dreams.
Plunging their roots deep into the ground, and reaching their branches high into the sky, trees are called “The lungs of the earth” and some people believe that all life depends on trees. The sacredness of trees transcends religion, and all cultures of people believe that trees are holy. What is the sacred significance of trees, and what do trees do for us on this green planet? Join Mysticsense to learn what different world religions say about the sacredness of trees and learn the symbolism they hold in dreams and psychic readings.
Religious Meaning of Trees
Trees provide oxygen to the planet, fruits to eat, and they hold the earth in place, preventing soil erosion. Their roots travel deep underground, sending out roots to birth new trees. Some of them live hundreds or thousands of years and they seem to always regenerate themselves in Spring after dying back in Winter. It is perhaps because of these things that trees are seen as sacred, and many believe the world itself rests within the branches of a magnificent tree. Multiple passages in the Bible speak of the holiness of trees, and ancient and modern Druids have always revered trees. Muslims and Buddhists hold trees sacred and ancient Germanic people had their own sacred beliefs about trees.
Trees in the Bible
There are countless passages in the Bible that speak of the significance of trees, and many trees represent holiness, life, and spiritual virtues. In the very first book in the Bible, Genesis, a story tells about a Tree of Life that imparted the knowledge of the difference between good and evil. The god of Genesis created everything in the universe and on earth, finally making human beings in his image, and placing them in a magnificent place called The Garden of Eden. The people were named Adam and Eve and they were told they could eat of any tree but the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. At first, they obeyed, but a crafty serpent tempted Eve to eat the fruit, and she tempted Adam, who ate some as well. When they ate the fruit, they became immediately aware of many things, and were cast out of the Garden as a punishment. Some scholars interpret this magical fruit to be the apple, while others think it is quince, or figs.
Not all trees were seen as negative things that lead people astray in the Bible. Olive trees are mentioned multiple places in the Bible from the first book of the Bible, the Book of Genesis all the way to the final book of the Bible, the Book of Revelations. In Genesis the olive represented peace and reconciliation, when a dove carried an olive branch to Noah in the ark after their god had flooded the earth in anger. It represented new beginnings for people, because it meant dry land was available and they could live on earth again. Olive oil was used for blessing and anointing people, and the olive tree was a major source of food in the form of olives. The oil was used to make lamps, which would provide light in the darkness, representing spiritual illumination. Find out how to convert negative energy to positive energy: Converting Negative Energy into Positive Energy | Mysticsense
Trees in Druidry
The very word Druid is translated to mean “Wise person of the Oak” ,and ancient Druids officiated worship services in groves of sacred trees. Both ancient and modern-day Druids see trees as living beings with their own powerful spirits and which share sacred medicine and gifts. Trees are anchored to the earth, but they grow into the sky, and draw from groundwater, and thus trees make their home in the three realms of land, water, and earth, giving them especially strong spiritual wisdom Druids seek to learn from. To Druids, trees provide shade, shelter, food, oxygen, soil integrity, and they also provide safe, renewable resources to build homes and for fuel.
In the poem Crith Gablach,Crith Gablach : a Legal Poem (ancienttexts.org) from 700 BCE, various penalties are listed for cutting sacred trees, including payment of three cows. Felling a sacred tree, or even cutting branches off sacred trees without permission was against the law because people saw trees as so holy, they must be protected. Druids also used the Ogham, an ancient form of divination that used the lore of trees to divine the future. The Ogham is an Irish alphabet that appeared in either the third or first century CE and is used as a list of 20 different characters for divination, each of them symbolizing a different tree. Today, magic and fortune telling is done with the staves of the Ogham oracle, and the power of each tree is drawn upon for guidance and strength.
Trees in Islam
The Quran has multiple scriptural passages that speak of the sacredness of trees. Planting a tree is considered an act of charity, or sadaqa and Muhammad, the prophet of Allah counseled against harming trees. In some parts of the ancient world where Islam originated, there were not a lot of places that could sustain plentiful vegetation, so all plants, trees included, were valued , respected, and appreciated. They brought shade to hot, sunny areas, and grew food for people to eat. The Quran described the gardens of Paradise in the afterlife as a reprieve from the heat of the desert. The olive tree symbolized purity, like it did in the Bible, and the date palm tree represents devoted Muslims who are strong and unyielding to worldly temptations, and always reaching toward heaven.
Trees, flowers, and all plants in general are considered a gift from Allah, and Muslims are called upon to be thankful and respect trees. One passage reads, “He causes to grow for you thereby the crops, olives, palm trees, grapevines, and of all the fruits. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought.” [An-Nahl: 11] The Tree of Zaqqum was not one that Muslims want to eat from, though. It is believed that it springs forth from hell, has fruit shaped like devil’s heads, and it is the food of the sinful. It is said to boil in the stomachs of the damned and its very name means “poison”. It is believed by some this tree grows from the seeds of evil deeds. Read about Sagittarius Zodiac Flowers: Sagittarius Zodiac Flowers | Mysticsense
Trees in Buddhism
In Buddhism, trees are believed to be living organisms that deserve respect and protection. Buddhist monks wrap some trees in sacred robes and they ordain others as holy. They were where the Buddha lived many of the most important moments of his life. The Bodhi Tree, or The Tree of Life is a sacred fig tree where the Buddha reached enlightenment while in meditation in India close to 2,500 years ago. It represents enlightenment, the connection of all things with one another, personal growth, stability, and it is a symbol of all that Buddhism embodies. By 1876, the tree had decayed and was decimated by a storm, so a new one was planted in its place in 1881. Two trees were planted from seeds from the Bodhi tree, one in another part of India, and one in Sri Lanka.
It is believed the Bodhi tree is at the navel of the earth and no other place on the planet could support such a sacred tree. The Buddha was also born amongst trees. His mother, Queen Maya, gave birth to him in a grove of trees, holding on to a teak tree as he emerged fully grown from her right side. The Buddha even died amongst trees. It was written he was suffering from food poisoning when he was in his 80’s, and asked to be positioned with his head facing north between two trees.
Trees in Germanic Lore
Another powerful tree of life is the World Tree of ancient Germanic lore, also called Yggdrasil. The name of the tree is a combination of Yggr, one of the father god Odin’s names, which means “ the terrifier” and Drasil, which means “horse”, so Yggdrasil means Odin’s horse. All nine of the realms the Germanic lore states encompass creation rest in the tree’s branches, with each realm having its own branch and it was believed if the tree shook, the realms would come crashing down. Odin hung himself from this tree to gain knowledge, making himself a human sacrifice to himself, and when he endured this, he gained the wisdom of the rune stones. Read about runes here: What Are Rune Stones and How to Use Them | Mysticsense
The whole world and the magical mysteries of divination are contained in these trees, but they also hold a way for human beings to communicate with Odin because it is believed by some that Odin speaks to believers through the runes. There are three roots of this tree, that hold it, and all the world up, but various creatures threaten to destroy the tree’s roots. It is also believed the first living being was born from the poison of a creature that lives amongst the roots. The World Tree might be considered a cosmic reality by some and a metaphor by others, but the stories about it hold great truth. All life in all parts of the universe are deeply connected, and destruction of one part of creation threatens all that exists.
Types of Tree Meanings
It might be true that some people believe that all trees are sacred, but not all trees have the exact same sacred meaning. Some trees have multiple meanings in different cultures, but there are some basic meanings you can learn and use the symbolism in your own spirituality. The mighty oak, the immortal pine, the spectacular banyan, the sacred linden also have their own special lore all about their power and deep meanings.
Oak
Over 500 different species of oak trees are dotted all over places in Asia, Europe, the Americas, and North Africa and they have been around for at last 55 million years. Some oak trees can live up to 2,000 years and can withstand being struck by lightning better than most other trees, so they symbolize endurance, strength, wisdom and protection. They are sacred to the god Zeus and in ancient Greece, a center of divination marked by a mighty oak was attended by priests. They would divine omens by the oak’s leaves. The acorns oaks produce are used as food by both people and animals, and the oak tree’s acorns symbolize nourishment and wealth. Read about divination: Reading Reversals in Divination | Divination Tool| Mysticsense
Pine
Scattered throughout the Northern Hemisphere, pine trees are called evergreens, not losing their leaves in winter, and seeming to live forever no matter what. Some grow to be over 260 feet tall, and the oldest known pine tree is over 4,800 years old, and to protect it, the location of this tree is a well-guarded secret Almost all parts of the pine is used in foods and teas, and the pine represents longevity, steadfastness, and beauty. Because of their longevity, they represent immortality and their pine cones represent fertility. Sweeping the ground with a pine branch purifies the ground, and pinecones can be used in fertility rituals.
Banyan
Members of the fig family, banyan trees can grow to be up to 100 feet tall, but they spread their roots constantly, and even their branches can form roots which settle into the soil and create new offspring. Over time, one tree will eventually combine with all the offspring to form a dense cluster, and it is described as looking like an entire grove of trees. The tree represents fulfilment of wishes and gifts of wealth to devotees of the gods. The tree is protective and it is believed that Krishna absorbed the world into himself during a great flood that was destroying everything, and while he did this, he safely floated on a banyan leaf. The banyan tree symbolizes immortality due to how it expands itself and sitting beneath a banyan tree can help fill you with positive energy for healing. Read about positive affirmations: The Power Of Positive Affirmations | Mysticsense
Linden
Linden trees grow throughout the Northern Hemisphere and are also called basswood trees. The trees are hermaphroditic, with both male and female parts within their own flowers, and bees pollinate them. The Scythians used linden trees for divination, especially to answer questions about matters of the heart, and the ancient Romans brought blossoms from the linden tree to their altars to create love. The Linden tree has sacred meaning to the goddess Freyja, Germanic goddess of war, sex, and love, and the heart shaped leaves of the tree are a reminder of her. Because it was believed it is impossible to lie while standing under a linden tree, marriages would take place beneath the linden, and people would meet to have legal proceedings beneath the linden trees.
Dreams About Trees
Dreams about trees can have different meanings depending on exactly what is happening in the dream. If you dream you are in a peaceful grove of trees, it means you are being healed. If you dream of a tree that is falling, this can point out that fears are weakening you, and you need to stand strong, no matter how afraid you are. If you dream of trees that have already fallen, it can indicate illness or death in your family. Dreaming of planting trees means you are about to participate in creating something new and dreams about growing saplings represent new beginnings. If you dream of eating from fruit trees, it means that you are blessed with abundance and can enjoy the rewards of the hard work you have done. Dreaming of dead trees means you need to walk away from a situation or a relationship because it is literally over. Read about interpreting dreams: How to Interpret Dreams Spiritually | Mysticsense
Tree Symbolism & Psychic Readings
Trees represent a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but everybody agrees that trees are living beings who support life on earth by creating the very air we breathe. They feed us, provide shade, and keep the soil from being washed away by the rains. People of many different religions hold trees as sacred, worthy of protection, and won’t allow anybody to harm them. Trees hold healing, food, and ancient wisdom within them. When you are in the presence of trees, their spirits can center you for worship and when you dream of trees, pay extra attention, because they hold a powerful message for you.
Have you had vivid dreams or visions about trees, and you are not sure what the spiritual significance of those dreams are? At Mysticsense, we have hundreds of psychicsavailable to help guide you to the messages your visions are giving you.
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