MYTHOLOGICAL LORE AND MEANING OF TREES                                                                                       PAGE: | 1 | 2 | 3 |

Throughout history, trees have offered a myriad of gifts: shelter, heat, shade, moisture, fruits, flowers, medicine, oxygen, fertility, clean air and beauty. The lore of trees is woven through time. Trees were held sacred by all recorded ancient civilizations, religions and mythologies. Trees symbolized the bridge between earth and sky, matter and spirit. The tree was seen as a channel of divine power and viewed as the very pinnacle of the plant kingdom, epitomizing the wisdom, strength, nobility and grandeur of nature. Each tree was thought to possess a spirit or "dryad" and embodied a specific meaning.

Acacia - used to build the burial barge of Osiris, Egyptian god of death and rebirth to assure him safe passage to the next world. Sacred among Hebrews, acacia was the wood from which Moses' Ark of the Covenant was made. For the Freemasons, it was the symbol of immortality of the soul, initiation and innocence. Symbolizes rebirth, immortality of the soul, initiation and innocence.

Alder - it is associated with magic, often called "the wood of the witches". It celebrates the connection between all women and the mother/daughter bond. It was associated with the summer solstice. Symbolizes magic and divination.

Ash - it was thought to be the tree from which the essence of humankind originated. To the Celts, it was the tree of balance, symbolic of Universal Order "as above, so below" since the roots of the ash grow as deep as the height of its limbs. Sacred to Poseidon, god of the sea, it was thought to protect seafaring travelers. Symbolizes, balance, harmony, protection and linking of the inner and outer worlds.

Cedar - cedar is an evergreen with strong, aromatic scent. It was known as the "World Tree" from ancient times and was inhabited by the Lord of the Earth, god of wisdom. Because of its strength and durability, it has been one of the most sought after timbers from time immemorial, used to build temples and royal palaces and in shipbuilding. Symbolizes wisdom and strength.

Elm - in English folklore, the elm, which stood at the crossroads leading to the fairy world, was home of the fairies. It was known as the supernatural gate between the world of humans and nature spirits. It is associated with the goddess. Symbolizes the supernatural gate between the worlds, goddess energy.
                                                                                                                                                                 PAGE: | 1 | 2 | 3 |