Knowledge (XXG)

Trees in mythology

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from at least 3000 years ago. Here one of the brothers leaves his heart on the top of the flower of the acacia and falls dead when it is cut down. Sometimes, however, the tree is a mysterious token which shows its sympathy with an absent hero by weakening or dying, as the man becomes ill or loses his
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Sometimes the new-born child is associated with a newly planted tree with which its life is supposed to be bound up; or, on ceremonial occasions (betrothal, marriage, ascent to the throne), a personal relationship of this kind is instituted by planting trees, upon the fortunes of which the career of
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The custom of transferring disease or sickness from humans to trees is well known. Sometimes the hair, nails, clothing, etc. of a sickly person are fixed to a tree, or they are forcibly inserted in a hole in the trunk, or the tree is split and the patient passes through the aperture. Where the tree
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the individual depends. Sometimes, boughs or plants are selected and the individual draws omens of life and death. Again, a person will put themselves into relationship with a tree by depositing upon it something which has been in close contact with them, such as hair or clothing.
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Bell's New Pantheon; Or, Historical Dictionary of the Gods, Demi-gods, Heroes, and Fabulous Personages of Antiquity: Also, of the Images and Idols Adored in the Pagan World; Together with Their Temples, Priests, Altars, Oracles, Fasts, Festivals, Games
71:, and the annual death and revival of their foliage, have often seen them as powerful symbols of growth, death and rebirth. Evergreen trees, which largely stay green throughout these cycles, are sometimes considered symbols of the eternal, 252:
The world tree, with its branches reaching up into the sky, and roots deep into the earth, can be seen to dwell in three worlds - a link between heaven, the earth, and the underworld, uniting above and below. This great tree acts as an
341:, and if they were cut down by mortals, the gods punished them since the beings in the trees were believed to die. Important sacred trees are also the object of pilgrimage, one of the most noteworthy being the branch of the 379:. Propitiation is made before the axe is laid to the holy trees; loss of life or of wealth and the failure of rain are feared should they be wantonly cut; there are even trees which it is dangerous to climb. The Talein of 353:
has been thus injured, its recovery and that of the patient are often associated. Different explanations may be found of such customs which naturally take rather different forms among peoples in different grades.
360:; sacrifices are made, and the sick who sleep beneath them receive prescriptions in their dreams. Here, as frequently elsewhere, it is dangerous to pull a bough. This dread of damaging special trees is familiar: 569:, an element of the plot is the Nemeton, a sacred tree from which druids draw power through human sacrifices, and which later acts as a beacon, drawing supernatural entities to the nearby town of Beacon Hills. 494:
series, one of the main religions, that of "the old gods" or "the gods of the North", involves sacred groves of trees ("godswoods") with a white tree with red leaves at the center known as the "heart tree".
209:) prayers. Wreaths, ribbons or rags are suspended to win favor for sick humans or livestock, or merely for good luck. Popular belief associates the sites with healing, bewitching, or mere wishing. 653: 137: 349:
brought thither before the Christian era. The tree spirits will hold sway over the surrounding forest or district, and the animals in the locality are often sacred and must not be harmed.
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In many parts of the world travelers have observed the custom of hanging objects upon trees in order to establish some sort of a relationship between themselves and the tree. Throughout
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Early Buddhism held that trees had neither mind nor feeling and might lawfully be cut; but it recognized that certain spirits might reside in them, such as
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life. These two features very easily combine, and they agree in representing to us mysterious sympathy between tree and human life.
391:, a tree either located at the end of a valley or on a cliff near the sea, is used by the soul as a gateway to the Underworld (AKA 1176: 220:
recorded a tree honored by numerous offerings (rags, meat, cigars, etc.); libations were made to it, and horses were sacrificed.
1181: 543: 1171: 67:, and have been given deep and sacred meanings throughout the ages. Human beings, observing the growth and death of 1186: 940: 565: 163: 53: 862: 708: 703: 633: 501: 1153: 930: 490: 905: 497:
In Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows, the Fjerdans worship a god called Djel, symbolized as a white ash tree.
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instructed the woodman to sacrifice to the male or female deity before thinning a grove, while in the
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were seen as manifestations of a goddess who offers her blessings by giving fruits in abundance.
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to Aphrodite the tree nymph is wounded when the tree is injured, and dies when the trunk falls.
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of the teacher, and the terebinth of the diviners may reasonably be placed in this category. In
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One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
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people, like the Hometrees, the Tree of Souls and the Tree of Voices as well as Woodsprites.
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were inhabited by gods who gave responses, and so numerous are the examples that the old
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throughout the world reflect a firmly-rooted belief in an intimate connection between a
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The presence of trees in myth sometimes occurs in connection to the concept of the
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was tended by priests who slept on the ground. Forms of the tall oaks of the old
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Nordic Runes: Understanding, Casting, and Interpreting the Ancient Viking Oracle
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as part of the scenery where the soul of the deceased finds blissful repose.
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A History of the Peoples of Siberia: Russia's North Asian Colony 1581-1990
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habitates trees, which are of fundamental importance for the
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stands as a symbol of Gondor in the Court of the Fountain in
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describes a "holy tree" in his poem "The Two Trees" (1893).
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Sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology
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Ziffer, Irit. "WESTERN ASIATIC TREE-GODDESSES". In:
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The Meaning of Trees: Botany, History, Healing, Lore
387:woodman will place a fresh sprig upon the tree. In 333:, oak trees are said to be inhabited by spirits or 383:prays to the tree before he cuts it down, and the 144:both appear to have involved cultic practice in 356:In Arab folklore, sacred trees are haunted by 27:Significance of trees in religion and folklore 181:. Trees are an attribute of the archetypical 8: 1065:Trees in Indian Art, Mythology, and Folklore 435:In literature, a mythology was developed by 410:, or Kadambariyamman, associated with the 132:, trees are often said to be the homes of 1131:20 (2010): 411-30. Accessed May 8, 2021. 1085:. Inner Traditions / Bear & Company. 735: 63:are significant in many of the world's 114:tree of the knowledge of good and evil 519:In the third (sixth chronologically) 310:Often a tree will be associated with 7: 1133:http://www.jstor.org/stable/23789949 1103:The Forest in Folklore and Mythology 755: 753: 751: 749: 747: 745: 743: 741: 739: 402:, such as Puliyidaivalaiyamman, the 694:Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil 426:A temple in India with the sacred 25: 158:itself possibly derives from the 760: 1106:. Courier Dover Publications. 1024:. Cambridge University Press. 453:combines the allegorical tale 443:playing a central role in his 1: 1079:Mountfort, Paul Rhys (2003). 1100:Porteous, Alexander (2002). 87:occurs in many mythologies. 1205: 1035:Gollwitzer, Gerda (1984). 941:University of Hawaii Press 884:"The Voyage of the Beagle" 575:Tree worship in Chandigarh 447:cosmogony. Tolkien's 1964 227: 194: 1063:Malla, Bansi Lal (2000). 1039:, DuMont Buchverlag Köln. 164:Egyptian Book of the Dead 1043:Hageneder, Fred (2005). 987:Die Mythologie der Bäume 807:"Teutonic Peoples"  488:In George R.R. Martin's 1177:Mythological archetypes 1018:Forsyth, James (1992). 993:Brosse, Jaques (1989). 895:Mountfort 2003:41, 279. 839:Encyclopædia Britannica 813:Encyclopædia Britannica 787:Encyclopædia Britannica 709:Tree of life (Kabbalah) 704:Tree of life (biblical) 634:Mesoamerican world tree 1154:Encyclopedia Americana 576: 510: 491:A Song of Ice and Fire 431: 249: 148:, especially grove of 57: 42:is believed to be the 995:Mythologie des arbres 984:Becker, Lore (2002). 574: 535:worship trees on the 504: 468:The Lord of the Rings 425: 269:Religion and folklore 237: 90:Examples include the 33: 1148:"Tree Worship"  774:Cook, Stanley Arthur 629:List of tree deities 537:forest moon of Endor 473:White Tree of Gondor 441:Two Trees of Valinor 299:Tale of Two Brothers 94:and the sacred fig ( 1182:Religious practices 1129:Ägypten Und Levante 1049:. Chronicle Books. 1037:Botschaft der Bäume 852:Gollwitzer 1984:13. 594:Celtic sacred trees 79:. The image of the 1172:Trees in mythology 936:Hawaiian Mythology 915:J. Bell. pp.  865:. Oxford Reference 577: 554:Pandoran biosphere 544:fictional universe 528:Return of the Jedi 511: 432: 389:Hawaiian tradition 250: 138:Germanic mythology 58: 1187:Trees in religion 1003:978-2-228-88711-3 679:Sidrat al-Muntaha 563:In the TV series 142:Celtic polytheism 16:(Redirected from 1194: 1158: 1150: 1117: 1096: 1060: 973: 972: 961: 955: 954: 927: 921: 920: 902: 896: 893: 887: 881: 875: 874: 872: 870: 859: 853: 850: 844: 843: 835: 824: 818: 817: 809: 798: 792: 791: 766: 764: 763: 757: 624:Karam (festival) 609:Enchanted forest 505:Tree worship at 462:On Fairy-Stories 437:J. R. R. Tolkien 295:Ancient Egyptian 21: 1204: 1203: 1197: 1196: 1195: 1193: 1192: 1191: 1162: 1161: 1145: 1142: 1124: 1122:Further reading 1114: 1099: 1093: 1078: 1057: 1042: 981: 976: 969:www.khandro.net 963: 962: 958: 951: 943:. p. 155. 931:Martha Beckwith 929: 928: 924: 904: 903: 899: 894: 890: 882: 878: 868: 866: 863:"locus amoenus" 861: 860: 856: 851: 847: 826: 825: 821: 800: 799: 795: 772: 761: 759: 758: 737: 733: 728: 599:Ceremonial pole 584: 516: 420: 275:popular stories 271: 263:Norse mythology 247:Norse mythology 232: 226: 199: 193: 97:Ficus religiosa 45:Ficus religiosa 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1202: 1201: 1198: 1190: 1189: 1184: 1179: 1174: 1164: 1163: 1160: 1159: 1141: 1140:External links 1138: 1137: 1136: 1123: 1120: 1119: 1118: 1112: 1097: 1091: 1076: 1061: 1055: 1040: 1033: 1016: 1013:Rivers of Life 1009:Forlong, James 1006: 991: 990:, Papyrus 1-2. 980: 977: 975: 974: 956: 949: 922: 897: 888: 876: 854: 845: 830:, ed. (1911). 828:Chisholm, Hugh 819: 804:, ed. (1911). 802:Chisholm, Hugh 793: 782:Chisholm, Hugh 734: 732: 729: 727: 726: 721: 716: 711: 706: 701: 696: 691: 686: 681: 676: 671: 666: 661: 656: 651: 646: 641: 639:Nature worship 636: 631: 626: 621: 616: 611: 606: 604:Christmas tree 601: 596: 591: 585: 583: 580: 579: 578: 561: 540: 515: 514:In film and TV 512: 499: 498: 495: 486: 480: 459:and his essay 456:Leaf by Niggle 419: 416: 397:Ancient Indian 270: 267: 228:Main article: 225: 222: 195:Main article: 192: 189: 50:Gautama Buddha 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1200: 1199: 1188: 1185: 1183: 1180: 1178: 1175: 1173: 1170: 1169: 1167: 1156: 1155: 1149: 1144: 1143: 1139: 1134: 1130: 1126: 1125: 1121: 1115: 1113:0-486-42010-8 1109: 1105: 1104: 1098: 1094: 1092:0-89281-093-9 1088: 1084: 1083: 1077: 1074: 1073:81-7305-179-8 1070: 1066: 1062: 1058: 1056:0-8118-4823-X 1052: 1048: 1047: 1041: 1038: 1034: 1031: 1030:0-521-47771-9 1027: 1023: 1022: 1017: 1014: 1010: 1007: 1004: 1000: 996: 992: 989: 988: 983: 982: 978: 970: 966: 960: 957: 952: 950:9780824805142 946: 942: 938: 937: 932: 926: 923: 918: 914: 913: 907: 901: 898: 892: 889: 885: 880: 877: 864: 858: 855: 849: 846: 841: 840: 834: 833:"Norns"  829: 823: 820: 815: 814: 808: 803: 797: 794: 789: 788: 783: 779: 775: 770: 769:public domain 756: 754: 752: 750: 748: 746: 744: 742: 740: 736: 730: 725: 722: 720: 717: 715: 712: 710: 707: 705: 702: 700: 697: 695: 692: 690: 687: 685: 682: 680: 677: 675: 672: 670: 667: 665: 662: 660: 659:Sacred garden 657: 655: 652: 650: 647: 645: 644:New Year tree 642: 640: 637: 635: 632: 630: 627: 625: 622: 620: 619:Gerichtslinde 617: 615: 612: 610: 607: 605: 602: 600: 597: 595: 592: 590: 587: 586: 581: 573: 568: 567: 562: 559: 555: 551: 550: 545: 541: 538: 534: 530: 529: 524: 523: 518: 517: 513: 508: 503: 496: 493: 492: 487: 484: 481: 478: 474: 470: 469: 464: 463: 458: 457: 452: 451: 450:Tree and Leaf 446: 442: 438: 434: 433: 429: 424: 418:In literature 417: 415: 413: 409: 408:tamarind tree 406:deity of the 405: 401: 398: 394: 390: 386: 382: 378: 374: 369: 367: 363: 359: 354: 350: 348: 344: 340: 336: 332: 328: 325: 321: 317: 314:. The oak of 313: 308: 304: 301: 300: 296: 292: 288: 284: 280: 276: 268: 266: 264: 260: 256: 248: 244: 240: 236: 231: 223: 221: 219: 215: 214:South America 210: 208: 204: 198: 191:Wishing trees 190: 188: 186: 185: 184:locus amoenus 180: 176: 171: 169: 165: 162:for oak. The 161: 157: 156: 151: 147: 146:sacred groves 143: 139: 135: 131: 127: 126:folk religion 123: 119: 115: 111: 107: 103: 99: 98: 93: 88: 86: 82: 78: 74: 70: 66: 62: 55: 54:enlightenment 51: 47: 46: 41: 37: 32: 19: 1152: 1128: 1102: 1081: 1064: 1045: 1036: 1019: 1012: 994: 985: 979:Bibliography 968: 959: 935: 925: 910: 900: 891: 886:, Chapter IV 879: 867:. Retrieved 857: 848: 837: 822: 811: 796: 785: 778:Tree-Worship 699:Tree of life 684:Talking tree 669:Sacred herbs 664:Sacred grove 564: 547: 546:of the film 526: 520: 489: 477:Minas Tirith 466: 460: 454: 448: 412:kadamba tree 400:tree deities 370: 366:Homeric poem 355: 351: 309: 305: 297: 272: 251: 211: 200: 182: 179:sacred grove 172: 153: 134:tree spirits 122:Christianity 95: 89: 81:Tree of life 60: 59: 48:under which 43: 18:Tree worship 689:Trail trees 483:W. B. Yeats 393:Pit of Milu 373:Nang Takian 279:human being 175:sacred tree 160:Celtic word 152:. The term 140:as well as 73:immortality 65:mythologies 1166:Categories 731:References 719:World tree 649:Plant soul 614:Five Trees 589:Axis mundi 445:mythopoeic 339:hamadryads 331:Greek myth 255:axis mundi 230:World tree 224:World tree 85:world tree 36:Bodhi Tree 906:John Bell 776:(1911). " 714:Wish tree 566:Teen Wolf 522:Star Wars 347:Sri Lanka 327:terebinth 320:Prussians 273:Numerous 259:Yggdrasil 243:World Ash 239:Yggdrasil 207:Christian 197:Wish Tree 168:sycamores 166:mentions 77:fertility 52:attained 40:Bodh Gaya 1011:(1883). 933:(1976). 908:(1790). 582:See also 509:in India 395:). Some 377:Thailand 177:and the 130:folklore 106:Buddhism 102:Hinduism 1157:. 1920. 965:"Trees" 869:23 June 784:(ed.). 771::  674:Sefirot 552:, the 542:In the 385:African 343:Bo tree 337:called 312:oracles 118:Judaism 110:Jainism 1110:  1089:  1071:  1053:  1028:  1001:  947:  780:". In 765:  549:Avatar 531:, the 525:film, 507:Kannur 471:, the 439:, his 428:banyan 335:nymphs 324:Hebrew 316:Dodona 291:flower 281:and a 241:, the 218:Darwin 203:Europe 112:, the 92:banyan 724:Zapis 558:Na'vi 533:Ewoks 465:. In 404:Tamil 381:Burma 287:plant 261:from 155:druid 124:. In 100:) in 69:trees 61:Trees 1108:ISBN 1087:ISBN 1069:ISBN 1051:ISBN 1026:ISBN 999:ISBN 945:ISBN 871:2016 430:Tree 362:Cato 358:jinn 283:tree 128:and 120:and 108:and 34:The 919:–7. 917:366 912:... 375:in 345:at 289:or 245:of 212:In 150:oak 116:of 83:or 75:or 38:of 1168:: 1151:. 1067:, 997:, 967:. 939:. 836:. 810:. 738:^ 285:, 265:. 216:, 187:. 136:. 104:, 1135:. 1116:. 1095:. 1075:. 1059:. 1032:. 1005:. 971:. 953:. 873:. 539:. 479:. 20:)

Index

Tree worship

Bodhi Tree
Bodh Gaya
Ficus religiosa
Gautama Buddha
enlightenment
mythologies
trees
immortality
fertility
Tree of life
world tree
banyan
Ficus religiosa
Hinduism
Buddhism
Jainism
tree of the knowledge of good and evil
Judaism
Christianity
folk religion
folklore
tree spirits
Germanic mythology
Celtic polytheism
sacred groves
oak
druid
Celtic word

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