Perhaps one of the most recognized Archetypes of mythology is the tree. For our reading today we encountered the World Tree as the Norse Ygdrassil, The Iroquois Celestial Tree and the Christian Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Even non-theistic spiritual traditions such as Buddhism recognize the power of the World Tree as the central nexus of energy that brings life into the universe. We see that Buddha gained enlightenment while sitting under the Bo tree.
Regardless of the tradition we see the tree in it always represents the totality of power behind the universe. If there is a fountain where life comes into the universe it is represented by the tree in myth. Therefore any actions that take place on the tree or in its vicinity take on new significance. Odin was sacrificed on the World Tree in exchange for powerful knowledge about existence. At the center of the Garden of Eden sat the Tree of Knowledge from which four rivers flowed out across creation. This is literally life flowing into the world. In the Iroquois, three seeds from the Celestial Tree are enough to populate the entire planet with life. Christs Cross is also a variant of the World Tree and his sacrifice upon it, like Odin, was a universal sacrifice with great import for humanity. Furthermore the image of the crucified man is a reminder that humanity is bound to the power that drives all life and it is part of his destiny to die and return to that source from which everything flows.
Even the sci-fi thriller Avatar capitalized on this symbol and made millions with the Home Tree which is literally the center of a living entity which consists of their entire planet. In JRR Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and Silmarillion he explores the archetype of the world tree through his Two Trees of the Valinor. Even popular MMO World of Warcraft has numerous references to the World Tree which are all named suspiciously similar to the Norse Ygdrassil.
These are certainly intentional references but they show the extent to which these highly spiritual symbols are a part of our daily lives. I think it is fantastic that modern consumers of popular culture are being fed archetypes as a part of their entertainment. Maybe you've seen some world tree refernces somewhere in popular culture. Let us know.
These are certainly intentional references but they show the extent to which these highly spiritual symbols are a part of our daily lives. I think it is fantastic that modern consumers of popular culture are being fed archetypes as a part of their entertainment. Maybe you've seen some world tree refernces somewhere in popular culture. Let us know.
I defintely agree with you there Mr. Riedl. Trees has been used as a symbol of life and death or good and evil for generations. I believe that the tree has been used to symbolize such significant meaning is due to the fact that trees have been around since the beginning of existence and are known as the one of the oldest forms of living foliage that can be remembered. I believe also that due to the fact that they have been in existence and a part of daily life for so many that the are automatically associated with intelligence or wisdom when depicted in myths or tales. They are known to be the center of life and without them, we really have nothing. They are the main source of shelter for animals and they provide us with clean and healthy air for breathing. Though the concepts of myths have become increasingly popular through modern pop culture and technology, it is still a shame that people are still cutting down foliage such as trees, even entire forests full well knowing what these plants mean to the existence of humanity.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading about trees and mythology a strange thing occured to me, even in Disney movies trees have a great significance. Movies such as A Bugs Life and Alice and Wonderland the trees have a life characteristics. Disney portrayed the tree in ABugs Life as the tree of life and even rolled this idea over to a popular ride at Walt Disney World. Alice and Wonderland personifies trees to cage Alice in. Another popular movie, The Wizard of Oz the trees slap and try to grab the characters in the woods. In all these movies the tree symbolizes life to a point that they posses human traits. This is comparitable to human life in that we all both start from a seed. We need them for o2 and they need us for co2 so we have a co dependant relationship. Without them we could not exist so they are really the center of life.
ReplyDeleteI agree and also believe in the importance of trees and their symbolism. The concept of the tree of life is widely known throughout many different religions, mythologies, science and philosophy.
ReplyDeleteThe readings for today were interesting, and my favorite story was the norse mythology creation story. I had problems understanding it at first, but after watching the videos posted, which were very interesting by the way, I had a lot better of a time understanding what was going on. The reading in the book was interesting because it was talking about genesis, and god was mentioned. This was more relatable to me because, at this point in my life, i find it easier to believe that god created everything and all of mankind, rather than any of the other myths. It seems that that is easier to believe than any of the mythological stories we have been reading and learning about.