Meaning of symbol Tree of life

[Relam]

Yup, me again dropping new topic, i smell boredom...

As we know symbol tree of life is used by many people around the world and we can found it in many faiths,belief systems and cultures. It's beautiful symbol. I was reading something about meaning and everybody around the world have their own interesting phylosophy.

It has many similar meanings but what exactly they all tried to tell us with this symbol? 

 

I didn't know where to post this topic so i hope this will be the right place..

[Piney]

Among the Lenape it's the pine tree. 

[XenoFish]

The thing about symbolism is that it can mean different things to different people. Even if it's a culturally significant symbol. Though it may have a base definition, which depends on the symbol itself. 

[Piney]

14 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

The thing about symbolism is that it can mean different things to different people. Even if it's a culturally significant symbol. Though it may have a base definition, which depends on the symbol itself. 

I think the Tree of Life concept came about before we left Africa. Even when our ancestors were walking upright they still climbed trees to survive. 

[XenoFish]

2 minutes ago, Piney said:

I think the Tree of Life concept came about before we left Africa. Even when our ancestors were walking upright they still climbed trees to survive. 

Honestly, who really knows. I think the most we can do is speculate. We used to admire nature. Then one god came into the picture and F'd it all up.

[Piney]

My people never practiced cannibalism. In times of famine we ate the inner bark of the pine tree. During the end of the last Ice Age when we lived on the Columbia Plateau they were the only trees there.

[XenoFish]

By the title I thought this would be about the tree of life as in kabbalah. Which is basically just a mind-map.

[Piney]

4 minutes ago, XenoFish said:

By the title I thought this would be about the tree of life as in kabbalah. Which is basically just a mind-map.

There was a member here who passed before you joined that was all into that and mental alchemy. 

[Relam]

48 minutes ago, Piney said:

There was a member here who passed before you joined that was all into that and mental alchemy. 

Sad, it would be great to hear what alchemist have to say.

[Piney]

3 minutes ago, Relam said:

Sad, it would be great to hear what alchemist have to say.

She over complicated things like every over up and coming mystic. I'd rather keep it simple. I took all the "bells and whistles" out of my spiritual tradition. Brought it down to it's basic elements. I learned that trick from the Japanese. They did the same thing with Tibetan Buddhism. My grandfather was always looking for the "source" and trying to get the Christian elements out of our belief. I took it one step further. He traveled the world, met with indigenous Elders. I just sat and thought about it.

[Relam]

1 hour ago, XenoFish said:

Honestly, who really knows. I think the most we can do is speculate. We used to admire nature. Then one god came into the picture and F'd it all up.

I remembered this quote that Nietzsche wrote, he compared a man with tree:

"...But it is the same with man as with the tree. The more he seeks to rise into the height and light, the more vigorously do his roots struggle earthword, downword, into the dark, the deep - into evil."

 

[StarMountainKid]

The tree is intertwined, so it depends on itself for life.

1 hour ago, Piney said:

My people never practiced cannibalism. In times of famine we ate the inner bark of the pine tree. During the end of the last Ice Age when we lived on the Columbia Plateau they were the only trees there.

I read your first two sentences, then noticed you are from New Jersey. (I couldn't resist, sorry.)

Anyway, I love trees and honor them, even did as a kid. Ever been in a deep forest at night, with no artificial light anywhere, with only the stars and maybe the moon above and the forest around you. then in the daytime it seems the forest goes on forever. Gives you quite a different perspective on life. 

[Piney]

Just now, StarMountainKid said:

 Ever been in a deep forest at night, with no artificial light anywhere, with only the stars and maybe the moon above and the forest around you.

All the time since childhood. Even when I'm working sometimes looking for a stray horse or selective logging a farmer-rancher's stand of forest. 

[Piney]

55 minutes ago, Relam said:

I remembered this quote that Nietzsche wrote, he compared a man with tree:

"...But it is the same with man as with the tree. The more he seeks to rise into the height and light, the more vigorously do his roots struggle earthword, downword, into the dark, the deep - into evil."

 

Well, It's not about "Good and Evil" or even "{Good vs Evil" but "The Balance". He was writing from a European perspective. I understand it from a Native American/ Asian one. 

Edited July 20, 2018 by Piney

[Relam]

2 minutes ago, Piney said:

Well, It's not about "Good and Evil" or even "{Good vs Evil" but "The Balance". He was writing from a European perspective. I understand it from a Native American/ Asian one. 

Im about the balance too. 

I think he thought about balance in this writing. Because this sentence describing it: 

"..The more he seeks to rise into the height and light, the more vigorously do his roots struggle earthword in dark/evil"

I think evil is just metaphor for one of two polarities.

[Piney]

Just now, Relam said:

Im about the balance too. 

I think he thought about balance in this writing. Because this sentence describing it: 

"..The more he seeks to rise into the height and light, the more vigorously do his roots struggle earthword in dark/evil"

I think evil is just metaphor for one of two polarities.

I always felt you were in touch with the "Universal Conciousness". 

Evil is a perspective. Before Christian influence I was a necessary evil to combat evil.

After, I was just evil.

They think things like words, books or movies are evil......horse crap.......They've never seen true evil.

 

[lilthor]

3 hours ago, Piney said:

My people never practiced cannibalism. In times of famine we ate the inner bark of the pine tree. During the end of the last Ice Age when we lived on the Columbia Plateau they were the only trees there.

Interesting.  Can you tell me how this is known?

[Piney]

6 hours ago, lilthor said:

Interesting.  Can you tell me how this is known?

Linguistics and lithics. The Algic people were split in half by the Lake Missoula Flood and the Algonquian tribes around there have the least loan words from Iroquoian and Siouian. Techniques used in knapping show a pattern of migration along with the patttern of language growth and movement. 

[lilthor]

6 hours ago, Piney said:

Linguistics and lithics. The Algic people were split in half by the Lake Missoula Flood and the Algonquian tribes around there have the least loan words from Iroquoian and Siouian. Techniques used in knapping show a pattern of migration along with the patttern of language growth and movement. 

Thanks.  I live near the Columbia Plateau (Basin) and am interested in the history of one of the tribes that lived nearby (not much available).

I did not know that pine trees were the only trees around at one time.

[Piney]

5 minutes ago, lilthor said:

Thanks.  I live near the Columbia Plateau (Basin) and am interested in the history of one of the tribes that lived nearby (not much available).

I did not know that pine trees were the only trees around at one time.

The only Algic People that still live near there are the Yurok and Wiyot. The rest of us crossed Canada and spread down the East Coast. Then the Cheyenne moved onto the Plains but not until after contact. 

[lilthor]

4 minutes ago, Piney said:

The only Algic People that still live near there are the Yurok and Wiyot. The rest of us crossed Canada and spread down the East Coast. Then the Cheyenne moved onto the Plains but not until after contact. 

The tribe I am interested in (P'Squosa) remained quite isolated within the eastern flanks of the Cascade range until the arrival of the horse via other tribes.  They were peaceful and lived along what was an incredibly rich salmon fishery that fed into the Columbia River.

They traded fish and huckleberries with other tribes for many centuries but were reduced in number by disease and inter-marriage (before contact).

[Piney]

1 minute ago, lilthor said:

The tribe I am interested in (P'Squosa) remained quite isolated within the eastern flanks of the Cascade range until the arrival of the horse via other tribes.  They were peaceful and lived along what was an incredibly rich salmon fishery that fed into the Columbia River.

They traded fish and huckleberries with other tribes for many centuries but were reduced in number by disease and inter-marriage (before contact).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wenatchi

Had to google them. They speak Salish and live on Collville. Interesting. I've been to the powwow there but didn't know the specifics of any the tribes other than the Nez Perce. 

 

[lilthor]

57 minutes ago, Piney said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wenatchi

Had to google them. They speak Salish and live on Collville. Interesting. I've been to the powwow there but didn't know the specifics of any the tribes other than the Nez Perce. 

 

Yes, I find the history of the P'Squosa (Wenatchi) fascinating.  In 1858, a large group of them were killed by US troops under the command of Major Robert Garnett who was looking for members of another tribe (Yakama) who had killed some miners.  These people were camped up along the White River and were only there to pick berries in late August as they had done since forever.  I have a place near there and I've only known about those events since fairly recently.  The P'Squosa left the area after that and never returned; although I have seen some individuals who come there to spend some time and leave.  It's an incredibly beautiful spot where there is now a "christian camp".

Major Garnett was shortly after recalled to DC and then gained the dubious distinction of being the very first officer killed in the Civil War.

Edited July 20, 2018 by lilthor