Peoples as diverse as the Vikings, ancient Egyptians, Celts, Native Americans, Jewish mystics, and others all told stories of a Tree of Life. Essentially, the Tree of Life helped to explain the divine plan of how people got here and how they should conduct themselves on Earth. The Tree of Life, sometimes referred to as the World Tree or the Tree of Knowledge, appears in the mythology and folklore of cultures around the world. Tree of Life meanings vary slightly from culture to culture. However, a common theme they all share is the idea that a mystical tree connects the physical and spiritual worlds. The Tree of Life symbol represents our personal development, uniqueness and individual beauty. Just as the branches of a tree strengthen and grow upwards to the sky, we too grow stronger, striving for greater knowledge, wisdom and new experiences as we move through life. The Celts saw trees as sacred, and each type had its own mystical purpose. In addition, they believed their ancestors became trees after they died. The Celts saw trees undergo the seasonal cycles, shedding their leaves, being barren, and then regrowing their leaves again, flowering, and bearing fruit. So, for the Celts trees symbolized the cycle of life and rebirth. They believed the natural world was interconnected and that spirits inhabited everything, from trees to rivers, lakes, mountains, and animals. The Egyptians believed that the Tree of Life was the place where life and death were enclosed. East was the direction of life whereas West was the direction of death and the underworld. In Egyptian Mythology, Isis and Osiris (also known as 'the first couple') emerged from the Tree of Life.
