The Tree of Life

The universal symbol of interconnectedness and integration

The name Life Tree was inspired from the universal Tree of Life. I have long held an affinity and awe for trees, finding comfort in their presence and strength in their solidity. They invoke a sense of calmness and ground me in the moment.

This universal symbol has been recognised across time in many ancient philosophies, and lineages of peoples, from Yggdrasil, the Nordic Tree of Life, to the Kabbalistic Tree of Life and from Asia to the Anglo Saxons and Celts.

It portrays unifying themes and sacred interpretations that reflect trees as a source of strength, protection, resilience, fertility and wisdom. Trees embody the cycles of life and death, of creation, regeneration and rebirth. 

Trees stand as noble sentinels, their trunks strong and unwavering through the storms of life, connecting their branches across time and space, into the ether, with their network of roots, connecting to mother earth.

In this way trees represent the powerful interconnectedness of all living things. These majestic beings are seen as bridges between realms, connecting the divine and the earthly, the spiritual and the human.

It is this interconnectedness that serves as a metaphor for Life Tree Health and Wellness. The branches of a tree represent the various limbs of health and wellness and their connection through the trunk to become whole. No one thing alone is responsible for good or poor health but rather a balance of many elements.

Take a second to close your eyes, and imagine you are a tree, standing strong and brave, feel into your body as you reach your arms high into the skies, and ground through your bare feet into the earth. 

Consider the similarities between human anatomy and physiology to that of a tree. Our brain and spinal cord, reveal a trunk and nerves that form branches, our respiratory system and our lungs, in a similar vein, represent a trachea as a trunk, branching off into the bronchioles and alveoli. The alveoli fill with air on our first breath, providing us - like leaves of a tree – a gas exchange between air and blood.

The similarities don’t end there between trees and humanity. A forest of trees has a collective intelligence, forming communities and kinships. They connect to each other through an underground web of fungal networks and through the air using pheromones. In a way they speak to each other, the mother tree protecting her children, generations passing on their wisdom from elder to apprentice.

Trees arrived on earth perhaps millions of years ahead of humanity. As mammals emerged, a symbiotic relationship between humans and trees formed.

Trees hold practical importance as sources of food, medicine, shelter, and resources. They absorb harmful gases and air pollution from the atmosphere, they store water underground, and prevent soil erosion.

"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness." John Muir

In recognising and honouring the sacredness of trees, we begin to cultivate a deeper appreciation for nature, to foster ecological consciousness, and to seek harmony with the world around us.

Trees invite us to contemplate our place in the larger tapestry of existence and remind us of the sacredness of the natural world. I invite you to give thanks to these ancient beings as a potent reminder that our joy, health and well-being are inextricably intertwined with all living things.