Esoteric Symbolism of the ‘Tree of Life’: A Cross-cultural Perspective

Abstract

The article reviews about esoteric symbolism of the tree of life in shamanic cultures and oriental traditions including classical Hindu and Buddhist systems, together with various esoteric and indigenous traditions. The very idea of the tree of life, in indigenous cultures, which is often called the ‘world tree’ or ‘shamanic tree’, is connected with human illumination process in the form of mystical or ecstatic experience gained through the process of the self-realization. These various forms of mystico-religious experiences could be found in many religious traditions, considered to be cross-cultural phenomena. The author made an attempt to make a classification of chakras and energetic structure of the human body according to cross-cultural analysis of various cultures.

Keywords

Tree of life Kundalini chakras illumination trance ecstasy mystical experience

Introduction

Ancient conception of the tree of life is well known to many indigenous traditions of Europe, Asia, some peoples of Africa and Indians of North and South America, and it had left a great influence on various cosmological and religious worldviews. The symbolism of the tree of life can be also found in classical Hindu texts, for example, the Bhagavādgītā: ‘There is an eternal tree, called ashvattam (lat. Ficus Religiosa), with its roots on the top and branches below, extending up and down the roots with branches filled with results of their actions’ (Rādhākrishnan, 1956, pp. 326–327).

The main mystery regarding its meaning has not yet been fully revealed to the scholars in the fields of ethnography, anthropology and cultural studies. In our study, we presume that the spheres or branches of the tree of life symbolically represent the levels of consciousness and perception that should be transcended by an adept in order to gain salvation or illumination. Many esoteric traditions determine those levels as so-called ‘energetic wheels’ in human body, called the chakras (Sanskrit: cakra, Tibetan: khorlo—‘wheel’). Although, those energy fields are widely known to be of Hindu and Buddhist origin, they could also be found in other traditions, under different names and classifications.

The author made an attempt to make a classification of chakras according to cross-cultural analysis among various traditions. By analyzing the cultural bias of various religious cultures, according to the energetic structure of the human, which has been expressed in the symbolism of the tree of life, it can be concluded that the religion in its essence is actually equal.

Tree of Life: A Cross-cultural Perspective

In the beginning, we shall start with the most and widely known the classical Hindu classification of the tree of life. According to Hindu, Tantra and Yoga philosophy, in order to gain salvation, self-realization or pass the illumination process, an adept should deal with the so-called ‘the serpent power’, or the goddess Kundalini (Sanskrit: kuņdalinī). When Kundalini awakes, it starts to climb along the spine through the central nerve of the column until the top of the head, piercing through all psychic centres, the chakras (Sanskrit: cakra) (Rawson, 1973, p. 116). According to Hindu systems of Yoga and Tantra, chakras are numerous, but in general, the energetic field of the human body consists of seven, eight or nine chakras and 72 thousands of subtle channels (Sanskrit: nadi; Briggs, 1973, p. 287).

The first or root chakra is called the Muladhara (Sanskrit: mūlādhāra). It is placed near anus and represents the place where Kundalini sleeps. The second is the Svadhistana (Sanskrit: svādhişţhāna), representing the reproductive organs (Latin: sacral plexus). The third is Manipura (Sanskrit: māņipūra), the abdomen or ‘inner fire’. From those first three chakras, a physical body is formed. Then comes the Anahata (Sanskrit: anāhata), the heart, representing the dwelling place of the soul, then Vishudhi (Sanskrit: viśuddhī), the throat and Ajna (Sanskrit: ājñā), the place between the eyebrows or ‘the third eye’. Higher above, there is a realm of causal body, with the last chakra, situated on the top of the head, called the Sahasrara (Sanskrit: sahasrāra or brahmarāndhra, ‘the door of Brahman’; Avalon, 1972, p. 6). Everything, what exists, has its potential here. It is a dwelling place of the Void (Sanskrit: śunya), which represents the Absolute, Brahman (Pandit, 1962, p. 39). In heart, there is one channel that leads directly to the 1000-petalled lotus in the brain. If the human consciousness leaves the body through that nerve, he becomes immortal (Olivelle, 1998, p. 403).

Shamans in Bangladesh also consider the human nervous system consisting of chakras or wheels, which correspond to the plexuses or ganglions. Proper use of chakras may help one obtain psychic powers (Anwarukla, 1988).

Concerning Hindu and Buddhist traditions, it is necessary to acknowledge that Buddhism is fundamentally yogic, the differences in philosophy are in terms and techniques, but not in essentials. Freedom from the worldly ignorance is the same doctrine for Hindus and Buddhists, no matter how it is called (Evans-Wentz, 1958, pp. 38–39).

Difference between Buddhist and Hindu systems is based on the fact that last two chakras on the top and first two chakras at the bottom are merged into one chakra, what gives a number of five, instead of seven chakras (Anagarika, 1993). The two centres at the base of the spine Muladhara and Svadhistana are combined into one single chakra (Tibetan: sang-na, gsań-gnas), corresponding to the sacral plexus (Latin: plexus epigastricus). Manipura, ‘the inner fire’ (Tibetan: lte-bahi pa-dma), is identified with the solar plexus. Anahata represents breathing process and is situated inside the area of the heart. Vishuddhi is connected with throat (Latin: plexus cervicus), and Ajna, ‘the third eye’ (Latin: medulla oblongata) is united together with Sahasrara (Tibetan: Hdab-ston; Davy, 1990b, p. 232).

Tibetan Lha-pa mediums while in trance, their consciousness (Tibetan: rnam-shes) departs and enters the body via the central subtle channel (Tibetan: dbu-ma, Sanskrit: avadhūtī), the opening of which is in the fontanel. The possessing deities are said to enter and exit via the subtle nerves (Tibetan: rtsa, Sanskrit: nadi) known as the collateral subtle channels (Tibetan: rkyang-ma and ro-ma), which begin in the ring fingertips. During spirit-possession, the deities reside in the central and two collateral channels. Deities called rtsa-bdag watch over the chakra openings and maintain their integrity (Bellezza, 2005, p. 72).

In Japan, apart from adepts of Zen Buddhism, the shamans are introduced into the esoteric secrets as well. The Hindu Kundalini, taken up into esoteric Buddhism, became Kuvdali (Japanese: Gundari; Ichiriō, 1975). Japanese mediums or shamans are usually women, initiated into the symbolism of tree of life, representing the ‘road to the gods’. Through her ‘mystical marriage’ the shamaness becomes a ‘spirit-woman goddess’, called mikogami. Initiation itself is symbolized by a construction of the bridge of seven arrows and seven boards that connect the earthly realm with the spirit world and is represented by the colours of rainbow. Shamaness must complete this dangerous passage, and successfully establish communication with the spirit world. The completion of this initiatory test demonstrates her mastery of trance. By climbing the rainbow while in an ecstatic state, shaman can deliver souls of the dead to their final resting place (Pratt, 2007, pp. 240–241).

In Turkish languages, rainbow represents the ‘bridge’. The world mountain of Siberian Tatars is divided in seven levels, while Yakut shaman during his mystical journey ascends on the seven-layered mountain (Eliade, 2000). The basic postulates of Yakutian white shamanism, which considered as Tengerism, are that every human sees God in the form that is relevant to his own spiritual development. The divine compassion of God (Yakutian: algysy) descends into the human being through special circles, the chakras (Yakutian: oybon; Afanasev, 2013). The cosmic pillar or the axis mundi in Ostyak tradition shows also the seven cuttings. In Mesopotamia, the union between heaven and earth was symbolically represented by a tower in Babel, in the form of the world mountain with the seven layers. In Central Asia, especially among Turks and Tatars, there is a classification of seven or nine ‘guardians of the Sky’. Buryat shamanism presents symbolism with the nine branches of the world tree (Eliade, 2000)

In Buryat and Mongolian shamanism, while visualizing the spiritual body, and entering into a meditative state, the shaman visualizes himself as the ‘tree’ (Buryatian: turge), surrounded with eternal blue sky (Buryatian: tengeri), at the same time feeling inside of himself vertical axis, parallel with his spinal column (Sarangerel, 2000, p. 67). The world axis is a vertical energy channel running through the centre of the human body (Buryatian: gal; Ermakov, 2007, p. 753). Top of this axis, ends on the top of the head, having direct connection with sky-Tengeri and the beginning of the axis is situated at the base of the spinal cord. The energy from the uppermost chakra on top of the head (Buryatian: zulay) flows down into the human individual soul, the heart chakra (Buryatian: setgel; Sarangerel, 2003). The axis itself is visualized as a pillar with seven chakras, which are connected with different glands including base, sacral and solar plexuses, heart centre, throat, the third eye and chakra on the top of the head (Sarangerel, 2000, p. 68). Shamans of the highest thirteenth/ninth level of initiation (Buryatian: gegen zaarin) are considered as enlightened (Ermakov, 2007, p. 325).

In Native American shamanic tradition, the chakras are called ojos dez lus, ‘the eyes of light’. Incas call them pukios or ‘light wells’. The chakras extend into luminous threads called huasakas reaching beyond the body (Villoldo, 2001, p. 52). A. Villoldo explains the first five chakras as earth chakras and the next four as the sky chakras (Medouz, 1999). The eighth chakra is called wiracocha, ‘the sacred source’. It resides in luminous energy field above the head like the spinning sun. It is our connection with the Great Spirit, the place where God dwells within us. The ninth chakra corresponds to the spirit that is impersonal and infinite (Villoldo, 2001, pp. 73–74). The illumination process according to Inca tradition brings us back into the balance ayni, the proper relationship with everything, everybody and the universe itself (ibid., p. 156).

According to the tradition of Australian aborigines, ‘the clever men’, the Divine Oneness placed many spinning discs in the void, by creating light and gave knowing to each disc. The great celestial rainbow snake is a representation of the consciousness energy and contact with it represents return to the source of all things. Initiation follows a general pattern that involves the six stages: First, the candidate is called by spirit. Then, he is ‘killed’ by the initiation spirits. Whether it is perceived as a ‘death’ or a trance varies by region and tribe. After that, comes the dismemberment, where body parts, usually the internal organs and bones are removed, cleansed and replaced. In the fourth stage, magical objects, for example, crystals and pearl shells, representing the rainbow serpent are added to his body. Then, the candidate is restored to life. After that, he establishes his own contact with the spirits. In various parts of Australia, candidates are prepared to fly to the sky, are operated by spirits of the Dreamtime or receive power directly from the rainbow serpent that lives in the water and is connected with the sky (Pratt, 2007, pp. 30–34).

In Sufī tradition, when the master deems his pupil ready, he gives his ixen or ‘permission’ for ‘mastering the demons’ (Sidky, 1990, p. 294; taskheer-i-afreed) and obtaining occult powers for himself. These powers are obtained after initiation (chilla neshastan) or the completion of the formulae (qasida pukhtan). During initiation, master instructs his pupil to draw seven circles on the ground, one within the other. When he performs the ritual formulae (xikir), the initiate must sit at the centre of the innermost circle. Such circles are believed to be barriers against spirit invasion, for each one of the seven the initiate has been taught special formulae, which simultaneously force particular spirits (jinnd) into submission. During xikir, the initiate recites, passages from the Koran, magical formulae or simply the name of Allah (Sidky, 1990, p. 295).

Such recitation compels the jinnd to materialize before the initiate, who is instructed to look down, but also to focus his vision on the boundaries of the outermost circle. Here, it is said, the spirits first appear. The jinnd manifest to the initiate beyond the outermost circle, trying by means of tricks and illusions, to have him leave the safety of his circles. Even a momentary pause may allow spirits to breach the magical barriers, and so to kill him. As the initiate continues his recitation, he passes through various mental states, during which he may feel himself to be dying, to be burning up in flames or to be wasting away. These are illusions created by the malicious jinnd. Each time the initiate encounters a particular rank of jinnd and is able to withstand its supernatural assaults, it is said that he has succeeded in enslaving that particular spirit. Subsequently, he will be able to use the powers of this jinnd in his shamanic practices (ibid., pp. 295–296).

According to M. N. Aidarov, the composition of the holy Gaib-iran (Gaib-iran-kryk-chilten, gha’ib-iran-kyrk-cihilten, ‘forty companions, saints’) is also divided into seven categories. The supreme one is Qutb (‘the chief of God’s saints upon earth’). The second category is Emanman, the two viziers of Qutb. One is found at the right, Alem-i melekut (the heavens above), the left is called Alem-i meleke (the material world). The third category is Evtad (four cardinal points on earth). The fourth, the Budela (saintly persons maintained by God), consists of seven saints. The fifth Ruqaba (seven seers) are called simply ‘the seven’. The sixth category is called Nujeba (noble ones), 40 persons called ‘chilten’ and the seventh category called Nuqaba (deans of communities), 366 persons, divided into two divisions, Iqrar (those who declare) and Umena (those who conceal; Paksoy, 1989).

The ancient Egyptian Osiris Mysterium refers to the inner soul of the human being, by determining the process of rebirth and human soul’s drama. It is the prototype of initiation for adepts, who endeavour to awaken the eternal within themselves. The parts of the Osiris’s body were dissected into 14 parts, seven active and seven spiritual psychic potencies. From there originated the Egyptian teachings of the ‘seven souls’. The soul, after the death had to travel through seven chambers, symbolically representing human nature in seven spiritual-psychic potencies: Chu/Khu representing Amun Ra, Chiab (Horus), Ba (Thot, Anubis), Ab (Osiris), Ka (Set-Typhon), Anch (Hator-Isis) and Chat (Geb). The mummy and vital principle Anch (Sycamore of Hathor) represent the ‘tree of life’. If all chambers are transcended, the initiate becomes the enlightened one (Helmond, 1997).

The Egyptian Book of Dead classifies the seven arits, with their ‘doorkeepers’. When the spirit of an adept reaches the seventh arit, represented as the crown, where the knowledge and magical power of the great eye are stored, it symbolizes the defence of Osiris, and accomplishment of his journey, which is often represented by ascending into the sky—Tuat (Wallis Budge, 1895). The Egyptian sun god Amon-Ra flew in the form of a goose over the primordial waters (Stutley, 2003, p. 33).

The African Ausar classification of the chakras corresponds with the Kamitic tree of life: Amen-Ba represents the true self, first manifestation of the supreme being, Tehuti-Kmu is connected with divine will, Seker-Shekom is the source of spiritual power, Maat-Ab represents truth, joy, Herukuti is associated with inner law, Sahu-heru with individual will, Ket-heru expresses creative imagery, Sebek is connected with logic, Auset is associated with false self, connected with past experiences, Geb creates the physical body (Ausar, 1996).

Greek mysticism corresponds to the system of seven chakras, whose structure is described in Plato’s account of the ‘Parts of the Soul’ in the Timaeus: Crown represents the connection between heaven and human brain (Greek: koruphe, Latin: vertex), representing the illumination. In Hindu tradition, it is connected with Sahasrara chakra. Brain, psyche, anima or vital spirit (Greek: enkephalos, Latin: cerebrum) corresponds with Ajna chakra. Neck is the boundary between the divine and mortal soul (Greek: trachelos, Latin: collum). It is associated with purification process of the Vishuddhi chakra. Heart/lungs (Greek: phrenes, Latin: cor) is the higher part of the mortal soul. As Animus, it represents the vital breath (Greek: pneuma, Latin: spiritus, Sanskrit: prāņa) of the Anahata chakra. Belly, lower part of the mortal soul (Greek: gaster, Latin: abdomen), is connected with Manipura chakra. Gonads represent life essence (Greek: gonades, Latin: genitalia), associated with procreation and Svadhisthana chakra. Sacrum is called the holy bone or life force (Greek: hieron, Latin: osteon os sacrum) and is associated with Muladhara chakra. The spine, symbolically representing the tree of life is called the ‘holy tube’ (Latin: hiera surinx, Sanskrit: śuşumnā, avadhūtī), sometimes represented in the form of the Egyptian pillar (Opsopaus, 1994).

According to the ancient Roman Eleusian Mysteries, the Crown represents the divine spirit, light, the god Zeus. Brain, vital spirit represents the divine nature (Latin: anima mundi). Wisdom, son symbolizes the Christos—Dionysos. The Reason, Logos is connected with Hermes. The soul, Psyche is manifested as Persephone. Animal soul is represented in the form of Eros. Astral nature of the astral body is by symbolized Demeter and physical body is manifested as Pluto (Helmond, 1997).

The tree of life for the Celtic Druids was the oak. Even the etymology of the term ‘Druid’ comes from the root DR, meaning the ‘tree, oak’ (Squire, 2005, p. 33). Ancient Druidical teachings of the Celts define 10 spheres of the tree of life. Celi, the Hidden (Kay-lee), Perydd, the Cause (Per-uth), Dofydd, the Tamer (Dov-uth), Ener, the Namer (Enn-er), Modur, the Mover (Mo-dir), Muner, the Lord (Minn-er), Byw, the Living (Be-oo), Byth, the Eternal (Bith), Ner, the Mighty (Ner) and Naf, the Shaper (Nahv). These spheres of the tree of life are assigned to the three circles of existence: Abred—Release, corresponding to spheres from Naf up to Byw. This is the circle of incarnate life, Gwynfydd—Luminous Life, the astral plane corresponding to the spheres from Muner up to Ener, associated with the circle of discarnate life, Ceugant—Empty Circle, corresponding to the spheres from Dofydd up to Celi. It represents divine presence that can be traversed by no created being (Greer, 2013, pp. 27–28).

Cabbalistic view of chakras corresponds with the Jacob’s ladder on the Yeziratic tree: Yesod (base) is connected to the lower karmas and painful experiences. Hod-Nezah (sacral) is realm of the ‘unconscious’, represented in the form of purgatory. Tiferet (navel) represents the realm of heaven. Gevurah-Hesed (heart) represents freewill and unconditional love. Da’at (throat) represents manifested individuality. On Jacob’s ladder, it would relate to the Yesod of Beriah. Binah-Hokhmah (the third eye) is the higher intellect, which enables the short way to the enlightenment. Keter (crown) of the expanded awareness represents the source of all chakras. It corresponds to Keter of Yezirah overlapping with the Tiferet of Beriah and Malkhut of Azilut. In Cabbala, an individual whose all chakras are fully awakened would be called the Messiah (Kenton, 2004).

Old slavic system contains 144 chakras, but nine of them are considered as the most important: Rodnik, the scalp, representing the true self (old slavic: temnits’a ya, ya esm’ duh—‘the dwelling place of the self, the Spirit’), from where the divine energy falls down into a human. Then, Chelo, place between the eyebrows, that gives abilities of extrasensory perception. Usta corresponds with the throat (old slavic: u-‘connection’, sta-‘continuity’). Lelya is associated with the heart, particularly left part of the chest, manifesting intuition. Lada is situated within the right part of the chest, connected with mechanical perception. Persi, Yarlo represents the solar plexus. Zhivot is associated with navel. Zarod are the sexual organs. Istok is considered as the base or coccyx. If the energy flows freely through all the chakras on the axis, parallel with spine, the person gains supernatural psychic powers (Velemudr, 2010).

In Christianity, there is a myth about the seven seals. The Douce of Apocalypse miniature shows the revealed Lord God Almighty on his throne, and at his feet the lamb with the book sealed with seven seals: ‘When the lamb had opened the seventh seal, seven angels stood before the God, and to them were given the seven trumpets’ (Walther & Wolf, 2005, p. 186). In Orthodox Church, P. Florensky explains the ‘seven secrets’ as levels of manifestation of the Holy Spirit. He sympathized the pagan and ancient forms of religion: ‘The pagans new more about God and divine things, because God revealed himself to them, and that knowledge was transmitted from lineage to lineage’. Orthodoxal system of the transcendental self-realization is manifested in the form of the ‘seven secrets’: baptism, anointment, communion, marriage, martyrdom, clergy and penitence. These levels symbolically represent the ascent of the soul, on its way to the illumination, in the form of Logos or the True Light, which represents the very nature of the Christ (Florenskiy, 2004).

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can assume that various religious traditions, when analyzed according to their outer cultural characteristic, seem to differ from each other. But, looking from esoteric perspective of their doctrines and practices, it reveals that they share similar features, which are symbolically represented in the form of ‘tree of life’. All contemplative experiences share similar characteristics, while every culture represents its own form of transcending the ordinary, profane and individual life, by overcoming the borders of strictly human. What they have in common is the need to find the origin of spiritual life, at the same time representing truth and the sense of life (Davy, 1990a, p. 50). We can assume that the Kundalini phenomenon with the tree of life symbolism is wide known to various cultures including indigenous and shamanic traditions. M. Witzel points out the similarity between the African San or Bushmen shamans that they ought to master their inner bodily heat, that moves upwards from the base of spine, what fully resembles the process of Kundalini awakening (Witzel, 2011). I. S. Urbanaeva acknowledges that the Buryat-Mongol shamanic initiation works with the principle of Kundalini energy (Urbanaeva, 2000, p. 143). J. Harrod adds significant depictions of the European Upper Palaeolithic art of a ‘shaman going into trance’, that is represented in geometric or ‘button-circle’ formed figures, that represent the classical Hindu chakra model (Witzel, 2011). In many esoteric traditions, the awakening of the chakras is interpreted as the process of illumination, called the salvation, self-realization, god-realization or freedom from wordily bondages, and that the person, who has reached such state, would be considered as enlightened. So, although it seems that various religious forms have different aims and methods of induction of their mystical experiences, from the esoteric point of view, it can be concluded that the religion, in the essence is actually, equal.

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