 Mysticism Runs Through Plants, Trees And Woods
Since time immemorial, plants, flowers and fruits have, with their enthralling beauty and captivating aroma, spoken of a mystic world. Plants stand as the bond between earth and heaven, virtuous and vicious, incorporating both male and female. Even according to Biblical images heaven is a mystic garden where the first male and female were created.
All mythological and religious beliefs aim at preservation of ethnic plants of diverse species, as these rare plants might become extinct if the religious activities are not adhering to them. In Zimbabwe, a 200 year-old palm tree is located with a bulge in its trunk. It has survived, only because it is believed that it holds the roots of a Zimbabwean community. There are some plants known as ‘Shamans’ which supposedly stand at the gateway between life and death as saviors of mankind. Hindu epics like Ramayana, Mahabharata and religious texts such as the Vedas all put combined efforts to preserve forest as a part of cultural heritage. In the Holy Hills of China, wood cutting and hunting are strictly forbidden, as it may endanger their community by making the God of woods furious.
Trees often embody some intangible mystic effects in different communities, like an evergreen tree symbolizes immortality in every religion, as it never sheds leaves in winter. Buddha found the four great truths about mysticism and plants while meditating in the woods. Similarly according to Iroquois cosmology the white pine is a mystic symbol of universal unity and in European traditions the Norse World tree and the Mediaeval Christian tree of life is closely allied with the struggle of growth and prosperity against chaos and degeneration. In Ghana, woods are believed as the home of dwarfs and the realm of Sasabonsam (a legendary figure responsible for the entire human woos and misfortunes). It is also believed in Christian mythology that disciples from Ireland and Bohemia used to escape temptations and take shelter in the woods where the faith of the true believers is put to test. Gradually these woods are held as the primitive church, a place for spiritual enlightenment before the construction of the actual church in stone. In South India and Mesopotamia, the myth of dead spirits populated the land of cultivation, are even held responsible for land’s fertility.
Trees like Birch in Scandinavia, larch in Siberia, redwood in California, iroko in West Africa and fig in India are highly esteemed. Jesus died on the cross made of the tree of Mount Golgotha. The fig tree is revered for sheltering Mother Marry from the furious soldiers of Herod. The oak tree is worshipped by Greeks, Romans, Celts, Europeans have worshipped forests for being the abode of deities and fairies. Islam community started respecting trees as Mohammed defines a virtuous Muslim, akin to a palm tree. The wood’s connotation mystifies with the discovery of the doors of Mecca and Medina, The staff of Moses, The bridges straddling over the long rivers and the ships sailing through the black seas are all made of wood.
Trees and plants remain immensely valuable in the fields of mysticism and spirituality and in every religion trees are planted to denote each auspicious occasion like child birth, wedding or funeral ceremonies. Remember the great “Home tree” of Avatar spreading mysticism all over Pandora?
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