(druids) Sacred trees and their runes are patrons. Sacred trees of the Slavs Vera Begicheva pine sacred trees

For many peoples of Eurasia, trees had a sacred status. Especially the cult of trees was developed among the northern peoples: the Celts, Germans, Finno-Ugric peoples. The Slavs also revered trees.

It is characteristic that the cult of ancestors and the sacredness of trees are interconnected. The tree is a visual metaphor for the connection of generations: roots, trunk, branches. Personal history is superimposed on the history of the world. It is rare that a culture does not use the image of the World Tree. Often this image is central to the unfolding of the world plot.

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, it was the eating of the fruits of the World Tree that led to the beginning of human history: the exodus of man from Paradise. Jesus Christ was crucified on a tree. In Buddhist culture, the Precious Experience of Enlightenment took place under the Boddhi tree. In the Northern tradition, the god Odin received the revelation of the Runes, hanging crucified on the World Tree Yggdrassil.
Wood is one of the deepest archetypes. Although man belongs to another kingdom - the kingdom of animals, there is a special, intimate connection between people and the world of trees. The tree best of all conveys the idea of ​​the connection of generations, the idea of ​​development, coordination with natural cycles as a universal process in the Universe. The tree gives hope for change.

A special property of trees is their direct connection with the Sun, they are worshipers of the solar cult. The food of the tree is Light.

It is born from the earth, returns to the earth, shares the fruits, lives by the light. Who is it? Like this?

Boris Medvid

Below is a photo essay about the northern tradition of honoring pine trees.

Pines - trees of the genus

Modern Finns have preserved the tradition of carving or placing plaques in honor of deceased relatives on ancestral pines.

It is on the pines: in the backyard of the house or in the old cemeteries.

Our Old Believers in Meshchera also had such tablets, special memorial tablets.

Sacred pine, tied with offerings - scraps of fabric. Northern Finland

Russian culture is everywhere recognizable in these photos. One can recall the many revered trees of our North, Karelia, Vologda, Tverschina, Novgorod, the Volga region, Vyatka.

Holy pines on the zhalnik in Gusevo. Novgorod region. Borovichi district

Near the village of Ovino (not far from the village of Tsvylevo) of the former Sugorovsky volost of the Tikhvin district, there is a sacred pine tree, it is located next to the barrows.

They said this about her: "... not far from this village there is a pine tree, around this pine tree there is a fence, in the fence there is a cross in a log house. This pine tree has the name "Three-armed" - its trunk has three large branches; it is more than three of my girths. There is a legend about this pine: neither a saw, nor an ax, nor fire can take it.Some Ivan tried to saw it - his hands withered, some Kuzma wanted to cut it down - his legs withered, some shepherd wanted set fire to it - his house burned down. The water that passed through the hollow of this pine tree and glass down to the roots (a cup is hollowed out at the bottom into which water flows) is considered healing for all diseases ... women, passing by, are baptized on a pine tree. The place near this pine tree is a place for the burial of miscarriages ... here, under the holy tree, he can be buried; "maybe in the next world he will go to paradise"

Until 1523, on the site of present-day Vasilsursk, there was an ancient Mari capital, the fortress of Tsepel. Until now, numerous sacred groves, trees and sources of pagans have been preserved there.

This is the sacred Mari pine Khmelevskaya, the place of traditional sacrifices dedicated to the ancestors.

Sacred pines on Sharshenga. Vologda

The stump of the sacred Velikoretskaya pine. Kirov region. Former votsky settlements were recorded in the Velikoretsky camp of the Khlynovsky district

A few meters from the stump, on the very edge of the steep bank of the Great, there is another pine tree, its mighty roots pass into a also robust trunk, intertwining above the ground and forming a grotto. In this place the descent to the river is steep, clayey, slippery even in dry weather. But the pilgrims diligently, slipping and risking to slide down, clamber up the steep ravine. It turns out that there is a belief: if you crawl between the roots of that pine tree, you won’t get sick with anything all year. And especially zealous ones strive, also for health, to gnaw off at least a piece of the already mentioned stump.

The trunk of an ancient sacred pine tree, in the hollow of which, according to legend, St. Hilarion. Chapel in the name of St. Hilarion of Pskovoezersky in the village. Lakes of the Gdovsky district of the Pskov region.

Photos from open sources

Almost all peoples of the world once worshiped trees. This worship arose long before the main world religions appeared on earth. (website)

In ancient times, people used wood to make weapons, build homes and as fuel. From leaves and tree bark, they made shoes and clothes for themselves. It is no wonder that our distant ancestors considered the tree a symbol of life and the support of the universe, since it combined the lower (underground), middle and upper worlds. From the trees, people asked for health for themselves and their loved ones, the birth of children and a good harvest ...

Over time, the external manifestations of this cult have changed, but today many believe in the mind and power of the green giants living in our neighborhood...

Trees can punish

In some countries, the careful and respectful attitude of people towards trees was manifested in a very cruel way. For example, the ancient Germans practiced this custom: a person who tore off the bark from a living tree was put to a painful death. The unfortunate stomach was torn open and the intestines wound onto the trunk of the same tree.

Photos from open sources

Fortunately, such executions were very rare. People believed that the trees themselves were able to punish their offenders and their entire family. For a damaged trunk, broken branches, and even foul language that sounded near the shrine, the criminal would certainly be punished. Sometimes the punishment happened instantly. For example, in the last century, more than a thousand-year-old turpentine tree, which was considered sacred, grew in Gurzuf. One day, some drunken reveler came up to the trunk of the "green Methuselah" and began to scold. People who were nearby witnessed how the foul language and legs were immediately taken away from the foul language.

Photos from open sources

In ancient times, it was believed that even if cut down and turned into boards or something else, trees retain their strength. Therefore, their disturbed spirits were pacified in every possible way so that a person could fearlessly use the resulting wood. In some places, this custom has survived to this day. So, the inhabitants of the Indonesian island of Celebes (Sulawesi) and today sacrifice to the spirits. Having erected a wooden house, they kill a goat or other sacrificial animal and smear their dwelling with its blood. On the island of Kalimantan (Borneo), the owners of a new wooden building do not go hunting in the forest for a whole year - such is their repentance for the felled trees.

In general, it can be recognized that the worship of trees is a thing of the past for mankind. Although our green brethren have by no means lost their strength because of this ...

sacred tree of malaysia

This story took place relatively recently in the south of Malaysia, in the state of Johor. The builders were laying the road - and on the way they found an ancient temple with a sacred tree growing inside. The disturbing temple was quickly dismantled, but the tree did not want to give up. At first, the crane with which they planned to uproot him collapsed, unable to cope with the task. The next morning, the crane operator refused to continue uprooting. It turned out that he had a nightmare all night in which he was running away from snakes. The master told the crane operator not to talk nonsense and get down to business. He dejectedly trudged to his crane - and in a matter of seconds the man was stung by a cobra.

Photos from open sources

The construction management decided to blow up the tree, but the truck itself, carrying dynamite, exploded. Rumors about these tragedies quickly spread around the area, and it simply became impossible to find those who wanted to fight with the sacred tree. In the meantime, pilgrims were reaching out to him from all sides, and the construction management began to charge them a fee in order to at least slightly compensate for the forced stop of the project. How the sacred tree reacted to this is still unknown, since the confrontation is not over yet ...

Trees as healers

Of course, trees are forced to such actions by unacceptably aggressive behavior of people. In "peaceful conditions" green giants use their power to give us joy and healing. Medicine has long been using everything that plants so generously share with man, but pundits are not yet able to understand the nature of many miracles. Thus, some of us try to logically explain amazing phenomena, others prefer to deny "inconvenient facts", while others simply believe in and receive healing by their faith.

Photos from open sources

Thousands of people come to the suburb of New Delhi, where the sacred mahua tree grows. But until recently, no one suspected the unusual properties of this miracle tree. They appeared when the Mahua was in serious danger. Deciding to cut down the old tree, the gardener approached it with an ax and had already dealt the first blow ... At the same moment, he heard a voice telling him to stop, and froze. The gardener saw a dark red liquid seep from the damaged trunk. Throwing down the ax, the man ran away in horror. Soon, many already knew that mahua was able to cure patients with polyarthritis, tropical fever, and those suffering from heart ailments. The local press reported on a woman who lost her speechlessness in early childhood. What doctors unsuccessfully sought for many years, the sacred tree succeeded in a few minutes ...

Trees as havens for souls

Some peoples have beliefs that trees are not only shelters for forest spirits, but also temporary shelters for human souls. The Koreans believed that they contained the souls of people who died from the plague, women who died in childbirth, as well as travelers. And if the tree creaks, it means that the soul of the sinner is locked in it. Such a creak is the only way for the soul to turn to the living and ask to pray for it. They also say that if a person, after praying, falls asleep under a creaky tree, the deceased will appear to him in a dream and tell his sad story.

Photos from open sources

And today, many believe that trees are dwelling places for the souls of our ancestors. It is no coincidence that the custom of planting them on graves is so widespread. According to popular beliefs, such a tree can help a person in solving various everyday problems.

Sakura blooming on the sixteenth day

It turns out that if you wish, you can settle in a tree ... your own soul. This is told in a beautiful Japanese legend. In the province of Iyo grows Yu-Roku-Sakure, which means "the tree that blooms on the sixteenth day." It is remarkable in that it blooms much earlier than its counterparts and, moreover, always on the same day. The Japanese believe that the soul of a brave samurai lives in this cherry tree, and therefore it had the right to choose the time of its flowering.

According to legend, sakura used to bloom along with other trees that grew in the garden of a venerable samurai. The owner had special feelings for her, as sakura "remembered" several generations of his family. Besides, she was the only joy of an old man who outlived his children.

Photos from open sources

Once in the spring, the tree did not dress in its delicate pink outfit - it withered. To console the samurai, the neighbors planted young sakura for him. However, she was never able to replace the dead cherry for the old man. Once an idea came to his mind how to revive his pet. Going out into the garden on the sixteenth day of the first moon, the samurai said to the sakura: “I beg you, fulfill my request, begin to bloom again. I will die instead of you." Spreading a white blanket under a tree, the old samurai committed hara-kiri. At the same time, the dead sakura blossomed. Since then, it blooms annually on the first sixteenth day of the first lunar month ...

Of course, it is difficult for us Europeans to understand the beliefs and traditions of our eastern neighbors, but this poignant story about a person’s love for a tree prompts us to remember the values ​​long forgotten in our pragmatic time. And it is not so important whether souls live in trees or not - people should respect everything that surrounds them.

On all continents, the life of people and trees has long been linked by close ties. Humanity has destroyed them, which is why we are so concerned about our future. Be that as it may, if we are to try to avert the very real danger posed by the disappearance of forests on the planet, then we need, at least briefly, to explore the links that existed between people and trees up to our century.

In different parts of the Earth there is a legend about the forefather of all trees, a giant tree that rose to heaven from the center of the Earth and was the axis of the Universe. It united three elements, its roots went deep into the soil, and the crown rested against the firmament. It gave the planet air, all earthly creatures - fruits filled with the sun and moisture, which it took from the soil. The tree attracted lightning, which gave fire to people, and with the movement of its branches ordered the clouds that frolicked at its top to water the earth with life-giving rain. It was a source of life and renewal. It is not surprising that the cult of the tree was so widespread in antiquity.

In Egypt, scorched by the sun, the sacred sycamore reigned; in ice-bound Scandinavia, the birthplace of the Teutons, the ash-tree Yggdrasil. In India, the sacred (Ficus religiosa) is identified with the Brahman: at its foot, Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment. According to Chinese legends, an “upright tree” (Kyen-mu) grew in the center of the Middle Empire and the whole world. Among the Indians who lived on the territory of modern Mexico, the world tree rose in all its glory from the womb of the goddess Earth in the fifth dimension of space, which united the higher kingdom with the lower. In Africa, until recently, the ancestral tree, the abode of God and man, was considered sacred (Kilena among the Dogon, Baanza among the Bambara, Aze among the Dahomeans), and in some American communities they generally believe that the sacred tree is the true birthplace of man.

Usually the deity chooses a particular tree and makes it his earthly home. Thus it becomes sacred. Sometimes the deity communicates with people with the help of trees. So, Zeus, with the rustle of oak leaves, opened the future to the priestesses of the sanctuary in Dodona. But if the gods come down to earth through the trees, why shouldn't people climb their trunks to the celestials, as a Siberian shaman does, climbing a birch, or a young man who has received an initiation in the Australian Arunta desert, who climbs to the top of a sacred pole resembling a tree without branches ?

Some trees have traditionally been associated with a particular deity, and therefore they were especially revered. In addition, it was believed that all trees have a soul. They served as a receptacle, the body of dryads, hamadryads and caryatids in Ancient Greece, goblin and mermaids among the Slavic peoples (by the way, if you type something, say, Ancient Greece, everything is about myths, then there will definitely be a lot of myths about trees). That is why the tree could not be touched until the spirit deigned to leave it. To cut down a sacred tree meant to sentence oneself to death. These popular beliefs found an echo in the elegy "To the Woodcutter of Gastine" by the great French poet of the 16th century. Ronsard.

The identification of a tree and a deity naturally led to the emergence of a new image - the sacred forest, which became an attribute of the religion not only of the ancient Greeks, Romans and Celts, but also of the Persians and many other peoples of Asia, Africa and America. Traces of sacred groves can still be found today in India, China and Japan, as well as in northern Africa, where the Berbers live. Once upon a time, these were the only sanctuaries. The sacred forest evoked awe and fear, a whole set of the strictest taboos was associated with it, but it was under its shadow that young men gathered after the initiation rite to learn from the priests the secrets of the universe. The forest became the prototype of the temple, where tree trunks served as columns, and Christian churches today remind it with their arches, twilight and soft, iridescent light streaming through the stained-glass windows.

At the foot of majestic trees, courts have been held since ancient times. Sometimes the sacred tree was considered the heart and guardian of the city, and although traces of these beliefs were erased during the process of urbanization, one can find a lot of evidence confirming their existence in written sources dating back to antiquity. In the sacred city of Eridu, the Sumerians, who lived in the third millennium BC, worshiped the world tree Kiskan. An olive tree grew in the Athenian Acropolis, which, according to legend, was planted by Athena herself, thus taking possession of this land and founding a city here. On the territory of the Roman Forum, a fig tree was guarded, under the shadow of which the she-wolf fed Romulus and Remus. According to Tacitus, the death of the tree in 58 was taken by the townspeople as a bad omen. And not in vain: a year later, Emperor Nero killed his mother Agrippina, after which he indulged in unbridled cruelty and debauchery, which almost led to the collapse of the Roman Empire.

However, trees were associated with the fate of not only cities, but also individuals. A tree could become a double of a person, protect him, transferring his strength and even longevity to him - as you know, trees live much longer than people. Previously, in many countries, a tree was planted on a child's birthday, which was considered, as it were, his twin. It was believed that they had a common fate, so the tree was carefully looked after, believing that if it died, a person would also be in danger. Pliny tells how a noble Roman, seeking to improve the growth of his tree, watered its roots with wine.

In some traditional societies, this custom has survived to this day. In some cases, the connection between a person and a tree was established during an illness. So, in order to cure a sick child, he was carried naked three times through a cut made in a living tree. Once a widespread remedy for rickets and hernia, this ritual was usually performed at dawn, when the tree was strong. A sick child drew his energy, and the tree took on the disease. After this ceremony, the incision was pulled together and covered with clay. Thus, a long-term closeness of the child and the tree arose. If the incision healed, then the child was cured, if he remained, the disease continued. If the tree died, the child also died. When the recovered child grew up, he began to care for his savior. And no one else was allowed to touch him.

It was also believed that the trees receive the souls of the dead. Among peoples such as the Warramunga of Central Australia, it was believed that trees serve as a haven for souls until they are reincarnated. The ancient Egyptians believed that the souls (ba) of the recently deceased take the form of birds and sit on the branches of the sacred sycamore tree, and the mistress of this tree, the goddess Hathor, appears in the foliage and offers them bread and water. But these souls could be evil and dangerous. For example, in Korea and many other countries, it was believed that the souls of only those people who died a violent death find refuge in trees.

In a number of countries, it was believed that souls left on earth to atone for their sins settled in trees. The French folklore specialist Anatole Le Braze, The Legends of Death in South Brittany, written at the end of the 19th century, provides interesting examples of such beliefs. Sometimes people heard how the dead man, having climbed a tree, groaned and cried there. At that time, mass was served in the local parish church, at the end of which the deceased went downstairs and thanked for deliverance from torment. They also told about how at night the trees approach the house and, having turned into relatives of the owner, warm themselves by the hearth.

It was very important to choose the right tree for the cemetery. For example, in Brittany, yew trees were usually planted on the graves, which grew roots in the womb of the person buried under it. In the countries of the Mediterranean, cypress served for this purpose, which was a symbol of mourning back in the days of the Minoan culture: with its pyramidal shape, it resembles a torch directed to the sky - a symbol of prayer and immortality. In China, cypress or some other evergreen tree, such as pine, was also planted in cemeteries.

To be continued.

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Sacred trees of the Slavs

The Slavs and the world of nature - plants and animals are inseparable. They knew the price, they depended on them, they were endowed with special properties and qualities, they were worshiped, prayed, used in customs and rituals. Five trees were considered symbols of the universe. They were examples of the Masculine and Feminine principles. They symbolized life and were responsible for its duration, the transition to Eternal Life was also associated with plants.

All human life and life were inseparable from the natural world of plants. The often inexplicable and bizarre world of beliefs is still a representation of wisdom and insight.

Oak - the sacred tree of the Slavs

The power of this tree, Oak, was sung in traditional songs not only by our forefathers, but also by Europeans. They presented him with gifts, offered prayers and placed him at the center of most rites, sacraments and holidays, as the main attribute. About the Oak in parables, conversations, TALES AND SONGS indicate that, in fact, his wisdom is in the roots, power in the trunk, and sympathy or the power of protection of the weak in leaves and branches. Therefore, this tree became truly masculine.The emblem of wisdom, masculinity.

If you remember from what tree the Slavs built houses for themselves, then, absolutely, the answer to it will be - Oak.

He is the strength and power, the citadel and the base of all things for a large family. As a result or due to its qualities, the Oak is often called the World Tree. For the ancient Slavs, it was not only an emblem, but the King of trees.

These beliefs were also reflected in Slavic folklore. It was the Oak that became the central component of Vedic tales and legends. In verses and poems it is possible to find the significance that the Slavs endowed with oak groves.

The temples of our Gods, in particular Perun and Veles, were erected just in the oak forests. Trees were presented as pillars of the universe of Slavic life. Numerous rituals that were conducted at the birth of a child or pregnancy included oak branches. They did not forget about them if they made conspiracies for the birth of a boy. Wherever possible, the founder of the family tried to plant a young oak tree in the courtyard of the house. It became the founder of a large family, determined the strength of the family. And it also shared power, strength and reliability and strength with the male part of the family. If the tree fell ill: the leaves began to dry up, the eyelids began to die, then according to legend, this prophesied the collapse of the family, it was a warning sign.

Birch - a sign of beginnings and cheerfulness

One of the most common trees in Russia is Birch, and the name was associated with the base “white”. The ancient Slavs saw purity and “the beginning of everything” in this tree, that is, the birch embodied the feminine. For centuries in Russian folklore, two symbols are connected: a thin, tall, quivering birch and the camp of a young maiden. Every woman, a mother in the future, was happy to buy idols and talismans from the bark and branches of this magnificent tree, designed to protect the hostess and the baby of the future from troubles and evils in the future. Birch sap was considered a true medicinal drug. They drank as a tonic drink, prepared kvass on birch sap. It was considered a medicine that could cleanse the body and blood from infection.

Birch, for example, like the smart Oak, was often sung and used in ethnic rituals, mostly in those associated with marriage. For example, ancient fortune-telling is popular, when girls, hoping to find their betrothed, let birch wreaths flow in the direction of the river. According to belief, they could be helped by mermaids, who, according to the traditions of folklore, sat just on birches, which actually grow along the banks of ponds, lakes and rivers. Day

Rusalia was the festive birthday of the Rus. Birth - beginning - motherhood. This is exactly the meaning of these birch trees among the Slavs.

Pine - the tree of path and fate

Another sacred tree of the Slavs is Pine. The meaning with which our founders endowed it is one of the more difficult and mysterious. They called the pine the axis of the world, a guiding thread, a path that will lead to a bright tomorrow and a cloudless future, dear to the eternal world. A funeral pyre was often made from pine wood, serving as an emblem of just the inevitable fate that awaits each of us. Such a cult of farewell to the bodies of the dead refers us to the goddess Makoshi, whom the Slavs considered the goddess of Fate or Good Luck. She is considered one of the key figures in the Universe, the Goddess of the Cosmos.

Pine was often used in healing and healing rituals as a central attribute. Decoctions, poultices were made from resin, pollen, needles and cones. Speaking of the latter, it is again worth mentioning that, in fact, on the tree at the same time, both female and male cones grow at the same time. This is interesting and significant because it is clearly possible to combine the feminine and masculine principles into a single whole.

Aspen - the tree of death and death

Aspen every time changes the color of its saw cut to blue. And the ancient Slavs called this shade “the shadow of death.” The tree was called the emblem of death, the end of the road. He was often planted in cemeteries, next to the graves of the dead. Being the emblem of death, death at the same time, Aspen is positioned as a powerful idol from her.

They produced such amulets from the evil eye, punishment and wrath of the gods from aspen branches and a trunk.

Considering the importance and symbolism of the tree, the Slavs made from it not only talismans, amulets, but also weapons and armor. For example, aspen spears. According to folklore, the aspen spear could not only destroy the enemy, but also resurrect him.

In folklore, this natural object - Aspen - figured as the leading remedy for evil spirits, ghouls and ghouls. According to the ideas of the ancient Slavs, ghouls and ghouls are both alive and dead at the same time. What is unnatural and contrary to the order of things in nature.

Spruce - a sign of endless life

In Slavic mythology, Spruce occupies one of the most important places. It is impossible to overestimate it. After all, Spruce is a symbol of eternal life. Everything that was considered eternal was attributed or associated with spruce. For example, music that will never disappear. Therefore, they tried to make musical instruments from this tree. Home furniture, utensils, baby cradles ... They used needles and branches in the manufacture of poultices and decoctions in the treatment of illness and the desire for a long, long life.

Experts believe that such an attitude towards spruce, as a symbol of eternal life, was borrowed by other cultures.

For example, the Egyptian pyramids are very similar in shape to the crown of a spruce. They also tried to emphasize the peculiarity of eternal life during the construction of the pyramids, like sarcophagi that preserve life for centuries.