It's been a very long time since I have written anything about paganism in general. About time I wrote about this again.
Please take heed, I don't take trolling my posts very well. I may delete certain replies if I consider it from a troll.
The other day I received a belt buckle. See image above. It was more or less an impulsive thing, just because I liked it. Been years since I actually done any type of impulsive buying like this.
There's a certain symbolism behind the image that appealed to me. The same impulsive symbolism that made me buy another belt buckle decades ago when I bought a Gemini belt buckle, and when I was in Wyoming.
Yes, I am a Gemini. 😊♊ A Gemini that is searching for my opposite twin, as I thought of that back then.
This symbolism is present in many beliefs. And I will only briefly go into one, because that belief as well has a tree of life symbolism, with a specific detailed meaning. And that belief is a kabbalic Jewish belief with a rigidly fixed meaning.
This rigid fixed meaning is totally not like any in most Celtic beliefs. Yes, there are fixed sayings in the Celtic beliefs, yet Celtic symbolism is free flowing. A single symbol can take on different meanings and so you will see symbols, that mean different things, depending on the context of the symbol.
My own Celtic symbol, above, which I made a over a decade ago, has it's own meaning, even though there are aspects that are distinctly recognizable.
The tree of life meaning isn't any more fixed in meaning, than a Celtic knot symbol, in it's own meaning. They both take on different meanings depending on the context of the symbols.
This variable meanings is extremely confusing to some, who attempt to understand the meanings of many different Celtic symbols. So much so, that they totally discount the whole belief.
So what about the Celtic tree of life?
Some will say the Celtic tree of life has the meaning of: "What is reflected above, is reflected below". And that is true enough as far as it goes.
Yet you will see other Celtic symbols in many different versions of the Celtic tree of life.
Some of these versions are like this:
In Celtic symbolism, trees have a special meaning. All trees are sacred. They are the symbol between life and death. They are the symbol of comfort. The source of warmth for fire. The means of self protection, as with yew trees for bows. A means of hiding from others. And each tree type, such as Ash, Yew and Oak, take on different meanings. The list goes on and on though.
The reason for this tree of life belt buckle for me, goes into a different direction. Notice the entwined male and female in it. This is not to say that it can only be male and female. Yet that isn't my intent. Anything else wouldn't be my meaning for getting it. Yet again symbolism in Celtic beliefs are variable. They can take on different meanings. So while I would wear a male and female entwined symbol, another might wear something totally different. Perhaps a female deer symbol...
Or perhaps the symbol of Hern...
This multiple meanings though, just is never fixed in Celtic beliefs.
My intent is more than just male and female. For me, trees in general are sacred. The meaning of "As is above, is reflected below" has a special meaning. As well does the over all meaning of life, have a special meaning. How everything is connected, while ever changing, yet still having a certain balance, has a special meaning. Remember nothing is perfectly balanced. Not even trees. Not even the Earth itself.
Some of the more non religious types joke about me, saying that I am wiccan. Yet it's this flexibility, that drew me to the belief, as well as the Celtic beliefs.
Some may criticize beliefs of multiple deities. Yet I suspect they don't want to understand symbolism. And how that symbolism is reflected in everything.
For me life is ever changing. It is far more than just a "wheel of life" as according to some beliefs. Yet it's that over all "changing", that drew me to wicca as well as other Celtic beliefs.
Everything in life is changing. It's not fixed as many wish to believe. Even some of the wiccan and Celtic beliefs want to make things fixed, even when life itself is never fixed.
Yet Wicca and further, Celtic beliefs, really are apart of my own heritage.
Thanks for a nice explanation and revisitation of the Tree of Life and its symbolism. Such a symbol can be found in many cultures and faiths, and it holds deep meaning for those who observe ancient ways. It's nice to see a contribution of information and meaning here.
