Meditation Stream: Tree of Life

In this Small Scale Life YouTube video and Podcast Episode, I publishing Meditation: Tree of Life. My hope is that this will help you during the chaotic holidays. With new restrictions and rules stressing families at the holidays, I thought this was the right time to say “thank you” to our great audience and give you something that will soothe nerves and allow you to relax. What is the Tree of Life? For those of you unfamiliar with the Tree of Life concept and icon, it is a symbol in many world religions. For a quick definition: • The Tree of Life, connects all forms of creation • The Tree of Knowledge connects heaven and the underworld Both forms of the world tree or cosmic tree and are portrayed in various religions and philosophies as the same tree. The Tree of Life is a symbol in many world religions including: Germanic, Norse and Slavic Religions Native American Religions Central and South American Religions Christianity Judaism Islam Hinduism Buddhism Church of Latter Day Saints Other Ancient Middle Eastern Religions in Iraq and Turkey While we all might have different beliefs and deities, we all seem to agree on one thing: the Tree of Life is incredibly important. As I explored Northwestern Wisconsin this fall, I discovered a little island in the middle of the St. Croix River. A tree was growing on the island, and this place seemed really special. The sight of this tree gracefully swaying in the wind and the sound of the clear St. Croix River that surrounded it just spoke to me. As I think about the Tree of Life, its meaning and its significance, I know some have examples from around the globe. I have seen massive trees in Hawaii, and I know there are huge redwoods in the Pacific Northwest, massive banyan trees in the tropics, towering trees in the rainforest and even sacred trees on the African Plain. For me, this tree on the island had a lot of meaning. It wasn’t the biggest tree in the woods; it wasn’t the tallest. It has many trunks that split off in many different directions. However, the birds are attracted to it, and if a person or animal wanted to get to this tree on the island, they would have to make a sacrifice to get there. They would have to wade into the cold waters, step over the stones and sand, and climb the bank to get to the tree. Much like Odin, Christ and other gods, a sacrifice must be made to reach that Tree of Life: it does not come easy or free. At some point, we hope to get what we put into our efforts and relationships, and hopefully you will feel some of that love come back to you for your efforts, hard work and sacrifices this holiday season. I hope you enjoy this Meditation Podcast Episode and Video titled “Tree of Life,” and I hope you have a great Thanksgiving holiday.