The evergreen tree is a special tree that is known to stay green even throughout the harshest winters. Some of them have even known to bear fruit during the winter which is quite amazing.
People throughout the centuries have looked upon it with reverence and associated it with powerful symbolism. Most of the symbolic meanings of this tree are positive.
Any tree that stands the test of the seasons must be special and must be held in high regard by not only tree enthusiasts but by mystics and everyone else who draws inspiration from such an amazing natural phenomenon.
The Evergreen And Festivals
The evergreen has been used as a symbol of celebrations for many religious groups and cultures.
Pagans and Christians have used the evergreen to celebrate winter festivals for thousands of years.
They were commonly used in winter festivals because they were the only trees that maintained their green leaves when all the other trees shed their trees.
The pagans used the branches as home decorations when it was the winter solstice. For these pagans, it was a symbol of hope for the coming spring.
The Romans used these evergreen trees as decoration for their homes during the New Year celebrations.
They used it as a symbol of hope for a better New Year. The Christians, on the other hand, used this tree as a symbol of eternal life with God.
Eventually, these trees became Christmas tree and this practice first began in Northern Europe. The people from these regions planted these trees in their houses during the winter period.
For them to go to these lengths the trees, of course, meant a lot to them since they have great symbolism.
Evergreen Tree Symbolisms
There are various evergreen tree symbolisms common with various cultures around the world and they are as followings.
-
Strength, Stoicism, and invincibility
The ancient Celts observed evergreens as hugely powerful in symbolism. This is because they remain green throughout the winter months.
They viewed these trees as symbols of strength, stoicism, invincibility, immortality, determination, and revitalization.
The tree is usually unbending against heavy winter snows and brutal winds which is why it takes that high place of honor amongst the Celts.
Most of them back then actually brought home the evergreen boughs in order to remind themselves about the strong spirit that is obvious in all life.
-
Symbol of Survival
The evergreen and the ever-clear image is today a great reminder of the ever-green nature that is always part of every human.
Humans naturally have the ability to survive adverse conditions. For example, we see humans having the capacity to love even during the coldest of times.
Most of them also have the capacity to feel warmth or empathy amidst a severe situation. It is also not uncommon to find humans feeling deep magic in the current sterile and fact-finding world.
There are n doubt potentials that are forever deep within the strongholds of the souls of humanity.
-
A Symbol of Eternal Life
The evergreen trees are usually a symbol of immortality and eternal life. In most cultures, they are celebrated and marveled because of their ability to thrive during the coldest months.
With most plants attempting to survive during winter, these trees actually thrive and even benefit more from the lack of competition during the winter period.
There is nothing like dying in the winter and being reborn in the spring like all deciduous trees, this tree simply stays alive throughout the year.
-
A Symbol Of Strength During Hardship
While the deciduous trees will deal with winter hardship by shutting down and getting through the hardship. This tree doesn’t do that.
Instead of shutting down, the evergreen spends energy during this time where there is little of it available and manages to look green and survive the harsh winters. The tree thrives and gets past winter looking even better than it was.
With many people taking the deciduous tree approach when faced with hardship, this is simply waiting out the problem, there are people who tackle the hardships head on.
There are people who do all they can to get through the hardship and keep hope alive about there being better times in the future.
These people manage to turn the hardship into a great opportunity that will work to their advantage. Just like evergreens. All it takes is a positive attitude.
The positive attitude allows people just like the tree to look at the snow, frozen ground and the haunting quiet of the winter not as a great disadvantage but a challenge that needs to be conquered.
Such an attitude is what we all need to enable life’s hardships to become opportunities for positive life changes.
-
A Symbol Of Peace
According to the Iroquois people, the evergreen tree is actually as a symbol of great peace that caused the union of their separate nations into an enduring league.
Known as The Peace Tree, it is related to the Tree of Light, which is also a key symbol in Iroquois cosmology. This more symbols like it in cultures around the world makes this tree one f the most universal spiritual symbols of humankind.
-
Symbol of Goodness in a chaotic world
The tree has also been viewed as a symbol of all that is good in a chaotic world. Despite the world being such a harsh place filled with evil, unfairness and a polluted environment, there are many good things that happen and stay true and pure.
The evergreen which thrives during harsh winters has been likened to all that is good in a world of woes within many cultures where this tree is part of.
Conclusion
The evergreen tree remains a fascinating tree not only among gardeners and other tree enthusiasts but also among people with great appreciation for beautiful nature.
It will remain to be a special tree and not only through winter times throughout the year for many who see its true importance and associate it with powerful symbolism.
On behalf of the author, thank you so much for taking the time to read this article !
