The Symbol Dictionary has this to say about TREES:
The Tree of Life is an important symbol in nearly every culture.
With its branches reaching into the sky, and roots deep in the earth, it dwells
in three worlds- a link between heaven, the earth, and the underworld, uniting
above and below. It is both a feminine symbol, bearing sustenance, and a
masculine, visibly phallic symbol- another union.
In Jewish and Christian mythology, a tree sits at the center of
both the Heavenly and Earthly Edens.
The Norse cosmic World Ash, Ygdrassil, has
its roots in the underworld while its branches support the abode of the Gods.
The Egyptian’s Holy Sycamore stood on the threshold of life and death,
connecting the worlds.
To the Mayas, it is Yaxche, whose branches support the
heavens.
The tree has other characteristics which lend easily to
symbolism. Many trees take on the appearance of death in the winter- losing
their leaves, only to sprout new growth with the return of spring. This aspect
makes the tree a symbol of resurrection, and a stylized tree is the symbol of
many resurrected Gods- Jesus, Attis, and Osirus all have crosses as their
symbols. Most of these Gods are believed to have been crucified on trees, as
well.
A tree also bears seeds or fruits, which contain the essence of
the tree, and this continuous regeneration is a potent symbol of immortality.
It is the fruit of a tree that confers immortality in the Jewish creation
story. In Taoist tradition, it is a divine peach that gives the gift of
immortality. In ancient Persia, the fruit of the haoma bears this essence. The
apples of Idun give the Norse gods their powers, much like the Gods of the
Greek pantheon and their reliance on Ambrosia. This aspect of the tree as a
giver of gifts and spiritual wisdom is also quite common.
It is while meditating under a Bodhi tree that Buddha received
his enlightenment; the Norse God Odin received the gift of language while
suspended upside down in the World Ash (an interesting parallel is the hanged
man of the tarot). In Judeo-Christian mythology, the Tree of heaven sits at the
center of creation, and is the source of the primordial rivers that water the
earth. The Tooba Tree of the Koran is a
similar idea, from whose roots spring milk, honey, and wine.
This tree and its gifts
of immortality are not easy to discover. It is historically difficult to find,
and almost invariably guarded. The tree of Life in the Jewish bible is guarded
by a Seraph (an angel in the form of a fiery serpent) bearing a flaming sword.
To steal the apples of knowledge, the Greek hero Hercules had to slay a
many-headed dragon Ladon. In Mayan legends, it is a serpent in the roots that
must be contended with. Similarly, the Naga, or divine serpent guards the Hindu
Tree. The Serpent Nidhog lives under Ygdrassil, and gnaws at the roots.
The tree as the abode of the Gods is another feature common to
many mythologies; in some, the tree itself is a God. The ancient Sumerian God
Dammuzi was personified as a tree, as is the Hindu Brahman. The Byzantine World
tree represents the omnipotence of the Christian god.
Another
form, the inverted Tree, represents spiritual growth, as well as the human
nervous system. This tree, with its roots in heaven, and its branches growing
downward, is most commonly found in Kabbalistic imagery.
A similar tree is mentioned in the Vedic Bhagavad Gita: “The
banyan tree with its roots above, and its branches below, is imperishable.”
In Jewish Kabbalah, the inverted tree represents the nervous
system as well- the ‘root’ in the cranial nerves, with the branches spreading
throughout the body; it also represents the cosmic tree- rooted in heaven, the
branches all of manifest creation.
You can read more about trees in the Bible HERE
My favorite Biblical verses about evergreen trees are these from (surprise!) Isaiah.
Isaiah 60:13 The glory of
Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree,
the pine tree,
and the box together,
to beautify the place of my sanctuary;
and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
So, as I write this in Germany, the HOME of the Christmas tree, I encourage you to bring in branches of all the trees you can to decorate your homes and churches (and, yes, I DO know what "Church Policy" says, so be discrete). Just remember WHO the Tree of Life truly represents.
And enjoy the fruits of the season.
