Tree Trees
The tree depicts the living structure of yourself or another person. In particular it shows not only your past in the condition of its roots and trunk, but also what you have grown into and what your possibilities or potential are. It is what has grown from the past into the present. Its roots show your connection with your physical body and the earth, your family background and influences, and cultural roots; its trunk the way you direct the energies of your being – growth, sex, thought, emotion. The branches are the abilities, directions and many facets you develop in life – varied and yet all connected in the common life process of your being. The tree can also symbolise new growth, stages of life and ageing, with its spring leaves and blossom, then the falling leaves. The top of the tree, or the end of the branches are your aspirations, the growing vulnerable tip of your personal growth and spiritual realisation.
From this point of view, the leaves may represent your personal life, this particular life with its many activities and desires, that may fall off the tree – die – but what gave it life continues to exist. The leaf may indicate something in you that is living, growing, or outworn (depending on colour of leaf). This may be part of your thinking or feeling. You can also be blown like a leaf, suggesting separation from your roots and main growth; or you can take a leaf from someone’s notebook, thus following their example or idea.
The roots depict your connection with the earth through food, air and water, as well as your psychological roots in family and culture. Earth is made up of everything that has died and so becomes soil. In the cycles of life things live and then die. In death they become important fertiliser and nutrients for what is growing. In human life earth represents all that our forebears left us from their lives – our inheritance. It has all been purified by death and so is worth our roots feeding from it.
The trunk shows your body and what you have developed in your life, the main thrust of your expression. The tree can also depict new growth, the stages of life and ageing, with its spring leaves and blossom, then the falling leaves. The top of the tree, or the end of the branches, are your aspirations, the growing vulnerable tip of your personal growth and spiritual realisation. From this point of view, the leaves may represent your personal life, this particular life with its many activities and desires, that may fall off the tree – die – but what gave you life continues to exist. The leaf may indicate something in you that is living, growing, or outworn (depending on colour of leaf). This may be part of your thinking or feeling. You can also be blown like a leaf, suggesting separation from your roots and main growth; or you can take a leaf from someone’s notebook, thus following their example or idea.
The tree may also at times represent a place of safety or refuge, as when we climb it to escape. In fact, the tree is such an enormously deep symbol it depicts your whole life, as well as the urge that pushes you into being and growth. It depicts the force or process which is behind all other life forms – but seen as it expresses in your personal existence. See Ancestors
The seeds or flowers are your own fruition, the expression of what is deeply your own unique self manifesting creatively. They are also your reproduction as a parent with children or ideas or influences in the lives of others.
Dead wood represent parts of you that no longer carry life and energy, perhaps ideas or opinions that you no longer hold.
The lightning struck tree represent sudden change, even death. The tree may also at times represent a place of safety or refuge, as when we climb it to escape. The tree is our whole life, the urge which pushes us into being and growth. It depicts the force or process which is behind all other life forms – but seen as it expresses in our personal existence.
The phrase ‘family tree’ describes a way the unconscious uses the image of a tree to represent something that is an internal reality. Within the unconscious there is an awareness that our present personality is built upon the lives and character of our forebears. So our face may be presented on the top or surface of the tree, but behind our face, or on lower branches, or in the trunk, lie the lives of our ancestors stretching back throughout the ages.
In some old manuscripts pictures show a man lying on the ground and his penis growing into a tree, with fruits, birds, and perhaps people in its protective shade. This illustrates how ones personal life energy can branch out from its source in the basic drives, and become creativity, fruitfulness, something given to others. The tree can also represent the spine, and the different levels of human experience – physical, sensual, sexual, hungers, emotions, relatedness, communication, thought, self awareness.
Example: In the dream I was looking at a very large and old tree. I wondered if I could climb it but couldn’t see any way up it. But I noticed a large area without any bark, like an old wound, and I thought that area would become rotten and so the tree would become hollow and offer shelter to animals and humans. Then I walked around the back of the tree and saw that the bark was like thick cables about 6-8 inches wide. I could then see a fairly easy way to climb the tree. So I climbed up and the top of the tree was like a massive bell shape made by the branches, like a huge flower, a crocus shape. And it was light and colourful. Suddenly I saw a spirit, a beautiful female. It was the spirit of the tree. At this point I was semi awake, and I wanted to hold the beautiful spirit, but realised that the tree was a representation of my life, and so was the spirit of the tree. The spirit sat on me in a sexual position, so I was lying on my back and she was upright. She slowly took me into her, I mean the whole me, as if she was sucking my whole body into her. There was no sexual movement as this happened. Then I realised that I had to die because she wanted to take all the experience of my life and endeavour into her and fertilise herself to form a baby. So I was ready to let go and watched her form a new baby, a mixture of her and me. See The Sacred Tree In Dreams And Myths
A wood or collection of trees: The natural forces in your own being, therefore ones connection with or awareness of the unconscious; other people’s personal growth and connection with self. The wood also indicates allowing yourself to be natural, to express what is innate in you, and for the mind and emotions to move in their own way. Walking in a wood might therefore suggest a feeling of relaxation, but it can also mean delving within your deeper feelings and mind – your unconscious – exploring your inner life.
Birch or Silver birch: The birch symbolises growth, renewal, stability, initiation and adaptability because it is highly adaptive and able to sustain harsh conditions with casual indifference. Birches are also associated with the Tír na nÓg, the land of the dead and the Sidhe, in Gaelic folklore, and as such frequently appear in Scottish, Irish, and English folksongs and ballads in association with death, or fairies, or returning from the grave. The leaves of the silver birch tree are used in the festival of St George, held in Novosej and other villages in Albania. (Sidhe are Irish earthen mounds, which in Irish folklore and mythology are believed to be the home of the Aos Sí (the people of the mounds))
Birch bark played a key role in the manufacture of canoes for transportation, wigwams for shelter, and a host of useful implements made by the many tribes and nations of the Northeast. Indians believe that the mist emitted from birch tree leaves placed upon heated rocks in a sweat lodge helps purify the body; the tree’s branches, when tied together and then used to lash the body, result in the removal of poisons. Because of the prolonged existence of ancient birch trees on Earth, American Indians maintain that these trees have much to offer humans.
Branches: Members of your family; directions or possibilities in your life. Or the end of the branches are your aspirations, the growing vulnerable tip of your personal growth and spiritual realisation.
Burnt tree:If this is just an area of the tree or trunk, it shows painful events and the mark they have left on you, perhaps from early in your life. If the hole tree is burnt it shows great difficulties or the death of someone.
Christmas tree or other evergreen: The eternal or unchanging aspect of your transitory experience.
Climbing a tree: Exploring or becoming aware of the directions and facets of your personal growth; using your skills or strength to get away from anxiety or danger, such as you do when climbing to get away from a dangerous animal.
Cutting down: Could be that you are getting rid of old influences in your life, or clearing space. It depends on what attitude is behind the cutting. Are you seeking wood to burn, to build with, or just for devilment.
Dead branch: A direction that no longer has life or motivation in it; a member of your family dying or leaving you.
Dead tree: Past way of life; something which was full of life for you in the past, but is now dead; dead relative.
Falling fallen or crashing down tree: Sense of threat to your identity; this can often suggest a big change in the way you express yourself. It is a breaking down of the influences you lived from in the past, perhaps because your childhood set in place painful or negative influences, or it could suggest the loss or death of a relative or someone close to you. It can also sometimes shown the death of someone. When trees are old or storm blow in our life trees are felled by wind or weather. But in some dreams it may suggest making more space around by the dead trees falling.
Flowering tree: Fertility; femininity.
Human or animal hung on tree: Personal sacrifice; the death of some part of self so further growth can occur – death of dependence so independence can arise; surrender; the pains and struggles, the sense of crucifixion occurring in the maturing process, so the pains and suffering of life in the body.
Leaves and tree tip: The tip is the living, growing part of you. The part that is still vulnerable because of its newness, or outworn (depending on colour of leaf) part of your thinking or feeling. leaves, well you can also be blown like a leaf, suggesting separation from your roots and main growth; or you can take a leaf from someone’s notebook, thus following their example or idea. The leaves as a whole, if falling, can represent the end of your a period of your life, or can be the passing ego that dies, but leaves the trunk, the process that gave life. See Death of Ego
Roots: Your connection with the past, with your family heritage or influences; the things you are tied to by necessity or love; your fundamental physical characteristics as they express in your personality; the aspects of your culture or family ties that you particularly identify with or find connection with.
Roots in dreams represent the hidden and often unconscious links that reach deep into our body and its long past. For our body is an outcrop of the life that began when life began on this earth, and it carries with it ancient memories. The dream roots give us entrance into that long past and what it brings with it into our life today. See The Conjuring Trick
The root can sometimes indicate the ‘root’ of your biological potential/energy – the root centre. As such it shows your undifferentiated self – the you rather like an energy, like electricity. that is invisible until it flows into an apparatus/body, which enables it to show part of its enormous potential – movement, feelings, self consciousness, etc.
Tree trunk: Your family background and connections; What you have developed or grown from. Any injury to the trunk shows a traumatic event; if it is low on the trunk it indicates youth, if higher up then later in life.
Example: Dreamt that I was looking at the large plane tree at the back of our house in London. I noticed the base of the trunk was burnt internally. I pulled away bark. It looked a bit like a bees nest, but was cindered wood. Now I saw folds in the trunk of the tree showing that the tree was leaning, and I realised the cindered bark I pulled away had been supporting the tree. It would now soon fall. I saw a very clear mental image of the tree falling to the right where there was space, because straight ahead was a building it would crush. The tree then began to fall exactly where I had visualised. I now saw the top of the trunk base cut clean.
The dreamer explored their dream and said: The tree is that which has grown from the past into the present. When you discover it is burnt at the base, this means you begin to see that deep within, at the foundations of this lifetime, much has been destroyed in you.
The burnt wood means that much which was to have been expressed as growth was turned inward and consumed the inner life. The burning was realised as your loneliness, your fear of relating, and the pain of living within yourself. When the tree fell, this is the part of you built upon those problems falling away. Tree threatening to fall on building is perhaps having a medical career, but have gone in another direction, against something being built. The burn is the debt on the hands. It is in my hands what I do.
Uprooted tree: It is mostly about your inner world so your every day life has been uprooted – to remove a person from their home or usual environment. See The Inner World
So it can indicate either a serious psychological injury which can lay you low; or that you are living a life that does not connect with your real or core self. See Core
Idioms: Top of the tree; family tree; barking up the wrong tree; tree of knowledge; dead wood; can’t see the trees for the wood.
See: Sacred Tree in Dreams and Myth; death and rebirth, and archetypes of the self ; Individuation; Cross, Wood.
Comments
I can’t stop thinking about a dream I had last night. I’ve searched the Internet for meanings but I need a more specific interpretation… Someone help?
I dreamt I was standing in the driveway of the house I grew up in. The two trees in the lawn were facing me, one tree small and thin with little branches, and the other tree tall and thick. The leaves were falling. In my hand I held a green leaf, and for some reason I felt the familiar presence of a woman inside it..
The leaf started to shrivel up and turn brown.. I placed it back on the grass and the soil began to flood with water and a lady appeared, laying in the water. She was sort of dead looking, and not human? She was solid white and very long (about 3 times my size) and thin and 2D looking. There were no details of her face. Her eyes were simple black holes, her mouth was a large black hole, her black hair swam around her head like it was alive, even though she wasn’t. I heard her voice and her mouth didn’t move. She told me, (I remember exactly what her voice sounded like when I woke up.. Most of the time I don’t dream in sound, or remember it) “Find the God. You need not search in Christianity, or any of the sort. He is everywhere.. There are many beacons around you.” (I’m not religious AT ALL and I never have been, so this dream kinda puzzled me) and then the sky darkened and stars appeared.
4 shooting stars were swirling around me, one yellow, one orange, one green, and one blue. I tried so hard to grab one, but I kept falling because they were moving too fast. I sat down and pouted, on the brink of crying. The lady watched me, and she told me to keep trying. I complained that I needed her help. She said she didn’t have time, she couldn’t stay much longer, but that she’ll visit me again. I begged her to tell me what to do, but she faded away.
And then I woke up.
Someone help?
Hi Tony, In the past few weeks I have had two dreams about trees. The first one, it seemed as though we were spring cleaning or something. My husband was in the garage fixing things up (the house was not the home we live in now) and i was ripping an apple tree from the ground near the curb. I placed the uprooted tree on the concrete and walked away into the garage and got an urge to save the tree and felt guilty that I pulled it out. I grabbed the medium sized tree with small green apples still on it and tried to shove it through a door into the garage to perhaps keep it safe. The second tree dream was not as clear, I think many things were taking place where I only remembered a few symbols and emotions. As far as the tree goes I was walking down a street not sure who was around me if anyone was with me at all. I stopped in front of this very large house with many large windows. The house was bright and lit from the inside and there was a giant tree in the center of the home. The tree (unsure of the type) had dark green leaves almost rubbery looking or very shiny. The branches were stunted and close together almost in a cylinder shape perhaps. the focal point for me this time was actually the trunk, it was large, wide and rough and was amazed by it being in that house. I stood there analyzing the tree from a distance almost wondering how the tree got in there. I am curious about this dream interpretation because this the second dream Ive had about trees in the past 2 weeks.
Hi Tony,
I had a dream about a hollow tree that was about to fall down. I was standing with family and friends near the tree, at a cabin that we just rented to celebrate christmas. The tree was huge, really tall, but we could hear it crack and knew it was going to fall down soon. As the wind was very strong, we were worried that it might fall down on the cabin. Then a girl (don’t know who it was, but she was part of our group) ran off and i saw her running inside the tree. So I went after her, to make her come down as it was very dangerous. I walked inside the hollow tree and it was very easy to climb as there were wooden boards against the trunk. I yelled out to her, but didn’t hear anything. So i climbed further and yelled again. Still no answer. So i continued climbing. Then the others were worried about me, so they started yelling my name to come out, but I couldnt hear them.
Hope you can explain this dream to me.
Thanks!
Carolina
I had a very vivid dream. I was walking down a very narrow road that circling the sides of a hill the edged into a valley where very tall Asopalav or known also known as Ashoka tree. Some how I stumbled and as I was falling managed to grab the strong and lush green leaves, trying to not let go. I couldn’t see the ground because the trees were so tall, I knew if I the leaves broke I will end up dead. But some how I managed to swing from branch to branch, more like hanging on from leaf to leaf and jump back onto the narrow road again. The feeling was of fear yet a strange excitement. But for some reason that Asopalav tree seemed to be stuck as an important symbol. Can you help me interpret this?
Hi Tony,
Great work!
I felt compelled you following a dream as you have such detailed information on trees.
I dreamt trees/branches were growing out of my arms. They had leaves.
The feeling in the dream wasn’t a nice feeling. It’s really stuck with me.
I have been doing a lot of spiritual work or self realisation/inner work and I wonder if this is significant.
Kindest regards
Kim
I had a dream yesterday where I was at the top of a tree. I wanted to climb down but couldn’t as the branches didn’t look strong enough. It was pretty high, maybe 50-60 metres perhaps. I noticed in front of me was like a wall. I figured to get out of the tree I could jump over onto the top of the wall.
I also had a thought that I could attempt to do it because I knew I was dreaming and if I fell, I would wake up anyway. It was like I knew I was dreaming.
I attempted the jump, fell but woke as soon as I started to fall.
No personal issues at the moment. Happy relationship etc. Last severe test of strenuous activity was 10 months ago when a family member passed.
I had a dream that I was in this home for victims of domestic violence (where I was actually living) and across the street I saw this small orchard of trees. I walked across the street into the orchard – when I got there the whole scene turned into an oil painting. I reached for a piece of fruit (a purplish fruit) but I could not figure out what type of fruit it was. When I grabbed a piece of the fruit, every piece from every tree fell off and disappeared. I have remembered this dream for years and jut recently saw an orchard with my new husband’s mother that I believe was the orchard in that dream. I left that home to move in with my husband and although I did not know him at the time I wonder if I walked across the street to him?
Tied to a tree
I dreamed that the tree tied itself to me using it’s root or branches. Once I am secured, the tree’s branches moved that made me in a lying position.
Then I fell asleep and traveled to another person’s mind (a sick or comatose person) I was able to understand and feel what the person is thinking or feeling.
When I woke up there were several people around who were waiting for me to share to them what I saw. The tree gently moves me in an upright position and let me go.
The tree was some sort of a device that allows other people to travel into the minds of other persons. However, it doesn’t allow everyone to do that. I felt that I and another person is only allowed
by the tree.
I can’t see the leaves. I can only see it’s branches that continues to its roots. It looks smooth grayish with white spots.
Sometimes the tree is located in the garden of my maternal grandmother (who already died 6 years ago) and is surrounded by other plants. Sometimes I can’t identify the place but the background is usually light.
What does it mean? I can’t find the meaning at any sites.
Thank you.
Mia – The tree is a wonderful symbol of your whole life, with its roots in the past of your family and what you inherit from them. The trunk and branches are what you have developed and grown in your life.
The person who is comatose is a part of you that needs to be woken and made a living part of your life. Most of us have such parts that have not been allowed to fully be expressed – sometimes parents have an idea of what we ought to be, and this can stop parts of you developing.
See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/questions-2/#Summing and http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/secrets-power-dreaming/
Tony
Hi Tony.
I had a dream about a long tree.
I was driving a white SUV with a very Long Green Tree on top of it. I parked the car at my mother’s house and the tree started to fall off the car, my uncle myself and my mom then removed this green tree from the top of my car, cut it in half, they did not want the tree so i suggested to that we give it to our neighbour since she has a big yard and seems like she likes trees, i did not want to throw it away. But my uncle ended up digging two holes, for the root part and the other hole for the top part of the tree. In the other hole was the greener top part of the tree and the other hole was the brown bottom (the root) Can you help me interpret it. Thanks
Carol – Well, the only thing I can make of your dream is that you are under going a tremendous change in you and maybe outwardly too. You see a green tree represents your whole life, from your roots in the past to the vulnerable green tip of your growing self. Then it is uprooted shows you in process of a difficult move. For it sounds like the influence from your mother in your life has cut you in half. Maybe you received love from a neighbour at some time – she likes trees, meaning she liked you and gave you room to grow. But the difficulty is still in you, because your roots – your real self and its connection with the natural you is separated from the top of the tree – the person you became.
Please visualise getting the tree planted without it being cut in half. See http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/secrets-power-dreaming/ and http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/practical-techniques-for-understanding-your-dreams/
Also read http://dreamhawk.com/dream-encyclopedia/questions-2/#Summing
Tony
I wanted to add that my son isn’t sick…Its just that he’s the only thing I’ve ever loved and my biggest fear is something happening to him. In my dream I was just looking at the tree.
The leaves were not falling. The yellow/golden ginkgo was in my room. I have been worried about my moms health and I’ve always has Severe anxiety about something happening to my son…
Hi Tony! I had a dream that I was inside a house talking to my brother and some other family members, when we heard a loud thump outside. I ran to the window and saw that a big tree had fallen and knocked down a power line. I also noticed that at the bottom of the tree, there were flames. I immediately ran outside and tried to put the flames out by blowing on them; it didn’t work. It was very gloomy outside and I remember there being a very strong gust of wind. I would love to know your interpretation of this. Thank you!
i had a dream about a gingko tree with yellow leaves. any interpretation would be helpful.
Aziza – To interpret a dream I need to know a lot more about the dream. Where was the tree; what were you doing in the dream; were the leaves falling; what were you feeling or fearing about the tree; have you been worried about your health – and so on.
Tony
i was just looking at the tree in awe. the leaves were not falling…and the tree was in my bedroom. i havent been worried about my health but i have been concerned about my mothers health because of some symptoms/pain shes been having. i have severe anxiety regarding my young son….terrified something will happen to him even though hes healthy because hes the only thing ive ever loved.
Aziza – It is natural for any good mother to feel anxious about her child. Women in general have a much keener sense of anxiety, built into them to protect their child. They can see all manner of dangers to their child in order to keep aware of them. Fortunately they almost never happen, probably partly because of the mother’s acute awareness.
Your dream has a suggestion of autumn in it with the yellow leaves, and the gingko tree has a lot of healing properties. So I think the dream is recommending that your mother, who is in the autumn of her life, needs to take gingko tablets.
Tony
Aziza – If you wrote to me “Sleepless in Scotland” you didn’t leave an email address so I couldn’t reply. Thought I would have loved too.
Also I am sorry I missed this dream. It isn’t, as far as I can understand, anything to worry about. It is a beautiful dream about your very process of life – the tree. It does not involve your son, so be at peace.
Tony
Hi,
I dream that I was stuck at the top of an old oak tree. Initially I didn’t feel that I was stuck however when I looked down I noticed that the ground was moving and that there were alligators moving in the earth which prevented me from coming down hence I had to stay in the tree top. Please would you be able to shed some light on this very vivid dream. I’ve read a bit about the symbolism of trees but more depth would be appreciated if possible.
Many Thanks.
Anne.
Amelia – It seems to be based on the usual mistranslation of Genesis, where the woman is painted as temptress and so caused the fall of man through sexual exploitation. Such fantasies are produced to strip one of the real person you are.
See http://dreamhawk.com/approaches-to-being/the-secret-bible/#Eve to get a fuller picture.
Also see http://dreamhawk.com/news/the-sacred-tree-2/ and http://dreamhawk.com/dream-dictionary/tree-trees/
Tony
Greetings, much love for your site,
I had a dream where I was climbing around on some strange architectural ruins with lots of dark-red bricks and large beams of lumber. I eventually noticed a bizarre set of trees that both stood out of the ground quite straight, with considerable height. At the stop of their heights they both took 90-degree turns towards each other, forming what could be described as an upside-down “U”. There were some other smaller-branches jutting off here and there. But it was clear that these two trees were meant to be connected at the heights of their growth…
Perhaps it is the two strong aspects of my self connecting as one of the ruins of old structures. I forgot to mention that there were some family connotations in the dream; as in, I recall my oldest brothers house being nearby the Connected Trees and the Ruins; and the ruins had a specific sort of lineage to them; like they were remnants of a family, perhaps my own. They felt sacred as I climbed around on them.
Also, I now remember that the Connected Trees were on the shore of a great body of water; like a large lake.
I was wondering what your interpretation of said dream was. Thank you!
P.S. Their were not very many leaves on the trees at all. But the trunks were quite thick.