In Celtic cultures, the tree of life has many symbols of connection including the old ‘as above, so below’ idea.  This may represent the symbolic nature of what happens on a small scale will ripple out affecting life on a larger scale as well.  

According to the Gnostic view, the tree of life has a strong connection to the serpent or kundalini awaking which they call the nass or “moist essence of the universe”.  Whatever you call it essentially there is an energy coiled up at the base of the spine that will travel up the spine toward the brain igniting all of the energy pathways or chakras of the body on its way.

This process fully awakens your soul connecting your physical reality to the metaphysical existence and on an evolutionary level pulls us up into higher dimensions of perception, unlocks our intuitive psychic abilities and increases our level of awareness.

The tree of life is the structured symbolic path that one must travel through in order to pass through the 3 worlds talked about in Shamanic practice on your way to eternal life and heaven on earth.  The pathway is designed to create a powerful connection between the physical and the non-physical realm as well as connecting the lower dimensions with the higher dimensions.  

If you are a seeker of truth and curious about the path of life I recommend that you explore this concept from many different angles and follow the one that resonates most with your soul.  

The Coptic Gospel of Thomas

There are some lost and discarded books in history that were omitted or hidden during the writing of our modern bible. Whether or not you believe in the bible some of these teachings are interesting and valuable in our world today.  

For example, the Coptic Gospel of Thomas contain the secret teaching of Jesus (Yeshua) and were only found a little over a century ago int he deserts of Egypt.  According to that text Jesus told his disciples:

“For you have five trees in Paradise which do not change, either in summer or in winter, and their leaves do not fall. He who knows them shall not taste of death”

So Jesus referred to 5 trees in Paradise that if you came to know them then you wouldn’t taste of death.  He also had other teachings that may help shine a light on what we need to do to know these trees better.

“Blessed is he who was before he came into being,”

This kind of statement may sound a bit confusing, but it is actually very similar to many teachings from various cultures and refers to the benefit of being self-aware. When you know your true nature before the ego is even developed you are more able to travel the symbolic path that Jesus and other spiritual leaders spoke of.  

When we are clouded by our ego and lacking in awareness we distort the teachings and end up confused or frustrated.  Many ancient teachers spoke at a higher level of awareness and in a symbolic nature that can be confusing to many. 

“If you…listen…, these stones will minister to you,”

For example, this statement may mean ‘listening’ to your true self which would allow you to observe the internal and external connections we have to the physical reality around us.

The word tree is a creative and manifesting symbol in the Christian and Jewish sacred texts and often refer to taking or producing fruits.  Fruit is a very symbolic way to describe the end product or passing forward of nourishment, knowledge, and seeds to carry on the next generation.  

5 Parts of the Mind

It is possible that Jesus was talking about mastering the 5 sides of our mind.  In the 27th chapter of the Acts of Thomas during a special anointing ceremony, Thomas says “Come, elder of the five members of mind, communicate with these young men;” and according to Theodore bar Khoni the 5 minds are the equivalent to mad’a (reason), hauna (sanity), re’yana (mindfulness), tar’itha (intention), and mahshebhatha (imagination). 

These 5 minds are said to help you manifest the Father of Greatness which may help us see more into what the 5 trees represent. They would show us 5 ways to perceive the real reality.  

Marvin Meyer writes that:

“The ‘five trees in paradise’ are mentioned frequently in gnostic texts, ordinarily without explanation or elaboration. In Manichaean Psalm Book 161,17-29, it is said that various features of life and faith are put together in groups of five. This section opens with the statement, ‘For [five] are the trees that are in paradise [. . .] in summer and winter.’ On the trees in paradise according to Genesis, see Genesis 2:9.” (The Gospel of Thomas: The Hidden Sayings of Jesus, pp. 77–78)

5 Senses Meaning

Another possible interpretation is that the 5 trees are connected with our 5 senses.  In mindfulness, which Jesus mentions above, to increase your awareness you need to become present in your 5 senses and experience the real reality.   

According to the Naassenes, the paradise spoken of is the human head.  They suggest that the ‘5 trees’ may be referring to our 5 senses which help us create a perceivable inner world.  This inner world creates the basis for our belief system and perception of reality.  This knowledge would be what we need in order to find enlightenment and return to unity/paradise.

The only block to this theory is that the 5 senses are often connected with the lower levels of egoism and can lead to misinterpretation.  When we aren’t reading our senses right we can get lost in our emotions and create a bigger wedge between ourselves and the divine.  

Hindu Parallel 

Hindu culture also talks about 5 trees in their tradition too.  They are known as Mandara, Parikata, Samtanaka, Haricandana and Kalpa vrksa.  

There is a theory that is related to in The Gospel of Thomas that talks about Jesus traveling to India during the “missing years” of his life between the ages of 12 and 30 7 where he studied and learned the enlightened ways of meditation.  This may be the 5 trees he was referring to.  

Kabbalah Teachings

In the Jewish tradition, the 5 trees could be interpreted as the Five Worlds known as Asiyah, Yetzirah, Beriah, Atzilut & Adam Kadmon.  These 5 worlds refer to 5-dimensional levels of the soul’s progress towards unity, oneness, and the creator.

According to the secret Science of Kabbalah how to accomplish this is up to each person’s ‘desire to receive’.  If you wish to reach a state of unity with pure altruism you will then become the pure creator and experience the divine.  

Another teaching that is related to this concept is the “reality as a mirror of desire”.  This may be referring to the ego mirror that we bump into on our way to true awareness.  In this case, the pure desire equals perfect results in manifesting divinity, whereas impure desire would equal negative results.  They also refer to the tree as a symbol of a “productive” paradise. 

When you combine the Judaico-Biblical concepts most similar to the 5 tree and 5 world concept you end up with the five Partsufim also known as 5 soul levels: Nefesh, Ruah, Neshama, Haya and Yehida.

All of the teachings seem to point to one profound concept which is where the soul or mind uses the 5 senses to travel through the 5 worlds, minds or dimensional levels towards the same goal: divine unity of consciousness. 

What you need to know about the 5 Tree Path. 

1.The Tree of Life (The World Tree)

Often this tree is represented as a large bodhi, oak or ash tree that is found at the center of the earth’s 3 worlds.  This tree is used as a passageway between 3 dimensions or consciousness levels that are on earth.  

The tree of the world symbolizes the first of the 5 senses, vision, to those walking the path.  This stage is accompanied by visions, and prophetic dreams of the future.  

2. The Second Tree of Life

This tree is often expressed as a large pink coral where the bottom of the tree is copper or brass.  The tree is used as a portal into the 5th dimension.  People from our dimension see this as an open pathway or portal opening with no door.

This level of the 5th dimension is the where the soul traveler attains the ability of higher hearing and will have bouts of telepathic communication. 

3. The Third Tree of Life 

The 3rd tree is for the re-connecting and clearing of the nervous system.  It is often symbolically represented as a large flowing tree like a weeping willow.  It represents your memories of life before this incarnation and pushes you forward in you path of consciousness.

The third tree is symbolically connected with the sense of smell and is often accompanied by the smell of flowers in a walking state with no apparent source.   

4. The Fourth Tree of Life

Once a soul traveler reaches the 4th tree the seeker will experience what is known as the elixir or life or immortality.  This is also referred to as the nectar of the gods or Ambrosia.  It is often described as a sweet tasting honey like substance that is produced in the third eye and drips down the back of the throat.

This drip gives the person a sense of timelessness while restoring physical health.  Often times this drip is related to the bodies own ability to produce DMT and this leaves the person in a state where they don’t seem to need food or rest as well.

As you may have guessed already this tree is connected with the sense of taste.

5. The Fifth Tree of Life

This tree is often only considered a legend or a myth because this tree of life is the piercing connection where the traveler becomes connected metaphysically and physically to the “gods above”.

The 5th tree is connected with the sense of touch and the rest of the effects are with unknown or impossible to describe in the form of written word.

Each tree symbolizes a part of our alchemical journey physically and mentally as we get closer to our true self, oneness, or the divine source of the universe.  There are many theories out there that talk about how this reality is a dream and perhaps the path of the 5 trees is the secret we have been looking for to completely wake up.

Other Sources-

the-open-mind.com

en.wikipedia.org

salagram.net