Baltic Tree of Life

ROMOVE

ROMUVA-TREE OF LIFE:

This is the emblem of the Romuva religion, a revival of the indigenous Pagan religion of Lithuania. The symbol of Romuva is a stylized oak tree, representing the axis mundi, or “world tree,” known in local mythology as Austras Koks, ” tree of dawn,” or most popularly known as the tree of life. The three tiers represent the three worlds: the world of the living or present-day, the world of the dead or passed time, and the world to come, the future. The runic inscription here reads, “Romuve,” or sanctuary, the root from which the word Romuva is derived.

I love this! I haven't seen this interpretation before,It's beautiful! brings me to tears but not quite and I get butterflies when I look at this picture! The Tree of life has a really special place in my Body Soul, Mind and Spirit!

Counting 4 parts to my Beeing!........... I just had a revelation!

A Lithuanian folk belief in magical numbers repeatedly brings up Trys keturiose=3x4. 3 levels of existence times by the 4 parts of my Beeing equals 12! A magical number that also reduces to 3(1+2) and 2(1x2). This to me means harmony of triplicity and the balance of 2. Understanding and Wisdom.

I've been meditating on this picture for some time now and I realised that the 8 spheres around the Tree represent the 8 main sventes,and very appropriately placed in the picture! Starting from the top of the Tree: Rasa(Summer Solstice),then Rugiu svente(harvest),Dagutuves(Autumn Equinox),Velines(Festival of the dead),Kucios(Winter Solstice),Uzgavenes(Shrovetide),Sventes of Pavarsio lyge(Spring Equinox), and finally Jore(Festival of Spring flourishing), then back to Rasa. A full year in the Baltic Lithuanian ethno agricultural calendar! Journey from life to death and back again! :)

Notice the skeleton on the right where Autumn Equinox and the Stag amongst crops on the left! :) Also the Sun Goddess and the Moon God at the top of the picture and the Moon appears again in the Underworld! :) Falcons children at the summit of the Tree and the eternal Fire of the Gods! 

Laima (Goddess of Fate),the Cuckoo, is on the branch to the left at the Springtime festival of flourishing, Jore! :)

It's a great picture and really represents many aspects of Baltic Pagan Faith which really isn't that different to ALL Pagan Faiths. We do all generally believe in the cycles of the nature,the Underworld and Ancestors,afterlife and reincarnation.