In Greek mythology, the branches of one fig tree saved Odysseus from being sucked into the deadly whirlpool created by the maw of a hungry sea monster Charybdis. As my new book Ladders to Heaven — published as Gods, Wasps and Stranglers in North America — shows, they feature in stories as abodes of gods, places of prayer, homes of spirits, and subjects of taboos. fig tree mythology Figs: An Ancient Fruit That Is Truly Sustainable. The tree is certainly sacred. In Greek mythology it is believed that Demeter gave fig to Dionysus as a gift, hence the link to love and fertility. It is because of this life-giving property of the tree that it has been revered and symbolised in multiple human cultures throughout the world. Kenyan folklore and the traditional narratives of the Kikuyu people, the largest ethnic group in Kenya, have long revered and worshipped the Fig Tree as sacred. The tree died in the 17th century and a new sapling in 1672 was planted. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. In Greek and Roman mythology, figs are sometimes associated with Dionysus (Bacchus to the … At night, serotonin is converted into melatonin within the pineal gland. Fig Tree - In Mythology. September 23, 2012 September 24, 2012 June Stoyer 7 Comments Agriculture, Environment, Featured Guests, Gardening, Organic News, Organic Producers, Sustainability. Multiple beetles and flies also utilise the tree to breed and consume. In India similar beliefs were held regarding Vishnu, while in Greece the fig … According to Greek mythology, the first apple trees were created by Gaia (also Ge), the Earth, as a wedding present for Hera. Link Here. The world is alive, as are the fig tree mythology on quests, and mythology involved into something far more interesting and personal for all societies. #FolkloreThursday 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, United Kingdom, WC1N 3AX. In various mythologies, the fig tree represents the connection to other worlds and to a creator. ), and you can visit it today. You can follow him on. DMT is even referred to as ‘The Spirit Molecule’ as it is said to induce out-of-body experiences and connections to higher states of consciousness. Ghosts tormenting a man who tried to cut the wood of a sacred fig tree in India by Warwick Goble (1912) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Folk-tales_of_bengal,_illustration_by_W._Goble_1912.jpg. The wood is relatively soft in order to be more flexible. Ngai is their creator that cannot be seen but is manifested within all of the celestial bodies of the heavens, all life and events on earth. Bodhi tree (2016) in Wikipedia. The fruits themselves provide life for many creatures, but also knowledge and spiritual experience for human beings. Ficus (2016) in Wikipedia. More recently, when people began farming for the first time, fig trees were among the first plants to be cultivated. As my new book Ladders to Heaven — published as Gods, Wasps and Stranglers in North America — shows, they feature in stories as abodes of gods, places of prayer, homes of spirits, and subjects of taboos. The fig trees, collectively known as “Ficus” species, grow in many countries worldwide. The Egyptian goddess Hathor was known as the Lady of the Sycamore. Their effects as neurotransmitters play a vital role in a variety of functions, including sexual desire, mood and more. The Greeks revered Figs so much that they made it illegal to transport excellent quality Figs. Emmett, M. and Pattrick, S. (2009) Game ranger in your back pack: All-in-one interpretative guide to the Lowveld. Fig trees are also associated with many Hindu deities. Within the roughly 850 species variety of fig trees, their strategy for survival is diverse. These plants are providers of great gifts, including medicines and materials, and of course tasty fruit. A tree rooted deep within the theology of humanity is the fig tree. … ( Log Out / The pineal gland is known for spiritual experience, psychic qualities and perception of other realms. Various trees of life are recounted in folklore, culture and fiction, often relating to immortality or fertility. Some fig trees simply grow from the ground while others germinate high in the branches of other trees after being deposited in bird droppings or mammal faeces. image: Wikimedia commons ().The previous post on The Bodhi Tree examined the very strong evidence that the imagery of the sacred fig tree under which the Buddha is described as attaining enlightenment has powerful points of resonance with the "vertical Djed" symbology found throughout the mythology of the world, and associated with the invisible, divine, spirit-component in human beings … (a) The former consisted in firstfruits, viands, and cakes of various shape and make, which were some of them burned and some of them laid on the altars and sacrificial tables (See figs. They are intimately tied to the existence of many species that feed off of the plant, especially in the case of fig wasps whose sole existence in attributed to their mutualistic relationship with specific ficus species. There are beliefs that say it is possible to make guesses with fig leaves. No trees are home to a more motley mix of supernatural creatures than the strangler figs, whose eerie, aerial roots are adept at seizing imaginations in their grip. It is debated that some ficus species are, however, pollinated by multiple fig wasp species. Pineal gland and Melatonin (no date) Available at: http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/otherendo/pineal.html (Accessed: 21 September 2016). They are recognized … Fairly well-known is the story of the 12 labors of Hercules, one of which was to steal the golden apples. That tree was a banyan (. Here are some of my favourites. The fruit that falls down to ground are eaten by terrestrial herbivores and omnivores alike, and even by fish when the fruit falls into the water. Fig trees feature in origin stories from across the world. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhi_Tree (Accessed: 21 September 2016). This article discusses the ecological effect, spiritual impact and life of the Ficus genus. That tree was a banyan (Ficus benghalensis), and you can visit it today. The procession would stop to rest at the Sacred Fig Tree, where according to later legend Demeter stopped to rest and was cared for by Phylatos. These then grow down to the ground and use an older tree as support. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kikuyu_people (Accessed: 21 September 2016). To the Kikuyu people of Africa, even their name is derived from the sycamore fig. The tree symbolises the hidden mysteries of life, the levels of creation and eating of its fruit is said to grant immortality. No content from this site may be used elsewhere without the permission of either #FolkloreThursday or the article author. 24:3); Jesus did not come visibly in power and glory (Mk. A huge thank you to all of our official sponsors, and everyone who pledges to keep #FolkloreThursday running! McClay, R. (1994) The Pineal gland, LSD, and serotonin — updated: October 15, 1996. If you’d like to help keep #FolkloreThursday going, do check out our Patreon page to pledge a small monthly amount to tell us you think #FolkloreThursday is great! In the folklore of the Philippines, they include giant tree demons called kapres, goblin-like duendes, and the half-human, half-horse tikbalang. Figs are ubiquitously found in Israel and in neighboring areas; thus their frequent mention in the Bible. A giant strangler fig grew from their broken bodies. Many artifactsare known from the New Kingdom period, such as this . Diverse cultures around the world say these trees shelter angels and fairies, gods and ancestral spirits, ghosts, and other malevolent creatures. The leaves of one fig tree clothed Adam and Eve. They also need plenty of drainage. The historical events of AD 70 do not completely fulfill the fig tree parable/prophecy: It was not the end of the age (Matt. It symbolises correspondence between various levels of creation and the attainment of enlightenment and immortality. However, its long branches droop down so they are right above the rotating void of Charybdis. Saved by Raven Feather. In Norse mythology, the World Tree called Yggdrasill runs like a pole through this world and the realms above and below it. Little wonder these trees have been woven so often into the tapestry of faith, fable, and folklore. Here are some of my favourites. Second Photo by Siripwatwongpin – Wikimedia Commons (CC4 Attribution License). No plants feature so often in folklore, in so many places, as fig trees. When the fruit of fig trees are plenty, some birds feed almost solely on the figs produced. The tree is a symbol of wisdom in stories about the life of Buddha, who was said to have gained spiritual enlightenment while sitting under a bodhi tree, a type of fig. There’s a biological basis to many of these stories. A tiny opening (ostiole) at the apex of the flower provides an entrance for the fig wasps. Another story from India tells how a sage called Kabir was brushing his teeth with a twig. In the folklore of the Philippines, they include giant tree demons called, In Australia, aboriginal stories warn of an altogether more fearsome strangler fig-dweller, the, This manlike creature has bulging eyes and a gaping, toothless maw. ( Log Out / According to Greek mythology, the fig tree got its name from Sykeus (Syko [σύκο] in Greek means fig), the son of Gaia (Earth). The roots of one Indian species. Both of these chemicals have an interesting relationship with the pineal gland. According to Roman mythology the god Saturn of agriculture was crowned with fig leaves, this because among the Romans the fig tree was a sacred tree. Many creation myths draw on trees as symbols of life. Beautifully patterned butterflies and moths of a wide variety lay their eggs on ficus trees. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ficus#Ecology_and_uses (Accessed: 21 September 2016). Pretoria, South Africa: Briza. In Asia, the sacred Fig (Ficus religiosa) represents the Bodhi tree under which Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and became known as Gautama Buddha. A tree in El Matareya near Cairo called the Virgin Mary Tree is said to be a resting spot of Mary, Jesus and Joseph and is a pilgrimage spot for Christians. Their favorite Fig trees are the Nyagrodha, Aswattha, Udumbara and Plakshi (Ficus bengalensis, Ficus religiosa, Ficus glomerata, Ficus lacor (also identified as Butea monosperma). Yet in the world of biology, there exists a variety of veritable 'trees of death' poised to cause great harm to any human that comes into contact with them. The chemical arrangement of serotonin is very close to that of the well know psychedelic LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), while melatonin is very similar in construction to DMT (dimethyltryptamine). 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Figs were also sacred to Dionysus, the … Serial murders were often explained as being equally important. The peepul at the foot of which the Buddha received Enlightenment, the Bodhi Tree, is … Two sacred trees—the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil—appear in the Near Eastern story of the Garden of Eden, told in the book of Genesis of the Bible. Matthew 21:19 "And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. The males are wingless, blind and have a duty to dig a hole out of the fig from where the females can escape. They feed an abundance of animal life in the wilderness and some animal species are mostly reliant on them. It is clear that within ecology, myth and mysticism, fig trees are highly revered and respected. Another fig tree’s roots saved the twin babies Romulus and Remus from drowning in the River Tiber. In the Amazon rainforest of French Guiana, a story told by Wayampi people warns against adultery. The sycamore fig (Ficus sycamorus) in this case. View image of F. religiosa is one of more than 750 fig … The leaves of one fig tree clothed Adam and Eve. Serotonin and melatonin both directly affect circadian rhythms or day-night sleep cycles within humans. London: Gerald Duckworth & Co. Kikuyu people (2016) in Wikipedia. This concept is depicted in many mysteries and mythologies, some using different trees according to geographic location. Much of the rich mix of folklore associated with fig trees has a basis in biology. The first apples were golden, and the tree was put under the care of three minor goddesses called the Hesperides and a hundred-headed dragon named Ladon. In Greek mythology it is believed that Demeter gave a Fig to Dionysus as a gift, hence the link to love and fertility. These are inedible to humans and less favoured by other creatures than the edible fig types. An even bigger banyan, large enough to shelter 20,000 people, is said to have grown from the spot where a woman threw herself onto her husband’s funeral pyre more than 500 years ago. Native to the Mediterranean region, the fig tree appears in some images of the Garden of Eden. Fruit bats and monkeys revere the fruits produced by fig trees and like the birds, aid in distributing the seeds of the tree far and wide. In Buddhism it plays a similar role. They will no doubt feature in the folklore of the future, too. Saved by Raven Feather. When he discarded his toothbrush, it transformed into a gigantic fig tree whose crown spread to cover a hectare of land. After this, she dies and her body is absorbed and digested by the flower. It is this tiny size that allows the wasp to enter an infertile fig flower pod (syconium) and pollinate it. Parable of the Fig Tree: Matthew 24:32-35; Mark 13:28-29; Luke 21:29-31 The parable of the fig tree is one of the most important parables to read in context.. They travel to other appropriate fig tree species and pollinate it accordingly, as to ensure the continuation of their life cycle. The sycamore fig was cultivated in early Egyptian civilisation for its fruit and used to symbolise the Tree of Life. The Fig Tree and its fruit, the fig, are mentioned several times in the New Testament as well as the Old Testament. The Betsileo people in Madagascar say anyone cutting down a sacred fig tree risks misfortune – perhaps a family member will suddenly go blind, or a new mother will fail to lactate. 13:26-27); and the times of the Gentiles was not fulfilled either (Lk. Fig trees feature in origin stories from across the world. Both of these substances are known as powerful psychoactive compounds and are closely tied to the spiritual movement of both modern day and antiquity. 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