A reflection on rootedness, health, and sustainability

The treee is one of the oldest symbols of life, health and connection. Especially in the darker season of the year, it invites us to reflect on rootedness, stability, and sustainable strength – both personal and planetary.

The Tree of Life is an ancient, archetypal symbol. Yggdrasil, the pagan World Tree, represents the cosmos. It connects earth with heaven and the underworld. Most likely, Yggdrasil was a yew tree, later misinterpreted as an ash. Over time, the fir tree – easily confused with the yew – conquered the world and entered Christian mythology.

In the Far East, the ginkgo tree is also considered a Tree of Life: revered as a sacred temple tree in China and Japan, and known in Western medicine as a medicinal plant. Yew trees and ginkgo trees can live for thousands of years.

The tree stands for sustainability. Without trees, life on Earth would not be possible. With every square meter of rainforest that is cut down or destroyed by wildfires, more CO₂ is released into the atmosphere. Trees are the lungs of our planet: they bind carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, which humans and animals depend on. Forests reduce the greenhouse effect and slow down climate change. Trees are also a renewable resource, providing fuel and materials that can grow back.

The tree also stands for health. Many trees are medicinal plants. In symbolic drawings, the human being appears within the tree: the head and arms reaching into the crown, the body forming the trunk, the feet extending into the roots. The tree becomes a symbol of enduring health. It is no coincidence that we say: strong like a tree.

In traditional Indian medicine, Ayurveda, the tree is used as a symbol for the healing arts and is divided into three parts: the roots represent knowledge, the trunk stands for transmission, and the crown symbolizes practice – the lived application of knowledge. In yoga, the tree pose (Vṛkṣāsana) supports inner balance. In shamanic traditions, the shaman may enter into connection with the creative forces of existence through the tree.

And is it not easy to understand? Everyone knows what it means to be rooted or to put down roots. Uprootedness and migration are associated with many health challenges. Those who are able to root themselves, who find a sense of home, gain strength. Strong and sustainably healthy – like a tree.