The term druid itself possibly derives from the Celtic word for oak. Germanic mythology as well as Celtic polytheism both appear to have involved cultic practice in sacred groves, especially grove of oak. In folk religion and folklore, trees are often said to be the homes of tree spirits. Įxamples include the banyan and the sacred fig ( Ficus religiosa) in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil of Judaism and Christianity. The image of the Tree of life or world tree occurs in many mythologies.
Evergreen trees, which largely stay green throughout these cycles, are sometimes considered symbols of the eternal, immortality or fertility. Human beings, observing the growth and death of trees, and the annual death and revival of their foliage, have often seen them as powerful symbols of growth, death and rebirth. Trees are significant in many of the world's mythologies, and have been given deep and sacred meanings throughout the ages.
The sacred fig is also venerated in Hinduism and Jainism. Significance of trees in religion and folklore The Bodhi Tree of Bodh Gaya is believed to be the Ficus religiosa under which Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment.
