Tree of Life Tattoo Meaning
A tree joins the earth and the sky: roots below, branches above. Almost every culture has seen in it an image of life, family and the order of the world.
Family, roots and branches
The roots stand for ancestors and where we come from; the trunk for the present; the branches for children and the future. A tree of life is one of the most common family tattoos, often with names or birth dates in the branches.
Growth and strength
A tree grows slowly, bends in the wind and survives storms. It stands for personal growth, patience and resilience.
The tree of life in faith
In the Book of Genesis the tree of life stands in the Garden of Eden, and in the Book of Revelation it appears again in the heavenly city, bearing fruit for the healing of the nations. For Christians it is a symbol of eternal life.
Yggdrasil and the Celtic tree
In Norse myth Yggdrasil, a giant ash tree, connects the nine worlds. In Celtic art a tree whose roots and branches weave together in a circle stands for the connection of all things and the cycle of life.
Tree of life Tattoo Questions
What does a tree of life tattoo symbolize?
Family and ancestry, growth, strength and the connection of all life.
What is Yggdrasil?
The world tree of Norse myth that connects the nine worlds.
What does a tree of life with names mean?
A family tree — the people the wearer comes from or the children who grow from him or her.