worldtree

World tree refers to a mythological concept in which a single tree connects multiple realms of the cosmos, typically heavens, earth, and the underworld. As an axis mundi, the world tree provides structure to the cosmos, serves as a source of life, and anchors sacred geography in many cultures. The form recurs across civilizations and time, though the specific trees and their meanings vary.

In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil is the principal example, an immense ash tree that sustains the nine realms and is tended by beings such as the Norns. In Mesoamerican cosmology, the world tree commonly represents the axis linking the heavens, the earth, and Xibalba or the underworld; it is frequently associated with large ceiba trees in ritual landscapes. In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, sacred trees such as the kalpavriksha and the Bodhi tree embody similar ideas of cosmic sustenance, enlightenment, and the realization of the world’s interconnectedness.

In modern usage, the world tree motif appears in literature, film, and video games as a symbolic hub that connects disparate worlds or times. It remains a common shorthand for ideas of origin, fate, and the unity of life, even when it is reimagined in fictional settings.

See also: axis mundi; tree of life; Yggdrasil.