The tree of life

The center of the world for ancient Slavs it was the World Tree (World Tree, World Tree). It is the Central axis of the entire universe, including the Earth, and connects the human World with the World of the Gods and the underworld. The crown of the tree reaches the World of the Gods in heaven iriy or Svarga, the roots of the tree go under ground and connect the world of the Gods and the human World with the underworld or world of the Dead, ruled by God, madder, and other "dark" Gods. Somewhere in the sky, beyond the clouds (celestial abyss; over the seventh heaven), the crown of a large tree forms an island here and there is iriy (Slavic heaven), home to not only the Gods and the ancestors of the people, but the ancestor of all birds and animals. Thus, the Tree of Peace was fundamental to the Outlook of the Slavs, it is the main part. At the same time it is also a ladder, a road which can be accessed in any of the worlds. In Slavic folklore the World Tree is called differently. It can be oak, sycamore, willow, Linden, viburnum, cherry, Apple or pine.

In the views of the ancient Slavs, the World Tree is on the island of Buyan in the Alatyr-stone, which is also the center of the universe (the center of the Earth). According to some legends, in the branches live the bright Gods, and in the roots - the dark Gods. The image of this tree came to us in the form of fairy tales, legends, epics, incantations, songs, mysteries, and the ritual of embroidery on clothes, patterns, jewelry, pottery, paintings crockery, chests, etc. Here is an example of how to describe the World Tree in one of the Slavic folk tales that existed in Russia and telling about the production of knight hero-hero: "...copper pillar is, and it tied a horse at the sides, clean the stars on the tail shining in the forehead of the red sun...". This horse is the mythical symbol of the whole universe (the Horse dazhdbog, if you remember), which is still tied to the center pole or tree.