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What does the World Tree represent in shamanic initiation rituals?
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Shamanism
Korean shamans, or mudang, performing a ritual dance in South Korea.
In shamanic traditions, the World Treeâoften referred to as the Cosmic Tree or Pillar of the Worldâserves as a vital vertical axis that connects the human realm to the divine. It represents the essential link between the Earth, the Upper World, and the Lower World.12
Within the context of shamanic rituals and beliefs, the World Tree holds significant symbolic roles:
- Cosmic Pathway: Among groups such as the Altai Kizhi, a tree is sometimes placed within the shamanâs tent to symbolize the World Tree. During rituals, the shaman symbolically ascends this tree to reach the Upper World, a journey communicated to the audience through song.3
- Hierarchy of Power: The World Tree also represents the source of a shamanâs spiritual potential. For example, the Sakha (Yakut) people believe that the souls of future shamans are reared in nests upon a massive tree in the Upper World. The height at which a soul is raised on the tree determines the shaman's future degree of proficiency, with the greatest shamans being reared near the top.4
By bridging these realms, the tree functions as the center of the universe, facilitating the shaman's movement between planes of existence.12