The trunk of the tree symbolises the era of paradise, which emerges from that perfect Seed – that golden era before recorded history, when there is unity of belief, culture, language and governance; that period of perfected civilisation, when there is no difference between the theory and practice of harmonious living. People in such a time lack nothing and are totally fulfilled.
The closeness of the trunk to the seed symbolises how souls at that time embody God's qualities, living lives based on the principles of truth and wisdom. The ultimate truth that we are souls, not bodies. Such souls are memorialised in stories and legends as ‘gods' and ‘goddesses', but few any longer understand that such divine beings actually once walked upon our earth.
Growth and overgrowth
As a tree grows, its trunk naturally expands in size. Similarly, the human population expands. More ‘leaves' (individual human souls) appear on the tree. They descend from the soul world to play their part on earth. Just as leaves naturally change their bud-like state and begin to unfold, so the deities open themselves to greater involvement with the physical world and concern with the physical body – the temple of the soul. Completely innocent of the fact that that they are losing awareness of their true identity – the soul itself – in the process, they also lose touch with their original nature of purity, peace and truth.
Paradise lost
This shift in consciousness brings a marked decline in power, purity and the ability to discern right from wrong. Divinity departs. Paradise is lost. Gradually there is the experience of something other than peace and happiness. Gradually there are feelings that are strange and uncomfortable. Gradually there is unpleasantness, unrighteousness, unrest and untruth. These ‘insects' gnaw at many of the leaves and human actions become motivated by ever-growing demands for possessions, prosperity, position and power. No longer the masters of self, souls become slaves to their desires.
New branches emerge
As the unity of the trunk loses its integrity, minds begin to search for truth and hearts to long for comfort. The memory of God, the Seed, resurfaces from the depths of the human psyche. This intensifies the search for truth. In response, great prophet souls one by one make their entrances – Abraham, Buddha, Christ and Mohammed – respectively bringing messages of a return to righteousness, of mindfulness, of hope and forgiveness and of single-mindedness. Each prophet soul establishes the mighty branch of a great religion on the Human Family Tree. The ideals of law, enlightenment, love and surrender now manifest as major differences in approach.
Chaos and confusion
Many new leaves emerge on the branches, as the human family drastically increases in size. Chaos and confusion ensue, as the search for self-realisation and truth gives rise to divergent beliefs and ways of thinking. Each main branch diversifies into smaller limbs and twigs. Cults, sects and ‘– isms' emerge. Meanwhile, within the central trunk of humanity, the worship of nature and of human beings as gurus takes hold. The human family is now divided by colour, race, religion and ideology, its increasing dysfunction mirrored by a corresponding increase in natural calamities, mental and physical disease, poverty and untimely death.
The tree reaches its limits of growth
In this ever-increasing peacelessness, more and more people turn towards God. But not knowing who He really is or what He does, they are unable to find Him and so doubt in His very existence arises. The search for truth comes to focus exclusively on physical evidence, giving rise to wondrous advances in science and technology. Quickly, faith in the veracity and power of science proliferates, while religion and philosophy become materialistic and politicised. Meanwhile, among the branches, faith becomes fundamentalism, as those who tenaciously cling to traditional beliefs feel compelled to violently defend their views. Religion, language, culture have strayed very far indeed from their roots in divinity.
The tree reaches its limits of growth. Its roots are in a state of decay, its trunk barely visible amidst its jumbled tangle of sagging branches. Each soul hangs on helplessly, like a forlorn leaf on a twig of a wintry tree.
God the Seed regenerates the tree
But before old life dies, new life is given by the Seed, the Creator of the tree. God, the Seed of the Human Family Tree, reveals how what once was can be again. Awakened by the advent of this Seed, and deriving strength and sustenance by forming a renewed relationship with this One, individual human souls become new roots, the foundation, from which a new young sapling can emerge. The regeneration of the Human Family begins.
Meditate deeply, visualising yourself as a root soul, sitting close to God, the Seed of our Human Family. Draw from that Seed the eternal essence of all that can be attained in life. Remain beneath the canopy of the knowledge of our Human Family Tree and all of your pure desires will be fulfilled.
