The Yggdrasil's Secret: The Real Name of the World Tree of the Vikings and Norse Mythology

[@eardwulf785]

As a whole Germanic mythology is as fascinating as it is intricate. Studying it today and trying to work out the various translations and meanings using etymology is just like trying to piece together a giant puzzle or jigsaw. I found this particular episode both revealing and rewarding and I'm going to watch it again in case I missed anything.

[@Crecganford]

Thank you for watching, and re-watching :) I appreciate you taking the time to comment and leaving such kind words.

[@eardwulf785]

@@Crecganford Ditto I appreciate you taking the time to acknowledging my comments. Reading through many of the threads ive noticed that you pretty much always make time to interact with your viewers which is very commendable. I've had KZbin for four years now and out of all the channels I've subscribed to there is a handful that I consider to be almost tailor made for my interests. One of them is called Voices of the past, possibly my favourite however I've added your channel to this list of favourites. There are many channels that focus on etymology, history and mythology and others that are about ancient cultures and migrations and others still that lean more towards philosophy. Looking through all your uploads I didn't see one single video that I would skip. I'm delighted that I can look forward to catching up. Finally just to touch on what others have already said and that is that it's surprising that your channel hasn't yet reached a much bigger audience. I know that there are many like-minded viewers out there just waiting for your channel to drop in their recommendations.

[@SG-js2qn]

I like a lot of the ideas people have submitted, they're very evocative. But I think that Yggdrasil is an oak, with ygg = eik = oak. Oaks live longer than ashes - perhaps 1,000 years - thus implying immortality when compared to the lives of men, and the trunks can be immense. The animals of Yggdrasil could be associated with a mighty oak, with an eagle at the top, a squirrel collecting acorns, and deer feeding on oak leaves and acorns (which they prefer as foods). One description of Yggdrasil says "in its side it rots," and there is a fungus that grows into oak tree trunks, slowly hollowing them out. The deer probably represent the four quadrants or four winds. The ansuz (A) rune of Elder Futhark can mean a god, an oak, or an ash. The rune looks like a tree. It could point to an early tree-centric mythology, with the concepts of god, oak, and Ask intertwined. Askr means "belonging to Ask / Ash," who was the first man. "Askr Yggdrasil" would be "Ask's oak." Ask might have been not only the first man, but also a lawgiver, and possibly an executioner. An assembly known as a Thing was where the people of a community would gather around a specific tree for important councils or to decide legal matters. This tree could be symbolic of Ask's Yggdrasil. Drasil means "that which draws or pulls." Which can be a horse, as many have pointed out, but it can also be a rope, a noose, a lasso, with which you guide a horse. Considering the myth of Odin hanging himself, it could be that the oak is a hanging tree. In these societies, a hanging tree could be representative of the law, of moral authority, as this is where executions would take place. Mim - meaning "mind" - was the Norse personification of wisdom. The "well or pond belonging to Mim" (Mimisbrunnr) lay at the foot of Yggdrasil, which mirrors the idea of judgment being given by the Thing at the base of a specific village tree. Odin sacrificed his eye to Mim in exchange for wisdom. Perhaps if you called for the Thing to resolve your legal dispute, you had to make a payment, and that's why Odin gave his eye in exchange for wisdom. I'm reminded of the bog people, who were often strangled with a noose, and then perhaps had their throats cut before being tossed into a pond. This could be linked to the tales of hanging on the tree, being sacrificed, and thrown into the pond for their crimes. As for yggr meaning "terror," if such is true, that meaning could come from "belonging to the oak," which could be a reference to a hanging body on the judgment tree. Strange fruit.

[@Crecganford]

Very interesting, thank you for taking the time to comment. And thank you for watching.

[@szymonbaranowski8184]

Bogi is word for gods in Slavic. And I guess it's related deeply with forest itself Bór - forest and what it meant for ppl z boru is from Bór zbiór - collection, zbierać - to gather, zabrać, zabór - to take from but also wybór to choose from, voting. Eldest organic democracy in the world of forest hunters gatherers 🙂 There is a myth about first men on Iceland where a Slav and a Scandinavian met and Slav was attacked by the Norse guy for breaking some of their rules, because of being oblivious to their weird customs as territorial marks & harsh laws for breaking such stuff... 😂 For Slavs forest is open to everyone along their needs like mother nature itself in free spirit of cooperation not hoarding & ordnung. Except king's forest of course 😂 There are myths about kings forests with kings beehives keepers, perfect shooters who kneeled to nobody except king himself & offended a trespassing foreign King without any punishment haha.

[@SG-js2qn]

@@szymonbaranowski8184 Bogi I would think relates in some way to bugbear, bogart, and boogeyman, as supernatural creatues, FWIW. As for bor, as a word for tree, I think it might relate to arbor, bar, barrel, barrier, barbarian, bore, and bole.

[@BenjyaminSaturnHaunebu777_3]

But the Yew tree lives in Eternity.

[@Laelaps512]

drasill means "horse" and Ygg(r) is one of Odin's many names

[@fernandosanz4422]

Another fantastic trip through etymology!!! Vey interesting and enjoyable.

[@Crecganford]

Thanks for watching!

[@deewesthill1213]

Etymology has been one of my favorite subjects from childhood! It can be a key to the remote past.

[@evwaldron]

Being named Odin's horse makes sense. He hung himself from the tree to gain knowledge. He rode the tree in a shamanic journey. The tree was his steed while he was on his vision quest.

[@szymonbaranowski8184]

This gives a deep insight to how idea of riding a horse at all was born. And it was very very abstract idea to come with. They used animals to transport goods but imagining riding animal was like from other world. Some ppl have theory it was a winter sledge with dogs first. And then idea of moving on snow was translated into invention of wheel and horse riding

[@rustyrocks69]

Anyone here should probably read Neil gaimen, norsy mythology. Fantastic read. Cheers for covering this still enjoying your channel after a wee winter break

[@Crecganford]

Whilst that is an enjoyable book, in fact I generally find most of Gaimen's work enjoyable, it isn't particularly academic and I do have a video on books to read on the subject which would be a better read.

[@nathanfurnival8724]

I’m convinced after many years that Yggdrasil is the mind, and a map of the mind

[@seraphotep7544]

Hugin and Munnin are thought and memory after all. Your sight sees true and makes you known, friend. Carry forward.

[@Aman-qr6wi]

There's something called कल्पवृक्ष Kalpavriksha tree in hinduism. It's similar to this tree.

[@henriettaabeyta1457]

I'll see what I can learn from your videos. But it's quite clear from art online many can't distinguish Yggdrssil from the Celtic style of trees with the knotwork roots.

[@ares3052]

Thank you for this interesting content! I speak various languages and I just realized that the last part of the word has a meaning in the Albanian language. Dras/Dru means oak/wood and IL/ILL means star ⭐️ so translated it is wood or oak of the stars or from the stars. Highly interesting since nobody really knows where the Albanian language comes from. It is one of the oldest Indo-European languages which also is its own independent branch of language!

[@normabrien8331]

It brings to mind the tree of knowledge in the Kabbalah. Paths drawn which you must follow if you want to gain wisdom but dangerous if you are not prepared. These ancient stories can be dangerous if you are not guided by people who have studied.

[@C00kiesAplenty]

Another example of names changing is Frankenstein. Victor Frankenstein is the creator of the monster, the creature is "Frankenstein's Monster" but everyone just calls it Frankenstein.

[@Crecganford]

Yes, exactly!

[@a.p.3204]

I'm so fascinated. About 18 months ago i had a non substance induced ego death experience while meditating on a trauma. I focused in on a deeply unpleasant physical sensation and a thought that had 2 meanings (one metaphor and one literal) that were both true came into my awareness and in my mind’s eye i witnessed 3D reality invert such that the world of metaphor was the real world and this world was the metaphor... and there was direct knowledge that *I* do not exist. And then there was awareness of a black tree at night which contained light but didn't emit light.... I saw a knickknack of the world tree, and i believe I saw the roots of Yggdrassil. I think that all of your speculations on the etymology of the name are technically correct, that the name is more a story than a noun. I think Odin stared calmly into Nietzsche's abyss and the abyss stared back. Also, the Eagle is odin's eye, the things eating the leaves are pains in your body to pay attention to, the serpents are the kundalini the squirrel is the mind and when the eagle eats the serpent the tree inverts and you lose one sight and gain another. At least, that's what it looks like to me. Oh! And its an ASH because thats how the Phoenix rises. Also, the tree of life is the top of Yggdrassil, and the underside is the tree of knowledge. Hinduism has a similar analog and so does Qbalah (sp?) Also, with the serpent and the eagle check out the Egyptian Cadeuceus (sp?) Its the doctor's symbol.

[@ptrpst]

This is incredibly interesting!!

[@Crecganford]

Thank you for watching, and taking the time to comment :)

[@thomasvieth6063]

It becomes clearer to me how powerful metonymy can be

[@Crecganford]

This is very much so in Old Norse and Skaldic poetry

[@deepm0e]

I think of Yggdrasil as being a metaphor for how the Cosmos is structured. It's LIKE A TREE. With different branches, and roots, connecting the world of the Gods, and the worlds of Giants, and other worlds for other creatures, and Midgård, the world for Men. Not disregarding all that is said in this video, I think the connection between the first Man being made out of Ash and Yggdrasil "being an Ash" is interesting.

[@Crecganford]

Yes, the video is for discussion, it is not saying things are absolute and so I enjoy reading other’s thoughts.

[@Terroid]

Yooo!! Ur website is down rn, just noticed it :D Love ur vids! keep making em. I love thinking about these stuffs

[@Crecganford]

Thank you for letting me know, I will fix it now :) And thank you for watching and taking the time to comment too!

[@Wichitan]

I'd come to the conclusion not too long ago that Genesis is in the main an astronomical treatise and that the two trees in the Garden of Eden were actually astronomical metaphors for the tilt of the Earth's axis. The 'Tree of Life' being zero degrees and the 'Tree of Knowledge' being the 23.5 degree tilt. The former creates a paradisiacal climate (similar to an Edenic state), while the latter creates the seasons (the fallen state with its concomitant struggles). This is also reflected in the symbolism of the two columns from Atlantean and other lores. Yggdrasil, with its seeming 'bivalent' meaning, may be a conflation of the earlier Middle Eastern legends. Just my own personal crackpot theory. Great video, Jon!

[@jswets5007]

I had to rewatch this. Wow. I think you might be on to something. Great stuff.

[@Crecganford]

Thank you for watching, and I have just finished translating an amazing Norwegian Thesis, and that takes this for another twist. I hope to present that soon.

[@violenceislife1987]

The existence of cloth is one of the oldest technologies, but it still takes alot of work for clothing to exist. Spinning and weaving are important parta of the mythology.

[@abhishekghosh4384]

This tree has beem mentioned in Gita and Katha Upanishad as well.

[@christoffernordholm5818]

I would like you to expand upon the world tree being the tree of knowledge in a future video. This can very well be connected to the Ficus religiosa, which is nowadays connected to the Bodhi tree 'the tree of awakening', under which Buddah gained enlightenment, but the original tree of knowledge could have been another one. In sanskrit the Ficus religiosa is know as As(h)vattha, 'resting place of horses', 'resting place of the swift', ‘that which does not last till the next day’, which can tie in to the connection of yggdrasill and the theme of the horse. I would also like to include a thought here, as thought are another thing that is swift like horses and doesn't last til the next day, but if you tie them to a tree they might possibly stay, ergo Mimameidr, 'the tree of remembering' or 'the tree of wisdom'. According to Yama and Krishna the tree has its roots upwards and branches downwards, and the world contained inbetween, which might indicate memory and wisdom flowing down from the past, through the world, and branching out into the future, or from the deeps wells of eternity into the world. Also the tree is the eternal Brahman, 'that which stands strong, firm, but also expands'. The wood of the tree is also used for the sacrificial fire, which maybe connects in some way to askr and embla. The earliest know depictions of the heart formed leaves of the tree can first be seen on pottery from the Helmand culture, in Kandahar, dating to the third millenium BC. The tripartiate tree is also found in balto-slavic, finno-ugric, sibric and turco-mongolic mythology, where it can function as the bridge to travel to words for the shaman, which ties in to the gaining of knowledge by odin and buddah. As with yggdrasil, there is a bird, mostly an eagle at the top, and a serpent at the bottom, the tree itself is often a larch or birch. There is also a sepent killed by hero theme connected to the world tree in those mythologies.

[@Crecganford]

I did touch on this in my video on the oldest creation myth. And I do have another video planned to talk about this more.

[@thekarmafarmer608]

When I started my training as a tree surgeon I was told that the Ash has the deepest tap root of any tree. Perhaps, if true, the old ones knew that.

[@Crecganford]

That is interesting, thank you for sharing.

[@MerakiPLyhne]

This ties very strongly to mysticism. The tree of life, the tree of knowledge, how Nidhog became evil (but is simply low vibrations of the soul, and the crown of Yggdrasil the divine). Ratatoskr as our inability to combine the two and rise as divine beings by the way of the stem (kundalini), etc. Hanging from the branches to obtain wisdom (meditation). Looking at Yggdrasil through the many lenses that mystics from all over the world and Christian gnostics gathered in allegoric language, then Yggdrasil is just one more talking about the same. I still wonder where it all started and what influenced what on the way.

[@js1423]

Another interesting video! I'm curious did the Norse myths have beings that could called "throne guardians" aka beings that protect the throne of an important deity? In Bible, Yahweh's throne is guarded by the Cherubim and Seraphim, in Mesopotamia there is the Anzu-bird protecting Enlil's throne and the Lamassu protecting temples and Egypt has the Sphinx and Uraeus. Many of the throne guardians are hybrids, possessing aspects of humans, lions, eagle, bulls or serpents. Some deities other spiritual beings could also be seen as the throne guardians, such as the Mesopotamian god Ninurta serving his father Enlil or the Archangels Michael and Gabriel in the Bible and other old Jewish & Christians texts. Is there something similar in Norse mythology? Does for example Odin have throne guardians?

[@Crecganford]

Nothing exactly the same as that, sure the gods had helpers, Valkyries, elves, animals from ravens to wolves, goats to cats, but nothing specific. But I'll have a think :) Thanks for watching and your continued support :) it is appreciated

[@js1423]

@Ragnar Odinsson Throne-guardians aren't always monsters, think of the Cherubim who have flaming swords.

[@karkir-joharkarntkristkark9507]

I'd recommend Robert Sepehrs youtube video 'In search for Odin', where he traces Odin's and the aryan's origin back to the eastern-asia or the middle east area, which is interesting, because Sitchin identified Enki as Odin himself. Furthermore we've all probably seen the Igigi/anunnaki holding the pine cone in front of the tree. There are some peculiar stone cones inscribed with text on them, and I propose that the pine cone actually represent those strange documents. The tree of knowledge would then represent the whole archive of historical knowledge. I wonder if the tree Yggdrasil perhaps has a similar purpose of structuring the knowledge as well. As far as I know the people of the north did not use any kind of encryption in their writing, but it is of course possible. There are long lists of names inserted in the texts for instance, which hasn't any seemingly rational significance for the meaning of the texts for instance. There are found some examples of encryption methods among Egyptian texts, but experts claim they didn't serve as means to conceal any important information.

[@karkir-joharkarntkristkark9507]

@Ragnar Odinsson There's no doubt that the tree is used to structure knowledge about the worlds and certain dynamics. What is the Mimirs well of knowledge but an "knowledge archive"/the akashic records? I doubt it's a well in literal sense.

[@karkir-joharkarntkristkark9507]

@Ragnar Odinsson So it's kind of what some would refer to as the ancestral memory too.

[@SMunro]

Tree of Ash... World Tree... It's a Volcano in Eruption. The cloud its canopy. It's the sort of thing you might see from a distance.

[@crystalratclffe3258]

Very interesting, Thank You!

[@Crecganford]

And thank you for watching and taking the time to comment.

[@jonaskramer7205]

Poetic simplification also exists today, as Frankensteins monster ist often called Frankenstein.

[@Crecganford]

Yes, exactly that

[@alriktyrving5051]

If "Yggdrasils askr" is to be interpreted as "the man of the horse of Yggr", and that is a kenning for Odin, it may alternately reveal a mystical knowledge of Odins true nature. "I know that I hung, on a windy tree, for all of nine nights, wounded with a spear, and given to Óðinn, myself to myself, on that tree, which no man knows, from what roots it runs" Odin is here said to sacrifize himself to himself by hanging himself on the the world tree, which also may be another name for Odin. The world tree contains or binds together all the nine worlds and can also be seen as a symbol of the Universe itself. Do you all see what this could imply?

[@Crecganford]

I’m not sure what you are implying, but I do not think he was sacrificing which was one of the key points of the video. Please share what you were considering, as I would like to discuss this more and understand other opinions. Many thanks for watching and taking the time to comment.

[@alriktyrving5051]

@@Crecganford Well. If Odin is "giving himself to himself" by means of stabbing himself with a spear, it looks like a traditional Odin sacfrifize. So my thinking is this. If we accept that Askr Yggdrasils is a kenning for Odin, it doesn´t have to imply that it wasn´t also originally a name for the world tree. It could be both. Meaning that the world tree is a symbol of Odin and/or vice versa. Now if the world tree is also a symbol of the universe itself or that which binds it together it gets really interesting. It would mean that Odin is somehow identical to that. Remember that Odins name can mean both, "mind", "spirit", "frenzy" and "poetry". Could Odin or one of his aspects be some kind of a pantheistic och panentheistic World Spirit? Odin appears in three aspects. "High", "As High" and "Third". Thus when he gives himself to Odin: "Sjálfr, sjálfum mér"" - "self, to myself to me" as it literaly means, it may reveal those three aspects, one of which could be the world spirit himself, another maybe the individual god and the third maybe Odins priestly function?.

[@rimerdijkstra5826]

Very interesting video and i think you say quite some important things. Also the origin of odin deriving from a word with the meaning of terror. This corresponds with the idea of the allfather not being such a pleasant god. And the idea of when he comes to you, he basically throws you in a very deep and dark pit and you will have to get yourself out without any help. Basically one huge depression. Its is a way to strengthen and test you. But odin is far from a nice pleasant and kind god. I do have a diffrent idea about the world three being an ash however. For the word ash can also mean something like spear, shaft or staff. And i believe that they referred to the world three as a needle ash somewhere when translated. And this would suggest that ash might be just a word used to describe any three. And in this case a needle three. And i think there is quite a strong case to be made for a yew three. This is a very special kind of three for is has both characteristics of deciduous threes and needle baring threes. This three can also bare fruits and if you look at pictures of old yew threes in for example England, you see thst they have roots similar to crawling snakes. Also this three eventually ends up hollow and then twigs will start to grow on the inside and reach for the ground so then a clone of the same three sprouts in the middle of the old three. And there are many many more extremely interesting characteristics of this three. I have also seen how the runes might be conected to the needles of this same three. There is a book called: Yew A History By Fred Hagender Which might be worth checking out. Maybe this is a very interesting thing to dive deeper into and who knows what we might find.

[@Crecganford]

Thank you for watching, and taking the time to write such an interesting comment, I do appreciate it. And I do have a number of books on trees in culture, but will check that one out. Thanks again.

[@guillermotheivth4378]

Revealing to track how the kenning becomes the name as time moves forward! Noticed you're using your own translations, which seem to strike a good balance between poetics and clarity. Are you going to publish any full translations? And where can I get that sweet replica of the Franks Casket?

[@christianlingurar7085]

well, after all "yggdrasil" is the tree of life, symbol far more popular in other cults, like... kabbalah... I believe it must have been "structured" originally, although I don't know of any descriptions in this regard (I guess generally A LOT of details got lost with loss of oral tradition and drift to relying on written tradition only). the "squirrel" is quite interesting... 🙂and of course it has a snake at its root and a vulture on its top!

[@symparanekromenoi]

There's a life tree in the Arabian Islamic culture as well called the Sidra, which sounds like it might've been derived from Yggdrasil. What do you think is the oldest tree of life/knowledge myth, if there is any other than the one from Norse? Thanks.

[@Crecganford]

That is a great question and one I am still researching. There is so much written about the Yggdrasil, and so much written about trees of life in mythology, it maybe a while before I feel comfortable presenting something. But I do aim to do so. Thank you for watching, and taking the time to comment. It is appreciated.

[@Svensk7119]

The simplification of Yggdrassil, from the ash tree of Odin's horse, or whatever the two objects were, sounds like the Frankenstein Phenomenon. Frankenstein was originally (and still is) the maker of the monster, who was originally Frankenstein's Monster. Yet due to simplification, much (if not most now) of the time people are referring directly to the monster with just the name Frankenstein.

[@Crecganford]

There is a lot more to this story, but I’m having to translate a lot of manuscripts before I can make a video about it. But it gives a whole different context.

[@sirnukesalot24]

I'm reminded of how a lot of people have been Incorrectly calling Frankenstein's monster Frankenstein instead, and it's only been a handful of generations since Mary Shelly wrote that novel.

[@Crecganford]

Yes, exactly!

[@ichigoapanchal9935]

I was researching the Hindu tree of life that is similar to yggdrassil but it invarted and is said to be body of Vishnu, that might be the case for yggdrassil as well and the early name might abev described it to be the body of Odin.

[@Crecganford]

That's interesting, thank you for sharing :)

[@ichigoapanchal9935]

@@Crecganford no worries bro, If you don't mind I'll be subscribing you XD

[@uselesshero.official]

Yes in Hindu mythology/ theology ( because it's a religion duh!) the world tree or rather the universe tree is named as Kalpa Vriksha or Parijata ie the tree of heaven. And Vishnu is said to be the 'Jagad- vriksha mulam' or the root of that tree. And we all know that the lotus arisen from that plant is the where Brahma sits therefore Brahma is the fruit of that tree. And Shiva/ Rudra and Yogmaya/ Shakti/ Durga are explained as the nourishment source ie soil/ environment and the stem of that tree respectively.

[@333Eriana]

and the other bit of this is that the poetic edda was scribed in christian times - so we don't know what reference and meaning would have been before then. - hense similarities to a 'father god' and tree of knowledge etc.

[@Arthur-pc1eh]

Odin is completely inseparable from the tree, in a fully cosmic shamanistic way. Another name for Odin was Jörmunr (mighty or powerful), which is the same root as in the name Irminsul, the cosmic tree of the Saxons.

[@seanbui2724]

Can you do a video on Berber Coastal North African mythology? The Berbers are actually related to the Saami people of Finland and the Slavs, they even share symbology and similar PIE mythology. Little known, but you can tell it's very Pleistoscene.

[@Crecganford]

I know a little about that, so yes, it'll be some months off as have so many videos to make, but will do it! :) Thanks for the idea

[@seanbui2724]

@@Crecganford thank you, I will be looking forward to it.

[@TrueMakedonia]

If you translate it as "Odin's untamed creature" it makes sense if it's describing the known world.

[@SaggafSaggaf]

"Laerdr" =learning, i like that, as in my perspective one divine source, a holybook they said about Yggdrasil is an enormous tree of knowledge, Creator god's knowledge, hope you like my comment

[@Crecganford]

Thank you for watching, and for your comment. It is appreciated.

[@August_Mannaz]

The tree of knowledge..... sounds like all is mind

[@Hero_Of_Old]

Have you ever looked into the Oera Linda book? Its quite controversial and would be seen as racist today, but it points to a covered up history of Europeans/Frisian people and migrations after the sinking of their homeland Atland/Oldland, and belief in one God, Wralda/Allfather. Odin and Jesus are even historical figures mentioned in the manuscript.

[@Crecganford]

That's not a book I've read, but I'll look for it on my travels.

[@kaiseroanekaiser1104]

The Oera Linda book is a known forgery. I wish we Frisians ghad such a book, but sadly it is not so. If you want any references to the Frisians, read Beowulf.

[@Hero_Of_Old]

@@kaiseroanekaiser1104 forgery according to whom? The mainstream? Historical events were written in the book before they were even mainstream knowledge. Himmler even references 'Wralda' the old word for God in his book

[@kaiseroanekaiser1104]

@@Hero_Of_Old despite the fact that I agree with you on the issue that the 'mainstream' has muddied a lot of mythology and history, it is wishfull thinking Oera Linda is a real mythological source. It's historical facts are all over the place, and make little to no sense in their context and most of the mythological aspects are contested and have little to no historical or contemporal counterparts or references. I've studied under the man who debunked back in 2004, and I agree wholeheartedly that is has been a forgery to entice certain 'nationalistic feelings'. I'd prefer if this happened with genuine sources. Just like our history should n9t not be forged, neither should our mythology accompanying it. If you're interested I could share some other sources pertaining Frisian history and mythology. If our content creater Crecganford follows this conversation, first of all I'd like to congratulate him on the outstanding work he has thus far created, I watch every video with delight and look forward to the next. By that that same token, I wish to reach out my hand for an invitation for a possible future 'collaboration' on Frisian mythology and history, and their place within the larger European context. Sadly too little is known about our history and mythology, both foreign and domestic. It's due time to change that.

[@Hero_Of_Old]

@@kaiseroanekaiser1104 The book 'Chronicles from pre Celtic Europe' certainly makes a compelling case for the authenticity as does Asha Logos work. But ultimately I don't know. There is no real way of knowing anymore. I am just searching for the truth and yes I would be interested.

[@ChrissieBear]

I heard that "Yggdrasil" as "Odin's Horse" is a poetic term for Odin hanging from its brnaches.

[@Crecganford]

It can mean that, however the video is to explain that wasn’t its original meaning.

[@ramlebelier8225]

il est également l'arbre de la bible, dont le serpent est un symbole est un symbole viking (snekkar/snake)...le sapin de Noël...chez les saxons, il portait le nom d'Irminsul

[@Crecganford]

Oui, c'est un symbole dans toute l'Europe. Merci d'avoir regardé et d'avoir pris le temps de commenter :)

[@ramlebelier8225]

@@Crecganford je me suis permis ce commentaire pour d'éventuels lecteurs francophones...cela explique les mensonges liés au monothéisme, et donc la réelle identité de ce "christ" dont tout le monde parle sans jamais vérifier si ceux qui l'ont crucifié et qui ont rédigé les textes liés à son histoire est la réalité. Merci de partager ce genre de contenu, trop peu méconnu et dénigré. Cordialement

[@luciabaschirotto429]

Thanks for these videos. I would like to know more about the similarity between norse Aesir and Vanir and sanskrit Asura and Deva (and avestan Ahura and Daeva). And i have some questions about PIE mythology. Did proto-indo-europeans believe in a Devil-like figure, o is it entirely of christian origin? Did they have demons? The fairy tale "The Smith and the Devil" is pre-christian, so what was the mythical creature in the oldest version? Do the word devil have the same etymology of sanskrit deva and avestan daeva? I also would like to know how proto-indo-european fairies, nymphs or elves were, and how the pre-indo-european religion was.

[@Crecganford]

Some great questions, and I will answer them in future videos… but to answer the PIE/devil question briefly… the PIE did not personify their gods, and so there would not have been a devil figure. They would understand chaos, things going against their beliefs and needs, and we see this in the Cattle Raiding Myth. But most demons and the creation of a “hell” come from Indo-Iranian sources, so a migration and evolution from our PIE ancestors. I hope that helps, and thank you for the questions.

[@vapertainment5313]

So I may be ignorant in this, but from what I understand we are living in the rebirth after ragnaroc and humans were recreated after that battle, and Christian myths share many similarities with Norse paganism, so are we just in the next volume of the story? Because humanity has been proven to outlast a mass extinction event and we have found human remains that are incredibly old. Could it be that we are looking at origin stories that show a remembrance of before that time, something akin to legends proving humanity had a working and trading, at least, perhaps even mildly technological civilization so long ago that their runes no longer even remain?

[@Crecganford]

Thanks for watching, and taking the time to write such an interesting comment. I will revisit this in the future as there is so much more to say on the subject.

[@beautyonabarnbudget]

I always thought odins horse meant the "gallows". The tree where Odin hung, therefore the gallows. Edit: nevermind u got there. Lol

[@krift1716]

I think looking at the Proto Indo European Anatolian world trees name. THE OLDEST VIKINGS have some Anatolian DNA. Armenian folklore also has a world tree. Odin is Wotan (creator) Tyr (to strike the earth) Ti Re. I will do more research, but these names are titles using indo european proto cognates.

[@pathcoinfirst8936]

Or it is a remembrance of an oral tradition that reaches back to the origins of the Vikings, far into the distant past, as the Europeans branched out from the the plain of Shinar. A conflation of The Tree of Life and the The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. For the Tree of Life followed the expulsion of Adam and Eve to give them hope,, whose roots went back to the Garden of Eden. This explains the reference to the serpent that ate at the root.

[@Crecganford]

That’s an interesting interpretation, and I would suggest you watch my video on immortality to understand the serpent, and the video on the oldest creation myth to understand the tree of life. And then let me know if you still feel the same.

[@eastindiaV]

Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life The way to the great cosmic mountain, VALHALLA... The tree isn't a specific one, but a family of trees. These trees for a symbiosis with the ecosystem around them. They host bacteria that pull nitrogen out of the air, and feed it to the plant, which in return, helps produce healing chemicals for both organisms. Fungi, affected by these chemicals, will help to transport nutrients from the surrounding area, which, for the efforts, are repayed by the tree. And so on, and so forth. And, in the old times, in the Old Norse land, people would achieve eternal life, and communion with God and enter VALHALLA spiritually. And, when Christianity came, they found out they both had the exact same belief system, but with different names for things. Edit: In modern times, these trees are usually associated with fodder for livestock feed

[@michaelwheeler9364]

Why is it that you relate the name of the tree so literally with Odin's horse? Is that really what the etymology suggests? I took it as a metaphor for the thing that Odin rides. Odin 'rode' the tree when he sacrificed himself to himself like he would ride his horse. He rode the ash tree, the world tree, to gain knowledge, an idea that would connect with Mimir, to whom Woden gave his eye for knowledge. And would you make a video on cross cultural ideas of the world tree. How does this appear in Roman or Greek or Celtic myth? How accurate are scholars like Micea Eliade on this topic? Is there a relation to Tengrism, the pre-islamic religion of the Turks and Mongols, that also had a world tree?

[@Crecganford]

Yes, I’ll certainly do a couple more videos on the world tree and Ygggdrassil

[@thethraciancalendar8563]

YGG-DRAS-SIL on bulgarian means YGG - aperantly name; DRAS - tall; SIL/SILA - strong, force or might. So maby means MIGHTY TALL YGG

[@RaumfuerSpiele]

Hello to you. As you seem to be very familiar with the nordic Saga, maybe you can help me with one thing. I heard in one of the Edda Saga, there is a monkey king. Is this true? what is his story and where can I learn more from it?

[@Crecganford]

I'm not familiar with a story like that in the Old Norse manuscripts.

[@RaumfuerSpiele]

@@Crecganford the monkey king talked to someone on a boat, while he was standing at the river. I only know this scene. If this where true it would be incredible. It would link it to Chinese and Indian stories of the monkey king

[@jasonhaymanonthedrawingboard]

If you think that the tree of life could refer to genetic. So with many meaning, it may mark the origins of life itself. Ancient history does attempt to make sense of the world. It also an inherent link to old knowledge. Huffington horse. Might mark its location? The biblical make reference to the tree branches being cut by the angels. Norse myth tells of Odin fashioning humanity from the remains. There has always been a question about what type of tree the tree of life is? From yew trees, cadres Atlantica, ash oaks or eve the giant redwoods even elm tree. There a Prussia folk song that talk about mother goddess. It makes reference to roses being woven into a great tree. Somewhere near a Great Lake by the sea. On top a hillside. There is a horticultural practice of weaving tree into living structures. Practical any tree can be shaped while young. Some time the stories were a learn aid to help children recognise various bit of information. The birghtest were chosen for the perceptive ability. In the tale you have details that should aid in telling the full history of the tree. As in remarkable as that is to many. The story tell of Yggdrasil trail from the cosmos. It would seam accordingly to the Norse life found purchase in four places. Over time the tree grew and interwove it’s. You have reference to the cradle of creation. In amongst the fire and ice. The secret knowledge is still present. If you know where to look? Why could sliepnir travel to all the realms? Why really did Loki get strapped to a rock and tortured? It all there. Loki became a liability for the Aesir. I really could go on and on. Its a map in song and takes of old. The more references pointed from various perspective the better the picture. It implies the aesir fought with god. Lost. And there holy of holies was damaged in the process. It might require some scientific knowledge to be applied as well. Odin fashion human from a tree. Implies humanity is formed from plant life. It really about perspective. The the I’m many things to many people. The trees of knowledge and the tree of life were ,ent to face each other on opposing hills. I wonder if the pace name survived? There a few place in Britain that matches the description. Ones at battle Abbey. It often said both life and knowledge are closely intertwined. Love the talk there’s definitely more that could be explored.

[@mikerenshaw7867]

🦅

[@tomerikrasmussen7507]

Norse religion, i reject desert mythologies :) Cheers from Norway

[@clockworkmouse8469]

So kind of like the garden of Eden Odin idea. Where there were two trees in Eden. The tree of life and the tree of knowledge (wisdom). If you take the trees to be two different beliefs and Loki being the snake. So Loki tricks Adam and Eve to follow Odin and so need clothes and the God of the life tree didn't like it. It also explains why the first people's names are based on trees. Adam is Ash, Eve is Elm, Kane is a stick and so on. There are lots of things that Christianity and Norse mythology have in common. For example a giant beast Goliath (wolf) and a very large snake (The Midgard serpent). Make you think the Jewish nicked some ideas from over beliefs lol

[@Crecganford]

Yes, you do have all the components there, but just in the wrong places. I hadn't really thought of it like that before! Thank you for watching, and taking the time to comment.

[@clockworkmouse8469]

Sorry, I just like looking at what life has gave us and seeing if there are other ways of looking at it. I do like the way you look at the Norse mythology and use other information to help watchers understand the story behind it. Keep up the good work 👍

[@thatguyharambe8757]

I am late to this party, but I do wonder; The axis mundi of Yggdrasil is polar - a clear cut top (the bird of prey's perch) and the serpent at the bottom, gnawing at the roots. From a purely metaphysical standpoint, this sounds like a map of the human mind. The squirrel, Ratatoskr, seems to me to represent mankind's war with itself, our internal war; since he delivers malicious messages from both parties. Odin has been established now as a cognate of Rudra for quite some time, Rudra being his Vedic counterpart. Rudra is taken to mean the breath of life, right? The motivating, impelling force of the cosmos, an emanation of Prajapati, the Cosmic Man, just as Odin is child of Buri (The Prajapati figure of Norse Myth). We see this impelling force in the part of the poem where 'Odin gave them movement' - meaning he gave them the breath of life, the motivating force. Yggdrasil, as the Terrifying one, or Odin's Steed, seems to me to be a VERY veiled metaphor for a human body and the human mind or, maybe put differently, the sum total of a human life.

[@thatguyharambe8757]

I apologize if this comes across as schizophrenic in advance. They're just the thoughts of some asshat who smoked too much pot at one time. Maybe.

[@christopherellis2663]

Þrasa, thrash. Odin's horse, upon which he rode, OR ash tree, which he also journeyed on.

[@MagicJesus]

Adonis was born from his myrrh-tree-mother Myrrha's side.

[@StephanieSoressi]

Well, whichever it ultimately means, one thing would be true: the Emerald Ash Borer is the end of us, the Horseman of Ragnarok!

[@StephanieSoressi]

Not only that, it gives an entirely new meaning to the phrase: "Ashes to ashes"!

[@serpounce5699]

I love the video, but the bit about the beginning where you say that we're calling the tree the "wrong name" rankles a little. When it comes to myths, the oldest version isn't the "most correct." It's just the version that came first.

[@Crecganford]

I can understand that, and I usually call the tree the Yggdrassils myself. I'll consider my phrasing more carefully in future videos.

[@Ennio444]

@@Crecganford I don't think you have to be more careful, your interpretation that the tree isn't called Yggrassil, but Yggdrassil's Ash tree is what Norse myth scholars support.

[@robertkvilhaug2595]

Hi - interesting idea. . It feels natural to divide Yggdrasil into Yggdra + Sil. and if you translate the modern icelandic word "yggtra" to english - it means "extreme" and "sil" translates to "sieve". but sil could have another meaning in the old viking age? - if YGGDRASIL is divided to Ygg + Drasil - The modern Icelandic word Trasil translates to Shake, and Trasill translates to Trasher. - and the modern icelandic " Eg trasill translates to I`m confused. -🤣. Well, just playing with words and hope something can come out of it

[@anapaz329alvarez3]

😮😲😮😲😮😲💚🌲

[@Cobra-gl7or]

This is what the bible says according to Daniel 4:20-23 The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth, whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home- it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth. And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’…”

[@szymonbaranowski8184]

World tree.is binding three realms and is a bridge, also a bridge of human & our world origin from two opposite elements, as well as cosmic axis. Horse in Indoeuropean religion was a chtonic symbol, of underworld. Except of white horse which was special as a royal symbol & itself sacred. All what's white belongs to sky and heaven realm of god's & customs & laws, cosmic order, knowledge & authority. So it can replace sacred eagle or goose dwelling in world tree crown. A dark horse with white reflexes on skin/fur is called Deresz Drs seems close to drassil right? Odin is King so obviously his symbol is white horse in Viking culture by definition. More interesting question is how serpent in their myths changed into a wolf. It seems snakes weren't so sexy as a symbol in culture which promoted fighting head-on without tricks & unhonorful sneaky ways. Loki tricks were more for humor but preserved his origin in underworld & chaos. He partially took role of Charon I can bet. Darkness was feared. Especially since they were sailors and sea has many taboos to avoid unluck. Ok so let's let brain go crazy: For gray we have siwy, popielaty (ashy, think word afterfire, afterfiery, close to name of God Shiva right?), gniady means brown/"red"/rusty other horse color (similarity with A-Gni a- prefix is negation, or meaning ex-, so not gni-ady, (already) not brown, red, rusty, fire is red and rusty color ). Slavs have God Perun from per- to hit/sTRIke but we also use word pierny (fern?) - like the taste of pepper, also related with hotness gorąc & fire - Ogień. We don't have old word Khors for horse, only Koń, of things sounding similar to Khors we have this goronc but more from gar - hot pot & koryto - the animal feeding końtameer container ( ;)) hmm word curse sounds close too. And of course Kary - black colour horse. What's not far from Kali. So that red more in sense of life giving or taking away, and fire inside, non material, staying in something even after it burns down. Also ash was used to make a soup. So it want only white gray in color it also had the attribute of purifying like fire that made it and so keeping still the essence of fire afterwards. Ash of world tree in this sense still bears the power of creation as soil after sacrificing cow and spilling blood (or sacred excrements) fertilises, keeps lifecreating essence in ground. As well as power to look into world of dead.

[@fivforfivfor]

Your ancient stories do have meaning(s) If you were to look at them with the eyes of science From a scientific point of view You would be amazed Because these stories are """speak and describing""" (the temporal & dimensional worlds , of universal mechanics , The Mechanizems of Nature) Quantum Mechanics The hidden true reality , in the reality around us (dimensions and how they are accessed)) And I know this to be a fact Because I experiment in this branch of science

[@jayx4996]

Yggr: terror as in unknowable or vast. Drasil: structure that holds or carries. It is flat out, and simply, world tree. No hidden ancient name. Animists would have respected the tree prior to any god being involved. It is foolish to try to add etymological meaning through later gods and language. Dharma comes from drasil. Clearly, a path, structure, order, religion, route. Every major religion stems back to the tree. Fun to study and good videos. It is unwise though to use old norse as a sole source to help with PIE. You need to counter with the Asian progression too if you want to pin down the original meaning based on how a word continued use.

[@annerantzau5767]

Unfortunately, the man has always been busy poetry and fantasizing, and not taking his own development seriously - but perhaps this is about wisdom in his own development, and not taking over the beliefs of others and asserting himself wise. And here, as everywhere else, it is about the human being created as he and she in balance and complementing each other. And not the woman as a pendant

[@Tsun_Wu_Kong-Hanuman]

As soon as u worthy tatta comes i know...🤨

[@GlobalRage]

Two horse chariots have 8 legs and unlike you the Egyptians knew the best wood for making chariot wheels was European ash.

[@darrenramsdale335]

It's A Kenning.

[@Crecganford]

It is more than that..

[@rybaneightsix5085]

Boinds the noin

[@paulbush1992]

dmt

[@viridianahorta3077]

By the way: Isidoro is derived from the Greek name Isídor - Isídōros (Ἰσίδωρος) and can literally be translated to "gift of Isis. This name is linked (in the Christian mythology) with knowledge and food.

[@viridianahorta3077]

Although the Nordic legends cam have greater antiquity and purity (in relation to the original myth).... It is very possible, almost a certainty, that since Greek entered among the written languages ​​very early, etymologically the written Greek is much closer to the language spoken by the ancient Indo-Europeans, of Northern or Southern Europe, than the Northern European languages of today ​​(an unwritten language derives very easily with the time).

[@rictard1]

Mythologie and religion made complicated stories ... Ygg= Egg or seed ,it's the core of the Earth, drasill=Dragon-serpent-life force-vortex creating the earth magnetic field. The Earth is a Beehive the entrance is the south pole. (AS). Odin is the AS guardian an ASES.(ASgaard). He's not a nordic god ,he's from pole south that's why he's tie upside down. Merodach Idinn ,Marduk-Odin. The phoenix = the ashtree=the core of the Earth die and rebirth cycle.

[@alexanderguesthistorical7842]

Another good vid Jon. Very thought provoking! Just a couple of observations; 1) I am a Cabinet Maker by trade, and I keep Bonsai trees. So I know most of the common temperate species of trees inside and out. I know what an ash tree looks like and I know what the wood is like. But it's highly interesting to know that there is another "ash" species, which is not actually an ash (fraxinus), but a MOUNTAIN ash (sorbus) or ROWAN tree. The term "mountain ash" being given to the rowan or rountree, because of the similarity of the arrangement of the leaves in both species. The leaves of both species are arranged on stalks and grow in pairs on that stalk, typically with one leaf at the end. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraxinus_excelsior en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowan I've always thought that as a "World Tree" or "Axis Mundi", fraxinus (ash) is a strange choice. Yes, the wood is quite straight grained and strong, and was used as spear shafts and tool handles (and wheel spindles) by many civilisations, but other than that, I can't see any reason why this tree should be chosen for such a role in mythology. If however, Yggdrasil was not a TRUE ash, but a MOUNTAIN ash (rowan), then the potential for mythological symbolism grows exponentially, as the rowan tree has always been a highly mythologically charged tree, replete with symbolism and folk uses in practical terms (the berries are used in jams and fermented into alcohol) and in symbolic terms. Indeed the name "rowan" (as you can see from the wikipedia page) comes from a word meaning "red" (for the berries). For which one of the cognate terms is RUNE! So a rowan tree could also be said to be a RUNE-tree. And how much symbolism regarding Woden (Odin) does that conjure up??? So I personally believe that the world tree Yggdrasil wasn't a true ash (fraxinus excelsior), but a mountain ash, or rountree. 2) I think it's worth remembering that originally, before the introduction of paper from China, writing was done on vellum, slate covered in wax, or on WOOD. Indeed the derivation of the name "beech" of the beech tree, and "birch" of the birch tree, are cognate with the word "book", as both of these timbers (as in the Vindolanda tablets) were used as writing mediums, before paper, and as a much cheaper and more readily available medium than vellum. I believe this could have some degree of relevance to Yggdrasil being the tree of knowledge, as it was potentially another tree whose timbers could be cleaved, scraped flat, to provide a surface to WRITE on, and preserve KNOWLEDGE. Both ash and rowan have lovely clean blonde timber, with clear grain lines, which could act as lines to write script on. Well, those are my thoughts anyway. In case it's of any help (???)

[@Crecganford]

That is very interesting, as rownan is a Celtic word which I believe may mean home or hearth (although I should really look these things up before just saying it out loud). And much of the writing "paper" was pig skin or calf skin, ridiculously expensive, and meant that what was written down was only the most important of things. I really appreciate the time you spent in writing your response and your support. I will look into this further, thank you again.

[@darcyvallejos8017]

Wow!!!

[@differous01]

The tree of the high places is the emblem of the arch-druid (deru = tree + weidd =wise; Rowan Williams was both Archbishop & Arch-druid). The Celts and Germanic peoples both have Scythian (Hebrew 'Ashkenaz') ancestry, so the Green Man, speaking leaves into being, could well be as much Odinic as Druidic.

[@jonathangoll2918]

I think the suggestion that the tree could be a rowan tree is quite a good one. The only snag may be that rowan trees don't grow as tall as the Ash, although the leaf is superficially similar. However, my parents had a long retirement on the Isle of Mull in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, which about 1200 was probably Old Norse- speaking . In that area rowan trees seem to have been semi-sacred. Apparently, if a funeral in a churchyard was not possible for lack of money, or another reason, people could be buried underneath a rowan tree.

[@christinefischer2137]

thanks for your answer (and all the comments stemming from it). i think i know that tree as "vogelbeere" or "Eberesche" (Sorbus aucuparia).

[@katiechristensen6386]

We have modern examples of names getting altered too. Lots of people who know the story of Frankenstein but haven't read it think that the monster is Frankenstein rather than Frankenstein's monster. This is in a highly literate world with easy access to the source material. Imagine how much more likely such a mistake would be in a less literate society where stories are passed on verbally and where accuracy was less valued in comparison with getting the point across and using memory tricks to keep the story following during a recital.

[@deirakos]

On the topic of poetic simplification: this happens in modern times too. A good example is Frankenstein's monster which is often only (incorrectly) referred to as Frankenstein

[@Crecganford]

Exactly, a perfect example, thank you.

[@nillehessy]

yeh but how many movies are there made of frankenstein this /that his sister his wife his son his neighbore his ex-wife went on and on how many movies about the ygdrasssil idk i´m guessing not many

[@Paolur]

@@nillehessy many poems over several centuries will have the same effect

[@nillehessy]

@@Paolur yeh? coming poem hype about the ygdrasssil? heheh idk if so then hype will b bout quality of poems not about reach or spread yeh cause its not such an easy concept for believe system too get a first grasp on fairly fast just to begin start with i had that too and still i say film docu and explainatory would be better or faster or most than poems bout the yggdrassil and whole connections a film if made any good and decent by a real one who been in there in out high low sorta speak and no detours and/or gaslight thats nice for the people and the sure good poems are great and timeless personal more rare hey speaking from out off myself here its just truth and truthfull here on this pancake is hidden or completely twisted & gaslighted by most till dead

[@larrymcmacarroon9529]

8 legs on sleipnir, 8 realms for Odin to visit. The tree has a leg/root planted in each world for speedy magical transit. A horse-style carrying of one who wields the runes. Hanging from the tree maybe wasn't only about stealing magic to abscond with--it may have been an exercise in "accept me as a new branch, a part of your whole," like a rider gets a horse to accept their weight, to gain access to other worlds in this case. Sexy.

[@larrymcmacarroon9529]

@Eirikr math! Always tricky. But the assumption was he could get a normal horse to travel within the world he's already in. (The 9th) , and the magical horse was requisitioned for transit to the other 8 where his own legs couldn't reach. It was but a way of further synching up sleipnir with Ygg. I totally get the discrepancy between 9 and 8 you alluded to, though, which does cause some problems for my model. Would you be willing to accept that the horse is laying down in the ream it's currently resting in, leaving it's legs free to be planted in other worlds? (It's fine if you refuse)

[@bennyvangelder7624]

Great video Jon! The link with the tree of knowledge is interesting. Because Odin hanging for knowledge (runes), and the eagle on the top and the snake at the bottem, are references to shamanism. Siberian shamans climb sometimes a tree (which represents the world tree) in search for knowledge in their visions. The connection with Sleipnir is another nice thing. Maybe horse is a metaphor for the tree, as they both carry Odin. Like the shaman his drum is often called his horse. Some see the tree as the static aspect and the horse as the dynamic aspect of the supreme God. Scythians buried their horses with antlers. Some scolars think the antlers represent the worldtree. Riding a horse is like climbing a tree, to the other worlds. The word tree or beam, is another thing. Tree is a Danish loanword. In Dutch a tree is, boom, in German Baum. So the word beam ment original a tree. When it comes as the metaphor for the center of the world, tree, beam, ax, pole and pillar are all interchanged.

[@Crecganford]

Thank you for watching and taking the time to leave such a great comment! I will take a closer look at the tree's of Germanic mythology when I can, and will consider this comment :)

[@bennyvangelder7624]

Maybe the Norse Yggdrasil and Saxon Irminsul are the same ?

[@Crecganford]

@@bennyvangelder7624 Yes, I wouldn't be surprised if the theology behind them is similar.

[@Ennio444]

@@bennyvangelder7624 It's tempting, but ultimately we cannot know.

[@Arthur-pc1eh]

@@bennyvangelder7624 Another name for Odin was Jörmunr (mighty or powerful), which is the same root as in the name Irminsul, the cosmic tree of the Saxons.

[@alecmisra4964]

Yes, Yggdrasil and the biblical tree of life (a very ancient trope from the middl east) both reference the same thing, the milky way in its vertical phase. I believe his sructure is crowned by the constellation cygnus which thereby revolves endlessly through the heavens, vehicle of the god Vishnu.

[@Joyride37]

yeah we're missing out on what could be obvious connections for myths around world trees and the afterlife simply because we don't get to see the true night sky anymore, thanks to all the light pollution

[@levon4304]

Is Cygnus the bird in the tree?

[@NervozniZivota]

What about the connection to the human nervous system that looks like an upside-down tree? I'm asking, because have discovered more than a few connections between astronomical and psychological things in religious texts...

[@theblackheath8547]

I recently came across a euphemism for the gallows from the 14th Century in England. They called it “The Horse Foaled by an Acorn.” At that time the horse, gallows, and tree connection was still extant in the public consciousness.

[@DJWESG1]

I used to live in a place called 'fellons oak', it had an oak tree planted there for as long as ppl can remember.

[@Writh811]

Very interesting, Yggdrasil cast as a tree of knowledge or prophecy actually gives some of the stories better context. Hanging from the world tree is an interesting concept for trying to gain wisdom but hanging from the tree of knowledge for wisdom seems to make more sense. Even the placement of the Mimir's well being at the base of the tree makes more sense in this context.

[@Crecganford]

Thank you for watching, and taking the time to comment. I’m please you found it interesting.

[@PaulMellender]

I’d like to offer a few ideas, that I hope are interesting. For Yggsdrasil, Ygg is from a common root with Greek Hygra (water) and also a variation of Aegir (later folklore Igor) the Sea. Drasil meaning support or “mount” (not unlike “thronos”) or horse (possibly a kenning with stacked meanings). So horse of the Sea or water horse being a boat or ship. Related to this is Hler the other name of Aegir (and Celtic Ler). Another mythical, tree at times identified with Yggsdrasil is Laeradr. Rad or Reidr or raido meaning journey (ride), I recall reading “cart” as another translation. So Hler’s cart, would again be a boat or ship. One further connection possibly being “Hloridi” (a variation of Laerad) as a name of Thor or connected to Thor. An interesting association is in Christianity, the original Greek text doesn’t put Christ on a Cross, but instead a “Thronos” a pillar or ship’s mast. I don’t think the placement of the Norns, and Mary, Mary, and Salome, at the foot of the post or trunk is accidental. This common set may refer to a constellation. As with Thor pushing his foot through a boat while fishing for the world serpent with a bulls head. The constellation lepus is at times identified with a boat, Orion’s foot passes through it, the Hyades is a bull’s head (Taurus) and from Taurus is connected Eridanus (at times identified as a serpent).

[@archaeorobbo]

Check out the divine twins, in the Nordic Bronze age, they were seen as two animals/ warriors who formed a boat which cyclically carried the sun. Also, the water horse/ hippocampus was an Etruscan/ Phoenician solar symbol.

[@equilibrum999]

this reminds me of the boat that Ra used to traverse the sky, and he would be defended from Apophis, the chaos serpent

[@PaulMellender]

@@equilibrum999 yes, “the Serpent shaped as a dart” that pierces the foot of RA (related to Adam and the Serpent), and Moses and the Serpent Staff, all referring to Orion, The Hyades, Lepus, and Eridanus (or the Jordan).

[@gregvondare]

The concept of a tree as the world axis, world navel, or the tree of life is unimaginably old and widespread. It represents humanity looking back into the void of time to the days when we lived in trees as early, apish hominids. It shows up in Genesis as the Tree of Knowledge. The very deepest Jungian images are locked into the poetic and real concept of the tree as sustainer, home and refuge. It is also the "rood" of Christianity, but so much later it barely counts.

[@sustaingainz7856]

never thought about it as a throwback to ape days but that's a really interesting idea

[@yodaleiheehu3280]

It's something to be in "awe" of and terrified in particular situations.. and if taken literally it is massive enough to carry worlds. It is sturdy and extremely durable built for tough times like war... A defender and restorer of life as symbolized by ash trees. The name given akin to a horse is to describe its capability of transportation.. what could it be?

[@equilibrum999]

an ancient ridvan, i would decipt this tree in a hanzi as a hanzi of tree enthroned on ridvan

[@vipertwenty249]

Ash was the wood spears were made from and was used as synonymous with spear in poetry. Ash Yggdrasil - Odin's spear, the ash tree used by Odin to make his spear, Odin's horse moving as fast and purposefully as a spear - many possible contextual meanings.

[@Angelicaarchangelica]

From Finnish ' within one eye' - ' yhden silman sisalla' somehow shortened to yhdensil then Yiggdreasil.

[@Crecganford]

What are the things in the Norse mythology that you would like to know more about? Baldr, Thor, Valkyries?

[@js1423]

Thor, but also comparing him to the other thunder gods of Europe, Africa, Ancient Near East and Asia, such as Ukko, Perun, Perkunas, Taranis, Jupiter, Zeus, Teshub, Baal, Marduk, Ninurta, Adad, Set, Chango, Indra and Susanoo.

[@MartinMunthe]

The mythical origins of the Langobards. Thank you for a great channel! And also: Slaget vid Bråvalla. The Battle of Brávellir.

[@Phalanx-of-Synchron]

always been interested in the tree of life I find that persons only ever mention the tree of knowledge and never bring up the tree of life and its ability to grant immortality if theirs a counterpart to that in Norse mythology that would be really interesting other than that it would be good to know more about Ragnarok

[@josephl9931]

Ymir! Always been interested in knowing more about Ymir's death and what caused Odin and his brother to kill him. I cannot find any information on what caused Ymir to turn evil, maybe I have been looking at the wrong place.

[@Crecganford]

@@josephl9931 Then look no further than my latest video for some more information about Ymir; kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3uvdomIZ698mpI

[@CeleriaRosencroix]

Yes, indeed, there are many interesting things one could potentially find, going down this road. I certainly haven't read up on it nearly enough, but World Tree motifs show up in Korean, Native American, and Indian myths, so the idea seems to have been an incredibly ancient and resonant one. I, certainly, would be very curious to see what fruit your inquiry into the matter bears.

[@diamondsolo]

Intressting. I tried it in Root/Swedish. Yggdrasil. Ygg=Odin Dra,drag=Pull Sil,Sila=Rinse. Purify Odin pull and purify.

[@Angelicaarchangelica]

Haha, maybe Odin needed a purifying bath after being pulled back from the underworld🤣🤣 but I am sure the word Yiggdreasil originates from the Finnish word yhdensil meaning union. Trust me, I am Finnish ☺️

[@doclee-odinkar9679]

I just found this channel, and I'm happy I did.

[@Crecganford]

And so am I! Thank you

[@Sheepdog1314]

it may have been a Yew....there is description in a saga where it reads "the deer are nibbling on the needles of the wold tree"...the name of then tree was wrongly translated, and it keeps going on as an "ash" tree.

[@WWZenaDo]

The eagle in the tree, snake nibbling on the roots of the tree, and squirrel on the trunk of the tree is somewhat reminiscent of the serpent who couldn't be charmed, the Anzu-bird and the lilitu in the goddess Inanna's sacred tree some two thousand years earlier.

[@Crecganford]

Indeed so many motifs that seem similar to other myths... they are indeed all linked.

[@krift1716]

The Vikings, Greeks, Etruscans, Phoenicians are all having Anatolian DNA. Look at European haplogroups map. Or the advent of blue eyes and light hair. Noah landed in Anatolia (the caucausus) his descendant is Asher.

[@Dice_roller]

@@krift1716 Nope.

[@jasziegl8983]

Yggdrasil is the ash tree of Odins horse, meaning yggdrasil is how the horse is made and works. The eagle from above and snake from below show the direction of energy flow. The symbol of yggdrasil is an Einstein rosen bridge. The 9 worlds of yggdrasil are the 9 planets in the local solar system. It is hard to explain space travel to pre industrial hunter gatherers. Passing on that information over generations is even harder.

[@Crecganford]

An interesting interpretation

[@MrBlazingup420]

Was Sleipnir a gift from Loki to Odin, what I'm going to show isn't an 8 legged horse, but a flying horse in the heavens with 2 heads, next to Aquarius, known as the Great One in ancient times, you speak it like the Eagle at the top of the tree, who you say watches all, I call him Aquila, play the words "A Look At" backwards, it says "Aquila", Putting Aquila at the top, puts Fomalhaut at the bottom, the Mouth of the Southern Fish, known as Wepwawet the Wolf-Headed God, who rode the plow of the Solar Barque of Ra, to others it was Dagon/Dagan the Fish God, whose name means Seed, and where we get Dragon from, the constellation Draco, in ancient times, the head of Draco was The Standing Wolf riding the Plough Handle, where the Seed Cup would hang, associating the Standing Wolf with Wepwawet, whose symbol was a Standing Wolf on a Bar. The Eye of the Dragon, a serpent with legs, can be found in an image of Fomalhaut, but if you play "Thou Am Wolf" backwards, it says "Fomalhaut", the wolf-headed god Wepwawet, or is it the son of Loki. Above Aquarius is Pegasus and the Head of Equuleus, Sleipnir a gift from Loki, play the words "So Say Gift" backwards, it says "Pegasus", and as I remember Sleipnir is was produced from a union between Loki and another horse, now play "Say You're Loki" backwards, It says "Equuleus". The top is North and Fomalhaut is South, Taurus is West and Scorpio is East, Between Scorpio and Sagittarius is The Golden Gate of the Gods, East where the Sun rises, between Taurus and Gemini , marked by the Club of Orion is the Silver Gate of Man, could that be Pearly Gates, the Club of Orion is slang for whats below the belt of a man, which on Orion has been cut off, and on the the horizon flows Hatysa, the Bright One at the Tip. In Hebrew Haata means Sin, in Hindi Slaughter, and Yasa means Savior, in Hindi Yasa,also spelled yash fame, reputation, renown, glory. The words of the Silver Gate of Man "Say Oath, They All Rule, Beyond The Mist" Backwards "Gemini, Orion, Taurus" The Golden Gate of the Gods, sits on the horizon with Hatysa, the 7 main stars of Ophiuchus forms the shape of a Cave Door, to the underworld, the home of Loki. "Say There Is A Guest, Wise Folk" Backwards "Scorpio, Sagittarius" now the heart of the Scorpion "Antares" "She Raise Dead, Sacred Aether" Played backwards "Ophiuchus, Antares" The Planets speak too, they are the act that creates a birth.

[@sweetloveelmo]

The movie Avatar reveals a lot about the Tree Of Knowledge and so do the ancient pre flood Silicon Trees which were cut down like for example Devil's Tower in Wyoming.

[@Cobra-gl7or]

Yes the ancient giant trees were cut down by the watcher (God) according to Daniel 4:20-23 The tree that you saw, which grew and became strong, whose height reached to the heavens and which could be seen by all the earth, whose leaves were lovely and its fruit abundant, in which was food for all, under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and in whose branches the birds of the heaven had their home- it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong; for your greatness has grown and reaches to the heavens, and your dominion to the end of the earth. And inasmuch as the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze in the tender grass of the field; let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let him graze with the beasts of the field, till seven times pass over him’…”

[@schneeeule7614]

odin is a russian word for 1, btw. so that can also translated as 'the one' (god). 🙋‍♀️

[@Crecganford]

That is interesting... thank you for sharing

[@victorstle2087]

Yggdrasil is the spiritual body. The exoteric meanings of men are subordinate to the esoteric meaning of the shaman. The leaves may change, the roots remain. To oversimplify, Nidhoggr is Kundalini, that eagle with the 3rd eye hawk is... the 3rd eye (often conflated with crown chakra, hence eagle), death of the self to awaken the Self is hanging on the tree/ rebirth of shaman as God, it is the astral vehicle that takes the shaman into different realms, ergo Odin's horse, the auric field of the spiritual body forms a toroidal field, like an electromagnetic field, which visually looks like a tree with roots and branches... So many more examples. Of course, there is a creative overlap of symbolism and literalism in all esoteric teachings and, like I said, the leaves change, but the wisdom of Odin is the same perennial wisdom that all with eyes to see eventually see, and will always be recognised in its literal and figurative universality. Peace ✌️