To many of us, palm trees summon up summer holidays and brilliant weather.
While this is not too far off – after all, the palm tree is a sun symbol – there is far more to it palm tree symbolism than that!
So let’s take a look at the symbolism of the palm tree and how it might relate to you.
Health & Vitality
First, as a sun symbol, the palm tree represents health and vitality.
The sun has long been a symbol of health, and the palm tree itself seems to resemble the sun at the head.
The reason we associate sun symbols with health and vitality is simple – the sun makes us healthier.
More than that, it brings life to all living things on Earth, with no exceptions.
After all, there’s a reason why so many cultures have based their beliefs around the sun and the stars.
Fertility
Along the same vein, palm tree symbolism also relates to fertility and childbirth.
The life-giving properties of the sun lends the palm tree the symbolism of birth and fertility, but the palm tree itself also shows these symbols.
The phallic shape of the trunk and the “flowering” fan of leaves at the head have sexual connotations. The fruit-bearing nature of the palm also supports this reading, especially if you consider the suggestive shape of that fruit too.
Masculinity
Sun symbols are generally thought of as masculine, with the typical chivalric values of honour and truth meeting the typical masculine values of strength and practicality.
The palm tree is no exception to this, with its almost excessive male sexual symbolism.
But that isn’t the whole story…
Femininity & Balance
Unlike most sun symbols, the palm tree also has a lot of feminine and female sexual symbolism.
Feminine energy adds a new dimension to the symbolic meaning of the palm tree, as we now see ideas of balance between the masculine and feminine energies come to the fore.
Balancing these energies is essential for us in our daily lives.
Nobody is truly masculine or feminine in a spiritual sense.
Everybody has varying traits and values between masculine and feminine ideals, and finding the balance that is right for you is equivalent to discovering who you are.
Finding out who you are – self-discovery – is an integral part of a spiritual lifestyle.
Growth & Success
Like all trees and plants, palm trees also represent to us the idea of growth and change.
Throughout history, palm leaves have been used to reward successful growth – or just success in general!
The Romans were particularly keen on palm leaves, using them as a primitive “red carpet” to welcome home triumphant military generals.
The Christians, on the other hand, saw the palm leaves as a symbol of the triumph of spirit over flesh. In this way, the palm tree symbolises the need for us to privilege the soul over the body.
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