The Ceiba Sacred World Tree & the Cemi Stone

The Ceiba Sacred World Tree & the Cemi Stone The World Tree and Shamanic Cosmology The universe of the Behique shaman can be broadly divided into three zones - the Upper, Middle and Lower worlds, or heaven, earth and the underworld. The World Tree is the bridge that connects these three worlds; it is the axis mundi about which the universe of the shaman extends. And it is on the Tree that the spirits pass from one world to another. The World Tree is a common image in accounts of shamanic experiences from both traditional societies and in modern shamanic groups. The World Tree forms an integral part of the shamanic cosmos, linking as it does the world of humanity with the world of the spirits. Its appearance in numerous tales of shamanic ritual and its depiction in the shamansí power objects both reflect its importance to the shamans themselves. The World Tree and Shamanic Cosmology The World Tree (Ceiba) is the centre of the world, but in a typical piece of shamanic paradox, the centre of the world is also everywhere. It is this thinking that allows the shaman to know that the birch tree located outside his door is the World Tree. Representations of the World Tree often feature in shamanic rituals. In shamanic ritual or performance, the shaman operates in an altered state of consciousness with one foot in both realities. In this state, the ìrepresentationî becomes the World Tree in fact and the place the ritual is taking place in becomes the centre of the world.  So the World Tree is a path for the spirits between the worlds. But it is also part of the spirit world itself and has its own inhabitants. Elemental Spirits, wandering souls and deities often surround them. The Zemi Cemi Stone Before the Spanish the indigenous people of Boriken (Land of the Mighty and Valiant Lords) later renamed Puerto Rico, and the Lesser and Greater Antilles, was the home to the peaceful Taino, and the Arawak, the warrior like Caribs, and a smaller group of cave dwellers known as the Ciboney. This race of people had a strong spiritual and religious foundation with many mystical beliefs. The Gods, where spirits of nature known as Zemis, or Cemis, with one head Cacique (chief) God named Yucahu and his mother Atabey or Attabeira . Other Cemis where nature spirits, great cacique chiefs and heroes who ascended into Cemis statues because of their valiant deeds. (Similar to Catholic saints). The mythology of the Taino was as vibrant and colorful, as those of Roman and Greek mythology. The tales of the Cemis, courageous Caciques, valiant heroes and ancestors were told in a feast known as an Arieto, and during nightly gatherings. The Cemis Zemis powers manifested on earth in stones, clay and wood, and all Cemis lived in mountains, plants, rocks, caves, rivers and forests.