Flora · Tree · World Tree

Ceiba

Ceiba pentandra

A towering tropical tree associated in Maya traditions with the world axis and connection among underworld, earth, and sky.

Also indexed as: kapok tree, yaxche

Interpretation, not omen.

These are documented or widely discussed cultural associations. They do not establish what an encounter “must” mean, and practitioners within the same tradition may understand a symbol differently.

Contextual readings

Meanings by tradition.

Each card keeps the belief system, region, interpretive type, and symbolic meaning together.

Maya religion

Cosmological symbolism

Mesoamerica

More in this tradition →

The world tree and connection of cosmic levels

The ceiba or yaxché can mark the center of the world, with roots, trunk, and crown linking underworld, human realm, and heavens.

Afro-Caribbean sacred-tree traditions

Relational and sacred-place symbolism

Caribbean

More in this tradition →

Spiritual presence, ancestry, and protected gathering place

Ceiba trees are treated with respect in several Caribbean traditions, including forms of Regla de Ocha and Palo; meanings and protocols are community-specific.

Keep exploring

Related living symbols.