Tales of Ascent
The Ascension of the Cosmic Tree
Siberian shamans perform the ritual ascent into the celestial world, several evenings without interruption, by climbing the 9 notches (the 9 skies) made in the trunk of a young birch tree planted in the centre of a tent.
As they climb, they sing : “I climbed a step, I went up a level, I came out on the second stage, I crossed the second level.
Look, the floor has shattered".
Roger Cook.
The Tree of Life, image of the cosmos.
The Ascent of the Cosmic Tree (30 x 27) 1978.
Tale relating to a clan of the Arunta in central Australia : After creating the world, the god Numbakula had made a sacred pole and climbed it to reach the celestial world, from where he never returned; the men of the clan had erected a replica of this pole at the center of their world; the day it broke, the axis of their universe being broken and all communication lost with the sacred, they lay down to die until the last one.
The Siberian shamans accomplish the ritual ascent into the celestial world, several evenings without interruption, by climbing the 9 notches (the 9 heavens) made on the trunk of a young birch planted in the center of a tent; they sing: “I climbed a step, I went up a level, I came out on the second floor, I crossed a second level, see, the ground flew into pieces.”Roger Cook.
The Tree of Life, image of the cosmos.
(Text commentary by Charles SAHUGUET).
The 9 floors of the Tree of Life
The 9 floors of the Tree of Life (46 x35) 1981.
This vision is based on the central character of shamanism: the shaman, to carry out his ritual ascension, uses a young birch tree with 9 notches representing the 9 heavens that he must symbolically climb: “I climbed a step, I went up a level, I came out on the second floor, I crossed the second level.
See, the ground has shattered”.
At the top of the Tree, the phoenix flies away, touching the apocalyptic vision of the Enthroned One surrounded by the Tetramorph.
Right and left are established in relation to the Tree.
At the bottom, the winding and stony path is the one that must be followed to reach the Tree that the cherub defends with the lightning sword, and that man is preparing to confront (Cf. Jacob's fight with the Angel).
(Text commentary by Charles Sahuguet).
Jacob's Ladder No. 1
In his sleep, Jacob sees the path leading to the Father.
Jacob's Ladder No. 1 (37.6 x 32) 1978.
Jacob in his sleep sees the path of the ascent towards the Father.
I am the Way... no one goes to the Father except through me (Jn. XIII, 6).
The celestial world is represented by the apocalyptic vision of God.
(Text commentary by Charles SAHUGUET).
