Axis Mundi

Through the semester we viewed many films that contained symbols of axes mundi, points of connection and communication between realms. In Wings of Desire, this axis was a rope from the ceiling. In Dead Man, it was the ocean which transported William Blake beyond death. These axes are most often shown in movies between the earthly and heavenly realms, but in traditional diagrams connect all planes of existence, both horizontal earthly directions and the vertical planes above and below earth. Pre Colombian cultures were among many to have an idea of a “world tree” that connected the heavenly, earthly, and subterranean planes. Their mythical tree was just a symbol for an axis they believed manifested itself on earth in several types of locations, most strongly in water and caves. Both of these were viewed as sources from which life emerged and connecting points to access the other realms. Caves and water thus held great importance to Aztec, Inca, Maya and other cultures in this area. They tended to build structures of religious significance over cave systems and use materials from deep in the riverbed as pigments to depict sacred ideas in their artwork. These concepts are not unique to American cultures, however, and many forms of axis mundi are seen throughout history. Ancient cultures seem to interpret these in mysterious natural elements or formations. With the passing of time, this view of axes to the sacred seem to gradually become more symbolic and less concrete, appearing in everyday objects which gain significance through involvement in an experience. Despite this transition of the masses away from experience of the transformative aspects of nature, there remain distinct locations throughout the world where the sublime becomes so powerfully felt that it is able to overcome even the most profanely rooted individual. This phenomenon simply becomes more difficult to evoke with humanity’s increasing involvement in the profane order.

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