Shaker Tree of Life

The original Shaker design of the Tree of Life was created by artist Hannah Cahoon in 1854. The Tree of Life was first seen by the artist in a vision she described as "a draft of a beautiful tree pencil'd on a large sheet of white paper ... I have since learned that this tree grows in the Spirit Land... I entreated Mother Ann to tell me the name of this tree: which she did by moving the hand of a medium to write twice over, Your Tree is the Tree of Life." The Tree of Life became a symbol of the Shakers' unity.