The tree of Life

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Introduction

The pattern of the Tree of is it is symobolic of the macrocosm and the microcosm, it is a living grid-work pattern of the Universe. A way to orgranize our world. A method to move from our material existence back to Source or God. It is a map for all levels of experience. It is also a system of messages as well.

The word Sephira (Sephiroth plural) means number,enamation, or sphere.

The Tree numbers of the spheres are read from the top down and from right to left, because that is how Hebrew reads.

Introduction to the Spheres

We are physically in the external world, our bodies, Malkuth, Sephira 10.

The God-head, that Source of All is Kether, Sephira 1. Our task is to become aware of, and create for ourselves, the grid-work that connects these two.

As we look beyound our physical selves, we realize a balace between our thoughts and our feelings. Our thoughts are Hod, Sephira 8, and our feelings are Netzach, Sephira 7. These (7,8,10) now make up our conscious personality.

The subconscious self, the emotional, repressed, instinctual self, lies below these, but above the physical. This is Yesod, Sephira 9 and also represents sexual energy. These lower 4 spheres represents our personality.

The "I" that has the personality (the real self) is Tiphareth, Sephira 6. This "I" self is the personal Higher Self, the overlighting "Holy Guardian Angel". This Sephira is separated from the lower ones by the "Veil of Paroketh". This Veil separates the soul from the personality.

The archetypes of Expression and Constriction (or Love and Will) are balanced by the next 2 Sephiroth. These represent the Superconsciousness Level. Will is Geburah, Sephira 5 and Love is Chesed, Sephira 4.

Above this lies the Abyss, the end of individuality and the gateway to merging with the Universal Spirit. In the Abyss is Daath "the Sephira which is not a Sephira". It is said the Daath is our consciousness and when creation fell kingdom began.

Above the Abyss is the 3-in-1 Trinity, Univeral Love, Universal Will and Source itself. Binah, Sephira 3, is Universal Love and Awareness. Chokmah, Sephira 2, is Univeral Will or Purpose. Kether, Sephira 1, again is at the top, the Source of All.

If we draw a line, begining in Kether through the numbered spheres in order, we create the "Lightning Flash of Creation". From Source energetics, vibrations, qualities, condensed and separated until Malkuth, sphere 10, objective, physical reality appears.

The Spheres as related to the planes

Logoic Plane - Kether

Buddhic Plane - Chokmah and Binah

Nirvanic Plane, Plane of Higher or Pure Beings - Chesed and Geburah

Causal Plane, Our Holy Guradian Angel - Tipareth

Higher Astral Plane, Mental Plane - Netzach and Hod

Lower Astral Plane - Yesod

Physical Body and its Etheric Double - Malkuth

The 7 Sephiroth as related to our 7 chakras

Crown Chakra - Kether

Third Eye Chakra - Chokmah and Binah

Throat - Chesed and Geburah

Heart - Tipareth

Solar Plexus - Netzach and Hod

Spleen - Yesod

Root - Malkuth

Modes of Consciousness

1: Pure existence, it "is"

2: Motion, movement, action

3: Rest from motion or movement (these intervals produce time)

4: Increase and extension, awareness of inner structure, patterns and possibilites

5: Cessation, limitation, conscious choice

6: Multiplicity, awareness of true self

7: Union, the feeling self

8: Separation, the thinking self

9: Participation, the subconscious self

10: Manifestation, the physcial self

Summary of the Spheres

1: Sphere(Kether) Name (Crown) Quality: Onenes, Pure existence, Unity with all things.

2: Sphere(Chokmah)Name(Wisdom) Quality: Creative energy, expansion, Yang, Masculine

3: Sphere(Binah)Name(Understanding) Quality: Receptive energy, contraction, Yin, Feminine

4: Sphere(Chesed)Name(Mercy) Quality: Outpouring of creative energy, organization, expansion, masculine, memory

5: Sphere(Geburah)Name(Severity) Quality: Contracting, restricting energy, feminie, destruction, dissolution, will

6: Sphere(Tiphareth)Name(Harmony) Quality: Truth in every individual thing, balance, imagination

7: Sphere(Netzach)Name(Victory) Quality: Attracting, combining function, feminine, feeling

8: Sphere(Hod)Name(Glory) Quality: Limiting, distinguishing, perceiving, masculine, the intellect

9: Sphere(Yesod)Name(Foundation) Quality: Stability and constant change, visions,dreams, psychic activity, the instincts

10: Sphere(Malkuth)Name(Kingdom) Quality: The material world, the physical 5 senses

The Columns or Pillars

The Tree of Life consist of 3 vertical columns or Pillars. The Middle Pillar has Kether at the top and relates to the spinal column and to the Shushumna of Tantra. Also called the Pillar of Balance, of Mildness, of Consciousness. Spheres of Kether(total unity), Tipareth(harmony, balance), Yesod(fundamental, unconscious forces) and Malkuth,(material reality).

The Right Hand Pillar has Chokmah at the top and refers to the left hand of the body, the Ida Current. Also called the Pillar of Mercy or Force, Jachin to the Masons. Spheres of Chokmah(primary creative force), Chesad(order, structure), Netzach(love, attraction). Symbolically male, outpouring energy brining about creation outside itself.

The Left Hand Pillar has Binah at the top and refers to the right hand side of the body, the Pingala Current. Also called the Pillar of Severity or Form, Boaz to the Masons. Binah (primary receptive form), Geburah(disintegration, limitation), Hod(intellectual thought, analysis). Symbolically female, ingathering, receptive aspect of Universe, brings about creation within itself.

The Paths

While the Spheres are separate, individual aspects of energy, the paths are bridges between the aspects. The paths, then can show the interactions between the Spheres. Each path has a number, a Hebrew letter, and a set of symbols and ideas associated with it. Some associations are from classical Qabalah, but newer messages are equally relevant. An important aspect of working with the Tree is to discover the messages for ourselves. In personal work with the Tree, a goal is to see how all aspects of life can be placed somewhere on the 32 base system (10 spheres and 22 paths). The Tree then shows us all the aspects of our existence, how those aspects relate and interact, and the means to move beyond that existence.

The Messages and the Tarot

There are 22 Paths on the Tree of Life, these correspond to the 22 major Tarot Trumps and demonstate the type of movement to be undertaken to move us between the Spheres. The minor tarot cards, numbered 1 through 10 correspond to the Spheres on the Tree through the 4 worlds(Fire, Water, Air and Earth). The 4 tarot suits and the 4 court cards in each suit correspond to the 4 worlds.

Fire - Wands - King or Knight

Water - Cups - Queen

Air - Swords - Prince

Earth - Disks - Princess or Page

The Major Triads on the Tree

1,2,3 - (Kether, Chokmah, Binah) Supernal Triad, perfect unity

4,5,6 - (Chesad, Geburah, Tipareth) Receptive, active power

7,8,9 - (Netzach, Hod, Yesod) Personalized dramatic transformation

Facts to remember

Daath (the false sephira "Knowledge) "fell" to create Maljuth

From Earth(Malkuth, the Sun(Tipareth) would blind us, but we can deal with its reflected energy through the Moon(Yesod).