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A Basic Understanding Of The Tree Of Life
Qabalah
This is a simple discourse on some of the major facets of the Qabalah. It is also
spelled as Kabbalah and Cabala. (Pronounced Ka-bah-lah.)
Orgins
Qabalah comes from the Hebrew word QBL, meaning an oral tradition, the
esoteric and mystical division of Judaism. The Qabalah presents a symbolic
explanation of the origin of the Universe, the relationship of human beings to the
Godhead, and an emanationist approach to creation, whereby the Infinite Light (Ain
Soph Aur) manifests through different sephiroth on the Tree of Life. Although the
central book of the Qabalah, the Zohar, was not written down until around 1280 A.D.--
probably by Moses de Leon, the Qabalah has spiritual links with Gnosticism and other
early mystical cosmologies.
In the Qabalah, all manifestations are said to have their origin in Ain Soph Aur,
and the successive emanations of the Godhead reveal aspects of the Divine nature.
The system is thus monotheistic in essence, but allows for the tenfold structure of the
sephiroth upon the Tree of Life. The emanations as they proceed down from the
Godhead to the manifested world are: Kether (Crown); Chokmah (Wisdom); Binah
(Understanding); Chesed (Mercy); Geburah (Power / Strength ); Tiphareth (Beauty/
Harmony); Netzach (Victory); Hod (Splendor); Yesod (Foundation); Malkuth (Kingdom).
Occultists in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn use the Qabalistic Tree of
Life as a matrix or grid for comparing the archetypal images of different mythologies
that could be adapted to ceremonial Magic. For example, the Merciful Father (Chesed)
has parallels in other pantheons, namely Odin (Scandinavia), Zeus (Greece), Jupiter
(Rome), and Ra (Egypt). This system of comparison became known as mythological
correspondences. It has become common in the occult tradition to link the ten
sephiroth of the Tree of Life with the twenty-two paths between the sephiroth that also
correspond to the Major Arcana of the Tarot.
Definitions
QBL: Hebrew word meaning "from mouth to ear", thereby signifying a secret oral
tradition. It is the meaning of Qabalah.
Ain Soph Aur: Hebrew expression meaning "the limitless light."
Sephiroth: The ten spheres or emanations on the Qabalistic Tree of Life, a symbol
which depicts the divine energy of creation proceeding like a lighting flash through ten
different stages, culminating in physical manifestation. The sephiroth represent levels
of spiritual reality both in the cosmos and in people because the Tree, metaphorically, is
the body of God, and people are created in God's image. The Tree is sometimes
shown superimposed on the body of Adam Kadmon, the archetypal man.
Tree of Life: The Tree consists of ten spheres, or sephiroth, through which, according
to mystical tradition, the creation of the world came about. The sephiroth are aligned in
three columns headed by the Supernals (Kether, Chokmah, Binah) and together
symbolize the process by which the limitless light (Ain Soph Aur) becomes manifest in
the Universe. Beneath the Supernals are the "Seven days of Creation": Chesed,
Geburah, Tiphareth, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, Malkuth. Taken as a whole, the Tree of Life
is also a symbol of the archetypal man, Adam Kadmon, and the sephiroth have a role
resembling that of the chakras in yoga. The mystical path of self knowledge entails the
rediscovery of all the levels of one's being, ranging from Malkuth, physical reality, to the
infinite source. With this in mind, the medieval Qabalists divided the Tree of Life into
three sections of the soul: Nephesch (the animal soul), corresponding to the sephiroth
Yesod; Ruach (the middle soul), corresponding to the sephiroth from Hod to Chesed;
and Neschamah ( the spiritual soul) corresponding to the Supernals, especially Binah.
Practitioners of the Golden Dawn who use the Tree of Life as a glyph for the
unconscious mind sometimes distinguish the Magical path, which embraces all ten
sephiroth, from the mystical path of the Middle Pillar, which is an ascent from Malkuth
through Yesod and Tiphareth to Kether on the central pillar of the Tree.
Zohar: The Book of Splendor, the principal book of the Qabalah. It is thought to have
been written by Moses de Leon and was first circulated around 1280-1290 A.D., in
Guadalajara. It included commentaries on the Torah.
Gnosticism: Gnosis is a Greek term for knowledge. The term Gnosis applies to
certain religious sects that emerged during the early formative years Christianity, and
which believed in hidden spiritual knowledge. The main factor that differentiated them
from Christianity was their emphasis on knowledge rather than faith. The Christian
church fathers considered the Gnostics heretical, or heretics.
Kether: The first emanation on the Tree of Life. Occultists identify Kether as the state
of consciousness where creation merges with the veils of nonexistence. Kether lies on
the Middle Pillar and transcends the duality of Chokmah (male) and Binah (female),
which lie immediately below on the Tree. It is therefore symbolized in mystical tradition
by the heavenly androgyne (male and female united in one) and represents a state of
mystical transcendence and union with the Supreme. It is compared to Satori and
Nirvana.
Chokmah: The second emanation on the Tree of Life, following Kether. Occultists
identify Chokmah with the Great Father, the giver of the seminal spark of life which is
potent only when it enters the womb of the Great Mother, Binah. From the union of the
Great Father and Great Mother come forth all the images of creation. Chokmah is
associated with such deities as Kronos, Saturn, Thoth, Atum-Ra, and Ptah in other
pantheons.
Binah: The third emanation on the Tree of Life. Occultists identify Binah with the
Great Mother in all her forms. She is the womb of forthcoming, the source of all the
great images and forms that manifest in the Universe as archetypes. She is also the
supreme female principal in the process of creation and, via the process of mythological correspondences, is associated with such deities as the Virgin Mary, Rhea, Isis, and Demeter.
Chesed: The fourth emanation on the Tree of Life. Occultists identify Chesed as the
ruler, but not creator, of the manifested universe. He is characterized as stable, wise,
and merciful by contrast with his more dynamic opposite, Geburah. Chesed is
associated with the gods Zeus and Jupiter.
Geburah: The fifth emanation on the Tree of Life. Geburah is often associated with
Mars, the Roman God of War, and represents severity and justice. The destructive
forces of the sphere of Geburah are intended to have a purging, cleansing effect on the
Universe. Geburah represents the creator god who applies discipline and precision in
governing the cosmos and removes unwanted or unnecessary elements after their
usefulness has passed. Geburah is reflected in the charioteer in the Tarot.
Tiphareth: The sixth emanation on the Tree of Life. It is the sphere of beauty,
harmonizing the forces of mercy (Chesed) and judgement (Geburah) higher on the
Tree. Occultists identify Tiphareth as the sphere of spiritual rebirth, and is ascribed to
solar deities such as Ra, Apollo, and Mithra as well as Osiris and Jesus Christ. The
Tarot card Temperence identifies the direct mystical ascent to Tiphareth from Malkuth,
the physical.
Netzach: The seventh emanation on the Tree of Life. Netzach is regarded as the
sphere of creativity, subjectivity, and emotions, a very clear contrast to the sphere of
Hod, which represents intellect and rational thought. Netzach is the sphere of love and
spiritual passion and is therefore associated with such deities as Aphrodite, Venus,
Hathor, and others that personify these qualities.
Hod: The eighth emanation on the Tree of Life. Hod is associated with the planet
Mercury and represents intellect and rational thought. It also represents the structuring
and measuring capacities of the mind as opposed to the emotional and intuitional
aspects of Netzach. Hod has no exact parallel in the Tarot, but is closely linked to the
card Judgement, ascribed to the path between Hod and Malkuth.
Yesod: The ninth emanation on the Tree of Life. Yesod is associated with the Moon
and the element Water. Regarded as a female sphere, it is the seat of sexual instinct
and corresponds to the genital chakra on the archetypal man, Adam Kadmon. On the
Tree of Life, Yesod has the function of channeling the energies of the Higher down to
the earth below, Malkuth. Occultists associate Yesod with the Astral plane, because if
the sephiroth above Malkuth are regarded as a map of the unconscious psyche, Yesod
is the most accessible area of the mind. Yesod is the sphere of fertility and lunar
imagery. It is identified with Witchcraft and goddess worship. It is also the so-called
animal soul, known by Qabalists as Nephesch.
Malkuth: The tenth emanation of the Tree of Life. Malkuth is associated with the gods
and goddesses of the earth, especially Persephone, Proserpina, and Geb. Malkuth is
the domain of the manifested universe, the immediate environment, the plane of
physical reality. As a consequence, all inner journeys of consciousness begin
symbolically in Malkuth. It is particularly appropriate, for example, that the myth of the
rape of Persephone confirms her both as queen of the underworld and as a lunar
goddess. From an occult point of view, the underworld equates with the lower
unconscious mind, and the Moon, represented by the sphere of Yesod, is the first
sephira reached on the inner mystic journey up the Tree of Life. Malkuth is closely
linked with the Universe card.
The path of the Flaming Sword is the path of creation. According to the early
Qabalist, when Lucifer was thrown out of heaven by Michael, the Flaming Sword
blocked him from returning. The path shows the order of the sephiroth by how they
were created, from the Supernal or Celestial triangle of Kether, Chokmah, and Binah to
the Moral triangle of Chesed, Geburah, and Tiphareth. Then finally the Mundane
triangle of Netzach, Hod, and Yesod. From Yesod came Malkuth, or the physical world.
Key
Sephira Hebrew English Translation (Q. S.) Color
1) Kether rtk KThR Crown White Brilliance
2) Chokmah hmkj ChKMH Wisdom Gray
3) Binah hnyb BINH Understanding Black
4) Chesed dsj ChSD Mercy Blue
5) Geburah hrwbg GBURH Strength Scarlet
6) Tiphareth trapt ThPhARTh Beauty Gold
7) Netzach jxn NTzCh Victory Emerald
8) Hod dw h HOD Splendor Orange
9) Yesod dwsy YSOD Foundation Violet
10) Malkuth twklm MLKUTh Kingdom Citrine, Olive, Black,
Russet
QBL: Hebrew word meaning "from mouth to ear", thereby signifying a secret oral
tradition. It is the meaning of Qabalah.
Ain Soph Aur: Hebrew expression meaning "the limitless light."
Sephiroth: The ten spheres or emanations on the Qabalistic Tree of Life, a symbol
which depicts the divine energy of creation proceeding like a lighting flash through ten
different stages, culminating in physical manifestation. The sephiroth represent levels
of spiritual reality both in the cosmos and in people because the Tree, metaphorically, is
the body of God, and people are created in God's image. The Tree is sometimes
shown superimposed on the body of Adam Kadmon, the archetypal man.
Tree of Life: The Tree consists of ten spheres, or sephiroth, through which, according
to mystical tradition, the creation of the world came about. The sephiroth are aligned in
three columns headed by the Supernals (Kether, Chokmah, Binah) and together
symbolize the process by which the limitless light (Ain Soph Aur) becomes manifest in
the Universe. Beneath the Supernals are the "Seven days of Creation": Chesed,
Geburah, Tiphareth, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, Malkuth. Taken as a whole, the Tree of Life
is also a symbol of the archetypal man, Adam Kadmon, and the sephiroth have a role
resembling that of the chakras in yoga. The mystical path of self knowledge entails the
rediscovery of all the levels of one's being, ranging from Malkuth, physical reality, to the
infinite source. With this in mind, the medieval Qabalists divided the Tree of Life into
three sections of the soul: Nephesch (the animal soul), corresponding to the sephiroth
Yesod; Ruach (the middle soul), corresponding to the sephiroth from Hod to Chesed;
and Neschamah ( the spiritual soul) corresponding to the Supernals, especially Binah.
Practitioners of the Golden Dawn who use the Tree of Life as a glyph for the
unconscious mind sometimes distinguish the Magical path, which embraces all ten
sephiroth, from the mystical path of the Middle Pillar, which is an ascent from Malkuth
through Yesod and Tiphareth to Kether on the central pillar of the Tree.
Zohar: The Book of Splendor, the principal book of the Qabalah. It is thought to have
been written by Moses de Leon and was first circulated around 1280-1290 A.D., in
Guadalajara. It included commentaries on the Torah.
Gnosticism: Gnosis is a Greek term for knowledge. The term Gnosis applies to
certain religious sects that emerged during the early formative years Christianity, and
which believed in hidden spiritual knowledge. The main factor that differentiated them
from Christianity was their emphasis on knowledge rather than faith. The Christian
church fathers considered the Gnostics heretical, or heretics.
Kether: The first emanation on the Tree of Life. Occultists identify Kether as the state
of consciousness where creation merges with the veils of nonexistence. Kether lies on
the Middle Pillar and transcends the duality of Chokmah (male) and Binah (female),
which lie immediately below on the Tree. It is therefore symbolized in mystical tradition
by the heavenly androgyne (male and female united in one) and represents a state of
mystical transcendence and union with the Supreme. It is compared to Satori and
Nirvana.
Chokmah: The second emanation on the Tree of Life, following Kether. Occultists
identify Chokmah with the Great Father, the giver of the seminal spark of life which is
potent only when it enters the womb of the Great Mother, Binah. From the union of the
Great Father and Great Mother come forth all the images of creation. Chokmah is
associated with such deities as Kronos, Saturn, Thoth, Atum-Ra, and Ptah in other
pantheons.
Binah: The third emanation on the Tree of Life. Occultists identify Binah with the
Great Mother in all her forms. She is the womb of forthcoming, the source of all the
great images and forms that manifest in the Universe as archetypes. She is also the
supreme female principal in the process of creation and, via the process of mythological correspondences, is associated with such deities as the Virgin Mary, Rhea, Isis, and Demeter.
Chesed: The fourth emanation on the Tree of Life. Occultists identify Chesed as the
ruler, but not creator, of the manifested universe. He is characterized as stable, wise,
and merciful by contrast with his more dynamic opposite, Geburah. Chesed is
associated with the gods Zeus and Jupiter.
Geburah: The fifth emanation on the Tree of Life. Geburah is often associated with
Mars, the Roman God of War, and represents severity and justice. The destructive
forces of the sphere of Geburah are intended to have a purging, cleansing effect on the
Universe. Geburah represents the creator god who applies discipline and precision in
governing the cosmos and removes unwanted or unnecessary elements after their
usefulness has passed. Geburah is reflected in the charioteer in the Tarot.
Tiphareth: The sixth emanation on the Tree of Life. It is the sphere of beauty,
harmonizing the forces of mercy (Chesed) and judgement (Geburah) higher on the
Tree. Occultists identify Tiphareth as the sphere of spiritual rebirth, and is ascribed to
solar deities such as Ra, Apollo, and Mithra as well as Osiris and Jesus Christ. The
Tarot card Temperence identifies the direct mystical ascent to Tiphareth from Malkuth,
the physical.
Netzach: The seventh emanation on the Tree of Life. Netzach is regarded as the
sphere of creativity, subjectivity, and emotions, a very clear contrast to the sphere of
Hod, which represents intellect and rational thought. Netzach is the sphere of love and
spiritual passion and is therefore associated with such deities as Aphrodite, Venus,
Hathor, and others that personify these qualities.
Hod: The eighth emanation on the Tree of Life. Hod is associated with the planet
Mercury and represents intellect and rational thought. It also represents the structuring
and measuring capacities of the mind as opposed to the emotional and intuitional
aspects of Netzach. Hod has no exact parallel in the Tarot, but is closely linked to the
card Judgement, ascribed to the path between Hod and Malkuth.
Yesod: The ninth emanation on the Tree of Life. Yesod is associated with the Moon
and the element Water. Regarded as a female sphere, it is the seat of sexual instinct
and corresponds to the genital chakra on the archetypal man, Adam Kadmon. On the
Tree of Life, Yesod has the function of channeling the energies of the Higher down to
the earth below, Malkuth. Occultists associate Yesod with the Astral plane, because if
the sephiroth above Malkuth are regarded as a map of the unconscious psyche, Yesod
is the most accessible area of the mind. Yesod is the sphere of fertility and lunar
imagery. It is identified with Witchcraft and goddess worship. It is also the so-called
animal soul, known by Qabalists as Nephesch.
Malkuth: The tenth emanation of the Tree of Life. Malkuth is associated with the gods
and goddesses of the earth, especially Persephone, Proserpina, and Geb. Malkuth is
the domain of the manifested universe, the immediate environment, the plane of
physical reality. As a consequence, all inner journeys of consciousness begin
symbolically in Malkuth. It is particularly appropriate, for example, that the myth of the
rape of Persephone confirms her both as queen of the underworld and as a lunar
goddess. From an occult point of view, the underworld equates with the lower
unconscious mind, and the Moon, represented by the sphere of Yesod, is the first
sephira reached on the inner mystic journey up the Tree of Life. Malkuth is closely
linked with the Universe card.
The path of the Flaming Sword is the path of creation. According to the early
Qabalist, when Lucifer was thrown out of heaven by Michael, the Flaming Sword
blocked him from returning. The path shows the order of the sephiroth by how they
were created, from the Supernal or Celestial triangle of Kether, Chokmah, and Binah to
the Moral triangle of Chesed, Geburah, and Tiphareth. Then finally the Mundane
triangle of Netzach, Hod, and Yesod. From Yesod came Malkuth, or the physical world.
Key
Sephira Hebrew English Translation (Q. S.) Color
1) Kether rtk KThR Crown White Brilliance
2) Chokmah hmkj ChKMH Wisdom Gray
3) Binah hnyb BINH Understanding Black
4) Chesed dsj ChSD Mercy Blue
5) Geburah hrwbg GBURH Strength Scarlet
6) Tiphareth trapt ThPhARTh Beauty Gold
7) Netzach jxn NTzCh Victory Emerald
8) Hod dw h HOD Splendor Orange
9) Yesod dwsy YSOD Foundation Violet
10) Malkuth twklm MLKUTh Kingdom Citrine, Olive, Black,
Russet
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