Mystical Wonders Discussion Group

d_redant · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2007 4:14 am Post subject: The Kabbalistic Tree of Life

The Kabbalistic Tree of Life!
By Dr Joshua David Stone

The Kabbalah is the secret doctrine, the esoteric, mystical aspect of the Jewish religion. I was raised in the Jewish religion in this particular lifetime but had no exposure to the Kabbalah until the past three or four years. The Jewish religion is very beautiful; however, it didn’t really satisfy me spiritually until I uncovered this sublime metaphysical system. It has been through the Kabbalah, the Tree of Life, and the Keys of Enoch that I have discovered the spiritual goldmine of Judaism. It is one of the most profound systems of spiritual growth I have ever studied, and I consider myself just a beginner. In it is total understanding.

My purpose here is to give you a basic framework that will encourage you to explore its hidden mysteries more deeply. I will use the Kabbalistic Tree of Life as the foundation for the discussion. A series of diagrams of the Tree of Life will serve as a map for your inward journey.

Tree of Life Number One
The Tree of Life embodies the most sacred teachings of the Jewish religion. It had its antecedents in the time of the Order of Melchizedek and of Abraham, the Father of the Jewish people. Only a very small number of Jewish rabbis were Kabbalists.

The Tree of Life provides a visual understanding of the story of creation. The ten circles on the tree are caUed Sephiroth, or Lights. They are a tenfold division of creation. They are individualistic, but they make-up a whole. In a sense, they provide ten windows for looking upon God’s creation. Djwhal Khul has said that you could study the Tree of Life for centuries and not uncover its vastness. It embodies the journey of existence through creation. If you start at the top of the tree and move down, you see spirit descending into matter; if you start at the bottom of the tree and move up, you see matter returning to spirit.

1
Crown

KETHER

2

Wisdom

CHOKMAH

3

Understanding

BINAH

4

Mercy

CHESED

5

Severity

GEBURAH

6

Beauty

TIPHARETH

7

Victory

NETZACH

8

Splendor

HOD

9

Foundation

YESOD

10

Kingdom

MALKUTH

In this second diagram, you will note three terms have been added at the very top of the tree: “Ain,” “Ain Soph,” and “Ain Soph Aur,” meaning “negative existence,” “undifferentiated illimitable one,” and “boundless universal Light.” These three terms in Kabbalistic teachings refer to stages of the unmanifest spirit before the actual descending of spirit, or what you might call manifestation.
AIN
NEGATIVE EXISTENCE

AIN SOPH

UNDIFFERENTIATED ILLIMITABLE ONE

AIN SOPH AUR

BOUNDLESS UNIVERSAL LIGHT

1

Crown

KETHER

2

Wisdom

CHOKMAH

3

Understanding

BINAH

4

Mercy

CHESED

5

Severity

GEBURAH

6

Beauty

TIPHARETH

7

Victory

NETZACH

8

Splendor

HOD

9

Foundation

YESOD

10

Kingdom

MALKUTH

The actual point of manifestation on the Tree of Life is the very top Sephiroth, or Light, which the diagram depicts as Kether. Djwhal Khul has said its color is white. Kether can be equated with the point at which you emerged as a monad, or spiritual spark, from the Source, or from the nonmanifested state. As the monad emerges, it comes forth through the energies of the Kether. the crown of the tree. The power name of God for the Kether is Ehyeh (or Eheih) Asher Ehyeh which means “I Am That I Am.”

The next Sephiroth, on the upper righthand side of the tree, is known as Chokmah. Chokmah, according to Djwahl Khul, is the Light., or Sephiroth, that contains all of the potentialities of creation. Chokmah is considered the male, or father, aspect of the tree. The term that is associated with it is wisdom. The Hebrew power name of God that is associated with it is Yod Hay Wah Hay or Yod Hay Vav Hay which means “Jehovah.”

This leads the monad, on its continuing journey, across the tree to the upper lefthand side. This is the Sephiroth called Binah. It is associated with the term understanding. It is the mother, or female, aspect of the tree. The Hebrew power name of God that is associated with it is the word Elohim, the Divine Mother aspect of creation, which means, literally, All That God Is. Binah functions to receive what has been given. Whereas in Chokmah, the monad received the outline of creation, in Binah, the monad receives the purposes and the manifested ways in which it may serve on the spiritual plane.

These three Sephiroth—Kether, Chokmah, and Binah—form a triad that the Kabbalah calls the Supernal Triad. In the Alice Baily teachings, it is the upper spiritual triad the monad uses as it serves the Creator on the spiritual plane. Djwhal has referred to them as Atma, Buddhi, and Manas, or spiritual will, intuition, and higher mind.

As you begin to move down the tree, you move into the soul level of existence, wherein lies another triad. (Moving down the tree even farther, you come to the lower spiritual triad, the personality level, which I will speak of in a little while. Do you see how exciting this is starting to become? This tree of life is literally a map of Creation.)

The Soul Level of Existence
The next three Sephiroth deal with the soul level of existence. The first one, on the middle righthand side of the tree, is known as Chesed, the next Geburah, and the next Tiphareth. These three have been termed “rnercy,” “severity,” and “beauty.” This triad is related to the fifth and sixth initiations, which deal with monadic merger and, of course, ascension. Studying this middle triad helps the incarnated personality to merge in consciousness with the higher self, oil soul, and to understand which aspects within self must be developed in order to function here on Earth.

The Sephiroth of Chesed contains unconditional universal love. The Sephiroth of Geburah serves as the perfect balance for Chesed—divine will. The tree is balanced from top to bottom within the understanding of yin and yang. Unconditional love and divine will must be perfectly balanced if you are to realize the soul and monadic levels of consciousness.

The Sephiroth of Tiphareth is the center of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. According to Djwhal Khul’s interpretation of the Kabbalah (which is the system I am focusing on here), Tiphareth is the soul and the Christ consciousness. All the lines, or energy pathways, of the tree flow through it. Your true identity lies here.

If you are identified with the triad that lies below this one, you are identifying yourself as a personality or physical body rather than as a soul. As you evolve through the middle of the tree to the upper spiritual triad, you vill eventually see yourself as soul and then as monad. You are steeped in glamour, illusion, and maya until you realize Tiphareth.

The Lower Spiritual Triad
The three Sephiroth that make up the lower spiritual triad are Netzach, Hod, and Yesod. In English, they have been referred to as “victory,” “splendor,” and “foundation,” the three aspects of the personality. They are only a reflection of the soul level of existence, just as the soul level is a reflection of the monadic level of existence.

The Sephiroth of Netzach feels life and is associated with the doingness of the personality. The opportunity in Netzach is to transcend the less desirable feelings of the lower-self and begin to manifest the feelings of the Higher Self and soul which, in essence, are unconditional love, compassion, and joy, thus enabling the incarnated personality to enjoy the more harmonious aspect of this Sephiroth.

Straight across the tree is Hod, the logical, rational, analytical mind, which is the perfect balance for Netzach, the feeling aspect. On the monadic level, the Divine Father and Divine Mother are balanced. On the soul level, divine will and divine love are balanced. On the personality level, feeling and thinking are balanced.

The next Sephiroth is Yesod. Yesod is the center of the personality level so, of course, it refers to the subconscious mind, the focus and controlling factor of the personality. The ideal is to raise the personality level and the subconscious patterns to the level of Christ consciousness.

The final Sephiroth is known as Malkuth. This Light deals with physical existence. Earth life can, hence, be considered to be one-tenth of total existence. If you are materialistic in your focus, you are missing literally nine-tenths of God’s Creation. Malkuth gives the incarnated personality the opportunity to launch itself upward on the Tree of Life.

The Seven Dimensions of Reality
There are seven dimensions of reality, according to Djwhal Khul. These seven planes can be correlated with the ten Sephiroth:

Logoic Plane: Kether

Monadic Plane Binah: Chokmah

Atmic Plane Geburah: Chesed

Buddhic Plane: Tiphareth

Mental Plane Hod: Netzach

Emotional Plane: Yesod

Physical Plane: Malkuth

These, of course, are the seven subplanes of the cosmic physical plane through which hurnanity is now evolving. This Tree of Life is a mirror, on this level of evolution, for the cosmic Tree of Life through which humanity will have to evolve later in its evolutionary progression.

The Archangels
Each of the ten Sephiroth is associated with a specific archangel:

Kether: Metatron

Chokmah: Ratziel

Binah: Tzaphkiel

Chesed: Tzadkiel

Geburah: Khamael

Tiphareth: Michael

Netzach: Auriel

Hod: Raphael

Yesod: Gabriel

Malkuth: Sandalphon

The Elements
There is an element associated with each Sephiroth:

Kether: Hydrogen

Chokmah: Uranium

Binah: Oxygen

Chesed: Carbon

Geburah: Nitrogen, Steel, Iron

Tiphareth: Gold

Netzach: Copper

Hod: Mercury

Yesod: Quartz

Malkuth: Earth, Air, Fire, Water

The Colors
A specific color is associated with each Sephiroth:

Kether: White

Chokmah: Gray

Binah: Black

Chesed: Blue

Geburah: Red

Tipareth: Yellow

Netzach: Green

Hod: Orange

Yesod: Purple

Malkuth: Mixed Colors

The Angelic Hosts
Each Sephiroth has a connection with a particular group of angels:

Kether: Hyos Ha Kodoish

Chokmah: Auphanim

Binah: Aralim (Thrones)

Chesed: Chasmalim (Brilliant Ones)

Geburah: Seraphim

Tipareth: Malachim

Netzach: Elohim

Hod: Beni Elohim

Yesod: Kerubim

Malkuth: Ahim (Soul of Fire)

The Lord’s Prayer
Every phrase of the Lord’s Prayer is associated with a Sephiroth:

Kether: Our Father

Chokmah: Which art in Heaven

Binah: Hallowed be Thy name

Chesed: Thy kingdom come

Geburah: Thy will be done

Tiphareth: On Earth as it is in Heaven.

Netzach: Give us this day our daily bread

Hod: And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Yesod: Lead us not into temptation

Malkuth: For Thine is the kingdom

Tiphareth: And the glory

Kether: Forever and ever. Amen

The Major Arcana of the Tarot
Between each of the ten Sephiroth are twenty-two pathways, lines of energy that connect the Sephiroth. These twenty-two pathways themselves have exact meanings. They have been related to the twenty-two cards of the Tarot’s major arcana

The Tree of Life
The Tree of Life can also be seen as the human body, with the middle Sephiroth representing the chakras, Kether being the crown, Tiphareth the heart chakra, Malkuth the physical body, and Yesod, the second chakra. Daath, the hidden Sephiroth, might be the third eye.

You can be creative and come up with your own interpretations and insights. The Tree of Life provides literally infinite potentialities.

Correlations of the Sephiroth
1. Kether Experience: Union with God

Virtue: Attainment

Tarot Cards: The four aces

Color: Brilliance

Magical Image: Bearded king in profile

2. Chokmah Experience: The vision of God face to face

Virtue: Devotion

Tarot Cards The four twos

Color: Pure soft blue

Magical Image: A bearded male figure

3. Binah Experience: The vision of sorrow

Virtue: Silence

Tarot Cards: The four threes

Color: Crimson

Magical Image: A mature woman

4. Chesed Experience: The vision of love

Virtue: Obedience

Tarot Cards: The four fours

Color: Deep violet

Magical Image: A mighty crowned and throned king

5. Geburah Experience: The vision of power

Virtue: Courage

Tarot Cards: The four fives

Color: Orange

Magical Image: Almighty warrior in his chariot

6. Tiphareth Experience: The vision of harmony

Virtue: Devotion to great work

Tarot Cards: The four sixes

Color: Clear rose-pink

Magical Image: A majestic king, a child, a sacrificed god

7. Netzach Experience: The vision of beauty triumphant

Virtue: Unselfishness

Tarot Cards: The four sevens

Color: Amber

Magical Image: A beautiful naked woman

8. Hod Experience: The vision of surrender

Virtue: Truthfulness

Tarot Cards: The four eights

Color: Violet/purple

Magical Image: A hermaphrodite

9. Yesod Experience: The vision of the machinery of the universe

Virtue: Independence

Tarot Cards: The four nines

Color: Indigo

Magical Image: A beautiful, naked, strong man

10. Malkuth Experience: The vision of holy guardian angel

Virtue: Discrimination

Tarot Cards: The four tens

Color: Yellow

Magical Image: A young woman, crowned and throned

Jacob’s Ladder and the Hidden Sephiroth
Djwhal Khul has added to the Tree of Life an understanding that has to do with adding rungs, or overlaying a second Tree of Life on the already existing one. This has been esoterically termed “climbing Jacob’s Ladder.” It is done by moving the second tree one step upward from the previous one in terms of the ten Sephiroth.

When this is done, Malkuth, at the bottom of the first tree, has now moved up and overlies the Sephiroth of Yesod, with all the other Sephiroth on the new tree being raised up in a corresponding fashion.

It is only when the new Tree of Life is added that rays eleven and twelve find a home, since there are only ten Sephiroth on the first Tree of Life. This causes a very interesting thing to happen. Yesod, in the first tree, is now raised to the level of Tiphareth. This is the personality merging with the soul consciousness, or Christ consciousness. Tiphareth, in the first Tree of Life, is now raised to the hidden Sephiroth of Daath. Daath has been associated with hidden knowledge; in other words, the soul is raised into the hidden knowledge. Daath, according to Djwhal Khul, is activated only in the enlarged, evolutionary Tree of Life. To work with Daath, a person must be approaching the third, or soul merge, initiation.

Geburah, in the first Tree of Life, is now raised to Binah. Logical thinking is hence raised to divine will. Netzach is raised to Chesed; personality-level feelings are raised to the unconditional love and compassion of Chesed. Geburah and Chesed move to Binah and Chokmah, the soul level of experience now being raised to the monadic, or spiritual, level of consciousness at the fifth and sixth levels of initiation.

As you can understand, there is endless material here for your contemplation. I am just providing skeletal basics for your continued study. The four books I recommend studying if you would like to learn more are Cabala by Janet McClure; The Mystical Quabalah, an incredible book by Dion Fortune, which might be the best book ever written on the subject; Kabbalah, Your Path to Inner Freedom by Ann Williams-Heller, and The Book of Knowledge: The Keys of Enoch by J.J. Hurtak. I am indebted to these authors for much of the material in this chapter.

Summation
The Kabbalah embodies the true wisdom teachings of Israel; it might be considered “the Yoga of the West.” It provides the foundation for modern Western occultism. The Tree of Life is an excellent meditation symbol for understanding the spiritual path. It reduces to a diagrammatic form every force and factor in the manifested universe that the monad, soul, and personality must deal with and balance. It is a spiritual map. It might be looked at as a dream symbol of the universal mind, a picture arising from the subconscious mind of God.

The tree applies not only to the macrocosm but also to the microcosm. Each individual symbol of the tree represents a cosmic force you can get in touch with through meditation. The Tree of Life as a whole is a composite symbol that represents the cosmos in its entirety and the soul of man as he relates to it. May it bring you many hours of beautiful meditation on the divine during your journey home.

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