No tree it is said can grow to heaven, unless its roots reach down to hell.” Carl Jung
The Sephirothic Tree is also known as the Tree of Life, Jacob’s Ladder and our very own DNA Tree. It shows the symbolic path to enlightenment, understanding the truth and the secrets of the hidden world in which we live.
The Sephirothic Tree shows the alchemical process of reaching complete Gnosis, or what some may call Christ Consciousness, Sainthood, or Buddhahood. It is the way of the Sons of light.
“And Elohim said, ‘Let there be Light.’ and there was Light.” (Kether) – Gen 1:3
The Kabbalists describe it as four worlds consisting of Atziluth: the Archetypal World or World of Emanations. It is the Divine World. Briah: the World of Creation, also called Khorcia or the World of Schema. Yetzirah: the World of Formation and of the Angels, and Assiah: the World of Action, the World of Matter.
33rd Degree Masonic Philosopher, Manly Palmer Hall had written in the Secret Teachings of All Ages; “The Kabbalists divided the universe into four worlds, each consisting of ten spheres, arranged into what is called the “Sephirothic Tree.” This Tree is composed of ten circles, representing the numbers 1 to 10, connected together by twenty-two canals—the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The ten numbers plus the twenty-two letters result in the occult number 32, which, according to the Mishna, signifies the Thirty-two Paths of Wisdom.
The Sepher Yetzirah describes how God created the universe using numbers, language and speech; “With thirty-two mystical paths of Wisdom engraved Yah, YHVH of Hosts, God of Israel, the Living God, God Almighty, high and exalted, dwelling in eternity on high, and his name is Holy, and he created His universe with three books, with text, with number, and with communication. They are Ten Sephirot of Nothingness and twenty-two foundation letters.”
R. Moses Luzzatto (1707-1746) had written; “Each of these Sephirot [in the Tree] is constructed of ten Lights, each of which in turn is composed of an equal number of lights and so on ad-infinitum. When, in one of these vessels only a single light is illuminated it is called a sephira. When all ten lights are illuminated it is defined as a Partzuf (Person).”
Hall further writes, “The ten globes are called the Sephiroth and to themare assigned the numbers i to 10. The three columns are called Mercy (on the right), Severity (on the left), and, between them, Mildness, as the reconciling power. The columns may also be said to represent Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty, which form the triune support of the universe, for it is written that the foundation of all things is the Three. The 22 channels are the letters of the Hebrew alphabet and to them are assigned the major trumps of the Tarot deck of symbolic cards.
According to the Hebrew system of Qabbalism, the Tree of the Sephiroth was divided into two parts, the upper invisible and the lower visible. The upper consisted of three parts and the lower of seven. The three uncognizable Sephiroth were called Kether, the Crown; Chochmah, Wisdom; and Binah, Understanding. These are too abstract to permit of comprehension, whereas the lower seven spheres that came forth from them were within the grasp of human consciousness. The central panel contains seven triads of figures. These represent the lower Sephiroth, all emanating from the concealed threefold crown over the throne.”
Chochmah – “Wisdom”: First unbounded flash of an idea before it takes on limitations/male light/Divine Reality/first revelation/creation from nothingness
Binah – “Understanding”: the infinite flash of Chochmah brought into the vessel of understanding to give it grasp of breadth and depth/feminine vessel that gives birth to the emotions/reason/understanding brings teshuva return to God
Yesod – “Foundation”: Connecting to the task to accomplish/wholly remembering/coherent knowledge
Malchut – “Kingship”: Female vessel for the pregnant nurturing of the male lights of the emotional sephirot into action/becomes the Keter Will source for any subsequent lower level in Creation/accomplishment/realization of the Divine Plan.(Wkipedia)
Moe is the founder of GnosticWarrior.com. He is a father, husband, author, martial arts black belt, and an expert in Gnosticism, the occult, and esotericism.
