Kabbalah Tree of Life Map to the Soul's Journey

The very first blog I posted on this website was one on Tarot through the Lens of the Kabbalah Tree of Life, and since this is an additional lens that I’m adding to my New Moon Reading, I decided to share a little more information for anyone interested. 

I have personally found that exploring both Kabbalah teachings and the Tarot can be a wonderful journey of exploration.  I have found that when I take the time to contemplate my questions, without desire or expectation of what the answer should be, what comes up can often be surprising, but always interesting.  I won’t say that I always get a clear answer, after all, I may be asking the wrong question, timing might be off, or a myriad of other reasons, but what I have found is that, if I can put aside my need to control and simply allow what wants to come up come forward, new ideas, insights, thoughts, aha moments present themselves along the way. 

In the Jewish mystical tradition of Kabbalah, the Tree of Life is a symbolic diagram, a map which represents how the divine is understood to manifest in the universe and within the human soul.  It is used as a tool for meditation, spiritual growth, and understanding the relationship between God, creation and humanity.  This use and understanding of Kabbalah continues to be part of the Jewish mystical tradition to this day.  On the other hand, during the Renaissance, Christian and Hermetic scholars became fascinated with Kabbalah and over time adapted Kabbalistic ideas into Western esoteric traditions into what became know as Hermetic or Christian Cabala.  The first direct link between Tarot and the Tree of Life comes from the late 19^th Century Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, who assigned the 22 Major Arcana to the 22 paths on the Tree of Life, the four suits to the four Kabbalistic worlds and the Court and numbered cards to different Sephirot and element correspondences, which added an additional esoteric overlay to Tarot.

Kabbalah Tree of Life, Map to Soul's Journey

The Tree of Life consists of 10 Sefirot, often translated as ‘emanations’, ‘attributes’, or ‘spheres’, each one representing a different aspect of the divine and a stage in the unfolding of creation. 

The Three Pillars of the Tree of Life represent the fundamental forces of the universe and human consciousness.  The pillar on the right is called the Pillar of Mercy, representing expansion, compassion, love and boundless giving.  It embodies the urge to reach out and create, fueling growth, healing and generosity.  The pillar on the left is called the Pillar of Severity, and represents restriction, judgment, boundaries and discipline.  It provides the necessary structure, logic and limitations to shape raw energy into distinct physical reality. The pillar in the middle is called the Pillar of Balance, this is where the opposing forces of the left and right pillars can be reconciled, it represents consciousness, equilibrium and the synthesis of Mercy and Severity.  It is the path of enlightenment where the extremes of pure emotion and strict logic are united.

The 22 paths on the Tree of Life run between the different Sefirot and represent the transitional experiences, lessons and inner work required to move between different states of consciousness.  Each of these paths corresponds to one of the 22 Hebrew letters which adds an additional dimension to the understanding.

The Tree of Life can be understood on several levels simultaneously.  It can be a map of creation, showing how divine energy flows from the infinite into the physical world.  It can be a model of the human psyche, where each sephira reflects a quality or capacity found within each of us.  It can be viewed as a spiritual path, where we can learn how to balance qualities like mercy with justice, wisdom with understanding and love with discipline.

When using the overlay of the Tree of Life correspondences to review a Tarot reading, we might consider it to be a roadmap for the soul, and the Tarot the guide that helps us explore our journey, offering insight into personal growth, choices, and spiritual understanding.

If we consider what the Soul’s Journey might be through each of the Zodiac Pathways we might say:

Aries initiates the soul's conscious expression of Divine Will.

Taurus builds spiritual foundations.

Gemini learns through choice and relationship.

Cancer develops emotional mastery.

Leo awakens heart-centered courage.

Virgo refines wisdom through service.

Libra seeks balance and truth.

Scorpio transforms through surrender.

Sagittarius integrates higher wisdom.

Capricorn confronts limitation and attachment.

Aquarius receives visionary inspiration.

Pisces dissolves boundaries and returns to the mystery.