Tree of Life

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The Tree of Life is a tool used to categorize and organize various mystical concepts, and is central to the teachings of Aleister Crowley and the Qabalah. At its most simple level, it is composed of ten spheres, or emanations, called sephiroth (sing. "sephira") which are connected by twenty two paths. The sephiroth are represented by the planets and the paths by the characters of the Hebrew alphabet, which are subdivided by the five elements, the seven classical planets, and the twelve signs of the Zodiac.

Within the western magical tradition, the Tree is used as a kind of conceptual filing cabinet. Each sephira and path is assigned various ideas, such as gods, cards of the Tarot, astrological planets and signs, elements, etc. Within Thelema, the seminal book which defines all these correspondences is Liber 777 by Aleister Crowley, although there have been other influential writers on the topic, including Israel Regardie and Eliphas Levi.

Table of contents

1 Parts of the Tree of Life

1.1 The Negative Veils
1.2 Sephiroth (Emanations)
1.3 The Paths
1.4 The Veils
1.5 The Pillars
1.6 The Triplicities
1.7 The Four Worlds
1.8 The Parts of the Soul

2 The Correspondences

3 See also

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Parts of the Tree of Life

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The Negative Veils

Ain, "Nothing"
Ain Soph, "The Boundless"
Ain Soph Aur, "The Limitless Light"

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Sephiroth (Emanations)

Kether, "Crown"
Chokmah, "Wisdom"
Binah, "Understanding"
Chesed, "Mercy"
Geburah, "Strength"
Tiphareth, "Beauty"
Netzach, "Victory"
Hod, "Splendour"
Yesod, "The Foundation"
Malkuth, "The Kingdom"

There is also the "false" sephira, Daath, or Knowledge.

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The Paths

There are 22 paths that connect the ten sephiroth. They are named according to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Aleph, "Ox"
Beth, "House"
Gimel, "Camel"
Daleth, "Door"
Hé, "Window"
Vau, "Nail"
Zain, "Sword"
Cheth, "Fence"
Teth, "Serpent"
Yod, "Hand"
Kaph, "Palm"
Lamed, "Ox Goad"
Mem, "Water"
Nun, "Fish"
Samekh, "Prop"
Ayin, "Eye"
Pé, "Mouth"
Tzaddi, "Fish-Hook"
Qoph, "Back of Head"
Resh, "Head"
Shin, "Tooth"
Tau, "Cross"
32-bis
31-bis

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The Veils

The Veil of Paroketh
The Veil of the Abyss

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The Pillars

The vertical columns of the sephiroth form three "pillars":

Boaz—the left Pillar, called Severity (Binah,Geburah, and Hod)
Middle Pillar—the center column, called Beneficence (Kether, Tiphareth, Yesod, Daath, Malkuth)
Jachin—the right Pillar, called Mercy (Chokmah, Chesed, Netzach)

- Further Reading: See The Middle Pillar by Israel Regardie chapters 2 & 3

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The Triplicities

Above the physical world of Malkuth, there are three sets of three sephiroth:

The Supernals—Kether, Chokmah, and Binah
Chesed, Geburah, and Tiphareth
Netzach, Hod, and Yesod

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The Four Worlds

Briah (The Creative World)
Atziluth (The Archetypical World)
Yetzirah (The Formative World)
Assiah (The Material World)

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The Parts of the Soul

Yechidah (The Self)
Chiah (The Life Force)
Neshama (The Intuition)
Ruach (The Intellect)
Nephesh (The Animal Soul)

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The Correspondences

The defining feature of the Tree of Life as it's used in Thelema is the correspondences. The general idea is that all the concepts found in a sephira or path have essential ties with each other. Many of the correspondences are from the Jewish Kabbalistic tradition, although there are many that were added on by members of the Golden Dawn and also by Aleister Crowley. The following is a list of conceptual groupings of all the various columns found in the seminal collection of Qabalistic correspondences, Crowley's Liber 777.

See also—The full listing of all columns in Liber 777.

The Key Scale—not really a correspondence, but the numerical organizational tool of the Tree.

Major Correspondences:
- Astrology
- Godforms
- Tarot
- Colors
- Elements
- Decans
- Astrological Angels
The Four Worlds
- The Four Worlds
- Correspondences of Assiah
- Correspondences of Yetzirah
- Correspondences of Briah
Material Correspondences:
- Animals
- Plants
- Precious Stones
- Perfumes
- Drugs
- The Human Body
- Metals

Magick & Mysticism:
- Magical Weapons
- Magical Formulae
- Magical Powers
- Parts of the Soul
- The Four Quarters
- Tetragrammaton
- Alphabets
- Eastern Mysticism
- The Grades of the A.'.A.'.
- Alchemy
- Pentagram & Hexagram
- Judaica
- Genii of the Twelve Hours
- Geomantic Intelligences
- Lineal Figures & Geomancy
- Figures related to Pure Number
- Qliphoth & Infernals
- The Perfected Man
- Sepher Yetzirah
- Transcendental Morality
- Legendary Orders of Being

[edit]

-The [[sephiroth]] (singular ''sephira'') are the ten emanations or manifestations of God or the Universe. They begin with the highest aspect, [[Kether]], and as the energy or concepts pass through creation, they reach the physical world, [[Malkuth]]. Connecting many of the sephiroth are pathways, 22 in all. Within the western magical tradition, the Tree is used as a kind of conceptual filing cabinet. Each sephera and path is assigned various ideas, such as gods, cards of the [[Tarot]], astrological planets and signs, elements, etc. Within [[Thelema]], the seminal book which defines all these correspondances is ''777'' by [[Aleister Crowley]], although there have been other influential writers on the topic, including [[Israel Regardie]] and [[Eliphas Levi]].
+The '''Tree of Life''' is a tool used to categorize and organize various mystical concepts, and is central to the teachings of [[Aleister Crowley]] and the [[Qabalah]]. At its most simple level, it is composed of ten spheres, or emanations, called sephiroth (sing. "sephira") which are connected by twenty two paths. The sephiroth are represented by the planets and the paths by the characters of the Hebrew alphabet, which are subdivided by the five [[elements]], the seven classical planets, and the twelve signs of the [[Zodiac]].
+Within the western magical tradition, the Tree is used as a kind of conceptual filing cabinet. Each sephira and path is assigned various ideas, such as gods, cards of the Tarot, astrological planets and signs, elements, etc. Within [[Thelema]], the seminal book which defines all these correspondences is ''Liber 777'' by Aleister Crowley, although there have been other influential writers on the topic, including [[Israel Regardie]] and [[Eliphas Levi]].
 ==Parts of the Tree of Life==
 *[[Malkuth]], "The Kingdom"
-There is also the "false" sephiroth, [[Daath]], or ''Knowledge''.
+There is also the "false" sephira, [[Daath]], or ''Knowledge''.
 ===The Paths===
 The vertical columns of the sephiroth form three "pillars":
 *'''[[Tree of Life: Pillars#Boaz|Boaz]]'''—the left Pillar, called ''Severity'' ([[Binah]],[[Geburah]], and [[Hod]])
-*'''[[Tree of Life: Pillars#Middle Pillar|Middle Pillar]]'''—the center column, called ''Balance'' ([[Kether]], [[Tiphareth]], [[Yesod]], [[Malkuth]])
+*'''[[Tree of Life: Pillars#Middle Pillar|Middle Pillar]]'''—the center column, called ''Beneficence'' ([[Kether]], [[Tiphareth]], [[Yesod]], [[Daath]], [[Malkuth]])
 *'''[[Tree of Life: Pillars#Jachin|Jachin]]'''—the right Pillar, called ''Mercy'' ([[Chokmah]], [[Chesed]], [[Netzach]])
+- Further Reading: See The Middle Pillar by Israel Regardie chapters 2 & 3
 ===The Triplicities===
 ==The Correspondences==
-The defining feature of the Tree of Life as it's used in Thelema is the correspondences. The general idea is that all the concepts found in a sephiroth or path have essential ties with each other. Many of the correspondences are from the Jewish Kabbalistic tradition, although there are many that were added on by members of the [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|Golden Dawn]] and also by Aleister Crowley. The following list is not complete—these are the correspondences listed on Thelemapedia.
+The defining feature of the Tree of Life as it's used in Thelema is the correspondences. The general idea is that all the concepts found in a sephira or path have essential ties with each other. Many of the correspondences are from the Jewish Kabbalistic tradition, although there are many that were added on by members of the [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|Golden Dawn]] and also by Aleister Crowley. The following is a list of conceptual groupings of all the various columns found in the seminal collection of Qabalistic correspondences, Crowley's ''Liber 777.''
-*'''[[Key Scale|The Key Scale]]'''—not really a correspondence, but the numerical organizational tool of the Tree.<BR/><BR/>
+<center><div style="padding:6px;margin:20px 0px 25px 0px; border:solid 1px #cccccc;">'''See also—[[Tree of Life:777|The full listing of all columns in ''Liber 777'']].'''</div></center>
-*'''[[Tree of Life:Astrology|Astrology and the Tree of Life]]'''—the [[Planet|planets]] and signs of the [[Zodiac and the Tree of Life]].
-*'''[[Tree of Life:Godforms|Godforms and the Tree of Life]]'''—including those found in Egyptian, Hindu, Scandinavian, Greek, Roman, and Christian traditions.
+*'''[[Key Scale|The Key Scale]]'''—not really a correspondence, but the numerical organizational tool of the Tree.
-*'''[[Tree of Life:Tarot|Tarot and the Tree of Life]]'''—all 72 cards are represented, including the Major and Minor Arcana
-*'''[[Tree of Life:Colors|Colors and the Tree of Life]]'''—each sephera and path has four "scales" of color: King, Queen, Emperor, and Empress
+<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin-top:15px;">
-*'''[[Tree of Life:Elements|Elements and the Tree of Life]]'''—the "classical" elements, Air, Earth, Fire, Water, Spirit
+  <tr>
-*'''The Material Correspondences''':
+    <td valign=top style="padding:0px">
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Animals|Animals]]'''
+*'''Major Correspondences:'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Plants|Plants]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Astrology|Astrology]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Godforms|Godforms]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Tarot|Tarot]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Colors|Colors]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Elements|Elements]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Decans|Decans]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Astrological Angels|Astrological Angels]]'''
+*'''The Four Worlds'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:The Four Worlds|The Four Worlds]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Assiah|Correspondences of Assiah]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Yetzirah|Correspondences of Yetzirah]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Briah|Correspondences of Briah]]'''
+*'''Material Correspondences''':
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Animals|Animals]]'''<br/>
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Plants|Plants]]'''<br/>
 **'''[[Tree of Life:Precious Stones|Precious Stones]]'''
 **'''[[Tree of Life:Perfumes|Perfumes]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Drugs|Vegetable & Mineral Drugs]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Drugs|Drugs]]'''
 **'''[[Tree of Life:The Human Body|The Human Body]]'''
 **'''[[Tree of Life:Metals|Metals]]'''
-*'''Magick & Mysticism''':
+</td>
+<td  valign=top style="padding:0px 0px 0px 20px;">
+*'''Magick &amp;amp; Mysticism''':
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Magical Weapons|Magical Weapons]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Magical Formulae|Magical Formulae]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Magical Powers|Magical Powers]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Parts of the Soul|Parts of the Soul]]'''
 **'''[[Tree of Life:The Quarters|The Four Quarters]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:The Mansions of the Moon|The Mansions of the Moon]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Letters of the Name|Tetragrammaton]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Alphabets|Alphabets]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Eastern Mysticism|Eastern Mysticism]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:A.'.A.'.|The Grades of the A.'.A.'.]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Alchemy|Alchemy]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Pentagram & Hexagram|Pentagram & Hexagram]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Judaica|Judaica]]'''
 **'''[[Tree of Life:Genii of the Twelve Hours|Genii of the Twelve Hours]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Noble Eightfold Path|The Noble Eightfold Path]]'''
 **'''[[Tree of Life:Geomantic Intelligences|Geomantic Intelligences]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Letters of the Name|The Letters of the Name]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Lineal Figures &amp; Geomancy|Lineal Figures & Geomancy]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Magical Weapons|Magical Weapons]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Figures related to Pure Number|Figures related to Pure Number]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Magical Formulae|Magical Formulae]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Infernals|Qliphoth & Infernals]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Magical Powers|Magical Powers]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:The Perfected Man|The Perfected Man]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Parts of the Soul|Parts of the Soul]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Sepher Yetzirah|Sepher Yetzirah]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Lineal Figures & Geomany|Lineal Figures of the Planets, etc., and Geomany]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Transcendental Morality|Transcendental Morality]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Chakras|Chakras]]'''
+**'''[[Tree of Life:Legendary Orders of Being|Legendary Orders of Being]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Orders of Qliphoth|Orders of Qliphoth]]'''
+</td></tr></table>
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Forty Buddhist Meditations|Forty Buddhist Meditations]]'''
+==See also==
-**'''[[Tree of Life:System of Taoism|System of Taoism]]'''
+*[[Qabalah]]
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Figures related to Pure Number|Figures related to Pure Number]]'''
+*[[Hebrew]]
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Demon Kings|The Demon Kings]]'''
+*[[Hebrew Alphabet]]
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Legendary Orders of Being|Legendary Orders of Being]]'''
-*'''The Four Worlds'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Heavens of Assiah|Heavens of Assiah]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:God Names in Assiah|God Names in Assiah]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Archangels of Assiah|Archangels of Assiah]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Angels of Assiah|Angels of Assiah]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Divine Names of Briah|Divine Names of Briah]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Angels of Briah|Angels of Briah]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Choirs of Angels in Briah|Choir of Angels in Briah]]'''
-**'''[[Tree of Life:Palaces of Briah|Palaces of Briah]]'''
 [[Category:Qabalah]]
 [[Category:Tree of Life]]