KABBALAH - ASPECTS
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		Aspects of Kabbalah: At some stage in the future, when time constraints allow (unfortunately work commitments interfere), a new section covering 'The Soul' will be added.  Meanwhie, click on any of the links below to go directly to that topic, or simply scroll down the screen until you reach it. Ain-Soph & the Sephiroth The 4 Worlds The 3 Pillars The 32 Paths of Wisdom The 72 Names of God The Tree of Life As explained under KABBALAH - AN INTRODUCTION TO & EXPLANATION OF ITS MYSTERIES, Kabbalah as a subject, is vast and complex, but I have genuinely attempted to keep it as brief and simple as possible, at the same time ensuring that all salient points have been covered.  To this extent, I divided it into two basic sections; you are currently looking at the second section.  To return to the section covering The Origin and Branches of Kabbalism click on any of the links below: The Origin and Branches of Kabbalism covering: Speculative Kabbalah Practical Kabbalah Lurianic Kabbalah Return to top of page.

		Ain-Soph & the Sephiroth Ain-Soph Ain-Soph translates into ‘without end’ (ain = without, soph = End).  It is a name for the God of Kabbalism, and symbolises total unity beyond comprehension.  It is within Ain-Soph that all opposites exist in complete ignorance of their differences.  The Ain-Soph is NO THING, does not exist, is unable to be described or fathomed, and cannot possibly be discussed in terms of Being or Non-Being.  Many of our predecessors have tried to describe the Ain-Soph by what He is not, without success.  Charles Poncé, in what I consider to be a brilliant attempt at describing the indescribable, in 'Kabbalah - An Introduction and Illumination for the World Today', tells us: "The cause of all things is neither soul nor intellect, nor has it imagination, opinion, reason or intelligence, nor is it spoken or thought.  It is not number, order, magnitude, smallness, equality, inequality, similarity or dissimilarity.  It does not stand or move or rest.  It is not essence, eternity or time.  Even intellectual contact does not belong to it.  It is neither science nor truth.  It is not royalty or wisdom.  It is not one or unity, not divinity or goodness, nor even spirit as we understand it. But this avenue of approach continually refers back to something until we arrive at the basic concept of what he is – nothing or NO THING.  However, even this interpretation fails as the human mind can be trained to comprehend and perceive no-thing.  That the concept of nothing is within the range of human comprehension is suggested by the fact that infinity, another imponderable concept which is usually conceived negatively, may not only be conceived positively, as a reality extending without end, but has even been sufficiently comprehended in this way for there to exist an ‘axiom of infinity’ in the science of formal logic.  But the Ain-Soph, by definition, cannot be comprehended.  So he can be neither understood by what he is not, nor by the idea of nothing – neither approach works. The Ain-Soph comes before the creator God.  Even this does not explain him.  He cannot be localised in space or time.  The only thing that may be said with some certainty is that the Ain-Soph was not the cause of this world.  He stands beyond the impetus of cause or desire.  He is without desire or non-desire.  He is Himself.  He is Ain-Soph, a plenum of emptiness." Are you any wiser yet?  To continue: Kabbalists played on the difficulty of expressing the inexpressible by pointing out that nothing (‘ain’ – signifying God) contains the same letters as the personal ‘I’ (ani).  They emphasised that the last of the emanations from the Ain-Soph (the Sephiroth, to be discussed below) is represented by the personal ‘I’. The one thing that can be said of the Ain-Soph with any certainty is that the Sephiroth are the result of Its emanation, and some Kabbalists even believe that the Ain-Soph exists in each Sephirah, but even then He remains an invisible and unapproachable entity.  His presence in the Sephiroth may be known but not comprehended.  His life, His movement within Himself, are simply gradations of the Sephiroth, that is to say, the life of the Ain-Soph, when thought of as activity, may be experienced indirectly by means of the movements and relationships of the ten Sephiroth.  In a way, these constitute a field which could be thought of as His body, if He had a body. Above all, it is important to understand and remember that the Ain-Soph of Kabbalah stands above the creator God of the Old Testament.  The Ain-Soph is ‘nothing’ and, if as the Old Testament has it, He created things in his own image, He would have created nothing.  His only activity, if we can even call it that, was the emanation of a beam of light – nothing more. It is in the Kabbalistic system of Isaac Luria that we find a very intricate description of the activity of the Ain-Soph in the universe prior to the creation.  Luria tells us that the infinite being, Ain-Soph, 'retreated from the area of the universe, contracted into Himself, and left behind Him, in that space which was defined as Him, an emptiness'.  It was the retreat of the Ain-Soph from infinite space into an infinitesimal monad of pure energy that caused the world to come into being.  Had the Ain-Soph not contracted Himself there would have been no space for the activity of Genesis, the Creation, to take place.  The world comes into being only after this contraction.  It was then that the Ain-Soph sent forth a beam, an emanation of Himself into the space created by his contraction.  It is on the edge of that space, the ‘surface’, that the first spark was struck, a pinpoint of light that was to become the Sephiroth.  Using this theory, in order for creation to be possible, there must first of all be a contraction to concentrate all energies at a centre.  This must then be followed by an expansion so that these gathered energies can be sent forth in a concentrated form as a ray or beam of energy. A.E. Waite provides an excellent summary of the Ain-Soph in The Holy Kabbalah, Book 5, The Doctrinal Content of the Kabbalah in respect of God and the Universe as follows: "To sum up now on the whole subject, the Zohar testifies: that God is essentially without form, but in His manifestation He is seen or discerned under different aspects, according to a scale of degrees, which will be unfolded hereafter in a study of the Paths of Wisdom. That the most secret of all Mysteries is that which is called Nothing, being the Most Holy Ancient, from whom the Light flows forth.  This notwithstanding, it is affirmed that in the essence of the Infinite there are neither intentions nor lights, nor brightness, and the explanation is that although every light emanates therefrom, they are not in that state of clear shining which would enable man to grasp the nature of the Infinite: it is a Supreme Will. That, again this fact notwithstanding, the Holy of Holies, ascends to Ain-Soph, because all perfection must tend to fusion with the Mysterious Unknown, which is the Object of all desires, though in Ain-Soph there are no desires, even while they subsist only by reason thereof. That Ain-Soph is symbolised by the letter ALEPH. " It seems to follow that later Kabbalism was well within the measures of the symbolism when it positioned Ain-Soph as a Hidden Light above Kether, at the head of the Sephirotic Tree. The Sephiroth Christian D. Ginsburg, in The Kabbalah: Its Doctrines, Development and Literature, reminds us of four things that must be borne in mind when considering the Sephiroth: They were not created by, but emanated from the Ain Soph, the difference being that in the former (creation) a diminution of strength takes place, whilst in the latter (emanation) this is not the case. They form amongst themselves, and with the Ain Soph, a strict unity, and simply represent different aspects of one and the same being, just as the different rays which proceed from the light, and which appear different to the eye, form only different manifestations of one and the same light. Since they simply differ from each other as the different colours of the same light, all of the ten emanations alike partake of the perfections of the Ain Soph. As emanations from the Infinite, the Sephiroth are infinite and perfect like the Ain Soph, and yet constitute the first finite things.  They are infinite and perfect when the Ain Soph imparts his fullness to them, and finite and imperfect when the fullness is withdrawn from them. In this respect the ten Sephiroth exactly correspond with the double nature of Christ – his finite and imperfect human nature and his infinite and perfect divine nature. Almost all references to the emanations of Ain-Soph, i.e. the Sephiroth, tell us there are ten, but practising Kabbalists know that the conjunction of the second and third (Chokmah - Wisdom & Knowledge and Binah - Understanding) produced a 'quasi-emanation' called Da'ath, with the attribute of Reason. This sphere is known as the '11th Sephirah' or 'the sphere without a number', and is the gateway to the 'hidden' Tree behind the visible one.  However, Da'ath is not counted amongst the Sephiroth.

		THE FIRST TRIAD - KETHER, CHOKMAH AND BINAH The 1st Triad - Kether, Chokmah & Binah

		1.    Kether – The Crown In its act of emanation the Ain-Soph stands in relationship to the first Sephirah, Kether, simply as a cause to its effect.  It is in this first Sephirah that the blueprint of the entire universe is contained, and in which the concept of unity exists (as far as our intelligence is capable of understanding). Other names for this Sephirah to be found in Kabbalistic works are ‘The Ancient of Ancients’, ‘The Inscrutable Height’, ‘The Old or Ancient One’, ‘The Primordial Point or Monad’, ‘The Smooth Point’, ‘The White Head’, and the ‘Vast Countenance’ or ‘Macroprosopus’.  The reference to 'Macroprosopus' figures prominently in all Kabbalistic speculation.  Arikh Anpin is the Hebrew name of the Macroprosopus, which translates into ‘The Long Face’ or ‘The Greater Countenance’, although some Kabbalists consider the term translates better as 'The Long Suffering’.  In order to understand the significance of this latter designation it is necessary to realise that each Sephirah is often considered as contained within ten lights, each light in turn containing a further ten, and so on, ad infinitum.  Each Sephirah has at least one of these lights illuminated, but those in which all ten are burning at the same time constitute a special class, known as Partsufim, or ‘Countenances’ (Partsuf is the singular).  Kether is the first Partsuf, Arikh Anpin, while Chokmah relates to the Parstsuf Abba (the father), and Binah, the Partsuf Imma (mother); Malkuth is Nukba.  The six Sephiroth in between gather the potencies of their luminosity under the Partsuf known as Zair Anpin, ‘The Lesser Countenance’, also known as ‘The Short Face’, ‘The Impatient’, or the Microprosopus. When the Macroprosopus is shown in illustrated form it is in accordance with the Kabbalistic statement that he is partially concealed and that ‘in him is all right side’. In the Zohar the first chapter of ‘The Book of Concealed Mystery’ is dedicated to a complete description of him, so I shall not elaborate on it here. So the appearance of the Sephirah Kether is simply the first impulse of Ain-Soph towards manifestation, the first expression of God’s primal will, a will to will, an impulse and nothing more – as yet.  But can we actually describe it as a 'will'?  The Zohar warns, "Woe unto him who shall compare Him with any mode or attribute, even with one of his own." Within Kether reside all opposites in peaceful union, existing in a state of potential separation, but it is not until the next two Sephiroth come into being that the notion of balance appears.  Kether represents equilibrium as a force or power residing at the central axis of a fulcrum, the point where two contending and opposing forces are counterbalanced.  This is the significance of Kether’s attribute of the 'Primordial' or 'Smooth Point’.  It is not a point in the normal sense of the word, or a dot on a piece of paper, but a monad of pure energy in which is contained the powers of the opposites in unity.  Its first appearance in the pleroma of space is simply as a spark which rips out an opening in space itself, a brilliant shining point out of which the remaining Sephiroth will eventually emerge.  Some Kabbalists, when contemplating the ‘vessel’ aspect of this Sephirah, claim that it was made manifest for the sole purpose of shielding this world from the initial outpouring of Ain-Soph's light.

		2.    Chokmah – Wisdom The second Sephiroth is masculine and has the attribute of the 'father'.  It is in this Sephirah that the will to create first manifests itself. This Sephirah and that immediately following it, Binah, are parallel emanations of Kether, the Crown.  Chokmah, the Sephirah of God’s wisdom contains within him, in potential, the whole of creation set within the catalyst of a will to create.  In Kether we had the plan as intimated to him by the Ain-Soph; in Chokmah we have not only the plan but the impetus, the readiness to put the plan of creation into action, a willingness to 'let go'.  In Kether we have a will to will, while in Wisdom we find a willingness to express that will.  The manifestation of God’s wisdom is still to be expressed; it is undifferentiated and unknown, but nevertheless primed to burst forth. Chokmah is the father of all created things, which equates to the wisdom of God being the father of all created things.  One aspect of Wisdom looks upwards towards The Crown (Kether) to perceive the plan he received from the Ain-Soph, while yet another aspect looks or beams downwards seeking to teach mankind what is engraved there.

		3.    Binah – Intelligence or Understanding Binah is, in essence, the Supernal Mother, Imma.  Her womb contains everything, albeit it in differentiated format, that was contained in Wisdom.  It is through her that the remaining Sephiroth are 'born'.  As mentioned earlier, the union of Chokmah and Binah, Wisdom and Understanding, yields a son, Da'ath, Reason, although this son is not counted amongst the Sephiroth. The appearance of Binah symbolises the unveiling of what was once hidden.  The vessel which was Wisdom expands here through the agency of Understanding.  The seven vessels which flow from her womb will become known as the seven days of creation, Genesis.  What must be understood at this point is that this Sephirah along with the two which preceded it stand in a special relationship to the lower seven. This completion of this first triad of the Sephiroth represents the total manifestation of 'divine thought'.  It comprises Crown, Wisdom and Understanding symbolising the three aspects of 'knowledge'.  The first Sephirah, The Crown, is that ‘Knowledge’, while the second, Wisdom, is the ‘one who knows’, and the third, Understanding, is ‘that which is known’.  Knowledge as a facet is basically useless unless you understand that knowledge.  In effect, these three Sephiroth might be thought of as one unit, or the operation of one thing – knowledge.  Kether is knowledge in that he contains everything that may be known of Ain-Soph.  He is, according to some Kabbalists, co-equal with Ain-Soph, the only difference being that Kether includes within himself that vital 'will to will'.   Chokmah is the knower of the idea of creation that originally resided in both Ain-Soph and Kether, basically a blueprint of the concept in complete detail.  Binah is that which is known, the complete understanding of what Chokmah knows. Now, with the appearance of the 'mother' and 'father' Sephiroth, the difference between the sexes becomes established.  From this point forward all of the Sephiroth on the right side of the diagrammatical configuration are thought of as masculine, while those on the left side are considered feminine.  Those in the centre of the configuration, with the exception of the first and last Sephiroth, are thought of as composite figures comprising the values of the two Sephiroth preceding them.  This first triadic formation of divine thought conceives the second triad, composed of Chesed, Geburah and Tiphareth, which represents Ain-Soph’s moral power. However, before we discuss this second triad, let us consider the 'quasi-emanation' Da'ath in conjunction with Chokmah and Binah. As already stated, knowledge is a truly wonderful asset, but without Understanding it is not really of much use to anyone.  Yes - you might, and more than likely do, know 'something', but if you don't understand what that 'something' represents are you really any wiser?  For example, we have all heard of Einstein's theory of relatively, E = MC², but do we actually understand it?  E = MC² is certainly one of the most famous equations in modern physics - even we mere mortals who are definitely not physicists have heard of it.  It states a relationship between energy (E), in any form whatsoever, and relative mass (M).  In this formula, C², the square of the speed of light in a vacuum, represents the conversion factor required to formally convert from units of mass to units of energy, i.e. the energy per unit mass.  In unit-specific terms, E (joules) = M (kilograms) multiplied by (299,792,458 m/s (metres per second))².  Phew! So, Chokmah knows the theory in the form E = MC², but Binah understands what E, M and C actually represent.  It is only through Da'ath (Reason), who clearly contains both Knowledge and Understanding passed on from his 'parents', that Binah can convey this understanding to Chokmah.  Therefore, despite the fact that Da'ath is not counted amongst the Sephiroth, it seems logical to me that in this context Chokmah and Binah, as well as forming part of the 1st triad which includes Kether, could also be included in a completely new triad by replacing Kether with Da'ath, giving us Knowledge and Understanding tempered and enhanced by Reason.  Consequently, although I have never even seen it intimated by anyone, including the most renowned Kabbalists, can I be brave or foolhardy enough to suggest a possible new 'hidden' triad comprising this 'father', 'mother' and 'quasi-son': My suggested Fourth or Hidden Triad - Chokmah, Binah & Da'ath THE SECOND TRIAD - CHESED, GEBURAH AND TIPHARETH The 2nd Triad - Chesed, Geburah & Tiphareth

		4.    Chesed – Mercy or Love The fourth Sephirah, Chesed, is known as the ‘Mercy or Love of God’, and was conceived by the union of 'Wisdom' and 'Understanding'.  He is considered to be masculine, and is thought of as the productive and life-giving force which manifests itself not only throughout the entire universe, but also in man.  chesed represents the first day of creation when God created light and separated the darkness of the original chaos from that light to make the first day and night. Chesed symbolically represents the expansion of the 'will' of the first triad.  But bear in mind that as the Sephirotic system began with the principle of balance (as can be seen in the attributes of Kether), so too must this triad and the one which will follow be in accordance with that defining principle.  Each Sephirah is so full to bursting point, in the sense that the agencies contained within it are not hampered by any deficiencies, that it needs a counterbalancing effect - in this instance the balance is contained in his 'sister' Sephirah, Geburah.

		5.    Geburah – Judgment or Power The 'Judgment' or 'Power' of God is contained within this fifth Sephirah, Geburah, capable of handing out severe punishment.  Its nature is feminine, and it was conceived to temper or limit the abundance of Mercy.  However, by the same token, the severities of God's Power are tempered by Chesed's Mercy, thus these two opposites exist in a state of harmony.  Geburah represents the second day of Genesis when God separated the waters by causing a firmament to appear in their midst. Whereas Chesed represents the expansion of the Divine will, Geburah is representative of its contraction.  Mercy is a life-giving power, never ceasing in its activity, so it would have been foolhardy to let it continue to express itself without setting some limit, so Geburah was created for this very reason.  On the same principle, without the compassion of Mercy, Judgment in its stern role of judge would cause existence to contract to the point of non-existence.  In this state of union the combination creates a centre point, their powers giving birth to 'Beauty', which is expressive of all that is harmoniously balanced.

		6.    Tiphareth – Beauty The sixth Sephirah, Tiphareth, is also known as the Zair Anpin (Lesser Countenance), the body of which is composed of the Sephiroth Chesed, Geburah, Tiphareth, Netzach, Hod and Yesod - these body members are discussed below.  Tiphareth's primary role, is mediation between Mercy and Judgment, and represents the third day of Genesis when the waters under heaven were gathered together in one place and dry land appeared on which God created flora. The major distinction between the Greater Countenance (Macroprosopus) and the Lesser Countenance (Microprosopus) is to be found in the idea that the former, while lending a portion of himself to the Sephirah Kether, is thought of as unmanifest.  Microprosopus, on the other hand is referred to as both manifest and unmanifest.  The Greater Assembly (S.L. MacGregor Mathers - The Kabbalah Unveiled) tells us that the source of this has its origin between two arms, ‘that part which is called Tiphareth, which expands to form two breasts.  It is here where we find the head of a woman, her hair covering the side of her head.  We are also told that she has been ‘extended from the heart’ - Tiphareth has the attribute of the heart. With the manifestation of Tiphareth, the second triad, representing God’s moral power, is complete.  The third and final triad is composed of Netzach, Hod and Yesod.  However, before we discuss the third triad, let me continue with my previous foolhardiness by considering the 'quasi-emanation' Da'ath in conjunction with Chesed and Geburah.  As we have seen, Chesed’s Love and Mercy is tempered by Geburah’s Judgment and Power.  Theoretically these could cancel out each other and thus leave man to basically please himself what he does with his time on earth.  But if Da’ath were included in a new triad with Chesed and Geburah his ‘Reasoning’ could be considered as arbitration between these two Sephiroth, meaning a certain amount of Mercy could be applied to any harsh Judgment applied by Geburah and vice versa. My suggested Extra Triad - Da'ath, Chesed & Geburah THE THIRD TRIAD - NETZACH, HOD AND YESOD The 3rd Triad - Netzach, Hod & Yesod

		7.    Netzach - Victory or Endurance The seventh emanation, the Sephirah Netzach, is an active masculine principle supporting Chesed, the Sephirah of Mercy. This Sephirah symbolically represents the fourth day of Genesis on which God created the sun and the moon.

		8.    Hod - Majesty or Glory The eighth Sephirah is known as Hod, God's Majesty or Glory.  It is feminine and passive in nature, and supports the fifth Sephirah, Geburah, Judgment or Power. It symbolically represents the fifth day of Genesis when God created all the creatures of the sea and air.

		9.    Yesod - Foundation Yesod, Foundation, is the ninth Sephirah, and symbolises both male and female genitals.  The arrival of this Sephirah completes the last triadic division of the Sephiroth, the triad representative of the result of God’s reproductive or creative power, the material world.  It represents the sixth day of genesis when God created Adam and Eve. This Sephirah is also the last of the six which comprise the Microprosopus. In the Book of Concealed Mystery (S.L. MacGregor Mathers - The Kabbalah Unveiled) we find that Mercy (Chesed) is his right arm, Judgment or Power (Geburah), his left arm, Beauty (Tiphareth), his trunk, Victory (Netzach), his right hips/leg, Majesty or Glory (Hod), his left hips/leg, and Foundation (Yesod), his reproductive organs.  The same interpretation is given by A.E. Waite - The Holy Kabbalah. To review the triadic arrangements of the Sephiroth up to this point, the first triad, representing Ain-Soph’s power of thought, is composed of Kether, Chokmah and Binah, the latter two of these Sephiroth also being referred to as the father and mother.  The union of the father and mother gives birth to the configuration of the second triad, Chesed, Geburah and Tiphareth, representing Ain-Soph’s moral powers throughout the universe.  The third triad, composed of Netzach, Hod and Yesod, symbolically represents the material universe in all its forms, all change and all movement which may occur.  The final Sephirah in this 3rd triad, Yesod (Foundation), symbolises the stabilisation of the opposites.

		10.    Malkuth - Kingdom Malkuth, Kingdom, is the tenth and final Sephirah.  It is a feminine and passive principle representative of God’s feminine counterpart, the Shekhinah.  It is through her that the Divine grace of the Ain-Soph passes through into the lower world. Malkuth is assigned to the seventh day of Genesis when God rested. Some of my own thoughts when considering the Sephiroth ....... Through Knowledge, Understanding, Mercy and Power, through Beauty and Victory and Glory that hour of the Foundation of God’s own Kingdom on earth, man has the tools to achieve his rebirth. So the next time you visit your church or cathedral, and you say the Lord’s Prayer with the rest of the people, “For thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory” may serve to remind you of the Kabbalah’s story. Return to top of page.

		The Four Worlds Kabbalists believe the manifestation of our material world was caused by the immanent activity of God on four different planes, or in four worlds, simultaneously.  The first world is called Atziluth, the world of emanation, and represents the Manifestation of Divine Thought.  It is in this world where God manifests himself in the form of the archetypes (Kether, Chokmah and Binah).  The union of God with his Shekhinah (his feminine counterpart) also takes place in this world, and the fruits of this union are the three worlds which follow. The second world, the world of creation, is called Briah, and represents God's Moral Power.  It is here where the Merkabah takes form.  It is also in this world that the highest ranking angels and the pure spirits of all those who are truly pious reside. The world of formation, Yetzirah, is the third of these worlds.  Yetzirah represents God's Reproductive or Creative Power.  Ten angelic hosts reside in this world, Arelim, Benei Elohim, Chajoth, Chashmalim, Elim, Elohim, Ishim, Malachim, Ophanim and Seraphim, presided over by Metraton, the 'Prince of the World'. The fourth world is known as Assiah, the world of action or making.  The quality of each of the preceding worlds diminishes as the original emanation which began their formation becomes grosser, until eventually the resulting impurities gather to form Assiah.  It is here where mankind and the animal kingdom reside with the evil Klippoth alongside the exiled Shekhinah waiting to be reunited with her Creator. These worlds are depicted as shown to the right.  In the normal schema of these worlds, the 1st triad of Kether, Chokmah and Binah reside in Atziluth.  The 2nd triad of Chesed, Geburah and Tiphareth exist in Briah, while those of the 3rd triad, Netzach, Hod and Yesod, are located in Yetzirah.  Malkuth constitutes the fourth world.  It is the qualities and attributes of the Sephiroth residing in these worlds that makes them what they are. However, Will Parfitt, in The Elements of the Qabalah, takes these 4 worlds, places them on 7 planes, and gives them a completely different interpretation and perspective.  Parfitt suggests that since the Tree of Life has 7 planes, these are roughly equivalent to the 7 chakras of Eastern mysticism.  His theories continue with the fact that besides the 3 triangles already discussed (the 3 triads), the Tree of Life can be divided into numerous further triangles (try it out for yourself - see how many you can make) because the system is built upon a belief that everything becomes manifest through trinities (for example, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost). Upon studying the physical structure of the Tree we find such other shapes as hexagrams, pentagrams, circles and crosses etc.  His interpretation of the Sephiroth within the four worlds is shown to the left.  Instead of the worlds of emanation, creation, formation and action/making, he suggests they are called creative, receptive, formation and the actual physical manifestation, the world as we know it. In this alternative configuration, Parfitt tells us that the creative world is composed of Kether and Chokmah.  Kether relates to the Mother/Father Creator and Chokmah to his/her will.  The Creator and his/her will are seemingly inseparable, so it is perfectly logical to include both of these Sephiroth in the first world.  The second world is comprised of Binah alone.  Following the theory explaining the first world, if the Creator has a creative will, then to be in balance he/she must have a receptive side. The interaction between these two worlds causes the formation of the third world composed of the next six Sephiroth.  It is in this world where all the different aspects and opposites required to form the final physical manifestation, the fourth world, are to be found. Return to top of page.

		The Three Pillars Another important arrangement showing the relationship between the Sephiroth is the three pillars of Mercy, Middle and Judgment, where they enter into a completely new relationship with each other.  The Pillar of Mercy, on the right, contains the three masculine Sephiroth, Chokmah, Chesed and Netzach.  The Pillar of Judgment, on the left, is composed of the three feminine Sephiroth, Binah, Geburah and Hod, while the Middle Pillar is composed of the four Sephiroth, Kether, Tiphareth, Yesod and Malkuth.  The pillars of Judgment and Mercy are balanced by the Middle pillar, which is also called the Shekhinah the feminine counterpart of God. In this arrangement, the Sephiroth within each pillar are connected only to those others within the same pillar.  This is known as the theme of polarity, where the emphasis is placed on the distinction of the opposites (male/female, positive/negative, light/dark, etc.), as opposed to the triadic division of the Sephiroth where the opposites are present, but are always seen within the context of relationship.  The first triad comprising Kether, Chokmah and Binah shows the opposites separated out where they are thought of as existing in a permanent relationship with that which gave birth to them.  The second triad of Chesed, Geburah and Tiphareth is where Tiphareth is seen as a composite figure which mediates between its parent Sephiroth, Chesed and Geburah.  The third triad of Netzach, Hod and Yesod follows the pattern of the second.  In this triadic division the Sephiroth in the centre of the configuration are dependent upon those to their left and right for their existence or value, but in the arrangement of the pillars, all three pillars are completely independent of each other, the Middle pillar representing a unit of pure, unsupported divinity, and described in the Zohar as the Perfect Pillar.  It is a mediating factor between the pillars of Mercy and Judgment, but in no way dependent upon them for its existence.  In this arrangement of the three pillars we find the idea of three powers: The power of the left side - darkness The power of the right side - light The power of the soul - Shekhinah The Pillar of Mercy is named from the centre Sephirah, Chesed (Mercy or Love), suggesting the quality of mercy must also contain the qualities of wisdom and endurance - The Sephiroth above and below.  The Pillar of Judgment is named in the same manner, i.e. from the centre Sephirah, Geburah (Judgment or Power), suggesting that judgment must also contain elements of understanding and glory. As can be seen in the diagram, the Middle pillar is a direct line from the Divine world of Kether (Crown) to the material world of Malkuth (Kingdom), the two supreme opposites, separated by Beauty and Foundation.  Since the kingdom of the material world is founded on the creative principle, the generative principle of the opposites being through Yesod, Yesod must receive its beauty from the Light of Kether. There are countless books on the subject of Kabbalah, far too many to list, the majority describing the Sephiroth in much more detail than you can read here should you wish to understand more. Return to top of page.

		The Thirty-two Paths of Wisdom The next consideration of the Sephiroth we shall look at is the connecting links between them, known as the Thirty-two Paths of Wisdom.  According to the Jewish tradition, the concept of the Thirty-two Paths of Wisdom derives from the 32 times that the name Elohim is mentioned in the Torah, the first chapter of Genesis.  These are shown in the image below which also shows the number of each path together with the letter of the Hebrew alphabet assigned to it, and the two Sephiroth which it connects.  The only possible way that I can think of to explain this diagram is to cite the text of the Thirty-two Paths of Wisdom itself from the Sefer Yetzirah (not the Zohar from which the concept is derived), but note that the text which follows is a compilation of several different translations by such experts as Waite, Westcott and Stenring.  This is mainly because of confusing or conflicting phrasing or ambiguous terminology used by each of these translators during translation. The Text of the Thirty-two Paths The first path is called the Admirable Intelligence or Concealed Intelligence, the Supreme Crown.  It is the Light which communicates or imparts understanding at the beginning which knows no beginning or is without beginning.  It is the First Glory or Splendour.  No created being can attain to its essence. The second path is called the Illuminating Intelligence.  It is the Crown of Creation and the splendour of the Supreme Unity to which it is in closest proximity.  It is exalted above every head, and is referred to by Kabbalists as the Second Glory or Splendour. The third path is called the Sanctifying Intelligence, the foundation of Primordial Wisdom, otherwise termed the Creation of Faith.  Its roots are Amen.  It is the mother of Faith, which emanates therefrom. The fourth path is called the Arresting or Receiving Intelligence or That Intelligence Which Receives and Contains.  It is given this title because it arises like a boundary to receive the emanations of the higher intelligences which are sent down to it.  From here all spiritual virtues by way of subtlety, which itself emanates from the Supreme Crown. The fifth path is called the Radical Intelligence.  It is called this because it is more akin to the Supreme Unity and emanates from the depths of Wisdom. The sixth path is called the Intelligence of Mediating Influence, because therein the influx of the emanations is multiplied.  It sends forth or communicates this affluence to those blessed men who have united themselves with it. The seventh path is called the Hidden Intelligence or Concealed Intelligence, because from it all intellectual virtues which are beheld with the eyes of the spiritual and by the ecstasy of faith receive the outpouring of its brilliant splendour. The eighth path is called the Perfect and/or Absolute Intelligence.  It is from here that the ability to prepare principles emanates.  It attaches itself to the roots hidden in the depths of the Sphere Magnificence [Chesed], from the very substance of which it emanates. The ninth path is called the Purified Intelligence.  It is called this because it purifies the numerations, qualifies and adjusts the manner in which they are represented, and unites them with itself so that they may not suffer division and destruction. The tenth path is called the Resplendent Intelligence because it is exalted above every head from where it sits on the throne of Binah.  It enlightens the fire of all lights and emanates the power of the Prince of Countenances. The eleventh path is called the Fiery Intelligence.  It is called this because it is the veil held up before the dispositions or formations, and the order of the superior and inferior causes.  Whoever possesses this path enjoys great dignity and comes face to face with the Cause of Causes. The twelfth path is called the Intelligence of Light [Transparency in the French version] because it images Magnificence.  It is the source of visions in those who behold apparitions. The thirteenth path is called the Uniting Intelligence or the Inductive Intelligence of Unity.  It is the essence or substance of Glory and it reveals or manifests truth to all spirits. The fourteenth path is called the Illuminating Intelligence.  It is that which found concealed ideas, the basis of all holiness. The fifteenth path is called the Constituting Intelligence because it fashions or constitutes creation in the world’s darkness.  It is the darkness mentioned in Job chapter 38, verse 9, "... cloud and the garment [envelope] thereof. The sixteenth path is called the Triumphant & Eternal Intelligence.  It is the delight of glory and the paradise of pleasure prepared for the just. The seventeenth path is called the Disposing Intelligence.  It provides perseverance to the righteous in preparation for their reception of the Holy Spirit. The eighteenth path is called the Intelligence of the House of Wisdom or Intelligence or House of Influence.  From here are retrieved the arcana and concelaed meanings hidden in its shadow. The nineteenth path is called the Intelligence of the Secret or Intelligence of all Spiritual Activities.  The fullness it receives derives from the highest benediction and the supreme glory. The twentieth path is called the Intelligence of Will.  It is called this because it prepares all created beings for the reception or demonstration of the Primordial Glory’s existence. The twenty-first path is the called Intelligence of Mediation or Rewarding Intelligence.  It receives the divine benediction from above and dispenses it below, thus influencing all in existence. The twenty-second path is called the Faithful Intelligence because deposited in it are spiritual virtues, which are increased until they pass to those who dwell under the shadow thereof. The twenty-third path is called the Stable Intelligence.  It is the source of that which is consistent in all of the numerations. The twenty-fourth path is called the Imaginative Intelligence.  It is called this because it is the ground of similarity in the likeness of beings who are created in a manner after its aspects. The twenty-fifth path is called the Intelligence of Temptation or Trial.  It is called this because it represents the first temptation by which God tries the devout. The twenty-sixth path is called the Intelligence of Renovation or Renewing Intelligence.  It is called this because it is by this Intelligence that God renews all that is capable of renewal or renovation in his creation. The twenty-seventh path is called the Natural Intelligence, whereby everything in the orb of the sun is completed and perfected. The twenty-eighth path is called the Active Intelligence.  It is called this because it is here that the spirit of every being of the supreme orb is created along with the energy or activity to which they are subject is created. The twenty-ninth path is called the Corporeal Intelligence.  It informs all bodies existing beneath the orbs and is the force behind their growth. The thirtieth path is called the Intelligence of the Collective or Collective Intelligence.  It is here that astrologers arrive at their speculations through judging the motion of the stars and heavenly signs. The thirty-first path is called the Perpetual Intelligence.  It governs the movements of the sun and moon causing each to follow its respective orb. The thirty-second path is called the Administrating Intelligence or Assisting Intelligence because it directs the movements of the seven planets with their divisions. Very little has been written on the practical usage of these paths.  After what manner the paths correspond with their various offices, how they communicate the powers or graces within them, and for what reason they bear their distinctive titles remains open to question.  It can only be assumed that the paths outlined here are to be applied as vehicles for our own speculations, or pathworking. Each path is a form of Intelligence, which is a further differentiation of the original intelligence first displayed in Kether.  Charles Poncé suggests that the term 'Intelligence' used in the text might be better understood as a form of consciousness, and what the text of The Thirty-two Paths of Wisdom is putting forward is the observation that there are thirty-two specific forms of consciousness, but in what manner each path is to be 'followed' is a secret each traveller must work out for himself or herself. Once the basic concepts of just what each sphere represents in terms of psychological elements on the Tree of Life has been understood, the links they form are realised either through ritual, mythological metaphor, meditation, or a combination of these.  However, most initiates in their headlong rush to realise magical powers, altered states of awareness, celestial beings, and other worlds, often overlook one of the most significant and important facts of pathworking, and all magical work in general. In actual fact, very few people stay with any system long enough to appreciate the genuinely spiritual aspects of the Work they are doing.  The need for true self-honesty and purification on the level of the ego, and the repressed areas of the subconscious must be recognised by students if they are to gain the full benefits from their Work. Return to top of page.

		The Seventy-two Names of God The Tetragrammaton appears to have its origin in a phrase found in Exodus chapter 3, verse 14, "I am that I am”.  Prior to this it was known as the Shem ha-meforash, the 72-syllabled name of God, comprising 216 letters.  The source of the Shem ha-meforash, according to tradition, is Exodus chapter 14, verses 19-21, each of these three verses containing 72 Hebrew letters.  The letters of these verses were written down in separated form and in correct order.  Reading from above down, one can obtain 72 three-letter names, which combine to make one.  See Christian D. Ginsburg's Kabbalah: Its Doctrines, Development and Literature for further information.  AL or IAH was added to these three-lettered names to form the names of the 72 angels of Jacob’s ladder. Since the Hebrew language does not use vowels in its written form, the correct pronunciation of this unspeakable name of God was lost and not rediscovered until circa 300 AD by Kabbalists who gave it the title Tetragrammaton, 'the word of four letters', and 'the square name', or more simply, 'the square'.  At that time the Shem ha-meforash became represented by the simpler form YHVH. The correspondence between the Shem ha-meforash and the Tetragrammaton (YHVH) is revealed when another rule of gematria is applied to the four-letter word.  The number equivalents of the letters of the Tetragrammaton are 10 5 6 5 giving a total of  26. Then, if we add the values of the letters in the following manner: (10)      (10 + 5)      (10 + 5 + 6)      (10 + 5 + 6 + 5) we get 10 + 15 + 21 + 26 = 72 --- (Shem ha-meforash). As a result, the correct pronunciation of the four-letter name of God is thought of as being just as effective as the correct pronunciation of the Shem ha-meforash because gematria shows that the latter is contained within it.  The inherent power of the name is revealed in the traditional belief that it was with its aid that Moses caused the Red Sea to part. Each one of us, i.e. every human being, shares the same ultimate purpose in life, which is to obtain the complete joy and fulfilment that God desires for us, i.e. the completion of the Great Work.  However, dedicated spiritual work is essential if we are to remove the negative tendencies that separate us from the gifts our Creator has provided us with.  But we have been given powerful tools to help us in this work, including the Bible itself.  Kabbalah teaches us that the Bible is neither a topic for academic study, nor a book of commandments and prohibitions meant to be taken literally.  Instead, it is a coded document in which the true foundation of the universe lies hidden, the spiritual technology known as the 72 names of God. So what are these 72 names of God?  In Exodus, chapter 14 we learn that 72 inimitable combinations of Hebrew letters create a spiritual vibration that is a powerful antidote to the negative energy of the human character. Each succeeding generation of sages has built on the work of those who preceded them, advancing the task of decoding the Bible, each one making his own contribution to Kabbalistic wisdom.  The key to connecting with the power of the 72 names can be found in the specific biblical passages from which they are derived.  The Bible tells us that 'the children of Israel' were stood on the banks of the Red Sea with the Pharaoh and the Egyptian army in hot pursuit.  The sea barred their way to the front and their enemies behind, so there seemed to be nowhere to turn.  In desperation they cried out to God for salvation!  Moses said unto the people, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you today, for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever.  The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace."  And the LORD said unto Moses, "Wherefore criest thou unto me?  Speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward.  But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it, and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea."  This is apparently one of the most carefully studied and debated passages in all Biblical scholarship. For if not their God, then upon whom could the Israelites call?  Kabbalistic scholars tell us that this passage is an encrypted message which explains human nature and the way we overcome any challenge we face throughout our lifetimes. The Zohar, the source of Kabbalistic wisdom, informs us that help from the Creator was not actually needed, because at that precise moment Moses revealed those 72 names, upon which the collective unconscious took control, causing the waters to part to give them their passage to freedom. The Zohar tells us that the true purpose of the 72 names is hidden in the story in which they are found.  These names are simply a tool to help us to gain control over disorder by controlling physical nature.  By using the 72 names, the Israelites overcame their ego-based negativity of doubt and thus changed the nature of the sea.  Kabbalah tells us that humanity is destined to control physical nature (magick), the only obstacle to this being our egos.  Overcoming ego at its very foundation gives us control of the physical world, the purpose of the 72 names. The Zohar also explains that, despite what we as individuals might believe, our ego is not actually who we are.  Kabbalists describe the ego as a ‘garment’ or ‘curtain’ that hides the ‘Light’ of our true personalities.  Our actual purpose in this world is to remove this garment which conceals our true essence and potential and complete the Great Work. The 72 Names are found in Exodus Ch 14 vs 19-21, which, in the original Hebrew, have 72 letters each.  The original Hebrew text is as follows: The above creates the 72 Names with vowel points, created entirely from the way in which each letter is pronounced: And the King James V version in Exodus Ch 14 vs 19-21 is: 19.  And the Angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 20.  And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them, but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night. 21.  And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. The names are derived by writing the letters of the three verses one above the other, with no vowel points, spaces, or punctuation marks, the first from right to left, the second from left to right, and the third from right to left.  The names are then read from the top downwards. Additions are -El and -Yah to the names to create the names of the 72 Angels, or as Kabbalists call them, Geniis. The combination of the principle of five with the principle of trinity now applies to the 72 Genii, or Names, or angels of God.  These 72 Names are composed in the original Hebrew Kabbalah of three letters, to which either the power attribute -el or -iah is added, to create a five-lettered Name of God.  Thinking in the terms of Bardon's system we could assume (speculatively), that El (God-power) is a representation of the electric fluid and -iah (God-mercy) represents the magnetic fluid, adding the two fundamental powers to the qualities of each single name.  One further indication that this concept could be true is that the Bahir (see paragraph 8 of the Bahir and Kaplan's commentary) states, that the letter ‘He’ at the end of a word means the feminine quality of this thing, so we could say that the ‘Yod’ of -yah reflects God (represented by a single point: ‘Yod’) in his feminine aspect (represented by ‘He’ at the end of the word). Additionally ‘He’ represents the concept of holding.  Both concepts parallel the concept of the magnetic fluid. Here are 3 versions of the 72 names in English letters by well known Kabbalists (there are more). Bardon Agrippa Abulafia 1 Vehu-iah Vehu-jah Vaheva[-yah] 2 Jeli-el Jeli-el Yolayo[-el] 3 Sita-el Sita-el Sayote[-yah] 4 Elem-iah Elem-jah Ealame[-yah] 5 Mahas-iah Mahas-jah Meheshi[-yah] 6 Lelah-el Lelah-el Lalahe[-el] 7 Acha-iah Acha-jah Aacahe[-yah] 8 Kahet-el Cahet-el Cahetha[-el] 9 Azi-el Hazi-el Hezayo[-el] 10 Alad-iah Alad-jah Aalada[-yah] 11 Lauv-iah Lavi-jah Laaava[-yah] 12 Haha-iah Haha-jah Heheea[-yah] 13 Jezal-el Jezal-el Yozala[-el] 14 Mebah-el Mebah-el Mebehe[-el] 15 Hari-el Hari-el Hereyo[-el] 16 Hakam-iah Hakam-jah Heqome[-yah] 17 Lano-iah Leav-jah Laaava[-yah] 18 Kali-el Cali-el Calayo[-el] 19 Leuv-iah Levu-jah Lavava[-yah] 20 Pahal-iah Pahal-iah Pehela[-yah] 21 Neleka-el Nelcha-el Nulaca[-el] 22 Jeiai-el Jeii-el Yoyoyo[-el] 23 Melah-el Melah-el Melahe[-el] 24 Hahu-iah Hahvi-ja Cheheva[-yah] 25 Nith-Ha-iah Nitha-jah Nuthahe[-yah] 26 Haa-iah Haa-jah Heaaaa[-yah] 27 Jerath-el Jerath-el Yoretha[-el] 28 See-iah See-jah Shiaahe[-yah] 29 Reii-el Reii-el Reyoyo[-el] 30 Oma-el Oma-el Aavame[-el] 30 Oma-el Oma-el Aavame[-el] 31 Lekab-el Lecab-el Lacabe[-el] 32 Vasar-iah Vasar-jah Vashire[-yah] 33 Jehu-iah Jehu-jah Yocheva[-yah] 34 Lahab-iah Lehah-jah Laheche[-yah] 35 Kevak-iah Cavac-jah Cavako[-yah] 36 Menad-el Manad-el Menuda[-el] 37 Ani-el Ani-el Aanuyo[-el] 38 Haam-iah Haam-jah Heeame[-yah] 39 Reha-el Reha-el Reheea[-el] 40 Ieiaz-el Jeiaz-el Yoyoza[-el] 41 Hahah-el Haha-el Hehehe[-el] 42 Mika-el Mica-el Meyoca[-el] 43 Veubi-ah Veval-jah Vavala[-yah] 44 Ielah-iah Jelah-jah Yolahe[-yah] 45 Seal-iah Saal-jah Saaala[-yah] 46 Ari-el Ari-el Eareyo[-el] 47 Asal-iah Asal-jah Eashila[-yah] 48 Miha-el Miha-el Meyohe[-el] 49 Vehu-el Vehu-el Vaheva[-el] 50 Dani-el Dani-el Danuyo[-el] 51 Hahas-iah Hahas-jah Hecheshi[-yah] 52 Imam-iah Imam-jah Eameme[-yah] 53 Nana-el Nana-el Nunuaa[-el] 54 Nitha-el Nitha-el Nuyotha[-el] 55 Meba-iah Mebah-jah Mebehe[-yah] 56 Poi-El Poi-El Pevayo[-el] 57 Nemam-iah Nemam-jah Numeme[-yah] 58 Jeial-el Jeiali-el Yoyola[-el] 59 Harah-el Harah-el Hereche[-el] 60 Mizra-el Mizra-el Mezare[-el] 61 Umab-el Umab-el Vamebe[-el] 62 Jah-H-el Jahh-el Yohehe[-el] 63 Anianu-el Anav-el Eanuva[-el] 64 Mehi-el Mehi-el Mecheyo[-el] 65 Damab-iah Damab-jah Damebe[-yah] 66 Manak-el Manak-el Menuko[-el] 67 Eiai-el Eiai-el Aayoea[-el] 68 Habu-iah Habu-jah Chebeva[-yah] 69 Roch-el Roeh-el Reaahe[-el] 70 Jabam-iah Jabam-jah Yobeme[-yah] 71 Hai-el Haiai-el Heyoyo[-el] 72 Mum-iah Mum-jah Mevame[-yah] A table of the 72 names, with an appropriate verse from the book of Psalms for each, can be found in Kircher's Oedipus Aegyptiacus with the exception of the 70th name, which is given in the first verse from Genesis.  This 70th name, although not containing the 4-lettered name of God, does contain the three letters of the 70th name. Each name is given a verse containing the 4-lettered name of God (YHVH) as well as the three letters of the name itself.  If the name contains the letters Yod, Heh, or Vau, they must appear somewhere beside the 4 letter name. By arranging the four letters of the Great Name, (Y H V H), in the form of the Pythagorean Tetractys (see below), the 72 powers of the Great Name of God are manifested. The Tetractys The Greek philosopher Pythagoras devised the tetractys (meaning 'fourfold') as a symbol of the Cosmos.  It is in the form of an equilateral triangle containing the integers one to ten, aligned in four rows.  The tetractys was so sacred to the Pythagoreans that it formed the basis of their oath. The mysteries of the tetractys had a great influence on the early Kabbalists who devised a similar form to expound upon the Tetragrammaton (the four-lettered name of god).  By arranging the four letters of the Great Name (YHVH) in the form of the Pythagorean tetractys, the seventy-two names of God are manifested. Return to top of page.

		The Tree of Life General The Tree of Life is an important symbol in most cultures.  Because its branches reach high into the sky, and its roots deep into the earth, it exists in three worlds, a link between heaven, earth, and the underworld, thus uniting above with below.  It is considered to be a feminine symbol, bearing fruit, while at the same time it is also masculine, being a visibly phallic symbol. In Jewish and Christian mythology, a tree sits at the centre of both the heavenly and earthly Edens.  The Norse cosmic World Ash, Ygdrassil, has its roots in the underworld while its branches support the dwelling place of the Gods.  The Egyptian's Holy Sycamore stood on the threshold of life and death, connecting the worlds.  To the pre-Columbian Mayas, it is Yaxche, whose branches support the heavens. The tree has other characteristics which lend themselves easily to symbolism.  Deciduous trees take on the appearance of death in the winter, losing their leaves, only to sprout new growth with the return of spring.  This aspect gives the tree a symbol of resurrection, and a stylised tree is the symbol of many resurrected Gods; Jesus, Attis, and Osirus all have crosses as their symbols. A tree bears seeds or fruits, containing the ‘essence’ of the tree.  This continuous regeneration is a potent symbol of immortality.  It is the fruit of a tree that confers immortality in the Jewish creation story.  In Taoist tradition, it is a divine peach that gives the gift of immortality, while in ancient Persia (now Iran), the fruit of the haoma bears this essence.  The apples of Idun gave the Norse gods their powers.  This aspect of the tree as a ‘giver of gifts’ and ‘spiritual wisdom’ is also quite common.  It is while meditating under a Bodhi tree that Buddha received his enlightenment; the Norse God Odin received the gift of language while hanging upside down in the World Ash to obtain the wisdom of the runes (see ‘The Hanged Man’ in the Tarot deck).  In Judeo-Christian mythology, the Tree of Heaven is the source of the primordial rivers that water the earth.  This is similar to the Tooba Tree of the Koran, from whose roots spring milk, honey, and wine. This tree and its gifts of immortality are not easy to discover.  It is historically difficult to find, and almost invariably guarded.  The Tree of Life in the Jewish bible is guarded by a Seraph (an angel in the form of a fiery serpent) bearing a flaming sword.  To steal the apples of knowledge, the Greek hero Hercules had to slay a many-headed dragon Ladon.  In Mayan legends, it is a serpent in the roots that one must contend with.  Similarly, the Naga, or divine serpent guards the Hindu Tree.  The Serpent Nidhog lives under Ygdrassil, and gnaws at the roots. The tree as the dwelling place of the Gods is another feature common to many mythologies; in some, the tree itself is a God.  The ancient Sumerian God Dammuzi was personified as a tree, as is the Hindu Brahman.  The Byzantine World Tree represents the omnipotence of the Christian God. Another form, the Inverted Tree, represents spiritual growth, as well as the human nervous system.  This tree, with its roots in heaven, and its branches growing downward, is often found in Kabbalistic imagery.  A similar tree is mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita, "The banyan tree with its roots above, and its branches below, is imperishable".  In Kabbalah, the Inverted Tree represents the nervous system as well, the 'root' in the cranial nerves, with the branches spreading throughout the body.  It also represents the cosmic tree rooted in heaven, the branches being all of manifest creation. The Kabbalistic Tree of Life The Tree of Life, the fruit of which is supposed to give ‘everlasting life’, is mentioned in the Book of Genesis in the Bible.  In addition to the Tree of Life, we find the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.  The wisest creature on earth, the serpent, tempted Eve into eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil by suggesting to her that she would become as wise as God.  Eve succumbed to this temptation, after which she and Adam were banished from the Garden of Eden to prevent them from eating from the Tree of Life. N. B. The Genesis narrative telling of Adam and Eve’s banishment from the Garden of Eden is balanced in the New Testament by the planting of the Tree of Life on mankind's side of the divide, see Book of Revelation chapter 2, verse 7, and chapter 22, verses 2 and 19. The Tree of Life is represented in several examples of sacred geometry, and is a recurrent theme in many religions, especially the Assyrian religion and the most ancient form of the Greek Religion, where its worship is associated with Tree Cults.  In particular it is a central theme in the Kabbalah.  However, Kabbalah cannot be classed as a religion as such, despite the fact that it successfully encompasses the values of all of them.  Irrespective of this, it is referred to as a 'Mystical interpretation of the Old Testament', and many who study Kabbalah say it provides interpretations of biblical statements that have sometimes confused its readers. The study of Kabbalah is personal examination and self-analysis on every level - from the mundane physical self to the higher spiritual entity.  But this is just one aspect of it, for it also encompasses a range of possibilities, including the concept of other worlds, along with the magical power of number and language, as well as universal ideas which move us ever closer to understanding our origin and destiny. The principle tool of examination is what is known as the Tree of Life, a diagram featuring 10 spheres, known as the Sephiroth, linked together by lines (paths), which coincidentally make it resemble that of DNA.  It relates not only to the 10 aspects of the human psyche, but also, amongst many other things, to the 10 Cosmic Laws of Creation, and the 10 Faces of The Creator, of which we are but a reflection. There are many arguments as to what comprises or what does not comprise Kabbalah, and indeed the right ways of accessing it.  However, one aspect of it, the Tree of Life, is so versatile as to encompass all things for all people, and therein lies its infinite value.  It is irrelevant whether we are of a particular religious persuasion, an atheist, agnostic, philosopher, psychologist, scientist, or simply just a querant, it opens new doorways to a perception that helps us to really know and fully understand where we come from, what we believe in, and more importantly, the reasons why we do so. In simplistic terms, the Tree of Life can be likened to a 'reference map' of 10 ‘Temples of Light’, through which an aspirant may travel on the road to self-discovery, using the 22 paths which link one temple to another (see the 32 Paths of Wisdom).  Although based on Jewish Tradition, many of a non Jewish persuasion study Kabbalah, and in particular The Tree of Life.  Those who study it find themselves not only in a never-ending field of self discovery, but also of the world and universe in which they live, for no matter which way we look at it, it responds to our own personal 'level' of understanding, and is always open to challenge, holding many answers to questions that have previously defied explanation. By studying the Tree of Life, we get in touch with just one aspect of Kabbalah, but this is possibly the most important area, being directly associated with ourselves in the personal sense, as well as part of the human evolution.  Thus, as previously stated, Kabbalah is arguably not a religion but more a philosophy, and, although it certainly does not claim to make life any easier for us, it does help to ensure that we can make it much more meaningful and worthwhile.  Its value is in using The Tree of Life as a psychological 'tool', for its study can be likened to taking an Honours Degree in The University of Life. Aleister Crowley considered a complete understanding of the Tree of Life was essential for a magician: "The Tree of Life has got to be learnt by heart; you must know it backwards, forwards, sideways, and upside down; it must become the automatic background of all your thinking.  You must keep on hanging everything that comes your way upon its proper bough." Similar to Yoga, it is not so much magick as it is a way to ‘map out’ one's spiritual universe.  As such, a magician may use the Tree to choose which god(s) to invoke for what purpose(s) etc.  Within the Western Magical Tradition, the Tree of Life is used as a filing cabinet, and plays an important role in modelling the spiritual journey, where the adept begins in Malkuth, the everyday material world, with the ultimate goal being Kether, the Sphere of Unity with the All. The following image shows The Sephirotic Tree of later Kabbalists, in which was condensed all the arcana previously scattered throughout Kabbalistic literature. Return to top of page.