Kabbalah Tree of Life and Tarot: 22 Secret Paths
The 22 Major Arcana cards are not just pictures. They are 22 Paths climbing the 'Tree of Life' of Jewish mysticism Kabbalah. A map of cosmic creation and soul's return.
Introduction: Exploring the Origins of Tarot
Where did Tarot come from? Egypt? India? Gypsies? Academically, Tarot started as a game in 15th century Italy, but was reborn as a powerful mystical tool by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and occultists in the 19th century through combination with Kabbalah. Now Tarot is not just a divination tool, but a 'Pictorial Textbook' containing the essence of Western Esotericism.
Core Concept: Tree of Life
Kabbalah views the universe as composed of 10 Sephiroth and 22 Paths connecting them.
- 10 Sephiroth: Attributes of God and energy centers of the universe (Correspond to Number cards 1-10)
- 22 Paths: Roads traveling between Sephiroth (Correspond to 22 Major Arcana)
This structure is the 'Lightning Flash of Creation' descending from Divinity (Kether) to Matter (Malkuth), and simultaneously the 'Ladder of Return' ascending from Matter back to Divinity.
Deep Dive: 22 Cards and Hebrew Alphabet
The 22 Major Arcana correspond 1:1 with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. (Based on Golden Dawn system)
1. The Fool - Aleph - Air
- Path: 11th (Kether ↔ Chokmah)
- Meaning: First leap from Nothing to Something. Pure possibility. Breath of God.
2. The Magician - Beth - Mercury
- Path: 12th (Kether ↔ Binah)
- Meaning: Concentration of Will. Channel bringing developing will of Heaven to Earth.
3. The High Priestess - Gimel - Moon
- Path: 13th (Kether ↔ Tiphareth)
- Meaning: The longest path crossing the Abyss. Memory of unconscious and intuition.
(...)
21. The World - Tau - Saturn/Earth
- Path: 32nd (Yesod ↔ Malkuth)
- Meaning: Completion. Will of Heaven fully realized in material world. End of journey and new beginning.
Analysis: Three Pillars and Tarot
The Tree of Life is divided into three pillars. Tarot images reflect the attributes of these pillars.
- Pillar of Mercy (Right): Masculine, Active, Expansion. (Emperor, Hierophant, Chariot)
- Pillar of Severity (Left): Feminine, Passive, Contraction/Form. (High Priestess, Justice, Devil)
- Pillar of Balance (Middle): Integration, Harmony. (Fool, High Priestess, Temperance, World)
Practical Application: Pathworking
Kabbalists practice walking the paths of the Tree of Life through meditation. This is called Pathworking. You can do this through Tarot cards.
- Selection: Choose a card for the path corresponding to current life issue. (e.g., 'Tower' for change, 'Hermit' for wisdom)
- Entry: Imagine walking into the picture of the card.
- Interaction: Observe the landscape and talk to characters.
- Return: Come back to reality with gained insights.
This is not simple imagination, but a spiritual journey following the map of the unconscious.
Conclusion: The Universe is Within You
The Kabbalistic maxim "As above, So below" is the core of Tarot. Each Tarot card is a cosmic station within you. Every time you shuffle, you are rearranging the universe.
Studying Tarot is, in essence, learning the Language of God.
References:
- Dion Fortune, The Mystical Qabalah
- Robert Wang, The Qabalistic Tarot
- Lon Milo DuQuette, Understanding Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot