Good day, fellow Alchemists:
The Universe is an infinitely complex structure that our minds can barely comprehend with three-dimensional logic. Luckily for us, we have been provided with a detailed map of everything within the Universe and how it was created.
This of course means we also have a map to ourselves since the axiom as above so below states that all systems in the Universe mimic one another. The map we are describing is known as the Tree of Life, and its wisdom can be traced back to some of the earliest forms of Jewish Mysticisms. Its structure coincides with sacred geometry and the flower of life.
Essentially, the Tree of Life is a diagram containing 10 nodes, or Sephirah, each describing a particular state of existence. Along the Tree of Life lie pathways that connect different nodes to one another, helping us to visualize the process which the soul endures in order to attain spiritual enlightenment.
From the lowest Sephirah to the highest, the diagram is interpreted as follows:
Tenth Sephirah: Malkuth (Kingdom) - Its planet is Earth and it represents the material world and all things physical.
Ninth Sephirah: Yesod (Foundation) - Represented by the Moon, this state is also thought of as the dream world or the opening of the imagination which leads to all other states of existence. Think of it as the first thought that manifests all of the conscious aspects of reality.
Eighth Sephirah: Hod (Glory) - Represented by Mercury, this Sephirah is all about communication and the use of language.
Seventh Sephirah: Netzach (Victory) - Represented by Venus, Netzach is the embodiment of all our emotions, with an emphasis on love.
Sixth Sephirah: Tiferet (Beauty) - Represented by the Sun, this Sephirah is known for encompassing all aspects of beauty and lies in a position where all other pathways must pass through it in order to reach the final Sephirah.
Fith Sephirah: Gevurah (Severity) - Represented by Mars, this is thought of as the embodiment of anger, violence, and war.
Forth Sephirah: Chesed (Kindness) - Represented by Jupiter, this node represents benevolence and mercy.
Third Sephirah: Binah (Understanding) - Represented by Saturn, Binah is all about limitations, containment, and even death. It is the end which births a new beginning.
Second Sephirah: Chokmah (Wisdom) - Represented by the entire Zodiac, this is the second to last Sephirah, meaning it is closest to understanding divinity.
First Sephirah; Kether (Crown) - This is the final state of existence. Very little can be said about Kether other than how the Zohar describes it as the most hidden of all things. Some believe it to be the true essence of the creator, encompassing the source of all compassion.
The way we use the Tree of Life is by tracking our own mental and emotional state of being and finding on which point of the diagram we are inhabiting. Once we identify the Sephirah or Sephirot (if inhabiting multiple Sephirah) we are embodying, we may then follow the path it is connected to until we reach higher and higher states of existence along the Tree of Life.
This is what is known as pathworking and it can be a valuable tool for anyone wanting to expand their own spiritual perception and understanding.
With love and sincerity,
The Alchemy by LA Counsel
