The Tree of Life: A Kabbalistic Glyph

The Tree of Life is a Kabbalistic glyph which is supposed to represent the blueprint inherent in the structure of Reality. It is the structure of the Universe, God, and the Self. Now, firstly I would like to briefly discuss the uniqueness and difficulties in such glyphs, such symbolic representations. As something which can be both appealing and make for difficult communication, all meaning is in the subtleties which continued contemplation will lay over the pre-given structure and symbol-set. So, in some ways it's all already defined the second you look at the picture. You can read a basic summary somewhere, and think that's it. But it's all in the subtely of meaning, and that is personal by nature, accomplished through contemplation and analysis. Nonetheless, as some renewed interest and insight has been coming to me on this topic as of late, I would like to explain the structure of the Tree of Life and the Sephiroth, as it seems to me at this point in time. Before you read the rest, look at the picture at the bottom of this post. The 10 Sephiroth, emenations of God, as structured on the Tree of Life.

First notice that there are three pillars. Left, right, middle. The left pillar is the 'pillar of severity.' The right pillar 'the pillar of mercy.' The middle pillar 'the pillar of balance.' Notice also how there are three trinities as you descend the Tree. Now, Kether is the first Sephirah, heading the first trinity in the pillar of balance. Kether means the Crown. It is the Unity which transcends all limitations, where all polarities are one. It is the Will of God that causes all to be and not-be as it is. The second sephirah is Chokmah, Wisdom. This is the activity of God, infinite motion. It is the tendency of the Divine to spread out into all possibilities. It is the highest sense of the principle of life and motion. The third sephirah, in polarity with chokmah, closing out the first trinity, is binah, understanding. This is the shared substrate of all existence. The undifferentiated primordial matter, undefined and with unlimited potential forms. Thus closes out the supernal trinity, existing only as an ideal, prior to actual, non-infinite existence.

Chesed, loving-kindness, is the first non-infinite expression. Perhaps reflecting this transition, it represents the principle of openness, spreading forth, increasing, giving. Geburah, strength, in polarity with chesed, represents restriction, limitation, cutting off, ending. Tiphareth, beauty or harmony, unifying the above polarity, and being in the center point of the whole structure. It is the inherent self-existence which remains constant, allowing for all differentiation in experience to occur. That which is changeless amidst change. The unmoving core of being, resulting as a constant 'is-ness' throughout the interplay of the various dialectics. The next sephirah, heading the next trinity, is netzach, victory. This is desire, feeling, imagery. Due to the inherent balance and stability established through the previous sephirah, these things become the focus. Desires, preferences, feelings, fantasies. The polarity here, is with hod, splendour. This represents analysis, categorization, and labeling. As the potential for real individualized existence opens up with this polarity, yesod, foundation, is the harmonizing sephirah. This is subconscious processes like the beating of the heart, instinct, and natural drives.

Closing out the Tree, the final sephirah, is Malkuth, the Kingdom. This represents objective, material existence. To give more detail, and perhaps help elucidate more meaning, this tree can also be represented by the hebrew God-name YHWH. The uppermost point of yud is kether, its extension is chokmah. Yud is the father. The first heh, the mother, is binah. The vav, the son, is the next 6 sephiroth. Interestingly, the letter vav has a numerical value of 6. Also note that Tiphareth is the 6th Sephirah, thus the quintessence of vav. The final heh, the bride, is Malkuth. Also interestingly, if you write out YHWH vertically, with the hebrew letters, the form represents the human body. Note that there is a resonance between the two heh's, and between the yud and the vav. Notice, in terms of form, how vav is an extended form of yud. So, I've attempted to expound on some of the meaning of the sephiroth and the tree of life. But, keep in mind this is a spiritual glyph. It is a foundation which meaningful spiritual insight can be gained through, by uncovering the implied and necessary meanings which will be found as one contemplates and deduces based on this image and its structure.

a reply to: TheJourney

That's very interesting and I think I learned something. Thanks.
But just a quick question why does it look like two circles are missing? One above it all and the other in the upper crossing of the first three, you know between 2, 3, 4 & 5?

originally posted by: Peeple
a reply to: TheJourney

That's very interesting and I think I learned something. Thanks.
But just a quick question why does it look like two circles are missing? One above it all and the other in the upper crossing of the first three, you know between 2, 3, 4 & 5?

Well, there are concepts that coincide to the two locations you point out. The upper point would go with the idea of negative existence. God in an even higher sense than kether. All conceptions and differentiating qualities are here negated. The lower point you talk about, coincides with the 'hidden Sephirah,' da'at, knowledge. This could perhaps allude to the 'knowing,' possible discernment of differentiation, thus the introduction of the finite.

a reply to: TheJourney

So it is 12 then? That's so interesting. Again thanks.

I learned that including Da'ath (the missing in the middle) would form an upside down star with the paths it would make... some "secret" or another from old men long ago, they removed it from the average tree so man could not harness this realized potential. (Because the key isn't exactly the sepiroth but the paths between them..)

Also anything above kether is Ain, that which we cannot and will not ever understand.

Although this comes from my Hermetic Qaballah studies, quite different from Kaballah which I am told is different.

It would be safe to say that the Tree of Life is a symbolic representation of manifested reality in all of its depth, and a representation of the soul, so it can be studied from the macrocosmic or microcosmic perspective.


This hieroglyph is to my knowledge also represented in the Buddhist Kalachakra which interestingly contains ten levels, it is a ten-fold system just as the Kabbalistic Tree of Life contains ten sephiroth in its construction.

A great book on Kabbalah that I recommend picking up is 'Mystical Qabalah' by Dion Fortune, another great source of information regarding the Kabbalah, which is also free can be found here; gnosticteachings.org...

The isomorphism between the mathematical properties of the Tree of Life and the sacred geometries of other religions is rigorously established for the first time at:
smphillips.8m.com...
Also revealed there is the proof that the traditional Tree of Life is but the outer form of a more complete, geometrical system with astounding properties. This "inner form" is the DNA that encodes how the outer Tree replicates itself to form holistic systems.

For the more mathematically inclined, the website shows here how the 8-dimensional, 421 polytope known by mathematicians to represent the root composition of the exceptional Lie group E8 used in superstring theory conforms to the archetypal pattern of the Tree of Life.

a reply to: TheJourney

A very well written introduction to the Tree of Life. Clearly , you have written it spontaneously and with inspiration. In a nutshell you have accurately described the Sephiroth.

As with all worthwhile posts on ATS, the response has been poor. That is often the yardstick of a good spiritual post.

I would also like to add that there is dogma in the meaning of the Sephiroth. They are objective. On the other hand, the paths that link them can be best understood by subjective experience.

In my early years of studying it , I could see how my life was focussing on a particular segment of the tree. It was of course an imbalance and the tree helped to correct it.

I belive it to be the blueprint of internal worlds/spaces.

Hence it's ancient and still here for a reason, with many followers. For instance, a lot of Hollywood stars follow kabbalistic teachings.

Alot of powerful people as well.. that said tree, is a blueprint IMO.

ETA - didn't read your original post, and now I feel silly

Deny ignorance Elementalist

originally posted by: crowdedskies
a reply to: TheJourney

A very well written introduction to the Tree of Life. Clearly , you have written it spontaneously and with inspiration. In a nutshell you have accurately described the Sephiroth.

As with all worthwhile posts on ATS, the response has been poor. That is often the yardstick of a good spiritual post.

I would also like to add that there is dogma in the meaning of the Sephiroth. They are objective. On the other hand, the paths that link them can be best understood by subjective experience.

In my early years of studying it , I could see how my life was focussing on a particular segment of the tree. It was of course an imbalance and the tree helped to correct it.

Thank you! And good points on the sephiroth being objective while the paths are subjective, something I have read but not yet fully wrapped my head around. Also a good point about how the tree can be used to identify the polarities at work within ourselves, and this correct imbalances.

a reply to: crowdedskies

As with all worthwhile posts on ATS, the response has been poor. That is often the yardstick of a good spiritual post.

That's because most people claiming to look for soiritual knowledge don't want to work and think to find it. It is much harder to accept that there is actual thinking and working required instead of parroting nice sounding emptiness spoon fed, from fear and doom, or their opposite the love and peace shouters, to the lazy ones.

a reply to: TheJourney

I am more and more convinved we work together here on ATS and you putting this valid and important knowledge up, to meditate and research and look for more information about it, proves my point. The truth wants to be shared.
Because my felling is this global inbalance we are experiencing will only be solved when we accept and admit, our mind and our soul have effects on reality, without jupping to: Nothing is real, nothing exists, someone/-thing else is entirely in charge and it doesn't matter what i do.
While i also really believe, if you want to find a spiritual path that works, you really have to transcendently take as much in as possible. It is almost like a science, you have to build a basis, before you can start to look further. Maybe that's the reason why Jesus was such a wise, yet ordinary man, he took his research serious.