The next phase to traverse on the Tree of Life represents the area of the Ethical Triad, which—included with its paths—I refer to as the Ethical Machine. As the spiritual experience of Yesod represents the vision of the machinery of the universe, the following paths and Sephiroth make up those machinations that build the constructs of the universe. It is the scaffolding that the Astral Foundation fills as the cement of existence.
Indeed, being the skeletal framework, the Ethical Machine teaches us about the inner workings of creation, how ideas get from the Unmanifest to the Manifest. From here on out (and especially once the Supernals are reached), descriptions of the paths and Sephiroth may become more and more abstract. This is because when one travels up the tree, one draws closer and closer to the Great Unknown … our human minds are not capable of handling the vast realities behind the veil. Therefore, the practical experience subsections will be omitted. If pathworking difficulties arise, a psychonaut is always best fitted to anchor onto the tarot imagery for focus and meditation.
Ayin: Path 26
Path: Path 26, Hod to Tiphareth
Hebrew Letter: Ayin
Hebrew Letter Meaning: Eye
Tarot Attribution: XV, the Devil
Astrological Sign: Capricorn
Yetziratic Text: “The Twenty-sixth Path is called the Renovating Intelligence, because the Holy God renews by it all the changing things which are renewed by the creation of the world.” 133
Hopefully, one will have taken a quality holiday from pathworking before engaging the following series of gates on the Tree of Life, for the next few paths set up a very specific trilogy that can be quite daunting if one is not sufficiently prepared. In many mystery traditions, the following three paths refer to the spiritual experience known as the dark night of the soul.
The dark night of the soul is a common term to denote a spiritual crisis. However, this experience doesn’t have to be a “crisis” per se, as long as one faces the Work head-on. Although in some cases resistance can prove beneficial for revolutionary change, this is one of those Zen moments in a spiritual walk when surrendering to the experience will assist you in gaining far more ground than an antagonistic approach. A more competent means of understanding success for the next three paths can be found in St. John of the Cross’s “Dark Night of the Soul” (“La noche oscura del alma”). This poem embodies mystic achievement in the Christian paradigm but can be applied to any spiritual framework. The dark night has normally been understood as an experience of meaninglessness that comes from spiritual depression, but this is an incorrect assertion when referring to the poem by St. John of the Cross.134 “Dark Night of the Soul” outlines the necessary series of purifications one must go through in order to achieve union with God. It can almost be seen as a sort of purgatory state in one’s spiritual path, where the remnants of the personality are faced with being stripped away so that the individuality can be the guiding force of one’s thoughts and actions. So, again, this can, during the experience, seem like a spiritual crisis. Always remember, though, that it is a purging of what no longer serves the human vessel in order to receive the full benefits of initiation. The crisis only persists when you resist stripping away the parts of the personality that weigh you down.
For the next three paths, pieces of the poem will be presented as meditative pieces, beginning with the first three stanzas:
On a dark night,
Kindled in love with yearnings
—oh, happy chance!
I went forth without being observed,
My house being now at rest.
In darkness and secure,
By the secret ladder, disguised
—oh, happy chance!
In darkness and in concealment,
My house being now at rest.
In the happy night,
In secret, when none saw me,
Nor I beheld aught,
Without light or guide,
Save that which burned in my heart.135
So, the test begins, the serpent crawling up from the lower Sephiroth—the personality—to the higher spheres, which will now be centered on Tiphareth, the focal point of the individuality. Thus begins our process of the alchemical marriage between the conscious and subconscious mind. Various aspects of the human psyche and soul are tested throughout these three paths. According to Gareth Knight, “the 24th Path tests the driving emotions, the 25th Path the devotional aspirations, and the 26th Path the intellect.” 136 Therefore, these three paths truly work in concert to ready the soul for the higher Sephiroth on the Tree of Life.
It may seem absurd at first, but it is perfectly fitting that our first touchpoint with Tiphareth, the Sephirah that represents the consciousness of the Christ, is represented by the Devil tarot card. The devil, unfortunately, has had a bad rap over the centuries.
It is unfortunate that the mythological significance of the devil has been taken literally by the throng of religious fervor over the centuries. It must be clearly stated that the symbol of the devil is indeed that: a symbol! We are not referring to a literal demonic being of evil that is intent on defying God and torturing humanity. The devil is merely a symbol for an illusion. At the same time, so are all man’s ideas of what “God” is: an illusion. We indeed become caught up in our own personal perceptions of God, rather than the reality of God.
We get so wrapped up—and become slave to—our ideas and notions of what we think God is to us, just like the two chained persons in the tarot card. They are slave not to the literal creature “the devil”; they are slave to the established orthodoxy of their own ideas. The devil is merely a scapegoat for their own shortcomings. Too often we blame this invisible adversary for the sins which are, frankly, our own responsibility. The devil was invented by man in order to escape blame. Facing the devil, facing this illusion, is the first step in the dark night to receive the truth of Tiphareth, of the individuality.
Moving further into the Great Work, our notions of what we perceive God to be are likely to change, to be turned completely upside down. We need to be ready, as we strive further and further to uncover the veil of the Mysteries, for Truth with a capital T. Based upon our current understanding of the world, this Truth can seem more like paradox than logic. Yet, the world of spirit is often irrational to the world of the nonspiritual.
This takes an intuitive leap past the logical framework of Hod in order to reach new frontiers of understanding that will often seem downright scary because of their illogical nature. We must be constantly aware of everything around us as illusion. The Hebrew letter for this Path, Ayin, means “eye,” which aligns with the optical nature of this theme. The eye can be easily tricked. Ayin is a reminder of the paradox between the physical eye and one’s intuition. The initiate must understand that the material world is illusion and take great care not to confuse outer forms with inner reflection. One may relate to another in some way, but they are not the same thing. As always, discernment is your ally.
As the Yetziractic text calls this path the “Renewing Intelligence,” we are being provided here an opportunity to face these aspects of ourselves and renew them, let them go, which the two people in the tarot trump could do if they allowed themselves. They are responsible for their own freedom, because being chained is an illusion: the devil doesn’t actually exist! We rarely allow ourselves that opportunity, so here is our chance. In order to experience the higher levels of the Tree of Life, our current notions of “God,” of a spiritual life, must be challenged.
Samech: Path 25
Path: Path 25, Yesod to Tiphareth
Hebrew Letter: Samech
Hebrew Letter Meaning: Prop
Tarot Attribution: XIV, Temperance
Astrological Sign: Sagittarius
Yetziratic Text: “The Twenty-fifth Path is the Intelligence of Probation, or is Tentative, and is so called because it is the primary temptation, by which the Creator trieth all righteous persons.” 137
Path 25 is part two of three of “Dark Night of the Soul.” The next couple of stanzas of the poem by St. John of the Cross:
This light guided me
More surely than the light of noonday
To the place where he (well I knew who!) was awaiting me
—A place where none appeared.
Oh, night that guided me,
Oh, night more lovely than the dawn,
Oh, night that joined Beloved with lover,
Lover transformed in the Beloved! 138
Here we begin to reach the phase of the dark night where the paths begin to defy description, much to the dismay of writers throughout history. Although we live in an age when an individual is defined by their opinion, in the Great Work, when one delves deeper into initiation, the less there is to say. This is because the higher we ascend on the tree, the greater the impact on the human soul, which is a construct beyond human language.
Thus, symbols become all that more important. Although, remember the aim of a symbol is its own destruction. It cannot be taken literally; what matters is behind the symbol. We have learned that lesson most with the devil.
While Path 26 was a test of illusion, this path is a test of temptation. Devotion to one’s faith is most important here, for if that faith fails you, then finding comfort in the denser levels of experience becomes way too easy. The story of Jesus being tempted in the desert is a perfect theme associated with Path 25, including all stories of visioning into the wilderness. To test one’s faith and senses in exchange for a high connection with the upper worlds … those familiar with Native American shamanic vision questing will understand the nuance, which is why I believe a shamanic approach to Qabalah is vital. Temptation is Creator’s way of strengthening the soul.
The Hebrew letter Samech means “prop” or “crutch,” implying a support from the divine in the face of temptation. It should be noted this prop also forms a T cross (Tau, see Figure 33) on the Tree of Life with Path 27, Hod to Netzach. This closely aligns this path with Path 32, given that they both form the lower half of the Middle Pillar of Manifestation on the tree.
That being noted, Samech, the prop, resembles both a means of supporting life and of taking it away. This paradox is one of the more important ideas in occult training that must be understood. As mystics throughout the ages have noted, the truest formula of life comes from the decay and breaking down of old life (death) and the formulation of something new (birth).
Sagittarius, the zodiac of the archer, is the astrological influence. It should be noted that Sagittarius is a centaur, and in occult work the symbol of a half-man, half-animal shows the struggle between the lower self (personality) and the higher self (individuality). If the man half is on top (like the centaur), the higher self is winning over this struggle; if the animal half is on top, (like a minotaur or Baphomet, in the Devil tarot card) then the lower self is in control. In this light, the arrow of Sagittarius can be taken in two ways. If the archer’s arrow is pointing upward, the archer’s aims are toward the heavens and he has forsaken the baser parts of himself. If the arrow is pointing downward, it could be seen as the individuality taking aim toward what needs purging in the personality. It is either a precise ascension to the Divine or the Divine’s descent into the lower worlds. The arrow is the symbol of directed Will—not the will (lowercase) of the human being, but the Will (uppercase) of God.
The tarot trump Temperance shows an angel (assumed by most esoteric scholars to be Raphael) pouring the waters of life from a golden cup (symbolizing the sun, Tiphareth) into a silver cup (symbolizing the moon, Yesod). This imagery shows the alchemical process of “the tempering of souls, as with metals, to make them fit to be used as tools in the Great Works of God,” according to Knight.139
Aleister Crowley, of course, has his own interpretation. Changing the title of the card to “Art,” the angel of the card in the Thoth Tarot is instead represented as an amalgamation of the king and queen who have been married from the Lovers card (Path 17); they are fused into one androgynous being. Since the duality has become obsolete and now unified, Crowley references this symbolism as being a foreshadowing of the result of the Great Work.140
We can see then his reasoning for the name change, as this is the symbol of the True Art, the arrow piercing the rainbow. The rainbow, hearkening back to the story of Noah and the Flood, is the divine promise kept. The rainbow—K’yuchi in Quechua—is the bridge between God and man. Its promise is that despite the dark age of the Flood (the dark night of the soul), we will overcome our tribulations to achieve union with the Source of Creation.
Nun: Path 24
Path: Path 24, Netzach to Tiphareth
Hebrew Letter: Nun
Hebrew Letter Meaning: Fish
Tarot Attribution: XIII, Death
Astrological Sign: Scorpio
Yetziratic Text: “The Twenty-fourth Path is the Imaginative Intelligence, and it is so called because it gives a likeness to all the similitudes, which are created in like manner similar to its harmonious elegancies.” 141
These are the final three stanzas of “Dark Night of the Soul” by St. John of the Cross:
Upon my flowery breast,
Kept wholly for himself alone,
There he stayed sleeping, and I caressed him,
And the fanning of the cedars made a breeze.
The breeze blew from the turret
As I parted his locks;
With his gentle hand he wounded my neck
And caused all my senses to be suspended.
I remained, lost in oblivion;
My face I reclined on the Beloved.
All ceased and I abandoned myself,
Leaving my cares forgotten among the lilies.142
The previous two paths have perfectly set up the initiate’s Work ahead. For this final installment of the “Dark Night of the Soul” trilogy, the task of the initiate is to finally shed the old skins of the Personality and ready themselves for the unknown ahead. Full trust in God’s love is crucial at this point.
The primary symbol of this path is the tarot trump of Death. Before rebirth into higher levels of consciousness, one must die to who they are today. It is the fear of change that must be faced, transmuting that fear into a full acceptance of what is, what has been, and what will be.
Dion Fortune, in her occult masterpiece The Cosmic Doctrine, recounts seven different types of death that are important to study not just for this path, but for all prospects of initiation:
• First Death: Two separate forces cease to exist independently but become a single, entirely new manifestation.
• Second Death: The evolution of a lower form into a higher form takes place.
• Third Death: The death of the physical body, synonymous with Path 32.
• Fourth Death: Essentially, sleep; this is actually a lesser form of the Third Death.
• Fifth Death: A death of the personality, the process represented by this, the 24th Path.
• Sixth Death: Trance, which is an induced sleep, akin to the Fourth Death.
• Seventh Death: Illumination; a death wherein any lingering remnants of the personality are burned away for good. All paths below Tiphareth are still subject to the whims of the personality, but from Tiphareth and above, only the individuality can prevail.
In this path we are concerned with the Fifth Death, in that it will eventually lead to the Seventh Death. The aim of the path is to tap into one’s true spiritual Will, which in fact is the Will of Creator, and to have the courage and discipline to act on it. Therefore, death is a necessity for the higher spheres of consciousness to work appropriately: the lower animal mind will distort whatever information is coming in through Tiphareth … so the animal mind (the personality) must die.
The Hebrew letter of this path is Nun, the “fish” (obviously representative of water), and its astrological sign is Scorpio, ruled by Mars (a planet of fiery presence). So, these two energies together could be shown to mimic a First Death, the blending of fire and water to make steam (the essence of Spirit).
As the Abyss is the gulf between the Supernal states of the godhood and the Ethical Triad (the higher spiritual centers of man), so we are also experiencing a similar gulf here with the dark night of the soul, separating the individuality and the personality. According to Knight, “The Gulf is something that has to be leaped, and leaped alone, stripped of all hindering burdens, in faith.… It is thus one of the crisis points of spiritual progress because of the great temptation to turn back from the unknown to the apparent safety of known things, and to succumb to this temptation is to lose all the fruits of past endeavour.” 143
Sometimes, in order to not surrender to these temptations, we must allow ourselves to be devoured completely by the death offered by spirit. A helpful image to meditate on is that of the Hebrew letter for this path, Nun, the fish, and its mirroring of Path 28, Tzaddi, the fishhook (from the Star). Is the hook catching the fish or is the fish swallowing the hook? One may recall the story of Jonah and the whale, in which Jonah is swallowed whole by the fish and by God’s Will.
This path is a renewal, regeneration into a new form of being. This is the goal of initiation. All gods and myths centered in Tiphareth are gods and myths that have died to become reborn: Christ, Osiris, and so on. It is our aim, as initiates, to follow in their footsteps. As the song goes, “Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.” Tricksters throughout time have asked, if life is the dream, then who is the dreamer? Well, death is the dreamer of life. Life and death are truly the embodiment of the yin and yang, a marriage of two fundamental expressions of the universe that are both natural and essential to the growth and development of the soul. Indeed, to ignore death in life is the worst death of all; for without the threat of our ultimate end permeating our waking consciousness, the human mind is liable to squander the limited time we have available to live.
Tiphareth: Path 6
God Name: Jehovah Aloah Va Daath, “God Made Manifest in the Sphere of Mind”
Archangel: Raphael
Order of Angels: Malachim
Animal Totem: Buffalo
Color: Gold, yellow, or pink
Virtue: Devotion to the Great Work
Vice: Pride
Tarot Attributions: Six of Pentacles, Six of Cups, Six of Swords, Six of Wands, Knight/Prince of Pentacles, Knight/Prince of Cups, Knight/Prince of Swords, Knight/Prince of Wands
Spiritual Experience: Vision of the Harmony of Things
Titles: Zoar Anpin, the Lesser Countenance
Symbols: Calvary cross, rose cross, the cube
Yetziratic Text: “The Sixth Path is called the Intelligence of the Mediating Influence, because in it are multiplied the influxes of the emanations; for it causes that affluence to flow into all reservoirs of the Blessings, with which these themselves are united.” 144
Tiphareth, the sixth Sephirah on the Tree of Life, is the goal of illumination sought by initiates. It is the inspiration for the name of the Order of the Golden Dawn; Tiphareth is the Golden Dawn. It is the source of the higher self, Neschamah, the individuality. Known as the “Mediating Influence” from the Sepher Yetzirah, human consciousness cannot truly ascend past the sphere of Tiphareth. Beyond this Sephirah, there can only be speculation or the intimations of experience, but not experience itself. It is the highest point of evolution a human soul can reach while alive. Tiphareth means, and is, beauty: the Divine Plan coming into fruition as it should be. It is the central Sephirah and holds all the others around it in balance—the axis mundi, as it were. Taken into context of the three triads on the Tree of Life, it is the apex of the Ethical Triad where the machinations of the universe construct the “rules” or “ideas” of what Form will be in the Manifest before it is then moved on to the Astral Triad to be, in actuality, formed. In a nutshell, Tiphareth is where above and below meet.
Again, writer and occultist Alan Moore explains in his graphic novel masterpiece Promethea, as relayed by the titular character: “Tiphareth’s mankind’s highest point, and God’s lowest, where the two connect.… Absolute God’s the highest sphere, above existence. Tiphareth’s God born into existence, as man. As his own Son. Humanity’s highest point.” 145 This is the gold the alchemists sought—not the literal mineral, but the beauty and perfection of the eternal soul.
There are many symbols and associations attributed to Tiphareth, one of them being the symbol of Christ as the Son, which is why the princes (or knights, depending on the deck) of the tarot are the primary correlation (along with the sixes), as well as the planetary body of our own sun. Kether represents the Father, and Yesod the Holy Spirit; thus, Tiphareth is the Son in the Holy Trinity upon the Tree of Life. Therefore, we can see again how the Bible can actually be a vital Qabalistic text in understanding the tree and especially Tiphareth and its symbolism. This Holy Trinity creates a direct vertical line of the three primary Sephiroth on the tree, upon the Pillar of Mildness, thus forming the backbone of mystic Initiation.
Akin to Christ in the Abrahamic traditions is White Buffalo Calf Woman in the Native North American traditions, specifically the Lakota Nation. White Buffalo Calf Woman came to the Lakota people to deliver the messages of how to conduct ceremonies to connect earth (Malkuth) to spirit (Kether), which is the very axis mundi represented in Tiphareth. Like the llama in the Andes, the buffalo provided sustenance, such as food, clothing, and shelter, to the people of the plains. It is the most sacred animal to many of the First Nations peoples still to this day, representing a benediction from spirit to all humanity. Buffalo is a messenger of illumination, a bridge of every person’s potential to intimately connect with Creator.
It should be no surprise, then, that Tiphareth is often referred to as the “Giver of Illumination,” which can also be associated with the Greek god Apollo. As discussed previously, this illumination, according to the entire aim of the Great Work as described within the Golden Dawn system, is delivered by means of a ray of light—lux—whose beams of brilliance really come from Tiphareth, not actually from Kether (the Source) as most may assume.
As initiates, this must be understood, because illumination is so often misunderstood. The human mind cannot take the illumination offered from Kether, which is why Tiphareth is the “Mediating Intelligence.” A direct transmission from the Supernal levels of consciousness simply overwhelm the human mind. A buffer is needed to cushion the impact of information readily flowing from the higher levels.
Therefore, absolute devotion to the Great Work is imperative. If we do not train ourselves sufficiently, slowly, patiently, and humbly to befit even the illumination from Tiphareth, then this flash of illumination is nothing more than a blast of light that will leave us blind. We will be left with more mystery and darkness than when we first began the mystical experience.
Luckily, Dion Fortune rarely leaves her students without a remedy to counter such a predicament. The story, miracles, and parables of Christ as an adult provide a crucial locus to this Sephirah. At the same time, Fortune offers a compelling case to meditate upon concerning the Christ as Child, as well: “We must accept the fact that the Child-Christ does not spring like Minerva, full-armed from the head of the God-Father, but starts as a small thing, humbly laid among the beasts and not even housed in the inn with the humans. The first glimpses of mystical experience must perforce be very limited because we have not had time to build up through experience a body of images and ideas that shall serve to represent them.” 146
These images and ideas can only be compiled into the conscious mind through time, through study, patience, and discipline. We must always remember the lessons of the Child-Christ in Tiphareth, whose lesson unveils to us a process of growth and evolution to understand the illumination waiting for us. The Christ story, the Christmas story especially, can teach us more than we may assume. Too many in the circles of alternative spirituality have forsaken the lessons of the Christian Holy Bible in an act of rebellion from years of persecution. However, the sins of the Church should not override the treasure trove of esoteric knowledge that resides in the Holy Book, despite how much that knowledge has been abused (another prime lesson for this Sephirah). We must always begin each foray into knowledge completely anew, every day starting from the place of the Fool, the beginner.
Following this, a developed initiate engaged with this Sephirah will then henceforth be capable of engaging in that culmination of the Great Work as prescribed by Abramelin the Mage: the knowledge of and conversation with one’s Holy Guardian Angel (HGA). Normally called the Abramelin Operation, the process of conjuring and communicating with one’s HGA is typically an excruciating course which takes months of prayer and ritual to implement. To gain access to your HGA is a rare and honoring occasion. The Holy Guardian Angel is not some cherub that flits around you, catching you when you trip; it is most typically understood as an aspect of the higher self, that state of the individuality that resides in Tiphareth. It is an intelligence that acts as an emissary between you and God.
Even though the pathworking process is not equipped to evoke one’s HGA, it is a good idea to become familiar with its presence. The Holy Guardian Angel is rarely experienced through visions but is rather a mode of pure consciousness. This level of consciousness is less of a psychic phenomenon and more of an intuitive state of awareness and presence. Hence, any mystical experience still operating out of a visionary state is still operating in the Astral Triad, rather than the Ethical Triad, where mystical experience is more of a highly matured perceptivity of the universe. This type of consciousness prepares one’s senses to be able to interact with the higher realms, most specifically with the unknown.
This leads to a final lesson on Tiphareth—which contains enough material to fill tons of books—which centers on Christ again. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is an integral moment in the history of humanity, revered by billions of Earth’s citizens the world over. Whether one is Christian or not, the significance of the Christ’s life and miracles, as well as his death, cannot be underestimated. It may be shocking for some to know that occultism in fact finds many of its core roots in early Christian Hermeticism. Much of the symbology inherent in Hermetic Qabalah stems from Christian doctrine. So, it is perhaps fitting to finish our notes on Tiphareth with the final living act of the Christ as human flesh, before the Resurrection as a new being of light.
In Alan Moore’s Promethea, the two main characters—Sophie and Barb—are acting as vessels for the Promethea deity (a goddess of the imagination) and literally traveling the spheres of the Tree of Life in search for Barb’s dead husband. Upon entering Tiphareth, they meet Barb’s Holy Guardian Angel, who just so happens to be a cigarette-smoking, foul-mouthed, younger version of Barb herself. As the Holy Guardian Angel walks them through the golden realm of Tiphareth—which is basically our closest conception to what heaven really is—she teaches them about the various god-forms throughout history that had died and risen, like Osiris. They then stumble upon a mighty image of Christ on the cross and the mood darkens. Sophie and Barb find themselves stunned and sobbing at the sight, their hearts crushed. Barb’s Holy Guardian Angel comments as she fixes her gaze upon the dying, suffering Christ, “The best in us. The gold. And it’s nailed writhing on the cross of the world. That’s us up there, man. But even down here, at the lowest Auschwitz ass-end of what humans are, and what humans do … our highest point is still here with us. There’s light. Always remember that. There’s light at the bottom.” 147
Tiphareth is our highest connection to our soul’s potential, but we must always remember the banality of our own flawed humanity for the true beauty of the Sephiroth to flourish. We are a paradox: both divine and mundane, good and evil. Christ—a divine being who walks in the flesh, who gave up his life to be beaten, battered, and crucified—is the essence of beauty.
Mem: Path 23
Path: Path 23, Hod to Geburah
Hebrew Letter: Mem
Hebrew Letter Meaning: Water
Tarot Attribution: XII, the Hanged Man
Elemental Sign: Water
Yetziratic Text: “The Twenty-third Path is the Stable Intelligence, and it is so called because it has the virtue of consistency among all numerations.” 148
In Path 23, we are engaging in first contact with Geburah. Whereas Hod is the sphere of mental forms and communication, Geburah is the sphere of breaking down those forms before entering the Astral Triad so that creation remains pristine. Geburah is a sphere of fire as purifier, remover of dross. The Hebrew letter for this path, Mem, means “water.” So, what we have is a type of spiritual technology where fire and water come together to produce an immense alchemical power.
No better analogy can be used for this path than a machinery of higher consciousness, which helps us understand the chosen moniker of the Ethical Machine. Geburah contracts while Hod expands. Geburah restricts any forms from ascending the tree that are not clean and pure, while forms descending the tree are molded to fit the restrictors of the Manifest. The opposing energies of Hod and Geburah are forced to comply, which, according to the Yetziratic text, creates a stability between polarities. Through the fusion of these two opposites, a universal stability is formed.
The lesson in this path is taught sufficiently by the trump of the Hanged Man, a personal favorite. The Hanged Man is one of the better teachers of all the trumps on how to train the human mind (Hod) to work from the spiritual perspective. Since the figure on the card is being hung upside down, this indicates that the values of the higher world are most often the reverse of the lower. The Hanged Man gives an indication of serenity through chaos, as his face is placid despite being strung up and his head about to be submerged in a body of water (again, Mem) in the Thoth Tarot. This explains why most mystics throughout time have been thought to be insane: their ideas and values are normally at odds with dogma and culture, and they are revolutionaries and radicals. Most often, when engaging with the higher spheres of consciousness, one encounters realities that far surpass culture’s understanding of what is and is not acceptable. The Hanged Man encapsulates the expression of mystic action, which is rarely understood in conventional culture. When these spiritual ideas and values are expressed, the prevailing mindset of society often misinterprets these expressions, becomes afraid, and retaliates either through crucifixion, persecution, or banishment. Hence, the secrecy of occultism.
Again, a deeper understanding of the Sephiroth denotes a more intimate understanding of this path’s place in terms of our relationship with the individuality (higher self). Geburah is the action of the individuality. It assesses and then corrects the energy moving through it, either ascending or descending. To interact with Geburah is to see a situation for what it currently is and then to see how it should be. Geburah’s function is to adjust conditions to correct the course.
Crowley calls this path and trump the “card of the Dying God,” and perhaps he has a point.149 Path 23 is the roadway where old ideas are purged to make way for a new, higher perspective in accordance with the spiritual Will of the universe. Ascending the tree, the fiery heart of Geburah tests the purity of forms to discern what is useful and what isn’t.
Another principle of water to be considered is its ability to reflect like a mirror. If the Hanged Man were placed directly on the model of the Tree of Life on this path, his head would be immersed in Hod. It is in Hod that the principles of the higher mind (via Geburah) should be reflected. In order for us to be a mirror of the Divine, we must be pristine, like a placid lake reflecting the stars in the heavens. Being a reflection of God, we can beget an understanding of God as a reflection of itself. We then remember that each Sephirah is merely a chalice receiving the pouring waters of the one preceding it, all originating from the Unmanifest. It is sufficient then to inherit the symbol of the cup for the mystic way of being. A true mystic should be able to be a clear vessel to receive the fruits of spirit, composed and unperturbed in the face of social pressures and norms.
Turning one’s point of view upside down, in reverse, a pachakuti, is the magical formula of seeing the world via the perspective of spirit. It is the prime elixir of alchemy. Further, in the obvious attributions of self-sacrifice, of surrender, as seen in the tarot trump, we can understand that the result of this formula rests in the absolute relinquishing of one’s personal will for the Will of the God.
Geburah: Path 5
God Name: Elohim Gebor, “Almighty God”
Archangel: Khamael
Order of Angels: Seraphim
Animal Totem: Wolf
Color: Scarlet red
Virtues: Energy, courage
Vices: Cruelty, destruction
Tarot Attributions: Five of Pentacles, Five of Cups, Five of Swords, Five of Wands
Spiritual Experience: Vision of Power
Titles: Pachad, “Fear”; Din, “Justice”
Symbols: Pentagon, pentagram, sword
Yetziratic Text: “The Fifth Path is called the Radical Intelligence, because it is itself the essence equal to the Unity, uniting itself to the Binah, or Intelligence which emanates from the Primordial depths of Wisdom or Chokmah.” 150
Destruction, especially in spiritual circles, is often perceived as a negative thing. In the mystery traditions, it is an often-necessary means in order to transmute into finer states of being.
This is the crux of the experience of the Sephirah of Geburah, which means “severity.” It is sometimes the least understood Sephirah of the Tree of Life. Geburah has been referred to as a “negative” Sephirah, but that reference is entirely wrong. In reality, Geburah represents the center of the Pillar of Severity, the counterbalance to Chesed in the center of the Pillar of Mercy. The universe, and thus the truth of beauty (Tiphareth), cannot exist without either of these poles.
Geburah is the holy, purging fire of God that burns away the counterproductive aspects of any Force or Form. This works both ways: when descending the tree, the Universe is purifying forms in order for it to become manifest; when ascending the tree, the soul is purified of its dross before climbing to the higher spheres. The archangel of Geburah, Khamael (whose name literally means “burner/fire of God”), represents a purifying presence whose sole purpose is to remove obstacles that prevent the flow of grace.
Geburah is a Sephirah of adjustment; another name for it is “Judgment” (much like the tarot card Justice). It is an assessment of the powers that exist which flow through it. Change is always necessary in the orientation of the soul. As I have discussed before, if change is resisted, then the resulting chaos of that resistance can be unpleasant. In fact, some mystics and magicians have stated that to deny the adjustment of Geburah is to risk possible mental breakdown, sickness, or even worse. Not even good intentions guarantee passage at this level of pathworking; everyone will have to face these adjustments, whether alive and implementing the Great Work or in the realms of death as a soul traversing the planes to make their way home.
It is at this stage in pathworking, also, when sacrifice is necessary. There are parts of ourselves—the way we may treat others, our addictions, and so on—that must be given up for the sake of devotion. True sacrifice is about making a clear and deliberate choice for the greater good. A pianist must give up other priorities to make time at the keyboard. A sculptor must choose to spend their resources on clay and kilns. An athlete would rather push their limits in a gym than sit on the couch. These are examples of individuals who generate the conditions necessary for their success, and they give up Friday nights out and the latest TV shows in order to make it happen.
Breaking away from anything that separates one from the Great Work is the essence of the magical act, which really is just the transmutation of Force. This is a place where conflict is almost a necessary (if misunderstood) phenomenon in the mystical process. In the curanderismo traditions, swords are often used to battle and cut away aspects of a person’s lower self that no longer serve their highest good. The cut must be clean, precise, and exact. The recipient must be ready to be rid of that aspect forever. If the lower inhibition is merely repressed and denied expression, they are setting themselves up for failure. The base desires of the personality will always come back to haunt, unless they are placed on the altar of sacrifice and sliced away as a commitment or contract with the Divine Will.
This may seem contrary to the common spiritual nomenclature of modern mystical philosophy, but it is a theme as timeless as the mystery traditions and beyond. Fortune writes, “There is a place where patience becomes weakness and wastes the time of better men, and when mercy becomes folly and exposes the innocent to danger.” 151 Not that patience and mercy don’t have their place in the Great Work, but those virtues reside in Chesed, not in Geburah.
So then may we learn from the wolf as the primary totem of Geburah. The wolf is keen, is strong, and can destroy most anything with its sharp maw. The wolf pack is one of the strongest family bonds in the mammal kingdom, precisely designed with definitive rituals and rules to ensure survival. Thus, it is with Geburah that whatever energy may pass through its sphere of influence—either ascending or descending—is adjusted by the laws that govern the Ethical Machinery of the universe. It is with ritual that the wolf adjusts the chaos that may exist, that each member of the pack may know its own place. Geburah is the prime Sephirah of esoteric ritual—the five points of the pentagram, the five directions of the mesa—and likewise exists to help us adjust our own bearings, to understand our role in the cosmic scheme.
Lamed: Path 22
Path: Path 22, Tiphareth to Geburah
Hebrew Letter: Lamed
Hebrew Letter Meaning: Ox-goad
Tarot Attribution: XI, Justice
Astrological Sign: Libra
Yetziratic Text: “The Twenty-second Path is the Faithful Intelligence and is so called because by it spiritual virtues are increased, and all dwellers on earth are nearly under its shadow.” 152
The first time I underwent a pathworking on the Tree of Life, I had just completed Path 23 (which had upturned my life) and then soon after read in Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki’s The Shining Paths that this next path, Path 22, “can be the nearest thing to spiritual agony.” My heart sank. She continues, that for the student of Qabalah, an initiate, “it can be the point at which a crossroads is reached in his decision to go on, or remain where he is.” 153
I nearly threw the book across the room. I was about done.
But then I took a deep breath and continued onward; the Yetziratic text shows a way through, as this path is the “Faithful Intelligence.” It promises that through faith, one’s spiritual virtues will be “increased.”
This is the place where we really, truly begin to meet our mettle in true integration of the individuality (the higher self), where the personality (lower self) no longer has influence. The Hebrew letter Lamed is the “ox-goad,” the instrument that guides the ox down its path. Seeing as the first Hebrew letter, Aleph (Path 11), means “ox,” we see an obvious reciprocal relationship here. An ox moves slowly, but it is persistent. The whole gist of the Mysteries is that the subtle enigmas of life are the goad of Creator, urging us back into the arms of the Universal Mother and Father.
Generally known in esoteric circles as the Path of Karmic Adjustment, this is where the lords of karma operate upon us like surgeons in order to restore cosmic balance within our soul. This path is connected to Geburah, and while that Sephirah specifically calls us to banish our dross, this path is also connected to Tiphareth and so beseeches redemption. This means we must face ourselves—our entire life circumstance—as it really is and be ready and willing to change what is necessary in order keep our devotion intact. This requires brutal honesty, discernment, and a lot of courage.
The best way to understand this path is from the Egyptian Book of the Dead. The Judgment Hall where the dead go is also referred to as the Hall of the Double Maat. Maat is the Egyptian goddess of truth and law. When the dead arrive at the hall, their hearts are weighed against Maat’s feather, an emblem of truth. That the heart is another symbol for Tiphareth bears mentioning, as this path is directly connected to the Sephirah.
We also see the obvious connection to the astrological sign Libra (the scales) as well as the symbology of the tarot trump Justice. It must be noted that a feather often represents air in the shamanic traditions, which translates into a sword in the Western Mystery Tradition, as carried by the figure of Justice in the card.
Aleister Crowley refers to his version of the tarot card for this path as Adjustment. He compares the Harlequin (his figure starring in the Justice from his Thoth deck) and the Fool (from Path 11, Aleph):
In the greatest symbolism of all, however, the symbolism beyond all planetary and Zodiacal considerations, this card is the feminine compliment to The Fool.… This woman-goddess is Harlequin; she is the partner and fulfillment of The Fool. She is the ultimate illusion which is manifestation; she is the dance, many-coloured, many-wiled, of Life itself. Constantly whirling, all possibilities are enjoyed, under the phantom show of Space and Time: all things are real, the soul is the surface, precisely because they are instantly compensated by this Adjustment. All things are harmony and beauty; all things are Truth: because they cancel out.154
Justice is about finding the Truth. And in this seeking of the Truth, we can understand that the universe will always mask itself as the Harlequin does. In the typical Justice card, Lady Justice is of course blinded. The scales of what is right and what is wrong are always subject to relativity, but that is why Lady Justice stays concealed behind the blindfold: the scales will remain balanced when the senses are directed to the mysteries of creation.
Kaph: Path 21
Path: Path 21, Netzach to Chesed
Hebrew Letter: Kaph
Hebrew Letter Meaning: Palm of the hand
Tarot Attribution: X, Wheel of Fortune
Astrological Sign: Jupiter
Yetziratic Text: “The Twenty-first Path is the Intelligence of Conciliation, and is so called because it receives the divine influence which flows into it from its benediction upon all and each existence.” 155
The key to this path is of course the tarot card the Wheel of Fortune, which implies the process of the cycles of life—the ups, the downs—in one continuous loop. Like a Möbius strip, the infinite loop can seem as a maze at times. Our patterns will turn back in on themselves over and over if we don’t recognize them. Conversely, as emblematic of the seasons of the year and the orbit of the planet, the card also represents the universe itself as an expression of change.
This is our first touchpoint with Chesed, the sphere of mercy, which is the polar opposite of Geburah. Chesed is the Sephirah where the image of the individuality is contained. Because of the connection to Netzach, this path then is responsible for generating the true aspirations of our imaginative minds.
Because of this, it is the idea of the quest, and most especially the spiritual quest for the Holy Grail, that is one of the driving myths of this path. The grail is obviously a symbol for the individuality (higher self), but the notion of a “quest”—wherein one embarks upon a journey to find the treasure and defeat dragons—gives the assurance you will not retrieve the grail too easily … It is often a task taking multiple lifetimes. The grail is one of the prime sources of inspiration and imagination in the Western world.
The process of this quest is clarified by the Yetziratic text and its reference to this path as the “Intelligence of Conciliation.” Conciliation is about overcoming adversity in order to gain understanding (a clear reference to the victory of Netzach). In the context of the tarot card, this means the disparate parts of the wheel actually work in harmony in order to allow the Divine Spirit to flow into creation.
The Hebrew letter Kaph is the “palm of the hand.” The hand is a highly mystical symbol through the ages, representing the use of spiritual power: divination, scrying, palmistry, and so on. “The hand of kaph is the hand of opportunity,” writes Ashcroft-Nowicki.156 Kaph provides for us an opportunity and an avenue, leading us through the maze, which is the continual state of change in the universe. It is by action we keep with the flow of the turning of the wheel, rather than getting stuck in the cog. Staying the course of this path on our quest is apparent in the virtues of each of the Sephiroth we have touched upon so far: the discrimination of Malkuth, the independence of Yesod, the truthfulness of Hod, the unselfishness of Netzach, as well as the devotion of Tiphareth.
This path teaches us how to receive the benediction of the divine influence of Chesed, where all new forms are created, where the “fatherly” images of the Godhead reside. By being open to receiving the blessing from the Upperworld, the Hanaqpacha, the flow of destiny will come down. A father operates life in service to the family; therefore, the initiate acts accordingly: utilizing their own talents and possessions in service to the greater good. The resources of the universe will thus be at one’s disposal.
Chesed: Path 4
God Name: El
Archangel: Tzadkiel
Order of Angels: Chasmalim
Animal Totem: Deer
Color: Blue or deep purple
Virtue: Obedience
Vices: Bigotry, hypocrisy, gluttony, tyranny
Tarot Attributions: Four of Pentacles, Four of Cups, Four of Swords, Four of Wands
Spiritual Experience: Vision of Love
Titles: Gedulah; Love, Majesty, Magnificence
Symbols: Tetrahedron, wand, or scepter
Yetziratic Text: “The Fourth Path is named Measuring, Cohesive, Receptacular; and is so called because it contains all the holy powers, and from it emanate all the spiritual virtues with the most exalted essences: they emanate one from the other by the power of the primordial emanation. (The Highest Crown.)” 157
The deer is a fitting totem for the fourth Sephirah, Chesed; it is graceful in its stride, regal with its crown of antlers, and in mythology is harkened as the bearer of great adventure. In many tales of old it is normally the deer or stag that inspires the spirit of the quest; so it is that Chesed represents that spirit of why we engage in Great Work.
One of the earliest depictions of a shamanic figure comes from a cave painting in Trois-Frères, France, called the Sorcerer. This image is of an antlered man—half beast, half human—and not only reveals the ancient dependency humankind once had on the natural world, but also unveils the shape-shifting tendency of the shamanic method. Assuming the form of an animal was a common staple of indigenous shamanic practices in order to fully tap into the healing potencies of that spirit. Likewise, we come to the place in the Tree of Life where we shed our own identity in order to allow ourselves to be fully encompassed by spirit above.
Another name for Chesed is Gedulah, the opposing force on the Qabalistic Cross from Geburah. To understand Chesed is to understand Geburah, just as we need to gain knowledge of any opposing Sephirah in order to understand the designated sphere of influence. Whereas Geburah is the center of the Pillar of Severity (and thus its meaning and title), Chesed is the center of the Pillar of Mercy. Where Geburah breaks down energy, Chesed uplifts. One of the designated symbols is a scepter, denoting the presence of a king on his throne, ruling his kingdom in peace. Geburah, on the other hand, is the Sephirah of war. In Geburah we understand when using the sword is called for. In Chesed, however, we understand when to use compassion.
As the Tree of Life is a symbol representing the creation of the universe, Chesed is the first place in which true manifestation begins. When descending from the first three Sephiroth, the gulf created by the Abyss (Daath) separates the Supernal Triad from the rest of the tree. This makes Chesed the first sphere of influence on our physical world. While the forces of the Supernals are abstract, the first interaction of this Sephirah builds the archetypal images that will later determine how the Divine is perceived and received in the material, Malkuth.
Because of its placement beneath the Abyss, Chesed is the place where the highest entities of known consciousness reside (as anything above the Abyss is truly unknowable). These highest entities, otherwise known as the ascended masters or Inner Plane Adepti, are the human souls who have evolved beyond the cycle of life and death (karma) and choose to interact with and guide humanity, such as Jesus, Kuan Yin, Paul the Venetian, Sanat Kumara, or even Buddha (coincidentally, there are many ancient depictions of Buddha with a deer). They do not interact directly with humanity but by proxy via Tiphareth and then Yesod. Therefore, when an initiate is interacting with one of these Adepti, they are interacting with an abstract force that is representative of that master, whose center of force resides in Tiphareth. However, their point of origin or location (if ever that concept could be imagined in the cosmos) is in the dimensional intelligence of Chesed.
As divisive as the opinions on the man are, we do gain much from Aleister Crowley’s philosophy in the case of Chesed, for he coined the phrases “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law” and “Love is the law, love under will.” These statements are often misinterpreted as being a spiritual justification for doing whatever it is you desire, but they are certainly not about that. In actuality, they promote Chesed’s highest virtue: obedience. According to Gareth Knight (a frequent critic of Crowley, actually, but he gives him credit where it’s due), these phrases “apply well to Chesed, for at the level of this Sephirah the will of the individual is completely in harmony with the Will of God. Thus Obedience … does not mean the willingness to take orders. What is implied is that the soul who has achieved the grade of the Chesed initiation is so aligned with the Will of God that his own will is the same as the Will of God and so he can do no evil—it is completely foreign to his nature.” 158
This is the Sephirah where the individuality (as described by Dion Fortune) is in full play and the personality is no more. We can learn much from Chesed and Geburah’s relationship and their interplay with each other in how to achieve this full-on individuality. This interplay is reflected in all life. Life is rhythm. It is a balancing act, as one might achieve motion by playing with the pull of gravity to ride a bike or fluctuating with the winds of the sea while sailing a boat. By giving in to one pull or the other, one is likely to collapse or capsize. Initiation involves establishing a rhythm with these forces and riding along with it. The personality loses its sway and one submits to the full authority of the higher self, the individuality.
Yod: Path 20
Figure 53: Path 20
Path: Path 20, Tiphareth to Chesed
Hebrew Leter: Yod
Hebrew Letter Meaning: Hand
Tarot Attribution: IX, the Hermit
Astrological Sign: Virgo
Yetziratic Text: “The Twentieth Path is the Intelligence of the Will, and is so called because it is the means of preparation of all and each created being, and by this intelligence the existence of the Primordial Wisdom becomes known.” 159
According to the Yeztiratic text, this path is called the “Intelligence of Will” because this is the path where we initiated into the Primordial Wisdom: the Divine Will of Creator.
This is made clear by the Hebrew Letter Yod, which is the first letter of the God-name YHVH, the tetragrammaton. It is the seed of wisdom sprouting forth to grow into the created form. Imagining this seed in terms of sperm fertilizing an egg, take into account the astrological sign of the path, as relayed by Virgo, which is the virgin, the recipient of the Immaculate Conception.
We are the virgins, ripe to become impregnated with the seed of spirit.
Yod means “hand” and represents the Hand of God leading the soul on its evolutionary path. Because the hand can both give and receive, this path is the perfect conduit of balance for both giving and receiving the wisdom of the spirit. For this path is connected to Chesed and as such is connected to the master teachers of humankind. This includes Jesus, the Buddha, Enoch, Moses, Black Elk, and the list goes on. When one engages in contact with these ascended masters, it is in Chesed that are they are receiving this contact (via the intercession of Tiphareth, of course).
The major arcana card for Chesed is the Hermit, who holds the staff of faith and bears a lantern of light, which (depending on the deck) is often sourced by either the sun or the geometric figure of the tetrahedron. Knight explains, “This Light-bearer of the Tarot may be equated with the hidden, or unrevealed cosmic mind of man, which serves to guide and inspire the soul in all its ways.” 160 The Hermit sits in the darkness, quiet and still, ready to receive the fullness of spirit from Chesed. From Chesed is where the individuality (which is always centered in Tiphareth, both Chesed and Geburah being two poles thereof) first takes its form. However, it is well noted that even though the individuality is the higher self, it is still not perfect, for the only perfection resides in Kether. The individuality is the first deviation from the Supernal realm of being … so know that the journey does not end here. The Hermit represents a higher level of spiritual commitment.
Teth: Path 19
Path: Path 19, Geburah to Chesed
Hebrew Letter: Teth
Hebrew Letter Meaning: Serpent
Tarot Attribution: VIII, Strength
Astrological Sign: Leo
Yetziratic Text: “The Nineteenth Path is the Intelligence of all activities of the spiritual beings, and is so called because of the affluence diffused by it from the most high blessing and most exalted sublime glory.” 161
One of the first things to know about this path is the correlation with Path 27, Peh, the Tower (also called the Mouth), which was the first lateral path on the Tree of Life encountered in this pathworking. There is a similarity in the distribution of energy here, from Force to Form, the Pillars of Mercy and Severity linked together. An understanding of this power comes from insight into the zodiacal sign, Leo, which teaches us about pride. Too much of it, of course, will get in the way of Divine Will and be our downfall. Yet the symbol of the lion in the mystery traditions is a symbol of true dignity, where hubris has no sway.
The lion, in the case of the major arcana, has other meanings as well. In alchemy, the lion represents the uncontrolled forces of nature. So, immediately we can see the process of the woman holding open the mouth (another reference to Path 27) of the wild lion in order to control and subdue it. The woman of course signifies our highest connection to spirit, the individuality. The subduing of the lion is not just subduing the lower, primal self (personality), but it also is a test to see if we are capable of utilizing all the knowledge we have collected on the journey of initiation thus far.
Traveling this path, we should see and be able to strip away the last illusion keeping us confined to the whims of our personality, our lower self. Our personality can often act as a mask (or series of masks) that hides our truest selves from the world. True strength comes from shedding theses masks, becoming vulnerable, and standing firm as the beings we truly are.
The key to this strength can be found within the mysteries of the Hebrew letter Teth. Teth means the “serpent,” and those with a shamanic knowledgebase should understand the serpent as a teacher of transformation from one state of being to another. In Jewish mysticism, unlike in modern Christianity, it is a symbol of wisdom. In the Western Mystery Tradition, Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero explain that the serpent “also represents a type of electromagnetic energy not unlike that of the Eastern Kundalini. This ‘serpent power’ is used by mystics to activate the body’s energy centers to cause a kind of divine rapture. The 19th Path connects the Sephiroth of Chesed and Geburah, the primary spheres of water and fire on the Tree. Between these two polarities a natural electrical circuit is formed that generates this vitalizing ‘serpent power,’ which is part of the magnetic current that powers the entire universe. The ability to direct and regulate this power is the basis for all occult work.” 162
Crowley, of course, changed the title of this tarot card to Lust, and even though I generally don’t agree with all of his changes to the major arcana, I do understand his reasoning. Lust in this context is vigor in which strength is being exercised. In traditional decks the lion is straining to overcome the woman with its maw, the woman serenely holding back the primal instincts of the beast with ease; whereas in the Thoth arcana she is riding atop the lion with reins in one hand and a cup in the other, celebrating her rapturous victory.
The cup, even though it is not in the traditional imagery of the card, is another prime symbol for this path. It is a key symbol in esotercism for full acceptance of one’s thoughts, words, and actions, as well as taking full responsibility for them. This is the elixir vitae, the universal solvent of alchemy. To drink from this cup is strength in its highest form.
Cheth: Path 18
Path: Path 18, Geburah to Binah
Hebrew Letter: Cheth
Hebrew Letter Meaning: Fence, enclosure
Tarot Attribution: VII, the Chariot
Astrological Sign: Cancer
Yetziratic Text: “The Eighteenth Path is called the House of Influence (by the greatness of whose abundance the influx of good things upon created beings is increased), and from the midst of the investigation the arcana and hidden senses are drawn forth, which dwell in its shade and which cling to it, from the cause of all causes.” 163
Even though we still remain within the auspices of the Ethical Triad, this path begins the first interaction point with the Sephiroth of the Supernal Triad, which means we are crossing the space between the Unmanifest and the Manifest: the Abyss. Because of this, language breaks down, and as the occultist Colonel C. R. F. Seymour said, this condition is “utterly beyond our comprehension. It could be given a name, but no attributes.” 164 For this chapter outlining the Ethical Machine, the Sephiroth will not be covered, only the paths, for these Sephiroth belong specifically on the Supernal side of the Abyss, which we will not yet cross.
Path 18 enables the ability to regain some balance after such a tumultuous turn around Tiphareth from the previous paths. This path is one of stability, the quiet after a storm. It is designed to be a channel of “Influence” (as stated in the Yetziratic text) for the individuality. Binah is the Sephiroth of understanding, the sphere where faith has its origins. The individuality must keep this channel open and clear so that one’s destiny can flow down through the spheres and into the physical planes of manifestation.
The Hebrew letter, Cheth, means “fence” or “enclosure,” which gives an indication that this path is one of protection and containment. Just as the wall in the Sun card refers to the containment necessary for precise growth, so here Cheth refers to the necessary enclosure required for consciousness (descending from above) to be organized into discernable Forms that can be understood at the level of the Manifest (for who can understand the consciousness of the Unmanifest?). This is where words begin to fail at describing the processes at this level of the tree. Again, an enclosure hides what is inside from the outside; therefore, any attempt of the human mind to try to grasp what goes on inside the enclosure becomes futile. This is the crux of the occult arts.
The tarot card of the Chariot more represents a mobile throne rather than a Ben-Hur–style chariot. It must be duly noted that the angelic order for Binah is the Aralim, meaning “thrones.” The charioteer sits aloft, surveying his kingdom, which he has already set in motion; he no longer needs to conduct it (as per the reins on the Lust lion from Path 19). At this point, after the struggle with the lion (personality) on the previous path, a milestone should have been achieved. One should be able to bear the fruit of the Holy Grail, which is in no way an end result to illumination but merely a significant stage of acquisition or triumph in the ever-cyclic, never-ending path of initiation.
The astrological sign is Cancer, the crab. This provides another symbol of the enclosure, an outer shell for protection of the inner body. We are reminded of the correlation to the crustacean crawling out of the waters in the Moon card. The crustacean is a primal creature, crawling out from the archaic waters and influences of the Great Mother. This is indeed our first touchpoint with Binah. The charioteer is one who is ready to receive the first impressions of creation from the Supernals.
In essence, this path is where the hard work and discipleship should be rewarded before the mystic continues on the journey. It is far from a respite. An outer shell (armor) is acquired and from here on out the knowledge and discipline of the initiate should be put to productive use. The aim of the initiate is to be master of the inner world. The previous paths set about conquering the lower influences of the personality, the Ruach and Nephesch. Now, this path is a proclamation on what has been conquered. In Native American traditions, a warrior would put his stake in the ground and hold his position, never to return to whence he came until the battle was complete. Path 18 is the act of putting one’s stake in the ground and never returning to those things that pull one way away from the Great Work.
Zain: Path 17
Path: Path 17, Tiphareth to Binah
Hebrew Letter: Zain
Hebrew Letter Meaning: Sword
Tarot Attribution: VI, the Lovers
Astrological Sign: Gemini
Yetziratic Text: “The Seventeenth Path is the Disposing Intelligence, which provides Faith to the Righteous, and they are clothed with the Holy Spirit by it, and it is called the Foundation of Excellence in the state of higher things.” 165
Much like the paths of the Devil and Death, Path 17 is an often misunderstood path. This is due to students of the tarot taking the symbols at literal or face value. Many take the tarot card of the Lovers to represent the love between two people, “true love,” marriage, and so on when, in fact, it is more closely related to the previously cited Hermetic allegory of The Chymical Marriage of Christian Rosenkreutz, which is itself a metaphor for the uniting of spirit (God) and matter (humankind). This duality—as represented by the Lovers—is in us all. When descending the tree from Kether in the process of creation, it is the first of the major arcana to represent more than one figure as the prime symbol.
From this we must understand and pay attention to the Sephiroth connecting this path: Binah, the Great Mother, breaking down the Forms of the universe into the Son of Tiphareth, matter in its highest form. This is the path where creation transitions from a singular to a dual experience. However, while ascending the tree, our duality becomes harmonized. Unity of being is the initiatory quality that will allow us to traverse into the Supernal realms.
This is, in actuality, what the gurus have spoken of as non-dual awareness. That being said, the Hebrew letter of Zain (or Zayen) is the perfect symbol for this path since its meaning is “sword.” As stated before, the sword both cuts down and defends. The sword separates, and it is in this separateness that the two parts can become whole. Once this separation is overcome, the figures of the Lovers in the card are received back into Binah, representative of the innocence and nonduality of the Garden of Eden. Again, this takes place within the individual, not among two people; the division is of us from the Divine, if you will, and the reunification of the two is the reward of reception to the Divine.
Though some may not like to admit it, the universe is based upon the principle of duality: there must be a separation between the Self and the Divine. The Taoist yin-yang symbol is a perfect example of this, as black is defined by the virtue of not being white and white is characterized by not being black. Creator is separate from creation in order that creation can exist; however, it is this divide that causes relationship. Since there is separation, interaction can occur. Without separation, love has no way to demonstrate itself in manifestation.
Regarding the sword, any meanings can be derived from the legends of King Arthur and Excalibur, especially within the Western Mystery Tradition (as has already been discussed via the Holy Grail). Most especially of note for this path is the tale of the mystical sword that came from and eventually returned to the Lady of the Lake, which could be seen as a manifestation of Binah. The sword of note in the story is Excalibur, which is an expression of polarity because, according to Merlin, the sword itself was not even worth as much as its scabbard, which represented the knowledge and application of the sword’s power.
The most crucial experience to take from this path is Binah’s particular connection to the Holy Guardian Angel, of which the “Knowledge and Conversation of” is one of the holiest endeavors to embark upon in esotericism. As discussed earlier, the Holy Guardian Angel is a sort of divine emissary connected to one’s individuality. As God begat creation, all life was split into a multitude of divine sparks, each one attaching to an individual in manifestation. This divine spark is intended to guide one on one’s path in the Great Work. The astrological sign for this path being Gemini, the twins, we can see how the relationship with the Holy Guardian Angel should exist with our higher self: one is the reflection of another, but they are not the same thing.
The Hebrew letter Zain also reflects this relationship with one’s Holy Guardian Angel. The Yod shape at the top indicates the highest conception of God, the rod extending beneath it through the levels of creation and into the manifested universe. This is the vertical purpose of the Holy Guardian Angel and of this path: to provide a direct channel to one’s own sacred purpose on the earth.
Vav: Path 16
Path: Path 16, Chesed to Chokmah
Hebrew Letter: Vav
Hebrew Letter Meaning: Nail
Tarot Attribution: V, the Hierophant
Astrological Sign: Taurus
Yetziratic Text: “The Sixteenth Path is the Triumphal or Eternal Intelligence, so called because it is the pleasure of the Glory, beyond which is no other Glory like to it, and it is called also the Paradise prepared for the Righteous.” 166
This path is our first connection to Chokmah, the prime masculine Godhead of the universe, Binah’s counterpart. The title of Chokmah is Wisdom, the title of Chesed being Mercy. However, another title in the esoteric literature granted to Chesed is Glory. Path 16 reflects the true “pleasure of the Glory,” as referenced in the Yetziratic text, because it is the harmonious energy of Divine Will passed from the Great Father, Chokmah, to the merciful influence of Chesed.
This harmonious influx can first be realized through the Hebrew letter Vav (or Vau), which is the “nail.” The nail is the tool that fastens or joins, the conjunction between the wisdom of Chokmah and the glory of Chesed, the Divine Will’s influence over the individuality. When looking at this path’s parallel counterpart on the Tree of Life, Path 18 (Binah to Geburah), the Hebrew letter being represented there is Cheth, the fence.
The dove (a representation of Venus) is another symbol with equal weight and is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit filling the womb of the Virgin Mary with the Christ Consciousness. Please forgive the pun, but the goal of mysticism is that we must be like Mary and open ourselves to being impregnated with the seed from Chokmah, or rather (in the case of Vav) to get nailed!
Another aspect of Vav to consider is its place in the name of God, the Tetragrammaton, YHVH (Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh). Explained by Gareth Knight, Vav is in essence the “active manifestation in Form, the result of the union of opposites of Yod and Heh.… From an esoteric Christian standpoint the Nail is a significant symbol, being (in triplicity) that which nails the Spirit to the Cross of Matter.” 167
The astrological attribution, Taurus, has perhaps more written about it for Path 16 than any other in esoteric literature. There is far too much to get into here, but further study is recommended. In short, Taurus represents the bull kerub of the four holy living creatures, which is a strong connector to the earth. The figure in Crowley’s Thoth card is enraptured by the bull kerub, as well as sentried by elephants, another representation of the Taurus nature. Further, in terms of the body/chakra system, Taurus operates via the throat. The throat is our primary vehicle for speech, the utterance of Will into the physical world.
The major arcana card for this path is the Hierophant, who is the emissary of the Primal Source, also called the Magus of the Eternal. A magus is one who has the ability to mediate power from one level of being to another. Therefore, the Hierophant is one who can conjure the power of the higher realms and transmit them to the lower levels of earthly existence, from the above to the below.
Hence the Hierophant is also the priest officiating the alchemical wedding between the two halves of the self: the higher self (individuality) and the lower self (personality). The two kneeling figures before him (their sex is moot) are receiving the teaching from the priest. Knowledge is being passed down from on high to the two dual selves: the Lovers.
With this, this path calls us to still our monkey minds so that wisdom from the higher worlds can be received. The ability to listen, to truly open ourselves to the unseen, is the primary faculty that must be utilized. This is done less with the physical ears and more with the heart.
Heh: Path 15
Path: Path 15, Tiphareth to Chokmah
Hebrew Letter: Heh
Hebrew Letter Meaning: Window
Tarot Attributino: IV, the Emperor
Astrological Sign: Aries
Yetziratic Text: “The Fifteenth Path is the Constituting Intelligence, so called because it constitutes the substance of creation in pure darkness, and men have spoken of these contemplations; it is that darkness spoken of in Scripture, Job xxxviii. 9, ‘and thick darkness a swaddling band for it.’ ” 168
In many mystery schools, the major arcana card associated with this path is normally the Star, whereas the Emperor is attributed to Path 28. Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki suggests either will work, and I agree, though I chose to keep to the sequential order of the tarot corresponding to the sequential ordering of the paths on the Tree of Life. Therefore, for Path 15, the Emperor is the suitable symbol.
The Emperor is, without a doubt, the primary masculine energy of the tarot. The other cards that come before it either are feminine or can be interpreted as androgynous. The Emperor is the first card in the major arcana in which the fiery male aspect of the godhood shines through, which makes sense considering its touchpoint with Chokmah. The energy generated here is swift and creative, the paternal potencies of power reigning into Tiphareth.
The Emperor deals with the governance of such power, as represented by the rams on the throne as well as the scepter. The ram is wild by nature but can be tamed to be a docile beast. This is the goal of governance. A king’s (or the Emperor’s) scepter is the symbol of the governance issued successfully, a firm hold on the banal nature of the personality established.
Descending, this path leads from Chokmah, the “Giver of Life,” to Tiphareth. The Sepher Yetzirah calls this path the “Constituting Intelligence,” and we can understand that through the governance of the Emperor. This intelligence orders and constructs the life force of the Divine out of the womb of darkness. Therefore, just as the force of creation brought order into the darkness through the spark of divine light, so our relationship to the stabilization and ordering of power and energy, in accordance to the self, can be explored.
The Yeztiratic text also refers to the darkness as a sea. Many creation stories from cultures around the planet speak of the primordial waters of chaos from whence all creation sprang, the Unmanifest. It should be understood that all that has come from the dark seas of the Unmanifest has done so because it has been ordained; it is within divine order.
The Hebrew letter Heh means “window.” A window’s sole purpose is to act as an opening for light to pass through. More importantly, this Hebrew letter appears twice in the tetragrammaton, the Name of God: Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh. It is the symbol of incoming life, best represented through the story of Abraham. Before the conception of their child, Isaac (a symbol of their covenant with God), Abraham and his wife Sarah were known respectively as only Abram and Sarai. Once this covenant was sealed, the Heh was added to their names, making them a clear window for God’s promise to shine through the roots of their lineage: God’s chosen people. This doesn’t mean only the “Jews” are God’s chosen few; it is an expression of a promise to those dedicated to the Great Work as clear windows for the divine light.
Heh has to do with perception, the perception of consciousness on a cosmic scale. Humanity is limited in our perception. We cannot hope to fully comprehend the divine image, the Majesty of the Great Originating Mystery. The window of Heh is that aperture of sight our own vista cannot contain when gazing upon the starry expanse of the heavens, but that our hearts hope to capture.
Thus, one can understand the case for the Star being the primary major arcana card for this path, but the auspices of the Emperor can also fit well.
133. Westcott, Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 31.
134. Eckhart Tolle, “Eckhart on the Dark Night of the Soul,” Eckhart Teachings, October 2011, https://www.eckharttolle.com/newsletter/october-2011.
135. John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul, trans. E. Allison Peers, Dover Thrift Editions (Mineola, NY: Dover, 2003), 1–2.
136. Knight, Qabalistic Symbolism, vol. 2, 78.
137. Westcott, Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 31.
138. John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul, 2.
139. Knight, Qabalistic Symbolism, vol. 2, 75.
140. Crowley, Book of Thoth, 103.
141. Westcott, Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 31.
142. John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul, 2.
143. Knight, Qabalistic Symbolism, vol. 2, 98–99.
144. Westcott, Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 28–29.
145. Moore et al., Promethea, bk. 3, issue 17, 9.
146. Fortune, Mystical Qabalah, 180.
147. Moore et al., Promethea, bk. 3, issue 17, 20.
148. Westcott, Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 30–31.
149. Crowley, Book of Thoth, 97.
150. Westcott, Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 28.
151. Fortune, Mystical Qabalah, 164.
152. Westcott, Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 30.
153. Ashcroft-Nowicki, Shining Paths, 102.
154. Crowley, Book of Thoth, 86–87.
155. Westcott, Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 30.
156. Ashcroft-Nowicki, Shining Paths, 112.
157. Westcott, Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 28.
158. Knight, Qabalistic Symbolism, vol. 1, 119.
159. Westcott, Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 30.
160. Knight, Qabalistic Symbolism, 105.
161. Westcott, Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 30.
162. Regardie, Garden of Pomegranates, 395.
163. Westcott, Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 11.
164. Seymour, Forgotten Mage, 32.
165. Westcott, Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 30.
166. Westcott., Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 30.
167. Knight, Qabalistic Symbolism, 179.
168. Westcott, Sepher Yetzirah, 2nd ed., 30.