The Tarot and the Tree of Life Correspondences
written by Alice Jansing
If you’re familiar with the Golden Dawn, you’ll know that the Tarot is part of a greater esoteric system; one that beautifully weaves together astrology, tarot, and Kabbalah into a greater whole. We first see these ideas being used together in the 1800’s when Eliphas Levi published a book describing the relationship of the 22 cards of the Major Arcana with the 22 letters of the Hebrew Alphabet, and the 4 suits of the tarot corresponding to the Tetragrammaton (the 4 lettered, Hebrew name of God). This book is going to be an attempt to briefly explain the connections between Kabbalah, and specifically the Tree of Life, with the Tarot.
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
4
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838
The Major Arcana: The 22 Paths of the Tree of Life and the Tarot
Chapter 2
The Tree of Life consists of 10 nodes and 22 pathways between the nodes. For the Major Arcana, we’ll focus on the 22 pathways.
The paths connecting one node to another are paths represent the lessons learned on one’s journey or the spiritual requirements needed to traverse to the next node. Collectively, these 22 paths are known as the Path of the Serpent, and represents the journey of the seeker that longs to return to the divine. As the serpent travels along this path, it also undergoes the healing of the spirit. One treads the Path through conscious self development of one’s internal world.
If you’re already well versed in tarot, you may already know that the Major Arcana reflects something known as the Fool’s Journey. The 22 paths of the Tree of Life are just another lens through which to see the Fool’s Journey. These cards tell the story of humanity’s spiritual evolution into enlightenment and individuation, or in allegorical terms, they represent the return of the soul from matter to the divine through conscious cultivation of the self. If you're familiar with Labyrinthos' philosophy regarding tarot, this will all sound very familiar to you.
The paths connecting one node to another are paths represent the lessons learned on one’s journey or the spiritual requirements needed to traverse to the next node. Collectively, these 22 paths are known as the Path of the Serpent, and represents the journey of the seeker that longs to return to the divine. As the serpent travels along this path, it also undergoes the healing of the spirit. One treads the Path through conscious self development of one’s internal world.
If you’re already well versed in tarot, you may already know that the Major Arcana reflects something known as the Fool’s Journey. The 22 paths of the Tree of Life are just another lens through which to see the Fool’s Journey. These cards tell the story of humanity’s spiritual evolution into enlightenment and individuation, or in allegorical terms, they represent the return of the soul from matter to the divine through conscious cultivation of the self. If you're familiar with Labyrinthos' philosophy regarding tarot, this will all sound very familiar to you.
