The Tarot Garden Library
About the Author
Josephine Mori is the
co-author of Tarot of the Sephiroth; Guide to Tarot of
the Sephiroth.
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Tarot / Qabalah Connection: Tree of Life
Exercise
by Josephine
Mori
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The Qabalah's Tree of Life diagram maps
the creation process. Tarot portrays it.
Together, they offer a unique method of engaging
it through contemplation, divination and
meditation. Different tarot cards resonate with
different "branches," called sephiroth
(singularly, sephira) of the Tree. Each "branch"
or sephira expresses a stage in the creation
process, whether on human or cosmic scale. There
are ten sephiroth, demonstrated by the 1-to-10
Tarot Minors; and 22 connecting arteries,
demonstrated by the 22 tarot Majors.
For example, the second sephira is termed
Wisdom. All the tarot 2s have a special
resonance with Wisdom as reflected in their
individual suits: the 2 of swords, wisdom of the
mind; the 2 of cups, wisdom of the heart; the 2
of wands, wisdom of the spirit; the 2 of disks,
wisdom of the body (in the sense of physical
matter or tangible resources). This principal is
expressed more subtly in cards such as Tarot
Major II (The High Priestess), and by
numerological reduction, Tarot Major XI
(Justice). To illustrate further, one of the
most common attributions of the 2 of swords is
"Peace." Is Peace not the hallmark of the wise
mind? The wisdom aspects of The High Priestess
and Justice are self-evident in tarot lore, if
perhaps less so in popular culture.
As stated, the stages of the creation process
are represented by the Tarot Minors. The
arteries that connect them, enhancing the Tree's
dynamism and inner dialogue, are represented by
the Tarot Majors. In all lifeforms, but
particularly in the human world, the Tarot
Majors express evolutionary states and their
signature energies. Continuing with our example,
let us look at the Tarot Majors that adjoin
Sephira 2,Wisdom. According to the most widely
prevalent depiction, these are: 0/XXII - The
Fool; III - The Empress; IV - The Emperor; and V
- The Hierophant. Consider how these Tarot
Majors relate to Wisdom. Certainly, The Fool, as
an avatar of cosmology's ever-expanding
universe, provides stimulus and exuberance. The
wisdom of The Empress is expressed in nature's
intrinsic knowledge of tides, cycles, seasons,
propagation and affirmation that "life will find
a way." The wise Emperor evokes governance,
stability, responsibility and structure. The
Hierophant works with wisdom in mediation and
communication between the noumenal and
phenomenal worlds.
Listed below are sephiroth and their tarot
counterparts. While several of the sephira names
may not be as blatant as Wisdom, a little
investigation will well repay the effort, as
will exploration of the respective
relationships.
- Sephira 1, The Source. Tarot Minor
1s, Tarot Majors: I - The Magician; X - The
Wheel of Fortune.
- Sephira 2, Wisdom. Tarot Minor 2s,
Tarot Majors II - The High Priestess; XI -
Justice.
- Sephira 3, Understanding. Tarot
Minor 3s. Tarot Majors III - The Empress; XII
- The Hanged Man; XXI - The Universe.
- Sephira 4, Mercy. Tarot Minor 4s,
Tarot Majors IV - The Emperor; XIII - Death;
The Fool (as XXII vis-á-vis 0).
- Sephira 5, Might. Tarot Minor 5s,
Tarot Majors V - The Hierophant; XIV -
Temperance.
- Sephira 6, Beauty. Tarot Minor 6s,
Tarot Majors VI - The Lovers; XV - The
Devil.
- Sephira 7, Victory. Tarot Minor
7s, Tarot Majors VII - The Chariot; XVI - The
Tower.
- Sephira 8, Splendor. Tarot Minor
8s, Tarot Majors VIII - Strength; XVII - The
Star.
- Sephira 9, Foundation. Tarot Minor
9s, Tarot Majors IX - The Hermit; XVIII - The
Moon.
- Sephira 10, Manifestation. Tarot
Minor 10s, TarotMajors X - The Wheel of
Fortune; I - The Magician.
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