THE TREE OF LIFE

The tree of life consists of 3 triangles and one final sefria called Malkuth situated on the bottom, on its own. Malkuth represents the Earth. If we look at the triangles on the trees we see that each contains the opposing forces while between them lies a third, the force of consciousness, which serves to balance them.

At the top of the tree and at the apex of the top most triangle (known as the great face, meaning God's own self-awareness) is the sphere of Kether.

Within the impulses were two principles, one active and the other passive. Male and Female. They have become the twin forces of one universe. The active force Hokmuh, on the right side fo the triangle is the positive dynamic energy that lies behind all movement, growth, and change.

Its opposite, Binah, is the passive principle, stable and unchanging, like the waters of a tranquil sea. We know, however, that once these dark waters are impregnated by the force of Hokmah, they will stir and bring forth life.

Hesed is the Father, stern yet benevolent, just yet forgiving. His is the power that goes about calmly organizing things ensuring that order emerges from chaos and that justice, peace, and love prevail, on the left of the triangle is the opposite force, Geburah, which also represents authority, but this time that of the Mother. Even so, the energy of Geburah is essentially destructiv e, causing havoc, strife and war. In this way the actionsof Hesed and Geburah compliment each other and are observable in the manifold workings of nature where the established order succumbs to inevitable processes of destruction.

Between the two, however, lies the redemptive sphere of Tifareth, held by tradition to be the sphere of the sun. Here we see the urge to survive. The vital energy that impels to continue regardless of setbacks.

In the third triangle the child we encounteredin Tifareth has attained adulthood we are now able to perceive the two main forces that move him. The first, on the right of the triangle, is the male force, Netsah. Just as the child of Tifareth represented the urge to survive, so the mature Netsah is that same urge realized.

As Netsah represents our natural proclivities, so Hod, its opposite, has to do with mental activity that is less dependent on sensory impulses. This is the realm of imagination and fantasy, abstraction adn intellect. Whereas in the turmoil of Netsah we see the spontaneous activity of the mind, we behold in the repose of Hod the minds own creativness. Between the two, however, there exists a third force, Yesod, which contains the other two and much of itself besides. For in the mysterious depths of this sefira lie all those characteristics which combine to form our individual peronalities.

Finally we return to Malkuth where, as children of the earth, we may stand looking up at the tree. Its source is lost in the light of the erernal, but we need not dispair of reachign that light, we are part of it. Indeed, being a composite symbol of the universe, the tree can be used to help us drawcloser to the fountainhead. We can use it as a guide to the astral world whenever we choose to leave the sphere of Malkuth, for by recollecting the pattern of the tree we may safely go ahead and explore the astral without any risk of losing our way.