Tree of Life
The Tree of Life is the main symbol of Kabbalah, the religious mystical system of Judaism.Its essence can only be described in symbolism. It is essentially a map depicting the ongoing events and forces of Creation. It reflects our place in the world and reveals our role and responsibility. The Tree of Life challenges us with the words “Tikkun Ha Olam” meaning “Repair the World.” My sentiments, exactly.
God created the Universe with “Ten Utterances”. The Tree of Life is composed of 10 “sefirot”, also referred to as vessels or gateways. Hypothetically there is an 11th sefirot that kabbalists call “hidden” (It is the Tree of Knowledge.) Each sefirot encompasses a specific quality, has a corresponding name of God and creation event. There are matching body parts, colors, planets, biblical figures, trees, etc.
The left and right sides of the Tree correspond to masculine and feminine. The left is restrictive, the right is expansive, the middle represents a balance. The parallel planes moving up correspond to Action, Emotion and Intellect. Moving down; Emanation, Creation, Formation, Manifestation. There are 22 connecting paths running between the sefirot. Each of the 22 paths identify with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet as well as one of the major arcana of the Tarot.
Besides the history related to Judaism, the Tree of Life is expressed in cultures from ancient Sumeria to Persia and Iran-- to Japan and China, the Aztecs, the Greek and the Celts.The Mayans have the “world tree.” In West Africa, it is the “Moringa-Oleifera” or the Miracle Tree. For the Egyptians it is the “Acacia tree.” The Aborigines have the “Dream Tree." In the Carribean--the “Coconut Tree.” The Norse have “Thor’s Oak, the sacred tree at Upsala.” One of my favorites is the “Banyan Tree” of India.
Here are a few Tree of Life examples, by Klimt, Stramel and Morris:
The Tree of Life is truly a universally understood symbol. Despite the bantering about Kaballah in popular culture, few understand its depths. Attempting to do so, through my work, will be my next adventure. It is said...an attempt to move through the maze of Kaballah alone and without proper training could lead to madness. My Tara project has trained me, I cannot resist! Here is one tidbit of new information: the Tree’s roots are actually above, while the branches reach down to our below. My “overall” Tree will reflect this ...
