Life-the planets. Figure
17:The Hermetic Tree of Life-the elements.
number of uses you can with the structure of the
ogy with the Tarot, ind the symbols of the · • racy and effectiveness of
I may say that this Tarot has a doubly are mutually enriched Jewish and Christian To most dogmatic tradition of the making these adic Tradition of the heir of the Golden Cham ful system, I am
well as its many I will now speak in improvement. T he tures (or gates) that help ness. When you first decks that are currently balah is more focused on to what we described intention of the focus to your study;
offer you in this book tion of the creators of With this in mind, the use of the real these keys and begin easy it is to underst nd
way, if you remain true the use of the 5, 7,
17: The
Hermetic Tree of life-the elements.
99
number of uses you can make of the Arcana by associating the cards with the structure of the Qabalistic map of the Tree of Life. T hese as
sociations give you a frame of reference that permits you to use the keys to connect with both personal and cosmic consciousness. I have also discussed the importance of associating the symbolism of astrol
ogy with the Tarot, including planetary influences, zodiacal signs, and the symbols of the divinities. These additions will improve the accu
racy and effectiveness of your use of the Tarot.
I may say that this fusion of symbolism, the Qabalah, and the Tarot has a doubly advantageous effect. T he Qabalah and the Tarot are mutually enriched by this synthesis, although it is possible that Jewish and Christian Qabalists may disagree with these affirmations.
To most dogmatic Qabalists, the Tarot has nothing to do with the tradition of the Qabalah. However, our inspiration and intention in making these associations comes from our predecessors in the Ogdo
adic Tradition of the Renaissance, which predates this criticism. As an heir of the Golden Chain of the Initiates who composed this wonder
ful system, I am eternally grateful for and impressed by its power, as well as its many effective practical applications in daily life.
I will now speak in more depth about this notion of reciprocal improvement. T he Tarot is a set of cards representing symbolic pic
tures (or gates) that help connect you to different states of conscious
ness. When you first pick up a deck, particularly most of the common decks that are currently available, it probably appears that the Qa
balah is more focused on the intellectual mind, rather than connected to what we described earlier as "the imaginary realm." However, the intention of the creators of the Tarot was not to give an intellectual focus to your study; it was rather the opposite. Therefore, the cards I offer you in this book are symbols that accomplish the original inten
tion of the creators of the Tarot.
With this in mind, you will now begin a surprising journey into the use of the real Tarot of the Hermeticists of old. Once you take up these keys and begin to study them, you will very surprised at how easy it is to understand the Qabalah. As you progress, you will find it
100 THE QABALAH, FROM GREEK TO HEBREW
very exciting to associate the theoretical and symbolic elements of the Qabalah to the extraordinary imagery of the divine Tarot.
Up to this point, I have only been discussing the study of the Tarot and some initial training in its use, both of which are rather theoreti
cal and symbolic tasks. T hese aspects are important to your use of the Tarot, but it is equally important to your understanding and enjoy
ment of the Tarot that your use of it not be limited to these important but limited intellectual aspects.
Figure 18: The Hermetic Tree of Life-numbering of the paths.
It is a good idea to consider such fundamental issues as the meaning of existence, the goals and values that give meaning to your life, etc. The Qabalah is often shown as a grid, which may be you travel through your life in this great world. But you will discover that the Qabalah is not the only answer. T he Tarot itself will offer you understanding, guidelines, and values, as well as theurgic and magical practices; sometimes the Tarot provides this informa
tion more precisely and easily than the Qabalah itself. I am not saying that the entire system of the Qabalah is equivalent to what you will find in the Tarot. However, one of the hidden objectives of the creators of the Tarot is identical with a particular aspect of the Qabalah as realized in this century; Tarot was intended to provide specific advantages to its users. T his includes moral guidelines and
THE QABALAH•
values, theurgic practices, are absent from the of the Qabalah. Of
divine.
T he initial step in the
start using these rituals, practices result in an en able to invoke and use. You.
to divine origins.
THE TAROT:
T he Tree of Life has the Qabalistic system. It complex and very simple.
Kadmon, the Adam of being created by God. As created man in His own male and female created fests this principle by pattern of the the Qabalah, you may listed on the Aurum
elements of the Tarot.
study of the Tarot are rather theoreti
to your use of the and
enjoy-give meaning to The Qabalah is often
a standard of ethics that helps you to
moral guidelines and
values, theurgic practices, healing, an oracle, etc., but these advantages are absent from the religious dogma that is such a fundamental part of the Qabalah. Of course, there is a spiritual and religious dimen
sion to the Tarot, but this aspect of the Tarot is more tolerant, and it emphasizes the quest for the Creator of the Universe and the will to establish and maintain a dose and personal relationship with the divine.
T he initial step in the quest for a relationship with the creator is to make contact with the emanations of the divine that our initiated ancestors called "the divinities." When you use the Greek words of power, you will be able to establish this contact without the dogmatic influences that have become associated with the Qabalah. When you start using these rituals, you will immediately see that these original practices result in an enormous difference in the powers you will be able to invoke and use. You will realize that you are immediately dose to divine origins.
THE TAROT: GATE OF THE QABALISTIC PATHS The Tree of Life has proven itself to be a very interesting element of the Qabalistic system. It is a pattern, which is at once both extremely complex and very simple. It represents the Universal Man (Adam Kadmon, the Adam of the biblical myth of the creation), the first being created by God. As you read in the text of the Bible, ''And God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him;
male and female created He them" (Genesis
1:27).
T he Qabalah manifests this principle by creating a link between the Tree of Life and the pattern of the archetypal body of the human being in its completed form. In this book, I will use the Tree of Life in two different ways: the first will be as a representation of the archetypal body, and the second will be as a link to the different states of consciousness that are neces
sary to accomplish your goals and complete your inner nature. If you are interested in continuing your investigation of the Tree of Life and the Qabalah, you may find it helpful to begin by referencing the books listed on the Aurum Solis website (www.aurumsolis.info/).
102 THE QABALAH, FROM GREEK TO HEBREW