The most influential model in the development and interpretation of the Tarot from the 19th century on has been the consideration of the cards as an expression of the esoteric system known as Kabbalah. The most important decks of the 20th century have been based on Kabbalistic ideas, in terms of their structure, their symbology and their interpretation. Two major examples are the Rider-Waite deck and the Thoth deck, designed by Arthur Edward Waite and Aleister Crowley respectively.
Kabbalah can be translated from the Hebrew as "received tradition", and is a term applied to a vast and seemingly disparate body of esoteric knowledge and practice. It is used to describe Jewish mysticism in general, or more specifically the tradition which found its impetus in the Sefer ha-Zohar ("The Book of Splendor") of the thirteenth century. It is also applied to the Christian or Western Kabbalah which grew from German and Lurianic Kabbalism and found its expression and extension in western Mystery Orders, such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
In its most complete form the Kabbalah can be considered as the "Yoga of the West", complementing the eastern chakra system and having counterparts to many of the forms of yogic practice. Indeed, the three main nadis (energy channels) in eastern philosophy, ida, sushumna and pingala; and the yin, Tao and yang of Taoist philosophy, find direct expression in the Kabbalistic pillars of severity, equilibrium and mercy on the Tree of Life.
The Kabbalah at its best is a system of esoteric philosophy, psychology and cosmology that allows any aspect of existence to be assimilated and related to any other on many levels, both rational and trans-rational. It may be used profitably by anyone, regardless of creed; and, for those who wish it, it is a key to the control of subtle forces and the attainment of true mystical union.
Central to modern Kabbalistic study is the diagram Otz Chiim, the Tree of Life. This is a representation of the thirty-two "paths" comprised of the ten sefirot and the twenty-two paths through which they interrelate Though the tree may be drawn with variations in the location of paths - particularly in pure, Judaic Kabbalah - esoteric tradition is consistent in presenting the tree as above, with the paths in the positions shown.
The Tree of Life describes the descent of the divine into the manifest world, and methods by which divine union may be attained in this life. It can be viewed as a map of the human psyche, and of the workings of creation, both manifest and unmanifest. Indeed, any system can be more fully understood both in itself and relative to any other system by viewing it in relation to the Tree. The Tree allows and requires a more holistic understanding of any topic to which it is applied - reason, spiritual perception and intuition are all needed, as is clear from the structure of the Tree itself.
It is important to realize that the pure nature of divinity is unity, and that the seemingly separate aspects or emanations exist only in view of the emanated, living in a state of illusory separation. This is expressed in the Zohar: "in creating this world below, the world above lost nothing. It is the same for each sefira: if one is illuminated, the next loses none of its brilliance". The absolute divine light can be said to be refracted through the prism of the sefirot into the apparently multifarious world of creation.
The Tree may be viewed in many different ways by grouping the sefirot together depending on circumstance. The most important views are the three pillars of severity (sefirot 3, 5 and 8), equilibrium (sefirot 1, 6, 9 and 10) and mercy (sefirot 2, 4 and 7); and the three major triangles: the supernal triangle (sefirot 1, 2 and 3), the ethical triangle (sefirot 4, 5 and 6) and the astral triangle (sefirot 7, 8 and 9). Also worthy of note are the seven planes of the tree and the correspondence between the sefirot and the chakras of eastern mysticism.
The Structure of the Tree
The names and numbers of the ten sefirot are given in order below. The most usual name for each sefira is given first, followed by some alternatives.
1 Kether (Crown) or Kether Elyon (Supreme Crown)
2 Chokmah (Wisdom)
3 Binah (Understanding or Intelligence)
4 Chesed (Mercy or Grace) or Gedullah (Greatness)
5 Geburah (Severity or Power), Din (Judgement) or Pahad (Fear)
6 Tifereth (Beauty) or Rahamim (Mercy)
7 Netsach (Victory or Constancy)
8 Hod (Glory or Majesty)
9 Yesod (Foundation) or Tsedek (Justice)
10 Malkuth (Kingdom) or Shekhinah (Divine Immanence)
In viewing the Tree as comprised of the three pillars of severity, equilibrium (or mildness) and mercy, each sefira can be classed as either negative (restrictive, passive and destructive), balancing, or positive (expansive, active and constructive) depending upon whether it lies on the pillar of severity, equilibrium or mercy respectively. It is important to realize that no value judgement is implied in the terms 'positive or masculine' and 'negative or feminine'; each is neither better nor worse than the other. Indeed, it can be said that evil is a synonym for imbalance, highlighting the vital, complementary natures of the pillars.
Each sefira in itself has a dual aspect of negative and positive: namely, it is negative or receptive in relation to the preceding sefira and positive or transmissive in relation to the succeeding sefira. So, for example, Tifereth is negative to Geburah and positive to Netsach. This has the consequence that, taking the Tree in isolation, Kether may be considered as entirely positive (masculine) and Malkuth entirely negative (feminine), in that they have no preceding or succeeding sefira respectively. However, as will be seen from the discussion of the Four Worlds below, "Malkuth in one world is Kether of the next": even these sefirot can be viewed in their dual aspect.
Other positive-negative relationships of the sefirot may be considered too. For example, sefirot in the same pillar can be viewed in relation to each other. Thus Chesed may be seen as negative to Chokmah and positive to Netsach. Sefirot on the middle pillar also have a strong sense of balance, each being a balance or resolving point of one or more of the three dualities (Chokmah-Binah, Chesed-Geburah, and Netsach-Hod) found between the outer pillars.
Before leaving the pillars, let us reiterate their use as a means to synthesize the Kabbalah with threefold systems. Examples of analogies between the pillars of severity, equilibrium and mercy and other trinities include Taoist concepts (yin, Tao and yang); tantric energy channels (ida, sushumna and pingala); Hindu (Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu) and Christian (Holy Spirit, Father and Son) trinities; alchemical concepts (Sulfur, Mercury and Salt); aspects of the Goddess (Crone, Mother and Maiden); phases of the moon (waning, full and waxing); and the Hebrew "Mother" letters (Mem, Aleph and Shin). Knowledge of any of these can help enrich your knowledge of the Kabbalah through association with the Tree, and vice versa. This method of analogy can be applied to each sefira individually, to the pillars or triangles of the Tree, to the planes, the Worlds or any other way the Tree can be conceived. The balance of structure and flexibility in the Tree gives it its great strength as a means of assimilation, understanding and interconnectivity.
One final attribution of the pillars that is well worth reflecting upon is that of the three precepts to Enlightenment, which can correspond to the pillars of severity, mercy and mildness respectively: Self-control, Self-knowledge and Self-realization.
Da'ath
In addition to the ten sefirot, the diagram of the Tree of Life above shows the dark and unlabeled "sefira which is not a sefira", Da'ath. This "sefira" has no number and no position on the Tree in relation to the other sefirot, though when it is shown it is located centrally in the Abyss (between the planes of Binah-Chokmah and Geburah-Chesed) with no explicit connection to any other sefira. Da'ath is Knowledge, and is sometimes considered as being an expression of Binah and Chokmah combined. It is a place of balanced power.