Back

Self and Spirit · 10 cards

Tree of Life

The ten sephiroth of the Kabbalah: your life as a whole

History

The Tree of Life comes from the Jewish mystical tradition of the Kabbalah: ten sephiroth tracing the flow from the divine down to daily life. In the late nineteenth century the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn matched the twenty-two Major Arcana to the tree's twenty-two paths, and it became the backbone of Western esoteric tarot. This spread places ten cards on the ten sephiroth for a view of a whole life.

What to ask

A full stock-take at a turning point in life, rather than one small question.

The positions

12345678910
  1. 1Crown: Spiritual AimThe highest aim: the direction you truly long for.
  2. 2Wisdom: Creative ForceThe creative force: what drives you forward.
  3. 3Understanding: Limits and InsightLimits and insight: what you need to accept or understand.
  4. 4Mercy: What You Give and ReceiveWhat you give and receive: love, resources, support.
  5. 5Severity: Challenge and StrengthChallenge and strength: the conflict you must face.
  6. 6Beauty: Inner BalanceThe centre of your life: where your balance is now.
  7. 7Victory: Feelings and DesireFeelings and desire: what you long for.
  8. 8Splendour: Mind and WordsMind and words: how you think and speak.
  9. 9Foundation: The UnconsciousThe unconscious foundation: unseen things that shape you.
  10. 10Kingdom: Daily LifeDaily life: body, home and routine.

Example questions

All spreads