Tree of Life
What is the Tree of Life?
According to the Kabbalistic creation story, the Creator manifested the world through the Tree of Life, which is the vehicle through which Light travels from undifferentiated Oneness into the many and the diversity of creation. Kabbalah also teaches that the Tree of Life is like a blueprint or map of each human being and that we are made in the image of the Tree.
The Tree of Life consists of ten emanations – called the Sephirot (pronounced sphere-oat) – each of which expresses a different Quality and which together are the fundamental forces of creation. Kabbalah teaches that the theme of the universe is relationship. As illustrated in the image of the Tree of Life to the left, created by the artist Avraham Lowenthal (see Art Source note below), the Sephirot are in dynamic relationship with each other as the Light descends from its Source into the world of manifestation through the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical dimensions.
The relationships between the Sephirot may be either supported or disrupted through our life’s experiences. The state of the relationships between the Sephirot are reflected in our experiences, in our relationships, and in what we manifest in the world. Imbalances in the Tree of Life may manifest in a variety of ways — for example, as a physical symptom or illness, a psychological challenge such as anxiety, depression, or feelings of loneliness, or even just a vague sense of dissatisfaction with our lives or disconnection from our life’s purpose. By inviting the Sephirot to come into balanced relationship with each other, Nondual Kabbalistic Healing (NKH) addresses the disharmony within the Tree that may be at the root of the symptom, allowing the healed condition to emerge and manifest. By supporting the flow of Light from its Source through the Tree of Life, NKH also invites us to connect with the truth of what is arising — and as it is included, we discover that we are, and have always been, Whole exactly as we are.
Art Source: Three images on this page have been generously provided by the artist Avraham Lowenthal. The colorful rendition of Rabbi Cordovera’s drawing symbolizing the Tree of Life is shown in the right side bar, the Tree of Life is shown in the body of this page, and the image at the top of this page is the Ein Ode Milvado verse in the Torah. You can visit his Tzfat Gallery of Mystical Art and read about these pieces (#1, 17 and #34).
