The Tree of Life, with its 10 Sephiroth and 22 Paths, forms the 32 Paths of Wisdom as described in the Sefer Yetzirah. The Sephiroth are stations of divine emanation—Kether (Crown), Chokmah (Wisdom), Binah (Understanding), Chesed (Mercy), Geburah (Severity), Tiphareth (Beauty), Netzach (Victory), Hod (Splendor), Yesod (Foundation), and Malkuth (Kingdom)—while the 22 Paths are the dynamic conduits linking them, each tied to a Hebrew letter and Tarot archetype.
These paths trace the Serpent’s Path, the soul’s return from Malkuth’s material veil to Kether’s unity, a journey mirrored in the Fool’s descent and ascent through the Major Arcana.
The paths are grouped into:
- Lower Tree (Paths 32–24): Balancing inner and outer worlds, grounding the soul in Malkuth.
- Middle Tree (Paths 23–14): Bridging the astral and spiritual, refining the self through trials.
- Upper Tree (Paths 13–11): Ascending to the Supernal Triad, uniting with divine consciousness.
- Three Major Initiations: Horizontal paths—Path 27 (Netzach-Hod), Path 19 (Chesed-Geburah), Path 14 (Chokmah-Binah)—marking pivotal soul transformations.
22 Chapters of the Book of the Soul’s journey
each path an archtypal journey, a tarot major arcana, an archetypal initiatory experience in the soul’s journey
“The 10 sefirot and the 22 paths connecting them, which correspond to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet represent 32 stages of development for cosmic intelligence.”
“Ten numbers from nothing and twenty-two letters, the foundations of all being: three mothers, seven singles and twelve doubles.“ – Sefer Yetzirah 1,2
„In thirty-two mysterious paths of wisdom drew YAH, YHVH Zabaoth, God of Israel, living Elohim, King of the world, almighty, merciful and gracious, high and exalted, reigning forever, holy is his name, and created his world with three sefarim (Hebrew: םפרים): narrative (סִפּוּר sippur), number (סִפְרָה sefar, digit), and sign (סֵפֶר sefer; letter).“ – Sefer Yetzirah 1,2
32 mentions of elohim in book of genesis 10 divine utterances - 10 sephirot
Pathworkings to do in each grade: Nigredo - 29, 31, 32 Albedo - 24, 25, 26, 30, 28, 27 Citrinitas - 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 15, 16, Rubedo - 11, 12, 13, 14,
Path 11: Aleph (א) – Kether to Chokmah
- Essential Nature: The breath of divine potential, the first step into the infinite unknown.
- Hebrew Letter: Aleph – “Ox,” the primal force, unity in multiplicity.
- Tarot Card: The Fool – The soul’s leap into existence.
- Path Connection: Kether (Crown) to Chokmah (Wisdom).
- Element: Air – The breath of life, boundless and free.
- Qualities: Innocence, freedom, boundless possibility; the spark before form.
- Initiatory Experience: Stepping into the abyss with trust, embracing the unknown as divine guidance unfolds the soul’s journey.
- Symbolism: The infinite circle, the Fool’s knapsack, the breath of YHVH.
Path 12: Beth (ב) – Kether to Binah
- Essential Nature: The house of creation, channeling divine will into structure.
- Hebrew Letter: Beth – “House,” the vessel of manifestation.
- Tarot Card: The Magician – Mastery of the elements through will.
- Path Connection: Kether (Crown) to Binah (Understanding).
- Planet: Mercury – Intellect, communication, alchemy of thought.
- Qualities: Will, focus, duality; the mind as creator.
- Initiatory Experience: Transforming thought into action, mastering the tools of existence to shape reality.
- Symbolism: The wand, the table of elements, the house of divine order.
Path 13: Gimel (ג) – Kether to Tiphareth
- Essential Nature: The camel crossing the abyss, bridging divine source to the heart.
- Hebrew Letter: Gimel – “Camel,” the sustainer through the desert.
- Tarot Card: The High Priestess – Keeper of inner mysteries.
- Path Connection: Kether (Crown) to Tiphareth (Beauty).
- Planet: Moon – Intuition, the subconscious, hidden tides.
- Qualities: Mystery, intuition, stillness; the veil of the unseen.
- Initiatory Experience: Unveiling inner wisdom, descending from unity to the soul’s center through silent knowing.
- Symbolism: The scroll, the veil, the lunar crescent.
Path 14: Daleth (ד) – Chokmah to Binah
- Essential Nature: The door of creation, uniting wisdom and understanding.
- Hebrew Letter: Daleth – “Door,” the threshold of manifestation.
- Tarot Card: The Empress – Nurturer of life and abundance.
- Path Connection: Chokmah (Wisdom) to Binah (Understanding).
- Planet: Venus – Love, fertility, beauty.
- Qualities: Nurturing, creative, harmonious; the womb of form.
- Initiatory Experience: Merging masculine and feminine energies, birthing divine potential into structure—the Third Major Initiation.
- Symbolism: The rose, the fertile earth, the door of birth.
Path 15: Heh (ה) – Chokmah to Tiphareth
- Essential Nature: The window of authority, grounding divine wisdom in beauty.
- Hebrew Letter: Heh – “Window,” vision and breath of life.
- Tarot Card: The Emperor – Sovereign of order and power.
- Path Connection: Chokmah (Wisdom) to Tiphareth (Beauty).
- Zodiac: Aries – Will, leadership, initiation.
- Qualities: Structure, discipline, command; the lawgiver’s gaze.
- Initiatory Experience: Establishing dominion over the self, channeling primal force into harmony and leadership.
- Symbolism: The throne, the ram, the window of sight.
Path 16: Vav (ו) – Chokmah to Chesed
- Essential Nature: The nail of connection, linking wisdom to mercy.
- Hebrew Letter: Vav – “Nail,” the connector and bridge.
- Tarot Card: The Hierophant – Guardian of tradition and divine law.
- Path Connection: Chokmah (Wisdom) to Chesed (Mercy).
- Zodiac: Taurus – Stability, faith, endurance.
- Qualities: Tradition, revelation, steadfastness; the teacher’s voice.
- Initiatory Experience: Bridging higher wisdom to earthly compassion through ritual and sacred teachings.
- Symbolism: The key, the altar, the bull’s horns.
Path 17: Zayin (ז) – Binah to Tiphareth
- Essential Nature: The sword of choice, integrating understanding into beauty.
- Hebrew Letter: Zayin – “Sword,” discernment and division.
- Tarot Card: The Lovers – Union of opposites through choice.
- Path Connection: Binah (Understanding) to Tiphareth (Beauty).
- Zodiac: Gemini – Duality, intellect, harmony.
- Qualities: Love, balance, decision; the soul’s crossroads.
- Initiatory Experience: Choosing between paths, harmonizing duality to align with the heart’s truth.
- Symbolism: The twin pillars, the sword of choice, the lovers’ embrace.
Path 18: Cheth (ח) – Binah to Geburah
- Essential Nature: The fence of discipline, guarding understanding with strength.
- Hebrew Letter: Cheth – “Fence,” protection and enclosure.
- Tarot Card: The Chariot – Triumph through will and control.
- Path Connection: Binah (Understanding) to Geburah (Severity).
- Zodiac: Cancer – Nurture, defense, motion.
- Qualities: Willpower, direction, protection; the warrior’s reins.
- Initiatory Experience: Mastering the self through spiritual discipline, steering through life’s battles.
- Symbolism: The chariot, the crab’s shell, the fenced path.
Path 19: Teth (ט) – Chesed to Geburah
- Essential Nature: The serpent of strength, balancing mercy and severity.
- Hebrew Letter: Teth – “Serpent,” coiled power and wisdom.
- Tarot Card: Strength – Inner fortitude and courage.
- Path Connection: Chesed (Mercy) to Geburah (Severity).
- Zodiac: Leo – Pride, power, vitality.
- Qualities: Courage, resilience, balance; the tamer of beasts.
- Initiatory Experience: Mastering inner forces, uniting compassion and justice—the Second Major Initiation.
- Symbolism: The lion, the serpent’s coil, the heart’s fire.
Path 20: Yod (י) – Chesed to Tiphareth
- Essential Nature: The hand of creation, guiding mercy to beauty.
- Hebrew Letter: Yod – “Hand,” the spark of divine essence.
- Tarot Card: The Hermit – Seeker of inner light.
- Path Connection: Chesed (Mercy) to Tiphareth (Beauty).
- Zodiac: Virgo – Purity, service, introspection.
- Qualities: Solitude, wisdom, guidance; the lamp in darkness.
- Initiatory Experience: Withdrawing to find truth, illuminating the soul with divine compassion.
- Symbolism: The lantern, the staff, the hand of God.
Path 21: Kaph (כ) – Chesed to Netzach
- Essential Nature: The palm of fortune, cycling mercy into victory.
- Hebrew Letter: Kaph – “Palm,” the grasp of fate.
- Tarot Card: The Wheel of Fortune – Cycles of destiny.
- Path Connection: Chesed (Mercy) to Netzach (Victory).
- Planet: Jupiter – Expansion, abundance, luck.
- Qualities: Change, flow, providence; the wheel’s turn.
- Initiatory Experience: Embracing life’s cycles, trusting divine timing to manifest triumph.
- Symbolism: The wheel, the palm of bounty, the four creatures.
Path 22: Lamed (ל) – Geburah to Tiphareth
- Essential Nature: The ox-goad of justice, balancing severity with beauty.
- Hebrew Letter: Lamed – “Ox-Goad,” teaching and equilibrium.
- Tarot Card: Justice – Law and balance.
- Path Connection: Geburah (Severity) to Tiphareth (Beauty).
- Zodiac: Libra – Harmony, fairness, order.
- Qualities: Equity, responsibility, truth; the scales’ measure.
- Initiatory Experience: Aligning actions with cosmic law, finding harmony through accountability.
- Symbolism: The scales, the sword of truth, the goad of learning.
Path 23: Mem (מ) – Geburah to Hod
- Essential Nature: The waters of sacrifice, flowing from severity to splendor.
- Hebrew Letter: Mem – “Water,” fluidity and depth.
- Tarot Card: The Hanged Man – Surrender and transformation.
- Path Connection: Geburah (Severity) to Hod (Splendor).
- Element: Water – Purification, release, flow.
- Qualities: Surrender, patience, insight; the martyr’s gift.
- Initiatory Experience: Letting go of ego, gaining wisdom through sacrifice and reversal.
- Symbolism: The inverted cross, the sea, the womb of water.
Path 24: Nun (נ) – Tiphareth to Netzach
- Essential Nature: The fish of transformation, swimming from beauty to victory.
- Hebrew Letter: Nun – “Fish,” life in death’s currents.
- Tarot Card: Death – Endings and rebirth.
- Path Connection: Tiphareth (Beauty) to Netzach (Victory).
- Zodiac: Scorpio – Transformation, intensity, renewal.
- Qualities: Change, release, metamorphosis; the scythe’s harvest.
- Initiatory Experience: Embracing endings to birth new beginnings, transforming through loss.
- Symbolism: The skeleton, the fish, the scorpion’s sting.
Path 25: Samekh (ס) – Tiphareth to Yesod
- Essential Nature: The prop of temperance, balancing beauty with foundation.
- Hebrew Letter: Samekh – “Prop,” support and cycle.
- Tarot Card: Temperance – Alchemy of harmony.
- Path Connection: Tiphareth (Beauty) to Yesod (Foundation).
- Zodiac: Sagittarius – Aspiration, synthesis, journey.
- Qualities: Balance, patience, integration; the alchemist’s art.
- Initiatory Experience: Blending spirit and matter, mastering the trial of equilibrium.
- Symbolism: The angel’s cups, the bow, the pillar of support.
Path 26: Ayin (ע) – Tiphareth to Hod
- Essential Nature: The eye of illusion, seeing through beauty to splendor.
- Hebrew Letter: Ayin – “Eye,” perception and shadow.
- Tarot Card: The Devil – Bonds of materialism.
- Path Connection: Tiphareth (Beauty) to Hod (Splendor).
- Zodiac: Capricorn – Ambition, limitation, discipline.
- Qualities: Temptation, bondage, clarity; the shadow’s mirror.
- Initiatory Experience: Confronting attachments, breaking free from illusion’s chains.
- Symbolism: The goat, the chains, the eye of truth.
Path 27: Peh (פ) – Netzach to Hod
- Essential Nature: The mouth of destruction, speaking victory into splendor.
- Hebrew Letter: Peh – “Mouth,” utterance and force.
- Tarot Card: The Tower – Upheaval and revelation.
- Path Connection: Netzach (Victory) to Hod (Splendor).
- Planet: Mars – Power, rupture, renewal.
- Qualities: Suddenness, liberation, truth; the lightning’s strike.
- Initiatory Experience: Shattering false structures, awakening through chaos—the First Major Initiation.
- Symbolism: The falling tower, the mouth of fire, the red flame.
Path 28: Tzaddi (צ) – Netzach to Yesod
- Essential Nature: The fish-hook of hope, lifting victory to foundation.
- Hebrew Letter: Tzaddi – “Fish-Hook,” seeking and drawing forth.
- Tarot Card: The Star – Renewal and inspiration.
- Path Connection: Netzach (Victory) to Yesod (Foundation).
- Zodiac: Aquarius – Vision, purity, flow.
- Qualities: Hope, guidance, clarity; the star’s light.
- Initiatory Experience: Finding faith after trials, channeling divine inspiration into the soul.
- Symbolism: The star, the water-bearer, the hook of grace.
Path 29: Qoph (ק) – Netzach to Malkuth
- Essential Nature: The back of the head, dreaming victory into matter.
- Hebrew Letter: Qoph – “Back of Head,” subconscious and sleep.
- Tarot Card: The Moon – Shadows and intuition.
- Path Connection: Netzach (Victory) to Malkuth (Kingdom).
- Zodiac: Pisces – Dreams, illusion, surrender.
- Qualities: Mystery, fear, intuition; the night’s veil.
- Initiatory Experience: Navigating the unconscious, facing fears to ground the spirit in reality.
- Symbolism: The moon, the fish, the path through shadow.
Path 30: Resh (ר) – Hod to Yesod
- Essential Nature: The head of enlightenment, illuminating splendor into foundation.
- Hebrew Letter: Resh – “Head,” clarity and leadership.
- Tarot Card: The Sun – Joy and revelation.
- Path Connection: Hod (Splendor) to Yesod (Foundation).
- Planet: Sun – Light, vitality, truth.
- Qualities: Clarity, joy, success; the sun’s radiance.
- Initiatory Experience: Embracing inner light, manifesting truth and vitality in the psyche.
- Symbolism: The sun, the child, the head of wisdom.
Path 31: Shin (ש) – Hod to Malkuth
- Essential Nature: The tooth of fire, purifying splendor into matter.
- Hebrew Letter: Shin – “Tooth,” fire and spirit.
- Tarot Card: Judgment – Resurrection and awakening.
- Path Connection: Hod (Splendor) to Malkuth (Kingdom).
- Element: Fire – Purification, transformation, spirit.
- Qualities: Renewal, judgment, transcendence; the trumpet’s call.
- Initiatory Experience: Rising through purification, answering the call to higher being.
- Symbolism: The flame, the angel’s horn, the tooth of change.
Path 32: Tau (ת) – Yesod to Malkuth
- Essential Nature: The cross of completion, grounding foundation into matter.
- Hebrew Letter: Tau – “Cross,” mark of fulfillment.
- Tarot Card: The World – Wholeness and manifestation.
- Path Connection: Yesod (Foundation) to Malkuth (Kingdom).
- Planet: Saturn – Structure, limitation, completion.
- Qualities: Completion, embodiment, unity; the dancer’s crown.
- Initiatory Experience: Manifesting divine will in the physical, completing the soul’s descent and return.
- Symbolism: The world dancer, the cross, the four elements united.