jmd
I thought I should add a note following some messages I received and explain what I mean by my previous post.
Some Kabbalists view the four worlds spoken of in the tradition as each consisting of a Tree of Life, others consider that the Tree is divided into four 'parts' corresponding to the four worlds, and others still tend to include both images, at times using the one, at times the other (to be complete, let me also mention that according to some, each Sephirah is said to contain a whole Tree - an image I have used in at least one paper I wrote for the SRIA).
With regards to the pips of the minor Arcana, they consis of 4 lots of ten cards. This numerical similarity certainly leads to being able to easily correlate the four Trees of each world with the 'unfoldment' of the ten cards in each element. This is further justified by each of the Worlds being associated to one of the four elements through its association with the tetragrammaton (which simply means the 'four letters' - of the name of God, ie, YHVH).
Personally, I see this numerical equivalence as just that. The six of Cups, for example, shows six cups, and does not, to my mind, lead to its meaning as reflecting Tipharet in Briah. Reflecting on Briahic Tipharet can certainly lead to many insights, which the individual may then apply to his or her understanding in life's myriad spheres, including the Tarot. This does not, however, point to an intrinsic connection between these two wonderful 'tools'.
As mentioned in another post, I too correlate the Tree and Tarot, but again, in a different way.
The Continental tradition does this in yet another way, and connects, in descending order, the first ten cards of the Major Arcana (beginning with I - the Magician and Keter) with the ten Sephirot.
Some Kabbalists view the four worlds spoken of in the tradition as each consisting of a Tree of Life, others consider that the Tree is divided into four 'parts' corresponding to the four worlds, and others still tend to include both images, at times using the one, at times the other (to be complete, let me also mention that according to some, each Sephirah is said to contain a whole Tree - an image I have used in at least one paper I wrote for the SRIA).
With regards to the pips of the minor Arcana, they consis of 4 lots of ten cards. This numerical similarity certainly leads to being able to easily correlate the four Trees of each world with the 'unfoldment' of the ten cards in each element. This is further justified by each of the Worlds being associated to one of the four elements through its association with the tetragrammaton (which simply means the 'four letters' - of the name of God, ie, YHVH).
Personally, I see this numerical equivalence as just that. The six of Cups, for example, shows six cups, and does not, to my mind, lead to its meaning as reflecting Tipharet in Briah. Reflecting on Briahic Tipharet can certainly lead to many insights, which the individual may then apply to his or her understanding in life's myriad spheres, including the Tarot. This does not, however, point to an intrinsic connection between these two wonderful 'tools'.
As mentioned in another post, I too correlate the Tree and Tarot, but again, in a different way.
The Continental tradition does this in yet another way, and connects, in descending order, the first ten cards of the Major Arcana (beginning with I - the Magician and Keter) with the ten Sephirot.