Chakras and the Tree of Life

Hi,

I'm wondering if there is any substantial history to overlaying the 7 layer chakra system with the tree of life. I know MKG has her chakra/tree of life layout in Tarot for Yourself. It seems to be something she just does on her own.

In introducing the Kabalah in my intro tarot class one person pointed out how she can see the chakras in it. It seems to be such a natural correspondance so I want to know which authors if any have worked with it. Is there a body of theories out there? I've seen intro books compare the two.

Did the Golden Dawn or early Kabalists have access to info on the Chakras? Maybe it's a new comparison we can make only now in our culturaly expanded global village?

What are your opinions on this? Is it a useful correspondance or an ingredient easily tossed in the spiritual melting pot?

Hi linabeet,

I found these sites immediately, which draw some connections to chakras and the Tree of Life...

http://www.polarissite.net/TOL/Chakras.html
http://www.rainbowbody.net/Ongwhehonwhe/cabchak.htm
http://www.sinfin.net/kabbalah/subtle.html

The idea is not so far fetched when you apply it to the Hindu realms of existence, the subtle bodies, as the third link does. Depending on your Hindu methodology, there are 14 realms, however when you lump the lower realms into the larger concept of Naraka (hell), you can eliminate some of these levels to better fit the number 10, as seen in the Tree of Life.

It's an idea I've played with in the years past, and very interesting to see the correlations.

thanks for the awesome links, love the rainbowbody site!

Alissa,

Thanks for those links. Very interesting.

Interesting to see how one of them uses daath as chakra while spliting tiphareth between heart and solar plexus, whereas the others ignore daath.

Subtle Bodies. i wonder what other correlations can be made.

There appears different correlations that have been made by various people.

I have included my own correlations on my own site - that happens to also personally agree with the views of Kenton (Halevi).

At the time of the GD (to also address a little linabeet's opening question), it perhaps should be noted that there were some tensions that also developed between it and the esoteric section (ES) of the Theosophical Society in London (resulting in mutual exclusion of members). At the minimum, what this shows is that views on the Chakram were indeed considered by some GD members.

The Chakras are more rightly found within the ordering of the G.·.D.·. Tree of Life glyph rather than in the ordering of planetary attributions of the esoteric RWS deck:

3 - Binah/Saturn/Crown Chakra
4 - Chesed/Jupiter/Brow Chakra
5 - Geburah/Mars/Throat Chakra
6 - Tiphareth/Sun/Heart Chakra
7 - Netzach/Venus/NavelChakra
8 - Hod/Mercury/Pelvic Chakra
9 - Yesod/Moon/Root Chakra


This ordering corresponds to the Platonic ordering of the planets. Whereas the RWS Majors correspond to a specific alchemical method with Mithraic undercurrents:

1-2-3 Mercury/Quicksilver
4-5-6 Venus/Copper
7-8-9 Mars/Iron
10-11-12 Jupiter/Tin
13-14-15 Saturn/Lead
16-17-18 Moon/Silver
19-20-21 Sun/Gold


The difference between the alchemical ordering and the Mithraic ordering is the insertion of Saturn before Moon instead of after Sun:

Corax - Mercury
Nymphus - Venus
Miles - Mars
Leo - Jupiter
Perses - Moon
Heliodromus - Sun
Pater - Saturn

RChMI said:

The difference between the alchemical ordering and the Mithraic ordering is the insertion of Saturn before Moon instead of after Sun:

Corax - Mercury
Nymphus - Venus
Miles - Mars
Leo - Jupiter
Perses - Moon
Heliodromus - Sun
Pater - Saturn

Click to expand...

I am curious where you got this order. I think of alchemical order AS that of the Sefirotic Tree in Coins (Asiyah world, the order you quoted first): ‘sun’ as matrix 2-6-10 (beginning-middle-end), Saturn-Jupiter-Mars as 3-4-5, and Venus-Mercury-luna as 7-8-9. The sun’s 2-6-10 matrix holds also in the atomic numbers of the periodic table: 2-helium and 10-neon are the enclosing inert atom-types related to great year and day, respectively – day is the cycle of neon lights, and helium is produced by radioactive decay typically extending over periods comparable to that of the great year (26,000 yrs.)... and 6-carbon is that whose cycle (carbon chains being the core of living matter) IS the year.

Or, there’s the operational sequence lead-mercury-silver-gold: the lead-mercury stage of transformation presumably the Nigredo, mercury-silver stage the Albedo, silver-gold stage the Rubedo. But the sun here – as in the Mithraic, I should think – pervades or defines the whole work, being its goal... just as it surrounds (2 & 10) and forms the mean (6) in the periodic table (and in that part of the Tree beyond Unity or 1).

Oh, I forgot to say that I see planets as representing organs, whereas chakras are nerve centers or something of that sort, as I understand them. So I would see a distinction. Still, there could well be an inner connexion between planetary organs and chakra functions.

The ordering comes from the Mithraic Initiatory Grades. Which is based on an Eastern system of planetary alignments. Although the Mithraic Initiates did incorporate many Western aspects, they kept the Eastern ordering to differentiate the grades from the Western planetary attribution workings, those being based on the seven Homeric Greek vowels - Alpha (Moon,) Epsilon (Mercury,) Eta (Venus,) Iota (Sun,) Omicron (Mars,) Upsilon (Jupiter) Omega (Saturn) - which were utilized as designations for the seven major endocrine centres.... To traverse each centre/chakra and hold each in attainment individually and as a whole, was to become an ideal of spiritual perfection in material form. Hence the phrase in Revelation "I am the Alpha and the Omega."

What this thread shows - or shows me at any rate - is that there are always numerous ways in which correlations may be made with disparate systems.

In itself, the Tree of Life, though also an image of Adam Kadmon, speaks not specifically of Chakram.

Also, traditionally, as one related the image of the Tree of Life to the Image of the likeness of Adam Kadmon, Malkut is the base upon which rests his feet. Similarly (mutatis mutandum), it is Keter that appears at the location as the pinnacle of his head.

The Mithraic grades are interesting. The problem I personally see, however, is that we have here a two-fold removal of the problem, with connections that are themselves questionable between the Tree of Life and the Chakram, and these latter and the Mithraic grades, and then again between the Mithraic grades and the Tree of Life.

Of course, if one wants or desires to work with correlations in order to make many things 'fit' together, than these things will be made to fit.

Some great insights will also inevitably be gained. The cost may be, however (and in my view), that the peculiar unveiling of one system (for example, those of the Tree of Life) may be marred by shadings from another (whether Chakral or Mithraic considerations).

"Different Systems for Different People" I suppose should be the banner that flutters above us. For, within the parameters of each different system, one might find an individuated link that sings within their own inner choir.

If we were to worship as one, think as one, do as one, there would be no need for individual personality.... we would be as insects.