THE SACRED TREE: JOURNEY THROUGH THE TREE OF LIFE

By Pascale M Osanz

This is a practical guide to understand the basics of Kabbalah, the Tree of Life, and Tarot cards. Follow Angie on her new spiritual journey as she leaves behind her mundane life and embark on a profound transformation of her inner being. Along the way, she will discover new friends, a new love, and a new purpose in life, all accessible to anyone who follows this path.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press AU
• Release date: Apr 22, 2024
• ISBN: 9781982299453

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Copyright © 2024 Pascale M Osanz.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

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models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Cover Picture by Angela Jacques

In EU the Rider-Waite Tarot cards will be treated as if they were a work of EU origin. The standard EU term of copyright is life plus 70 years. This would then mean that in EU the copyright on the Rider-Waite Tarot only falls into the public domain in 2012.

ISBN: 978-1-9822-9946-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-9945-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024907101

Balboa Press rev. date: 04/19/2024

CONTENTS

Introduction

The Paths on the Tree of Life.

Chapter 1 Malkuth, the first Sephirah at the base of the Tree.

Chapter 2 Yesod

Chapter 3 Hod

Chapter 4 Netzach

Chapter 5 Tiphareth

Chapter 6 Gevurah

Chapter 7 Hitting the Brick Wall

Chapter 8 Chesed

Chapter 9 Da’arth

Chapter 10 Binah

Chapter 11 Chokhmah

Chapter 12 Kether

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Picture by Angela Jacques

INTRODUCTION

I was studying the mystical teachings of the Kabbalah and discovered the inspiring Tree of Life, a profound symbol that held the key to unlocking the secrets of my own path. I realized that the Tree of Life was composed of ten spheres known as Sephiroth, each representing a unique aspect of existence. They were interconnected by a network of thirty-two paths, and I noticed that these pathways held profound wisdom for my personal voyage. In my quest for self-discovery, I perceived that the Tree of Life was more than just a mere map; it was a gateway to uncover the complicated depth of my consciousness.

As the weeks rolled on, I found myself caught in an enigmatic puzzle, putting together fragments of personal history and unearthing long-forgotten tales that had woven themselves into my secret inner garden. Each clue I discovered drew me deeper into a world filled with unexpected ties, and the shadows of the past refused to be forgotten.

Through this journey, I would not only unlock the secrets of an abandoned garden but also uncover the strength within myself. As I faced the challenges that lay ahead, I would forge unbreakable bonds, loyal friendship, and discover that sometimes, the most extraordinary adventures are found in the most unlikely places. To aid me on this transformative journey, I turned to the imagery of the Rider-Waite Tarot cards. Each path and sphere were depicted within these symbolic cards, providing guidance and insight into my personal growth. In this extraordinary adventure, I soon acknowledged that the Tree of Life was not just my story, but a reflection of everyone’s experiences and an amazing tool for understanding our own consciousness. My pilgrimage commenced at the base of the Tree, venturing from the enigmatic Path 32 to the captivating Path 11. I was prepared to unlock the hidden treasures within my own being as I started this magical expedition of self-discovery. Exciting revelations and personal insights lay just around the corner! I felt welcomed to the esoteric world of the Tree of Life, where limitless possibilities await those brave enough to explore its mystical depths.

THE PATHS ON THE TREE OF LIFE.

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To move from Sephirah¹ to Sephirah, I had to walk all 22 paths. Each path was connected to one of the 22 major arcana of the Tarot, arcana meaning great secrets. Each path represented the lessons learnt during my journey or the spiritual requirements needed to go to the next Sephirah. I knew it was not going to be a straightforward journey, the paths were known as the Path of the Serpent, zigzagging between each Sephirah. It represented my journey as the seeker that wished to return to the Divine. As the serpent travelled along this path, it also underwent the healing of the spirit, a conscious self-development. I was the naïve girl, excited to start this new reality, just like the fools’ journey. Was I ready to reach enlightenment? I was hoping so. I could have started my journey from the top of the tree, but I preferred to start from the base. Started with the last Tarot major Arcana, and moved up the tree, until I reached Kether, right on the top, with the fool who would be a fool no more, but a very wise being.

To move from Sephirah to Sephirah, I had to walk all 22 paths. Each path was connected to one of the 22 major arcana of the Tarot, arcana meaning great secrets. Each path represented the lessons learnt during my journey or the spiritual requirements needed to go to the next Sephirah. I knew it was not going to be a straightforward journey, the paths were known as the Path of the Serpent, zigzagging between each Sephirah. It represented my journey as the seeker that wished to return to the Divine. As the serpent travelled along this path, it also underwent the healing of the spirit, conscious self-development. I was the naïve girl, excited to start this new reality, just like the fools’ journey. Was I ready to reach enlightenment? I was hoping so. I could have started my journey from the top of the tree, but I preferred to start from the base. Started with the last Tarot major Arcana, and moved up the tree, until I reached Kether, right on the top, with the fool who would be a fool no more, but a very wise being.

MALKUTH

Malkuth is our roots, whether it is our country of birth, the base where we started life, where we felt at home, or the new place we have been dreaming of. Our roots are also our physical body, a vehicle for our spiritual being: the soles of the feet, feet and legs, with all its restrictions, an opportunity for expansion.

Malkuth is our connection with the entire physical world, Mother Earth, the contact between our body and the world, which we experience through our senses. (earth represented by the skeleton, the muscles and the sinuses, water any liquid in the body, blood, sweat, urine, plasma, air represented by gases, and fire, the aura).

Malkuth is where we start our journey, opening to the gate of death, from the beginning of life, the womb where we left our nine months confinement, and experienced birth. It is the Sephirah where we leave our present jail to move on to something better, to transcend any limitation.

Not everyone wishes to leave. Businessmen who love collecting sport cars, promoters investors who must have many properties, men and women who can’t stick to one partner but enjoy new love experience; hoarders who keep collecting. Inertia induces laziness. We tend to live in our minds and as a result, we lose touch with what is real. We end up thinking so much that eventually, all we have are more thoughts that may have nothing to do with reality. This state of overthinking leads to anxiety and unrest. The best way back to reality is to focus on the senses, listening to the sounds in the room or focus our eyes on a single point for even just a few minutes. The Tarot cards associated with Malkuth are the 10 of each suit and the Pages of each suit.

CHAPTER 1

MALKUTH, THE FIRST

SEPHIRAH AT THE

BASE OF THE TREE.

I look at myself in my bedroom mirror and I don’t recognize this face. Hello! Are you Angie? The one who is 24? I have changed so much recently, that it almost seems my reflection has too. The biggest change has been emotionally and spiritually. I embarked on an exhilarating new path, as I set out to explore a new chapter in my life, an exciting and sometimes scary journey.

I was becoming increasingly restless in my job and the city where I lived, and I was dreaming of moving to the country. This is when things started to change, as my life took an unexpected turn. I’d inherited the house of my sweet and favourite aunt. I could not believe my luck. She was living in a village in the middle of nowhere and always told me her house would be mine after her death, but I didn’t believe it. I had been so busy recently I didn’t have much time to visit her, and I sincerely regret it. We used to talk often on the internet, exchanging pleasantries but I never suspected she wasn’t in good health. She never complained, always looking cheerful and happy.

Losing her was heartbreaking. The weight of grief hung heavily upon me, but amidst this despair, the news of this unexpected inheritance propelled me from sorrow to great joy. I was at the edge of a new and incredible existence, the proud owner of a gorgeous little cottage in the countryside, a new life, the life I had always dreamed of had fallen into my lap.

My aunt’s funeral was held a few days later, with a small gathering attending her send-off, there was not a dry eye to be seen. Though my own mother attended it, an unspoken rift had widened between us, that at times I was unable to truly understand the cause. Her hectic life swept her away immediately after the funeral, leaving us estranged in our shared grief. Perhaps, deep down, she also resented the fact she was losing her sister’s house, and that I had inherited it, and maybe she didn’t want to go back to the house to revive the memories of her past. Amidst unfamiliar faces at the gathering, I felt like a stranger. Mixed emotions filled me as I did my best to be present in the moment.

After the funeral I went back to my aunt’s house, bracing myself for an emotional attack. It was so hard to enter the place. I could feel her presence everywhere. From the path leading to her front door to every room in the cottage, it all resonated with her love. Gently, tears fell down my cheeks as a sense of profound solitude washed over me. In that moment as I stood in the cottage, there was an emptiness within, it was so hard to bear the weight of sorrow, I made a promise to myself that I would return to live in the cottage as soon as possible. I loved it so much!

As I made my way back to civilization, my eyes caught sight of an abandoned property nearby. How had I not seen it before when I visited my aunt? I couldn’t believe it! At the entrance, there was a large old iron gate with vines growing all over it. It was amazingly tempting to visit, and I was looking forward to exploring it at some stage.

Curiosity had always been running through my blood, a fire igniting within. The thrill of exploration tickled my adventurous spirit. The abandoned property whispered to me, promising forgotten stories waiting to be revealed. It was going to be so much fun to discreetly explore this property, so close to my cottage. As I was driving back to the city, all these thoughts raced through my mind and it dawned on me, this abandoned property was a metaphor for my life. In that moment, I realized I was starting a new phase, a transformative journey into the depths of self-discovery, I felt an undeniable surge of excitement coursing through my soul. Here in the unknown, lay the key to unlocking unparalleled aspects of my being. With eager anticipation, I was going to embark on this new journey, ready to embrace each twist and turn as the dawning of a new chapter in my life. The more I was going to explore this abandoned place, the more I will figuratively understand lost aspects of myself; I felt it and I knew it!

Back in the city, I returned to my old routine, preparing myself for this new phase. Little did I know just how much my perception of who I was, would change and how it would forever transform me over the years.

Tarot cards have been my passion for many years. I always trusted their guidance. Their relation and placement in each Sephirah would guide me on my new journey. It was time to begin anew.

The Malkuth Sephirah held many cards; the four 10 and the four Pages of each suit. Putting them together in front of me gave me a better perspective of my future.

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The very first card I picked was the 10 of Pentacles. I remembered that the suit of Pentacles deals with the physical and material side of life, work business, money. This card fitted nicely in Malkuth as it is associated with the element of earth, therefore, grounded, and stable. As in Malkuth, it was easy to be overly materialistic, focusing too much on money and finances. The Pentacles cards were concerned with the actual working out of the Divine plan. How perfect for me, what a start for my new life!

I was ecstatic to realize that I was totally in harmony with this card. It showed me that I was starting a journey on the Tree of Life, the Kabbalah teaching of ancient Hebrew. The ten pentacles on the card were positioned exactly as a Tree of Life. Pentacles or coins were a symbol of money and prosperity. On the left corner of the card, an older man is caressing two dogs. Mystic signs and bunches of grapes are embroidered on his heavy coat. He is looking at a couple, standing at the gate of a rich domain, a young child holding her mother’s dress. This card creates such a feeling of happiness, harmony, and prosperity. The old man reminded me of my aunt, I knew she would look after me during this inner journey, both helping and guiding me. Even though I didn’t have a family yet, I knew moving into my aunt’s cottage would open the possibility of settling down in life.

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The Page of Pentacles also announced some very good news regarding finances. A young