Frater A.D.E.N.
Introduction
This brief note explores the conceptual similarities between the Saturn Centre within the Cube of Space (the Holy of Holies) and Binah, the Sphere of Saturn on the Tree of Life and how both divide into 6 planetary functions. The purpose of this note is to provide BOTA students ideas and insights which may assist in their meditations on the Tarot, the Cube of Space and the Tree of Life.
BOTA students learn in The Master Pattern and The Tree of Life courses that the Divine Name associated with the third Sephirah (Binah) is “The Elohim” which literally means God as a plurality, or as something that is operating in a multifaceted way. The Elohim refers to the Creative Powers or the seven-fold Life-Breath of God which brings about the appearance of plurality. Binah, or the Elohim are associated with the Sphere of Saturn which has to do with the forces of limitation necessary in manifesting form. The Elohim are expressed as the 7 planetary spheres on the Tree of Life.
Table 1. Planetary Spheres on the Tree of Life
| Sephirah | Sephirah | ||
| 1 | Kether | The beginning of the whirlings | Rashith ha-galgalim |
| 2 | Chokmah | The Zodiac | Mazloth |
| 3 | Binah | Saturn | Shabbathai |
| 4 | Chesed | Jupiter | Tzedek |
| 5 | Geburah | Mars | Madim |
| 6 | Tiphareth | The Sun | Shemesh |
| 7 | Netzach | Venus | Nogah |
| 8 | Hod | Mercury | Kokab |
| 9 | Yesod | The Moon | Lebanah |
| 10 | Malkth | The Elements | Chodom Yesodoth |
We can think of Binah, the Sphere of Saturn, dividing itself into six further planetary spheres: Jupiter, Mars, The Sun, Venus, Mercury and the Moon. This idea is illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Planetary Spheres on the Tree of Life diagram
In lesson 12 of The Master Pattern course, we are provided the “Qabalistic diagram of concentric circles” which is an alternate representation of the Tree of Life where Kether is represented as a central circle and the procession of the sephiroth are rings or layers. See Figure 2.
In three dimensions this would be a central sphere (or small point), Kether, with additional spheres (for each sephirah) that are like the layers of an onion.
Figure 2. Simplified representation of the of the Tree of Life as concentric circles.
(See lesson 12 of the Master Pattern).
In this way we can visualise Binah (the Sphere of Saturn) as the outer sheath of the Supernal Triad which then divides into the planetary spheres. See Figure 3.
Figure 3. The Sphere of Saturn as the outer sheath of the Supernal Triad (Kether, Chokmah, Binah).
In The Tree of Life course (and also The Great Work course) we are shown that each Sephiroth of the supernal triad is the root of an element. In addition, these roots are associated with the three alchemical qualities. See Table 2.
Table 2. The Elemental Roots and Three Alchemical qualities
| Sephirah | Alchemical Quality | Eastern Guna (or quality) | |
| Kether | Root of Air | Mercury | Sattva |
| Chokmah | Root of Fire | Sulphur | Raja |
| Binah | Root of Water | Salt | Tamas |
The Great Work course also shows that these three derive their roots from the Alchemical Magical Earth which is another name for the No-Thing — the root essence of all. (Note here that the No-Thing is often symbolised by Zero, or an Oval).
These three qualities can be visualised as extending from the Sphere of Saturn (Binah) as show in the Figure 4 below.
Figure 4. Schematic suggesting that Binah is the outer sheath of the supernal triad from which extends the three alchemical qualities.
In addition, these three qualities are described as reflecting and cascading down the spheres of the Tree of Life:
• The Root of Air traverses through Tiphareth and Yesod.
• The Root of Fire traverses through Geburah and Netzach
• The Root of Water traverses through Chesed and Hod.
That is, we can think of the three qualities extending from Binah (Sphere of Saturn) to become an additional six planetary spheres.
Students of the Cube of Space will see that this is directly analogous to the Saturn Centre (Tav) within the Centre of the Cube of Space, from which extends the three Mother Letters to each face which correspond to six planetary functions. See Figure 4.
Figure 4. The Saturn centre within the centre of the Cube of Space from which extends the three mother letters.
I will leave it to the student to meditate on whether these similarities between the Sphere of Saturn on the Tree of Life (Binah) and the Saturn Centre (Tav) within the Cube of Space indicates a direct relationship between the three Mother Letters and three elemental roots (or the alchemical Qualities) which extend from the supernal triad.
There are similar relationships between these three qualities and the symbolic associations suggested by the three letters of L.V.X. and this relationship is also suggested by the breast plate shown on the chest of the Charioteer in Key 7 (i.e., the three Tavs arranged on a golden square). These will be the subject of a future post.
In L.V.X.
May Light be extended upon you
Read more about The Tree of Life
Read more about The History of BOTA