The two trees in the Paradise of the Twelve

The Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life

"GOD, the glory[*]planted a garden in Mesopotamia in which there were all kinds of beautiful and fruit-bearing trees", according to Jewish tradition.
Two of them are mentioned in particular: the "Tree of Knowledge" and the "Tree of Life". The two trees in paradise stood in the middle of the garden and had a special had a special, fateful meaning for man.

The Garden and the Tree of the Goddess in Sumer

Paradise between the Euphrates and the Tigris, in Sumer!

According to Jewish tradition, which was incorporated into the Old Testament of the Bible, paradise lay between the two rivers Euphrates and Tigris[1]. It was here (in present-day Iraq) that the first advanced human civilisations arose: Sumer, Akkad and Babylon. The Sumerian culture dates back to a time around 6000 BC or even further.

The Sumerian goddess of love and her tree

Sumerian tradition tells us that Inanna, the goddess of love, had a garden. One day she found a young tree floating uprooted in the river Euphrates. She took it out and planted it in her garden with the idea of later having her (wedding) throne and bed made from it. and her bed.

The snake in the tree and Lilith, the dark virgin

Years had passed when one day the young goddess discovered that strange beings hadtaken possession of her tree . The snake, which cannot be tamed, had taken up residence in its roots, and the dark maiden Lilith dwelled in its trunk. Inanna sought help and found it in her cousin Gilgamesh. He entered Inanna's garden and unceremoniously cut down the tree. Thus, Inanna received her throne and bed, and Gilgamesh became her king. And thus began the path that led her down to the underworld [see. The Sumerian Mythology of Inanna, the Goddess of Love and The Tree of the Goddess].

The two trees in paradise in Jewish tradition

The garden, the tree, the woman and the snake

The Jewish account of creation and the Fall, which is obviously an interpretation of the Sumerian texts, also deals with man, woman, garden, tree and serpent. According to Jewish tradition, this narrative forms the starting point for the drama of humanity (see The Fall Report).

The two trees in the middle of the garden

In keeping with the two main characters in the human drama, man and woman, Jewish tradition now speaks of two trees in paradise. One can be assigned to the woman or the feminine and the other to the man or the masculine.
These two "trees" are also attributed a central position in human history, which is expressed not least by the fact that they stood inthe middle of the garden.

It is said about these two trees that they are related to the problem and to the redemption of man.

The two trees in paradise: Love and life

The Jewish tradition

The two trees in paradise and their significance 

Jewish tradition packs complex themes into comprehensible stories and thus conveys profound content. The names of the two trees alone speak volumes:

The Tree of Knowledge and the Tree of Life

The two trees in the middle of the garden were called "the tree of life" and "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil". What other clues does the tradition contain?

The forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge

According to tradition, a fruit grew on the tree of knowledge that was forbidden to the young man. But he defied the prohibition, ate it anyway and thus fell under the spell of a deadly curse.

The Tree of Life and the Death Curse

The content of the curse was that in future the way to the tree of life would be blocked for him. For now that he had eaten of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, he should not also eat of the tree of life and live forever.

The angel with the sword of the twitching flame of fire

Since then, the "angel with the flame of the twitching sword" has blocked the way to the tree of life. There is no "past" this tree, only "through" it.

The Jewish tradition speaks in images. What do these mean? And what do the trees have to do with "male" and "female"?

Dhe Tree of Knowledge: the love and anima

The Anima as the female spirit has the strong attraction of love and gives "knowledge". She is the motivating and driving force in the realm of the soul.

The Tree of Life: The Animus

The Animus as the male spirit represents the likewise spiritual life force in matter, and thus also drive and impulse in the body.

Ambivalence of anima and animus - positive or negative

The two human spirits can be both: positive or negative and are then symbolised in each case by corresponding ARCHETYPES. If the motive is love, then they appear in their positive form as VIRGIN or CHRIST/MESSIAS. If, on the other hand, the motive is power, they appear in their negative form as WHORE/SNAKE or DEVIL/ ANIMAL.

A paradisiacal garden with twelve "trees"?

Anima and animus in the centre of wholeness

The Bible does not say how many trees there were in Paradise. It only speaks of the two trees in the middle of the garden. However, these fit the names and meanings of Animus and Anima (as will be discussed in detail later).

Thus they prove to be part of the Twelve, which represents human wholeness by means of the inner family. Graphically, this can be seen as a plan of a garden of twelve "trees", two of which are in the middle (in function of Anima and Animus, darkly coloured in the figure on the right).

[S. The Inner Family and the Twelve Trees in Paradise.]

About the two trees and the forbidden fruit in detail:

Dhe Anima as Tree of Knowledge

Motivation from love and sexuality as fruit

The promise of fulfilment

TheAnima as the female spirit (and inner woman of the man!) symbolises inspiration and motivation in the realm of the soul. From her emanates an unbelievably strong, motivating force, which leads the hero to literally surpass himself. She entices with her beauty and promises heavenly fulfilment.

The fruit of the tree: physical love (sexuality)

Here the "fruit" that can be eaten, that tastes good and satiates symbolises the sensual experience of sexuality.
In it are devotion and fullness, fiery passion, pain and redemption.

Realisation: the word for the intimate relationship

Legitimate sexual intercourse

The phrase: "He recognised her" is used in the Bible when the sexual act took place within the framework of a "lawful" union, namely in accordance with higher orders. In addition to the woman's consent, this also includes the man's willingness to commit and the approval of the family. (In the case of sexual intercourse with prostitutes, on the other hand, the expression "He entered into her" is used).

Knowledge of the other person: perceiving with love

The loving person "recognises" his counterpart and perceives him. He grasps it completely, understands it and accepts it, even with its weaknesses and faults. Love can recognise what the other person lacks in order to be able to give him what he needs. This is the high goal of cognition as a quality of consciousness and spirit.

Why did eating the fruit bring the curse on the people?

Knowledge without love becomes a means of power.

The negative anima as whore or snake

The negative anima of the man is symbolized by the two ARCHETYPES the SNAKE or the WHORE. Thus, it fits perfectly with the Fall of Man account.

The serpent in paradise as temptress

In its negative form as a serpent, it symbolises ice-cold calculation (or even "cunning", as the Bible puts it) to achieve the goal. It is entangled by arguments and confusion to the point of complete paralysis (see the Babylonian tradition of Marduk's creation of the world).

The negative anima as whore

If (illicit) sexual intercourse is the goal, then the inner woman of the man is behind it as a WHORE. She awakens his desire for sex. If she is his ideal woman, he will accordingly treat women like whores and make them whores. 

The anima and "cognition

Both factors have to do with realisation. Thus, the man longs for sexual intercourse (to "know" the woman), but abuses his realisation of her weakness (to be loved) to manipulate her. ("I love you! Finally give me what I crave!").

On the other hand, the woman enjoys her seductive charisma, which gives her power over the man (in identification with his negative anima).

Man is destined for a higher existence, for the love of eternal life!

Resurrection in the power of the Father's love

At the appointed time: 100 years of "sleep" in unconsciousness

However, love can be revived and resurrected. The traditions say, "It will happen. The curse will be lifted at the appointed time. Thus, Sleeping Beauty 's sleep is limited to a hundred years. The number means that the 10 factors of the double negative dynamics (male and female) must be healed by the new wholeness of the tree of life (the 10 sephiroth/digits) (see Aladdin and the magic lamp).

Resurrection after three days in the realm of the dead

For the messengers of love, too, the time in the realm of the dead is for the integration of the shadow is limited to three days. According to tradition, the Sumerian goddess Inanna, as well as Jesus Christ, were raised by the loving Father on the 3rd day and rose to new life in full power. [S. The Sumerian Mythology of Inanna, Inanna's resurrection by the loving father and dying and rising: the first and second Adam.]

The love of the Father and Christ as the positive animus

The power of resurrection lies in the encounter with true, unconditional love of the Father (who integrated love with his daughter as a virgin). He gives himself through his Son (power, potency) into living matter, the great feminine. In the dying of the power he sows the seed of the word of love, redeems from all need and initiates the new creation of love. [S. Male Wholeness, God, Father - Son - Spirit and Feminine Wholeness 3-in-1 (for living matter).]

Christ, the Anointed as the Tree of Life

The Way Back to the Tree of Life: The Hero's Path

Christ/Messiah, the Anointed One is the one who comes in the name of the Father's love and gives himself completely to the great Feminine (the living matter) according to his will. Through the fullness of his love he redeems the world from all misery and negativity and even overcomes death.

By defeating his greatest enemy, the ego, in the power of love on his heroic journey, man wins the kingdom and reign of God and eternal life.

The Angel of the Flame of the Twitching Sword (the Trial by Fire)

Through consuming desire to the true divine core 

This way back to the tree of life leads over a dying of the ego (in the here and now!). The flame of the twitching sword symbolizes the drive and the fiery desire, which are in the deepest existence, in the trial by fire overcome. It is the last phase of the hero's way and corresponds to the path through the underworld, which brings the purification.

In the process, love rises again and the human being gains his integrity as pure gold, his self, his true, divine existence, which finally carries him over into eternity. 

The way back to the tree of life (from 13 to 10)

From 13 to 10 - ten digits for the new tree of life

On the way to the new tree of life, the three "corrupt" factors must be removed from the system:

1. The SNAKE as the ego is replaced by the Self (number 6 in Fig. right, see From Ego to Self).
2. The negative anima as SNAKE has been cursed (in the report of the Fall). Since then, knowledge no longer serves (number 11 in fig. right), but pure, trusting love(VIRGIN, number 3 in fig. right) as the way to salvation.
3. CHRIST/Messiah as the drive of love and positive animus has replaced the negative animus as the devil or beast (number 9 in fig. right) and thus removed it from the system.

The 10 Sephiroth (Numbers), the Tree of Life and the Redeemed Creation

So the new WHOLENESS, the new "Tree of Life" now no longer contains twelve factors, but only 10. The path back to the tree of life also corresponds to the five phases of the hero's path according to the Jewish-Christian path of salvation.

 [S. From 13 to 10, to the tree of life.]

We continue with:

The Tree of Life (the 10 Sephiroth/Digits)
From 13 to 10 - The way back to the Tree of Life

Back to:

Mentioned traditions:

The Sumerian mythology of Inanna, the goddess of love
- The tree of the goddess in Eden
- Inanna's resurrection by the loving father
Lilith
Babylon: Marduk's creation of the world
The Fall of Man Report
The 10 plagues of Egypt
The whore and the beast
Aladdin and the magic lamp
Sleeping Beauty (Introduction)
Snow White - Introduction
Maleficent - the dark fairy and negative couple dynamics

Further texts:

- 5th phase The trial by fire: purification, dying of the ego.
The way through the underworld
Dying and resurrection: the first and the second Adam
Dying of the ego (in the here and now!)
Integration of the shadow
Purification: bread and wine
Healing at the light
Kingship in life

Evidence:

[*] Here the letters YHWH are in the original text. The Jews do not pronounce the name of God and often write G-d in German. Wholeness - is masculine and feminine, which is why the common translation "God the Lord" is rephrased at this point as "God the Glory".

[1] Tanakh / Old Testament of the Bible, 1st Book of Moses, chapters 2,8 and 9; 16 and 17 (Elberfelder Translation).

[2] Tanakh / Old Testament of the Bible, 1st Book of Moses, Chapter 4, 1-5 (Elberfelder Übersetzung)

[3] New Testament of the Bible, 1st Letter of Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 1,18-25