#128 - John Michael Greer – Revisioning the Tree of Life - John Gilbert’s Cabala

John Michael Greer is an award-winning author of over fifty books and an initiate of Freemasonry, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the Martinist Order, and several Druid traditions. He also served for twelve years as Grand Archdruid of the Ancient Order of Druids in America. I’m delighted to be with him to explore some of the themes from, what at this exact moment is his newest book, "Revisioning the Tree of Life; A New Cabala for Magic, Meditation and Pathworking" – it is hard to keep track when you are such an active gemini mind that John is.

 

Join us as we talk about:

-How John Michael Greer came to take on the work of John Gilbert
-Why Western occultism can be understood as Middle Platonism dressed in wizard’s robes
-Use the Tree of Life as a tool (not a truth)

-Here is a quote that I reflect back to John:

"As I write these words, the Western world is stumbling through a cascade of difficult cultural transformations set in motion by the failure of the cult of progress mentioned earlier, to make good on its promises. The rationalist materialism that provided that cult with its impetus has begun to crumble as it became clear to too many people that the artificial world coupled together by human reason in the service of collective ego has turned out to be unfit for human habitation. The most common response to that realization is to fight back to the dogmatic religious ideologies of an earlier day. Too few people have noticed that it was precisely those belief systems with their inevitable abuses in the hands of entrenched and often despotic hierarchies that made rationalist materialism inevitable and built the foundations for its temporary triumph."

-that leads to us talking about progress.... John says we trust progress like a superstition !

-If archetypes are not only psychological, the implications are .....? Think with us please.. how archetypes move through individuals and manifest collectively, is it energies trying to express themselves through us? John speaks about how Figuration that is a shifting pattern of interdependence formed by human beings – things are not as solid as they seem

-DESIRE (one of my favorit themes that John mentions in his book) Remember: we desire what we do not fully possess....... is all desire for the Divine? Possibly!

-Projections of shadow (can you hear how close occultism and in depth trauma therapy is?)

-The second triad with WILL, IMAGINATION and MEMORY

-the tree of life and archetypes and how it helps to have more control, to have thoughts rather than thoughts having you (again link trauma therapy and....the great Merlin!)

-John’s strong Gemini emphasis, which is what I feel he refers to as his two secret weapons

-What lead John to the Kabbalah and to the Golden Dawn Order

-The Aquarian versus Piscean view of community and visions of the future (talking about the ages that last about 2160 years)

-The beautiful Gemini Saturn link that reflects how John Michael Greer became an authority on traditions that raised his curiosity and that he was and still is able to write about in understandable language.

Thank you for being with us and wishing you a wonderful end of the year, we have been through a lot together in 2025 havent we?!? Wishing you a magic transition into the new year coming up – or a lot of good energy to when ever you are, as you read this! I will be back in the new year with authors who influence and inspire us, all coming with different pieces of the puzzle!

Remember... You have a place to call WHOLE.

-Mannah

LINKS

link to video version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8p9kEZB0Fo

the book we speak of:
https://spirit.aeonbooks.co.uk/product/revisioning-the-tree-of-life/95374

Johns interactive website:
https://www.ecosophia.net/

Mannah:
https://www.therapeuticastrologer.com/