Mandalas, the Tree of Life, and Bagua: Symbolic Maps of the Cosmos
BY NICOLE LAU
Three symbolic systems. Three different cultures. Three different geometric structures.
The Mandala (Hindu/Buddhist) — Circular, centered, radiating outward
The Tree of Life (Kabbalistic) — Vertical, hierarchical, flowing downward
The Bagua (Taoist) — Octagonal, cyclical, circulating horizontally
Yet all three are doing the same thing: Creating a complete map of the cosmos.
They're different geometric projections of the same multi-dimensional reality—like a globe, a flat map, and a satellite image all showing the same Earth.
And when you understand how each system maps reality, you gain three complementary perspectives on the structure of existence.
The Mandala: Mapping Through Center
Structure:
The mandala is a circular diagram with:
- Center point (bindu) — The source, the Self, the divine
- Concentric rings — Levels of manifestation radiating outward
- Four cardinal directions — Spatial orientation, cosmic order
- Symmetry — Perfect balance, wholeness
- Boundary — Sacred space, containment
What It Maps:
1. The Cosmos
- Center = The divine source (Brahman, Buddha-nature, the Absolute)
- Rings = Levels of manifestation (from pure spirit to dense matter)
- Four directions = Cosmic order, spatial dimensions
- Whole = The universe as a unified, sacred whole
2. The Self
- Center = The Self (Jung's term for the totality of the psyche)
- Rings = Layers of consciousness (from core Self to ego to persona)
- Four directions = Four functions (thinking, feeling, sensing, intuiting)
- Whole = Integrated, individuated psyche
3. The Path
- Journey from periphery (ego, illusion, separation) to center (Self, truth, unity)
- Or from center (source) radiating outward (manifestation)
- Bidirectional: Involution (return to source) and Evolution (manifestation)
Geometric Principle: Centripetal — Everything revolves around and returns to the center
Key Insight: Wholeness is found by centering, by moving from periphery to core
Examples:
- Tibetan Buddhist mandalas (deity palaces)
- Hindu yantras (Sri Yantra)
- Rose windows in cathedrals
- Native American medicine wheels
- Aztec calendar stone
The Tree of Life: Mapping Through Levels
Structure:
The Tree of Life (Etz Chaim) is a vertical diagram with:
- 10 Sephiroth (spheres) — Divine emanations, levels of reality
- 3 Pillars — Left (severity), Right (mercy), Middle (balance)
- 22 Paths — Connections between sephiroth (corresponding to Hebrew letters)
- 4 Worlds — Levels of manifestation (Atziluth, Briah, Yetzirah, Assiah)
- Lightning Bolt — Path of divine emanation from Kether to Malkuth
What It Maps:
1. The Cosmos
- Kether (Crown) = The divine source, pure being
- Middle sephiroth = Stages of creation (wisdom, understanding, beauty, etc.)
- Malkuth (Kingdom) = The physical world, matter
- Whole = The process of divine emanation from spirit to matter
2. The Self
- Kether = The higher Self, divine spark
- Tiphareth (Beauty) = The conscious Self, the heart
- Yesod (Foundation) = The unconscious, the astral
- Malkuth = The physical body, ego
- Whole = The complete human being (body, soul, spirit)
3. The Path
- Descent: Divine light flows down from Kether to Malkuth (creation)
- Ascent: Human consciousness climbs from Malkuth to Kether (return, enlightenment)
- 22 Paths = The ways to traverse between levels
Geometric Principle: Hierarchical — Reality is organized in levels from highest (spirit) to lowest (matter)
Key Insight: Wholeness is found by ascending through levels, integrating all dimensions from matter to spirit
Examples:
- Kabbalistic Tree of Life
- Jacob's Ladder (biblical)
- Chakra system (seven levels)
- Great Chain of Being (Neoplatonic)
- Dante's Divine Comedy (Inferno, Purgatorio, Paradiso)
The Bagua: Mapping Through Phases
Structure:
The Bagua (八卦, Eight Trigrams) is an octagonal diagram with:
- 8 Trigrams — Fundamental forces/phases of change
- Yin-Yang center — The dynamic balance, the Tao
- Two arrangements — Earlier Heaven (primordial) and Later Heaven (manifest)
- 64 Hexagrams — Combinations of trigrams (the Yijing)
- Circular flow — Continuous transformation through phases
What It Maps:
1. The Cosmos
- Center (Yin-Yang) = The Tao, the source of all change
- Eight trigrams = Eight fundamental cosmic forces (Heaven, Earth, Thunder, Wind, Water, Fire, Mountain, Lake)
- Circulation = The eternal cycle of transformation
- Whole = The cosmos as dynamic, ever-changing process
2. The Self
- Center = The balanced Self, harmony with Tao
- Eight trigrams = Eight aspects of being (creative, receptive, arousing, gentle, abysmal, clinging, still, joyful)
- Circulation = The flow of Qi (energy) through the psyche
- Whole = The integrated, balanced human being
3. The Path
- Not ascent or descent, but circulation
- Moving through the eight phases in harmony with natural rhythms
- 64 hexagrams = 64 situations/phases you'll encounter in life
- Goal: Flow with change, maintain balance
Geometric Principle: Cyclical — Reality is organized in phases that circulate continuously
Key Insight: Wholeness is found by flowing with cycles, balancing yin and yang, harmonizing with change
Examples:
- Bagua (Earlier and Later Heaven)
- Yijing (64 hexagrams)
- Five Elements cycle (Wood → Fire → Earth → Metal → Water)
- Seasonal cycles
- Taiji (Tai Chi) symbol and practice
Comparing the Three Systems
| Aspect | Mandala | Tree of Life | Bagua |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geometry | Circular, radial | Vertical, hierarchical | Octagonal, cyclical |
| Structure | Center + concentric rings | 10 sephiroth + 3 pillars + 22 paths | 8 trigrams + yin-yang center |
| Movement | Centripetal (to/from center) | Vertical (ascent/descent) | Circular (continuous flow) |
| Emphasis | Wholeness, integration, centering | Levels, hierarchy, emanation | Phases, cycles, transformation |
| Path | Journey to center (or from center) | Ascent through levels | Flow through phases |
| Goal | Return to source, realize Self | Ascend to divine, integrate all levels | Harmonize with Tao, balance yin-yang |
| Metaphor | Wheel, sun, flower | Tree, ladder, mountain | Cycle, wheel, flow |
They're Mapping the Same Reality
Despite different structures, all three map the same fundamental truths:
1. Unity and Multiplicity
- Mandala: One center, many rings
- Tree: One source (Kether), many emanations (10 sephiroth)
- Bagua: One Tao, many manifestations (8 trigrams, 64 hexagrams)
2. Levels of Reality
- Mandala: Concentric rings from center (spirit) to periphery (matter)
- Tree: Vertical levels from Kether (spirit) to Malkuth (matter)
- Bagua: Earlier Heaven (primordial) vs. Later Heaven (manifest)
3. The Path of Return
- Mandala: Journey from periphery to center
- Tree: Ascent from Malkuth to Kether
- Bagua: Return to balance, harmony with Tao
4. Wholeness
- Mandala: The complete circle, the integrated Self
- Tree: All 10 sephiroth integrated, the complete human
- Bagua: Yin and yang balanced, all eight forces harmonized
Using All Three Together
You can use all three systems for different purposes:
Use the Mandala when you need:
- Centering, grounding, integration
- To visualize wholeness
- To meditate on the Self
- To create sacred space
Use the Tree of Life when you need:
- To understand levels of consciousness
- To map your spiritual development
- To work with specific qualities (sephiroth)
- To understand emanation and return
Use the Bagua when you need:
- To understand change and transformation
- To work with cycles and rhythms
- To balance yin and yang
- To navigate specific situations (Yijing)
Together:
- Mandala shows where you are (centered or scattered)
- Tree shows what level you're on (which sephirah)
- Bagua shows what phase you're in (which hexagram)
Why This Matters for Practice
Understanding these three systems gives you:
1. Multiple Perspectives
You can view reality through center (Mandala), levels (Tree), or phases (Bagua).
2. Complete Mapping
You have three complementary maps of the same territory—use whichever fits your need.
3. Practical Tools
You can work with mandalas for centering, the Tree for development, the Bagua for navigation.
The Operational Truth
Here's what these three systems reveal:
- Mandala, Tree of Life, and Bagua are complete cosmological maps
- Mandala maps through CENTER (circular, centripetal, wholeness through centering)
- Tree of Life maps through LEVELS (vertical, hierarchical, wholeness through ascent)
- Bagua maps through PHASES (cyclical, horizontal, wholeness through flow)
- All three map the same reality (unity/multiplicity, levels, path of return, wholeness)
- Different geometric projections of multi-dimensional reality
- Use together for stereoscopic vision of cosmos
This is not cultural relativism. This is different geometric projections of the same multi-dimensional reality.
Practice: Triple Mapping
Choose a Current Life Situation
Step 1: Map with Mandala
Where are you in relation to center?
- Are you centered or scattered?
- Are you at the periphery (ego, illusion) or moving toward center (Self, truth)?
- What would centering look like?
Step 2: Map with Tree of Life
What level are you on?
- Malkuth (physical, material concerns)?
- Yesod (emotional, unconscious)?
- Tiphareth (heart, integration)?
- Higher sephiroth (spiritual)?
- What's the next level to integrate?
Step 3: Map with Bagua
What phase are you in?
- Which trigram/hexagram describes your situation?
- What's the quality of this phase?
- What does the Yijing say about this moment?
- How do you flow with this change?
Step 4: Integrate All Three
What do all three maps reveal together?
- Mandala: Your relationship to center
- Tree: Your level of consciousness
- Bagua: Your phase of change
- Complete picture: Where you are, what level, what phase
Mandalas, the Tree of Life, and the Bagua are not competing systems.
They are three complementary maps of the same cosmos.
And when you learn to read all three, you gain stereoscopic vision into the structure of reality.
Next in series: Why Rituals Use "Structural Symbols"
