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Original file
About This Work
This engraving presents an abstract structural map of the soul organized into interconnected circular nodes. It labels various aspects of human consciousness and spirit, such as 'The Reason' (Ruach), 'The Passions' (Nephesch), and 'The Higher Aspirations' (Neschamah), alongside angelic and ethereal counterparts.
The diagram illustrates the nineteenth-century occult revival's interpretation of Lurianic and Zoharic psychology, popularized by Eliphas Lévi. It represents the attempt by 19th-century esotericists to synthesize complex Jewish mystical structures into a simplified Western magical framework.
Inscriptions(English)
Plate VII. PLATE SHOWING THE FORMATION OF THE SOUL, &c (From "Clef des Mystères" by Eliphaz Lévi Zahed.) The Higher Aspirations N S H M H Neschamah The Reason R V C H Ruach. The Passions N P S H Nephesch. The Good Angel MIKAL Michael of the Soul. The Evil Angel SMAL Samaël of the Soul. The Image T Z L M Tzelem. The Image T Z L M Tzelem. (To face page 37.)
Connected Texts
Eliphas Lévi
The image is explicitly derived from Lévi's work 'Clef des Mystères', reflecting his system of occult philosophy.
Provenance & Source
Object
Engraving
emblem
Digital Source
Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0
https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/obf_images/33/43/372495c0488361326f0c578737d0.jpg Gallery: https://wellcomeimages.org/indexplus/image/L0038198.html Wellcome Collection gallery (2018-03-21): https://wellcomecollection.org/works/kvvbj8he CC-BY-4.0
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
2478 × 3960 px
57ac6e2c0bc5ed5a63ba9215ecf9ecf857ca37f3
October 12, 2014
April 14, 2026
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3.1-flash-lite-preview on April 15, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.