Aleister Crowley’s “The Wake World” is a mystical fairy tale about a journey of initiation, mapped upon the Tree of Life. Its childlike heroine, Lola Daydream, wanders with her Fairy Prince through the enchanted “Houses” of his palace — each one a stage on the path of spiritual awakening.
interpretation draws on the theory of colour mixing and the Ten Sephiroth of the Palace, leaving aside the twenty-two connecting paths. Instead, I follow the route of the Flaming Sword, the direct ascent through the spheres.
- Additive colour mixing creates colour from light; the more hues you combine, the closer you come to pure white — as in a computer or phone screen.
- Subtractive colour mixing works with pigments; the more you blend, the more light is absorbed, until only deep brown or near-black remains.
The path from Malkuth (10) to Kether (1) is the ascent — the journey into light. The return, from Kether to Malkuth, is the path of emanation — the light descending back into the realm of shadow.
The paintings representing the Ten Sephiroth (see below) are rendered in a monochrome style.
10- 1 Malkuth – The Kingdom (The Earth)
Pigment-brown and earthen gold. Here the colours are heavy, made of dust and shadow — the subtractive art’s beginning, where light is hidden in matter.
9-2 Yesod – Foundation (The Moon)
A dome of soft violet, the twilight bridge between worlds. Here, light stirs in dream and reflection.
8-3 Hod – Splendour (Jupiter)
Brilliant orange like autumn’s last flame. The clarity of form, where thoughts become polished crystal, refracting the mind’s inner light.
7-4 Netzach – Victory (Venus)
Emerald green, radiant as spring’s first leaf. The pulse of desire and creativity, where light begins to sing in living things.
6-5 Tiphareth – Beauty (The Sun)
Golden sun at the Tree’s heart. Here additive and subtractive meet — light and matter balanced in perfect harmony.
5-6 Geburah – Strength (Mars)
Scarlet fire, pure and fierce. Light in its concentrated power, cutting away all that is unworthy to ascend.
4-7 Chesed – Mercy (Jupiter)
Royal blue, infinite as a summer sky. Light as gift, flowing outward in boundless generosity.
3-8 Binah – Understanding (Saturn)
Black that is not absence but fullness — the deep womb of creation, holding all colours unmanifest.
2-9 Chokmah – Wisdom
Brilliant grey-white, like moonlight before dawn — pure light ready to burst into creation.
1-10 Kether – The Crown
Absolute white, the unity of all additive colours. No shadow, no pigment, only endless radiance.
The Two Roads
- Additive Path (Malkuth → Kether): Each step adds light, moving from the earthy shadows of pigment toward the pure brilliance of unity.
- Subtractive Path (Kether → Malkuth): Each step sheds light into form, until it is clothed in colour and finally in darkness, where the dreamers dwell.
Thus the journey is painted twice — once in the colours of ascent, where the seeker becomes light, and once in the colours of descent, where light becomes the world.
