Pasture is land covered with grass and other low plants suitable for grazing animals, often used symbolically to represent sustenance, fertility, and the nurturing aspect of nature. The term derives from the Latin pastura, meaning 'grazing' or 'feeding'.

Position on the Tree of Life

Pasture corresponds to the sixth Sephirah, Tiphereth, on the Tree of Life. Tiphereth represents beauty, harmony, and the solar center, and Pasture here symbolizes the balanced, life-sustaining field that nourishes the central self.

Astrological and planetary correspondence

Pasture aligns with the Sun, the planetary ruler of Tiphereth. The Sun’s life-giving rays foster growth in the pasture, echoing the Sephirah’s role as a source of vitality and illumination.

Historical context

In ancient agricultural societies, pasture was a fundamental resource, often deified or associated with fertility deities. In the Hebrew Bible, pastures are frequently mentioned as symbols of divine provision, as in Psalm 23: 'He makes me lie down in green pastures.' In classical mythology, pastures were sacred to gods like Pan and Demeter, representing wild and cultivated abundance. In alchemical and Hermetic traditions, the pasture can be seen as the prima materia—the raw, fertile ground from which spiritual gold is cultivated. The Golden Dawn and Crowley’s Liber 777 system place Pasture under Tiphereth, linking it to the solar life force that sustains all growth.

In Liber 777

In the table of Liber 777, Pasture appears as the English of Column CIV at the Tiphereth step, representing the earthly manifestation of solar nourishment and the harmonious field of spiritual sustenance.