Kidneys, Bladder, &c.

The phrase “Kidneys, Bladder, &c.” designates the urinary system—the paired kidneys, the ureters, the urinary bladder, and the urethra. In classical and esoteric anatomy, these organs are the seat of filtration, storage, and elimination of liquid waste; they also carry a rich symbolic weight as the vessels of refinement and purification. The “&c.” acknowledges the associated ducts and sphincters that complete the tract.

Position on the Tree of Life

This set of organs is assigned to Path 28 of the Tree of Life, the twenty‑eighth path that connects Netzach (Victory) to Yesod (Foundation). The path is governed by the Hebrew letter Tzaddi (צ), whose meaning is “fishhook” or “righteousness,” and it is attributed to the trump The Star in the Tarot. As the channel between the sphere of emotion and the sphere of the lunar foundation, Path 28 governs the subtle alchemy of bodily fluids—a role perfectly mirrored by the kidneys and bladder, which distill and store the body’s liquid essence.

Astrological and Planetary Correspondence

In the 777 schema, Path 28 corresponds to the zodiac sign Aquarius (♒) and the element of Air in its fixed, intellectual aspect. The kidneys and bladder, though seemingly “watery” organs, are here linked to the airy, electrical quality of Aquarius: they regulate the body’s hydro‑electrolytic balance and are traditionally associated with the “water‑bearer” pouring forth the waters of life. The planetary ruler of Aquarius is Saturn (in traditional astrology) or Uranus (in modern), but in 777 the fixed air sign itself is the primary attribution, emphasizing the function of purification and the separation of the pure from the impure—a process analogous to the Star’s pouring of two vessels.

Historical Context

Ancient Egyptian embalmers removed the kidneys but left the heart and brain; the kidneys were considered relatively unimportant for the afterlife, yet they were often associated with the two vases of Horus (the canopic jars of Hapi and Duamutef, though those actually guarded the lungs and stomach). In Greek medicine, Hippocrates and Galen described the kidneys as filters that attract the watery part of the blood, and the bladder as a reservoir. The term “nephros” (kidney) gave rise to the word “nephrology.”

In the Hebrew Bible, the kidneys (kelayot) are mentioned as the seat of the conscience and the innermost emotions—God “tries the heart and the kidneys” (Jeremiah 11:20). This interior, secretive role aligns with the Kabbalistic path of Tzaddi, which is the hidden righteousness that judges and refines. Alchemically, the kidneys correspond to the alembic and the process of distillation: they separate the volatile from the fixed, the urine being a prime matter for the search for the Alkahest or universal solvent. Paracelsus and later iatrochemists saw the bladder as a crucible for the “salt” of the body.

In the Renaissance magical tradition, the kidneys were linked to the planet Venus in some systems (because of their shape and connection to the loins), but in the 777 arrangement they fall under Aquarius, the sign of the Water‑Bearer, which is itself a symbol of the pouring out of the astral light. The bladder, as the organ of storage and release, echoes the Tarot card of The Star, where the woman pours water from two jars onto the earth and into a pool—a direct image of the urinary tract’s function.

In Liber 777

In the table The Human Body (row CLXXXII), the entry for scale step 28 is “Kidneys, Bladder, &c.” This places the urinary system on the path of Tzaddi, between the spheres of Netzach and Yesod. The neighboring entries—Path 27 (Muscular System), Path 29 (Legs and Feet), and Path 32 (Excretory System)—show that the kidneys and bladder are not simply waste organs but are the specific locus of liquid filtration and storage, distinct from the lower bowel and the skeleton. The “&c.” ensures that the ureters and urethra are included, completing the channel that begins with the kidneys’ filtration and ends with the bladder’s expulsion—a perfect microcosm of the Star’s outpouring.