Michael Steeves

The Discovery

For decades, Michael Steeves studied the connection between the Tarot and the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. What he discovered was hiding in plain sight: a complete, coherent system that had been obscured for centuries.

The key was Justice—Card 11. Not merely one card among many, but the hinge that holds everything together. Justice balances two complete Trees: the Tree of Life (cards 1-10) and the Tree of Knowledge (cards 12-21). The Fool, Card 0, is the aspirant who journeys through both.

This simple arrangement transforms how we understand the Tarot. Instead of 22 separate meanings to memorize, we have a system—a map of consciousness that the cards reveal when properly understood.

The Teaching

Michael's approach was always about understanding, not fortune-telling. He taught that the Tarot is a mirror—it shows us where we are on the journey, not where we're "fated" to go.

The Tree of Life shows what should be—the ideal teachings given to youth. The Tree of Knowledge shows what is—the wisdom that only comes through living. Justice teaches us to balance both: aspiration and acceptance, hope and reality.

Through his handbook, live lectures, and video lessons, Michael shared this system with students around the world. His teaching was always practical, always grounded, always focused on helping people understand themselves more deeply.

The Art

Michael is also an artist who spent years creating visual interpretations of the Tree of Life. His drawings explore the Tree through many lenses: Celtic knotwork, organic botanical forms, architectural structures, and abstract geometries.

Each drawing is a meditation on the same truth seen from a different angle.

The Legacy

This website exists to preserve and share Michael's life work. The Tarot by the Tree system is too valuable to remain hidden. It offers a path to understanding—not just of the cards, but of ourselves and the journeys we all take.

Whether you're new to Tarot or have studied for years, this system will change how you see the cards. Once you understand the two trees and the hinge that holds them, you'll never need to look up a meaning again. You'll derive it.

That's the gift Michael left us: not answers, but understanding.