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Sephiroth Pronunciations
Emphasis is on the
bolded part of the name - Syllables separated
by hyphen -
Malkuth
Mahl-kuth
Yesod Yeh-sahd
Hod Hohd
(O as in Opal)
Netzach
Neht-zahk
Tiphareth
Tih-fah-rehth
Geburah
Geh-boo-rah
Chesed
Heh-sehd
Binah
Bee-nah
Chokmah
Hahk-mah
Kether Keh-thehr
*Daath*
Dah-ahth
Divine
Name Pronunciations
Sephira
Divine
Name
Pronunciation
Malkuth Adonai
ha
Aretz Ah-doh-nye-hah-ah-rehtz
Yesod
Shaddai El
Chai
Shah-dye-ehl-kai
Hod
Elohim
Tzabaoth
Eh-lo-heem-tzah-bah-oath
Netzach
YHVH
Tzabaoth
Yud-hey-vauv-hey-tzah-bah-oath
Tiphareth YHVH
Aloah va
Daath Yud-hey-vauv-hey-ah-loh-ah-vah-dah-ahth
Geburah
Elohim
Gibor
Eh-lo-heem-gih-bore (as in
door)
Chesed
El
Ehl
Binah
YHVH
Elohim
Yud-hey-vauv-hey-Eeh-lo-heem
Chokmah
Jah
Yah
Kether
Eheieh
Eh-heh-yeh
*Daath*
YHVH
Elohim
Yud-hey-vauv-hey-Eeh-lo-heem
Note: Legend has it that Isis, The
Egyptian high priestess moon goddess, convinced the sun god Ra
to tell her his secret names that contained vibrational tones
that created instant manifestations. This is why Isis is
also known as a goddess of divine magic and alchemy.
The secret name of God has been hidden for centuries,
guarded over by the ancient Qabalists.
The secret, however, is out in the open now. The Hebrew
letters YHVH that for centuries people have pronounced as
either Jahweh or Jehovah ARE the secret name of God! The true
vocalization of YHVH, the most-high Name, was “lost” for
centuries but now we know the true sound is “Yud Hey Vauv
Hey”.
Archangel Pronunciations
Sephira Angel
Name
Pronunciation
Malkuth
Sandalphon
Sahn-dahl-faun
Yesod
Gabriel
Gah-bree-ehl
Hod Michael
Mee-kah-ehl
Netzach
Haniel Hah-nee-ehl
Tiphareth Raphael
Rah-fah-ehl
Geburah
Kamael
Kah-mah-ehl
Chesed
Tzadkiel
Zahd-kee-ehl
Binah Tzaphkiel
Zahf-kee-ehl
Chokmah
Ratziel
Raht-zee-ehl
Kether Metatron
Meh-tuh-trawn
*Daath* Angels of the 4
Directions:
Raphael (east) Rah-fah-ehl
Michael (south) Mee-kah-ehl
Gabriel (west)
Gah-bree-ehl
Uriel (north)
Yur-ee-ehl
Plus:
Isis Eye-sis
Osiris
Oh-sye-ris
Astrological
Associations
Sephira
Planetary Forces
Malkuth
Earth
Yesod Moon
Hod Mercury
Netzach Venus
Tiphareth Sun
Geburah Mars
Chesed Jupiter
Binah
Saturn
Chokmah The
Zodiac
Kether
Pure White Light / Primum Mobile
*Daath* Sirius
Osiris and Isis are
both attributed to Sirius and thus also to Daath. Isis
is the supreme feminine (Binah) and Osiris is the supreme
masculine (Chokmah). Their union occurs on the mundane
level in Daath. Daath reflects the union of Binah and
Chokmah (the union of male and female from which comes new
birth) and it also unites Geburah and Chesed (energy and
abundance).
Color Associations
Sephira Color
Malkuth Black / Olive / Citrine / Russet
Yesod
Violet
Hod Orange
Netzach Green
Tiphareth
Yellow
Geburah
Red
Chesed
Blue
Binah Black
Chokmah Gray
Kether Pure White Light (Pure White
Light)
*Daath* Gray or Blue Gray with Gold
Flecks
The
Sephira
What exactly are the
Sephira? The Tree of Life consists of ten spheres called
the Ten Holy Sephiroth with twenty two lines connecting the
different spheres. These connecting lines are called
paths, and together with the Ten Holy Sephiroth make up what
are called the Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom. These
thirty-two paths are doorways of experience to greater
spiritual awareness and evolvement.
Each sphere (or
sephira) is essentially a level of consciousness that
resides within us. Each is a level where many of our
hidden abilities and potentials exist. The sephiroth are
actual states of consciousness where the forces and and
abilities of each of us operate.
Each sephira is dual
in nature. They each represent a stage in the
manifestation of Divine Spirit into the universe...the
creative process. They each also represent levels of
consciousness within ourselves.
But first let's start
with the very beginning:
In The
Beginning
First there is Ain.
Ain is Negativity, Nothingness, The Negative Existence, the
Great Emptiness, The Absolute, The Absence of Things, The
Prime Cause, The Originless Origin of all manifestation. It is
not knowable, it is indescribable, everything we say about it,
it is not.
Then there is Ain
Soph. Ain means 'not' and soph means "end". Ain Soph is the
Infinite, The Limitless, Infinite Space, Eternity. It is also
called the Holy Old One, or the Old One of All Old Ones. Ain
Soph is the primal darkness of the absolute unity above
anything else. Ain Soph is the one in which everything has its
origin, its existence,and to which everything
returns.
Next we have the
Ain Soph Aur. Aur means light. The Ain Soph Aur is the
Limitless or Infinite Light.
Now the Ain Soph Aur
retracts itself within itself to a light point. Here we have
substantiality out of nothing. This brings forth Kether (the
Crown), the first Sephira at the top of Tree of Life. Here is
the primal vibration of the universe to follow.
This light point
starts to emit light energy, light rays. This is the primal
ocean of subtle ether used for the building of the universe.
This subtle ether is polarized into harmonious moving
opposites of positive and negative, attraction and repulsion,
contraction and expansion. There is harmonious
equilibrium.
The negative energy
creates the Severity (Judgment) pillar on the left side and
the positive energy creates the Mercy pillar on the right side
of the Tree of Life. And thus the next two Sephiroth arise:
Chokmah (Wisdom) on the right side, and Binah (Understanding)
on the left side. The left pillar is also called the Pillar of
Form, the right pillar the Pillar of Force, and the middle
pillar, the Pillar of Consciousness. Of the middle pillar it
is said that it both shows how God reveals herself to us
(downward movement) and how it is our path for "conforming to
her image" (upward movement).
Now we have three
Sephiroth, and they form a trinity, called the Supernal triad.
Under this trinity is the Abyss. Above the Abyss is the realm
of ideas, or the Ideal. Under the Abyss, is the world of the
real, or Reality and Causality, in which the next seven
Sephiroth are to come. The next seven Sephiroth are the
crystallization, the densification, of the subtle ether.
Together they produce the universe, the world we
know.
This is the
formation of the universe from pure spiritual energy into
physical matter.
Kether:
Kether is the first manifested
Sephirah, the first condensation of the light of Ain-Soph that
came forth from the nothingness and it is the one that is
closest to it. It is the deepest level. It is a level of
consciousness of pure light....a divine white brilliance. It
is the last level we touch and awaken to its fullest before
reuniting again with God.
At this level of consciousness,
the force of God is simply there and cannot be truly
comprehended by humans because it is so close to that from
which it came. It simply is.
The energy in Kether is without
polarity, which is why it is so pure. It has no alignment in
either a positive or a negative direction, male or female,
good or bad. It is pure raw energy. What we gain from
this sphere is the ability to unlock that divine spark within,
and to tap into the raw creative energies that first
manifested the physical universe.
Kether means "the Crown".
It sits like a crown on the top of the Tree of Life, but at
the same time is the crown on top of our head. It is
called the Crown because Kether belongs half to the human
system (and the Tree of Life) and half to the Divine (or
Ain-Soph), like a crown sits on top of the head, but is not
quite part of the head itself. Kether connects the Divine and
the human.
Kether is man's connection to
the divine. That is why Kether is partly hidden, because
of its connection to the Nothingness, and partly manifest
because of its connection to the manifested
universe.
Kether is the source of light
rising up from the darkness. It is a monad of pure energy in
which all opposites are unified. In Kether is the blueprint of
the entire universe. Kether is pure consciousness.
In Kether resides the divine essence of a person,
indestructible.
At this level we encounter
opportunities and energies for change and transition, new
light and insight into the spiritual path, intensified aspects
of life or evolutionary path and initiation of new life
flow and opportunities and this level helps us reach beyond
our normal limits. Working at this level will open new
ideas and conceptions, ones that reach far into the
future. It opens us to thoughts that have not been
considered yet.
It is here that we can begin to
see the beginning of all things and also the final ending of
all things. It is here that we can touch the Creator,
the Alpha and the Omega.
If this energy is unbalanced it
can create excessive daydreaming, shame, self denial, lack of
sympathy and poor self image.
At the deepest level it reveals
to us what must be done to complete life's work and how to do
it.
Chokmah:
Chokmah is the second
Sephiroth. Chokmah is the level of Wisdom in its truest
form. Its world can be visualized as a cloud-like gray,
transparent, pearl-hued mist. It contains the divine light of
Kether, but now it is mixed with all the other colors,
radiating its grayish tones. Within its realms are all
the starry heavens and it is in this temple that is given the
understanding of astrology and the influence of the
stars.
Chokmah is considered
to embody the primal male energies. It is the active, male
principle, the vital, energizing element of existence. In
Chokmah is the will to create. This level can be
considered a pure source of life giving energy. It is
here that things are put into motion and it is here that we
can learn how to put things in motion in their purest
essence.
Chokmah is associated
in the soul with the power of intuitive insight, flashing
lightning-like across consciousness. It is here that we
get revelations of things concealed and a realization of
hidden abilities.
Knowledge must become wisdom for
it to be useful and put to good use in harmony with the
universe. So here in Chokmah we learn how to turn
knowledge into wisdom. For this process to work we
must put into practice what we have learned, for it is
the application of knowledge that forges it into wisdom. To
ensure that knowledge is applied correctly the energy in
Chokmah is very spiritual. This energy naturally pulls us
toward spirit like a magnet pulls metal to it. This action
helps to ensure that we apply what we have learned
in a harmonious manner with all that is.
Chokmah is also very close to
the Abyss. You could say that on one side of Chokmah is Atmic
plane of spirit and on the other the pull of the Abyss. Which
way we go is ultimately up to us. However if knowledge is
to become wisdom we will have to let go of our lower
urges and passions for the higher more lofty ideals of spirit.
So here in Chokmah we absorb spiritual energy so we
can overcome the lower pull to misuse this knowledge, as is so
prevalent on the earth plane.
Visit this level of
consciousness when you feel you need a dose of spiritual
energy, or if you want learn what keeps you from walking in
the light of spirit and turning your knowledge into wisdom.
At the deepest level we
awaken a vision of the divine, face to face. A vision is not
the same thing as seeing the the actual thing, but it is
powerful enough to instill a devotion never experienced
before. In this way, Chokmah acts like a magnet
pulling us upward and transforming our human self into
the divine.
Binah:
Binah is the third
Sephirah on the Tree of Life. It embodies the primal
female energies. Binah and Chokmah form a harmonious
relationship. She is the female that harbors the seed and
brings forth the fruit. She is the Mother, the Great Sea, the
primal substance filling the entire universe and the fundament
of the universe.
Binah is
stability, it organizes, regulates and gives form to the
energies of Chokmah. Binah calms the stimulating energies of
Chokmah. While Chokmah is the seed, Binah nurtures the
seed.
Binah is the sphere wherein
lies Understanding, though at first, visits to this
sphere will not reveal this meaning. Binah is a center of
subterfuge and of hidden meanings and of secret things.
Because of the obscurity of the inner meaning of Binah, it
often is associated with beginnings and endings, birth and
death, which are what results from the energy present in this
sphere. However, the birth and death cycle is usually the end
result of the much deeper and wondrous things going on here.
Binah comprises
the entire intellectual power of human consciousness. In the
human thoughts, the intuitive formations of Chokmah come to
fruition in Binah and become understandable and classifiable.
Binah is associated
in the soul with the power of conceptual analysis and
reasoning, both inductive and deductive. The "understanding" of Binah
also implies the ability to examine the degree of truth or
falsehood inherent in a particular idea.
The energies
present in Binah are linked to the Saturn-like influences in
astrology. Saturn is considered the most powerful and
dangerous planet in the ancient Indian system of Vedic
astrology, as Saturn personifies time, limitations, loss,
sorrow, and all forms of adversity.
Saturn has
traditionally been known as the planet of hardship, coldness
and difficulties of all kinds but Saturn is the great
teacher. This Saturian energy often invokes understanding, but
only an understanding through patience and time of the hidden
and unknown. Saturn's energy is demanding in what it asks of
the individual, but it never asks for more than the
individual is capable of giving.
For this reason,
Binah is often perceived as dark and black because all colors
are hidden within black. The color black veils the divine
glory until time and understanding reveal it. This sphere is
the place to seek the understanding of situations that have
been difficult and obscure to us. It is a place of answers,
but not until the time is right. This sphere enables us
to understand the perfect process of life and all situations
we encounter within it.
Tzaphkiel is the
Archangel here. He is the Prince of Spiritual Strife against
Evil and, as such, makes a formidable ally against those that
would do you harm. Through his assistance at this level we can
understand those things that confront us in life and learn to
overcome them in the most effective, spiritual
manner.
The virtue awakened
in this sphere is that of silence. This is appropriate in that
silence is necessary to hear, and through hearing comes
understanding. Here, in Binah, is where this lesson
becomes forged, and it is here that you learn that silence is
often a powerful tool.
Entering Binah in an
unbalanced state is not advisable and often will result in
avarice... the clutching onto of everything and everyone for
your own use, rather than understanding that nothing in the
Universe is separate and everything, no matter what, is
forever a part of the soul.
Unbalanced energy in
this level of consciousness can also result in
impatience, greed, fear of the future and
martyrdom.
In Binah we come
to understand that true understanding stems from knowing what
we must struggle through and what we must let go of to
grow. It is here that we learn the whys of the necessity
of restrictions, of forms, and of limitations operating within
our life.
At the deepest level
of Binah we awaken a vision and understanding for the
processes of birth and death. It is here that you touch
and understand the mysteries of birth and death for what they
really are, the transition of the immortal soul to a higher
plane, purpose, and being.
Chesed:
Chesed, the fourth Sephira, is
the first Sephira created underneath the Abyss. Its temple is
the blue temple of Mercy and Justice. In astrology it is
linked to the planet Jupiter. Jupiter is known among
astrologers as the "great benefic". It is the only
planet in our solar system that gives off more energy than it
receives from the Sun.
Chesed is unlimited benevolence and
abundance. We can use this level of consciousness to
experience greater abundance, growth, organization and
prosperity in our lives.
Chesed is full of the energy of abundance. It
helps us to learn how to create more from what we
already have. It is a good place to go for acquiring the
energy to start a new job, new school, or any new endeavor.
Chesed is often perceived as very materialistic only because
in today's day and age we associate abundance with money,
however, Chesed is much more than that.
Also, because of Chesed's amplifying nature it also is a
good place to go when you are dealing with the laws
of attraction and manifestation and wanting to manifest
something in your life.
Chesed is the first of the seven lower Sephiroth that give
form to the universe, and in this sense it is related to such
concepts as laws, justice, generosity, protection, maintainer,
aspects we associate with a king-ruler. Chesed is associated in the
soul with the desire to embrace all of creation and bestow
upon it goodness. It is through this sphere that we
truly hear the call to the heights.
This sphere will awaken the virtue of obedience, but
obedience to a higher will...the will of our inner God
selves. It is here that we learn the lessons
of obedience to our inner self that creates in our lives
new freedom and new power over the circumstances in it.
It is by being obedient to the laws of nature and the
universe that we are able to manifest abundance.
When we disregard the natural processes then we go
against the universe's energy of abundance and will experience
lack or poverty in that area.
Obedience to natural laws leads to obedience to our inner
spiritual self. It is this self that is in harmony with the
universe and this self that must eventually be followed
if we want to manifest abundance in every aspect of our
life. The real esoteric purpose of Chesed and in the mystery
schools was to amplify and bring out the spiritual quality of
obedience to higher prinicples from within the
adept.
After this spiritual quality was properly cultivated the
laws of abundance activated naturally and all things from life
flowed to the adepts. For this reason Chesed has often been
seen as a sphere of acquiring wealth or luck. However the real
truth is that it was the adepts strict following to their holy
inner self that lead them to manifest these things in their
lives.
If the energy at this level of consciousness
is unbalanced it can result in bigotry, hypocrisy, self
righteousness, smugness and dogmatism.
At the deepest level we can awaken the vision
of love and true power at its most spiritual level and see
that the universe is ruled with glory, magnificence and
grace.
Geburah:
Geburah is the fifth Sephira. It
is the level of severity, might and strength. Its
temple is bathed in reds and in astrology it is attributed to
the planet Mars. This level
governs change. The energy here transmits courage
and the ability to tear down old and outworn patterns to make
room for new ones. We can also touch this level for
greater initiative, haste and judgement.
Geburah is the warrior king, who
is well aware of the boundaries of his territory and will
fiercely defend it. Discipline, severity, restriction are his
nature. It is the restraining might of Geburah, which
allows one to overcome his enemies, be they from without or
from within (his dark inclinations). This level of
consciousness will give us insight into enemies and
discord and will assist us with stopping the efforts of those
who would overthrow and upset our world and our individual
lives.
Working with this level of
consciousness will manifest a Vision of Power, an awe of
natural forces, and an understanding of their use. Geburah is
the place to go to tap into the natural powers of the universe
and to learn how they work and interact. It is here
that we can realize the power we are capabable of controlling,
along with the realization of the results of such power and
the responsibility necessary for its use. It also
teaches us respect for the use of these great
energies and powers.
This energy can easily be
misused for destruction and cruelty and of course karmic
repercussions would follow. Towards this end the beings and
archangels here will help you to develop these higher
qualities so that you can use the power of Geburah wisely and
safely.
Because the energy in Geburah is so physical
like it is also a good place to go for athletes or for
competition. The energy here can help you greatly in the
sculpting of your physical body and perfecting of physical
skills requiring muscle, strength, focus, and
agility.
At the deepest level Geburah
awakens the vision of one's true strength and courage and how
to manifest it.
Tiphareth:
The sixth Sephira
Tiphereth is the level of Beauty and
Harmony. The radiant glowing Sun within
each of us can be found here. It is also the center of the
Tree of Life and thus the energy from this sphere feeds all
the other spheres, not unlike the how the heart chakra is the
center of the human system and feeds all the other
chakras. Being in the center of the Tree of Life nothing
happens without its mediation. It coordinates and gives
harmony and equilibrium to the inflowing forces. It reconciles
and gives compassion.
Tiphareth is a beautiful place.
This beauty helps to awaken the inner quality that everything
contains beauty in some way, as long as you look for it.
It opens our eyes to the beauty within ourselves and within
all others. It is the
realm of the Christ consciousness and of universal love.
It is here that we can touch the Christ consciousness within
ourselves. This awakens devotion to the Great
Work. It is here in the sphere of Tiphareth that we
truly realize and experience a devotion to working
deliberately for the evolution of our soul.
The energy in Tiphareth is one
of devotion and dedication to service. Without either of these
qualities we would not be able to learn anything. To
learn one must be devoted to the learning. Then to cement
that learning takes dedication in the form of service to
others. So a big lesson here in Tiphareth is one of learning
and then of being of service to others. Knowledge becomes
wisdom once we apply it, and this is the message that is
transmitted here.
The feelings that we come
away with from interacting with this sphere are one of
achievement and obtainment. Almost always we will come
away from this realm with some kind of new skill or energy or
learning. If the energy in this sphere is unbalanced
these new skills or achievements can lead to pride or
false power over others. As our skill grows so should
our ability to be humble. The learning here in Tiphareth is
meant to make us feel good about ourselves but not to the
point that we look down on others.
There are many gifts available
to us through this center, but they exist for ALL, without
exception. Care must be taken not to become smug or
overly prideful about the gifts we manifest here.
The more we manifest, the more responsible and humble we need
to be. Our powerful manifestations don't make us any
better than anyone else or indicate that we are progressing
and evolving more rapidly than others. We all have our
own path in life best suited to our life plan and
evolvement.
If we manifest a gift that
another has not, it quite simply means that the other person
may not have a need to manifest it. There are many
paths. None is better than another and no one can decide what
is the best but the person on it.
Archangel Raphael operates at
this level. He is often called the Healer of God and
will work with us for the directing and administering of any
kind of healing energy. A great deal of information
about healing can be acquired from Tiphareth. Working
under Archangel Raphael are the order of angels called the
Malachim. They are sometimes referred to as the Angelic
Kings or Virtues. Their main duty is to bestow grace and
valor onto mankind and to work the miracles on
Earth and in our life. Thus Tiphareth is also the
level of miracles.
The aspect of God most active at
this level is the Lord God of Knowledge and Wisdom. In
essence, it is that aspect of God made manifest in the sphere
of the mind. It is that aspect that rules over the Light
of the Universe that relates to the Sun and to the divine
light within each of us waiting to be unveiled.
At the deepest level the
Tiphareth sphere of consciousness awakens the vision of
rewards of devotion to the Great Work (achieving the Holy
Grail).
Netzach:
The seventh Sephira
is Netzach. It is in this emerald green level of
consciousness that we can manifest what is called the Vision
of the Beauty Triumphant. This is the kind of beauty
that not only leaves us awestruck and speechless, but it lets
us know that there must have been a divine hand in its
creation.
Netzach is the place
of the emotions and the level where we can begin to work on
areas that touch the heart of us. It is the place
of the feelings and powers that stimulate creativity.
Netzach contains what people usually understand by love,
sensuality, pleasure, satisfaction, beauty and art in all its
forms.
In astrology it is
linked to the planet Venus.
Netzach is the sphere
of divine beauty, the inner glow of perfection that results
from the merging of human and divine. It is a sphere of
emotions and feelings and of those emotional connections from
one person to another. It is where we can come to
understand more deeply the meaning in relationships, love and
the arts.
Creativity and art
come from this realm as well. It is those very childlike
qualities within ourselves that free our intellect to aspire
and create works of art and beauty.
The power of
attraction is very strong in Netzach. If we are not too
careful we could mistake attraction for lust, as this
energy has a habit of activating the sexual chakra.
Selflessness and
unconditional love are two energies that are awakened by
visiting this realm. The lesson here is the most positive use
of emotions. Lust can be transformed to love that can
then be transformed into unconditional love. Selfishness
transforms to giving and this transforms to unselfishness.
Selflessness is the act of giving without expecting anything
in return.
In this sphere we can
also contact the fairy kingdoms but caution is
necessary. This is the level of emotions and those in
the fairy kingdoms work with emotions and can activate them in
ways that are not beneficial. It is not that they mean
us any harm it is only that we cannot handle their
energies. It creates a condition that is known as being
"fairy charmed". We lose our perspective.
At the deepest level
we experience a vision of our true beauty and the true beauty
within others.
Hod:
The eighth Sephira is Hod,
Glory. Hod is the orange level of
consciousness. It corresponds to the planet Mercury in
astrology. It is the realm of ideas and communication,
of magic, contracts, and travel. The idea of reality creating
has its basis in this sphere and of the skill to manifest and
unmanifest things at will.
It is in this level
of consciousness that we can learn to imprint our will upon
astral matter in order to create greater manifestations within
the physical life. It is here that one can learn about
materialization and dematerialization.
Hod is associated in the soul
with the power to continually advance, with the determination
and perseverance born of deep inner commitment, toward the
realization of one's life goals. The acknowledgment of a
supreme purpose in life, and the total submission of self
which it inspires, serves to endow the source of one's
inspiration with an aura of splendor and majesty.
Modern science stems from the energy in this
level, as it is the solar level of consciousness that tries to
quantify the universe and everything around it.
Hod is a good place to meet with the Archangel
Michael. Michael is the Archangel to call upon when you need
protection or are in some kind of danger. As such Hod is a
place to go for protection from the things that are unseen and
things that are beyond your own ability to defend against.
The energy of this sphere is well suited for
acquiring knowledge and wisdom of any scientific or of a
concrete physical-like nature. But more so, this sphere is the
place to go to find or touch God within these physical
constructs.
Working with Archangel Michael are the Beni
Elohim. They are the order of angels under Archangel
Michael. Their primary responsibility is the
transmission of knowledge to unite man with God. So here, for
example, we not only acquire knowledge but also about how
that knowledge touches the universe. The drive to "know
God" is a result of contact with them.
Because the energy of Hod is skewed toward the
application of knowledge through divine means, Hod is a great
place to uncover deception and to find the truth of things.
The light of God here is powerful enough to illuminate all
falsehoods. Visit here when you feel someone is being
untruthful and you want to discover the true nature of these
things. Then use this knowledge to help you but not as a
weapon to be used against another.
The pitfall here in Hod is the use of truth and
of knowledge as a weapon against others or in some kind of
game to gain superiority over another. The real truth is that
the more knowledge we acquire the more humble we
must become. So if we find ourselves falling into the
trap of using knowledge against others, we can visit the
sphere of Yesod where knowledge is
secondary to the powerful unknown forces that shape existence
through mysterious ways.
If used correctly Hod can be a great place to
acquire the energy of discovery. Knowledge will seek out
knowledge and open more and more doorways for us if we
just give it the time. This action will also keep us safe
and protected from the often double-edge nature of knowledge
that is acquired by force or too quickly.
At the deepest level we experience a vision of
the truth of our lives and truth in our lives.
Yesod:
The ninth Sephira is
Yesod, the Foundation. It is the foundation of the
created world on which the other Sephiroth rest. Yesod is
usually seen as the lower astral world, the ether of
electromagnetic substance well known in spiritualism and
psychic phenomena.
All higher energies
of the first eight Sephiroth have to pass through Yesod when
expressing themselves in the physical world (the tenth Sephira
of Malkuth). Yesod guides, forms and structures those higher
energies and shapes them into their final patterns when
expressed in the physical world. In this sense Yesod is also
the foundation of the physical world, as the physical world is
just the physical expression, or formation of what has already
been structured and formed in Yesod.
Yesod has the
qualities of imagination, illusions, and dreams, all of which
are necessary to make things happen in the world when properly
understood. It gives us the power to connect, communicate and
contact with outer reality.
It is the level of
consciousness associated with the Moon. Deep violets
fill this level. It is the place of the unconscious
mind. It is the place of pre-thought forms. These pre-thought
forms are the energy currents that come just before an idea or
a thing manifests. It is the spark of manifestation and of
ideas. As such visiting this place will stir our unconscious
mind with all sorts of things that could be manifested or wait
to be manifested.
Yesod is also the
place where we can observe the cycle of things. Like life
and death, summer and winter, beginnings and endings. It is a
place to learn that with life comes change and that change
takes us to new changes.
Here we can also
become aware of the cyclic nature of the Universe
itself. We can sense and touch to a point the energy that
there is a plan and we and the universe are a part of
this plan. This is a comforting feeling because it helps
unite us with the one power for force that drives
everything that exists.
Because Yesod is a
sphere of the unconscious mind, it also is the place of
psychic talents and skills, dream consciousness, and astral
projection. Psychic ability is the function of the
subconscious mind. By visiting Yesod we can stimulate
these latent abilities and bring them more to the forefront of
our consciousness, where we can use them more
directly.
If unbalanced, what
will be awakened through this sphere is becoming too content
with ourselves and our life and what we have found by
working at this level, such as greater psychism and
intuition, to the point that we feel no more
learning or changing is needed and feel no need to move
on. We become too idle.
The deepest level of
Yesod is where we experience what is called a "Vision of the
Machinery of the Universe". This does not mean we will
understand the Divine plan behind all things, but rather that
we are moving forward and as we continute to do so, we realize
that the plan or reasonings will be revealed in their own
time.
Malkuth:
The final and Tenth
Sephira is Malkuth, the Kingdom. As last of the Sephiroth it
is the synthesis of all other Sephiroth. Malkuth, although
located at the bottom of the tree of life, is of no less
importance than any of the other levels of
consciousness. It is, in fact, the recipient off all the
energies from all the other levels. Malkuth is that temple of
consciousness closest to our natural waking conscious.
It is the level that most directly affects physical
life. We work at this level to awaken greater
discrimination in our lives.
At this level we can
begin to recognize the Divinity that resides within all
physical matter. In this sphere of consciousness we also
deal with the overcoming of enertia, insight for all problems
of physical health (self or others) and into all affairs of
the home. This is the level that has the most direct
influence over physical and material affairs, prosperity and
security.
It is also in this
level that we can discover the realities of the elemental
life forms, the fairy realm and the devic beings of
nature.
The deepest level of
Malkuth is where we can experience or begin to experience what
is called "The Vision of the Holy Guardian Angel." This
is our inner selves, our greater selves, that which is hidden
within our physical shells. This level of consciousness
reveals to us those things hidden within our physical world
and universe.
Malkuth is also
called The Queen, the Daughter, Bride, or Gate. As Gate it is
the gate through which one enters the Tree of Life. As Queen,
Daughter or Bride she is the Shekinah, the female aspect of
the divinity, in relation to Kether, the first Sephirah, who
is the King, Father or Groom. It also shows that when
ascending the Tree, one needs to join Bride and Groom, that is
joining our ordinary consciousness with the divine
consciousness.
The Qabalists see the
Eheieh-Shekinah as the undifferentiated primal cosmic force, a
unity of opposites that is the cosmic consciousness of the
divine, or Ain Soph.
Although a unity, we
human beings see it as two opposites. Eheieh-Shekinah is both
inside ourselves and out there in the world.
Eheieh is cosmic
consciousness, and we regard it as the positive, male
principle, static and transcendent. Shekinah is cosmic energy, and we regard
it as the negative, female principle, kinetic and present in
every day life.
Shekinah can be in
two states: active and passive. In her active state she is the
creative movement that brought forth the cosmos. She is the
driving force of all the manifestations in the universe. When
coming down from the Ain Soph she created all the Sephiroth
and rests in the last Sephira, Malkuth. This is her passive
state. This means that Shekinah is passive on the physical
level and lower levels of consciousness. Shekinah is also in
rest in the physical body. But Shekinah can be awakened and
made active. Then she will guide us up the Tree of life, to be
united again with her partner or groom Eheieh.
All this is very
similar to Kundalini in the yoga system and Shiva and Shakti
in the Tantra system.
About
Daath:
There is a lot
of dispute about the Sephira Daath which would be
the Sephira following Binah and situated on the middle
pillar, and 'above' the Abyss. Some say it is not a
Sephira at all. On many tree of life charts Daath is not
even shown at all, or if it is, then it is grayed out or
faded to show where it would be on the tree of
life.
Daath means Knowledge, in the first place knowledge
of the Divine and the divine expression in the universe. Daath
is also the total of knowledge gained by an individual
throughout his life or lifetimes, and especially the knowledge
about what (his) life is all about.
Daath is also the key to the
manifestation of all things. It is a Sephira of becoming, as
after Daath Creation will take place.
It is said that Daath is the child
of Binah and Chokmah, the Mother and the Father, not situated
on the Tree of Life, but above. That is, Kether, Chokmah and
Binah form the (flat) basis of a triangular pyramid (actually
a tetrahedron) and Daath is at the top of this pyramid, above
the flat plane of the Tree. Why the ancients saw it this way,
we don't know. Maybe they wanted to express a particular
insight.
If we wish to climb
the Tree of Life and ascend to greater heights of awareness,
we must have a diciplined inner schooling. Such a
schooling can enable us to attain a knowledge of the divinely
creative worlds and the beings belonging to them.
In modern Qabala,
this is accomplished through the hidden sephira referred to as
Daath. Daath has been called the invisible level, hidden
within the Great Abyss that separates the bottom seven levels
from the three upper levels. Daath bridges the seven
lower levels of consciousness to the three higher, more
abstract levels. It is what creates the true alchemical
transmutation within us on a soul level.
It is this crossing
of the abyss through higher knowledge that is reflected in the
Biblical story of Elijah who "saw God and was no more".
He accessed the energies on the other side of the abyss, and
it created a permanent change in his consciousness and
perception. The old no longer existed, for something new
was created.
Kether, Chokmah and
Binah form a trinity, the supernal triad, which resides above
the Abyss. This Abyss cannot be traversed by man as long as he
is bound by his world of intellect and everyday experiences.
Only by riding the mercabah (the wagon, vehicle) of mystical
experience, with the resulting destruction of the sense of
ego, will he be able to traverse the Abyss and contact the
supernal triad.
Ascending the Tree of Life on the
middle pillar, passing Tiphereth, we leave the ego behind and
cross the Abyss. Daath is seen as entering the mysterious
blackness. This void or emptiness receives of and ultimately
leads to the Brilliance of the White Light of Kether. The void
or emptiness should not be seen as a negative, awful place,
but as the underlying nature of all things and beings as
explained by Buddhism and especially by Dzogchen. Only by
passing through the Abyss can we realize out innermost
spiritual nature.
Cardinal Rules for
Working with Daath:
There are two primary
rules to keep in mind when working with Daath:
1. Do NOT perform Daath exercises too
frequently!
With most exercises with the
Qabala, it is recommended that they be performed three days in
a row. Three is a creative number and its rhythm
amplifies the effects of the exercises being performed.
With Daath, peform the exercise ONCE, AND THEN WAIT AT
LEAST A MONTH AFTER WORKING IT SO YOU CAN TRULY
DISCERN THE EFFECTS ON YOUR LIFE!
Work with Daath in small
doses. Our bodily systems and our individual lives must
be able to assimilate the experience of Daath with all of its
archetypal force. To explore Daath without creating
imbalances requires time and patience. Knowledge without
true understanding or the wisdom of how to apply it for the
benefit of all is very dangerous. It takes time to
re-assimilate and integrate the increased knowledge and
awareness in the most beneficial manner.
Too much, too soon will overwhelm
and create a collaspe or fall within our own lives. If
knowledge is to be used correctly, we must be able to discern
how it affects us individually and how it can affect everyone
and everything in the universe. Treating this cardinal
rule too lightly is what causes the sharp, serpent bite of
knowledge.
2. Only explore Daath
if you are truly able and willing to handle the responsibility
and repercussions (good and bad).
Knowledge is often given as the
cause for the fall of humanity, as depicted in the story of
Adam and Eve eating the fruit from the Tree of
Knowledge. Knowledge has its consequences. If we
are to use knowledge, we must be willing to take upon its
responsibility.
Touching Daath creates
opportunities to learn about ourselves. It can show our
darker aspects. Those aspects that we would rather
ignore and which can be disruptive to the personality may
surface so we can face them and transmute them. Daath is
direct. It does not sugarcoat.
Daath can disrupt the conditions of
our life with an intensity that can be difficult to
rebalance. Here we learn and face true cosmic law.
We see what we have done, and we know it must be
balanced. For those who have lived many, many lives,
karma can be frightening. It is for this reason that
many of the ancient, esoteric schools cautioned against past
life exploration.
It has the potential of releasing
energies that have already been balanced. It can open
wounds that have already healed. It can also release the
balancing of karma with an intensity that can be agonizing for
the soul.
Daath can open a Pandora's box of
past life karma. The old saying holds true: "Be careful
of what you ask, for you may get it!" When we tap Daath,
we will get what we ask.
The Abyss and the
Veil:
The Abyss and the Veil are two "obstacles" to
overcome when ascending the Tree of Life.
The Abyss:
Kether, Chochmah and Binah form a trinity, the supernal
triad, which resides above the Abyss. This Abyss cannot be
traversed by man as long as he is bound by his world of
intellect and everyday experiences. Only by riding the
mercabah (the wagon, vehicle) of mystical experience, with the
resulting destruction of the sense of ego, will he be able to
traverse the Abyss and contact the supernal triad.
The Veil:
Under the second triad, formed by Chesed, Geburah and
Tiphereth, is another barrier, called the Veil. The Veil
shields our ordinary consciousness (below the Veil where the
next four Sephirah are) from the deeper contents of our soul,
above the Veil). The Veil is the same as the veil in the
temple, the curtain that shields the mysteries from the
profane. Only the initiated can pass the veil. It is also the
veil or curtain behind the High Priestess in the Tarot.
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