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1991-10-05
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THE CABBALA.
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TO GIVE A FULL EXPLANATION OF THE CABBALA WOULD TAKE A LIFETIME`S
STUDY AND A MULTITUDE OF DISKS, IF THE SUBJECT INTERESTS YOU THEN
YOU WILL FIND SOME PRETTY FULL DESCRIPTIONS IN BOOKS SUCH AS `MAGICK
IN THEORY & PRACTICE` BY ALEISTER CROWLEY OR `MAGIC AN OCCULT PRIMER`
BY DAVID CONWAY. (This has been re-named as something like "A Magical
Primer" or something, due to christian extremists threatening the book's
publishers.)
THIS IS A VERY BREIF OVERVIEW OF THE CABBALA.
EACH SEFIRA REPRESENTS THE FUNDAMENTAL ASPECTS OF BEING.
THE BASIC BLUEPRINT OF CABBALISTIC THINKING IS ITS TREE OF LIFE, IT
IS A DIAGRAM OF THE TEN SPHERES OR SEPHIROTH (SINGULAR, SEPHIRA) WITH
KETHER (THE CROWN) AT THE TOP, AND MALKUTH (THE KINGDOM) AT THE BOTTOM.
THESE ARE CONNECTED WITH EACH OTHER IN TWO WAYS:
1) BY THE SEQUENCE FROM KETHER TO MALKUTH READING DOWNWARDS AND FROM
RIGHT TO LEFT; AND THE SAME SEQUENCE IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION, THIS IS
KNOWN AS THE LIGHTNING PATH.
2) BY A NETWORK OF 22 PATHS LINKING CERTAIN SEPHIROTH.
THE ESSENTIAL THEME OF THE CABBALA, ON A MACROCOSMIC SCALE, IS THE
INVOLUTION FROM THE PURE EXISTENCE OF KETHER, FOLLOWING THE LIGHTNING
PATH DOWN TO PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION IN MALKUTH; AND THE EVOLOUTION
BACK TO THE SOURCE, ENRICHED BY THE EXPERIENCE OF MANIFESTATION,
ALONG THE LIGHTNING PATH UPWARDS.
ON A MICROCOSMIC SCALE, IT REPRESENTS THE BALANCE OF ASPECTS WITHIN
AN INDIVIDUAL OR A SITUATION, AND THEIR INTERACTION. BUT ON EITHER
SCALE, THE OLD CABBALISTIC SAYING MUST ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED: "ALL THE
SEPHIROTH ARE EQUALLY HOLY".
1
KETHER
3 2
BINAH CHOKMAH
5 4
GEBURAH CHESED
6
TIPHARETH
8 7
HOD NETZACH
9
YESOD
10
MALKUTH
HERE ARE BREIF SUMMARIES OF THE TEN SEPHIROTH, WITH SOME OF THEIR
SYMBOLS AND CORRESPONDENCES.
1. KETHER (THE CROWN): THE FIRST MANIFEST; PURE EXISTENCE, WITHOUT
FORM. MICROCOSMICALLY, THE ULTIMATE ESSENCE OF AN INDIVIDUAL OR A
SITUATION - THOUGH INDIVIDUALITY AND SITUATION CAN ONLY REALLY BE
CONCEIVED OF IN RELATION TO THE TREE AS A WHOLE.
MAGICAL IMAGE: AN ANCIENT BEARDED KING SEEN IN PROFILE.
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE: UNION WITH THE DIVINE.
VIRTUE: ATTAINMENT, COMPLETION OF THE GREAT WORK.
VICE: NONE.
SYMBOLS: THE POINT, THE CROWN, THE SWASTIKA (NOT THE REVERSED
SWASTIKA OF THE NAZIS, BUT ROTATING THE OTHER WAY).
TAROT CARDS: THE FOUR ACES (THE ROOTS OF THE POWERS OF EACH ELEMENT).
COLOUR: PURE WHITE BRILLIANCE.
2. CHOKMAH (WISDOM): THE SUPERNAL FATHER, PURE, DIRECTIONLESS ENERGY,
STILL WITHOUT FORM, THE GREAT STIMULATOR AND IMPREGNATOR.
MAGICAL IMAGE: A BEARDED MALE FIGURE.
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE: THE VISION OF DIVINITY FACE TO FACE.
VIRTUE: DEVOTION.
VICE: NONE.
SYMBOLS: THE PHALLUS, THE YOD OF THE TETRAGRAMMATON, THE STANDING
STONE.
TAROT CARDS: THE FOUR TWOS.
COLOUR: GREY.
3. BINAH (UNDERSTANDING): THE SUPERNAL MOTHER. TAKES THE
DIRECTIONLESS ENERGY OF CHOKMAH AND GIVES IT FORM BY CONFINING IT
WITHIN LIMITS. BINAH IS THUS THE ULTIMATE ROOT OF MATTER: `MALKUTH
SITTETH ON THE THRONE OF BINAH`. THE DARK MOTHER IN THE SENSE OF
NECCESARY CONSTRICTION AND CONFINEMENT TO CREATE FORM, AND DEATH TO
PRODUCE REBIRTH. CHOKMAH AND BINAH TOGETHER ARE THE BASIC CREATIVE
POLARITY OF THE COSMOS.
MAGICAL IMAGE: A MATURE WOMAN.
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE: VISION OF SORROW.
VIRTUE: SILENCE.
VICE: AVARICE.
SYMBOLS: THE YONI, THE CUP OR CHALICE.
TAROT CARDS: THE FOUR THREES.
COLOUR: BLACK.
4. CHESED (MERCY): ALSO KNOWN AS GEDULAH. THE LOVING FATHER, PROTECTOR
AND PRESERVER; CHOKMAH ON A LOWER ARC; ORGANISATION, THE BENEVOLENT
RULER. FORMULATION OF ARCHETYPAL IDEAS; THE SOURCE OF INSPIRATION TO
BE WORKED OUT ON THE PLANES OF THE FORM.
MAGICAL IMAGE: A MIGHTY CROWNED AND THRONED KING.
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE: VISION OF LOVE.
VIRTUE: OBEDIENCE.
VICE: BIGOTRY, HIPOCRACY, GLUTTONY, TYRANNY.
SYMBOLS: THE SOLID FIGURE, THE TETRAHEDRON, THE PYRAMID, THE EQUAL
ARMED CROSS, ORB, WAND, SCEPTRE, CROOK.
TAROT CARDS: THE FOUR FOURS.
COLOUR: BLUE.
5 GEBURAH (STRENGTH, SEVERITY):THE KATABOLIC, OR DOWNBREAKING ASPECT
OF FORCE, WHICH ELIMINATES THE OUTWORN ASPECTS. THE ARMY TO CHESED`S
GOVERNMENT. THE DRAGON SLAYER.GEBURAH, THOUGH AWE INSPIRING, IS NOT
EVIL; IT IS THE NECCESARY BREAKING DOWN, THE KATABOLIC ASPECT OF THE
LIFE PROCESS, CONCERNED WITH THE RELEASE OF FORCE IN ACTIVITY.
MAGICAL IMAGE: A MIGHTY WARRIOR IN HIS CHARIOT.
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE: VISION OF POWER.
VIRTUE: ENERGY, COURAGE.
VICE: CRUELTY, DESTRUCTION.
SYMBOLS: THE PENTAGON, THE FIVE PETALLED TUDOR ROSE, THE SWORD,
THE SPEAR, THE SCOURGE, THE CHAIN.
TAROT CARDS: THE FOUR FIVES.
COLOUR:SCARLET.
6 TIPHARETH (BEAUTY):THE CENTRE OF EQUILIBRIUM IN THE WHOLE TREE;
THE POINT OF TRANSMUTATION BETWEEN THE PLANES OF FORCE AND THE
PLANES OF FORM; KETHER ON A LOWER ARC AND YESOD ON A HIGHER ARC.
THE RULER OF THE SIX SEPHIROTH OF YETZIRAH, THE FORMATIVE WORLD.
THE PLACE OF INCARNATION; IN TERMS OF THE REINCARNATING HUMAN,
THE FOUR SEPHIROTH ABOVE TIPHARETH REPRESENT THE INDIVIDUALITY, OR
IMMORTAL SELF, AND KETHER ITS DIVINE SPARK, WHILE THE FOUR SEPHIROTH
BELOW TIPHARETH REPRESENT THE PERSONALITY, OR LOWER SELF OF EACH
INCARNATION. TIPHARETH INTEGRATES THE TWO. THE SACRIFICED GOD; IN
CHRISTIAN TERMS, THE CHRIST SEPHIRA: `TIPHARETH THE SON SHOWS US
KETHER THE FATHER`.
MAGICAL IMAGE: A MAJESTIC KING, A CHILD, A SACRIFICED GOD.
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE: VISION OF THE HARMONY OF THINGS.
VIRTUE: DEVOTION TO THE GREAT WORK.
VICE: PRIDE.
SYMBOLS: THE LAMEN, THE RUBY CROSS, THE CALVARY CROSS, THE TRUNCATED
PYRAMID, THE CUBE.
TAROT CARDS: THE FOUR SIXES.
COLOUR: YELLOW.
7. NETZACH (VICTORY): INSTINCTS AND EMOTIONS; FORCE ON ALOWER SCALE,
BALANCED BY HOD, WHICH IS FORM ON A LOWER SCALE. THE SEPHIRA OF
NATURE, THE ARTS, DANCE, SOUND AND COLOUR. THE RIGHT BRAIN, INTUITIVE
FUNCTION. IN NETZACH AND HOD THOUGHT FORMS TAKE SHAPE AND MANIFEST IN
YESOD. NETZACH AND HOD ARE AN ESSENTIAL BALANCED POLARITY, JUST LIKE
CHESED AND GEBURAH.
MAGICAL IMAGE: A BEAUTIFUL NAKED WOMAN.
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE: VISION OF BEAUTY TRIUMPHANT.
VIRTUE: UNSELFISHNESS
VICE: PROMISCUITY, LUST.
SYMBOLS: LAMP AND GIRDLE, THE ROSE.
TAROT CARDS: THE FOUR SEVENS.
COLOUR: EMERALD.
8. HOD (GLORY):INTELLECT; THE FORM GIVING IMAGINATION, THE LEFT BRAIN,
LINEAR-LOGICAL FUNCTION. THE SEPHIRA OF MAGICKAL WORKING, OF
FORMULATING FORMS IN THE MIND AND USING THE WILL TO LINK WITH THE
NATURAL FORCES OF NETZACH TO ENSOUL THOSE FORMS. FORMAL MAGIC AS
OPPOSED TO SIMPLE MIND POWER.
MAGICAL IMAGE: A HERMAPHRODITE.
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE: VISION OF SPLENDOUR.
VIRTUE: TRUTHFULNESS.
VICE: FALSEHOOD, DISHONESTY.
SYMBOLS: NAMES AND VERSICLES AND APRON.
TAROT CARDS: THE FOUR EIGHTS.
COLOUR: ORANGE.
9. YESOD (FOUNDATION):THE RECEPTACLE OF THE EMANATIONS OF ALL THE
SEPHIROTH ABOVE IT, WHICH IT PURIFIES AND CORRECTS. THE AKASHIC
PRINCIPLE, THE ASTRAL ETHER. THE SEPHIRA OF THE MACHINERY OF THE
UNIVERSE, THE LAST STAGE BEFORE PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION. THE TREASURE
HOUSE OF IMAGES, AND ALSO THE SPHERE OF MAYA, OR ILLUSION. REFLECTS
THE LIGHT OF TIPHARETH AS THE MOON DOES THAT OF THE SUN. RHYTHMIC
LIKE THE MOON AND THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE.
MAGICAL IMAGE: A BEAUTIFUL NAKED MAN, VERY STRONG.
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE: VISION OF THE MACHINERY OF THE UNIVERSE.
VIRTUE: INDEPENDENCE.
VICE: IDLENESS.
SYMBOLS:THE PERFUMES AND SANDLES.
TAROT CARDS: THE FOUR NINES.
COLOUR: VIOLET.
10. MALKUTH (KINGDOM): THE SEPHIRA OF EARTH, OF PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION
BUT ALSO OF THE EARTH SOUL, OF THE SUBTLE, PSYCHIC ASPECT OF MATTER.
YESOD DEPENDS FOR THE MANIFESTATION OF ITS ACTIVITIES ON THE SUBSTANCE
PROVIDED BY MALKUTH; EQUALLY, MALKUTH IS INANIMATE MATTER UNTIL YESOD
ENSOULS IT. HERE INVOLOUTION REACHES COMPLETION, AND EVOLOUTION BEGINS
MAGICAL IMAGE: A YOUNG WOMAN CROWNED AND THRONED.
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE: VISION OF THE HOLY GUARDIAN ANGEL.
VIRTUE: DISCRIMINATION.
VICE:AVARICE, INERTIA.
SYMBOLS: ALTAR OF THE DOUBLE CUBE, THE EQUAL ARMED CROSS,
THE MAGIC CIRCLE, THE TRIANGLE OF ART.
TAROT CARDS: THE FOUR TENS.
COLOUR: CITRINE, OLIVE, RUSSET AND BLACK. ( THE FOUR ELEMENTS).
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