Post by Icarus on Feb 1, 2007 8:50:09 GMT -5
Tree Of Life
Everyone here seems to be searching for ways to purify themselves. Although we all go about it in different ways, we all seem to be reaching towards the most perfect form of ourselves that can be attained here on the earth plane during our current incarnation. The Kabbalah teaches us about the Tree of Life. This tree contains qualities within all human beings that have been given to us through the Divine Source (or whatever you choose to call a higher power). These qualities are only concepts to us and may never be truly perfected due to our own misconceptions and perceptions. In other words, we are flawed because we are human. But, we can try to overcome all of the obstacles in our path and reach for that state of perfection. This tree can be used in "pathworking", meditation, focusing specific energy, prayer, or simple study.
The image of the Tree of Life is usually seen as a diagram superimposed over the image of a man. This diagram is referred to as "Adam Kadmon" and is believed to be the spiritual and ethereal body of Adam before he sinned in the Garden of Eden. The material body of Adam then came into existence, but the spiritual and ethereal body never descended below the realm of perfection. In a sense, this image is our own blueprint of existence. We can look at this "blueprint" as our own archetype.
The Adam Kadmon contains ten spheres, or aspects. These are referred to as sephirot/sefirot (singular form:sephira/sefirah). They are considered to be qualities, aspects, or vessels through which we can experience and know the Divine Source. These sephirot first appeared in the oldest known Hebrew text of Cosmology called the Sefer Yetzirah.
As I said, there are ten. They begin on top of the head, two on either side of the head, two at the shoulders, one at the heart, two at the hands, one at the base of the spine and one at the feet. It is believed that a "lightning flash" occured and sent the energy through them from the Divine Source. This lightning flash occured, went down to the top sephira, to the right(when looking at a diagram), then to the left and continued on in this way through all of the sephirot.
1. Keter-the Crown
2. Chokmah-Wisdom
3. Binah- Understanding
4. Chesed-Mercy
5. Geburah-Strength
6.Tipharet- Beauty
7. Netzach- Victory
8. Hod- Glory
9.Yesod- Foundation
10.Malkuth-Kingdom
***Da'ath is also considered to be a "secret" sephira, or quasi sephira. It is called knowledge and joins together wisdom and understanding for the second time. (They were first joined in Keter) It is usually shown as being located just below Binah and Chokmah. Not everyone recognizes this though and is often left out of the diagrams of The Tree of Life.***
In addition: There are three pillars on which the sephirot are thought to reside.
Pillar of Mercy: (considered masculine) Chokmah, Chesed, and Netzach- To show mercy, we can use wisdom to see that Victory can come about through understanding and compassion.
Pillar of Mildness: Keter, Tipharet, Yesod, and Malkuth- We are not all powerful and should always seek to combine all of our different qualities to unite ourselves and create a more "complete" personality.
Pillar of Severity: (considered feminine) Binah, Geburah, and Hod- We can be strong and unyielding, dispensing justice without mercy and compassion and rule with iron fists.
There are also the "Three Triangles".
Celestial Triangle: Keter, Chokmah and Binah: This triangle shows us that wisdom and understanding can lead you to the heavenly crown. But it also shows us that there is a duality in all of existence because the triangle is complemented on each side by male and female points.
Moral Triangle: Geburah, Chesed, and Tiferet: This triangle shows us that we can be strong and merciful and through that achieve a beauty in our lives. However, if we are always merciful, we will be trampled on. If we are always strong and unyielding, we will never have love, friendship, or even true freedom, resulting in the lack of beauty in our lives.
Mundane Triangle- Hod, Netzach, Yesod: This triangle shows us that if we are to have a truly secure foundation, we must have our victories, but we cannot use those victories against others to satisfy our own needs for "splendor".
***The last sephira is usually seen alone. This is because Malkuth is our "Kingdom". It is achieved through the qualities of all of the other sephirot that "flow down" to Malkuth. If we balance all of these qualities and learn to use them effectively, we can gain our true kingdom in this world and the next.
This is a very elementary description of the Tree of Life and many of you probably already understand these concepts. This is just a starting point. Still, as Jedi, Sith, magicians, or whatever title that you choose, the Tree of Life can be a useful tool to further investigate the qualities of ourselves. There are many books on the Kabbalah and the Tree of Life. I would recommend Dion Fortune's: The Mystical Qabalah, Donald Michael Kraig's: Modern Magick and Kabbalah: Key To Your Inner Power by Elizabeth Claire Prophet. There are even more resources online. It really is worth the effort to look into these principles.
Everyone here seems to be searching for ways to purify themselves. Although we all go about it in different ways, we all seem to be reaching towards the most perfect form of ourselves that can be attained here on the earth plane during our current incarnation. The Kabbalah teaches us about the Tree of Life. This tree contains qualities within all human beings that have been given to us through the Divine Source (or whatever you choose to call a higher power). These qualities are only concepts to us and may never be truly perfected due to our own misconceptions and perceptions. In other words, we are flawed because we are human. But, we can try to overcome all of the obstacles in our path and reach for that state of perfection. This tree can be used in "pathworking", meditation, focusing specific energy, prayer, or simple study.
The image of the Tree of Life is usually seen as a diagram superimposed over the image of a man. This diagram is referred to as "Adam Kadmon" and is believed to be the spiritual and ethereal body of Adam before he sinned in the Garden of Eden. The material body of Adam then came into existence, but the spiritual and ethereal body never descended below the realm of perfection. In a sense, this image is our own blueprint of existence. We can look at this "blueprint" as our own archetype.
The Adam Kadmon contains ten spheres, or aspects. These are referred to as sephirot/sefirot (singular form:sephira/sefirah). They are considered to be qualities, aspects, or vessels through which we can experience and know the Divine Source. These sephirot first appeared in the oldest known Hebrew text of Cosmology called the Sefer Yetzirah.
As I said, there are ten. They begin on top of the head, two on either side of the head, two at the shoulders, one at the heart, two at the hands, one at the base of the spine and one at the feet. It is believed that a "lightning flash" occured and sent the energy through them from the Divine Source. This lightning flash occured, went down to the top sephira, to the right(when looking at a diagram), then to the left and continued on in this way through all of the sephirot.
1. Keter-the Crown
2. Chokmah-Wisdom
3. Binah- Understanding
4. Chesed-Mercy
5. Geburah-Strength
6.Tipharet- Beauty
7. Netzach- Victory
8. Hod- Glory
9.Yesod- Foundation
10.Malkuth-Kingdom
***Da'ath is also considered to be a "secret" sephira, or quasi sephira. It is called knowledge and joins together wisdom and understanding for the second time. (They were first joined in Keter) It is usually shown as being located just below Binah and Chokmah. Not everyone recognizes this though and is often left out of the diagrams of The Tree of Life.***
In addition: There are three pillars on which the sephirot are thought to reside.
Pillar of Mercy: (considered masculine) Chokmah, Chesed, and Netzach- To show mercy, we can use wisdom to see that Victory can come about through understanding and compassion.
Pillar of Mildness: Keter, Tipharet, Yesod, and Malkuth- We are not all powerful and should always seek to combine all of our different qualities to unite ourselves and create a more "complete" personality.
Pillar of Severity: (considered feminine) Binah, Geburah, and Hod- We can be strong and unyielding, dispensing justice without mercy and compassion and rule with iron fists.
There are also the "Three Triangles".
Celestial Triangle: Keter, Chokmah and Binah: This triangle shows us that wisdom and understanding can lead you to the heavenly crown. But it also shows us that there is a duality in all of existence because the triangle is complemented on each side by male and female points.
Moral Triangle: Geburah, Chesed, and Tiferet: This triangle shows us that we can be strong and merciful and through that achieve a beauty in our lives. However, if we are always merciful, we will be trampled on. If we are always strong and unyielding, we will never have love, friendship, or even true freedom, resulting in the lack of beauty in our lives.
Mundane Triangle- Hod, Netzach, Yesod: This triangle shows us that if we are to have a truly secure foundation, we must have our victories, but we cannot use those victories against others to satisfy our own needs for "splendor".
***The last sephira is usually seen alone. This is because Malkuth is our "Kingdom". It is achieved through the qualities of all of the other sephirot that "flow down" to Malkuth. If we balance all of these qualities and learn to use them effectively, we can gain our true kingdom in this world and the next.
This is a very elementary description of the Tree of Life and many of you probably already understand these concepts. This is just a starting point. Still, as Jedi, Sith, magicians, or whatever title that you choose, the Tree of Life can be a useful tool to further investigate the qualities of ourselves. There are many books on the Kabbalah and the Tree of Life. I would recommend Dion Fortune's: The Mystical Qabalah, Donald Michael Kraig's: Modern Magick and Kabbalah: Key To Your Inner Power by Elizabeth Claire Prophet. There are even more resources online. It really is worth the effort to look into these principles.