Inner Court II: The Alchemy of Tov and Raa (Part Two)

Let’s go with some final thoughts on the alchemy of Tov and Raa, which parallels the alchemy of water and fire (as per the elements emphasized in the respective accounts). Both mysteries and elements are natural and necessary, only the second one of each pair entails more risk, and hence requires greater maturity and divine alignment to constructively activate. In the fourth discipline this focused alignment with divine spirit (consciousness/presence) is described in terms of the principle of fire, generated out of the watery condition of the preceding discipline. We can sum up the process as: ignition of the terrestrial or natural energy field of the subject via the energizing of the inherent water principle therein with the presence of highly focused essence-consciousness. The latter is accessed within the AIN contemplative state when qualified by the presence of Elohim Chayim.

Let’s follow the process: 1) Tune into the AIN consciousness state of Elohim Chayim. 2) Infuse with it the sensate (energy) awareness that is breath-generated so that one can be conscious of the denser energy of incarnate presence on earth. 3) Expand one’s awareness of this presence through space of “ether” to establish spatial sacred awareness (sacred space), and 4) reach into AIN consciousness to focus it into the place of one’s standing as a seat or throne so that the watery principle itself ignites.   

Higher consciousness may result in a prophet, but also in a heretic- whereupon one had blasphemed and was misled by evil. It could be that the percentage of those engaging in inner cultivation and the pursuit of higher consciousness that aligned with the status quo may not have been large enough to allow indiscriminant alchemical knowledge to float freely without some kind of cautionary. This is speculative, of course, but I would say the editing of the SY original text could have been partly based on this concern.

Igniting the alchemical fire, as implied, entails the focus of a “higher” or perhaps more “central” dynamic of being. This penetrates and saturates the earth energy in the body down to the ground. Presumably the “throne” is literally the seat of the body, the pelvic floor where the igniting awareness (focused AIN consciousness) is collected. It is the essence upon which we stand, and the foundation support of our incarnate being. We can, however, extend it to include the throne of the heart and head, giving it a threefold conception that has it extending through the human axial pillar. This Seat (or Throne) can be considered in terms of physical localization, while its nature is that of ignited space directed toward a specific purpose- being one’s support of existential/spiritual authority.

To the degree one can attain this higher consciousness, the fourth discipline’s mystery of RO– a word also meaning friend and guide- qualifies the discipline in terms of the aspirant’s receptivity to Divine companionship and guidance, without which the possibility of unbalanced or compromised results- side effects- of cultivation may increase. This foundation awareness is the presence that subdues angels, and turns the Winds of the Quarters into personal envoys.

To reiterate, when the third discipline is accomplished successfully the fourth is open to us. We undertake the next discipline on its own merit, while sustaining the enclosure formed therein. In cultivation terms, we maintain awareness of the environmental medium, which we have established around the body, and within that state we focus awareness to channel celestial presence (higher consciousness) to the seat of our being. The state is that of AIN, further refined through the toning of Elohim Chayim in the first discipline. This awareness is brought into energy-perception through the second discipline, while in the third we divert our awakened energy perception into the denser sensate earth energy, also resonant with the energies of pelvis and up to the abdomen.

Within this sensation dynamic we inject higher consciousness until the denser energy is animate by it. We only need construct the throne or seat so it encompasses our main body centers (coinciding with Taoist Elixir Fields), and extends through the spinal pillar (as well as the pillar running through the fields themselves). The ignited medium becomes a purified conduit of higher awareness without perpetually igniting everything it touches. In other words, higher consciousness ignites the waters in a selective manner so the fire is still surrounded by a watery enclosure. The latter structures the reference frame to define and sanctify the spatial dimensions of our perceived environmental field via the revealed sealing process of the Outer Court.

We are describing parallel vectors of specialized awareness: the space of Waters, the igniting force of focusing cultivated consciousness and the power of the consciousness state itself- which can be cultivated by meditating on the word AIN as a mantra (pronounced eing). All this is cultivated in a state of trusting receptivity to Divine influence. In this way, we let our RO (companion) be our guide.

The portion of the text dealing with the alphabet powers elaborates alchemical ignition with the following verse:

3.V.Fashion the substantial from emptiness and work it with fire and they will be harnessed. And sculpt great pillars you ignite (or: out of air) when His AIN is skillfully wielded.

The pillars in mention reference the four cardinal directions.Emptiness is our mud and clay, which we work into our experience as with the third discipline. Working the substance (of the waters) with fire will harness them- as referred in the fourth discipline. These points are defined as great pillars. The verse is most often translated to express the pillars are constructed out of air– in terms of the second discipline. It is likely that we can read some verses at least, with multiple renderings so that different options are complementary. Esoterically speaking, in this case, both renderings are true. The pillars are carved out of air, but at the same time they become our envoys when selectively ignited. We are, moreover, informed that the pillars’ ignition depends on mastery of the contemplative state based on the mantra AIN.

From the above we can see the ten disciplines as an outline of practice that is fleshed out more in the portion of the text regarding the letters, but also in the final seven verses or so that sum up the material. The cultivation process is, therefore, given more detail throughout the subsequent textual development, and it does this quite smartly in the next section by using the alphabet symbols as a means of application and study. That more or less concludes my analysis of the Inner Court disciplines of the Sepher Yesirah.

The Outer Court practices are less ambiguous, and can be addressed without delay. They are less abstract and build upon the awareness and energy experiences of the Inner Court made of our hallowing consciousness and three elemental dynamics expressed in a specific manner. Although more abstract, the first four disciplines deal with awareness of physical space, and how that awareness can be infused with consciousness through mind guided breath-energy, which animates by a more relaxed focus, and through the impact of igniting consciousness.

At the end of the day we have an activated “seat” (axial pillar) within an enclosure of earth force, defined by four pillars carved by our life-force as channeled by breath. The next six disciplines will solidify this synthesis of energy-consciousness into a three dimensional equivalent of the magic circle. As such, the three dimensional structuring of one’s spatial awareness can be rendered as an octahedron, a cube or even a sphere, and regardless of conception, leads directly to the potentials of applying the power of activated sacred space.

There and Back Again

I have been away from this medium for a while, for lots of reasons. What matters here is that I needed to practice what I have been outlining in theory, and what I was planning to outline further. It may appear otherwise, but where the Sepher Yetsirah is concerned, I am documenting the application of probable cultivation practices. That means without specific experience in the practices I am not documenting more than a translation attempt. This took more time than I thought given I have some experience with cultivation practices. The benefits of cultivation practice are cumulative, but they can be slow to process.

If you sum up the whole of the ten disciplines, they describe a rather basic alchemy practice, and its application in the esoteric processing of spatial awareness. The alchemy involves fusing sentient awareness (one’s feeling and energy sense) with the essence of consciousness of one’s being. The fused awareness is then projected spatially to form constructs of protection and empowerment. The process tends to work best with the right background of understanding, something the text provides prior to enumerating the sephiroth. It would include familiarity with contemplation practice, and its associated states of awareness, as well as with the sensing of subtle perception states, such as those involving “energy work”.

In terms of Western (Hermetic) Alchemy, the “Work of the Sun (Spirit)” involves dissolving inner qualities from the psyche’s status quo state, then transforming and re-fusing them so they can embody higher spirit and channel the deeper energy states responding to its presence. Ultimately one is “turned on” as a human being, which is a natural and healthy existential condition all around. Such an individual becomes a blessing to anything they encounter- able to turn drab, worthless/toxic lead into the riches of pure gold.

The fusion of being can be expressed in terms of interacting poles. Be these termed soul and spirit, inner male and female, Sulfur and Mercury, fire and water, they identify paired, yet independent principles that are tasked to come into a greater synthesis. The gist of it is that consciousness of self/being becomes one with the energy of reality engagement. They form a unified field of awareness that is best experienced rather than intellectualized. Interestingly, a progression of inner focus leading to the aforementioned fusion is described as the result of the Yoga of Eight Limbs elaborated in Patañjali’s Aphorisms.

The Earliest Recoverable Text (ERT) of the Sepher Yetsirah, on the other hand, barely describes the basics of contemplation, while energy sensing is addressed directly in the disciplines with elemental imagery. The text is clearly not introductory, and possibly a form of teacher’s manual. In the section following the exposition of the sephiroth, working with the alphabet letters involves practices that activate the middle pillar, the four directions of the compass, and the lines connecting each axis (meridians of a sphere surrounding the practitioner). Working with the letters is based on the application of fusion awareness capacity, cultivated with the sephirot and applied to spatialized presence. All in all, the ERT initiates the student into alchemy, after which the alphabet becomes the medium of refined cultivation, but also to realize the power of the word in applications of “magic”.

In working with all of this, I have made refinements and adaptations that improve on what I have outlined from text. There has been a (to me irresolvable) debate between purists and eclectics in modern western occultism. Purists advocate traditions to be practiced as intended. Eclectics will mix and match traditions from different cultures and time periods as they see fit. I see no reason why both camps can’t constitute valid practice. Perhaps the antagonism can be related to a third option that does not seem to get much attention, that of the creative practitioner.

It’s understandable that esoteric creativity isn’t much emphasized. A creative occultist would be original to the extent they could claim to start their own “tradition”, which would be a “big deal”. Anybody can just make things up and claim to be an occult big shot of sorts, even if to a barebones group of online fans these days. The problem I see is making a big deal of the distinction between purist, eclectic and creative occultist. Ideally every practitioner would benefit from learning through all of these options, as they each can be beneficial depending on circumstance. Practice must be consistent with a coherent theoretical underpinning to work when deliberate. Otherwise, one can be open to spontaneous expression without the need for conscious conception and interference.

I am elaborating on this because after the next post (after this one), I will break from the letter of tradition in favor of applications that I have worked with and can stand behind. Traditional forms, on the other hand, represent a subtle alignment with a narrative that doesn’t represent me. I am not speaking of overt philosophical diatribes, but of a simple organization of letters. Namely, according to an alternative to the traditional view, the original Tetragrammaton was not IHVH, but VAIH, and the three-letter name is properly VAI. This is important because the disciplines from five through ten are based on the sealing of six directions of alchemically transformed spatial awareness with a permutation of the three-letter name.

The intellectual reasons for the alteration are developed in this paper. My motives, however, rest on my experience with the letter energies and what they represent. The- to me- amended order for the three-letter name permutations is more stable, more grounded and makes more sense when one interprets the letter sequences. I will discuss the aforementioned paper as well as my own evaluation in a forthcoming post.

This blog is about esoteric themes, which may not always be traditional. You can always, however, expect to be made aware of where the information is heading and why, when things change. The point I want to make here is two-fold: 1) Esoteric possibilities are living organic dynamics- as is all reality- rather than rigid or mechanistic conceptions, and 2) any creative madness has its method. No matter how arbitrary things may seem to an observer (as opposed to an initiate), there must always be underlying meaning for effective outcome. Creative freedom does not mean one is absolved from making sense. On the contrary, narrative meaning and coherence of what is being presented insures the power doesn’t become repressed, corrupted or scattered.

Alchemy, yoga, magic and other marginalized- and/or misused- facets of human psycho-biological potential are Arts based on creative skill and insight, and not the mechanistic products of a scientific method, unless any activity requiring a skill-set be cemented under the label of “scientific”. I am speaking from the perspective of forty years of study and practice, and with the awareness that everyone is unique in terms of how they relate to the “Arcane”. It is my experience and the desire to share it that encourages me to be more fluid, but also application-minded where the information presented here is concerned.

In the next post I will finish up with the alchemy of Tov and Raa, which I have been practicing over the last year. Following that, I will discuss the changes made regarding letter correspondences and the Tetragrammaton I mentioned here. Then I plan to finish up with a post on the six final disciplines of the Sepher Yetsirah. I am going on a limb here, since I cannot be sure if I can plan that far ahead, but there is information I wish to impart on the alchemy presented here and the process of alchemy in general. Also that magic and “occult abilities”- misunderstood as these topics often are- are natural extensions of mystical and alchemical cultivation practices. In my view, it is when the “occult” or psychic potentials are expressed without mystical/alchemical connotations that one can be walking a slippery slope.

Mystical experience does not refer to religious dogma or its moral dictates. It seeks to expand one’s sense of existential boundaries and even lead one to be comfortable with dissolving them completely (but not necessarily permanently). I find the emphasis of cultivation on transforming consciousness and identity key to priming the psyche to contain greater possibility. It is a crucial partner to focusing on energy cultivation, transmutation and circulation so the psycho-physiological foundation of enhanced being can be insured.

Without an anchor in grounded awareness and a cultivated integration of body and mind, exposure to influences resulting from working with symbols or vibrations of entities or occult forces can be like contracting a parasite that inflicts the psyche. I am being rather vague about these “parasitic” influences because details are not only unnecessary, but can lead to more confusion and misunderstanding. It is better to get familiar with cultivation and experience things for one’s self first and then use available resources of knowledge to navigate a terrain such as this blog seeks to cover.

Mastery of the Inner Court I: The Mystery of Effect

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ShThIM RVCh MRVCh ChQQ VChTzB BH ARBO RVChVTh

 ShThIM (Two) defined Wind (Breath-Space) from Spirit (Disposition-Mind), and sculpted Four Quarters [of the Heavens] with it.

The second account begins the cascade of applied elemental principles, one from the other, starting with Wind out of Spirit, both translations of the word ruach. We render ruach as Wind to signify this elemental continuity for the latter disciplines of the inner court. Wind is the world version of breath, and the quarters from where the winds blow are also ruach. In the context of inner alchemy it can be thought of as the mind-infused force of life; the animating breath principle, similar to Oriental concepts of prāṇa and qi.

If we consider the Shekinah or indwelling divine feminine to be the spirit that connects us to the powers of life, it is through Her mediating presence that we draw sacred- divinely infused- breath. Awareness of this presence, cultivated via the contemplative practices of the previous section is experienced tangibly in ones being via one’s own life force, stimulated via conscious breathing when in a state of contemplation.

RVCh is also translated as an interval of space (when a masculine noun). Clearly, the two RVCh mentioned here are not the same. The second is clearly feminine, but there is no indication if the first is masculine, which could give it the interpretation of space. Even so, if we view the influences moving from abstract to concrete, relatively speaking, we first attain a frame of mind, and with that we sanctify our experience of space or vital breath or both.

ShThIM– the number two- is formed by glyphs signifying the sign/representation (Th) of two breasts (Sh). The mystery here is that of AChRITh (that which follows the first; the outcome or last). The themes of this number concept are principles of nurturing and nourishment, and both have feminine connotations. It as if the Indwelling Spirit channels the Divine so that the former gives birth to the sacred breath- Wind. More to the point, we are given direction by means of the example of the adept described in a previous verse. The metaphor used is that of carving, which to me signifies a defining and imprinting. The adept literally defines the vital breath (or their experience of space) from the awareness frame that makes it holy. This frame literally is the result of communion with the essence of ALHIM ChIIM. We can consider “making holy” in this context to be a process of dedicating something toward an esoteric- magical or mystical- outcome. This form of dedicating focus is held as the driving force for the second part of the verse, which forges Wind in the first part, as we have elaborated above.

In the second part of the discipline we are told to form (sculpt, hew) the four Winds. These are presences or spirits assigned to the spaces of the compass (and/or heavenly) quarters. These spirits of the quarters are well-known in many esoteric traditions, mystical, magical and shamanic, the world over. They are the cardinal rulers and/or guardians of the four corners of the compass. In Egyptian tradition they correspond to the four pillars that hold up the world. In ancient Greece they were the four winds, also depicted in non-human form as horses.

Crafting the Winds of the compass quarters is an esoteric process, and has nothing to do with the physical winds coming from these directions. Both dynamics of definition and crafting are based on the fruits of the stance of alignment supplemented by the prescribed contemplation exercises. For the contemplation to reach levels of presence that are esoterically effective, and in the proprietary framework the text itself describes, it is important to attain the activation state of AIN. This state of contemplative awareness manifesting stillness, depth and expansion of being is a divine link that drives the processes of formation for the aspirant. By now we have connected both parts of the verse, where the first part defines the second, and the second part realizes its essence in the first.

As we move toward the state of AIN in our practice, we can apply attention and imagination to direct the sensate flow stimulated by the practice of conscious breathing, to fill the spaces of the quarters with their respective divisions of the energy. Thus we shape the presence of the spirits of the four quarters (RVChVTh). Understanding and subsequently mastering the dual process of definition (carving in) and division/sculpting (carving out), is imperative if we are to follow the aforementioned adept’s example. The process is, moreover, further emphasized in the section regarding the work with the letter-signs, which complements and extends the ten disciplines we are elaborating here. Within the context of the Outer Court we will establish the four directions, along with those of above and below, and seal them with the permutations of the divine name. To put this activation more simply, we move so we establish the sensing of presence that is subsequently divided four ways.

In the next verse, we will once again forge psychic structures of sanctified space, only this time the medium will be Water or Waters. I capitalize the elemental names because they are symbolic titles for “energy” experiences manifesting either spontaneously or by specific cultivation methodologies, such as those of Taoist Inner Alchemy and Indian Hatha Yoga. In the first part of the SY that conveys the ten disciplines (OShR SPIRVTh BLIMH), we are given basic contemplation references, but nothing akin to body-centered methods of focus. These do, however, appear in the second part that deals with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet and their applications in terms of the esoteric stage set in part one. Different canonical versions of the SY do not retain the same order of verses, but in A. Peter Hayman’s reconstruction the verses make it appear- to me at least- as if the original SY was comprised of the ten disciplines, whereas the letter applications elaborated upon that theme and filled in gaps so the student would not be dependent as much on a teacher. But that is more speculation than I wish to hoist upon the reader.

The point I wanted to make, however, is that one way or another we shall reference these complementary verses, either through direct analysis of the second part of the SY, or by using them directly in building our practical format. In this way, I will not be simply taking other Asian systems and tacking them on here, but only to fill in the blanks of the hints and indications presented in the text.

The next installment is all about practice. That is where the two disciplines will be taken as one to signify the disciplines of RVCh (ruach), that of primary awareness frame, and primary vital energy dynamic- and in my view a sensate state that I call spatial presence. I will also likely be using the first person pronoun more often. Contrary to that being a sign that I am letting all this go to my head, it is because I am communicating my comprehension of esoteric context, something absolutely necessary in my view for coherent translation. Religious context results in one interpretation, esoteric context in another, and mundane context still another. This is especially true given we are dealing with a text with no vowels and a high probability of changes in the spacing between letters through extensive editing.

I explore these possibilities in the second part of the Manual’s translation, but do my best to be very frugal in such practices. Like the Hayman text, however, we can take this as an exercise in exploring the possibilities. If it makes sense esoterically, I would say it is a worth mentioning. So the next post is all about method, and answering the question: what can I do with these strange verses that will do justice to the title “Manual of Shaping”?

Mastery of the Inner Court I: The Mystery of Cause

This presentation was to be based on working with the subject matter in a systematic fashion, including application, observation and verification of the process. These last several months I have been doing just that, so I took time off from posting here. It goes without saying that the contemplative practices elaborated in the previous verses set the stage for the applications of the ten reckonings. Even with forty years of contemplative experience beta testing a new esoteric system still takes time to navigate. When progress appears to correspond to a complete picture of the process, something else comes along to complement or alter the picture. That’s normal in cultivation since any progress is a foundation for what needs to be added to the process. In this series of installments, therefore, the ten sephirot belimah will be interpreted and their practical application potential elucidated. For the sake of brevity, we will simply call the reckonings of restraint disciplines, and because that is what they are. The previous terminology will be used occasionally for emphasis.

We have already seen in prior installments that the material preceding the actual count of the disciplines in the text, was instructive to the aspirant so they could a) address the disciplines in consecutive pairings, b) apply contemplative practice as a persistent and repetitive reigning in of thought and imagination, c) contemplate the depth of the corresponding discipline as the mystery of its number power, itself a subject of contemplation, d) frame each discipline in two parts that reinforce and complement each other, and e) refine focus- toward the state of AIN– so that awareness remains calm and receptive regardless of any reflection of experience upon its stilled surface. Each stage is complete when AIN is mastered in relation to the above contemplation themes.

The first two disciplines are also the first of two pairs of accounts known as the Inner Court in QBLH philosophy. A Court is an arena of the sacred temple of human potential. The Inner Court points within our being, and is where specialized dynamics of the sacred are held. The Outer Court envelopes us as a psychic projection in physical space. It corresponds to the worldly and more obvious dynamics of temple activity surrounding its deeper reaches. The Outer Court is addressed in the last six accounts. This pairing of disciplines one and two establishes the sense of presence required for the sanctification and esoteric activation of spatial awareness (the self-aware subtle body of esoteric traditions). In the first discipline the number formula is AChD (one). It corresponds to the mystery of RAShITh (literally first or principal). Below we have the verse in transliterated Hebrew and the translation following:

OShR SPIRVTh BLIMH AChD ALHIM ChIIM ZV HIA RVCh HQVDSh

Ten reckonings of restraining: AChD (One) is Elohim of Life, wherein She is the Dedicating Disposition.

The numbers that identify each discipline constitute the keynote of their powers. Whatever our rendering of the text, the actual power of the word upon which the Sepher Yetsirah relies so much is founded in Hebrew. We are, therefore, challenged to understand the deeper meaning of those key words as letter equations, since every sign in this system is sacred and every phoneme is a vibration of power and meaning. Space, however, does not always permit a thorough analysis of every letter equation, and it can get confusing, so when feasable analysis will be either summarized or skipped for the outcome.

That being said, the number power we are directed to apply for the first discipline is AChD. Its three-letter equation describes an encounter between anything and its likeness. The Hebrew number meanings, as I have come to understand them, frame singularity in terms of the duality of self-reflection/self-encounter. In other words, the prime condition of creation is represented by the number two (ShThIM), which makes sense because everything exists in relation to everything else. In the final section of Hayman’s Sepher Yetsira, this is succinctly stated: “Moreover, all delight in one thing side by side with another thing”. In any case, the second number power reflects our grounded worldly experience, while the first is more of an abstraction derived from it. All other number powers are derived from the basis of duality in tandem with singularity.

The number power of AChD then establishes the mystery of prime cause through a process of self-reflection. In esoteric understanding, what comes first is causal to what comes after. It is the prime mover, as it were. It is the mystery of pre-causal singularity as causal to what follows- the mystery of the second discipline. It makes sense that these two disciplines form a paired understanding if we are to get the most out of them. To reiterate, AChD represents the keynote of the discipline, and also its source of potency in contemplation. RAShITh is the mystery or depth that qualifies the keynote, as is a part of it although not explicitly stated in the corresponding discipline.

The next step in organizing the first discipline in terms of practice is to distinguish the two parts, entwined like a flame in a burning coal. We distinguish two respective themes: the theme of Elohim Chayim (“Powers of Life”) in the first portion of the verse and the theme of Ruach ha Qodesh (“The Sanctifying Spirit”) in the second. How these themes tie together is also a contemplation theme. The challenge for the aspirant seeking to apply this work is to tie all this together into a coherent practice or set of practices that are true to the meaning of the verse.

Elohim Chayim pertains to the dynamic of life, as opposed to life-forms. The rendering facilitates application and connects the term to the ruach (wind- vital breath) expressed in the second discipline. Elohim Chayim also represents the number power directly. As a divine name, it is a direct association with existential cause (the Creator). By contemplating the powers of unity and causality, and tuning into the essence of the Power(s) of Life- a synthesis of divine potentiality traditionally rendered as Living Elohim– we move toward realizing the second part of the verse.

Here the feminine pronoun is emphasized to signify we are speaking of spirit, mindset (disposition). Within the contemplative awareness frame of Elohim, there is the spirit or disposition of making something holy. Technically, it does not call the ruach (spirit) itself holy. Namely, the operant word QVDSh, implies a specific process of dedication. It is a hallowing, or dedicating that is accomplished through a feminine agent. The reference is likely to the Indwelling Spirit (ShKINH), the proverbial bride to divine infusion. This disposition that is necessary for the rest of the disciplines to work is a direct result of the power of singular Elohim. Without it the stages of cultivation will more than likely fall flat as empty exercises and mental gymnastics. The two parts of the verse reinforce each other. The ruach is a disposition resulting from imbibing the realization of Elohim, and Elohim becomes realized through the dedication that confirms its holiness directly from the power of this ruach.

The practical application of the first discipline, however, may still seem elusive. The Manual of Shaping, as I like to render the text title, is a summary, likely meant for a teacher to base their transmission to students of its process. It is not meant for lay people who prefer concepts that are materially concrete and conventionally logical. I would on use the term “initiated” here if it applies to those who have enough understanding of esoteric process to read the text in terms of that premise, as opposed to a religious surface rendering that became reinforced through constant additions and “clarifications” toward that end.

In view of that elusive dynamic, I will go beyond theoretical exposition and present my version of what practical application might entail. This is still theory, by the way, but it is the theory of direct application, which includes specific instruction. The next installment, however, will tackle the second discipline along the same lines as the first. Then I will sum them up with a description of how to start this work of divine alchemy and the mystical cultivation that can lead to mastering the potentials of Shaping (aka Magic).

Notes on the Ten Sepirot Belimah

Before we elaborate on each of the ten steps of esoteric cultivation offered in the SY (Earliest Recoverable Text), it would be useful to do a quick paraphrase so the reader has an idea regarding where we are going with our exposition. Let us start with a description of sephirah anatomy. Each of these ten accounts of restraining (contemplation practices), has a title, followed by a two-part theme that constitutes our main target of focused attention. The title amounts to the meaning of the word for the corresponding number value of a given account. This, along with the preliminary contemplation practice involving the depth or mystery of the account’s conceptual label sets the stage for the main practice.

The first thing we do is look at the general structuring of the accounts themselves. As already mentioned, we are to organize the stages of practice in terms of serial pairs, defined by the labels we have been given as mysteries or unfathomable depths. In this manner, the first two depths are complementary as first and last. The next two- loosely and inaccurately translated- as good and bad follow. Then we have the complementary directions in the space around the practitioner (up/down, front/back, left/right).

In the center of these is the practitioner. Their strength in the practice of deep contemplation is the embodiment of the covenant of alignment so as to attain the mystical state of awareness necessary for success. The aforementioned covenant means the requisite level of proficiency in contemplation cannot be bypassed or glossed if the aspirant wants the process of cultivation to give up is fruits. This takes time, and cutting corners will at best severely dilute the power of our subsequent specified practices. As with the alleged practitioners of old, taking a path such as this is a matter of serious commitment; hence the allusion to the biblical covenant itself.

That being said, and given one has attained a level of experience that allows one to access deep states of awareness more or less easily, one can focus that ability to specific themes of focus. The stages are addressed in pairs, with contemplation practice being holding them together. That means after each pair is worked, the two are worked together. To work each pair we address the depth of each. This can be taken as the mystery theme behind the corresponding process. The number value complements this and can be understood as coupled with it. Thus, if the number one (AChD) is understood as a dynamic of self-reflection, the depth or mystery theme of the account is that of cause, where RAShITh literally means: first. These two words tell us what the account is addressing: the mystery of cause in terms of the self-reflecting dynamic of the number one. At the same time, such simple descriptions do not do the theme itself justice. Only contemplation on their connection can. In that sense, both the number and the mystery theme represent the tone that emerges from our experience of AIN.

The next part of the account is two-fold and establishes the framing of the account, or the way we relate to the procedure. The first represents the context, likened to a coal, and the second to the power that drives it, like the flame causing the coal to burn. At the same time, the relationship is reversed. The second part is context and fuel to the first, which is its driving force. We, therefore, treat these two parts as if each one were ignited within the other, which is its fuel. Let’s return to our example of the first account and just show the two-fold main body of the corresponding verse:

1. Elohim [Power/Powers] of Life,
2. …She is the Sanctifying Spirit [Intelligence] of This.

                                Alternate: It is this: the Sanctifying Spirit.

We have two interlocking themes here; the powers of life, and the sanctifying intelligence. The latter, depending on the translation details, is either a part of Elohim of Life or another name for it. Either way, the Spirit (RVCh) is of dedication to a specified purpose- entity or circumstance.

We will thoroughly explore the meanings apparent and implied from the above phrasing. In this analysis we aim to look at the framing of contemplation practice for the ten verses of accomplishment in general.

Clearly, before we can apply we need to understand. Before we can understand we need to approach in the most coherent manner, respecting the hints given to us in the text we have already analyzed for the Earliest Recoverable Text of the SY. Embedding the first and second parts of the verse into each other may appear like a questionable feat of conception. It makes sense because of the insight such a paradoxical coupling inspires. It also makes sense because it demands a thorough understanding of the two parts of each account or the flame in the burning coal will go out.

In the above example, we are challenged to not just have a sense of intellectual meaning, but to experience directly in and through contemplation what Elohim of Life is- at least to the one contemplating. If the translation is ambiguous or exhibits more than one rendering, we need to examine the options in relation to the first part of the account. Our touchstones of meaning are the number of the account, and the depth or mystery of the corresponding quality associated with the account.

The tactic of using complex contemplation practices to attain esoteric accomplishment is not uncommon in formal cultivation systems such as Indian yoga. In this case, we are weaving two parts of a single practice defined by a combination of the esoteric meanings of its corresponding number and a conceptual quality meant to trigger a gnosis experience in relation to the given verse. It is noteworthy that, from a cultivation perspective, if one masters a given account (sephirah), they can tune into its power directly by focusing on its corresponding number.

In that sense, the system may not simply be one of one-shot mastery of an end-goal. Such states of accomplishment are rare, and quite unlikely just the result of a pre-structured process of cultivation. There are many who can apply esoteric gnosis, but few who abide in it perpetually. One could, therefore, master the ten accounts as a series of steps to enter a state of esoteric empowerment for a specified purpose. Living in perpetual gnosis would be the goal of a mystic, and it may indeed have been the nature of the singular adept described in verse 2.V. For most disciples of the revived system, however, it would be much easier to selectively enter the hallowed state, so as to temporarily gain abilities a lay person would consider supernatural.

It is realistic to surmise, furthermore, that the aforementioned application could have been a precursor to that state of perpetual gnosis whose accomplishment would be considered more a matter of divine grace than diligent practice. Even if the aspirant did not or could not attain that final state of grace, they probably could activate a lesser or more temporary gnosis in order to heal someone, or divine the future or to acquire enhanced oratory capacity. It would be as simple as counting from one to ten for a master of the process. One could even perform feats of magic, such as constructing a golem, for example.

It goes without saying that our analysis is speculative, but also that this speculation is founded on text interpretation in the context of esoteric practices of other traditions past and present. The practice of condensing the power of a phrase (meant to activate either through ritual or some form of cultivation application) into a single word or even a gesture, is known as anchoring in the modern manipulative practice of Neurolinguistic Programming. Our accounts are. therefore, tapestries of potential meant to be weaved from a number of interacting strands of practice, themselves an outcome of progressive accomplishment.

They also relate to each other in at least three ways. 1) The first four are distinct from the last six. 2) The activation of each is dependent on feedback with its paired verse (the next or the previous). The test to see if one activates the first account is to easily be able to practice the second one, while the latter’s success depends on the quality of the former’s activation. 3) The accounts are progressive in a serial manner, which is how we can serially number them. In this way, each one sets the foundation for the next whether it is its polar pair or not. Keeping in mind the prerequisites and framings for each account, and how they are to be approached. We can proceed to a more in depth immersion by addressing them in the pairs emphasized by the text itself.

Final Preliminary Practices to Activate the Ten Sephirot Progression

This installment is a direct continuation of the Basic Practices post, which revolved around the previous two verses of the Earliest Recoverable Text of the SY. It also completes the discussion on preliminary practices, which began with the verses I have labeled as I and II. If you haven’t read those posts at least, I strongly suggest you do. Comprehension is a function of topic continuity where this information is concerned.

That being said, I would be remiss to the reader if I failed to provide a summary of the previous two discussions. First and foremost, the text in mention- the Book of Shaping or Sepher Yetsirah- can be taken as an instruction manual for the attainment of esoteric wisdom, something we point out in our analysis of the first verse of the text. 

The work refers to a process of ten steps, organized in pairs and made coherent by a certain internal alignment with the requisite state of awareness to stimulate their activation. This state is the product of working with the power of the word, demanding a certain focus of vocalization (be it voiced, whispered or expressed mentally). The process appears similar to the use of mantras or spells of sorts, a practice not uncommon in esoteric practices be they of a mystical bent or involving the application of magic.

The practices are based on a genuine divine revelation. They are neither mental constructs nor are they powered autonomously (the product of some form of idolatry, for example). In other words, the work is defined as being mystical in nature, a kind of internal alchemy rather than a practice of magic. Their actualization, however, results in the embodiment of a wisdom that activates in the practitioner the potential to affect things magically- and specifically via the power of the word and the use of symbol. This is no different than the nature of esoteric systems of South and East Asia where prolonged mystical training results in occult powers known as siddhis (accomplishments).

These practices are also undertaken after a suitable preparation. This preparation and how it is undertaken is itself an alignment or covenant with the powers behind them. The system in mention is anything but arbitrary. It is likely the result of an occult revival of sorts where a dying oral tradition had been taken off the shelf, and re-worked by a capable adept who appears to have founded or represented an occult lineage or tradition through their work. The work, according to the perspective expounded here, is of an esoteric nature based on contemplation practice. Being consistent in one’s practice and undaunted in one’s persistence despite difficulties is part of the commitment that is phrased in terms of a covenant.

The ten steps are undertaken in a specific manner. Each step has two parts: the initial part of the account and the latter part. So each step is a dual dynamic of contemplative focused attention. The first part of the account is practiced until results are gained, and the second part is weaved into it so the revelations of the first are like the fuel that fires up the second portion. As contemplation practice progresses, one enters the requisite state of awareness identified with the void known as AIN. The state of AIN is considered to manifest one’s awareness after the aforementioned framing is brought to fruition. That completes our review. From here we will be elaborating on the meaning of the following two verses:

V. Ten reckonings of restraining. And out of their power of ten, where AIN is their end-point: Cause is Unfathomable and Effect is Unfathomable; Security is Unfathomable and the Foreign is Unfathomable; Elevation is Unfathomable and The Underneath [one’s Ground] is Unfathomable; East is Unfathomable and West is Unfathomable; North is Unfathomable and South is Unfathomable. And a sole Adept of El [Power] was a sovereign of their revelation. The ruling by all of them was from the refuge of his sanctuary and a testimony of adornments of perpetuity.

VI. Ten reckonings of restraining: Their vantage-point is like a mirror of the lightning-flash; and their AIN extremity is an end for them. And his work with them is according to “[it is] run and [you must] return [it]”. And for his promise, like a whirlwind they will be the pursued and before his throne they are from that [state] brought down.

Our current post continues the progression of textual information with specific practices of contemplation to be undertaken. Once that state is accessed, each stage involves contemplation on one of ten corresponding principles. The word used for each of these is not the subject of contemplation, however. Each term is a superficial label that acts as a mental handle for the deepening of awareness surrounding it. That would the depth or mystery of the term. In the translation I identify this process in terms of what each term is: unfathomable.

AIN is the state of awareness required to access this depth and experience a fusion with what is to the temporal mind unfathomable. I could not help but associate the above description with a process described in the yoga literature as saṁyama, itself a synthesis of three distinct processes: a) localized focus, b) delocalization of focus while maintaining the disciplined attention of part (a), and c) a state of union with one’s own field of consciousness as the true authority of ones being. The first process is known as concentration, and the second is known as contemplation. The latter state of attentiveness ideally leads to the cultivation of a state of consciousness denuded of concepts. The third process of saṁyama is known as samādhi, and describes a state where ones power of consciousness and subjective sense are completely at one with the field of one’s experience so that all is That.

The verse goes on to mention a notable adept, who may or may not be the reformer mentioned earlier. This adept mastered the preliminaries- as well as the ten main stages- and through them accessed a state or stance through which the beauty and value of the unfathomable was not only at their beck and call in terms of experiencing them, but was able to manipulate the power that resulted from that alignment.

The next and final verse describing- albeit in a cryptic and easy to gloss over manner- the preliminary specifics to the ten steps, expresses a very zen-like description of the state of awareness we seek to embody. It is reminiscent of the phrase: “Before enlightenment chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment chop wood and carry water”. Similarly, our text tells us to continue our contemplative practice even after we have experienced the depths of contemplation and the state of AIN.

In that continuation our awareness is like a mirror in response to a violent lightning flash reflected in it. The reflection is picture-perfect, but the surface of the mirror remains unperturbed. In this way the chaos of all we embody in our contemplation practices becomes ordered. It, furthermore, structures itself around our centered position in sacred space- which is a point of focus in the last six unfathomable conceptions, to be elaborated in the ten procedures themselves. As such, we are now ready to engage in the latter…once the prerequisites are set, that is.

In the next installment, we will hone in on the unfathomable conceptions, rendered as depths in most translations. It might be useful to clarify these- although the third and fourth have already been discussed in length. We are dealing with references that propose an added dimension of meaning (depth) to what a single translated word might offer. An analysis of the Hebrew letter-equations might, therefore, provide further insight in terms of what we are actually exploring in the contemplation practices indicated.

Basic Practices toward Sephirot Actualization in the Book of Formation

With the posts surrounding the ten sephirot we aim to examine and describe themas they are presented in the Earliest Recoverable Text of the Sepher Yetsira (Manual of Shaping). Our perspective addresses the sephirot as ten practices, with the verses leading up to them involving their prerequisites practices. Their persistent application is meant to lead the aspirant to a state of mastery (wisdom).

In previous installments we diverged into the biblical story of Eden- the fall from grace therein and the role of the two trees, of life and of knowledge of tov and raa. The Tree mapped in QBLH, is a map of both microcosm and macrocosm. This is likely the truth regarding the two Trees of Eden as well. The other tree can be seen as a different mode of the Tree of Life. It represents the same awareness of the micro and micro cosmos’ from a dualistic perspective; the perspective of material world embodiment. This information will serve us as we collect the specifics of our ten accounts and ultimately integrate the practices outlined.

In our exploration of the text, we come to the third and fourth verses. The first two verses opened us to the concepts of the Covenant and the significance of the number ten in this work- as opposed to nine and eleven. To this point we are not given specific practices. We are told the conditions of practice, that the accounts are paired, and that the work involved is with the power of the word. We are also told that the practices are of a revived esoteric tradition involving a master, which means the wisdom is probably far older. In this installment we briefly examine the next two verses, which also provide preliminary information regarding the nature of our work:

III. Ten reckonings of restraining: Restrain your mouth facing speech. Restrain your heart-mind facing mental conception; and if it runs for a course, return it to the standing place it pacified. It is said, “delight and repeat”; and regarding this issue the Covenant was established.

IV. Ten reckonings of restraining: Rooted is their end in their beginning and their beginning in their end, like a flame in a burning coal, which is the framing of each one, and AIN is second to it [the framing]. And before one/each, what are you reckoning?

The third verse justifies the label given to our ten accounts. They are reckonings and listings of practices involving restraint. The idea is clarified in the verse at the onset. Restraint is a part of contemplation practices exemplifying most every spiritual tradition on Earth, specifically corresponding to concentration practice- dharāṇa– in yoga traditions. Focus requires restrained speech, ditto with imagination and verbal thought. The third verse also manages to describe a fundamental tenet of esoteric cultivation in a few words, traditionally rendered as run and return. This fits the standard biblical interpretation from Ezekiel 1:14. Although the scriptural context is different, here it would simply tell the aspirant to maintaining concentration, even if it falters. If we render the Hebrew RTzVA VShVB as delight and repeat, we not only have the directive to keep practicing, but are informed as to the right mind-set for success. One must delight in it, and in that state one must repeat and persist.

The Covenant could not be established without this principle. Simply put, without a strong focus, there can be no alignment, and without enjoying the practice there can be no true organic- and hence effective- focus. Only artifice and hypocrisy. In yoga, contemplation/meditation and hence illumination and spiritual liberation, are out of reach without the ability to focus in the right way. This is not about correct technique. It involves the necessary spirit of one’s practice. If meditation were just about focusing awareness, any predator on the hunt would be a sage, and any talented sniper a spiritual giant.

We are informed the reckonings are phrases with two parts, something confirmed if we examine the phrases. In some reckonings the first part involves an extraction of one state- or energy- of awareness from a preexisting one. These can be symbolized by elements, such as air, water and fire, and extracting one from another is likely a practice of focus in itself. This is an example of the beginning of a particular account. The second part describes what is to be done with that state. The reckonings, all of a similar format, don’t work unless we get what verse four is telling us.

So for each account we identify the two parts, and know that to activate the particular step, we need to take the first as the power source- flame of a burning coal- of the second.

That is how each account is framed, and AIN is second to that, which means it comes after we take care of that requisite. We have already discussed the meaning of AIN here. The conclusion was that AIN, in the context of cultivation, is a state of awareness that comes after consistent and deep contemplative practice. Practice aims at that state, which prevails when there is no more need for restraint, as it is described in the previous verse at least.

The final piece of information we are given here is in the form of a question. Before (each) one, what do you reckon- what have you figured out? In other words, how are you prepared in the face of each, or any, of the SPIRVTh BLIMH? The author is giving us a head’s up that prerequisite information is being supplied.

In decoding these verses we note the condensed and specific nature of the instructions given. One can only imagine how condensed an even earlier version of the SY was in content, which to me supports the idea that the work was done for teachers as fundamental notes in a time when the oral tradition was threatened. It happens when those in the know are put to death.

In the next installment, our process goes even deeper. The next two verses to be examined are the last before the text dives straight into the accounts themselves. As we will see in the next installment, these are more specific in the instructions they offer. We will examine these instructions, and do a review of the cultivation material offered in the six verses before the SPIRVTh are directly addressed in the context of that wisdom.

Trees of Eden: A Map of the Fall [Part II]

In the last installment we described the fall in terms of the symbolism of the Tree of Life of QBLH. Of the sephirot, we noted the fourth was the most likely to be displaced- to become the tenth. Correlating the two models- the 2D Tree of Life and the sephirot of the SY- we note that the fourth sphere of the tree map (from the top) is also the fourth reckoning among the list of ten presented in the SY. The fall among the reckonings leaves us with the fourth process becoming the last, leaving a gap between the third account and the fifth where the sealing of the directions of space occurs. The displaced reckoning involved the power of ignition, represented the power of authority (MLKVTh) the aspirant awakens and applies at that point. After the displacement that power was associated with the Kingdom (MLKVTh) itself rather than the power of the throne itself. It’s like saying the world followed its own rules when humans lost the power to cultivate its authority.

The two models I am correlating describe the same thing from differing premises. Because of this, any change in one map correlates with a change in a parallel change in the other. A revealing application is to take a concept from the SY, such as the depths (OVMQ) of the sephirot, and project it onto the 2D Tree mapping. The affliction upon the (human) fabric of existence can be outlined and one can observe how it has distorted and still distorts evolutionary potential.

The immediate result of the disruption is the divorcing of TVB from RO, and the displacement and subsequent misrepresentation of the mystery (depth) of RO. With the latter displacement the sphere of TVB is left without any sort of reference through which to balance the Covenant. Instead, the sphere of ignition and of the depth of RO– according to the SY- is identified with the worldly state of the subject as well as the world itself. RO (Resh.Ayin.) translates as the view-point of another, who can be a shepherd or guide- for better or ill- a friend or a foe. As the depth of the world it describes an alienating and chaotic place. In terms of its associations with the human microcosm it describes self-alienation and internal conflict as the earthly state of awareness.

The aforementioned diagram (above) depicts the veritable gulf between the upper three sephirot and the remaining seven. The former are contemplative stages in the abstract sense, involving the cultivation of the proper frames of awareness and the required themes of focus to do so. The original final six sephirot involve the sealing of the directions of space. This is not viable, however, without the sphere of power associated with the depth of RO, the sephirah that was supposed to precede them. That pivotal sphere of power, unfortunately, was moved outside the original bounds of the Tree-form.

This analysis, by the way, does not involve pathworking practices of popular modern western occultism. Those would have a starting point in the worldly awareness of the fallen tenth sphere, followed by a progression through the twenty two relationships between the ten spheres of the Tree of Life from highest to lowest number. The ten sephirot as reckonings of esoteric wisdom, on the other hand, are serially progressive and do not involve relationships between them outside their sequential order. In addition, they progress from lowest to highest number. The bottom-up model, furthermore, treats the state of awareness that corresponds to the first three sephirot, as the aim of practice rather than its prerequisite. The bottom-up approach of working the tree leads to divine awareness, while the top down approach can access that very awareness we need to ground for the alchemy to lead to powerful magical application potential.

To reiterate, the fall in the context mentioned here involves removing a fundamental part of a ten-fold alchemy, the part where ignition takes place- and place it at the very end of the sequence, misrepresenting the sequence as a whole and either neutralizing or perverting it. Ideally one progresses to the point of applying a high state of contemplative awareness to the sense of one’s life force and mental will so as to directly connect it to structuring the space around one’s body. This subtle energy structure was, furthermore, meant to be the basis for ignition. Being without the latter would akin to sucking on an unlit cigarette and calling it smoking.

Yet, until the real thing is demonstrated or experienced somehow- until one acquires intimate knowing (DOTh) of the act, the faux process can be convincing in its compromising effects. In this case, the simple correction would be to replace the fallen tenth sephirah in its fourth position. However, regarding the SY, there is no correction because there is no fall indicated in that presentation. One simply follows the reckonings in order. We examine the fall because it is theme that reflects the state of current humanity. In that sense taking the sephirot in their original order has the implications of rectification and reclaiming one’s power of divine authority, something that comes along with the requisite mystical states of awareness the contemplative practices in the text strive to actualize.

With that in mind, let us triangulate our correlations with the biblical account regarding The Tree of Life in relation to the fruits of the Tree of Knowledge. In the QBLH map the Tree of Life has a sphere displaced, something that alters the very shape of the Tree, so that it can be associated with the very different Tree of the fruit of Knowing TVB and RO. The pivotal statement regarding the relationship between the two Trees is implied with the words of YHVH ALHIM in Gen. 3:22:

“Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he put forth his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever…”

It is noteworthy that the word for Tree (OTz) and that for Spinal Column (OTzH) are quite similar, to the point that one might be an allusion to the other. The third and fourth reckonings of restraint are about what the corresponding depths attempt to inspire when subjects of contemplation. In that context, the third depth (TVB) hints at the favorable conditions to establish a medium of containment (a kind of subtle body), whose weaves and flows support the housing of one’s presence. The fourth is about the ignition of that medium to activate the patterns of Ruach (mind-energy) as one’s own friends and allies. After the fall, this ignition never occurs. The impulse has become a dense and stubborn territory known as matter, and all the rest of the sephirot remain unprocessed (to use a potentially misleading yet adequate modern term).

It is tempting to suggest that the cultivation sequence of the reckonings will not be effective unless one somehow addresses the issue of one’s capacity to manifest events in creation- to perform magic in other words. This is not what is being implied. We are rather pointing out a block to higher awareness that can be directly addressed through persistent cultivation practice. The fall tells us that is that we need to forge a path between the state of existence based on worldly experience and the state of grace marking unconditioned human potential. This time, however, the state of grace will not be based on innocence, but on the very experiences that led to being deprived of grace in the first place.

I choose to look at the statement of Gen. 3:22 as prophetic. To move toward the Tree of Life, however, we must place the mysteries of TVB and RO side by side to complement each other. They are not antagonistic in this view. In the world, both states are needed and the awareness of when and how to express or work with one and/or the other is the profound wisdom one needs to first open to primordial consciousness as the SY describes it, and to bring that consciousness into the focused application known as magic.

Trees of Eden: A Map of the Fall [Part I]

[Edit: Realized my image didn’t transfer, so had to figure that out. Now this probably makes a bit more sense.]

The following information was a detour from the more concise instructional outline I intended to follow. However, abstract as it may seem it seeks to bridge the implications of the myth of the biblical fall and the trees of eden with the functional mapping given by the ten sephirot belimah. The topic ended more involved than originally anticipated, making this post the first part of a two part intallment. Although the following diverges from the text we are interpreting (The Earliest Recoverable Text of the Sepher Yetsirah), it is still important to fill in certain blanks, even if those blanks aren’t obvious to the causal observer. The topic of the Trees of Paradise has been approached in a previous series of four installments posted here. A comparison would be interesting, especially since this interpretation takes the theory and seeks to establish a context of practice with it.

By emphasizing the power of ten in relation to its numerical neighbors- nine and eleven- the author of our text identifies the reckonings in a specific manner. We surmised that the chosen number of sephirot makes a statement that the power of Shaping (aka Magic) is free of blasphemous or idolatrous qualities. Given the power attributed to numbers, the ten reckonings are more likely to represent divine inspiration than those quantified as nine or eleven. The revelation of ten is a direct and living experience, and is represented by the reality frame (and corresponding occult model) known as the Tree of Life in QBLH.

The Tree of Knowledge (of TVB and RO), on the other hand, is a kindred representation, but one that is incomplete and deleterious in its effects when its fruits are assimilated alone. Without the Tree of Life, the fruits of having intimate knowledge of TVB and RO imprison an individual in a state of being aware of distinctions without the direct gnosis and grace that complete the process of existential autonomy as promised by the serpent of the biblical account. Previously we identified the two trees as one and the same, since the model of QBLH shows the the domain of Knowledge (HDOTh) as being part of the fallen tree. In this installement we examine the myth in terms of two esoteric models: the two dimensional (2D) tree diagrams and the model of the SY with its ten reckonings, which are traditionally taken to describe the same thing. I would say that the situation is not so black and white, because we are dealing with myths and models of reality frames that are magically alive and are not restricted to a three dimensional conceptual reference frame. The premise is simply that the fall as a biblical event, corresponds to the fall in terms of the Tree of Life diagram of QBLH and correspondingly affects the ten sephirot as well in like manner. This correlation is what we examine.

It is noteworthy that the Tree of Knowledge does not exibit some kind of existential toxicity or danger. It isn’t evil or there to cause damage. It serves a purose in the context of human potential. We can consider it, in other words, as part of an alchemical formula of two steps: dissolve and coagula. The second step involves the Tree of Life, which in the mapping of QBLH can be seen as a rectified Tree of Knowledge. In the Hermetic QBLH of the 19^th and 20^th centuries, the term DOTh was associated with a gateway to the abyss that formed as a result of the biblical fall from grace or “original sin”. Even as the SPIRVTh are can be seen as stages of some form of internalized alchemy, they are also spheres or domains of revelation and empowerment. Suffice it to say that DOTh is “located” between the third and fourth SPIRVTh of the fallen Tree of Life mapping, well known to students of QBLH. The fall causes the tenth SPIRH. It is known as Malkuth and rendered in English as Kingdom, but it also means Royal Power/Authority. According to one view, this SPIRH fell from its fourth position to the tenth. According to another, all the last seven SPIRVTh– representing the seven planets of antiquity- fell down a notch.

I favor the former model. The true bottom SPIRVTh is called Foundation (YSVD), while Malkuth as Power of Authority is coherent with the fourth position, and where it needs to be to function naturally and free of affliction. Below we diagram the evolution of the fall, from the original Tree of Life (far left) to the version considered to be the way the Tree is because of the Fall (far right). The middle figure shows change, from the sphere with number value four, to that with number value (properly forty if we use the numbering of the Hebrew abjad) adjusted to ten when the whole tree accommodates the difference (far right).

In the SY the fourth position is identified by the depth (mystery) of RO, which is usually rendered as simply bad or evil. The concept carries much weight, so to avoid philosophical entanglement, let us first look at the letter analysis of the word. The letters Resh.Ayin describe the head (which may be the god-head, one’s own mind, or that of another) of the eye/fountain. Ayin may be a replacement for another letter that conveyed entanglement, something more aligned with the negative interpretation of the word, while RO also means friend and shepherd, someone who watches out for us. Using a similar analysis, TVB describes a weave (pattern of construction or behavior) that supports the house or clan, a state is understandably considered favorable. Contemplating this information gives the third reckoning additional depth and hence empowering potential. When we are open to the revelation of its juxtaposed term (RO), the fourth becomes accessible. According to Hermetic QBLH it is here that the abyss thwarts us.

Eating the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge (HDOTh) of TVB and RO had unavoidable consequences. If you eat (identify with) the fruit (results) of having experiences that you clearly distinguish into TVB and RO, then you are a discerning entity, and make choices accordingly. Without the impact of the Tree of Life, however, one ends up in a state disconnected from divine essence and the immortality of true Identity. That individual exists in a closed system of cause and effect because they are crippled.

HDOTh is, moreover, not intellectual knowledge. It refers to intimate experience and involvement with the subject, which can be taken to refer to sexuality, but I think the scope of the myth falls flat if it’s just about sex. The fall from grace was the result of choosing to evaluate and act on one’s own experience. And the move to materialize was a natural outcome of stepping from grace and into autonomous evolution. This awakening to their autonomy- albeit not fully- resulted in the humans wanting to cover their nudity. From an esoteric perspective, we can view the animal skins given by YHVH ALHIM as reference to corporeal embodiment, required to experience the reality of the fruits they imbibed. The insecurity the two humans felt was the sense that they should be clothed (corporeal), and was misrepresented as shame and immodesty.

The point of the above was to outline the nature of Original Sin, while our Tree of Life mapping puts it into a different context. There are two important reflections of that context in the altered mapping. 1) The original fourth sephirah is depicted as dropping out of the former domain of the Tree, to become new tenth and final one. 2) A gap formed between the third and fifth sephirot. When the dust settled, the former fifth became the new fourth and so on.

For the context of a list of cultivation practices the alteration would have far reaching consequences. To add insult to injury the original fourth account was that last of the abstract themes before the focus was on the directions in physical space. Without it the internalization process would be incomplete. With that step bumped to the tenth position, the directions in space a approached prematurely, and never really come into their own. Leaving the tenth account below the actual foundation of the Tree creates a distance from the other steps, which along with the sephirah taken from its natural position, isolates the reckoning whose depth or mystery is identified by RO, and keeps the process from being activated as intended.

In that sense the Fall is one of human potential itself, or rather the readiness at which human potential can actualize. To extrapolate how that translates in terms of esoteric cultivation can lead to adaptations in practices among other things to increase the scope of the results. It also places the fourth account in a position of importance in relation to the others. To insure it succeeds, the domain designated as Kingdom needs to be returned to its prior position as Royal Authority- the authority of self. It is by this authority that anything animates or charges, is sanctified and can be sealed. It appears to be the turn-on switch for the systems power, the prior being preparation of what is to contain the fire of the throne. Then the directions of space can be ignited and sealed. The topic is continued and wrapped up in the next installment.

Introduction to the Ten Sephirot Belimah

We have already examined the thesis statement of the SY, and have been introduced to the text in general. The twelve verses that follow are self-contained in their concise yet in-depth coverage that has laid the foundation of much of QBLH philosophy and modern Western occultism. The central theme of this portion of the SY is an esoteric process described by the first three words that begin seven of those verses: OShR SPIRVTh BLIMH. If we want to unravel the allegedly cryptic wisdom of this portion of the text, it is imperative we explore the meaning of the elusive entities known as SPIRVTh.

The advantage of using the Earliest Recoverable Text (ERT) is its liberation from layers of conception representing the crusty residues of centuries of editing. This streamlined version of the SY encourages exploration unburdened by the assumption that everything has to be coded in elaborate complication where ancient occultism is involved. Our own context of meaning- that of esoteric cultivation rather than religious exegesis- facilitates in validating this view. What appear, therefore, to be twilight languages and elaborate allegorical codes are simply descriptions of esoteric means and outcomes that are made clear when one has basic (even if only theoretical) knowledge in the subject matter. There is no need to complicate things with talk of “initiations” and “mysteries”. What we have in this particular text, in this aspirants view, is occult “trade talk”- not the encoded vocabulary of concealing knowledge from outsiders who would either persecute the holders of it or corrupt its principles.

In that sense, there is no need to concoct elaborate stories of creation and complex maps outlining the conceptions of this section to emphasize the religious element over that of inner alchemy. We can simply take the text at face value with but rudimentary theoretical knowledge of basics of contemplation and sensate visualization to come to our understanding. Namely, the ten sephirot belimah amount to steps or processes of esoteric cultivation; exercises where each builds on the previous to construct an elaborate subtle body from a core of established mystical communion, itself the result of extended practice in contemplation and inner focus.

Let us examine each of the three words of OShR SPIRVTh BLIMH, starting with the first term. At the basic level OShR is the word for the number ten. If we interpret it letter by letter, however, we get a sense of the qualitative tone of the word. The letter-signs describe a vision or well-spring; the glyph of Ayin being that of an eye or top-down view of a fountain. The other two letters denote authority (Shin.Resh), a person, divinity, or an awareness (head or mindset) that nourishes and sustains. Such a vision or eye or fountain can describe a revelation or some bestowed treasure, material or not.

The letter-by-letter interpretation may appear to contradict my statements about avoiding complications, but such an interpretation is neither cryptic nor does it complicate our understanding. On the contrary, it complements the immediate meaning and supports it. We will explore this in the next installment using a specific verse of the twelve as an example. Suffice it to say that the word for the number ten Shin as Sin, whereas the first pronunciation defines OShR in the sense of growing rich. Both versions give the sense of accumulation (ten fingers or generally of wealth). We use discretion when choosing to examine a term letter-by-letter. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, after all. Numbers and certain terms of esoteric import, however, demand a deeper level of examination. The words that follow OShR  are often mystified in Cabalistic thought. can keep all this in mind as we examine the other two words.

The word SPIRVTh is the plural of SPIRH, itself a noun form of the verb SPR, which we encountered in the first verse as well as being the title of the work. SPR as a noun means scroll or document. As a verb, the lexicon ascribes a list of meanings to the latter root, such as to account, to count, to reckon, to recount, to relate and to rehearse. SPIRVTh are therefore accountings, reckonings, relatings etc. In other words, the word, which is never found in the singular in any version of the work, is simply a product of keeping an account or relating something. I prefer to the word reckoning, as it conveys a more deliberate intent than a simple description. So far things are rather straightforward, and there is no need to examine the letter-by-letter meaning of the word or its root. The latter simply conveys the transmission of knowledge as patterns of information. The next word should also be straightforward. Yet it has not been taken that way in the traditions that referenced the SY as source material.

Most commentators prefer the interpretation of BLIMH as the compound word BLI (without) and MH (what), interpreted as nothingness, or ineffable. Such a designation is likely at least one reason why the SPIRVTh have been mystified as worlds unto themselves rather than packets of knowledge (esoteric teachings). From the perspective of a concise text designed to convey advanced applications- as opposed to philosophical or religious abstractions- the paradoxical meaning is somewhat redundant despite the alluring Zen-like impression it conveys. The alternative interpretation of the word BLIMH parallels that of its preceding sister term. Namely, it is a noun form of the verb root BLM, meaning to restrain, to curb, to reign in. Literally, the term refers to muzzling. It is understandable that the former interpretation is preferred to the latter when mysterious Zen-like allusions are compared to a reference to some sort of bondage.

If we, however, look to the text itself- and this is obvious with the ERT- the fourth verse goes something like: “Ten Reckonings of Restraint: Restrain your mouth from speech; restrain your heart-mind from fantasy…” To those in the know, the reference is to the mental discipline necessary for successful contemplation. Certainly, a modern practitioner would think twice before associating meditation with muzzling the mouth and heart. The the necessity for at least a gentle curbing or reigning-in of the tendency to lose focus, on the other hand, is a necessity for anyone having attempted such a practice in any of its forms.

There is, moreover, the association between the concept of AIN and the ineffable. AIN is a term of indeterminate comprehension; one of those esoteric labels that asks for a deeper letter-by-letter analysis to its conventional meaning of negation. Interestingly BLIMH, AIN, and the standard expression LA are translated as terms of negation without much distinction between them. Something is lost in doing that, however, and that something is context. Rather than practicing simplicity we engage in a selective reductionism that ends up backfiring. Perhaps BLIMH does have a double meaning, emphasizing that the SPIRVTh are not things, even as it conveys some sort of reigning in. Regardless, in today’s QBLH we end up with circles forming a pattern that is either mapped on a human body like the cakras of Indian Yoga; or used to map anything and everything but what a straightforward interpretation would give: paths of wisdom as actual esoteric teachings.

In contrast, AIN is anything but a simple no or nothing. It represents a state of advanced contemplation, emerging from the practice of reigning in our common mental habits. This will be discussed in greater detail in subsequent installments regarding the twelve verses pertaining to the ten reckonings of restraining. Suffice it to say that of the aforementioned verses, the first six describe practices and fundamentals of contemplation that serve as a prerequisite for the actual ten steps or paths of advanced esoteric cultivation. This is where the text reference AIN, and where by rendering it as an esoteric term in itself instead of a simple negative, the meaning of the verses in the context of esoteric cultivation is much clearer.

To anyone familiar with such practices, it goes without saying that the intricate subtleties one must master for even the basic steps cannot be conveyed in a few lines, however concise or condensed. The “manual” that is the SY was more likely addressed to the teacher rather than the student; a kind of reference frame from which to elaborate for the special case of each individual. In addition, if a community of esoteric practice was under severe social stress- as in being under siege or some other form of acute and violent persecution- a few short verses may have been all that could be put into writing in the hopes that later generations could build upon that very basic foundation. This is mere speculation, of course, but not without some basis in the history of the period the original was thought to be compiled (the first or second century of the Common Era).

In the next installment we will organize the twelve verses of interest into three sections. This will facilitate the exploration of the particulars of the esoteric system our analysis will be revealing. The teachings are not limited to the ten accounts, and may constitute one of the earliest formal methods of internal alchemy on record for Western civilization. This wasn’t so much lost or repressed, but instead hidden in plain sight until the Earliest Recoverable Text extracted its core meaning from centuries of gloss.