As I state in the beginning of these notes, I do not consider myself an
expert on the Qabbalah - although I’ve been working with it since the late
70s/early 80s.
In terms of the workshop content, I found that I had cut the notes back
a little too far, and if I repeat this workshop I’ll add more information. The
information on numerology also led to lots of interest, so I may have to work
that up into a workshop as well … perhaps with biorhythms, as I’m working on
some spreadsheets for both of those.
One interesting thing that came out of the workshop –by means of an
answer to a question - is that when we set up protection to the four quarters, we
are not so much protecting a direction as protecting a characteristic of
reality – so, when we ask for protection in the north and associate that with
Fire (I’m in the Southern Hemisphere, remember), we’re really asking for
protection of the attributes of Fire (manifestation, etc) wherever they are,
not just in the North.
Introduction to the Qabbalah
Kayleen White, April,
2014
Please note that I do not
consider myself an expert in this topic. I’d also like to apologise in advance,
as my pronunciation is fairly dreadful.
There are a number of different branches of this topic. This started as
a form of Jewish mysticism, but then was adapted by Hermeticism in the Middle
Ages, and later by the New Age in the West. What most non-Jewish people think
of as ‘the Qabbalah’, is the Hermetic/New Age version, which is what this
workshop will cover.
Let’s begin with how to spell the word.
There are a wide range of spellings [1],
partly arising because of the translation of the name of this system from
Hebrew. In Hebrew characters, the spelling is (going from right to left):
ה ל ב ק
which literally means ‘receiving’ or ‘tradition’.
(That is the last bit of Hebrew writing I will use
in this workshop.)
The characters are:
ק Qof (or Qoph)
ב Bet or Beth
ל Lamed
ה He
which is why I favour a spelling beginning with Q. I suspect others use
K to be more sure of pronunciation - and the doubling of letters is tied up
with rules associated with pronunciation.
Up to 24 versions of the spelling of this term exist, which reflects
the difficulty of translating from Hebrew to English.
Keep that in mind when considering the concepts, many of which have
also been translated!
There seems to be a spelling convention now that
some people advocate around these different versions, which is:
spellings beginning with K - relate
to the Jewish traditions
spellings beginning with Q - relate
to the Hermitic versions
spellings beginning
with C - relate to the Christian versions
Very, very briefly, Jewish Kabbalah is generally considered to have
begun somewhere around the 11th or 13th centuries, and
was a development of earlier mystical systems such as ‘the Merkabah’ [2],
which had books such as the Sefer
Yetzirah [3]. The
Kabbalah tradition includes references such as the fairly well known Zohar, and all of these are based on
interpreting the Jewish holy book, the Torah
(the Talmud is, effectively, a commentary on
the Torah).
Interestingly, there is a branch of Jewish Kabbalah where the
practitioners actually do what they consider to be ‘white magic’, despite the
general prohibition against magic in that religion. (There is also a meditative branch, and a prophetic
branch of Jewish Kabbalah.)
This, along with the entirety of Jewish Kabbalah, has had a fairly
chequered history within broader Judaism.
I know very little on this, although I’ve had access to parts of the
Zohar from a friend. For more on this, it would be best to refer to
authoritative sources, or even http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabalah.
Hermeticism arose in around the 3rd century, and has had a
major influence on Western esotericism - and, during the 14th and 15th
centuries, is considered by some to have had a major influence on the early
development of science. For more on Hermeticism, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermeticism.
From around the 15th century, Kabbalistic thought began
being absorbed into Hermeticism, leading to a series of books which probably
peaked with Dion Fortune’s book The
Mystical Qabalah, published in 1935 [4].
This tradition began in the 14th century, during the
Renaissance, and declined in the late 17th and 18th
century Age of Enlightenment (also known as the Age of Reason).
To jump ahead a little, this tradition links the upper three Sephiroth
to the Trinity, and the lower seven to the earthly world.
I know nothing of this particular interpretation system. If you’d like
to know more, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Kabbalah.
There are other traditions linked to the Qabbalah, such as a heretical
Jewish tradition called Sabbateanism [5],
and ‘English Qabalah’ [6],
which interprets the letters of the English alphabet as number and symbol.
The term ‘world view’ was first used by the German philosopher Albert
Schweitzer, in a book called “The Decay
and Restoration of Civilization”. The term basically means a plan of
reality, and includes our view of what constitutes reality, and also how one
should live, what one should try to do with one’s life. As an example of world
view, someone may not accept the existence of anything non-physical, let alone
life after death, and therefore base all their decisions on, perhaps. living
for the moment. Other world views may accept the existence of the nonphysical,
and have an ethical code based on caring. (Some people who do not accept the existence of the
nonphysical may still have a strong belief in caring.)
The Qabbalah was rooted in the Jewish tradition, and thus is based on
the existence of Creator God, and a life hereafter.
More specifically, the Qabalah refers to:
·
Ein, or ‘no-thingness’;
·
Ein Sof, ‘limitlessness’, or God prior to
self-manifestation in the form of production of any realm, also referred to as
‘the nameless Being’; and
·
Ohr Ein Sof, from which our physical reality is
manifested
(incidentally, I was taught, back in the 70s or 80s, to pronounce this Ein Sof
Ohr, and generally do so out of habit).
There is also a ‘stage of concealment’, the ‘tzimtzum’, which (according to Wikipedia) “ “allows space”
for creations to perceive themselves as separate existences from their
Creator.”
These are above the diagrams normally presented to explain the Qabbalah.
So, all that is in the Qabbalah is manifested from God, and that manifestation
process comprises the three levels referred to above, and then what is referred
to as ‘the Lightning Flash’.
Before I can explain the Lightning Flash’, the
Qabbalah is typically presented as ten ‘Spheres’, or ‘Sephirah’, each being a
particular characteristic or part of reality. These are arranged into three
columns:
·
the Left Pillar (Pillar of Mercy);
·
the Middle Pillar (Pillar of Mildness);
·
the Right Pillar (Pillar of Severity).
The ten Sephirah are arranged along the Pillars, three on the Left, four
on the Middle, and three on the Right. The ‘Lightning Flash’ travels from God
to the highest Sephirah on the Middle Pillar, then to the highest Sephirah on
the Pillar of Mercy (Chokmah,
or Wisdom), then across to Binah (Understanding), at the top of the Pillar of
Severity, and so on down through the rest of the Qabbalistic arrangement of
Sephirah - which is referred to as ‘the Tree of Life’. It represents the path
of manifestation from God to the World.
Diagrams of the ‘Tree of Life’ are generally drawn as if one is looking
at another person, so what is on the right hand side of the diagram is what I
will refer to as the Left Pillar,
and what is on the left side will be the Right
Pillar.
In analysing the Tree of Life of the Qabbalah, the grouping of the
Sephirah into threes, referred to as ‘triads’, is significant, as are the
pathways linking the Sephirah.
Let’s begin with a diagram of the Qabbalah (my apologies for not giving the source of this diagram: I've had it for many years and didn't think I would use it, so never kept the source - the information is, however, widely available in various books and on the Internet).
Figure 1 - The Tree of Life
The triads are:
·
Ein, Ein Sof, Ohr Ein Sof;
·
Kether, Chokmah, Binah:
·
Chesed, Gevurah (or Geburah), Tiphereth (or
Tiphareth);
·
Netzach, Hod, Yesod.
Let’s now look at the elements of the Qabbalah in more detail.
Jewish Kabbalists may take great pains to emphasise that the Sephirah
are all contained within the Ein Sof, apparently to avoid any possibility of an
interpretation of God as having Dualist
Nature (one part Divine, one part Reality).
In my work with the Qabbalah, I use an awareness of this higher triad,
and the sequence of manifestation it represents, as background knowledge for my
work. It is also a great tool to meditate on if you want to gain a deeper
understanding of how reality works J
- and particularly, how it came to be.
I don’t generally attempt to work with any part of this triad
personally - it would be like an ant trying to direct an elephant. The sequence
of names, however, can be chanted as a sequence to gradually bring Light and
Love to a place - i.e., chant Ein several times, then Ein Sof, then Ohr Ein
Sof.
Ein Sof emanates and creates Kether, which then splits into the Father
(Chockmah), and Mother (Binah). Chockmah is the will to live, to expand, and
chaos, which is accepted and modified by Binah such that life becomes possible.
Without Chockmah, Binah would result in stasis.
This is described as the ‘intellectual’ triad.
This represents the separation between thought and action generally, or
between our thoughts and the potential of the universe. This is the restraint
that prevents us acting out every single thought.
This triad represents God’s moral or ethical power, reminds us that God
judges us, and gives us these skills to be able to manifest them toward others.
This separates the second triad (the Moral Triad) from humanity as, although
it is more human and approachable than the Supernal Triad, it is still too
archetypal for humans to approach directly.
That’s the official position. Personally, I’ve not found any problems
working with anything above the Veil of Parochet, but it is a useful reminder
that one is moving into more generic, broad-based territory above the Veil.
This triad is formed of the most turbulent and human of the Sephirah,
and represents the many forms of the universe.
The Crown represents the potential of creation (for instance, the fully grown oak exists
within the acorn), including the necessary equilibrium between expansion
and contraction. Is considered so sublime as to be incomprehensible to humans.
In Western Qabbalah, is considered to be pure consciousness.
God Name – Eheieh
Archangel – Metatron, Angel
of the Presence
Head of the Middle Pillar
(Pillar of Mildness)
Astrological – the ‘Prime
Mover’
Colours – pure brilliance,
pure white, white flecked with gold
Wisdom. Represents the point at which the emanation from Ein Sof starts
to move into our world, and thus is called the Father of the Tree of Life. The
creative, active principle behind the universe - Force.
God Name – Jehovah
Archangel – Ratziel, Herald
of Deity
Head of the Left Pillar
(Pillar of Mercy)
Astrological – the Zodiac
Colours – soft blue, grey,
iridescence, white flecked with red blue & yellow
Understanding. The Mother of the Tree of Life, and refers to analytical
thought. Used the seed of Chockmah to conceive and give birth to the seven
lower Sephirah. The Form that limits Force (Chockmah).
God Name – Jehovah Elohim
Archangel – Tzaphkiel, the
Beholder of God
Head of the Right Pillar
(Pillar of Severity)
Astrological – Saturn
Colours – crimson, black,
dark brown, grey flecked with pink
Mercy or kindness / abundance / majesty. Created by the union of Binah
and Chockmah, the life-giving force that manifests as love and generosity in
humans.
God Name – El
Archangel – Tzadkiel, the
Righteous of God
Centre of the Left Pillar
(Pillar of Mercy)
Astrological – Jupiter
Colours – deep violet, blue,
deep purple, deep azure flecked with yellow
Strength or severity. Limits the abundance of mercy by the power to
punish or control. Justice, the correcting force.
God Name – Elohim Gebor
Archangel – Khamael, the
Severity of God
Centre of the Right Pillar
(Pillar of Severity)
Astrological – Mars
Colours – orange, scarlet,
bright scarlet, red flecked with black
Beauty. Considered to be connected to all the other Sephirah, and
balances Chesed (Mercy) and Geburah (Severity). Balance.
God Name – Aloah Va Daath
Archangel – Michael, the
Perfect of God
Centre of the Middle Pillar
(Pillar of Mildness)
Astrological – Sun
Colours – rose pink, golden
yellow, salmon pink, golden amber
Victory. The passion and energy of creation, overcoming obstacles. Art,
love and beauty, music and dancing.
God Name – Jehovah Tzabaoth
Archangel – Auriel, the
Grace of God
Foot of the Left Pillar
(Pillar of Mercy)
Astrological – Venus
Colours – amber, emerald
green, bright yellow green, olive flecked with gold
Glory, splendour or awe. Truthful thought that limits Geburah with
honesty and introspection. Magic.
God Name – Elohim Tzabaoth
Archangel – Raphael, the
Heavenly Physician
Foot of the Right Pillar
(Pillar of Severity)
Astrological – Mercury
Colours – violet, orange,
russet red, yellowish black flecked with white
Foundation. The union of action, thought, passion and truthfulness. The
subconscious.
God Name – Shaddai El Chai
Archangel – Gabriel
Lower Part of the Middle
Pillar (Pillar of Mildness)
Astrological – Moon
Colours – indigo, purple,
dark purple, citrine flecked with azure
Kingdom. The physical existence of God’s emanations, the presence of God
in the physical world, or the physical world itself.
God Name – Adonai Ha Aretz
Archangel – Sandalphon
Foot of the Middle Pillar
(Pillar of Mildness)
Astrological – The Elements
Colours – yellow, citrine
olive russet and black, citrine olive russet and black flecked with gold, black
rayed with yellow
Knowledge. Is located in ‘the abyss’ below the uppermost triad, and is
an equal balance of wisdom and understanding. In spiritual development, can
represent the need to give up ego.
I find this Sephirah helps when I’m doing spirit rescue.
The Path of Fiery
Intelligence – Kether to Chesed
Tarot card - ; luminous
golden-white; channelling od Divine creative energy
The Path of
Transparent Intelligence – Kether to Binah
Tarot card The Magician;
Mercury, purple; channelling od Divine creative energy
The Path of
Uniting Intelligence –Kether to Tiphereth
Tarot Card The High
Priestess; Moon; silver; the camel, which can care for itself when isolated
The Path of
Illuminating Intelligence - Binah and Chokmah
Tarot card The Empress;
Venus; blue; love and fertility
The Path of
Natural Intelligence – Chokmah to Tiphereth
Tarot Card The Star; Mars;
light blue; enables understanding of hidden truths outside the seeker’s sphere
of reality
The Path of
Triumphal Intelligence – Chokmah to Chesed
Tarot Card The Hierophant;
Venus; indigo; unites the processes of learning and teaching
The Path of
Disposing Intelligence – Binah to Tiphereth
Tarot Card The Lovers;
Mercury; mauve; finding our beloved
The Path of
Influencing Intelligence – Binah to Geburah
Tarot Card The Chariot;
Moon; maroon; destiny and Divine journeys
The Path of
Spiritual Intelligence – Chesed and Geburah
Tarot Card The Lovers;
Mercury; mauve; finding our beloved
The Path of Wilful
Intelligence – Chesed to Tiphereth
Tarot Card The Hermit;
Mercury; grey; understanding our path to emotional maturity and inner depth
The Path of
Conciliating Intelligence – Chesed to Netzach
Tarot Card The Wheel of
Fortune; Jupiter; dark blue; appreciation of what one has
The Path of
Faithful Intelligence – Geburah to Tiphereth
Tarot Card Strength /
Justice; Venus; blue; change, and the growth that comes from reinventing ourselves
The Path of Stable
Intelligence - Geburah to Hod
Tarot Card The Hanged Man;
Neptune; sea green; acceptance of destiny
The Path of
Imaginative Intelligence – Tiphereth to Netzach
Tarot Card Death; Mars;
brown; change
The Path of
Tentative Intelligence – Tiphereth to Yesod
Tarot Card Temperance;
Jupiter; yellow; spiritual journeying
The Path of
Renovating Intelligence – Tiphereth to Hod
Tarot Card The Devil;
Saturn; black; understanding perception and intention
The Path of
Exciting Intelligence – Hod and Netzach
Tarot Card The Tower; Mars;
bright red; equilibrium through creative energy
The Path of
Constituting Intelligence – Netzach to Yesod
Tarot Card The Emperor;
Uranus/Saturn; red; mind over matter
The Path of
Corporeal Intelligence – Netzach to Malkuth
Tarot Card The Moon; Moon;
beige; physical heritage
The Path of
Collecting Intelligence – Hod to Yesod
Tarot Card The Sun; Sun;
golden yellow; enlightened existence
The Path of
Perpetual Intelligence – Hod to Malkuth
Tarot Card Judgement; Pluto;
vermillion; perpetual change – unlimited possibilities
The Path of
Administrative Intelligence – Yesod to Malkuth
Tarot Card The World;
Saturn; black; all the Divine forces making their mark upon the world
All of this information can be used as a starting point for a series of
meditations - for instance, meditating once a day on a particular Sephirah, or
spending a month or so meditating daily (or at whatever frequency is
convenient) on each of the pathways, and so on.
This system is founded in mysticism, and it is the aim of such
mysticism to know more.
Correspondences between the pathways and Tarot cards have been provided,
and can be used as a source of greater insight.
This is not strictly part of the Qabbalah as understood in the West,
but there is a system of numerology based on the Hebrew alphabet and assigned
numeric values, which is a part of at least one of the Jewish mystical
traditions. The following notes are from something else I am working on, but
have not yet completed so is a little patchy. The source is "Numera", by Bernard Spencer
Le Gette (Pub 1976 by
Pan; ISBN 0 30 24613 5). The more recent book “Star Signs” by Linda Goodman also covers this.
This system of
numerology is based on the Qabbalistic system. It does not follow the common
Western system of allocating numeric values sequentially (and
cyclically)
from 1 to 9 through the alphabet. The numeric values assigned to letters
are:
A 1 B
2 C 3
D 4 E
5 F 8
G 3 H
5 I 1
J 1 K
2 L 3
M 4 N
5 O 7
P 8
Q 1 R
2
S 3
T 4 U
6
V 6
W 6 X
5
Y 1
Z 7
It is vital that
ONLY the meanings given to numbers for the Qabbalistic system be used for
Numera calculated using this system, as they are different to those in the
common Western system. This system is based on the current name as used in
everyday life - i.e., the "energies"/"vibes" that build up
with frequent usage. (Other systems use, for
instance, birth name - much as when constructing a natal astrological chart:
this is more like a current chart.)
The meanings of
each number are (very briefly):
1 A primal
number. This is the number of initiative and leadership, but can be egocentric.
Is a blind exuberance and an intimidating audacity. Reflect less than other
numbers, and primaeval power, and weakness, is determination and grasping.
Receive little luck as make their own. Not insensitive, but their effortless
presence can make others bar 4s -
uneasy. Tend to have few enemies and fewer friends. Can be charming, positive
and humorous, but if self absorbed can be pompous, deceitful and morose.
Associated with the Sun.
2 An
"interpretive" (collector, transmitter) number representing the
principle of separation and, thus, awareness - can be insightful and creative.
2s see the world as fluid and to be changed, and this is the number of poets.
However, can see too much, be passive or caught by duality - seeing both sides
of an argument ("on the one hand ..., but on the other hand, ...). Need to
cultivate "bend not break" attitude and discipline if to accomplish -
don't retreat into fantasy, and avoid drink and drugs. When master themselves,
can have prodigious abilities. Associated with the Moon.
3 A
"modal" ("doer") number. This number is expansive and
joyous. Associated with Jupiter, it relates well to 6 and 9.
4 A primal
number. The number of writers.
5 An
"interpretive" (collector, transmitter) number. Associated with good
mental ability.
6 A
"modal" ("doer") number. Worldly success. This number
relates well to 3 and 9.
7 A primal
number. 7s are intuitive and often elusive, with a strong sense of self. Tend
to do without being able to explain why. May have paradoxes - meditative yet
out of doors, solitary but performers. Mystical and artistic, and can be hardy.
Love to sea and sailing, particularly the quick and rough camaraderie, flow of
action and rearrangement of patterns, which are like music to 7s. Restless and
love travel - even maps will do, but tend to have a quietening influence on
others. Stoicism and luck lead to a certain amount of immunity to misfortune.
Can be besieged by visions, need peace and quiet and should refrain from
alcohol and drugs and try hard to further their own plans. Riding the range or
going to sea combines peace and expenditure of energy, but intense pressures
and confusion of schools or business can lead to world manipulating 7s: need to
assert their individuality. Associated
with Neptune.
8 An
"interpretive" (collector, transmitter) number. A strong number with
concerns with justice. This number can clash with 9.
9 A
"modal" ("doer") number. 9s are dynamic, strong, magnetic,
and seem larger than life - lucky, capable and effective. Have magnetism as
power rather than grinding strength. See life as a battle to be won, usually
have a rough going until they find a direction for their energy. Like big
schemes, but can be overbearing. Remembers being crossed for a long time, and
can be expansive in sharing down moods and analysing their faults, but durable
and hard to destroy: have to learn to tolerate dissension to achieve great
things, which may be sense of life or leadership they bring to others rather
than meeting their own ambitions. Socially idealistic, but practical and
concrete. If meditate, thoughtful 9s may see Unity of life.
Whilst this system can be applied to the numera calculated from the
whole (everyday) name, it is more correctly used in the following arrangement (diagram from the spreadsheet I'm working on slowly):
This is the protection ritual that I have most commonly used since I
was a teenager, and I find it very effective. The following description is
based on a blog post of mine.
This post is a slightly
more formal version of what I normally do, although I have modified the wording
to what I normally use.
There may be an argument
for swapping south and north, given that we are in the Southern Hemisphere, but
I’ve had this system so ingrained that I personally find that difficult. If you
would prefer to do so, please try it and use whatever is most comfortable for
you.
The ritual has the
following broad steps:
(1)
Banishing
1.1
Qabbalistic Cross
1.2
pentagrams to the Quarters
1.3 invoke
Archangels
This is based on the Lesser Banishing
Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRT - see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_banishing_ritual_of_the_pentagram), and the Qabbalistic
Cross.
1.1
Qabbalistic Cross
1.1 (a) Touch forehead,
vibrate "AH – TEY"
1.1 (b) Point downwards,
vibrate "MAHL – KOOTH"
1.1 (c) Touch right
shoulder, vibrate "VE – G’BOO – RAH"
1.1 (d) Touch left
shoulder, vibrate "VE – G’DOO – LAH"
1.1 (e) Fold hands at
chest, vibrate "LIH – OH – LAH – MEN"
(all
of which means “To Thee God be the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory. Amen”.
I’ve been told this is Hebrew.)
1.2
pentagrams to the Quarters
1.2 (a) Go to
or face east, and then
- draw pentagram (starting
at lower left and going clockwise - the first line is as if "throwing
mucky stuff up to heaven to be got rid of"; this diagram should
help you to get the idea:
),
),
- then touch the centre of
the pentagram, and simultaneously vibrate "AH – DOH – NYE"
(written
Adonai) to
activate the pentagram
1.2 (b) Carry
line to or face north,
- draw pentagram (starting
at lower left leg and going clockwise),
- touch the centre of the
pentagram, and simultaneously vibrate "AH –
DOH – NYE" to activate the
pentagram
1.2 (c) Carry
line to or face west,
- draw pentagram (starting
at lower left leg and going clockwise),
- touch the centre of the pentagram, and
simultaneously vibrate "AH – DOH –
NYE" to activate the pentagram
1.2 (d) Carry
line to or face south,
- draw pentagram (starting
at lower left leg and going clockwise),
- touch the centre of the
pentagram, and simultaneously vibrate "AH – DOH – NYE"
to activate the pentagram
1.2 (e) Carry
line to or face east completing circle and return to centre. If I wish to be
sure of the protection, I will then repeat the pentagram, thinking of this as
"locking" the circle.
1.3
invoke Archangels
1.3 (a) Stand
with arms outstretched,
- then visualise a great
beam of bright light coming down from above, and passing through the vertical
axis of your body, followed by a great beam of bright light from the side (I generally use the right
side as the source)
and passing through the heart, thus creating a great cross of light;
1.3b Then say
the following as do the visualisations of the Archangels, facing OUTWARDS:
"Before
me Raphael,"
(visualise the Archangel as a young male, dressed in golden colours, holding a sword up and facing OUTWARDS)
(visualise the Archangel as a young male, dressed in golden colours, holding a sword up and facing OUTWARDS)
"On my
left Michael,"
(visualise the Archangel as a mature male, dressed in red colours, holding a spear and facing OUTWARDS)
(visualise the Archangel as a mature male, dressed in red colours, holding a spear and facing OUTWARDS)
"Behind
me Gabrael,"
(visualise the Archangel as a young woman, dressed in autumnal colours [I use brown, yellow and red], holding a cup and facing OUTWARDS)
(visualise the Archangel as a young woman, dressed in autumnal colours [I use brown, yellow and red], holding a cup and facing OUTWARDS)
"On my
right Auriel,"
(visualise the archangel as a mature woman, dressed in earthy colours [I use green and brown], holding a shield and facing OUTWARDS)
(visualise the archangel as a mature woman, dressed in earthy colours [I use green and brown], holding a shield and facing OUTWARDS)
"For
about me are the flames of Heaven,
and above me is the light of Heaven."
and above me is the light of Heaven."
The ritual has the
following broad steps:
2.1
Qabbalistic Cross
2.2 pentagrams to the Quarters
2.3 invoke Archangels
2.2 pentagrams to the Quarters
2.3 invoke Archangels
This is based on the Lesser Banishing
Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRT - see also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_banishing_ritual_of_the_pentagram), and the Qabbalistic
Cross.
I’ve adapted it, however,
for invoking energies, rather than simply banishing them. This particular
example is based on invoking the sphere "Kether". To invoke other Spheres,
substitute the name with either the name of the Sphere you wish to invoke (in
fact, I frequently do that, and say "Keth-her" rather than use the
God name), or
the relevant God name.
1.1
Qabbalistic Cross
1.1 (a) Touch forehead,
vibrate "AH – TEY"
1.1 (b) Point downwards,
vibrate "MAHL – KOOTH"
1.1 (c) Touch right
shoulder, vibrate "VE – G’BOO – RAH"
1.1 (d) Touch left
shoulder, vibrate "VE – G’DOO – LAH"
1.1 (e) Fold hands at
chest, vibrate "LIH – OH – LAH – MEN"
(all
of which means “To Thee God be the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory. Amen”.
I’ve been told this is Hebrew.)
1.2
pentagrams to the Quarters
1.2 (a) Go to
or face east, and then
- draw pentagram (starting
at top as if "drawing the blessings of heaven downwards"; many people
use the opposite direction that was used for the banishing ritual, but I have
got used to continuing to draw in a clockwise direction);
- then touch the centre of
the pentagram, and simultaneously vibrate "EH – HEY – EE - AH" to activate the pentagram
1.2 (b) Carry
line to or face north,
- draw pentagram (starting
at top),
- touch the centre of the
pentagram, and simultaneously vibrate "EH –
HEY – EE - AH" to activate
the pentagram
1.2 (c) Carry
line to or face west,
- draw pentagram (starting
at top),
- touch the centre of the pentagram, and
simultaneously vibrate "EH – HEY – EE -
AH" to activate the pentagram
1.2 (d) Carry
line to or face south,
- draw pentagram (starting
at top),
- touch the centre of the
pentagram, and simultaneously vibrate "EH –
HEY – EE - AH" to activate the pentagram
1.2 (e) Carry
line to or face east completing circle and return to centre.
1.3
invoke Archangels
1.3 (a) Stand
with arms outstretched,
- then visualise a great
beam of bright light coming down from above, and passing through the vertical
axis of your body, followed by a great beam of bright light from the side (I generally use the right
side as the source)
and passing through the heart, thus creating a great cross of light;
1.3b Then say
the following as do the visualisations of the Archangels, facing OUTWARDS:
"Before
me Raphael,"
(visualise the Archangel as a young male, dressed in golden colours, holding a sword up and facing INWARDS)
(visualise the Archangel as a young male, dressed in golden colours, holding a sword up and facing INWARDS)
"On my
left Michael,"
(visualise the Archangel as a mature male, dressed in red colours, holding a spear and facing INWARDS)
(visualise the Archangel as a mature male, dressed in red colours, holding a spear and facing INWARDS)
"Behind
me Gabrael,"
(visualise the Archangel as a young woman, dressed in autumnal colours [I use brown, yellow and red], holding a cup and facing INWARDS)
(visualise the Archangel as a young woman, dressed in autumnal colours [I use brown, yellow and red], holding a cup and facing INWARDS)
"On my
right Auriel,"
(visualise the archangel as a mature woman, dressed in earthy colours [I use green and brown], holding a shield and facing IN WARDS)
(visualise the archangel as a mature woman, dressed in earthy colours [I use green and brown], holding a shield and facing IN WARDS)
"For
about me are the flames of Heaven,
and above me is the light of Heaven."
and above me is the light of Heaven."
ALWAYS do the Banishing Ritual AFTER you have completed your meditation
of whatever other work you wished to do when you performed the invocation, and
close your chakras and aura, ground and centre, and shield yourself afterwards.
Begin with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. Then …
Standing, feet
together, facing east,
Visualize a
brilliant sphere above the head and vibrate
"EH – HEY – EE - AH".
"EH – HEY – EE - AH".
Visualize light
descending to form a sphere at the throat, and vibrate
“YE-HOH-VOH E-LOH-HEEM”.
“YE-HOH-VOH E-LOH-HEEM”.
Visualize light
descending to form a sphere at the heart, and vibrate
“YE-HOH-VOH EL-OAH-VE-DA-ATH”.
“YE-HOH-VOH EL-OAH-VE-DA-ATH”.
Visualize light
descending to form a sphere at the genitals, and vibrate
“SHAH-DAI EL CHAI”.
“SHAH-DAI EL CHAI”.
Visualize light
descending to form a sphere at the feet, and vibrate
“AH-DOH-NAI HA-AH-RETZ”.
“AH-DOH-NAI HA-AH-RETZ”.
Visualize and feel
a current of light rising from the feet, entering the body at the base of the
spine and continuing upwards to either flower out at the crown of the head to
descend as a shower of light re-entering at the feet, or circulate down the
left side and up the right, and then down the front and up the back (which is the more
traditional way).
Continue to
circulate the light at least four times.
To finish, repeat the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.
This exercise is considered to be good for developing one’s psychic
centres - a little like strengthening one’s chakras, but based on a different
world view.
The four worlds (there are a range of sets of colours and of God
names), additional significance to colours (sequences), symbols, more on
balance between the Right and Left Pillars, other correspondences, etc, etc,
etc.
[1] e.g.,
Cabala, Kabbala(h) or Qabala(h) – up to 24 possible combinations, with the
inclusion of a final ‘h’ leading to a pronunciation that emphasises the final
syllable, and it’s omission leading to emphasis of the middle syllable. My
pronunciation tends to be Qabbala, but I am so used to the spelling Qabbalah
that I cannot be bothered trying to change.
[4]
Other books include, for instance, Elias Gewurz’s “Hidden Treasures of the Ancient Qabbalah“ (1918) and “Mysteries of the Qabbalah“ (1922),
available from http://sacred-texts.com/.
Tags: numerology, Qabbalah, workshop notes,
First published: Laugardagr, 26th
April, 2014
Last edited (excluding fixing typo's and other minor matters): Saturday, 26th April, 2014
