Road to the Sun, File 2 of 2. Copyright (c) Bill Heidrick (415) 454-5176 P.O.Box 430 Fairfax, CA 94978 Needs revision and proofreading by author. ****************************************************************************** The Road to the Sun: A Record of Self Initiation to Tipheret by Bill Heidrick (part II --- disk 2) ************************************************************************ During the time of BP and GP I formulated my theory of initiation on the Tree of Life. At first this theory came as an extemporaneous lecture to my small class on ritual magick. I made a recording of this lecture on tape and later transcribed it into manuscript. After some editing, I printed and published a hundred copies of this paper. This became the token of initiation into Hod. In the several months that followed the writing of this paper, I slowly gained strength in the eighth Sephira of the Tree of Life. When I carried copies of it to bookstores on both the West and East coasts, I came gradually into possession of the powers of Hod. Finally I received my name in that Sephira and initiation to Hod was complete. The paper titled "The Thirty-Two Emanations and the Path of Initiation" began in Malkut. It formulated itself in my consciousness in Yesod. It was written and published on the 31st and 30th paths from Malkut and Yesod to Hod. When it entered the minds of enough people, I became initiated into Hod. Many contacts came as a result of this paper. One person wrote a letter from Nigeria asking advice on a matter related to the Tree. I responded. Other people came to visit and to share in the work. In the second printing of this paper, I described work in progress and issued an invitation to those who might wish to join us. Several have taken advantage of this invitation and all of us are richer by the increase of this informal brotherhood. Here is the paper. I have done little more than add a few diagrams and correct a few minor errors. It is substantially as it was: "THE THIRTY-TWO EMANATIONS AND THE PATH OF INITIATION." by Bill Heidrick This presentation deals with the 32 paths or categories of the Tree of Life. The diagram found here illustrates each of these 32 paths. This diagram should be consulted by the reader to facilitate understanding of this material. The first ten numbers (1-10) refer to the ten Sephiroth and are illustrated as circles on the diagram. The remaining twenty-two numbers (11-32) are illustrated as lines connecting the circles. The Tree of Life represents the creation of the World by a ten stage process. It is difficult to understand this theory of creation until the Tree has been traveled in reverse by the mind, from the bottom to the top and from 10 to 1. The number 1 represents the Mind of god. The number 10 represents the starting place of human consciousness. The human mind must rise to union with the Divine. The Mind of God creates by descending on the "Path of the Lightning Bolt." The numbers 1-10 are levels of consciousness, resting places between the very spiritual (1) and the very material (10). The numbers 11-32 are practical modes of learning whereby the levels 1-10 are (FIGURE #21: Full page illustration of the Tree of Life goes here. The Sephiroth are circles with only the numbers 1 to 10 inside them. The Kricher paths are drawn in, connecting the Sephiroth with simple lines. Only the numbers 11 to 32 are placed on the paths. Curved around the outer top of each Sephira is the name of the Sephira in Hebrew, while curved around the outer bottom of each is the English translation.) reached. The numbers 11-32 form a secondary system that is used to explain and to study the primary system, 1-10. Sometimes a number Zero is included in this system. This is a very difficult concept to work with, but it signifies that which lies behind the entire Tree of 1-32 paths. Zero may be represented by a black background behind the Tree of Life. Zero is the unformed state from which everything emerges (Traditional Qabalah calls this "Mezla", although the term has often been miss-applied by modern writers). Even the human concept of the Mind of God, the number 1, emerges from the Zero. The Tree of Life is a cosmology, not a physical one, but a mental one. It is a map and a life history of an illuminated mind. This method of studying the Tree is called the Path of Initiation. It forms a plan for the initiations used by a number of Occult societies. To attain levels or grades in such societies or orders, a member must pass through ceremonies. These ceremonies are designed to raise the mind of the initiated person to the level of consciousness on the Tree of Life that corresponds to the particular Grade or Degree that the member is entering. Decorations, speeches and actions are combined to match the correspondences of some one or more of the 32 paths of the Tree of Life. The presentation made in this paper follows the 32 paths as they appear in the mind, not as they might be expressed in ceremony. MALKUT, PATH 10. * (FIGURE #22: Circle with "MALKUT" at the 10 top inside, "10" in the center and "Physical consciousness" in the lower half) Malkut is the number 10 on the Tree of Life. This is the level of physical awareness, of the senses. Consciousness here is limited to more or less direct perception of touch, taste, smell, etc. This is the level of physical existence. The physical body belongs to Malkut. Even the thoughts in the brain belong to Malkut in so far as they are electrical impulses. Only the physical basis of thinking belongs uniquely to Malkut. The thinking processes themselves belong to higher states of consciousness. PATH 32, MALKUT TO YESOD. * PATH 9, YESOD. 32 [FIGURE # 23: Two circles, one above the other and (10-9) connected by a vertical line. The lower circle is # 10 Malkut, as last described. The upper circle 9 has inside: "YESOD" "9" "Dream consciousness". The vertical line is marked as: "Path 32, the path of Taw. -------- As each element of the Tree is discussed, another segment or circle will be added during the remainder of this process, the descriptions of the figures will be limited to the additions] Path 32 rises up from Malkut (10) to Yesod (9). Nine represent fantasy consciousness. Here the mind no longer simply perceives things; it is involved in its perceptions. Path 32 is a transition in consciousness from the sense mind to the dream mind. The level of dream consciousness is the so- called "Astral" plane. When people say that they can see things on the Astral plane, they are saying that they can pass from the sense level of consciousness to the dream level without falling asleep in the usual fashion. Path 32 connects two version of the same thing. In number 10 nature is more or less directly perceived through the physical body and the physical senses. In number 9 those perceptions have been assembled by the unconscious mind into a moving pattern which the self- conscious mind experiences as a dream or as a reverie. The Tarot card of path 32 is the World. The picture on this card shows awareness of the motion of the Universe as a dance seen in a dream. HOD, PATH 8. * PATH 31, MALKUT TO HOD. 8 PATH 30, YESOD TO HOD. 31 (10-8) [FIGURE #24: Sephiroth 10, 9 and 8 30 Paths 32, 31, 30. ---just add 8 (Hod, Rational consciousness (9-8) and paths 30 and 31 to the previous diagram] In the next stage, we travel to Hod, number 8, by path number 31 from 10 and by path number 30 from 9. Path 32 was a transition from physical awareness to dream awareness. Paths 31 and 30 involve the reasoning process. Subconsciousness was involved in path 32. When a person employs reason to study his senses, he is traveling the 31st path to number 8. The corresponding Tarot is the card of Judgment. Path 30 is the use of reason to obtain an understanding of dreams. The Sun of Tarot casts its light upon the dream. Both paths 31 and 30 involve reason; they are different only in that reasoning processes applied to isolated sense perception differ in some ways from reasoning processes applied to more or less connected dream or daydream. NETZACH, PATH 7. * 7 On the opposite side of the Tree of Life we have Netzach, number 7. Netzach is the result of emotional reaction to the sense world (10) and the dream world (9), just as Hod is a rational reaction to those same two levels of consciousness. Netzach and Hod counterbalance each other. The Weaknesses and Strengths of the one are offset by the Strengths and Weaknesses of the other. PATH 29, MALKUT TO NETZACH. * PATH 28, YESOD TO NETZACH. 29 In path 29, from 10 to 7, emotional reaction to the senses (10-7) leads the mind to an emotional understanding and acceptance of that which is sensed. In path 28, 9 to 7, a similar emotional 28 reaction to dream and revere leads to the same level of consciousness. Path 29 corresponds to the Moon in Tarot, a card (9-7) of deep emotional stirrings. Path 28 corresponds to the Star, a card of meditation. (FIGURE # 25: To the previous figure, add paths 27, 28, 29 and Netzach, Sephira 7, "Emotional consciousness". The entire figure now includes 27-32 and 7-10.) PATH 27, HOD TO NETZACH. * SUMMARY OF PATHS 10, 9, 8, & 7. 27 Up to this point, these four Sephiroth (10-7) and five (8-7) paths (32-28) form an almost complete group of interlocked states of consciousness. There is only one more "path" that is SUM: needed to finish this pattern. Path 27 connects Hod (8) to Netzach (7). This path connects the world-view or philosophy 10 - 7. of life obtained by the first practices of reason with the world-view obtained by emotional reaction. Path 27 is associated with the Tarot card of the Tower struck by lightning. This Tarot card shows that a mind built up on reason from nature cannot withstand the intensity of emotions developed from the same source. The numbers 7 and 8 represent two opposite types of understanding, two opposite levels of awareness. The simply logical mind explodes when it goes into emotional awareness. The simply emotional mind falls apart when it descends to the level of reasoning. This confrontation between simple reason and simple emotion produces a considerable amount of pain. In Hod a person tries to pull his environment into a neat and simple structure. In Netzach a person tries to feel for and within his environment. Hod uses constraint and will. Netzach implies acceptance and love. Because the Hod and Netzach (8 and 7) levels of consciousness are usually poorly developed, they are often seen to be in conflict. The Tower Trump dramatizes a battle between the rational mind and the loving soul. When the 27th path is painful, the pain many be likened to sexual orgasm in one who thinks sex is evil. When Hod and Netzach are in harmony, path 27 is intensely pleasureful, just as the free union of two lovers is intensely pleasureful. In another system of correspondences, Malkut is the element Earth (10), Yesod is Air (9), Hod is Water (8) and Netzach is Fire (7). Path 27 is water and fire exploding together. Yesod is a balance in an airy dream and Malkut is a balance in earthly sensation. With path 27, the group of the first four Sephiroth is complete. This group of the numbers 10-7 forms a triangle with a center on the Tree of Life diagram. That is a symmetrical thing, a regular pattern. When one finds symmetry on a diagram like this, one finds something basic to what the diagram represents. A symmetrical diagram gives information through its symmetry. Ordinary consciousness rarely goes far beyond the levels already described. Higher levels are reached in states of expanded or evolved consciousness. To get some other ideas about the material just introduced, consider this: Sephiroth 10-7 are the area of magick. This is magick that is directed toward dominating the physical environment. The levels of consciousness higher up the Tree are not directly involved in this kind of magick. This type of magical work requires direct, physical, sexual energy. That sexual energy is mostly found in the dream world (9). Emotions bring the energy out in one sense (7). Reason brings the energy out in another sense (8). Hod is also associated with the god Mercury, the god of Magick, Writing and Knowledge concerning hidden or "Occult" matters. Netzach is associated with the goddess Venus, the goddess of Love, Art and Physical Beauty. Yesod is associated with Moon goddesses generally; Selene, Hecate, Diana, Lilith and so on. The lover who comes to men in dreams is the goddess of the Moon. Lunar gods like Adonis, Attis, Virbius, Sammael and others appear in the sexual dreams of women. Many of these lunar gods and goddesses are also associated with the Sun, thereby representing a more lofty version of the same deity. This is not often the case with Lilith and Sammael --- these are usually considered demons. In a lodge where initiations are based upon the parts of the Tree of Life, initiation to the level of Hod is often supposed to confer the power to work practical magic. A person who has been initiated into Netzach is supposed to be able to work natural magick, magick which works through nature instead of against the usual natural order. One reason that practical magick is often said to be dangerous and "black" or "evil" is simply that such magick represents a state of mental imbalance on the side of the logical mental processes. Hod (8) consciousness is a one sided thing. Netzach balances and perfects Hod. either alone is bad. Hod alone is the reasoning mind without feelings. Netzach alone is emotion without reason. In either extreme one finds very disturbed individuals. Higher levels (6-4) can lead to control over the lower reason and the lesser emotions. That control is the sort of thing people refer to under the names of "white magick", "religion", etc. Such controls result when the consciousness extends itself to higher levels and remains in contact with the lower levels. PATH 27 COMPLETED. * INTRODUCTION TO PATHS 6, 5 & 4. INTRO. The next group of levels of consciousness in the Tree of 6 - 4. Life theory involves the numbers 6, 5 and 4. These are called Tipheret, Geburah and Chesed or Gedulah. Tipheret translates as "Beauty", Geburah as "Force", Chesed as "Mercy". There are many alternate titles for the numbers from 10 to 1. The names assigned to 7 and 8 generally carry less significance than those assigned to 6-4. Hod means "Glory". Netzach means "Victory through Endurance". The alternate title for Chesed, Gedulah, means "Greatness". The numbers 6, 5 and 4 are a more abstract version of the numbers 9, 8 and 7. The former group represents more advanced and loftier states of consciousness than the latter. The numbers 10 through 7 are raised and purified to attain the numbers 6 through 4. Just as there are three (9, 8 & 7) that are drawn from the Earth (10), there are three (6, 5 & 4) that are drawn from the lower four (10 to 7). Before anything can be securely attained in the part of the diagram which includes 6-4, the levels 10-7 must be placed in harmony. Path 27 must cease to be a path of pain. The relieving of the pain of that path comes by successive approximation, by trial and error. A person rises up in consciousness to the 8th level and to the 7th level. Reason meets emotion on the 27th path. They collide and fall back. Terror accompanies the failure of reason as the structure of the mind topples like a house of cards. That terror arises partly from fear of insanity. The pain on the side of emotion is of intense loss. Eight is closer to the material. Seven includes a portion of faith in the basic goodness of things. The failure of reason is generally more painful than the failure of emotion. In the explosion of the 27th path, both reason and emotion fall as one. After the failure of the world views of Hod and Netzach, of 8 and 7, the original process repeats. Both the 7th and 8th consciousness levels must be built up again from Yesod (9) and from Malkut (10). The new 7 and the new 8 collide in 27 again. They fall again. They rise again. This continues until they both meet and join. In time the reasoning world view is such that it doesn't rule out the emotions. The emotional world view is such that it doesn't rule out reasoning. This is the state of the balanced person. This is the person who is in control of his life. In practice the explosions on the 27th path are mostly minor and the rational and emotional levels of consciousness take turns dominating the mind. In the final state of balanced reason and emotion, the emotions establish a pattern of desires, hopes and beliefs that are all more or less capable of being reconciled by reason while the reasoning mind establishes a repertoire of means for obtaining major goals without excessive frustration of secondary desires. Most of the effort put into psychological help and self- improvement goes into balancing 8 and 7 on the 27th path. When the rational mind and the emotions are properly harmonized, it becomes possible to rise in consciousness to the level of contemplation of beauty, number 6. The type of consciousness typified by the number 6 is what most people think of when they speak of "meditation" and "religious experience". Both these terms have much wider application to many more levels of consciousness than the 6th level. An insight into the 6th level of consciousness is usually what gives people a "purpose in life." PATH 26, HOD TO TIPHERET. * The first passage from the lower four Sephiroth is from Hod 26 (8) to Tipheret (6). Hod represents Mercury and Tipheret represents the Sun, the god Apollo. Apollo is the beautiful god, (8-6) the shining god. Mercury is the mischievous god, the god who has something a little wrong with his mental processes. Otherwise these two gods resemble each other very much. The path between 8 and 6 is path 26, represented in Tarot by the Devil. This is a source of some disturbance for people who are just getting into Tarot symbolism. This Tarot card represents material illusion. The Devil is pictured as a monster, something that could not exist in the physical world. This monster of the mind represents those restrictions, placed by the mind on itself, which keep it from full development. The same restrictions that created a world view in number (FIGURE # 26: To the previous figure, add paths 24, 25, 26 and Tipheret, Sephira 6, "Life consciousness". The entire figure now includes 24-32 and 6-10.) 8 must be surpassed in path 26. It is as if a scaffold of restrictions were necessary to build the temple of the mind. When that mental temple is finished, those temporary restrictions must be torn away if the temple is to be properly used. Even through the reasoning world view has accommodated to the emotional one, it is still based on materialism. Faith in something higher than that observed by the senses is needed to provide a new basis for a new philosophy in things unseen as well as seen. Needed inspiration may come through a drastic change in lifestyle, religion, nationality, family, work, etc. Whatever the immediate cause and source of inspiration, a higher awareness (6) rises from Hod along the 26th path. The Vision of Tipheret is not perfectly attained by this means, but human consciousness can dimly perceive an order to the entire Universe. PATH 25, YESOD TO TIPHERET. * The next approach to Tipheret comes from the dream world of 25 Yesod. Just as the dream world (9) came from the sense world (10), so also this higher awareness (6) arises as a perfecting (9-6) of the Dream into a steady and clear Vision. In 10, the sense world, there is very little order. Some order is realized in the Dream (9). Both Hod and Netzach represent more ordered ways of handling the sense experiences and the semi- organized dream experiences. When the reasoning and the emotional world views are harmonized in the 27th path, there are still gaps. There are still some things that are not understood. Not enough knowledge can be derived from the sense perceptions and the dream awareness to supply an answer to all questions. There must be a faith in something beyond the senses which will enable the mind to see by its inner processes an order not perceived through the physical. Path 25 rises from number 9 to number 6. This is the path whereby the hazy dream of Yesod is crystallized into the brilliant vision of Tipheret, when spiritual aspirations join material awareness. The number 10 is the world itself, 9 is the Dream and 6 is the vision. Vision transcends dream just as dream transcends sense perception. The Tarot card of Temperance pictures the process of the 25th path. PATH 24, NETZACH TO TIPHERET. * The last entrance into the level of consciousness numbered 6 24 is by the 24th path from 7 to 6. The Tarot card corresponding is the card of Death. Death is a heavy symbol, but this is a (7-6) heavy transformation of the mind. The emotions must now be given the same redirection that was given to the reasoning faculties in the 26th path. The feelings that a thing is "right" or "wrong" are the main qualifiers of emotions in the consciousness of Netzach. These feelings compose a simple morality derived from experience in the sense world and elaborated from the fantasies of the dream world. There is very little understanding of why a particular thing is good or bad, only a feeling that everything is one or the other. This is a simple type of faith, but faith can be a far higher thing. The transition between 7 and 6 involves a heightened trust in the "rightness of things." The 24th path teaches that things are never absolutely good or bad. By this path a person comes to realize and to accept that the lesser morality is only a pale thing in comparison with the greater morality. That greater morality plays no favorites and acknowledges no enemies among the experiences that rise from the lower states of awareness. All things fit into the pattern of Tipheret. There are no flaws in the tapestry of the Vision of consciousness associated to the number 6. This passage between 7 and 6 involves a recognition that even death and loss have value in transforming the soul and in elevation of consciousness. For many believers in an after-life, death is a cutting free followed by a perfection. The theory of reincarnation is also very useful in gaining an understanding of this path. TIPHERET, PATH 6. * At this point the consciousness of Tipheret has been attained. 6 This is the central level of the Tree of Life, and in some senses it is the most desirable state for a human mind of all those depicted on this diagram. Tipheret (6) is midway between the earthly (10) and the divine (1). Tipheret is itself the level to which the concept of the Tree of Life belongs. The kind of vision that a person obtains at Tipheret is of the whole Universe as one ordered and beautiful pattern. The Vision is understood by emotion and by reason. This diagram of the Tree of Life embodies a way of relating to everything in the human consciousness both by reason and by emotion. The traditional Tree of Life is someone else's vision, however. It is possible to study and, to a degree, master such a vision of another person. Such a study enables one to more easily build his own vision. When the consciousness attains to Tipheret, number 6, a unique vision of the cosmos opens to the mind. That vision is somewhat different for each person. The Tree of Life pattern is such a vision derived from the Jewish Qabalah. INTRODUCTION TO PATHS 23, 22, 21 & 20. * When reason is applied to the Tipheret Vision, path 22 INTRO. is developed and the consciousness of Geburah (5) emerges. 23 - 20. When emotion is experienced from tipheret, path 20 and Chesed develop. This is the same sort of development that produced Hod and Netzach from Yesod by the 30th and 28th paths. The relationship between the numbers 8 and 7 and the number 10 was established by the 31st and 28th paths. Paths 23 and 21 lead from the lower four Sephirot just as paths 31 and 29 lead from Malkut (10). GEBURAH, PATH 5. * Hod (8) was derived from the natural world and the dream world 5 by reason. Geburah is a higher sort of reasoning world view than Hod. Geburah consciousness is the highest rational philosophy that a human being can claim as his own. Anything purely rational above (FIGURE # 27: To the previous figure, add paths 22 23, and Geburah Sephira 5, "Ordered consciousness". The entire figure now includes 22-32 and 5-10.) this level has an Absoluteness to it, like something that comes directly from God. No human mind can proceed farther than Geburah in the reasoning fashion and remain fully a human mind. PATH 23, HOD TO GEBURAH. * The 23rd path connects Hod, number 8, with Geburah, number 5. 23 The Hanged Man is the Tarot card the corresponds to the 23rd path. Most writers of Tarot symbolism say very little about the card of (8-5) the Hanged Man. In the meanings of the 23rd path, it is possible to see why this is the case. In passing from Hod to Geburah, an inversion of the natural order is necessary. It is no longer possible to base reasoning arguments solely upon information derived from physical sensation. In Geburah, the rational mind works with ideals and abstractions which often have only a slight connection to physical experience. A second reason for avoiding discussion of the card of the Hanged Man involves the use of mind altering drugs. Many people wish to attain the powerful level of consciousness that is associated with Geburah without first fully attaining Netzach and Tipheret. Very drastic things must be done to an unadjusted rational mind if that mind is to function on the Geburah level without first experiencing the usual intermediate states of consciousness. Consciousness can only remain functional at Geburah for a short time if it lacks the usual preparations. After such a brief enlightenment, awareness usually descends to Yesod where the mental energy acquired at Geburah works itself out in the form of intense and sometimes quite frightening dream experiences. One of the simplest ways to obtain the results just described is the taking of hallucinatory drugs. If a person isn't able to rise in consciousness on his own, drugs will sometimes force consciousness up. Under such conditions it is possible to briefly glimpse something that is subsequently carried back down to Yesod and elaborated in a series of dreams or hallucinations. These dreams are difficult to control, owing to the operation of the particular drug and often owing to lack of experience in the person taking the drug. When a person has some flaws in his psychological construction, these flaws may be developed into very frightening dream experiences. Most people have many such flaws and are therefore in some danger of "freaking out." There are numerous techniques for avoiding bad drug trips, but some of the best techniques may be acquired through the raising of the human consciousness along the levels of the Tree of Life. When such consciousness levels are well attained, the use of drugs is often unimportant. Everyone must decide this matter for himself both as to what drugs to use and whether to use any drugs at all. The current "blue laws", which restrict some drugs under threat of extreme penalty, make these drugs very much more dangerous both in their use and in the sense of the law. It is difficult to foresee a time when the stronger of these "psychedelic" drugs and the equally valuable opiates will be legally and generally available for religious and meditative purposes. Moral censure has been excessive and severe; so sever that quite respectable sources are often "Bowdlerized"; and references to drugs as a path of enlightenment are removed without comment. To cite a case of this last sort, the advice of Patanjali on the use of drugs is often excluded from popular editions of his aphorisms. Such a passage in Patanjali's "Yoga Aphorisms" is IV., 1: "Perfections proceed from birth or from drugs or from spells or from self-castigation or from concentration." ... James H. Woods translation of the "Yoga System of Pantangali", Harvard University Press. The same passage in the D. R. Stephen paraphrased version reads: "Occult powers may be obtained in five ways. (1) The knowledge of them may be brought over from a previous life. (2) Or they may be obtained by Hatha Yoga. (3) Or by Sorcery. (4) Or by Magic. (5) Or by Meditation." The drug reference is concealed by use of the technical and less specific "Hatha Yoga". The writings attributed to Patanjali are classical Indian in origin. They were written somewhere between 300 and 500 e.v. The writings, with commentaries called "Yoga- Bhashya" and "Tattva-Vaisradi" are quite widely praised as a means of entrance into Indian methods of elevation of consciousness. A strong resemblance to be found between these Indian methods and the method here called the Path of Initiation points to a possible connection between the Hebrew Qabalah and the Indian Yoga methods. To return to a consideration of the 23rd path connecting Hod and Geburah, it should be noted that this path may be prematurely traveled as a result of almost any major consciousness altering experience. To drugs, we must add medical shock from drastic physical or psychological accident; strong vicarious experience obtainable even from watching TV, reading a book or witnessing a remarkable event; and the effect of a sudden strong disorientation such as may be caused by trying to follow a conversation "beyond one's intellectual depth." A person can become "stoned" through the action of natural glandular secretions; in this we should include the effects of Epinephrine (Adrenalin) in cases of fright and the complex chemical conditions found in the bodies of psychotic schizophrenics. Geburah (5) is associated with the War god Aries or Mars because of the power aspect of this level of consciousness. The term Geburah is translated as "Severity". Other names for number 5 include Din or "Justice" and Pachad or "Fear". Severity illustrates the nature of the level itself. Justice illustrates the means of attaining this level from Tipheret (path 22) as well as the general operation of this fifth level of consciousness. Fear refers both to the result of premature attainment of this fifth level and the reaction of other people to one who too openly exhibits this level of consciousness. These three descriptive words: Severity, Justice, and Fear can also be interpreted in several other ways as applying to the level number 5. It should be repeated that the path from Hod to Geburah can be traveled correctly and safely only after some experience has been obtained in paths 32-24. The more experience the better. PATH 22, TIPHERET TO GEBURAH. * The 22nd path connects 6 and 5. This path stabilizes 22 Geburah. The Vision of Beauty of the Universe and the mind (6) is consolidated into a picture of a vast moving machine that (6-5) is capable, in part, of being controlled by the mind and will of a human being. That human mind which has such a power over the manifestations of the physical and mental worlds is a mind at the consciousness level called Geburah. When it is said that: "power corrupts," the warning concerns a person who has some Geburah level awareness. Geburah power will only corrupt if it is imperfectly attained and if it is considered the last desirable level of attainment. Geburah must be balanced by Chesed just as Hod was balanced by Netzach. The 22nd path permits a perfect attainment of the Geburah consciousness. The Tarot card of Justice is associated to the 22nd path. This path proceeds from Tipheret by balancing elements of the Tipheret Vision against each other. This 22nd path applies a rational analysis to the Vision of number 6 to get the ordered power of number 5. This is a taking of the knowledge of the Vision of Tipheret, through the practice of reason, to attain a consciousness capable of great works of organization and strength. At this point, the levels of consciousness numbered 10 to 5 and all their mutual interconnections (32-22) have been considered. (FIGURE # 28: To the previous figure, add paths 19 20, 21 and Chesed, Sephira 4, "Loving consciousness". The entire figure now includes 19-32 and 4-10.) CHESED, PATH 4. * Number four, the next level, is very significant. It's the last stage of awareness that can be attained while in a human body. 4 To pass beyond this a person must either be able to ignore the physical body or experience death of the physical body. Just being insensible of the body is enough for a certain measure of advancement beyond this point. No one has to die just because consciousness has reached Chesed. A person who has so attained can live a normal life span (some say much longer than a normal life span), but the physical body cannot contain a mind which has its principal consciousness farther up than level number 4. This level 4 is called Chesed, which can be translated as Love or Mercy. Netzach is love derived from feeling. Chesed is love derived from transcending feeling. The god associated with Chesed is Jupiter, the beneficent god, the god who rules everything in a kindly fashion. The War God of Geburah (5) is sometimes called the son and sometimes called the brother of this god. One finds that there are difficulties when some of the old mythologies are applied too literally to a study such as this. The numbers 4 and 5 are like the opposite faces on a Janus head. One denotes severity and the other mercy. The human consciousness at the level of Chesed yearns for union with God above all else. The mind at this 4th level sees everything else in existence to be rising up to union with God. That is the 4th level reaction to the 6th level vision. PATH 21, NETZACH TO CHESED. * The first approach to Chesed is by path 21 from 7 to 4. 21 Netzach (7) is an emotional level. It is weak at this stage because it has been exceeded by the Vision of Tipheret and the (7-4) power of Geburah. This weakness makes it easer for the mind to realize that the emotions of Netzach must be drawn up the the higher level that is called Chesed. At this point, the Netzach consciousness realizes that feelings of good and bad are beyond control. The mind can establish a sort of wavering order in them, but it is impossible to fully organize such feelings when they are drawn only form the Dream and the Physical world. The Tarot card associated with this path is the Wheel of Fortune. This picture displays the workings of karma. The 21st path involves an embracing of karma, an acceptance that everything that happens to oneself is right, not because of any particular reason, but just because it happens. This path ascends from a low and helpless moral belief (7) to a high and hopeful moral belief (4). This is a raising from faith in right and wrong to faith in a Higher Being. It makes little difference what the Higher Being is called. Some use the word God, some the Over-Soul, some the Future Hope of Humanity. At the 4th level of consciousness, the outward differences between the various highest Gods and Ideals of mankind are not important, because the restrictions people place on what they are willing to accept as God must mostly be abandoned before Chesed is attained. In traveling the 21st path, one must either see the Universe as good or evil. If the Universe is seen as evil, consciousness collapses and the person becomes what is sometimes called a "black magician". If the Universe is seen as good, consciousness continues to rise. PATH 20, TIPHERET TO CHESED. * Path 20 is next. This leads from the Vision (6) to Love 20 (4). This path is represented by the Hermit in Tarot. The Hermit holds aloft a lantern to guide other people. This simply (6-4) means that the Vision is seen as a means of uniting the Deity with the lower creation. To a person who is on the 20th path, the vision of Tipheret has its chief value as a guide to draw others up to higher states of being. There is a six pointed star illustrated in the B.O.T.A. version of the Hermit Trump. That star corresponds to Tipheret, the 6th level of consciousness. The B.O.T.A. Tarot is especially useful in that the colors associated with various symbols in the design of the cards afford a clue to the meanings of those symbols. Thus the star in the card of the Hermit is yellow, a color that is associated with Tipheret in one system of color attributions to the 32 paths. (The colors associated with the Sephiroth in the "Queen Scale" are: Keter --- white; Chokmah --- gray; Binah --- black; Chesed --- blue; Geburah --- red; Tipheret --- yellow; Netzach --- green; Hod --- orange; Yesod --- purple; Malkut --- citrine, olive, russet and black.) PATH 19, GEBURAH TO CHESED. * Path 19 connects Geburah (5) with Chesed (4). These 19 two must be joined in the same fashion that Hod (8) and Netzach (7) are joined by Path 27. Both Chesed and Netzach are types of (5-4) emotional awareness. The explosion that happened in path 27 won't happen in path 19 because the state of the latter is higher. More pain is felt at the lower levels than at the higher levels because the lower levels are closer to the physical body, which feels pain. The card of Strength corresponds to Path 19. This card shows a woman holding open the jaws of a lion. The lion is Reason and the woman is Love. The woman enables the lion of reason to speak and to adore God. On the 19th path, the power of Geburah (5) must be sacrificed to the service of God. That sacrifice brings the consciousness of the person making it into readiness to enter a mystical union with God. The readiness for that union is the 4th level of consciousness. SUMMARY OF PATHS 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 & 4 * INTRODUCTION TO PATHS 3, 2 & 1. SUM: The series of 10 to 4 and 32 to 19 represents another 10 - 4 compete set of states of consciousness. It has been mentioned above that beyond this point exist levels of consciousness not INTRO. generally open to anyone who remains in the physical body. The area covered so far is called the Microcosm or Little World. 3 - 1 The three above (3-1) are sometimes called the Macrocosm or Greater World. More often that name is reserved for number 1 alone. Strictly speaking, the whole set of 1 through 32 is the Macrocosm. We have gone over the lower seven Sephiroth (10-4); and a lot of philosophies and formal theologies are based on the number seven. The Theosophists try to derive their philosophy in part from Eastern sources, usually Indian. They often state that everything can be divided into seven categories or rays. These are our numbers 10 through 4, according to H.P.Blavatsky in her "Secret Doctrine". The seven Chakras or awareness centers in the body can be identified with our numbers 10-4 (there are several other ways of associating the Chakras to the Tree of life.). It is said that there are also three originating sources (3-1) in many of these seven-based philosophies. There are many sacred words that are spelled with three letters. "AUM" is sometimes spelled with three letters in English and Sanscrit. Many occultist groups use three- letter symbolic words. Many old talismans from the first centuries of Christianity are engraved with the letters "IAO" or Iota-Alpha-Omega. The Latin word LVX has been used by alchemists and modern mystics. The numbers 10-4 include the totality of the physical world. The physical world is not represented as penetrating any higher than number 4 on the Tree of Life. The numbers 3 through 1 are considered to be completely separate from the material levels. The consciousness associated with number 4 is complete dedication to the Deity. Anyone who attains that level of development has, through superiority to the lesser states of consciousness, complete power over the physical levels of existence. In actual practice, however, deficiencies in past development among the lower levels may make attainment to level 4 incomplete. In such a case, the proper thing to do is to return to the deficient levels at times and to make up what is lacking. It is not wise to try for perfection at each point during the first conscious pass up the Tree of Life. It is better to pass up at least to Chesed (4) without the loss of too much time (a few years may be considered reasonable the first time). Once the pattern of the Tree is established in the mind, these deficiencies may be more easily dealt with. Those who have strongly attained to the levels of consciousness here represented by the numbers 6, 5 and 4 don't have dreams in the sense of an uncontrolled experience in the mind. Such individuals create their own dreams. Few indeed are such people. Hardly anyone can function on these higher levels of consciousness for any notable time. To live a life in one of these higher states of consciousness is almost impossible, simply because these states are so far removed from sensory experience. The attainment of numbers 6, 5 and 4 is a goal of Yoga, Meditation and Ritual. Because these three levels are such high understandings, one who has access to them can function very well in directing the magical practices that are down at the Hod (8) level. People who are in strong possession of the Tipheret Vision (6) can work seeming miracles. Some say that Jesus Christ was a man who attained to the Vision (6) and became able to rule everything below that Vision. Another name associated with Tipheret and number 6 is Malek, King. PATHS 3,2 & 1. * BINAH, CHOKMAH AND KETER. 3 - 1 Now it becomes necessary to deal with "Crossing the Abyss." That phrase is used to describe the crossing of the gap between the numbers 10-4 and the numbers 3-1. This deals with passage into he world beyond the human body. The remainder of this treatment of the Path of Initiation will, of necessity, have to be brief. It is impossible to say much with words about things that transcend what words actually are. Words are sounds, things that mostly represent other things which can be seen, felt or touched. At their highest, words only symbolize abstractions of things that are known to the senses. Words are inadequate to describe the highest levels of consciousness. All that can be done is to project up ideas. The right hand column of the Tree of Life (2, 4 and 7) can be studied up to the number 4. The left hand column (3, 5 and 8) can be studied up to 5. The middle column (1, 6, 9 and 10) can be studied up to 6. From the Sephiroth below, the Sephiroth above can be theorized. PATH 18, GEBURAH TO BINAH. * BINAH, PATH 3. 18 This process of projecting the higher Sephiroth upward (5-3) from the lower begins in the 19th path, corresponding to the Chariot in Tarot. This path links the reasoning consciousness at 3 its highest level (5) to the consciousness of Absolute, Abstract Reason (3). This number 3 is called Binah, or Understanding. It is the Divine aspect of reason and is reasoning considered purely and without application to anything. This is something a little like the study of pure mathematics, but even more abstract than abstract algebra. The (FIGURE # 29: To the previous figure, add paths 11 12, 13 and the Sephiroth Keter (1), "Unitary Consciousness" Chokmah, (2) "Desire consciousness" and Binah, (3) "Means consciousness". The entire figure of the Tree of Life is now complete 1-32) Chariot represents this path by showing the mind as a mighty king, enthroned in all his power and rising to his greatness, the Crown of Reason. In simple terms, to go from 5 to 3 means throwing away the world, throwing away sense based abstractions and going to pure abstractions. In 5 one might say: "It will rain today for such and such a reason." In 3 the mind deals with abstractions even farther divorced from the material than: "A is B. B is C. Therefore A is C." The consciousness associated with the number 3 is often viewed as a maternal thing, because the seven lesser Sephiroth can be produced from this consciousness as a baby is born from the womb of its mother. Pure logic is like the cause of creation, the cause of the manifested Universe. PATH 17, TIPHERET TO BINAH. * Path 17 leads from the Vision of Tipheret (6) to Binah (3). 3 This is represented in the card of the Lovers. The picture on this card is related to the story of the expulsion from the Garden of Eden. According to this story, Adam and Eve fell into trouble because they ate of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Eden was number 3, the place of perfect understanding. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is represented on the Tree of Life by the lower seven Sephiroth. Adam and Eve are said to have put on coats of flesh or skin, that is to say, they entered into more dense bodies and descended from the level of the pure creative, rational mind to that which deals with the physical. The passage was from pure knowing to material knowing. When the upper three Sephiroth (3-1) are added to the lower seven, the result is the complete Tree of Life. The symbolism of the 17th path is born out by the attribution of the Hebrew letter Zain to that path. Each of the 22 paths from 11 to 32 is associated with a Hebrew letter. In the case of path 17, the name of the letter Zain is also a Hebrew word meaning "Sword". This is said to be the sword of expulsion that moves every way to keep Adam and Eve from returning to paradise. Only when each individual human being has so perfected himself or herself that there is no division and no one thought can be made to oppose any other thought, only then can the mind journey from 6 to 3. PATH 16, CHESED TO CHOKMAH. * CHOKMAH, PATH 2. 16 Love has to see something above it. That is found by (4-2) traveling along path 16, from 4 to 2. The number 2 is known as Chokmah, Wisdom. It is that which lies beyond feeling and 2 emotion. It is that from which emotion distills. Path 16 is represented by the Tarot card of the Hierophant, the Great teacher. PATH 15, TIPHERET TO CHOKMAH. * From the Vision to Chokmah the path is numbered 15. The 15 Tarot of the Emperor corresponds to this path from 6 to 2. This is the passage of the emotional force of the Tipheret Vision (6-2) back to its higher source. PATH 14, BINAH TO CHOKMAH. * Path 14 is the connection between 3 and 2. This is the 14 link between pure reason, the creative urge that makes a plan for an action (3), and pure desire for any action (2). The card (3-2) which illustrates this connection is the Empress. The Woman on the card is pregnant with the world, and she sits on a bench called Eternity. Chokmah is sometimes called the Father and Binah is sometimes called the Mother. The union of 2 and 3 in 14 impregnates 3. That which is represented by the number 3 gives birth to the rest of the Sephiroth. PATH 13, TIPHERET TO KETER. * KETER, PATH 1. 13 Rising up from Tipheret, one attains perfection and union (6-1) with the Absolute. The number 6 ascends to 1 by path 13. Keter (1), the Crown, represents the Absolute God. The Tarot for this 1 path is the High Priestess. This is the path of Memory and the end of Memory. The card also represents the subconscious mind functioning perfectly. The only thing that the human mind can understand while in the body about this passage beyond the most beautiful Vision that the body can sustain (6) is that everything that exists, has ever existed and will ever exist is perfect, without flaw and one with everything. PATH 12, BINAH AND KETER. * Path 12 connects 3 and 1. It is represented by the Magician 12 in Tarot. The left column of the Tree of Life is especially associated with the magical practices, and where these Sephiroth (3&1) (3, 5 and 8) derive their nature from the One, we see the Magician. this path is the end of Form and the beginning of Form. PATH 11, CHOKMAH AND KETER. * The path of the Fool is path 11 between 2 and 1. It shows how 11 emotion comes out of the Absolute. This is the path of the end and beginning of Separation. (2&1) THE END OF THE PATH OF INITIATION IS THE BEGINING OF THE PATH OF THE LIGHTNING BOLT ... [FIGURE # 30:] (Full page figure here: Entire Tree of Life diagram, with Serpent and sword. The Sephiroth are rings of the appropriate Queen Scale color. The serpent is red and is so draped that the body twines over each letter path in exact sequence, with the tail on #32. There is a number in the center of each Sephiroth and the letters appear with their numbers on the paths. There the paths intersect or cross, there is no division -- effect like a cut-out of the tree and paths surmounted by ring borders on the Sephiroth, the Serpent Napishtum and the Sword. The Pillars of Severity, Mildness and Mercy are identified. The whole is titled: "Otz Chaiim".) THE PATH OF THE LIGHTNING BOLT also called THE PATH OF THE SWORD WHICH TURNS EVERY WAY. 0. From the state of undifferentiated being and non-being a single existence if formed. 1. The one existence forms its counterpart, for one thing cannot exist except in comparison to something else. 2. Two opposites cry out for union, in that union a third is born. 3. The union of opposites forms a model for the logical processes and becomes the key to multiplying manifestations. 4. The multiplying of manifestations cries out for control. 5. Restriction of multiplication permits the ordering of creation. 6. Ordering creation permits the multiplication of consciousness. 7. Multiplied consciousness cries out for an order between entities. 8. Ordered entities breed complex interactions. 9. Complex interactions become crystallized into a fixed state. 10. A fixed state cries out for union with the One. THE END OF THE PATH OF THE LIGHTNING BOLT IS THE BEGINNING OF THE PATH OF INITIATION ... A SHORT SUMMARY OF THE 32 PARTS OF THE PATH OF INITIATION also called THE PATH OF THE SERPENT OF THE WISE. 10. The physical world of sense consciousness. 32. 10-9. The first step on the path of return to the One. 9. The Dream consciousness. 31. 10-8. The application of reason to the sense consciousness. 30. 9-8. The application of reason to the dream consciousness. 8. The ration world-view obtained from the senses and the dream. 29. 10-7. The emotional reaction to the sense consciousness. 28. 9-7. The emotional reaction to the dream consciousness. 27. 8-7. The meeting and union of rational and emotional consciousness. 7. The emotional world-view obtained from the senses and the dream. 26. 8-6. The raising of the lower reason to the vision of the Cosmos. 25. 9-6. The perfecting of the Dream into the Vision of Beauty. 24. 7-6. The emotions embrace the Vision. 6. The consciousness of the Beauty of the Cosmos in a single Vision. 23. 8-5. Reason shifts its basis from the senses to the Ideal. 22. 6-5. Reason draws the Laws of the Universe from the Vision. 5. The consciousness of the Order and Law of the Cosmos. 21. 7-4. Emotion embraces all Karma as Dharma. 20. 6-4. Emotion accepts the Vision as a love-making with the One. 19. 5-4. Rational order accepts the guidance of Live. 4. The consciousness of unalloyed desire for union with the One. 18. 5-3. Reason and the Rational are purified into Pure Reason. 17. 6-3. The Vision is unified on the side of Reason. 3. The Crown of all logic and Reason. 16. 4-2. Emotion and Love are purified into Pure Desire. 15. 6-2. The Vision is unified on the Side of Emotion. 14. 3-2. The Pure Reason returns to the Pure Desire. 2. The Crown of all Emotion and Desire. 13. 6-1. The Vision returns to the Absolute Existence. 12. 3&1. The Crown of Reason is one with the Absolute. 11. 2&1. The Crown of Emotion is one with the Absolute. 1. The Crown of Existence is ABSOLUTE BEING. Another step-by-step study of the Tree will be found in Appendix A. While I journeyed toward Hod, I continued to develop my techniques in astral projection. All work on the astral is limited by nature to Yesod. When higher levels are reached on the astral, they are projections from the actual higher levels down into Yesod. Astral vision may accompany consciousness as it ascends to higher Sephiroth, but it is no more than the obedience of Yesod to her betters. Astral vision is an important tool, but it is less important than reason. Reason is the tool of Hod and is in its own turn subordinate to emotion, the tool of Netzach. More will be said about these matters below. Late in July I returned to New Jersey to visit again my friend, Joe. I received the honor of being best man at his wedding to the fair Lois, a lady of many charms and much practical wisdom. May they both be blessed. Before I went off to New Jersey, I received a visit from my Holy Guardian Angel in the person of one Edwardo. Edwardo acted unconsciously as a medium for a time, but the Angel is mostly using other channels now. Reception was not always very clear. Edwardo remains my very good friend. It's just as well that my Angel no longer uses him so much in this fashion. It was a bit hard on him. About this time I finished making my first magical robe. The design is similar in some ways to that shown in the illustrations to Crowley's "Magick in Theory and Practice." The basic garment is of heavy, black satin; and a separate hood of the same material has a white hexagram in place of a face. Crowley placed the hexagram on the top of his hood and cut eye-holes below. I moved the star downward and made it transparent to replace the holes. It is always best to make such things oneself, and to add alterations that make the things unique. While visiting in the East, I performed a ritual to rout the last traces of my virginity hangup. In this invocation of the Whore of Babalon I used my Yesod name for the first time. This name in English had finally settled down to: "The Dreamer and the Dream." When I translated it into Hebrew, the name became more meaningful. On returning home, I rendered my Yesod name into Hebrew and obtained gematria for it via Frater Fons Numeris' "Number "Dictionaries": Diary; 7/28/72; "This name is my 2 Degree = 9 Square motto. I Dream the Dream: ChLM H-ChLM Chalem Ha-Chalem whose number is 161 (1281 by finals) 161 = 1 + 6 + 1 = 8 = Hod, the next grade to this. 161 = 7 x 23 = sevenfold highest soul (7 times the numeration of Yechidah). 161 = QNAY = Zealot, for the grade before. 161 = ATzTVNH = cylinder. 161 = NPLA = marvelous, wonderful. 161 = ADM a'aYLAH = the heavenly man. 161 = QHL YHVH = marvelous, wonderful. 161 = CUM LUCE SALUTEM = with light salutation. 161 = JEHESHUAH MIHI OMNIA = YHShVH is my all. 161 = SOL INVISIBILIS = the invisible sun. 161 = TERRESTREITAS = Earthiness. 161 = Beginning is united to beginning. The gates continue. In the nearly two months that I spend under the influence of the gate VP, many things happened. I studied the rituals of the Order of the Golden Dawn that apply to the lower five Sephiroth. These aided me in my growth. The "Renaissance Faire" started in Marin County. Fr. Fons Numeris and I participated in a booth with Barbara, a friend of F.N. We set up as Tarot readers in an obscure corner of the "Faire" grounds. Our booth was a simple affair, just cloth sides and unstretched canvas paintings. In the back of the booth was displayed Fons Numeris' version of Eliphas Levi's "Great Symbol of Solomon." To the right and the left were my renditions of the "Rose of Creation" and the "Heptagram of the Seven Days" combined with the "Seven-branched Candlestick." These two show the twelve signs of the Zodiac and the Seven Ancient Planets in Hebrew, Greek and Latin. Barbara painted a splendid wooden sign which hung on chains before the booth. Our costumes were appropriate to the theme of the "Faire." Barbara dressed as a gypsy while F.N. and I wore linen robes with hoods. over the course of the "Faire," I embroidered various talismanic devices on my robe. These I took from Mathers' version of the "Greater Key of Solomon." I chose one talisman for each of the lower seven Sephiroth, using a color appropriate. I fully understood the meanings of all these except certain cryptic words on the Venusian talisman I choose to link to Netzach. This one flaw reflected my own weak place on the Tree of Life. I had come to know something of each of the lower seven, except Netzach, the Sephira of physical emotion. My defect was reflected in my garment. Later, I used this robe in ritual meditation. Many of the old rules restricting the use of magical things no longer apply, and strength can be gained in the display of secrets. When they are known to many, some mysteries become greater. To know is not to master. Over the course of the "Faire" we met many people. Some lasting friendships resulted, and we gained colleagues. One of these was Peter, poet and mystic. While talking with Peter, I received a sign that my initiation into Hod was near. Hod is the Sephira corresponding to Mercury and to practical magical working. Up to that time I have been mainly a theorist in practical magick. What few occasions I had had for spells, charms and the like had been fraught with difficulties. I could do many things, but only after exhausting ritual. The results were usually just not worth the work, easier to obtain in less fantastic ways. I had to build myself up artificially to work my will magically. Since I lacked the initiated powers of Hod, my magick was sluggish. This time things were different. What I did was no great thing, but it was both effortless and instantly effective. Peter and I stood conversing on a hillside. All at once, some bagpipers about thirty feet away struck up their music. Conversation became impossible. Peter shouted to me something like: "I guess that's the end of this talk." I shouted back: "Just a moment," and took up my wand, cut from a young sapling by a single stroke at top and three at bottom to show the unity of the trinity, and carved with the characters prescribed by Solomon, and pointed it at the players. I quickly moved the tip through the form of the Banishing Pentagram of Earth. At that moment someone passed between me and the players, and I uttered a soft expletive. The players immediately stopped and walked away. They couldn't have heard or seen what I had done. They simply went away. Food for thought. I continued to distribute my pamphlet and to begin new works. I started writing my book of "Words of Power, the Basis of Ritual." When it is complete, it will offer a comprehensive listing of the magical names of spirits used by the Order of the golden Dawn in astrological workings and on the Tree. Most of these names will be given in both English and Hebrew. The Names corresponding to the Sephiroth will be analyzed letter-by-letter to show their magical significance. This part is finished now, with over seventy examples. More than a dozen different techniques of the literal Qabalah will be given, with examples and procedures for analyzing the various words of power in Hebrew, Latin, Greek and the vernacular. Crowley's "Bartzabel" ritual will be appended with my commentary and a new glossary. This book is being delayed while research continues. I wish to present origins of as many of the Names as possible, and that takes time. A technique for letter-by- letter analysis of Words of Power will be presented below. About this time, our classes began to give out. The heat of the Summer had taken its toll, and it was time to digest what we had done. I finished typing up the transcripts of my lectures. There were, in all, ten meetings of the Ritual Magick class; and these furnished much material for "Words of Power". My mind was filled with a thousand names of god, yet I didn't have the One Name to unite myself with God. I dwelt in all names and in silence. Late in September, I received a vision of a stage to come, initiation into the royal Sephira of Tipheret. The image of a King is traditionally connected to this Sephira. There was also a warning. VP 9/23/72 e.v. This vision is of myself as a king, crowned by a golden crown, points set with golden spheres and surrounded by a ribbed band. I am lean and hungry, yet not prompted toward motion. I have a short, black beard; my hair is black. I sit my throne in silence. I am a beggar king with a true gold crown. Thus again to this task. Time is a pretty illusion to catch thee, little brother. There is that which seems precious and which must have time. That is a matter which we shall indulge in You. It is not of concern. Should you not complete the work in this "life," there shall be so many more. It is done, you know. There is no turning back. The age wears on like a tired thread to a hopeless confusion. You are one of the little ones who shall be raised to largeness for a purpose. Accept the task in earnest, and it shall reward thee of its substance. Strive against True Will, O'h child, and be left a pauper after the same works. On the next day I meditated again and received a name for Hod. My initiation to that Sephira was not yet complete, but the name came before. ZP 9/24/72 e.v. Come O'h bearer of the shining lamp! Come to me and light my way. A quick spark that flies before the whirlwind shall tend to a signal flare. Thus the day wears on to it's surcease. Thus the appointed rounds of the living. At last! The flame burns well upon the wick. Come near and draw warmth from a golden fire. Know that there is nothing between you and me. [FIGURE # 31: It is a circle with the following cross of numbers inside: 20 18 16 14 12 1 3 5 7 9 11 10 8 6 4 2 13 15 17 19 21 Counterclockwise around the outside of the circle are ranks of three Hebrew letters in radial columns of three. These start at the top and continue as 9 separate triads around the circle, evenly spaced. The innermost in each triad is the letter of the digit 1-9, the outermost the 100's and the medial is the 10's. These progress counterclockwise from 1,10,100 through 9,90,900, employing finals as necessary. The top one is: Q Y A ] Nothing at all stands upon the brink of the way. Yet apart we seem. Not so! This is a jest made by the mindless. We come to such in days beyond our call. Yet are there such? Will time become again what it may be again? This, as all questions, has no answer. It is the question that is false to the lips of a man. Come not to me with questions of that and that. They keep us apart where we are closely one. This is not the thing. This is a shadow wheel cast by the whirlwind of an unplumbed Abyss. I am with you all days even unto the consummation of the world. Thus spake Christ and a thousand before. Christ lied. He had a demon. I am that Demon. The lie was told to those who heard only lies and learned thereby the truth. Thou hast a demon, thou and Socrates. This demon others have called God. To you there is no god. There is no demon either. There is but all things in all things. Purpose swims in a close pattern. The time approaches for you to assume a name for Hod. This is "All Things in All things." This does not signify a passage over the Tree. This is the mark of time. After Chesed the names mean nothing. Heed well the work O'h child of the way. Farewell! We never truly part! I translated this name into Hebrew and obtained meanings for it by gematria. In that, Frater Fons Numeris' number dictionaries were indispensable: The Name of Hod, 3 Degree = 8 Degree "All Things in All Things." KL-DBRYM BKL-DBRYM Kol-Dabarim Be-Kol-Dabarim whose number is 614 (1734 by finals). 614 = 6 + 1 + 4 = the path of Aleph. The Sephira Da'at. 1 + 1 = 2 = Chokmah --- Wisdom. 614 = 2 x 307 --- within Ribkah. 307 = 125th gate; 63rd prime: SVA --- vanity, nothingness; HRBYTz --- to flay or strike, to spread knowledge; KLY ZMR --- musical instruments. 614 = 2 x 307 = the double existence manifested through hard won knowledge and ordered action. 614 = ChRVTh = palm leaf, freedom. 614 = ChVM = brown. 614 = ThDYR = frequent, constant. 614 = RThVCh = boiling. 614 = RBBYTh = one ten-thousandth. 1743 = 3 x 7 x 83 1743 = Anaktaurow = recrucify, crucify afresh. (Greek: Alpha-nu-alpha-kappa-tau-alpha-upsilon-rho-omicron-omega) The gates of Peh continue. ChP 9/25/72 e.v. Come to the passage of minds. Let the day of awakening commence. There shall be food for minds enough to fill an abyss of hungry doubt. Come and join with us. The fulfillment of the work is near. Complete the task at hand down to a single piece of work, and then attend to the needs of the worldly flesh. This is fitting. So shall it be that all things shall be well attended. Nothing is left out. Finish this with the letters in the Body... The meditation ended with an attribution of the letters of the Hebrew Alphabet to various parts of the human body. This has been adapted for use with the Cube of Space ritual. See Appendix D. The gate of TP provided instruction in the preparation of a set of simple rituals. 9/27/72 e.v. The light comes to those who make ready. Accordingly, make ready and receive the light. The task soon to come will be new rituals. This shall you do when the spirit moves you. Let the magick be performed between two lovers. Best that they be upright and united face-to-face. Then shall they meditate according to your writings. Several versions of the Tree of Life. Several of the Cube of Space. Several of the Bodies. Let them select what they will of those rituals. Provide of each type four examples. One in simple images. One in slight abstractions, stories. One in rational description. One in pure color and form. The lovers may each pass into and unite each with the other's body, in each and every part. This is to be a holy work. Let nothing profane it. Yet you may derive a profit for the continuance of life and the pursuit of the Great Work. Many are the tasks which shall be set before you. Take heart, for the way is long but at each step the reward increases by a thousand thousand. Come unto me O'h my little one. Great is my love for thee. We shall join our flesh in Heaven and in Hell, spanning a gap no other way could know. Come unto me O'h my beloved. There shall never be a darker or a brighter love. Come unto me dearest child, that I may foster life within thee. The next meditation confirmed my passage into Hod at the time of the meditation. It also gave a diagnosis of my progress over the paths of the Tree of Life and a prognostication of things to come. Where letters of the Hebrew alphabet are mentioned in the meditation of YP, they refer to the paths of the Tree of Life and progress along those paths. YP 9/29/72 e.v. And again the light does grow. This is a time of great awakening. Yet that awakening need not be easy. It is to your own efforts, the ease of that awakening. Strive and be satisfied. Await without true desire and be overwhelmed by the teachings of harsh mistress world. Bright grows the light. Seek the light in all things. Soon the grade of Hod will be conferred. Then prepare Netzach. Time enough. You must learn much. Love is a thing that must shine out in ways yet unseen. [FIGURE # 32:] (Full page figure goes here. This is a Tree of Life with the Sephiroth as simple circles and the paths as single lines. Each path has the English name of the letter and the number only. Each Sephiroth has the number in the center, the Hebrew name arched above the top, the English translation of the name arched below the bottom and the English pronunciation of the Hebrew name inside and just above the number. This diagram also has Da'ath in the proper place as dashed circle without a number.) Fear nothing. All will come according to True Will. It is only the falseness of time and a reluctance to see clearly that holds back. There is much that hangs about this life that is like drapery about a stage. This is not an evil thing; yet remember that such fittings may easily be changed without alteration of the substance of the central thing. New trappings make a semblance of change. In the center there is no change, for change itself is an essential mark of the unchanging. It matters little, such a paradox. These have value only in that they intoxicate and raise to holiness. Yet they also mislead. Speak plainly and in the language and forms of your listeners. Scorn no one. Scorn not even the walking dead. Have they not foolishly given of their lives that the little ones may each live brighter lives? These have gone a far way and now return to soft ash. Their fires once burned brightly. They nourish within a glowing coal to set a world aflame. Tend to the tinder that the fire within burn ever. Rest comes often enough to the dead. Die then O'h weary one, to walk in strength on the bright morning of eternity. Dreams quicken. Labors of will draw onward. The dreams are Yesod. They shall be with you always. The quickening is Resh to Hod. The labors are Shin to Hod. The product is Hod. When well won these are well kept. Know then that you have now become initiated into Hod. The ceremony was the work of "32 Emanations ..." The Pronouncement of initiation is this understanding of the way. Long shall Hod be yours. Always by the paths of Resh and Shin. Sh --- the classes. R --- the labor of the mind. Sh --- the work of the printing and writing. R --- the visioning and expressing. Hod --- the finished work. Toward Netzach: Q --- works in nature to speak to others. Tz --- thoughts communicated and efforts taken. P --- the strong bursting of one thought of order from one to anther. LP 10/1/72 e.v. Hod comes before Netzach that the emotions may be viewed and ordered. Pleasures grow but carefully and must be constantly watched. Hod watches, Netzach provides. The way between is sharp with blendings and reparations. This is good, and this is necessary. Q --- Matter to Netzach. The material basis is the life I lead. This has had much improvement. Only a little is needed. Tz --- Mind to Netzach. This needs much, although much has been done. My fantasies must alter until they can be fulfilled. P --- Will to Netzach. Much done. Much to do. Still too rigid. Much to do with holding Netzach. This is my Hod-awareness of the Netzach degree. Soon I must advance along the roads prepared. Very soon. My Netzach name shall come soon, but my initiation is yet unclear; both in its form and in its time. I hope for love, both personal and sexual. There is a lady who could be the one, but it is for the Great Ones to decide. Soon I shall obtain a Hod level realization of Ayin, Samekh and Nun. This is to be an understanding of the place of these within my life. Remember, the Tree is climbed in all parts --- ever. In the next meditation, I used my magical names for Malkut, Yesod and Hod as a part of ritual projection of the Tree of Life (see Appendix E.). That was done during the intensive part of the ritual meditation, before the written part. The intensive ritual meditation lasted 54 minutes on this occasion. MP 10/9/72 e.v. Come Ancient One, come to the daybreak of the Hidden Sun. A cry has gone forth: "The Great Pan is Dead!" It is a truth and a lie. There is no Pan and there is no death. There is Pan and there is death. Come to the place beneath a mighty stone. Crawl and fly. Cry out and murmur. There shall be such an awakening as the world has not seen since. In the following meditation of the gate NP, a gate of past explosion, I received a task and a commission. NP 10/11/72 e.v. To the matter at hand; attend it closely and well. It shall raise your name to certain places and there shall come many to join with you. Be confident. Be strong. Be faithful. Much has started. Dalet dances in Resh. Bet acts to focus Aleph. Attend that Lamed does the job. Draw all the letters forth and serve them well. This do also with as many tongues as may be. Realize that these things are communicated to and through you. [FIGURE # 33:] /\ /Sun\ ------ .-----.-----.-----.-----. : Y : Y | H : H : : : | : : :-----+-----|-----+-----: : H : H | V : V : : : | : : LK :-----+-----|-----+-----: KL : V : V | H : H : : : | : : :-----+-----|-----+-----: : H : H | Y : Y : : : | : : .-----.-----.-----.-----. ------ Earth \/ This knowledge is a gift by the wayside. The task appointed was the setting of simple meanings to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. I looked for a code similar to that used by Carlo Suares in his "Cypher of Genesis" but easer to apply and more simply structured. This code was needed to make the book "Words of Power" more useful. The code came on October 14, 1972 e.v. I give here the portion of "Words of Power; the Basis of Ritual" which describes this code. It is not the same as the one used by Suares; but it is similar and to my mind conformal with that code. I follow this presentation with examples of its application to virtually all of the Golden Dawn Names of spirits associated to the planet Venus and the Sephira Netzach. By this code the names of God are rendered into simple formulas whereby the mind may quickly soar to zenith! The names of angels are made helpers! The names of devils and the lower sort of Demons are made to teach virtues! Brief Meanings of the Hebrew Letters In the examples which follow, several sets of correspondences to the Alphabet of Hebrew Letters have been merged into simple ideas. These ideas form a sort of code to the meaning of the Letters. This code is a personal language and will be somewhat different for each individual. There is much to be learned from such a code, even if it is not ones own. The Hebrew Alphabet is divided into four parts, corresponding to the four ancient elements. Three Mother Letters correspond to Fire and the archetypes of all that exists. Seven Double Letters correspond to Water and the basic forms derived from the archetypes. Twelve Single Letters are the detailed states and forces of creation and correspond to Air. Five Final Letters exhibit the ultimate state at the end of the creative process and correspond to Earth. The Three Mother Letters are Aleph, Mem and Shin. Aleph is Absolute Being, pure existence without any sort of condition. Mem is Immortal Substance, able to take any form, possessed of no form of its own. Shin is Pure Force, not restricted to any purpose and able to work any result. The Seven Double Letters are Bet, Gimel, Dalet, Koph, Peh, Resh and Taw. Bet combines the meanings of Aleph and Shin. Bet is a conduit for directing (Shin) the flow of existence (Aleph). Bet may be described as a way of doing, a path to follow, a container for Being that is open at both ends. The word "ASh" in Hebrew means: "fire" and "foundation". Gimel, combines the meanings of Aleph and Mem. Gimel embodies the mysterious connection between existence (Aleph) and substance without form (Mem). Because form is absent, the nature of the combination cannot be understood, only felt. This is the secretiveness and hiddenness of Gimel. In Hebrew, "AM" signifies: "Mother", "whither" and "if". Dalet, combines the meanings of Shin and Mem. Dalet is the quickening or forcing (Shin) of pure substance (Mem) into rapid production of many forms. Because these forms lack the quality of Aleph, they do not persist. Dalet is full of images of anything and everything. In Hebrew, "ShM" means: "name", "where" and "sign". Koph combines the meanings of Bet and Gimel. Koph is a directing (Bet) of invigorated substance (Gimel) into forms that progress through cycle after cycle of modification toward perfection. This process is analogous to the actions of an artist who sketches, erases and re- sketches until a finished work is produced. In Hebrew: "BG" means "food". Peh combines the meanings of Bet and Dalet. Peh is an uncovered container (Bet) of many images (Dalet). These images burst forth like the spirits of evil from the opened box of Pandora. Peh is a crying out that may bring pain or blessing in its revelations. In Hebrew: "BD" signifies "separated thing", "linen cloth" and "speech" in the sense of "prattling". Resh combines the meanings of Gimel and Dalet. Resh is a working out of the hidden and invisible nature of things (Gimel) through many forms and images (Dalet). This is what happens in the human mind when meanings become attached to things seen. In Hebrew: "GD" means "destiny". Taw combines all the above letters and their meanings. Taw is the totality of created things. In Hebrew: "AMSh" means: "to pass away", "yesterday" and "night". This is the passing of the three purest states into the night of matter. "BGD" means: "cover" and "conceal". "KPR" means: "to cover" and "to be strong". The Twelve Simple Letters are Heh, Vau, Zain, Chet, Tet, Yod, Lamed, Nun, Samekh, Ayin, Tzaddi, and Qof. Heh combines the meanings of Aleph and Koph. Heh is pure being (Aleph) coming into order (Koph). Heh is alteration of form to fulfill a purpose. Heh is an abstract modifying process. In Hebrew: "AK" signifies: "that", "but" and "only". Vau combines the meanings of Aleph and Peh. Vau is a revealing (Peh) of the fundamental unity of all that exists (Aleph). Vau joins and declares union. In Hebrew: "AP" signifies: "addition", "breathing", "face" and "also". Zain combines the meanings of Aleph and Resh. Zain is a rationalizing (Resh) about all that exists (Aleph). Zain is a sword that divides all that can be divided. This is like the process of analysis in the human mind. In Hebrew: "AR" signifies: "burn". Chet combines the meanings of Aleph and Taw. Chet is the containment (Taw) of existence (Aleph) in a way that conserves and still permits expression. In Hebrew: "ATh" signifies: "token", "thou", "plowshare" and "self". It is also a word having no English equivalent and meaning roughly: "this is so!". Tet combines the meanings of Shin and Koph. Tet is the power (Shin) of cycles of creation and change (Koph). Tet is the power that comes out of nature. In Hebrew: "ShK" signifies: "thorn", "hedge" and "enclosure". Yod combines the meanings of Shin and Peh. Yod is the power (Shin) of revelation (Peh). This is the fiery power of the act of creation. In Hebrew: "ShP" signifies: "to grind", "to rub" and "to polish". Lamed combines the meanings of Shin and Resh. Lamed is the power (Shin) that relates one thing to another (Resh) and regulates their relationship until perfect balance is attained between their qualities. In Hebrew: "ShR" signifies: "walls", "tile", "band", "master" and "tumult". Nun combines the meanings of Shin and Taw. Nun is the power (Shin) that transforms all things (Taw). Nun changes created things from one form into another. In Hebrew: "ShTh" signifies: "column", "noble", "buttocks" and "tumult". Samekh combines the meanings of Mem and Koph. Samekh is the process that makes the substance of creation (Mem) strong and perfect through matching things against their opposites (Koph). Samekh is like the tempering of metals through heating and hammering. Samekh is testing and trial, like the trial of faith of Job. In Hebrew: "MK" signifies: "to become poor" and "lowly". Ayin combines the meanings of Mem and Peh. Ayin is the substance (Mem) of created things exposed (Peh) to the mind. This provides insight into the form, structure and effect of created things. The perceptions that come through Ayin do not always pass through to the abstract, but are mostly limited to that which is immediately associated with nature and natural activity. In Hebrew, "MP" is the name of the Egyptian city of Memphis, "the house of Phtah." Tzaddi combines the meanings of Mem and Resh. Tzaddi is the process whereby understanding (Resh) of the substance (Mem) of the created is obtained. In the human mind, this takes the form of meditation on a particular object, experience or state of mind. Tzaddi draws wisdom from nature. In Hebrew: "MR" signifies: "drop", "bitter", "sad" and "fierce". Qof combines the meanings of the letters Mem and Taw. Qof is the process that makes a reality of substance (Mem) in the forms of creation (Taw). Qof is a hidden sort of process, more to be experienced by the whole being of a person than to be understood by the mind alone. In Hebrew: "MTh" signifies: "Man" and "death". The Five Final Letters are special forms taken by the letters Koph, Mem, Nun, Peh and Tzaddi when they appear at the ends of words. Koph final combines the meanings of the letters Heh, Tet and Samekh. Koph final is that which acts to organize, energize and develop created things. Mem final combines the meanings of the letters Vau, Yod and Ayin. Mem final is matter itself, that which unites all the forces of creation into a single formation. Nun final combines the meanings of the letters Zain, Lamed and Tzaddi. Nun final is thought in created minds which analyzes, synthesizes and understands. Peh final combines the meanings of the letters Chet, Nun and Qof. Peh final is the life of creatures, which is contained in bodies, which passes out of them at the transformation called death and which gives purpose to all the rest through evolution of higher forms. Tzaddi final combines the meanings of the letters Koph final, Mem final, Nun final and Peh final. Tzaddi final is the unending activity in all creation which brings all creatures in contact with each other and which expresses life. The method by which these meanings can be used to analyze words will be made clear in the following examples. These examples use the names of spirits associated in the tradition followed by the Golden Dawn with Venus and Netzach. I have provided additional information about each of these names from "Words of Power; the Basis of Ritual." There are many more examples of this sort in that work. In what follows, the words written in actual Hebrew letters are written in the usual manner for Hebrew, right to left. When the letters from these words are written in English, the reading is left to right, as is proper for English. First, the name of the Sephira to which Venus corresponds on the Tree of Life. This is: "Netzach", which means "Victory through Endurance" in English. The Seventh Sephira. NTzCh Nun-Tzaddi-Chet. Transforming change (Nun) enlightens the natural mind (Tzaddi) by containment of transformation and the perceptive mind (Chet). Nun --------- Change that replaces one form with its opposite. Tzaddi ------ The perception of truth by the minds of the created. Chet -------- The containment of both change and perception. Netzach elaborates the plan of creation through the minds of the created. This is done through the teachings of experience and through alternations of appearances. Next consider the Divine Name attributed to the Sephira Netzach. Divine Names represent the level of highest abstraction and greatest spirituality on Qabalistic hierarchy. The Divine Name for Netzach and Venus is: "Jehovah Tzabaot" Which translates into English as: "He/She is splendor" YHVH TzBAVTh Yod-Heh-Vau-Heh Tzaddi-Bet-Aleph-Vau-Taw. The creating force (Yod) passes into order (Heh) to establish unity (Vau) in the ordering process (Heh). Mental processes (Tzaddi) are the way (Bet) whereby the Absolute (Aleph) is joined (Vau) to the created (Taw). Yod -------- The creating power. Heh -------- Order. Vau -------- Union, joining. Heh -------- Order in the abstract, the principle of Order. Tzaddi ----- The mental processes as they can occur in the created. Bet -------- That which serves as a channel for action, method. Aleph ------ Absolute being. Vau -------- That which joins or unites. Taw -------- All created things. Jehovah Tzabaot establishes the principle of unity in rational processes, both those that occur in the conscious minds of the created beings and those that are implicit in the workings of nature. This name is found in the Old Testament, where it is often translated as "Lord of Hosts." Traditionalists often obscure when translating from the "Torah." The worst example that occurs to mind involves the first use of a Divine Name in Sacred Scripture. The name "Elohim" in Genesis I:1 is almost always translated as "God." Any decent Hebrew dictionary will indicate that this word is actually a masculine plural of a feminine noun. The nearest thing to a direct translation of this word is "Gods" or perhaps "Male and Female Deities." Thus, all English Bibles should begin: "In the Beginning the Male Gods and Female Goddesses created this the Heaven and this the Earth." Next in sequence after the Divine Name is the Archangelic Name. This name represents the level of pure mental operation. The Archangels are the architects of creation and creative activity. The usual Archangelic Name associated to the Sephira Netzach is: "Haniel" which is "The Ship of God" in English. HANYAL Heh-Aleph-Nun-Yod-Aleph-Lamed. Order directs (Heh) existence (Aleph) to pass through transformations (Nun) in the process of creation (Yod). Existence (Aleph) is harmonized (Lamed). Heh --------- The purpose behind creation, order within creation. Aleph ------- Pure Being. Nun --------- Extreme change. Yod --------- The power that creates. Aleph ------- Existence. Lamed ------- Harmony. Haniel produces those great changes that include physical death and rebirth. These changes or transformations advance the forms of things into materialization. Haniel acts as a producer of change, not as physical change itself. The spelling used here for Haniel in Hebrew agrees with the form given in "Calendarium Naturale Magicum Perpetuum ...", printed in 1582 e.v. at the direction of Tycho Brahe. This source lists many of the names used by the Golden Dawn in the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries. Other spellings exist, and some translate the name as "Grace of God." After the Archangels, come the Orders of Angels. Each Angelic Order represents a particular aspect of the beginning of action, feeling and morality in creation. The Angels are the workers of creation, the individual forces and actions necessary to produce the world. Lists of Angelic Orders which include the names used by the Order of the Golden Dawn have been found in the writings of first and second century Christians and in the "Sephir Ha-Zohar." Most of these names come directly from the Hebrew version of the Old Testament. Two Hebrew names are often used for the Angelic Order of Netzach. The first and more common of these is: "Elohim" or "Male and Female Deities" in English. ALHYM Aleph-Lamed-Heh-Yod-Memfinal Existence (Aleph) is harmonized (Lamed) through order (Heh) by the power that creates (Yod) matter (Memfinal). Aleph ------- Pure Being. Lamed ------- That which harmonizes. Heh --------- Abstract order. Yod --------- The creating power. Mem final --- Matter. The Elohim are active creators of the World. They function in accordance with Divine plan (Heh). This name is found in Genesis I:1 and in many other places in the Bible. Elohim is also used as a Divine Name. The alternative name for the Angelic Order of Netzach is: "Tharshisim," in English "Ships of great Beauty." The name literally means "Those from Tarshish" or "The Ships of Tarshish." This name is used in Isiah frequently to denote an image of great beauty. The ships that sailed from the port of Tarshish were renown in Biblical days for their magnificence. ThRShYShYM Taw-Resh-Shin-Yod-Shin-Yod-Memfinal. The world (Taw) is rational (Resh); and Divine Will (Shin) creates (Yod) through mundane will (Shin) in the creation (Yod) of matter (Memfinal). Taw --------- All created things. Resh -------- Mind. Shin -------- Pure will. Yod --------- The power of creation in action. Shin -------- Pure will. Yod --------- The creative power in action. Mem final --- Matter. The Tharshisim work with created things and the pure Will of the Absolute to continue the process of creation. They bear the things of the world about in beauty, and they please the created senses. The Hebrew spelling is found in the Hebrew version of Isiah, II:16; "And upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all delightful imagery." Christian D. Ginsburg, in his "The Kabbalah", cites Daniel X:6 with reference to this name. This reference is copied by Mathers in his plagiarized introduction to "The Kabbalah Unveiled". The text in Daniel does not contain this name. The only obvious connection between this text and Netzach or Venus comes from its use of the name of a metal sacred to Venus in the description of an angel. Advanced students of Qabalah might like to meditate further on the spelling of this name. There are further mysteries concealed in the arrangement and repetition of the letters. Next below the Angelic Orders are the Planetary Spheres. The planet associated with Netzach, as has been said, is Venus. The Hebrew word used to designate Venus is: "Nogah", which literally means "Splendor" or "Glamour". NVGH Nun-Vau-Gimel-Heh Transformation (Nun) joins (Vau) with the subtle (Gimel) order of creation (Heh). Nun --------- That which transforms one thing into another. Vau --------- That which joins and establishes. Gimel ------- The invisible nature of things. Heh --------- The order underlying creation. Nogah transforms created things into one another in accordance with the purpose of creation. Nogah possesses the power of changing a thing by growth into another thing. Nogah adds motion to creation. Nogah is also the word used in ancient Qabalah to identify the last of the four traditional Qlipoth, that of illusion or "shining". The planetary Spheres include the lower stages of creation, actual manifestation in material forms. There are several traditional types of spiritual beings that are more closely associated with the planets than with the corresponding Sephiroth. The Order of the Golden Dawn used such Spirits. The Angel of Venus is both distinct from the Archangel and the Angelic Order. The name of the ruling Angel of Venus is: "Anael", which means in English, "a Ship of God". This name differs from the name of the Archangel associated with Netzach only in the absence of the letter "Heh", the definite article in Hebrew. This is the third name found to have association with Venus and also found to signify a ship. Allusion to Venus as the womb of nature fits well with the image of the hold of a ship. If the code be applied to the letters of the name Anael, it will be found that only the idea of dominating order is absent from the similar study made of Hanael. This means that the Angel of the Planet Venus is less guided than the Archangel of the Sephira Netzach. Anael is closer to the small work of creation but cannot follow the general plan of creation as surely as Hanael. Thus Hanael is better to summon in planning a thing corresponding to Venus; Anael is better in the working stages. There are other names that descend further into matter. The name Anael is found associated with Venus in Tyco Brahe's "Calendarium" and in the 13th century "Heptameron" of Peter de Abano. Beneath the Angels of the planets are the Intelligences of the planets. These are the lowest of the spirits associated to the planets that are regarded as being more-or-less "good" in the theory of the G.'. D.'.. By that theory, which is somewhat at variance with Merkabah Qabalah as to detail on this point, beings below this level are said to have a predominance of "evil" in their makeup. "Evil" may be translated into modern terms as "pain". There is no absolute good or evil. There is only a state of Existence which is equally called "good" or "evil" according to the psychology of the person experiencing. Optimistic people and people successful in their desires usually consider the Universe to be "good". Pessimistic people and people usually frustrated in their desires tend to see the Universe as "evil". Spirits represented by Divine Names through Planetary Intelligences tend to satisfy and give pleasure when properly invoked. This is the manner in which they aid and teach, the gentle manner. Spirits below the level of the Planetary intelligences tend to frustrate and cause pain. This is teaching also, but it is hard. When a person seeks to summon a kindly spirit or state of consciousness and instead receives pain and unhappiness, that person has failed to properly open himself to the influence of the beneficial Spirit. When the administrations of kindly spirits are sought but not accepted, the painful counterparts of the same spirits manifest. If one invokes an Archangel and instead receives the attentions of an Archdevil, the demon is the same; but the person invoking has refused the kindly help. These spirits are all states of the human consciousness in so far as they affect people from within. When events occur in the outside world in accordance with the nature of these spirits, that is as much a state of the human mind. There is no absolute separation between man and nature, between inside and outside. There is often a seeming of separation. Climbing the Tree of Life can cure that. The Intelligence of the Planet Venus is partly productive or pleasure and partly of pain. Pleasure predominates, but only slightly. This is the name of that Intelligence: "Hagiel" which means "The Cutting of God." HGYAL Heh-Gimel-Yod-Aleph-Lamed The order (Heh) is concealed (Gimel) in the working of creation (Yod). Existence (Aleph) is Harmonized (Lamed). Heh -------- The order of things. Gimel ------ That which is not visible, that which is concealed. Yod -------- The force of creation taking place. Aleph ------ Pure being. Lamed ------ Harmony. Hagiel is the invisible plan of the creator guiding the process of creation. This is a clear path through the seeming complexities of the Universe, but it is a path that is not understood in detail by the created. The creator acts in ways that are quick and sure like the slash of a blade, but those ways are not always clear to men. Hagiel tells us that there is a hidden purpose behind all appearances. An alternate translation of this name gives "The Valley of God", the place of the careful work of creation. There is a Hagiel in the world and a Hagiel in the mind. And now, into the dark ... The "Spirits" of the Planets are the counterparts of the Intelligences. Whereas in the Intelligences good or pleasure slightly predominates; in the "Spirits" evil or pain slightly predominates. Both have a direct effect on matter. The "Spirit" of the Planet Venus is: "Kedemel" meaning "Early god". QDMAL Qof-Dalet-Mem-Aleph-Lamed. Integrate (Qof) images (Dalet) in substance (Mem). Existence (Aleph) is harmonized (Lamed). Qof ---------- That which elaborates and establishes. Dalet -------- Many forms or images. Mem ---------- The universal substance. Aleph -------- Absolute Being. Lamed -------- Harmony. Kedemel develops and evolves the many details that are found in creation. The multiplicity of forms and functions produced through Kedemel can confuse and bewilder, but it can also provide all needed tools and supplies. Kedemel is an example of the old "nature" gods which were believed to animate trees and animals. The Intelligences and "Spirits" of the planets are listed in Brahe's "Calendarium Naturali Magicum..." When an invocation of the Angelic Orders fails and harm results, the "Demonic" Orders are responsible. The Angelic Orders are a holy and a lofty conception. Their force and power is great. When that force is summoned and no fit receptacle is ready, their dark counterparts are given the task of breaking obstacles. The "Demonic" Order of Netzach is: "Harab Serapel", or "The Ravens of Death". They are mentioned in the later appendices of the "Zohar" according to A.E.Waite in his "Holy Kabbalah," page 256. The Hebrew that I have given below is a reconstruction based upon the Anglicised "Harab Serapel" and Wait's translation of this name. The actual spelling should be found in the "Tequni Zohar," a postscript several centuries later than the "Zohar" itself, which departs in the matter of the Qlipot and some other matters from the older traditions. Ha'aRB ShRPAL Heh-Ayin-Resh-Bet Shin-Resh-Peh-Aleph-Lamed. Order (Heh) perceives (Ayin) mind (Resh) in a fashion (Bet). The burning (Shin) mind (Resh) cries out (Peh) and existence (Aleph) is harmonized (Lamed). Heh ---------- Order and organization. Ayin --------- Consciousness of existence and limitation. Resh --------- Mental structure. Bet ---------- The directing power of the mind. Shin --------- The burning spirit of God (Ruach Elohim). Resh --------- The mental structure that holds the burning spirit. Peh ---------- Explosion and speech. Aleph -------- Unlimited Existence. Lamed -------- That which equilibrates. The Harab Serapel represent the mind crying out that it may escape from its limitations. These limitations are created by the mind itself and may be set aside when they are known. The intense desire for an understanding of all things is Shin. Shin is the fire that burns away all that is mortal in man. This fire may burn out the life of a man who is not ready to experience it. That life is restored by Aleph-Lamed. These "Demons" and the "Angels" are both holy and, in a way beyond the physical, "good". God is worshiped not less by burning with the Harab Serapel than by creating with the Elohim and Tharshisim. For those who know that these two are one, there is no "evil". Soar aloft on the wings of the Ravens of Death as well as sail in the Ships of Tarshish. Rise in fire or in water. It is all the same. The passage is difficult only to those who fear fire and cannot pass flowing water. Such have trouble entering Netzach. Such an one was I. No longer! These names of the "Demonic Orders" sometimes do duty as opposite or mirror names for the Sephiroth. In such application, there are additional names for the Demonic Orders. For Netzach, this alternate Demonic Order name is: "Theumiel", or "The Fouled Substance of God." TVNAL Tet-Vau-Nun-Aleph-Lamed. The forces of nature (Tet) are locked (Vau) in unending change (Nun). Existence (Aleph) is harmonized (Lamed). Tet -------- The powers and forces in the created. Vau -------- That which joins, secures, makes one and definite. Nun -------- Transforming change. Aleph ------ Pure existence. Lamed ------ That which brings balance. The Theumiel frustrate that which cries for freedom and simplicity. They make vivid the impermanence of forms. As soon as we come to depend on something or to believe a thing sacred, the Theumiel change it into a totally different thing. In this sense they are polluters. They teach freedom from dependance on forms of the moment. The counterparts of the Archangels are the Archdevils. Both are equal before God. Archangel is the merciful hand of god. Archdevil is the hardened hand of God. Both are holy and to be reckoned above the changes of matter. The Archdevil associated with Netzach is: "Baal", in English, "Lord". There are several ways to spell this name in Hebrew. The one I have given here is one of those used in the Old Testament. Ba'aL A way (Bet) or seeing (Ayin) harmony (Lamed). Bet--------- A way or method. A container of the unformed which directs it into action. Ayin ------- To see and to experience, but not necessarily to understand. Lamed ------ The balance implicit in all things that exist. Baal exposes the nature of things. For those who are free enough from preconceptions this is a good thing. Others see too much. They refuse to accept what they see and are destroyed. Invocation of an Archangel is almost the same as an invocation of the corresponding Archdevil. Few indeed are they who can keep mind so pure as to rejoice in all that their Angel tells them. At the first determined opposition, the Angel smiles forth the fangs of the Devil. This is no more than the discord of the person invoking being reflected back from a place it cannot touch. Laugh and the fangs become kindly glints from the Angel's eyes. It is sometimes hard to laugh. Yet it is never impossible unless there is need to burn away some unwholesome part of the self. Once the correction is made, Baal becomes Haniel and a light not of the mortal world shines within the soul. Another name is sometimes given as the Archdevil of Netzach. This is: "Tubal Cain", "The mark of the Lord in Sharp Weapons". This name is given in Genesis as the name of a descendant of Cain. The attribution of this name to the place of Devils comes from an old legend. According to this legend, Cain could find no one to mate with after he had killed Abel. No daughter of Eve would tolerate his advances. Only the female devils would receive him. By this legend all the Biblical descendants of Cain are reckoned Devils and Half-Devils. Another legend credits Tubal Cain as being the first blacksmith. ThVBL QYN Taw-Vau-Bet-Lamed Qof-Yod-Nunfinal The world (Taw) is attached (Vau) to the path (Bet) of harmony (Lamed). Natural order (Qof) is invigorated (Yod) through mental acts (Nunfinal). Taw -------- The whole of the created universe. Vau -------- That which joins. Bet -------- A means of action for Aleph. Lamed ------ Harmonizing guidance. Qof -------- Order as it appears in nature. Yod -------- The Power of Aleph in action in the world. Nun final -- Mental processes. Tubal Cain is a hard teacher. Those who will not think about the nature of things will receive death if they will not learn from lesser experiences. For a mild example of such a problem, consider the myth of the beginning of mankind. If Cain killed Abel, and Cain mated with demons only, who are we? Either there are some other sons of Adam not mentioned, or we are all half demon! If you answer that demons are not your cousins, the myth clearly insures that every descendent in the third generation is a product of incest! In this manner may all things be investigated, if they can be written in Hebrew. Other methods exist for other languages. More methods than this may be applied to Hebrew. It is a property of the Qabalah that nothing in words or numbers is silent. From a name or a passage in Scripture great mysteries may be discovered. Soon after preparing and testing this Letter-code, I meditated on the gate SP and received my name for Netzach. SP 10/24/72 e.v. Wonder upon wonders! Yet another name to add to the growing list. A time shall soon come when you shall bear it fully. Until then consider and record it. Many tests have been administered. You have survived them; no matter how, you have survived. That is enough for now. Soon there shall come an end to some of these, but never to all. No, never shall all tests end. Never shall anything depart for an end of time. At this time I met Christiana, whose coming was foretold. This lady was full of fiery energy and beauty. Through her lips my Angel sometimes spoke. Through her eyes my Angel often smiled. Through her actions and thought I was slowly driven nuts. She was intense! I grew with her. This is my name in the Sephira of Netzach, and my 4 Degree = 7 Square motto; "Wonder upon Wonders" PLA BPLAYM whose number is 264 (834 with final Mem) 264 = 2 + 6 + 4 = 12, the number of the path of Bet on the Tree 12 = 1 + 2 = 3, Binah, the place of understanding. 264 = 23 x 3 x 11 = 8 x 33, the fountain of desire. 264 = 132 x 2, the wisdom of Q.B.L. 264 = SDR = arrangement, order, row; passover eve service (Sader) 264 = MDRK = footstep, treading. 264 = NDYR = rare, infrequent, scarce. 264 = RBYBYM = descent of showers. 264 = DM - KR = Blood of the Lamb (name of a place in Arabia visited by Brother C.R.) 264 = ChRVN = anger, brier. 264 = DYNR = coin. 264 = ChQVQYM = Emanatia. 264 = RHTYM = channels, pipes (another reference to Bet and to the paths of the Tree in general) 834 = 2 x 3 x 139. 834 = ShLChVPYTh = womb. 834 = dwdeka = twelve (another reference to the path of Bet). (Greek: delta-omega-delta-epsilon-kappa-alpha) Again I must express my thanks to Frater Fons Numeris for the use of his extensive number dictionaries. Without them such gematria is hard to get. I continued to meditate, but nearly all of the second-type meditations on the gates of Peh had been done. In another burst of sexual need, I sent out four demons to seek me a woman. One of these was Bartzabel; another combined influences of the Sun and Mars. The remaining two were of the Sun and of Venus. I was not yet open enough to receive a woman's love in accordance with the Will of my Angel. Accordingly I failed to obtain more than a sizable amount of entertainment. This was done on November third. I kept the demons in reserve, but they were inadequate as aids to surpass the magical circle of my physical virginity. Time will tell. I decided to use the demons for other things and wait for a Magical Lady to be my willing tutor. I did not dispatch the demons against anyone in particular, but as a sort of general procuration. This was too vague. I scruple to direct them more personally. The failure of the demons resulted in a backwash of energy that rear-ended my car again. No serious problems. Christiana was at the wheel. During this time (under the influence of the Gate PR on the thirteenth of November) I went to a job interview. This was a sign of the eventual approach to Tipheret. It is one of the marks of the sixth Sephira that those who enter there have at least a part of their material and mental life in order. I had been running low on money for some time. This interview led to a part-time position in computer programming at the University of California in Berkeley. The job added enough money to my inherited income to provide sustenance and to maintain my work. It also provided a needed shot of humility. Another gift of these gates was a lesson in the practice of Magick, specializing in precautions. I give this from my Diary: 11/26/72 e.v. Christiana called and we went off to Zebedee for dinner. Later went to the Sleeping Lady for coffee and chess. I detest the game. Played her once and lost. She then began a series of three games with another fellow. Someone noted that the time was 9:30 PM. My boredom at a peak, I decided to evoke fire at Christiana to cause her to be impatient at the game. I repeated this later. Much odd power-flow consciousness. After a time the third game ended and Christiana took me home, with thanks. She returned to the Sleeping Lady. When I entered the house, I noted a strong odor of smoke, windows open. I went toward L's room. There had been an electrical fire in L's room, a lamp and cloth that Christiana had admired earlier in the day. The fire had burned out the clock at 9:45 precisely, connection obvious. I resolved in the future to first project a circle in such cases to contain the force. Christiana had too much fire energy anyway. The extra bled back through a common point between her and myself. The same diary entry goes on: I have entered Netzach to the point of belonging. I will not truly have mastered Netzach until I have attained Tipheret. Much growth in Netzach is before me. Tipheret will be attained when I have a grip on my trip in mind, emotion and solvency, independence. This is not so simple, yet not so hard. Time will grant the patent. The gates march to the wind what molds the worlds. I have received a measure of power to work the miracles of Hod. As my emotional force advances in depth and order, Netzach will be gained more fully and Hod will be truly ruled. My new job started in December. Through it I gained stack access to the library of the University of California. This greatly helped my research, and I acquired photocopies of several important books. At the same time, I began a collection of microfilms of rare and unusual works. This job took much time that would otherwise have been spent in more spiritual endeavors, but it granted me a needed balance of mind and the money that I needed to pursue my works in this world. I am thankful for this. I began a new volume of my Diary with this writing: "Suffer no hindrance to bar thee from knowledge." This is my oath and no will of mine may alter it. The will of beginning is established. A new age is upon the Earth. No longer shall strength abide in secretiveness. To those who trod the Path, the four injunctions hold, yet not by act or inaction of the wayfarer. These injunctions are a reading of the nature of things, and nothing of mortal will can alter them. The injunction to silence is in the nature of things; it is not a charge to deceive or to withhold that which cries out to be told. What is set down here is for the good of many. What is told is told indeed! Void are all prohibitions of speech! Void are all future swearings to a killing dumbness! I began the gates of Tzaddi on the 28th of December, 1972 e.v. These gates will see great wonders in the world. For that reason the time between some of them will be long, longer than for Peh. These gates are greater, for they are gates of love. The next meditation confirmed initiation into Netzach and gave the name to be used in Tipheret. About this time possibilities of teaching another class began to manifest. Joseph, the proprietor of an occult book shop called the Magus, suggested first to F.N. and then to me that we might teach classes in Tarot and Qabalah through his shop. More about this in a few pages. For now, here is the meditation. BTz 1/14/73 e.v. Light of Heaven in a Lamp of Earth! This, in Hebrew, shall be the new name. It is a name of Tipheret. The ways have been trodden in silence. Now shall the ways become strong. Now shall the ways become visible. Welcome to the city of the children grown to the point of human reception. The gates of the place of the elect are open. The King sits upon his throne among the Kings who fall not. These are the Kings who are crowned in Heaven and who stand upon and within the Earth. There is no one to say them nay. There is no one to divide them. All passages open to the bidding of the Kings of the Palace of Schemesh. [FIGURE # 34] AB AG AD AH AV AZ ACh AT AY AK AL AM AN AS Aa'a AP ATz AQ AR ASh ATh BG BD BH BV BZ BCh BT BY BK BL BM BN BS Ba'a BP BTz BQ BR BSh BTh GD GH GV GZ GCh GT GY GK GL GM GN GS Ga'a GP GTz GQ GR GSh GTh DH DV DZ DCh DT DY DK DL DM DN DS Da'a DP DTz DQ DR DSh DTh HV HZ HCh HT HY HK HL HM HN HS Ha'a HP HTz HQ HR HSh HTh VZ VCh VT VY VK VL VM VN VS Va'a VP VTz VQ VR VSh VTh ZCh ZT ZY ZK ZL ZM ZN ZS Za'a ZP ZTz ZQ ZR ZSh ZTh ChT ChY ChK ChL ChM ChN ChS Cha'a ChP ChTz ChQ ChR ChSh ChTh TY TK TL TM TN TS Ta'a TP TTz TQ TR TSh TTh YK YL YM YN YS Ya'a YP YTz YQ YR YSh YTh KL KM KN KS Ka'a KP KTz KQ KR KSh KTh LM LN LS La'a LP LTz LQ LR LSh LTh MN MS Ma'a MP MTz MQ MR MSh MTh NS Na'a NP NTz NQ NR NSh NTh Sa'a SP STz SQ SR SSh STh a'aP a'aTz a'aQ a'aR a'aSh a'aTh PTz PQ PR PSh PTh TzQ TzR TzSh TzTh QR QSh QTh RSh RTh ShTh At the end of the third week in January, our family grew temporarily larger by the addition of J. and C. These mutual friends of F.N. and myself had been living in a house boat near Sausalito. When the winter storms reached their height, tragedy struck, and their home sank in the polluted waters of the Bay. C. was seven months pregnant at the time. We welcomed our stranded friends and gave them shelter. This simple kindness has been rewarded a thousand fold by what followed. The influence of these two gentle people brought us all together and helped to close the rifts that had formed between L., F.N. and myself at various times. They also brought a great blessing on the house and rendered the room of Yesod and the Moon truly sacred. This blessing and this consecration was the eventual arrival of C's tiny baby, Amala. The classes that Fons Numeris and I were hoping to teach at the Magus more-or-less fell through. We obtained tutoring work, but the classes had not enough applicants to warrant being given. We would try again later and under different circumstances. In my own case, on the night the class was to begin, I went to the Magus and waited. Grace, an astrologer friend from Berkeley and points East, was a very welcome sight. Amusement was offered by four Jesus Freaks who tried to convert me from my personal contact with God to their follow-the- leader blindness. I talked about half the time and helped them with their Biblical quotations, but after an hour or so dismissed them. They helped me to get over my disappointment at not having the class. I don't know where their souls dwell. Their words were filled with ignorance and hatred, but no one should judge the progress of a soul by its manifestations in the body. I blessed them again in the intensive part of my next meditation. I hope one day that they will be able to listen to such words as I have heard. GTz 1/28/73 e.v. A great light burns brightly in a lamp of earth. This is the present state of things. This is the present state of the task. Have all faith in the going forth in light. There shall be no lack of what is needful. There shall be no failure. Yet there shall be unexpected lessons. Accept the truth in all things. Even when that which is so carefully planned runs contrary to plan, deny nothing. There is no fault or punishment. There is no defect. All is as it should be. All proceeds well. The lesson comes to thee as new knowledge, not as dull exercise. Many tasks, once readied, give way for greater. If the older is to be done, it will be done. Relish surprise. Much is in store. Receive then the blessing of the Dominus Liminis. Words matter little. You pass now through Paroket and upward to ThPARTh. Come dreaming child, a place awaits thee in the Sun! The day star shines to illuminate the world for thee! See by its light and know the lost knowledge that all know behind all seemings. The silent lady smiles upon thee. Accept her good graces and smile in return. Already the mighty one bends low to shelter you from harm and miscarriage. Adore the high and embrace also the low. Other grades await. Other initiations are before thee. The names for Geburah and Chesed are hovering about you. The names for the unnameable shall flit through brief existence. "Holy art Thou, Lord of the Universe. Holy art Thou Whom Nature has not formed." The class at the Magus was a failure, but a better came of it. Grace, who was my friend in the affair with the Jesus Freaks and in many other things, proposed that we tutor each other. She would teach me Astrology, and I would teach her Qabalah. This arrangement was both pleasing and acceptable to me. We met every week or so for a time and shared our knowledge. It was at one of these meetings that Joseph, the proprietor of the Magus, dropped in and suggested this very writing. At his instigation I began it. By the Will of my Angel I am finishing it. Grace introduced me to many interesting people. In February, I received a last communication from AMORC, the San Jose based group of pseudo- Rosicrucians. These good people and I had a falling out over an oath of secrecy. I contended that the oath in question was too narrowly defined and that the AMORC material in question (through the eighth degree) contained nothing of a secret nature. AMORC replied that the oath was not subject to review and that only by signing it could I remain a member. I made a personal phone call to pursue the matter, but was indifferently handled. Because of the wide influence of this order and because of the nature of this narrative, I feel it would be best to give my final communication to AMORC in some detail. This will establish more clearly my relationship to such popular groups and will bring light to bear on the relationship that earlier existed between AMORC and myself. I quote from my letter: "I have decided, on close perusal of the 'Plea for Admission to the Ninth Degree' that the text of that plea is in contradiction of my understood obligations to the Order. This contradiction lies chiefly in two points: 1: the absolute prohibition on showing the monographs to others. 2: the overly generalized prohibition on discussion of the Order. "In earlier oaths to AMORC, various promises and dedications were made to the effect that I, a member, must do my utmost to propagate the Order in the directions naturally open to it. This I have done. This I fully intend to continue to do, regardless of my being an active member or not. The prohibition on discussion is too restrictive to permit verbal propagation of the Order among those most in need of its teachings. The prohibition on displaying the monographs places a member in an inferior position to that occupied by nonmembers. The monographs are not 'secret' in any sense but the formal one used by the Order. They contain no information not already available to the public through the Library of Congress... "Since I have acted in a manner to make the noted provisions of the Plea untrue with respect to myself, and since to sign that Plea as written would be to utter an untruth, I have decided that I may not sign the Plea in good faith. In an earlier letter I submitted an alternate Plea, drafted after the example of earlier, member composed oaths. This has been refused. Accordingly, I see no alternative before me other than to tender this, my formal resignation from active participation in the Order AMORC. "Although I will not be able to continue in the work of AMORC in a direct fashion in the future, until such time as the present restriction may be lifted or I undergo a change of understanding which may permit my signing the Plea as written, I sh