AN ENERGY WORKER'S PRIMER ON THE QABALAH

by Michael Araujo

Our whole understanding of the Qabalah is based on a schematic diagram of the cosmos called the "Tree of Life". The "Tree" consists of ten circles connected in various ways by a series of "paths" attaching them to one another. The ten circles on the tree are called sephira (plural: sephiroth). They represent the ten modes of energy that exist in the Qabalistic cosmos, from the emanation of the first source of all things (the first sephira), to its eventual distribution into the infinite number of physical objects which together form the world of matter (the tenth sephira). These ten sephiroth have 22 paths connecting them together on the Tree of Life.

Each of the 22 connecting paths represents a mode of consciousness, and is represented by one of the 22 trumps of the tarot deck. Each of the paths is also represented by a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. There are a total of 32 sephiroth and paths combined. Sometimes these are referred to as the 32 "Paths" of the tree. They are listed with their attributes as follows:

Path	Name	Symbol	Tarot Attribute	Gematria Number	Meaning of the Name
1	Kether		Aces	1	The Crown
2	Chokmah		The 2’s	2	Wisdom
3	Binah		The 3’s	3	Understanding
4	Chesed		The 4’s	4	Mercy
5	Geburah		The 5’s	5	Strength
6	Tiphareth		The 6’s	6	Beauty
7	Netzach		The 7’s	7	Victory
8	Hod		The 8’s	8	Glory
9	Yesod		The 9’s	9	Foundation
10	Malkuth		The 10’s	10	The Kingdom
11	Aleph		The Fool, [Air]	1	The Ox
12	Beth		The Magician, [Mercury]	2	House
13	Gimel		High Priestess, [Moon]	3	Camel
14	Daleth		The Empress, [Venus]	4	Door
15	He(h)		The Emperor, [Aries]	5	Window
16	Vau		The Heirophant, [Taurus]	6	Pin, Hook
17	Zayin		The Lovers, [Gemini]	7	Nail, Sword
18	Cheth		The Chariot, [Cancer]	8	Fence
19	Teth		Strength / Lust, [Leo]	9	Serpent
20	Yod		The Hermit, [Virgo]	10	Hand
21	Kaph		Wheel of Fortune, [Jupiter]	20, 500	Fist
22	Lamed		Justice, [Libra]	30	Ox Goad
23	Mem		Hanged Man, [Water]	40, 600	Water
24	Nun		Death, [Scorpio]	50, 700	Fish
25	Samekh		Temperance, [Sagittarius]	60	Prop
26	Ayin		The Devil, [Capricorn]	70	Eye
27	Pe(h)		The Tower, [Mars]	80,800	Mouth
28	Tzaddi		The Star, [Aquarius]	90,900	Fish Hook
29	Qoph		The Moon, [Pisces]	100	Back of Head
30	Resh		The Sun, [Sun]	200	Head
31	Shin		Judgement, [Fire]	300	Tooth
32	Tau		The World, [Saturn, Earth]	400	Cross

The 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet are divided up as follows: there are 3 "mother letters," 12 "single letters," and 7 "double letters." The mother letters are aleph, mem and shin, and they refer to the elements of air, water and fire, respectively. The single letters are: heh, vau, zayin, cheth, teth, yod, lamed, num, samekh, ayin, tzaddi and qoph. They refer to the signs of the zodiac. The double letters are: beth, gimel, daleth, kaph, pe, resh and tau. They refer to the 7 visible "planets." Traditionally, Tau also doubles as the element of earth because the element of earth resonates very well with the energies of Saturn. Also, the corresponding tarot card: "The world" is the summation of all the cards in the major arcana, much as the element of earth combines each of the other three elements within it.

Each letter in the Hebrew alphabet also has a numerical value. You will notice that in the above chart, five of the letters have alternate forms. These alternate forms are called "final forms," and they are used only when the letter appears at the end of a word (Hebrew words are written from right to left). When a final form of a letter occurs, the letter has a alternate numerical value as well. In the above chart, each of the 5 final forms is given along side the standard form of the letter, as is the numerical value of the final form of the letter. The numerical value of the letters is important in certain kinds of energy work, because words that add up to the same number, are considered to have a mystical energy association with each other. The number of a name is also a clue to determining the nature of the force associated with the name. The science of adding up the values of Hebrew words and comparing them to each other is called "gematria."

The Tree of Life is in effect, a giant filing system. Every form of energy and consciousness, and even any conceivable idea, can be equated with one or more of the 32 paths on the tree. Thus, using the Qabalah, any idea, energy or mode of consciousness can be understood in its relationship to any other idea, energy or mode of consciousness, by comparing their relative positions on the tree. This gives the Qabalistic mystic or energy worker an immense practical advantage. It becomes a simple process for such a practitioner to attract or banish energy, when he or she knows all of the things that correspond to that energy. Also, knowing where an energy, idea or mode of consciousness falls on the Tree allows the practitioner easy access to that energy. This is done through techniques which make use of the colors and other correspondences which are associated with the same path on the tree as the desired form of energy.

As we go through and explain the Qabalah, do not be dismayed if the whole concept appears confusing for a while. The Qabalah was designed to be sorted out and understood primarily by the unconscious levels of a person's being. Even if you are consciously unclear of many of the details and subtleties of Qabalistic discourse, your mind and energy levels will be given considerable information in this study to allow you to make excellent and effective use of many of the powerful techniques associated with Qabalistic practice .

THE TEN SEPHIROTH

Qabalists see all the energy in the cosmos as emanating from a single and primal source known as the "Veils of Negative Existence." Energy projecting from these "veils" enters our universe through the first of the ten sephiroth, called Kether, and passes through each of the other sephiroth manifesting in its final form, as physical matter, in the tenth sephira, called Malkuth.

Kether, as the point of the first appearance of energy in our universe, is always representative of a very spiritual 'place.' It is where all energy "pops" into our universe from the great void of negative existence. In Kether, there is no duality of energy. The energy is not understood in terms of what it is like, and what it is not like. It just is. In terms of geometry, this sephira is equivalent to the point, which has no dimensions, and which therefore cannot manifest in time or space.

The Kether point (or "mode") of any energy will eventually "fill up" and "overflow." The overflow of energy from Kether collects and formulates the second sephiroth called Chokmah. In Chokmah, energy begins to experience the duality of opposites which is necessary for any energy to manifest. In terms of geometry, Chokmah corresponds to a line. In terms of the physical macrocosm of our universe, it corresponds to the stars in our sky, the sphere of the zodiac. Chokmah energy is the pure concentrated and primordial force of any idea, substance, energy or event.

As the energy continues to overflow from Chokmah, it formulates and collects in the third sephira, called Binah. Just as Chokmah represents the primordial force of a thing, so Binah gives the energy, idea or consciousness its primordial form. Due to this form-giving quality, Binah is feminine, and is often called the Supernal Mother, just as Chokmah is masculine, and is called the Supernal Father. Together, Kether, Chokmah and Binah form, what is referred to as the "Supernal Triangle on the Tree, or the triangle formed by the top three circles.

Binah corresponds in geometry to the plane, as well as to the triangle. In fact a triangle, due to its association with form-giving Binah, is often used in certain types of work as a tool to induce energy or spirit beings to formulate or to actually manifest temporarily on the physical plane.

Binah in the physical and astrological universe corresponds to the planet Saturn. Saturn energy is form-giving. This form-giving energy is, after it reaches a certain intensity, translated into the energy of inertia. Thus, Saturn is associated with the concepts of binding, inertia and death. As beings in a physical body, once we take on form we immediately start the process of death and decay. The seeds of death and decay are necessarily sown by the very act of manifesting, or incarnating in the world of matter.

The fourth sephira on the Tree is called Chesed, which is the first sephira of the second triad, called the "Moral Triangle," or more appropriately, the "Mental Triangle." Between Binah and Chesed exists a void, or a gulf called "The Abyss." This Abyss is a symbolic demarcation between the Macroprosopus, or "The Greater Countenance," and the Microprosopus, or "The Lesser Countenance." The Macroprosopus refers to all existence above the Abyss, which is the realm of the potential, while the Macroprosopus refers to all existence below the Abyss, which is the realm of the actual.

Chesed exists below Chokmah on the Tree, and is in a way, a reflection and a continuance of the energies of the "Father," but in a more manifested and realized form. As such, Chesed is the merciful energy of life-building and abundance. It corresponds to the planet Jupiter in the physical and astrological universe. Chesed is the energy of the wise benevolent ruler and king. An alternate name for Chesed is Gedulah, which means "majesty" or "greatness."

Across from Chesed on the left side of the Tree is the fifth sephira: Geburah, which means "strength" or "power." This sephira contains the energy of pure power. When ideas, thoughts and forms or organization get so out of touch with the conditions from which they arose, such that they no longer serve the continued growth of an individual or group, they form energy blocks. When that happens, these outmoded forms run afoul of the energy of Geburah, which brooks no opposition. This sephira emanates the severe energy of the warrior, just as Chesed emanates the energy of the benevolent king. Geburah corresponds to the planet Mars in the physical and astrological universe.

The sixth sephiroth is Tiphareth, and it is found in the very center of the Tree. Tiphareth is known as the "Mediating Intelligence" because it acts as an energy transformer taking and giving energy from the sephiroth around it, as needed. It also transforms and distributes energy coming straight down from Kether through Path #13, Gimel. Wherever there is an energy imbalance in any of the systems, whether of the macrocosmic universe, or the microcosmic realm of the individual person, Tiphareth acts to balance out the energies involved. The task is to prevent imbalances from reaching the point where Geburah's influence would act to destroy the energy blockage in a much more cataclysmic way.

Tiphareth in the microcosm lies at the very center of the human psyche, and is the seat of the individual's ego. It is the center of individualized consciousness, and is attributed to the Sun, in the physical and astrological universe.

The seventh sephira is Netzach, the realm of Venus, or Mother Nature. As Tiphareth is the great transformer and distributor of energy, Netzach acts as a prism to break up the energy into its many diverse frequencies. The realm of Nature is full of diversity; and Netzach is the sephira of diversity. It is also the realm of feelings and the instincts.

Across from Netzach on the Tree is the eighth sephira, called Hod. Hod takes the diverse energies of Netzach and gives form to them. Hod then, is the sephira of catalogues of information, and of the act cataloging data. It is the realm of learning, of writing and of speech. In the physical plane, as well as astrologically, Hod corresponds to the planet Mercury.

The ninth sephira is attributed to the Moon, and is called Yesod. It hangs pendent in the center of the Tree between Netzach and Hod, although somewhat below them. Yesod is the sphere that corresponds to the astral plane of existence, as all the preceding sephiroth of the Microprosopus correspond to the mental plane. The astral plane has certain similarities to an ocean, in that it has whirls and eddies, and is populated by myriads of thoughtforms, elementaries, and other inhabitants which make their home there, in the same way that the ocean is a living environment teaming with aquatic life.

The word Yesod means "foundation." This sephira gets its name due to the fact that the astral plane forms the foundation for every object that exists in the physical plane. Every physical object has its astral counterpart, which is the "cause" of the physical object existing in the material plane. This property of the astral plane is reflected in the fact that Yesod resonates strongly with Binah. Binah is often called the "Great Sea," due to its form-creating power. Water, of course, is able to assume any form defined by whatever container is holding it.

The tenth and final sephira is Malkuth, which means "the Kingdom," and is attributed to the Earth. Malkuth is considered a lower "octave" of Binah, and constitutes the etheric and physical realms. The etheric realm is the basis of matter, is composed of, and mediates, the four elements of fire, water, air and earth. The science of quantum physics has for some time concluded that the appearance of physicality is merely an illusion, and that physical particles are in fact made up of very tenuous and minute forms of energy. These forms of energy change their behavior or even disappear depending on whether or not they are being observed. This understanding by modern physicists, that matter is merely the final form of energy proceeding from a single source of universal energy, is reflected perfectly in the ancient teachings of the Qabalah.

The preceding study constitutes the first step in understanding the Qabalah, a system of multiple uses for the more esoterically inclined energy worker. It can be useful in understanding and bringing together on common ground, the many different systems of metaphysical understanding, including Dar' Shem.

RECOMMENDED READING:

1. Crowley, Aleister, 777

2. Fortune, Dion, The Mystical Qabalah

3. Regardie, Israel, A Garden of Pomegranates.