The Gardens of the Soul

The Tree of Life School started its new term of study with a day retreat on The Gardens of the Soul on Saturday 17th September 2011.

During the day we explored teachings about the five levels of the soul in the Hebrew tradition and related these to the Five Gardens on the extended Tree of Life/Jacob's Ladder. Our main method was through meditation, punctuated by beautiful harp music from Abigail. Below is a brief description of the five souls from our study notes:

The first Garden of the Soul, at the top of the Tree diagram, is called in Hebrew, Yehidah, and the diagram symbolises well how it exists at a pure, divine level. It is like a divine spark that exists in every living thing and it cannot be harmed or destroyed. Each divine spark is completely at one with every other in a unity of consciousness and being. All mystic traditions speak of this and many people have experienced a glimpse of this in what is often now called a 'peak experience'. Trusting in this level of our being and trusting its existence in all other beings can be a powerful practice.

The second Garden of the Soul is called in Hebrew, Chayah. In the diagram we can see how it represents a meeting of divine and spiritual consciousness and as such has both a sense of oneness and a spiritual sense of Self. This level is sometimes described as 'living essence' or 'pure light' and is associated in the Hebrew tradition with archangelic powers, which are traditionally called on before sleep…another powerful practice!

The third Garden of the Soul is called in Hebrew, Neshama, and sometimes called the breath of God. It is the most significant level for Kabbalistic work, because it bridges the psychological and spiritual worlds, which is the cutting edge of consciousness for most of us. Committed meditation or similar spiritual practices  can alter our state of consciousness and give us access to this level in a way that enables spiritual energy to infuse and transform our psyches and physical lives to the benefit of all.

The fourth Garden of the Soul is called in Hebrew, Ruach. This and the next level are coloured by our experiences and how we think, feel and act, and as such can be hurt or lost…and also healed and found! At this level the psyche and the physical body are interconnected. We all have experience of this and how physical experience can affect how we think and feel and vice versa. Psychological and physical therapies mostly work at this level and in Kabbalistic terms are engaged with healing the soul.

The fifth and final Garden of the Soul is called in Hebrew, Nefesh, and often described as the animal soul. We can see from the diagram how it exists fully in the physical level. It is an expression of our vitality and physical energy for life and can be nurtured or neglected. Honouring our animal soul is important, as is connecting it to the deeper levels of soul.

The Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah are all mentioned in the Torah, while the deeper levels are explored in the Kabbalistic classic, the Zohar. We can work practically to awaken the gardens of our soul in many ways, including through meditation.