Imagine your daily experience... the activities you engage in and what you sense in your body, this is your daily practical kingdom, your Malkut. Then reflect on the inner narrative of thoughts, your Hod, and the changing flow of your feelings, Nezah. Within the great sweet shop of daily life we collect our own little bag of inner and outer experience, we grasp certain shapes, colours and flavours that we like or identify with to make our ordinary sense of self, Yesod. Meanwhile many tastes go unnoticed or are pushed into dark corners and it's only with mindfulness or the witness consciousness of Tiferet that we start to become aware of this process of identification and of the wider range on offer in the Lower Eden sweetshop.
So in our group we spent a year exploring ways of being more mindful of body, thought and feeling, the links between them, our particular and personal tendencies and the balances or imbalances we see in our culture. We also drew comparisons with other teachings such as the Buddhist skandhas. To enrich our enquiry we explored mythic figures and motifs associated with the sefirot and drew on tarot symbolism and the meanings of hebrew letters associated with the paths between them. We also continued to visit our soul garden in meditation, visualising the qualities of the sefirot and paths as places and characters within our inner worlds.
There's really no good way to sum up a year of group and individual spiritual work in one or two journal posts, but here's a first stage (more to follow in the next post) in a taste at least of some of the associations we drew upon and made. (With thanks to Gareth Knight, Dolores Ashcroft Nowicki, Rabbi David Cooper, Z'ev ben Shimon Halevi, Lawrence Kushner and others.)
Malkut - Path 10
key words - king/queendom, sovereignty, stewardship, common wealth and the commons
psychological qualities - groundedness, embodiment, practical engagement
meditation image - the opening between outer and inner awareness, a gateway to the garden of the soul, communing with Mother Earth
reflective question - are we grounded enough or too grounded and materialistic?
mythic figures - earth goddesses such as Gaia, Demeter/Ceres, Pachamama, Ceridwen
astrology - the earth
biblical aspects - associated with the patriarch David and the Shekinah - the feminine presence of God/dess on Earth
Yesod - Path 9
key words - foundation, image, identity, personality
psychological qualities - self esteem
meditation image - a central pool in the garden of the soul, moon gazing or bathing in the water
reflective question - do we have a healthy sense of self or not? (whether through self inflation or low self worth)
mythic figures - moon goddesses & gods such as Artemis/Diana & Hecate, Nanna & Ningal, Arianrhod
astrology - the moon
biblical aspects - associated with the Joseph and his coat of many colours
links body and psyche
mythic motifs - the early stages of descent myths such as that of Inanna and Persephone
meditation image - travelling from gateway to central pool and back in the garden of the soul, with time taken to look at one's reflection and perhaps glimpse depths below. Meeting with Persephone.
Tarot card - The Universe/World
Hebrew letter - Tav - associations with truth, prayer and Torah
Hod - Path 8
key words - 'glory', reverberation, reflective principle
psychological qualities - thinking, study, receptivity, organisation
meditation image - a study or library space in the cool, reflective, north facing side of the garden, time for reflection or conversation with Athena.
reflective question - are we using our minds and intelligence or under exercising our rational side or over using it and being too cool, arid and dry?
mythic figures - goddesses & gods of thought and communication such as Athena, Hermes/Mercury
astrology - Mercury
biblical aspects - associated with Aaron
links physical manifestation/body and thought
mythic motifs - the hearth or focus of Hestia and the phallic stone or herm of Hermes
meditation image - travelling from gateway to the inner study/library and back in the garden of the soul, with time taken for reflection, reading one's book of life or inner journalling. Meeting with Hestia & Hermes.
Hebrew letter - Shin - associations with speech, sound and silence (& rest on Shabbat)
Tarot card - Judgement
Nezah - Path 7
key words - 'victory', eternity, power, active principle
psychological qualities - feeling, energy, passion, drive, creativity and sexuality
meditation image - a summerhouse, studio or creative or sensual space in the warm, south facing side of the garden, meeting with Aphrodite
reflective question - do we listen to feelings and instincts, cut off and disrespect them or overindulge?
mythic figures - goddesses & gods of fertility, creativity and love such as Aprodite/Venus, Pan, Inanna & Dumuzi, Astarte, Bastet
astrology - Venus
biblical aspects - associated with Moses & Miriam
links physical manifestation/body and feelings/passion
mythic motifs - journeys of awakening that include motifs of love & desire such as in the story of Psyche & Eros
meditation image - travelling from gateway to the inner summer house/creative/sensual space and back, in the garden of the soul, with time taken for playing, creating, love making and pleasure. Meeting with an inner muse or lover such as Eros
Hebrew letter - Kaf - associations with the palm of the hand, sincere intention (Kavannah) & holiness
Tarot card - the Moon
links thought and feeling, reflection and action
mythic motifs - the sacred marriage such as between Inanna & Dumuzi or in the Song of Songs
meditation image - travelling from the inner study/library to the summer house/creative/sensual space and back, in the garden of the soul, with time taken for reflection on one's own balance of reason and passion
Hebrew letter - Peh- associations with the mouth, with openings, with holistic learning through Entering the Orchard (Pardes) of Torah
Tarot card - the Tower
Yesod to Nezah - Path 28
links identity and feelings/passions
mythic motifs - magical and creative characters & stories such as in Gwydion's creation of the flower maiden Blodeuwedd or Taliesin's magical transformations and poetry. Associations with imagination, projection and 'glamour', fantasy and artistry.
meditation image - travelling from the inner central pool to the summerhouse/creative/sensual space and back, in the garden of the soul, reflection on longing and who we project onto
Hebrew letter - Tsadi- associations with a hook, the righteous ones, Tsadikim and with giving
Tarot card - the Emperor or the Star
meditation image - travelling from the inner central pool to the summerhouse/creative/sensual space and back, in the garden of the soul, reflection on longing and who we project onto
Hebrew letter - Tsadi- associations with a hook, the righteous ones, Tsadikim and with giving
Tarot card - the Emperor or the Star
links identity and thinking/reflection
mythic motifs - thoughtful and intelligent characters/word smiths and stories such as those of Finn Mac Cool and the salmon of wisdom and Odin (with his ravens of thought and memory) and associations with cleverness and the use of reason.
meditation image - travelling from the inner central pool to the study/library space and back, in the garden of the soul, looking at inner scripts that create identity
Hebrew letter - Resh - associations with pride, honesty and repentance (as on Rosh Hashana)
Tarot card - the Sun
meditation image - travelling from the inner central pool to the study/library space and back, in the garden of the soul, looking at inner scripts that create identity
Hebrew letter - Resh - associations with pride, honesty and repentance (as on Rosh Hashana)
Tarot card - the Sun
