QBL: Hebrew word meaning "from mouth to ear", thereby signifying a secret oral tradition. It is the meaning of Qabalah.

Ain Soph Aur: Hebrew expression meaning "the limitless light."

Sephiroth: The ten spheres or emanations on the Qabalistic Tree of Life, a symbol
which depicts the divine energy of creation proceeding like a lighting flash through ten
different stages, culminating in physical manifestation. The sephiroth represent levels
of spiritual reality both in the cosmos and in people because the Tree, metaphorically, is
the body of God, and people are created in God's image. The Tree is sometimes
shown superimposed on the body of Adam Kadmon, the archetypal man.

Tree of Life: The Tree consists of ten spheres, or sephiroth, through which, according
to mystical tradition, the creation of the world came about. The sephiroth are aligned in
three columns headed by the Supernals (Kether, Chokmah, Binah) and together
symbolize the process by which the limitless light (Ain Soph Aur) becomes manifest in
the Universe. Beneath the Supernals are the "Seven days of Creation": Chesed,
Geburah, Tiphareth, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, Malkuth. Taken as a whole, the Tree of Life
is also a symbol of the archetypal man, Adam Kadmon, and the sephiroth have a role
resembling that of the chakras in yoga. The mystical path of self knowledge entails the
rediscovery of all the levels of one's being, ranging from Malkuth, physical reality, to the
infinite source. With this in mind, the medieval Qabalists divided the Tree of Life into
three sections of the soul: Nephesch (the animal soul), corresponding to the sephiroth
Yesod; Ruach (the middle soul), corresponding to the sephiroth from Hod to Chesed;
and Neschamah ( the spiritual soul) corresponding to the Supernals, especially Binah.
Practitioners of the Golden Dawn who use the Tree of Life as a glyph for the
unconscious mind sometimes distinguish the Magical path, which embraces all ten
sephiroth, from the mystical path of the Middle Pillar, which is an ascent from Malkuth
through Yesod and Tiphareth to Kether on the central pillar of the Tree.
Zohar: The Book of Splendor, the principal book of the Qabalah. It is thought to have
been written by Moses de Leon and was first circulated around 1280-1290 A.D., in
Guadalajara. It included commentaries on the Torah.

Gnosticism: Gnosis is a Greek term for knowledge. The term Gnosis applies to
certain religious sects that emerged during the early formative years Christianity, and
which believed in hidden spiritual knowledge. The main factor that differentiated them
from Christianity was their emphasis on knowledge rather than faith. The Christian
church fathers considered the Gnostics heretical, or heretics.

Kether: The first emanation on the Tree of Life. Occultists identify Kether as the state
of consciousness where creation merges with the veils of nonexistence. Kether lies on the Middle Pillar and transcends the duality of Chokmah (male) and Binah (female), which lie immediately below on the Tree. It is therefore symbolized in mystical tradition by the heavenly androgyne (male and female united in one) and represents a state of mystical transcendence and union with the Supreme. It is compared to Satori and Nirvana.

Chokmah: The second emanation on the Tree of Life, following Kether. Occultists identify Chokmah with the Great Father, the giver of the seminal spark of life which is potent only when it enters the womb of the Great Mother, Binah. From the union of the Great Father and Great Mother come forth all the images of creation. Chokmah is associated with such deities as Kronos, Saturn, Thoth, Atum-Ra, and Ptah in other pantheons.

Binah: The third emanation on the Tree of Life. Occultists identify Binah with the Great Mother in all her forms. She is the womb of forthcoming, the source of all the great images and forms that manifest in the Universe as archetypes. She is also the supreme female principal in the process of creation and, via the process of mythological correspondences, is associated with such deities as the Virgin Mary, Rhea, Isis, and Demeter.

Chesed: The fourth emanation on the Tree of Life. Occultists identify Chesed as the ruler, but not creator, of the manifested universe. He is characterized as stable, wise, and merciful by contrast with his more dynamic opposite, Geburah. Chesed is
associated with the gods Zeus and Jupiter.

Geburah: The fifth emanation on the Tree of Life. Geburah is often associated with Mars, the Roman God of War, and represents severity and justice. The destructive forces of the sphere of Geburah are intended to have a purging, cleansing effect on the Universe. Geburah represents the creator god who applies discipline and precision in governing the cosmos and removes unwanted or unnecessary elements after their
usefulness has passed. Geburah is reflected in the charioteer in the Tarot.

Tiphareth: The sixth emanation on the Tree of Life. It is the sphere of beauty,
harmonizing the forces of mercy (Chesed) and judgement (Geburah) higher on the
Tree. Occultists identify Tiphareth as the sphere of spiritual rebirth, and is ascribed to
solar deities such as Ra, Apollo, and Mithra as well as Osiris and Jesus Christ. The
Tarot card Temperence identifies the direct mystical ascent to Tiphareth from Malkuth,
the physical.

Netzach: The seventh emanation on the Tree of Life. Netzach is regarded as the
sphere of creativity, subjectivity, and emotions, a very clear contrast to the sphere of
Hod, which represents intellect and rational thought. Netzach is the sphere of love and
spiritual passion and is therefore associated with such deities as Aphrodite, Venus,
Hathor, and others that personify these qualities.

Hod: The eighth emanation on the Tree of Life. Hod is associated with the planet
Mercury and represents intellect and rational thought. It also represents the structuring
and measuring capacities of the mind as opposed to the emotional and intuitional
aspects of Netzach. Hod has no exact parallel in the Tarot, but is closely linked to the
card Judgement, ascribed to the path between Hod and Malkuth.

Yesod: The ninth emanation on the Tree of Life. Yesod is associated with the Moon
and the element Water. Regarded as a female sphere, it is the seat of sexual instinct
and corresponds to the genital chakra on the archetypal man, Adam Kadmon. On the
Tree of Life, Yesod has the function of channeling the energies of the Higher down to
the earth below, Malkuth. Occultists associate Yesod with the Astral plane, because if
the sephiroth above Malkuth are regarded as a map of the unconscious psyche, Yesod
is the most accessible area of the mind. Yesod is the sphere of fertility and lunar
imagery. It is identified with Witchcraft and goddess worship. It is also the so-called
animal soul, known by Qabalists as Nephesch.

Malkuth: The tenth emanation of the Tree of Life. Malkuth is associated with the gods
and goddesses of the earth, especially Persephone, Proserpina, and Geb. Malkuth is
the domain of the manifested universe, the immediate environment, the plane of
physical reality. As a consequence, all inner journeys of consciousness begin
symbolically in Malkuth. It is particularly appropriate, for example, that the myth of the
rape of Persephone confirms her both as queen of the underworld and as a lunar
goddess. From an occult point of view, the underworld equates with the lower
unconscious mind, and the Moon, represented by the sphere of Yesod, is the first
sephira reached on the inner mystic journey up the Tree of Life. Malkuth is closely
linked with the Universe card.

The path of the Flaming Sword is the path of creation. According to the early
Qabalist, when Lucifer was thrown out of heaven by Michael, the Flaming Sword
blocked him from returning. The path shows the order of the sephiroth by how they
were created, from the Supernal or Celestial triangle of Kether, Chokmah, and Binah to
the Moral triangle of Chesed, Geburah, and Tiphareth. Then finally the Mundane
triangle of Netzach, Hod, and Yesod. From Yesod came Malkuth, or the physical world.

Key

Sephira	Hebrew	Color	(Q. S.)
Kether	rtk KThR	White	Brilliance
Chokmah	hmkj ChKMH	Gray	Wisdom
Binah	hnyb BINH	Black	Understanding
Chesed	dsj ChSD	Blue	Mercy
Geburah	hrwbg GBURH	Scarlet	Strength
Tiphareth	trapt ThPhARTh	Gold	Beauty
Netzach	jxn NTzCh	Emerald	Victory
Hod	dw h HOD	Orange	Splendor
Yesod	dwsy YSOD	Violet	Foundation
Malkuth	twklm MLKUTh	Citrine, Olive, Black, Russet	Kingdom

Having a good understanding and a firm grasp of the Four World concept of the
Qabalah is essential for future Qabalistic understanding, and later, for Qabalistic
magical workings. As has been pointed out in earlier lessons, the Qabalah describes
the Tree of Life as having ten sephiroth and twenty-two paths. In addition, the Qabalah
also defines the Universe as being divided into four worlds. Each of these worlds is
represented by one of the four letters of the Tetragrammaton. If the Tree is the glyph
that we use to represent the total manifested Universe, then that would mean that the
Tree is in fact divided into four sections. These four sections are called the Four
Worlds of the Qabalah. On the other hand, modern Qabalists and those of the
Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn prefer the glyph of four trees. This fits in with the
old saying "rtk is in twklm and twklm is in rtk", for as we reach rtk, we then climb

forty sephiroth and eighty-eight paths. Some Qabalists have gone even farther than
this. They feel that in each sephira, an entire tree exists, or actually, that four entire
trees exist. So, in twklm, you would have an entire tree, or you could have four entire
trees with one corresponding to each of the Four Worlds of the Qabalah, or to each
letter of the Tetragrammaton. We in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn feel
comfortable with the concept of four trees and four worlds. However, we do recognize
the fact that aspects of any given sephira may be found in another sephira.
If we look, for example, at dwh as the sephira of intellect and jxn as the sephira of
desire, it certainly could be argued that in dwh there is the possibility of thinking about
desire. So, consequently, in that sephira it could be argued that an entire tree exists.
Feel comfortable at this point in the theory that there are four basic trees, one tree on
top of another. Each tree leads to a whole new and exciting dimension of
consciousness. This dimension of consciousness is called a World in the Qabalah, and
there are four of them.

Let's begin at the first world, it is called Atziluth. This is the archetypal world, or
the world of pure Spirit, which activates all the other worlds. In other words, all other
worlds evolve from it. Atziluth, because it is Pure Spirit beyond time, beyond space,
and in essence beyond manifestation, is beyond description. Some Qabalists use the
term Atziluth as the Divine world, or the world where the thoughts of God exist. This is
the world in which the name of God is said to exist. Incidentally, and very important to
remember, when you use a particular Divine name for any given sephira, Adonai Ha-
Aretz for example, you are calling the name of God in that sephira in the world of
Atziluth. Traditionally, this world is also referred to as Ha-Oh-Lam Atziluth, Ha-Oh-Lam
meaning "world of." As might be expected by Qabalists, everything is corresponding.
Thus, we ascribe the letter y to the world of Atziluth, or the world of Primal Fire.

The second world is Briah, also known as the Creative World. This is the world
of pure intellect, of Archangels and archetypes, and is ascribed to the letter h and
primal Water. Briah is known as Ha-Oh-Lam Briah, which means World of Creation.
Briah is also beyond mortal comprehension. It is far beyond the ability of the conscious
mind to understand it. It is in this world that we vibrate the Archangelic names. This is
also called the Divine name in the world of Briah. For example, in the sephira of
trapt, the Divine name is YHVH Eloah Vedaath. That Divine name is the general
Divine name that manifests through all the worlds as emanating from the World of
Atziluth. However, if I wish to call upon the name of God in trapt in the World of
Briah, then I would vibrate the name Michael. Michael, of course, is the Archangel, but
as you must remember, all manifestations are aspects of the Great Unknowable One.
Even the Divine name is an aspect of the total Unknowable One.

The third world is the world called Yetzirah, or Ha-Oh-Lam Yetzirah. Yetzirah is
the World of Formation, and here are found the subtle and flashing patterns behind
physical matter. This is a very important world because most magical workings are
done in the World of Yetzirah. The Emerald Tablet says, "As above, so below." That is
why the occultist will raise his consciousness as high as he can stretch it. In other
words, he will open it to the higher, and reach from the physical mundane world into the
World of Yetzirah. By building and creating in the World of Yetzirah, the law of
manifestation states that it must come into physical being on the physical plane. Put
simply, as above, so below. Yetzirah is the world of angels, or high level energies as
they are called. In studying various diagrams on the Qabalah, you will see Choir of
Angels or Order of Angels for a particular sephira. The Order of Angels are manifested
in the World of Yetzirah. Just like with Briah, the name of the Order of Angels is also
the Divine name for that sephira for this particular world of the Qabalah. Coming back
to our example, the Divine name for trapt in the World of Atziluth is YHVH Eloah
Vedaath. The Divine name for trapt in the World of Briah is Michael. The Divine
name for trapt in the World of Yetzirah is Melekim. To keep it simple, we refer to
Melekim as the Choir or Order of Angels; Michael as the Archangel; and YHVH Eloah
Vedaath as the Divine name in general for that particular sephira.

The final world, or the fourth world, is Assiah, or Ha-Oh-Lam Assiah. Assiah
refers to the active world, or the physical world of sensation, both seen and unseen
energies of matter. It is attributed to the final h of the Divine name. It also refers to
Primal Earth. We ascribe the Kerubim, as representatives of the four elements
manifested on the physical plane, to the World of Assiah. Essentially, you and I, most
of the day, live in the World of Assiah, the physical, mundane plane.

Now, getting back to our definition that in fact there are Four Worlds and in each
world there exists a tree, this gives us in reality forty sephiroth. In the course of this
study we will not spend a lot of time with the other viable theories on the Four Worlds of
the Qabalah. As I mentioned earlier, one theory essentially describes four hundred
sephiroth, another theory forty, whereas another theory you just have the ten, but the
four worlds are divided on the Tree. We feel that is too simplistic for deep level
workings and magical workings later on. So, consequently, the Hermetic Order of the
Golden Dawn ascribes to the Qabalistic theory of forty sephiroth, or four hundred. The
only difference between the forty sephiroth or the four hundred sephiroth is that the Animation showing the Tetragrammaton
forty sephiroth each have a Tree within them, thus giving us four hundred.

Now, in addition to ascribing one letter of the Tetragrammaton to each World of
the Qabalah, we ascribe a Divine name or an Archangelic name or a Choir or Order
of Angel name to the worlds of the Qabalah. But there is no Divine name or Angelic
name for Assiah, the physical world. In addition, we have four color scales and these
color scales have been accepted by the Hermetic Qabalah as the King scale, the
Queen scale, the Emperor scale, and the Empress scale colors. The King scale
refers to Atziluth, the Queen scale to Briah, and the Emperor scale to Yetzirah, while
the Empress scale refers to the physical world of Assiah. Traditionally, in Golden
Dawn philosophy, the sephiroth are usually colored in the scale of Briah, and the
paths are colored in the scale of Atziluth, or the King Scale of colors. So you have the
King scale of colors for the paths and the Queen scale of colors for the sephiroth.
One of the reasons for this is balance, and in all workings of the Tree of Life, balance
must be of prime importance. In describing the Four Worlds, the Order has chosen the
term Primal Elements to describe Fire, Water, Air, and Earth, symbolized by the letters
of the Tetragrammaton and corresponding them to the Four Worlds in a base effort to
distinguish these energies from other forms of elements described on the Tree of Life.
This is very important, since in each individual world, y (Fire), is also attributed to hmkj;
h (Water), to hnyb; w (Air), to trapt; final h, or manifestation, to twklm. We will distinguish
these elements from the Primal Elements as Specific Elements. Thus, in Atziluth,
Primal Fire, are four such Specific Elements; a Fire (Specific) of Fire (Primal); a Water
(Specific) of Fire (Primal); an Air (Specific) of Fire (Primal); an Earth (Specific) of Fire
(Primal). Now, when we examine the world of Briah, or Primal Water, there is a Fire of
Water, a Water of Water, an Air of Water, and an Earth of Water. If we look at Yetzirah,
or Primal Air, we have a Fire of Air, a Water of Air, an Air of Air, and an Earth of Air. The
same would be true of Assiah. Assiah, of course, is Earth, so we would have Fire of Earth,
Water of Earth, Air of Earth, and Earth of Earth. Another additional place where the Four
Worlds concept helps us to better understand and classify is in the area of the Tarot. In the
Tarot, Wands always refer to Atziluth,.and cups to Briah. Swords refer to Yetzirah, and
Pentacles refer to Assiah. So, the four suits of the Tarot are also broken down categorically
into the Four Worlds of the Qabalah. This will later be of great help to you in understanding
the Tarot. Of course, the Major Arcana refer directly to the paths and not the sephiroth.

Since we have been talking about elements in regards to the Four Worlds of the Qabalah
and the Tree of Life, there is another aspect of the elements on the Tree of Life. These are
the three maternal Hebrew letters, called the Mother Letters. It is important to understand
that the element found on the paths of these three letters are not the same element as
found in the sephiroth. These are called Transitional Elements. For example, the Fool
card is the letter a and is Air. Do not confuse this with the same element of Air that is represented
by w of Yetzirah, which would be Primal Air, or the w of trapt, which would be Specific Air.
The elements of the paths are transitional in that they are in a constant state of flow
between two sephiroth. It is not our intention at this point to bombard you with different categories of elements as
related to the Tree of Life, but we will add two more at this stage. The first one is called
Primordial Elements, and these are the elements as rooted in rtk. If every aspect of
the Tree of Life finds its roots in rtk, rtk being the primordial point, then we have at
that point an aspect called Primordial Elements. If we look at the lower sephiroth on the
Tree of Life, primarily dwh, dwsy, and jxn, then we find Astral Elements, and these are not
to be confused with the other elements explored on the Tree of Life. Finally, in twklm,
we have the Astral Elements, the Primordial Elements the Maternal Elements, the
Specific Elements, Transitional Elements, and Primal Elements all coming into final
manifestation in what is called Base Elements, which are the ultimate expression of those
first found in rtk in their primordial state. In every single application of the term element,
the formula of YHVH applies. Wherever y appears, we have fiery qualities. Wherever h
appears, we have watery qualities. Wherever w appears, we have airy qualities.
Wherever final h appears, we have manifestation or Earth qualities. In review, the Four Worlds
of the Qabalah help us to classify and understand different aspects of manifestation as it
emanates from the Unknowable to the physical plane of existence. Through this emanation,
from Atziluth into Briah, Yetzirah, and
finally into Assiah, we can also attribute
other aspects such as elements and
even Tarot Cards. Of course, all are
under the heading and governance of
hwhy. To reiterate the elements again,
we have Primordial Elements found in
rtk, the basically undifferentiated
potential; we have Primal Elements, the
hwhy applied to the Four Worlds of the
Qabalah; we have Transitional
Elements, the y, h and w that are
maternal, also signified by the three
Mother Letters on the Tree of Life; we
have Specific Elements, hwhy as applied
to hmkj, hnyb, trapt, and twklm in any
one of the four worlds; Astral Elements,
the y h w h applied to the lower sephiroth;
Base Elements, found exclusively in
twklm, blended and part of physical
manifestation. This may seem
complicated at first, but in
understanding the Four Worlds, it will be
easier for you to make transition into
understanding other aspects of magical
and theosophical working. It is
important to understand what area or
plane of existence you are talking about.
Consequently, the Four Worlds give us
this subdivision and makes classification
much easier.

Through initiation, we see that the Universe was created both organically and sequentially following the path of the Flaming Sword, beginning from the mysterious and unmanifested and emerging through rtk to hmkj, then to hnyb. These three forms are what we call the Supernal Triangle. These three can also be called the Bornless Spirit within us. They are separated from the rest of the Tree by a mysterious abyss called tud. In future references, whenever you see Supernal Triangle you will know
that it is talking about the energy created through the combination of rtk, hmkj, and hnyb. dsj, trapt, and hrwbg together form what is referred to as the Ethical Triangle. jxn, dwh, and dwsy form the Astral Triangle. You will notice that twklm stands isolated and
alone from the rest of the sephiroth. Also, it is not included in one of the three triangles.
twklm is the recipient of energies and influences of all the sephiroth, containing the
reflected perfection of rtk, while at the same time, being a product of what many have
described as the Fall. Many theories hold that twklm at one time existed where tud, or
the abyss, exists now. If that were the case, of course, you could expect that physical
life would be pure spiritual life, and that pure spiritual life would be pure physical life.
We know that the Tree of Life is divided into three pillars. The sephiroth on the
right side are referred to as the Pillar of Mercy, and those on the left side form the Pillar
of Severity. The sephiroth in the middle are referred to as the Middle Pillar. Each
sephira is perfectly balanced by its opposite. Even more important to understand is that
each path is the perfect balance between the two sephiroth it connects. Often, you will
see reference to the Pillar of Severity as the Pillar of Form and the pillar of Mercy as the
Pillar of Force.

The Qabalah teaches that man is the perfect Microcosm of the Macrocosm. In
other words, what exists outside of man also exists within him. Therefore, Deity can be
said to exist inside of man as well as outside of man.

Everything you experience in your life, everything you see and touch, everyone
you meet, will in fact be an illusion based on your own personal perception. You can
never know true reality or total truth as long as you are locked into perceptions, which
place you inside looking out. One of the purposes of becoming one with the Holy
Guardian Angel, or Higher Consciousness, or Divine Mind, is to move beyond personal
perceptions of illusion and into the area of reality. This takes us from inside the
Microcosm and connects us directly to the Macrocosm. It is a blending or a connection
of the Macrocosm and Microcosm as one.

Understanding the Microcosm/Macrocosm theory, we can see how man can also
be related to the Tree, as well as to the entire Universe. Here evolves separate
concepts. The first concept is that of Adam Kadmon, known as the Grand Old Man of
the Zohar. Adam Kadmon is a combination of all ten sephiroth. He is great, gigantic,
organic unity. He is a spiritual body in which each of us might be considered a single
cell, or perhaps even less. He carries all the potential of everything, and he is the
manifestation of the whole. More will be discussed about Adam Kadmon in the
discussion of the Three Veils of Negative Existence.

Do not confuse Adam Kadmon with Arik Anpin or Zauir Anpin. These are two
other personifications that have been described as covering more than one sephira.
Arik Anpin simply means, "The Vast Face", and Zauir Anpin means, "The Lesser Face."

Arik Anpin is the Macroprosopus. Zauir Anpin is the Microprosopus and is essentially
composed of the five sephiroth around trapt. Together, they illustrate the prime
magical principle, "As above, so below."

To reiterate, Adam Kadmon means basically the whole Tree of Life pictured as a
man. Arik Anpin is the man above, and Zauir Anpin is the man below.
In the Eastern system, we find that the chakras unite man with the Divine and
correlate with a physical spot on the human body. This is many times more easily
accepted by easterners than it is by westerners. Yogis have no difficulty dealing with
the concept of chakra energies or spiritual energies on the physical body, or at least in
the physical aura. The solar plexus is the Sun center in man. It is a link between the
individual and the solar powers of the Universe. It is through this link that we can
become conscious of the pure energy which is called trapt. Likewise, we have the
feet representing the Earth, the physical body, and the grounding energy. This
emphasizes the importance of daily activity of the Middle Pillar exercise. It is here that
the energies of the sephiroth are purposefully invoked and built up in the individual.
Likewise, we can also place dsj on the left shoulder and hrwbg on the right shoulder.
Notice that the sephiroth are reversed now. This is because you are not looking at the
Tree, but rather you are the Tree. dwh would then be on the right hip and lower stomach
area, and jxn would be on the left.

Practical work on the Tree also involves traveling the paths that connect the
sephiroth. In the Zelator grade, we are concentrating on three paths: the path of t, the
path of c, and the path of q. The paths are the subjective experience of passing from
one sephira to the next. We are passing from one energy center to another energy
center. We will have a constant flow of energy passing down from one sephira and
passing back up from another sephira. The Universe could be equated to a giant circuit
where power flows into rtk from the unmanifested, down through the Tree of Life, and
back up again. This is a continual renewal of energy. Understanding the energy,
learning the energy, becoming part of the energy, and tapping into this energy is part
and parcel of the project of pathworking. Since in reality we are dealing, with energies
that exist on the Macrocosmic level as well as the Microcosm within us, for pathworking
to be of any use to us, we must learn some inner lessons and it must apply to our
everyday life. It must never turn into extended fantasies, for this would corrupt the
energies rather than allow you to learn from them and enhance the energies within you.
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn emphasizes the whole process of
spiritual development which involves a bringing into balance the component parts of our
personality so that we may function consciously. That is the key word, cooperation with
our True and Higher Self. We must as magicians and students of the Mysteries grow
by learning perfect control over ourselves within our chosen environment. We must
bring this to perfection so that we are no longer at the mercy of that environment.
Robert Wang calls this a spiritual suicide mission for the personality, and we could not
agree with him more. This can be very painful at times, especially for the ego and the
concept of self as it deals with this incarnation.



The Golden Dawn recognizes that all major religions teach that it is our heritage
to return to some primordial or primal point from which we evolved. This can be
expressed as Heaven or Nirvana, or whatever you wish to call it. The Qabalah stands
alone from the other schools and religions in that it teaches that we must return to that
Primordial Point through a natural course of development as if through school, moving
from one grade to the next. These can be depicted by mastering the energies of the
paths and understanding the energies of the sephiroth. In other words, man is in twklm
working himself up through a systematized grade system back to rtk. This may be
66
accomplished in one lifetime, but probably over several lifetimes. This certainly might
explain a little bit more indepth why each individual certainly has his own path, follows
the beat of his own personal drummer, and why many times when we meet individuals
say, "I wonder why their consciousness cannot comprehend what my consciousness
can comprehend?" The fact of the matter is that they simply might be on a different
path in their own personal progression back to rtk. In other words, in using the grade
system of the Golden Dawn, they might simply be in a different grade.
In the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, we have advanced this system. 0=0
grade means that the candidate has basic membership and has been initiated. 1=10
grade means that he has taken the first step of initiation into the tenth sephira, twklm.
The 2=9 signifies that the initiate is in dwsy, the ninth sephira, and the realm of Air. The
3=8 grade means that the initiate has reached dwh and the element of Water. The 4=7
grade means that the initiate has reached jxn and the realm of Fire. Theoretically, each
new initiation means control over one key aspect of the personality as it relates to a
particular element. This emphasizes, again, the importance of pathworking and relating
our pathworking to our daily life. If we ourselves cannot evolve, change, and grow, then
we certainly cannot expect that anything outside of us can do so. If we evolve, if we
change and grow, we can expect that the outside universe will do the same around us,
and through conscious control of that energy, we can manifest real change in our lives
both externally and internally. Put simply, we cannot make anything happen externally
that we have not already made happen internally.

Think about your soul for a moment; where did it come from? Trace it back in
your mind as far as you possibly can. Before the soul was manifested into the world of
action, we conclude that it was in a state of non-existence. This is later explained in the
lesson of the Three Veils of Negative Existence. The state of non-existence in which
the soul resided is called OYIN. At that point, it was blended with infinite Light. After
the Light became restricted by the process of limitation and issued forth into the world
of Emanation, the soul, we can say, assumed the form of Yesh Meoym. This simply
means existence from non-existence. It means that the soul is part of God, part of the
Unknowable; it originates from Divine Light.

Let's now venture into the area of the aspects of the soul as they pertain to the
Tree of Life. According to the Golden Dawn and traditional Qabalistic doctrine, the
nature of the soul is five-fold. The first two divisions are archetypal in nature, and thus,
beyond man's ability to really understand or comprehend them. They are called the
Yechidah and the Chiah. They correspond to the world of Adam Kadmon in the world
of Emanation. We ascribe the Yechidah to the sephira of rtk, the Chiah to hmkj and
the Lesser Neschamah to hnyb. The next three major divisions are called the
Neschamah, or the Higher Self. We will refer to these as the Greater Neschamah. The
Greater Neschamah comprises the first three sephiroth on the Tree of Life, rtk, hmkj,
and hnyb, otherwise known as Crown, Wisdom, and Understanding. For the sake of
simplicity in relating it to the human body we can say that the Greater Neschamah
resides in the brain. In some mid-eastern cultures, it is not uncommon for it to be
ascribed to the solar plexus or even to the liver. The second breakdown is known as
the Ruach. Simply put, Ruach means Spirit. It comprises the next six sephiroth on the
Tree, from dsj (Mercy), to hrwbg (Strength), to trapt (Beauty), to jxn (Victory), and to
dwh (Splendor). On the physical body, we will say that its seat is in the heart. The last
aspect is called the Nephesch or the Lower Nature, to which is assigned the sephira of
dwsy. It resides on the physical body in the groin area.

The Greater Neschamah is the source of intelligence in knowledge. The Ruach
is the incentive to action. The Nephesch is the power of life that essentially gives
animation; it is life energy. Every act starts in the brain, the Neschamah or Greater
Neschamah (Do not confuse this with the Lesser Neschamah attributed to hnyb). Then
it is transmitted to the heart, and finally to the Lower Nature. There is one other aspect
that we will attribute to twklm. It is called the G'uph, or the physical body. We can also
take the three major breakdowns of the Neschamah and ascribe them to the Pillar of
Mercy; the Ruach to the Pillar of Severity or Judgement; the nephesch to the pillar of
Mildness. Let's now direct our attention to the Greater Neschamah. It consists of the three
top sephiroth, the Supernals. The Yechidah is in rtk, the Chiah is in hmkj, and the
Lesser Neschamah is in hnyb. If you look at the Tree of Life, you will notice that these
three sephiroth exist on the other side of the abyss, or tud. They are combined to
make what we call our True Self, or the part of us which survives beyond death
because it is not only linked to Deity, in essence, it is Deity. Sadly, our True Self
becomes hidden and lost compared to our false or outer self which comprises our ego.
Now we can break down the aspects of the personality into the ten categories or
sephiroth on the Tree of Life, beginning with the Yechidah. We will simply say that this
is our True Self. It is our link to the Divine, which is our Transcendental Ego. It relates
to what Freud called the Super-Ego, or what Jung called the Universal Consciousness.
It is the aspect of the Greater Neschamah comprising the top three Supernals. Next, is
the Chiah. Easily put, the Chiah is our True Will. It resides in the sephira of hmkj. It is
projective, masculine in nature, and not competitive. It is the energy of the Chiah that is
constantly fueling us to come closer to Divinity, to the Godhead, to do the best we can,
and to be one with the holy, ineffable nature of Deity. It is the Chiah that fuels us to
commune with Deity, to know the joy and the ecstatic feeling of being one with our Holy
Guardian Angel. The next one in order is the Neschamah. This is the Lesser
Neschamah attributed to hnyb. The Neschamah is intuition, the seat of our abilities to
reach beyond ourselves and perceive what we cannot normally perceive with our
normal physical senses. These top three Supernals, as stated, are immortal. They are
aspects of Divine Light. Additional notes: the Chiah is the energy, the projective energy
that we use in magical operations and the Neschamah is the receptive container that
receives psychic vibrations and is able to see auras, etc..

Now we come into the category called the Ruach. We will divide this as well.
Beginning with dsj, we have memory. It is the aspect of the Ruach that has the ability
to memorize and retain information. Ideally, this information is used for one purpose,
and that is to move consciousness beyond the abyss and into conversation with your
Holy Guardian Angel. Next is hrwbg, which relates to will and strength. Without will, the
occultist has no strength. The next sephira is trapt. Its aspect is imagination, insofar
as balancing memory and will with imagination. The next aspect of the Ruach is jxn
which relates to desire. Certainly, one can understand why Venus is attributed to the
sephira jxn. On the opposite end of desire is reason, attributed to the sephira dwh.
Again, it is quite obvious that Mercurial aspects are prominent here. Finally, we have
the Nephesch which is related to the sephira of dwsy. As stated earlier, the Nephesch is
the Lower Self. It is a more superficial aspect of the unconsciousness, wherein dwells
perhaps the darker side of ourselves. At most times, it is under the tight control of the
Ruach. Some would equate the Nephesch with the Freudian ID or instinctual drive.
This is not totally accurate. We can say that the instinctual drive could be an aspect of
the Nephesch, but it is not the Nephesch in its entirety. The Nephesch is also the
source of the astral body and is the area where energies such as Prana, Kundalini or
Ruach are produced. Ruach energy is the life force energy as Prana or Kundalini are.
Do not confuse this energy with the Ruach aspect of the personality comprising the six
middle sephiroth. Ruach, Prana, or Kundalini are always in movement. It is not the
process of motion, but is that which moves.

In review, the bottom most sephira is the G'uph, otherwise known as the physical
body. It is the physical body which dies first upon physical death, followed by the
Ruach. Of course, the Greater Neschamah exists continuously.

One other thing you might want to contemplate is the area of past-life regression.
If in Qabalistic philosophy the Ruach dies shortly after death, then how is past-life
regression possible? The answer is in understanding the aspects of the Tree directly.
If you remember the lesson on the Four Worlds of the Qabalah, we stated that in every
sephira is another Tree. We conclude that there are four trees that breakdown through
emanation from Atziluth to Assiah. Some Qabalists theorize that within every sephira
there exists another Tree. That would mean that within the top three Supernals there
are actually three Trees; one in hnyb, one in hmkj, and one in rtk. If that is the case,
then strong aspects of the physical life that are primarily spiritual in nature, or at least
karmic in nature, could be transferred across the abyss and into the top three
Supernals, or the Greater Neschamah, where that aspect would rest indefinitely until it
was resolved in future incarnations.