As stated earlier in the year, my beloved and I are embarking upon a 15 month long Pathworking on The Qabalah Tree of Life. You can read what that's all about here. In the meantime, I will be documenting our work as we explore the Paths.
To begin, Path 32.....
The is the first Path on any initiatory Pathworking with the Tree of Life. It is the Path between Malkuth (The Kingdom) and Yesod (The Foundation). As Malkuth is the Earth, Yesod is symbolized by the Moon, so this Path highly represents the relationship between the two as the basis for Initiation: before exploring the rest of the Universe, we must first spring from the Earth to the Moon. This is not just an outer (exoteric) experience but an inner (esoteric) one. This Path is the gateway to the inner world, which is the true key to the Great Work.
Occultist Gareth Knight says of Path 32: "It is like the hole in the earth into which Alice fell, leading to her strange adventures in Wonderland." (A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism, Volume II)
The myth associated with this Path, that of Persephone, was the foundational teaching of Initiation for the Eleusinian Mysteries (and still is for modern Mystery Schools). Persephone (who represents the Path) is the daughter of Demeter, Goddess of the Earth (Malkuth). She is kidnapped by Hades and brought into the Underworld (inner world). Hecate, Goddess of the Moon and Magic (Yesod) then guides Demeter to Persephone who are then reunited. The key here is that Path 32 is two-fold: a descent to the interior realms then a return (resurrection). The Great Work is performed and then the Initiate returns to Malkuth where the results of the Work can be put to action.
This is why the Major Arcana Trump of The World: XXI is the primary Tarot card for this Path. The Four Holy Living Creatures at the corners of the card symbolize the four elemental attributes of the Earth (Malkuth). The woman (in actuality a hermaphrodite, the genitalia covered by the floating sash) in the card further signifies Spirit entering Malkuth as shown through the two rods she holds in her hands: the positive and negative attributes of Spirit joining to descend into material form (the wreath being the World). This is further illustrated through the Hebrew letter Tau or Tav: its primary symbol a three-armed cross....a cross without the upper bar. Like The World card, it signifies two forces impacting on a higher level and producing a form on a denser level below.
To work this Path, it is vital to understand the two-way nature of it: Spirit ascending and Matter descending. Gareth Knight again states: "The Path represents [...] the first stages of Devotional Mysticism as well as a Way-in to the inner planes and the unconscious mind. It's main lessons are, ascending, the existence of the causality of things on a higher or deeper level than the physical world; and descending, the acceptance of densest Form limitation by the Spirit . . ." (A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism, Volume II) To be an Initiate in the Mysteries, acceptance of all that is (both positive and negative) has to not just be a posture of the mind, but the whole attitude of all being.
We will begin our Work with Path 32 on Spring Equinox, March 20th, 2014.
It is important to know these are brief notes. A true understanding of each Path begs a vital understanding of the Sephiroth connecting them. Further research on your own is highly recommended.
To begin, Path 32.....
The is the first Path on any initiatory Pathworking with the Tree of Life. It is the Path between Malkuth (The Kingdom) and Yesod (The Foundation). As Malkuth is the Earth, Yesod is symbolized by the Moon, so this Path highly represents the relationship between the two as the basis for Initiation: before exploring the rest of the Universe, we must first spring from the Earth to the Moon. This is not just an outer (exoteric) experience but an inner (esoteric) one. This Path is the gateway to the inner world, which is the true key to the Great Work.
Occultist Gareth Knight says of Path 32: "It is like the hole in the earth into which Alice fell, leading to her strange adventures in Wonderland." (A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism, Volume II)
The myth associated with this Path, that of Persephone, was the foundational teaching of Initiation for the Eleusinian Mysteries (and still is for modern Mystery Schools). Persephone (who represents the Path) is the daughter of Demeter, Goddess of the Earth (Malkuth). She is kidnapped by Hades and brought into the Underworld (inner world). Hecate, Goddess of the Moon and Magic (Yesod) then guides Demeter to Persephone who are then reunited. The key here is that Path 32 is two-fold: a descent to the interior realms then a return (resurrection). The Great Work is performed and then the Initiate returns to Malkuth where the results of the Work can be put to action.
This is why the Major Arcana Trump of The World: XXI is the primary Tarot card for this Path. The Four Holy Living Creatures at the corners of the card symbolize the four elemental attributes of the Earth (Malkuth). The woman (in actuality a hermaphrodite, the genitalia covered by the floating sash) in the card further signifies Spirit entering Malkuth as shown through the two rods she holds in her hands: the positive and negative attributes of Spirit joining to descend into material form (the wreath being the World). This is further illustrated through the Hebrew letter Tau or Tav: its primary symbol a three-armed cross....a cross without the upper bar. Like The World card, it signifies two forces impacting on a higher level and producing a form on a denser level below.
To work this Path, it is vital to understand the two-way nature of it: Spirit ascending and Matter descending. Gareth Knight again states: "The Path represents [...] the first stages of Devotional Mysticism as well as a Way-in to the inner planes and the unconscious mind. It's main lessons are, ascending, the existence of the causality of things on a higher or deeper level than the physical world; and descending, the acceptance of densest Form limitation by the Spirit . . ." (A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism, Volume II) To be an Initiate in the Mysteries, acceptance of all that is (both positive and negative) has to not just be a posture of the mind, but the whole attitude of all being.
We will begin our Work with Path 32 on Spring Equinox, March 20th, 2014.
