Qabalah: Discover Powerful Tools to Explore Practical Magic and the Tree of Life (Hay House Basics) - David Wells 2017

Netzach
The Sephiroth

Welcome to the realms of nature, of feelings, Venus and of course love! But before you embark upon this part of your journey, this is perhaps a good place to pause and consider where Netzach sits on the Tree of Life. If you look at your drawings so far, you will see Netzach sits opposite Hod and at the base of the Pillar of Mercy. It represents instincts, feelings and, as you have seen, Hod is all about thoughts, so Netzach and Hod are thoughts and feelings in balance. Consider Netzach to be worlds of fairy magic, of sprites and woodland beings, as compared to Hod, where more scholarly pursuits feed the magic of the Tree and of you. However, those scholarly pursuits are undertaken with the understanding of the beautiful images produced by the artists of Netzach, as one feeds the other.

Have you every gazed at a piece of art and been lost in it, seeing precisely how the artist must have been feeling? Look at that statement again. You’re seeing with your eyes, but you’re feeling with your heart, using the Earthly sense of sight and yet feeling it stir your soul. That is Netzach, that feeling. Hod comes in when the art critic takes what you’re feeling, explains what the artist is saying and quantifies it with clever words. A feeling turns into a conversation.

So, art and music are represented in Netzach. This Sephira is the inspiration for many people involved in these pursuits and home to spiritual guides with an interest in helping you make the most of your own talents. Visiting Netzach can help clear the way if you’re feeling blocked in an artistic project.

In Netzach you’ll also see the beginning of the lower self, the triangle of personality fed from Tiphareth, the last Sephira of the realms of the soul. Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malkuth show themselves more in our lives because they work directly with the personality, but make no mistake, all the Sephiroth above them are there when you know where to look and how they present themselves!

The planetary ruler of Netzach is Venus, who needs no introduction — the planet of love, and love in all its forms, from family to partners and all points in between. But jealousy, anger and even hate sit here too, as Netzach plays host to all the feelings we have within us and express through our emotions.

These are balanced by Hod, which gives form to the force of Netzach. Think of a time when you were incandescent with rage, a strong and powerful force, then remember how you tempered that with a response that was more effective by being in a particular form — an eloquent letter of complaint, for example. Netzach to Hod to Yesod to Malkuth.

The balancing act of Hod and Netzach isn’t always an easy one to keep up, though, and if anything’s going to be heavily weighted, it’s usually the side that looks at the feelings.

Victory over feelings

The word ’Victory’ is used to describe Netzach, and it may seem an odd choice. Victory can bring images of banners waving, a war won, and perhaps that’s not what you’d think of when considering the planet or goddess Venus. However, this isn’t about victory over another individual, country or warring faction, it’s victory over your feelings.

That isn’t the same as being a cold fish; it means that when you have feelings that can seem overwhelming, you know what to do to bring them under control. You visit Hod and all its images and remind yourself that logic has its place, you think about what you’re feeling, consider whether it’s your stuff or not, and then if it is, you figure out how you can deal with it all. And when all that’s done, you push it all out through Yesod.

Victory over feelings also means seeing love, beauty and perhaps the divine in everything, even in the most extreme circumstances. It’s very, very difficult to imagine how that could be done if you were in a horrendous situation, perhaps being held hostage or imprisoned. How could you feel love, an appreciation for the divine, then? Here’s a quote that helps to understand it a little more:

’I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.’

NELSON MANDELA

Victory over feelings.

However, consider this: in your many lives on Earth you will have faced challenging circumstances, situations you won’t have to endure again, but someone you know may be going through tough times, even as you read this book. Your love and compassion for them come from the love and lessons you’ve learned on your own journey, perhaps from this life or perhaps from past lives. It is through love that we bring more love into this world of ours, through the divine nature of universal love found in the garden of Netzach.

The raw power of Netzach is one of creativity, of passion and of drive to bring down this most magnificent expression of the divine that is already within you, but what happens when you do that to the exclusion of all else? Perhaps you end up in your studio furiously chucking paint around, expressing your unbridled emotional self, and the lights go off or your partner leaves you because you’ve not paid the bill or bothered to acknowledge their existence in weeks. It is Hod that brings balance, logic that tells you that other things must co-exist alongside your passions in life.

Creatures of nature

We are creatures of nature and need it around us to bring balance into our world, a task Mother Nature struggles with in current times, but observe how nature truly works. Red in tooth and claw? There are few souls who aren’t touched by the sight of a lioness feeding her cubs — apart from the mother of the gazelle that was her prey perhaps? But we accept it — it’s nature. And then we can’t accept a weed in our garden or a bug in the kitchen?

Animals don’t stop to think or analyse; they do what they do. You are already beautiful, as perfect as that lioness, and you can do what you’ve incarnated to do if only you’ll listen to the truth of your feelings and unselfishly give yourself to the whole being that you are.

Netzach is where your personality meets your soul, remember. Perhaps that’s the heart of the matter?

Exercise: Expressing your inner Netzach

When you were little and you brought home a picture you’d painted — something lovely I’m sure — perhaps you gave it to your parents, who then gave it pride of place on the fridge door. It was an expression of your feelings as well as how you saw the world — through the eyes of a child, because you were one. Were you more emotional then, more in touch with your feelings perhaps? Is that child still there? Of course! So, grab some paints, some coloured crayons or pens, take a piece of blank paper and let those feelings out.

’But what shall I paint?’ That’s a question from someone who has Hod telling them they need form, they need instructions, permission perhaps. Really, you don’t. Here’s what you do:

· Take a deep breath, start with a colour or a doodle, start wherever you feel like starting and go for it! If you need help, find a younger member of the family and let them show you how it’s done. Eat chocolate and ice-cream as you go, if it helps.

· When you’ve finished, put it on the fridge!

Sometimes our feelings need to be shaped into words, sometimes not so much.

Whilst writing this chapter, I thought about how indigenous people of many countries have lived with and as part of nature. Some still do, be they Native Americans, Australian Aborigines, the Ainu of Japan or many others. Much can be learned from them, or maybe a better way of putting it is to say the rest of us could do with unlearning things.

Angels

The archangel of Netzach is Haniel, Grace of God. She is beautiful, dressed like a Grecian goddess and has emeralds on her wingtips, as far as I can see! She reminds you that peace, beauty, grace and charm can go a very long way, but make no mistake, she is also aware of the laws of nature and she encourages you to bare your teeth, should the need arise. Not always a popular view when it comes to angels, yet Michael can take a sword and run it through a serpent, the symbol for knowledge. Go figure.

The angelic order is the Elohim, the rulers of nature, who whisper to every flower to bloom, much as they do to you too.

Vices and virtues

The vice of Netzach is unchastity and lust, but don’t be misled by this: it’s talking about lust for power for power’s sake. Think about a relationship where one partner seeks to control the other — will that last? This also reminds you to maintain your own integrity and to love with all that love implies, to love unconditionally without seeking to fulfil your own agenda and lust after that alone.

Also consider the lust for power that’s wrapped up in beauty, wrapped in pretty ribbons and promises of perfection that may never be delivered. In the modern world this particular vice is everywhere — the illusion of glamour, of being glamoured. That’s not to say glamour is a bad thing. To be clear, for beauty’s sake it’s a wonderful thing, but used to profess, use or abuse power, it most certainly isn’t. When you see the reality of the portrait, Dorian Gray is no longer appealing.

The virtue of Netzach is unselfishness. Kind of speaks for itself, really. If you can approach life knowing you neither own nor have any control over any sentient being, nature in all her glory and power or any archangel, sprite or elemental, then you have the virtue of Netzach within you. It’s all about co-operation and mutual respect.

Tarot cards

The four sevens show us the challenges in life that are brought about through a battle within — through our feelings, challenging us to bring forward their truth — not by playing lip service to how we think we should feel, but admitting how we really feel.

· Seven of Wands: Lord of Valour. Feeling the fear and doing it anyway! Have courage in the face of the task ahead and believe in yourself.

· Seven of Cups: Lord of Debauch. That way temptation lies, and lust for gain with no thought for others. Stay true to your beliefs.

· Seven of Swords: Lord of Futility. No matter what you do, it won’t make any difference, right? Not true. Break free by making a difference!

· Seven of Disks: Lord of Failure. You get back what you put in, so put in more and get more back! Resist negative self-talk.

Visiting Netzach

Before you embark upon the Netzach temple working, perhaps some time in nature would be a good idea. Go to your favourite place. Walk, sit by the ocean, stand under the trees in a forest, sit on the sand, take a wander around your garden and smell the flowers, literally! Set the tone.

Correspondences

· Keyword: Victory

· Number: Seven

· Archangel: Haniel

· Order of angels: Elohim

· Planet: Venus

· Virtue: Unselfishness

· Vice: Lust for power

· Gods/goddesses: Aphrodite, Hathor, Lakshmi, Venus

· Colour: Green

· Crystals: Emerald, rose quartz, tourmaline

· Incense: Rose

· Body parts: Hip area, loins

· Tarot cards: The sevens

Exercise: The Temple of Netzach

Prepare in your usual way and pay particular attention to your altar. It’s always beautiful, I’m sure, but really go for it with Netzach — let your creativity flow, get those roses out.

Perform your protection and energy work. Create your sacred and beautiful space according to your own divine creativity.

Ask your guides, Archangel Haniel and the divine beings of Netzach to assist you.

Use your 4-2-4-2 breathing or any technique you’re comfortable with to count yourself down into a meditative state of being.

· Allow the material world to melt away and replace it with the temple forest. See it, feel it, be in it completely.

· Once you’re in the garden, perhaps already in the clearing, see your Tree. This time it will be an emerald that breaks free from the shifting, sparkling green of the Tree of Life.

· As it forms a green sphere in front of you, walk towards it, considering what Netzach means to you. What nature, love or artistic story do you carry with you?

· Project the symbol for Venus onto the sphere as you walk into it and through into the garden of Netzach.

· You find yourself in a beautiful rose garden, white walled and full of statues of Greek and Roman gods and goddesses. Which ones do you recognize?

· Pause a moment, look at the symbols around you, remember all of them and be aware of your feelings in this realm.

· Feel the creative part of your soul sing. Listen to the song and feel the urge to be creative that sits in all of us.

· Talk with any creatures who fly, crawl or walk your way. They can communicate here. They can on Earth, too, if you take the time to listen, but remember this is the land of feelings, so feel their energy, their mood and their message.

· Walk with beauty, walk with grace, walk in the perfection that you already are and see how everyone and everything else is doing the same. Feel that. Feel it in every fibre of your being, recognize it!

· You may see a Grecian temple ahead of you, with two great leopards guarding the entrance, or a simple clearing with seven stones marking a boundary.

· You see Aphrodite exit and walk towards you, then you realize it’s Haniel, archangel of Netzach. What does your Haniel look like?

· Commune with Haniel or any other beings in this place of feelings, colour, music and art. Ask for guidance on how to use the virtue of Netzach and avoid the vice, avoid being glamoured.

· And now ask for a vision of victory that you can use in your own life in the here and now.

· When you have finished communing with your hosts, they may offer you a gift, a reminder of your visit to these realms. Return their kindness with a promise made to work with and respect the power of this Sephira in your own life and on your own Tree.

· It’s time for you to leave. Walk back along the path to the emerald sphere, feeling that information you’ve collected sink in.

· Surround yourself in the emerald green that takes you back to the temple forest in the realms of Malkuth.

· Bring your awareness back to your surroundings, and when you’re ready, close your meditation.

Make notes, take a Tarot card and remember to eat and drink!

Netzach consolidation

’The real magic is in making the intangible idea, the creative impulse, manifest and live in our reality.’

MARK RYAN, ACTOR

’I have a dream…’

Remind yourself of the dream you stated in Malkuth.

Astrology

Where is Venus in you chart? What aspects can you find around her and what does it tell you about the way you love?

Tarot cards

· Going into the temple: Card

· Coming out of the temple: Card

· Consolidating the temple: Card

The route the cards are taking

A short analysis of what the cards tell you.

Analysis of the temple visualization

How you felt, what you saw, what the symbols mean to you.

How it has manifested in your life

How has it presented itself in your life here on Earth? What have you noticed that you missed before? What do you want to change?

’Moving forward, I commit to…’

Make a commitment to making those changes happen.

The personality triangle

Let’s put it all together. Tightening up what you’ve learned along the way is an important discipline to follow. Take it from someone who tried the other approach. It helps you better understand where you are now as well as how far you’ve come.

A consolidation would normally occur after each pathworking, but as this is an introduction I’m giving you, it’s going to take place after each set of three Sephiroth, too. Why these three — Yesod, Hod and Netzach? Because they form the personality triangle.

Getting personal

The beauty of Qabalah is that it brings its lessons into real life. It sits in front of you, reminding you that it’s real, not something you simply read about and ponder. Bearing that in mind, it’s time to review the events of the past few weeks or months.

The personality triangle consolidation

’I have a dream…’

What is your dream, your goal?

Looking at each Sephira, how has it been reflected in your life?

· Yesod: Cycles

· Hod: Thoughts

· Netzach: Feelings

Astrology

Look at the position of the Moon, Mercury and Venus in your chart. What information do they give you?

Tarot cards

Put the following cards on a table in their relevant positions:

· The Tower horizontally

· The Sun at a 45-degree angle on the left

· The Star at a 45-degree angle on the right

The route the cards are taking

Look at the cards, analyse them and think about how they might work with the Sephiroth and in your life. Remember the example of The Tower card running between your thoughts and feelings.

What does this tell you about your personality?

Are there cycles you could do without?

Are there those in your life who need to know how you truly feel? Or perhaps you need to slow down to listen to them?

’I have learned…’

Ask questions, let your intuition flow. Think, Planets, Sephiroth, cards, images, meditations, experiences, and put it all together to come up with a statement that begins:

From the personality triangle I have learned…

To help you finish this section, here’s a meditation you can do when you’ve finished your consolidation.

Exercise: Vision of the personality triangle

Perform the Qabalistic Cross and prepare in the usual way.

Sit down, relax and close your eyes, begin to breathe 4-2-4-2.

· Allow the material world to melt away and make your way to your forest, to the clearing and into the tree.

· Sandalphon is waiting for you. He guides you to the pillars. Stand in front of them, ebony on your left, ivory on your right.

· As you face the pillars, you see that a curtain, a thin veil, is hanging between them.

· Sandalphon asks you to look through the veil.

· At first you see nothing, but as you concentrate, you begin to see a violet light. It is misty at first, but then it seems to be alive with colour.

· Then an image appears, of a Chinese pagoda, its roof made of silver with mother of pearl in its walls: the temple of Yesod.

· The garden has a lake with a half-moon bridge across it. The Moon itself is reflected in the water. Is it full, new, waxing or waning?

· Gabriel stands in the garden smiling at you, sending love.

· The image fades and an orange light appears, again misty but soon clearing.

· As it disappears you see a frozen wasteland, a blank canvas.

· Rumbling up through the ice comes the ice temple of Hod, created from your thoughts, as all things are created.

· Frozen into its walls are the major arcana of the Tarot. Does one card stand out for you more than any other?

· Raphael stands looking at you. Make his image as clear as you can.

· This image fades and you begin to see an emerald green light. As its brightness wanes, a lush landscape appears, with rolling green hills and flowers in abundance, and colours such as you’ve never seen before.

· On a hill in the distance you will see a Grecian temple. Outside are two leopards guarding its entrance.

· Below the temple is a rose garden. The garden has many statues of Greek and Roman gods and goddesses.

· Haniel smiles and sends love and peace to you.

· Let this fade now and bring your attention back to the veil and to Malkuth.

· Sandalphon leads you back from the pillars. Thank him for your time here.

· He acknowledges you and says it’s time to leave.

· Move into the clearing and into the forest.

· Bring your awareness back into the room you’re in.

Make notes and, when you’re ready, have something to eat and drink. Take a Tarot card.