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

Kether
The Sephiroth

This is the crown, sitting at the top of the Tree, over your crown chakra on your physical body (above the head, not on it). Until this point you know nothing, no-thing, but here you just might know something is going on — not much, but something. Governed by Neptune and sitting at the very top of this magical tree, it’s not the easiest of places to understand, but isn’t that the point? Would you expect anything less from the end and beginning of your mystical journey? In this state of being there’s no action, no reaction, and it’s supposed to be that vague. Attempting to over-analyse it will make you feel dizzy, if you’re not already.

Imagine Kether at the top of your Tree, the highest viewpoint, but whilst standing in Kether looking down, it would be just as easy to imagine standing at the base of a Tree looking up. Kether is the root if you count down numerically — it’s number one, Chokmah is number two, Binah number three, and so on. It’s rooted in the heavens — perhaps we are the ones waving about in the wind? This wonderful symbol reminds us that ’as above, so below’, that all that comes to us below is from above, from our true root.

But you aren’t standing at the top, you’re currently living in the world of Assiah, the world of the physical, and as such, looking up in wonder, you can never fully immerse yourself in the world of Kether. Never fully immerse yourself and still return to a physical body, that is. So it appears veiled, protecting you from the blinding light. God looks down. Humanity looks up.

I’ve found that the more you talk about Kether, the further away your understanding of it goes. Your words chase away the gentle clouds of the divine nature of all there is.

To enter Kether, as much as you can (and that’s really not a lot), you don’t have to do anything, but you do have to be everything, and all at once! Impossible? You’re doing it right now; what’s impossible is naming it, putting into words, describing the feeling or the knowing, and that’s perhaps why from the Source it falls down through the Sephiroth like water through a filtration system, with each sphere taking out its special power to help you identify at least some of it. But you’re a human being, not a human’s doing. So perhaps Kether isn’t as far away as you might think.

The God name for Kether is Ehyeh, ’I Am’ or ’I Am That I Am’. No titles: I Am. And so, too, are you. You are your own Kether, I Am That I Am, ready to move into action via Chokmah’s wisdom and Binah’s understanding down the Tree of Life.

Imagine the power when you not only recognize that energy, but also feel it within you — creative and all-encompassing spiritual energy holding the divine plan that, once activated, will come down your Tree into the Sephiroth of the soul and manifest via the Sephiroth of the personality. What force, what form, what magic will you bring from your very own Kether?

Astrology

There’s much debate about planetary rulership for Kether. Some will say Uranus, others Pluto, but for me, Neptune is the only planet that brings the qualities of Kether alive. Neptune’s nature is to lose himself in order to find what he is looking for and to suddenly come out with the answer. This is also the planet of the mystic, the seeker of magical knowledge, and with Uranus as Chokmah beside him, Kether must be about as magical as it gets.

Angels

The archangel is Metatron. For me, he always appears as a small child, but for others he is enormous. He is said to be the closest to the Source, God. Whatever you choose to call the divine, Metatron is his/her right-hand man, the prince of archangels. His help is often needed when struggling with concepts that are just beyond the veil. You know something is solvable, but you just can’t get through that candyfloss, marshmallow moment … enter Metatron.

As mentioned earlier, Metatron was once Enoch on the Earth plane, while his brother Sandalphon was Elijah. Two great beings who were once human are at the top and base of the Tree of Life.

The angelic order is the Chioyh ha Qodesh, the holy living creatures. They can live in the pure holiness of this Sephira and appear as burning coals of fire. They are to Kether what the Cherubim are to Malkuth — those who set the pattern and make it work.

Vices and virtues

There is no vice. The virtue of Kether is attainment, the completion of the Great Work.

Tarot cards

The four aces really don’t need much of an introduction. They are the first rush of energy of their suits, Fire, Earth, Air and Water, reminding you that in Kether the elements of Malkuth are far from forgotten.

· Ace of Wands: The beginning of a new life — a new creative project or literally a new life, a baby.

· Ace of Cups: The beginning of a new relationship, the granting of a wish or perhaps the inspiration to begin something new.

· Ace of Swords: Clarity. Obstacles are removed and you can see your way through.

· Ace of Disks: A new job, the start of a new project or perhaps becoming more involved with Earth conservation.

Exercise: Building the Tree on your body

It seems only fitting to do a meditation at this point, one that will remind you how far you’ve come and will go some way to building the Tree of Life on you and reminding of where it sits physically. You have been doing this on the astral plane since day one.

Do your Qabalistic Cross.

Prepare in the usual way.

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

· See before you a glowing Tree of Life.

· Look at the Sephiroth. See them glowing, colourful and vibrating with energy.

· Now turn your back on the Tree. Put your spine on the Middle Pillar.

· First, make sure your feet are firmly rooted in Malkuth. See them anchored in the Earth, your home for now.

· Now focus your attention on your groin area. See Yesod glowing violet and silver.

· Next see Hod, orange and sitting on your right hip.

· Move when you’re ready to the emerald sphere of Netzach, on your left hip.

· Now on to the yellow sphere of Tiphareth over your solar plexus and heart.

· Next see the ruby red of Geburah on your right arm.

· And the sapphire blue of Chesed on your left.

· To the right of your head, see and feel the black Sephira of Binah.

· To your left, the grey circle of Chokmah.

· Now, above your head, see Kether.

· Sit with this image.

· Do any of the Sephiroth appear dull, maybe in need of some extra energy?

· If any do, send them that extra energy, but use the lightning flash to balance them all — remember, no Sephira works on its own. Start with Kether, move to Chokmah, onto Binah and towards Chesed, across to Geburah and over to Tiphareth, through to Netzach and back to Hod, towards Yesod, back into Malkuth and down through your feet into the Earth, where you can secure and ground your energy.

· When you’re ready, bring your awareness back into the room and wiggle your fingers and toes.

Write down your experience. If you get any further inspiration, jot it down!

Visiting Kether

Correspondences

· Keyword: Crown

· Number: One

· Archangel: Metatron

· Order of angels: Chioyh ha Qodesh

· Planet: Neptune

· Virtue: Attainment, completion of the Great Work

· Vice: None

· Gods/goddesses: Zeus, Jupiter, Ptah, Ra, Modron, Parabraham

· Colour: White brilliance

· Crystal: Diamond

· Incense: Ambergris

· Body part: Cranium

· Tarot cards: The four aces

Exercise: The light of Kether

Remember this path is an experience. You don’t touch Kether in its highest form — you can’t whilst you’re in physical form, but you can go some way to understanding it as it’s reflected down the Tree.

As you prepare your altar, think White, white on white…

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

Ask your guides, Archangel Metatron and the divine beings of Kether 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, but know that it may not be as tangible as usual.

· Once you’re in the garden, see your Tree. This time it will be a diamond that breaks free from the rainbow-lit, sparkling branches of the Tree of Life.

· As it forms a blinding white sphere in front of you, walk towards it, considering what Kether means to you. What do you consider to be the ’Source’?

· Project the symbol for Neptune onto the sphere as you walk into it and through into the blinding whiteness of Kether, where you become that light. There is no distinction between you and it; never was, never will be.

· The light, you notice, is made of rainbow colours and now and again you catch a glimpse of the refracted light. There is no temple, no structure, only the rainbow light dancing around you.

· Metatron, the archangel of Kether, comes towards you, or rather you feel his presence.

· Ask him for a vision of the reunion with Source, a vision that’s appropriate for you at this stage of your journey.

· Commune further with Metatron and the energy of Kether. They will not offer a gift, as visiting Kether is the gift.

· When you’re ready, follow the path back through to your diamond sphere.

· Say your farewells, pay any further respects and walk into the diamond light and back into the temple forest of Malkuth, realizing that Kether is in Malkuth, as Malkuth is in Kether. As above, so below.

· Allow the forest to fade. Return to your usual surroundings.

When you have closed down your meditation, take a Tarot card, make notes and remember to eat and drink something. No matter how small, it’s symbolic of grounding your energy here on Earth.

Kether consolidation

’A tree you pass by every day is just a tree. If you were to closely examine what a tree has and the life a tree has, even the smallest thing can withstand a curiosity, and you can examine whole worlds.’

WILLIAM SHATNER

’I have a dream…’

Remind yourself of the dream you stated in Malkuth.

Astrology

Find Neptune in your chart. Ask where you dream and lose yourself most. If put to good use, what divine things could come from it?

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 spiritual triangle consolidation

So here we are, the last triangle, and of course it’s the spiritual one. It’s not easy to grasp some of these concepts and put shapes and forms around them, but that’s what Qabalah offers, a way of putting even the most abstract ideas into action and refining them until they become tangible and workable.

’I have a dream…’

What is your dream, your goal?

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

· Binah: Form

· Chokmah: Flash of inspiration

· Netzach: Wear your crown!

Astrology

Look at Saturn, Uranus and Neptune in your chart. What information do they give you?

Tarot cards

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

· The Empress horizontally

· The Magician/Magus at a 45-degree angle on the left

· The Fool 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.

What does this tell you about your spiritual approach to life? What form does it take? Do you feel you pause now, make wiser choices?

’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 spiritual triangle I have learned…

Now it’s time for a meditation.

Exercise: Vision of the spiritual triangle

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 the forest, 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 across the centre of them.

· Sandalphon asks you to look through the veil.

· The violet light of Yesod will give way to the green of Netzach and fading in now will be the golden yellow light of Tiphareth

· As that wanes, the ruby red of Geburah appears and as it fades the sapphire blue of Chesed appears.

· Then you hear the ocean and see a woman on a cliff edge, looking out to sea, waiting for a loved one to return.

· Can you glimpse Tzaphkiel? Perhaps the dark shadow of his armour?

· As the vision of Binah fades, you see space, outer space, a starlit sky, and from nowhere comes a spinning zodiac wheel. Which sign lights up for you? It may not be your own Sun sign.

· Ratziel stands on the wheel, in the sign of Aquarius. He sparks with electricity, energy constantly in movement.

· That image will now fade and you will be left with a white veil. And just when you think the show is over you catch a glimpse of … what was that?

· There it is again. Maybe it’s your imagination? You can’t explain it, you can’t touch it. Nothing’s there — or is it?

· Perhaps it’s Metatron, waiting for you to be crowned as the ruler of your own kingdom.

· When you’re ready, let that image fade and bring yourself back to Malkuth.

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

· Make your way out of the temple, into the clearing, then into the forest.

· Now bring yourself back to your usual surroundings.

Take a Tarot card, make notes and remember to eat and drink something.

And now it’s time for one final exercise…

Exercise: This is me!

Who you truly are, the shining being you truly are. One page. Go! Don’t hold back. What have you discovered about yourself on your journey up the Tree?