Serious Thoughts re Dying

[Ladyzekke]

Just found out the the secretary I've worked with since 1989 has had a heart attack. And there are also other complications apparently, internal bleeding, kidney problems, and something called a "hematoma" on her back that is very painful and she is being heavily sedated. She is probably about 78. I've worked with her, sat in the same room, just the two of us, since 1989. She retired last week of November, all seemed well, she was planning on selling her townhouse in Springfield in April and moving to her other house in North Carolina, where she has all her family. I hope she is OK. But when her daughter called she said the words "touch and go" which worries me.

Which brings me to this topic. I really HATE death. I've been blessed in the fact that there have been only a small few who were friends or family that have died on me, I know so many others who have experienced way more deaths in thier family (and friends) than I have. I really am not familiar with death. And it seems for me when I do have to deal with it, as rare as it is, it is always somebody special or close to me (like my Grandmother, the only family member who truly cared about me, she really loved me, why I dunno, but she most certainly did). It is just devastating not having them around anymore. Knowing that it isn't just a vacation, it is forever, you will not ever see them again. You feel so out there, with no anchor like you had. And death is not something you can really foresee, even if it is from a person who was previosly ill, you find yourself just considering your Favorite people invincible, and will always be there, existing, for you.

On another note, I'm glad that I believe in God, and Jesus, and know that those that have died, or will die, will go to a better place. So many are better people than I am, and I know they continue to exist, but that does not take away my grief, because they are not in my life anymore. And I always think, I hope I don't die soon, cause I am soo far from learning whatever it is I'm here to learn, I suck so bad. I don't want to die until I've become a better person.

I know many here have different religious beliefs, and some NO religious beliefs, and I respect your personal choices, so please respect mine and don't flame my thread OK? [img]smile.gif[/img]

I just tonight am thinking of death, and what happens when you die, and want to see others, no matter what you believe, state your own thoughts re the subject (and yes I realize that maybe this subject has already been done here in the past)

[Cloudbringer]

Wendy, I'm off to bed, but I'll check back tomorrow. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your ex coworker. You know my beliefs on the topic, I think,but I'll try and find time tomorrow to share.

[Yorick]

I read this quote by Peter Gabriel a few weeks ago:

"If you live in a dominant youth culture that pretends death doesn't exist, you're sort of ending up going directly toward it. Whereas if you face it head on and accept it as a part of life — as a lot of other cultures do — then you live life more fully."

I'm glad you have the comfort of assured eternal life Wendy. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I am sorry to hear of your colleague. I hope and pray she pulls through. I pray that whatever happens you have a peace and an acceptance, and a new love of life as a result.

I'm also sorry to hear about the loss you've felt surrounding your Grandmother. It seems this event is dealing you two blows. Potential loss of your colleague and an echo of your Grandmothers passing. Double hurt.

I don't think I'll get used to death. I agree with all you say about it. As an ending it's terrible. But as a doorway into a new life it's incredible. As a reminder of mortality - and if we use it to make sure we love our lives and live them to the fullest - we can turn our fear of death around.

We are blessed. We live another day. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Be safe Wendy. Luv you. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Leonis]

When I do think seriously about my own death, it's akin to pondering the concept of eternity. I think I can understand it and as I reach for it, it slips away.

I have faith in an eternal afterlife, where we'll be reunited with many friends and loved ones. But that doesn't stop me feeling a little uneasy about it at times. Not because of fear, but a lack of knowing what it actually is.

However, when people close to me have died, I have had the strongest sensations of peace and security, of comfort and assurity. When I am closest to death I feel I have comes to terms with it.
When I am removed, I am often at odds with it.

I'm sorry about your workmate LadyZ...

[ 01-08-2003, 12:10 AM: Message edited by: Leonis ]

[homer]

Originally posted by ladyzekke: And I always think, I hope I don't die soon, cause I am soo far from learning whatever it is I'm here to learn, I suck so bad. I don't want to die until I've become a better person.

I am sorry for your loss. I feel that someone who is capable of this type of emotional outpouring is most likely not someone who, “sucks so bad”. I believe you are a warm and caring person. As far as being a better person, it is apparent to me you are already a good person and it is likely that you make the people around you better people. Gook luck to you.

[/)eathKiller]

Life works like this:

-------------Keter
-----------/---|---\
----------/----|----\
-------binah-__|___Kochma
---------|--\--|--/--|
---------|---\-|-/---|
------gevurah_\|/__chesed
---------|--\--|--/--|
---------|--tipharet-|
---------|--/--|--\--|
--------hod/-__|___\netzach
--------\--\---|---/--/
---------\--\Yesod/--/
----------\----|----/
-----------\---|---/
------------malchus

Keter -
The first path
The Infinite

Keter's planet is Pluto.

Divine ideal wisdom / Will / Inspiration / Spirit

Keter is the source of all, including the things as yet unmanifest. Stabilizing consciousness at this sphere is the goal of human evolution.

KETER, or "The Infinite," is the crown of the tree, the peak of the spiritual realm, the assimilation of all spiritual work. It is the place where the pure energy first steps into the world and becomes recognizable.



Keter, forming a triad with Binah and Kochma, balances three forces: Spiritual love and awareness (Binah), Spiritual will and purpose (Kochma), and the infinite realized self (Keter). These three spheres could be compared to the 'Father, Son, and Holy Ghost' in the Christian pantheon.

Keter is Brahman - the impersonal, absolute existence, or Godhead, the all-pervading transcendental reality, the implicate and implicit order. Because of Maya (Key 2), Brahman is concealed from the Atman (Tipharet).

Potentials of Keter: Solving the inner quest, revelation, divine inspiration, Samadhi, spiritual ecstasy, enlightenment, union with infinite merciful bliss.

This is the completion of desire re-uniting with source. The realm of separating desire is among the lower sephirot, having first divided out of MALCHUT.

Keter is called the "Crown," while Malchut is Kingdom. Some Kabalists envision multiple trees of life connected top to bottom, with Crown and Kingdom joined. This allows for infinitely more layers and distinctions within Creation. Concepts of Kingdom/King/Creator are explored in Malchut.
The joining of Keter and Malcut follows Sepher Yetzira, which says: "The End is Buried in the Beginning." Keter is Cause, Malchut is Effect. Keter is the "male" aspect of Creation, Malchut is the "female" aspect of creation.

Crowns appear in Key 2, Key 3, Key 4, Key 5, Key 7, Key 11, Key 14, Key 16, Keter, and Malchut.

Balance, always a core concept in Qabala, manifests itself in the transpersonal triad as a synthesis of our highest thinking, feeling and awareness.

Transpersonal Triad "colors" are light, the absence of light (dark), and half-light.

The fragrance ascribed to Keter is Ambergris. The character is the prodigal son, returning to the father. This is where the individual raindrop joins the sea.

Commandment: I AM YHVH, your God, who took you out of Egypt.

_____________________________

Kochma -
The second Path
Oceanic Consciousness / Wisdom / Revelation / Light / Memory

Kochma's planet is Neptune.

Kochma is the realm of the third eye, deepest meditation, ultimate benevolence, masterful creativity.

Kochma is Wisdom. It is also known of as "Ab-" the "Father."

KOCHMA, or "Oceanic Consciousness," is the second sphere after the abyss; It is the midst of the spiritual realm, on the same level as BINAH, balancing the highest energies in readiness for KETER.

Kochma, forming a triad with Binah and Keter, balances three forces: Spiritual love and awareness (Binah), Spiritual will and purpose (Kochma), and the infinite realized self (Keter). These three spheres could be compared to the 'Father, Son, and Holy Ghost' in the Christian pantheon.

Kochma is the wisdom beyond reason. Spiritual leaders and people who inspire us can embody this quality.

Potentials of Kochma: Developing purpose and initiative, manifesting the universal plan in the world, genius, logos, pure spirit, transformation.

Kochma is the first real manifestation of en soph, containing the ideal plan of all the worlds.

Kochma is pure, undifferentiated mind, before words - the tools of differentiation. With words come the "olam ha pirud," the "world of distinctions."

Who is wise? The one who learns from everyone they meet.

The Talmud

The person who operates from Kochma can even learn from evil. Only on the lower levels, starting with Binah, where words and language begin, does differentiation between good and evil occur.

Balance, always a core concept in Qabala, manifests itself in the transpersonal triad as a synthesis of our highest thinking, feeling and awareness.

Transpersonal Triad "colors" are light, the absence of light (dark), and half-light.

The fragrance ascribed to Kochma is Musk. The characters associated with Kochma are Poseidon, and Neptune.

Commandment: Do not worship idols.

______________________________

Binah
The third Path
Understanding / Reason / Intelligence / Language

The supernal Mother. The Womb.

Binah's planet is Saturn.

Binah is the the realm of pure understanding. It is the feminine component of deity, the home of 'peak' experiences. It is the first sphere of the transpersonal realm, after crossing the abyss. Binah is restrictive - the hand of 'God' that takes away.

BINAH, or "Understanding," is the first sphere after the abyss; It is the beginning of the spiritual realm, on the same level as KOCHMA, balancing the highest energies in readiness for KETER.



Binah, forming a triad with Kochma and Keter, balances three forces: Spiritual love and awareness (Binah), Spiritual will and purpose (Kochma), and the infinite realized self (Keter). These three spheres could be compared to the 'Father, Son, and Holy Ghost' in the Christian pantheon.

Potentials of Binah: Developing self control, silence, secrecy, impersonal understanding, and objective love.

Binah is Understanding, and comes from the Hebrew root beyn, which means "between." This is where differentiation begins, where 'good' and 'evil' start to matter. Wisdom (Kochma), which is formless, is differentiated through the power of Understanding (Binah) into the 32 paths.

Blessed art thou, Creator of the Infinite, for giving the rooster the understanding to tell the difference between day and night.
from the Siddur

The above prayer is part of the "Birchat ha shachar," the dawn prayers in the Jewish liturgy. In the Hebrew, it says: "binah l'havcheen beyn yom u beyn laila." We see these concepts of "between," "discernment," and "understanding," coming together. The word for "rooster," "sechkvee," also translates as "heart," another hint at our own capacities for understanding.

Binah is the Above aspect of the Shekinah.

Balance, always a core concept in Qabala, manifests itself in the transpersonal triad as a synthesis of our highest thinking, feeling and awareness.

Binah is rational intelligence, manifested in scientists, rational philosophers, and writers who use language to explore understanding of the universe.

Binah is Divine intelligence in which the hidden pattern achieves concreteness and form.

Transpersonal Triad "colors" are light, the absence of light (dark), and half-light.

The fragrance ascribed to Binah is Myrrh. The characters associated with Binah are Shakti, Maya, Anima Mundi, Juno, and the Madonna.

Commandment: Do not take the name of YHVH your God in vain.

___________________

Chesed -
The Fourth Path

Mercy / Loving-kindness / sharing / Abraham / Cooperation

Chesed's planet is Jupiter.

Chesed is a drink of fresh, pure water, a reward and refreshment.

Chesed, also called Gedullah, is the comforter, the restorative, the silver lining.

Chesed is the "Right Hand of God."

CHESED, or "Mercy," is the reward when we survive GEVURAH; It is where we can drink deep of the joy in life, and show appreciation. TIPHARET is justified through GEVURAH into the bounty of CHESED. CHESED, on the same level as GEVURAH, has the same authority.

The Zohar associates Chesed with Abraham, because his love for God was so great that he was prepared to sacrifice his own son at the Holy command. Isaac is associated with Gevurah, perhaps partly because of his anger for what had almost been done to him.

Chesed, forming a triad with Tipharet and Gevurah, balances three forces: The Heart (Tipharet), Judgement (Gevurah), and Generosity (Chesed).

Chesed is from the same root as the word "Hassid," as in "Hassidic Jews." A Hassid is someone who is fervently religious, who goes above and beyond the call of duty out of devotion and love of God.

From Chesed flows the merciful qualities of the Divine intelligence.

Potentials of Chesed: Deep love, bliss, tenderness, abundance, achievement, preservation, respect, enthusiasm, leadership, optimism, caring, safety, protection, trust, success, well-earned rewards, generosity, gratitude, realized interpersonal love and union, insight, knowledge, understanding, and learning.

Chesed - Gevurah

Quick to judge and criticize, or

Restraint and reflection before judgement

A giver or a taker in relationships

Ethical honesty; knowing when an action is selfish

Balance, always a core concept in Qabala, manifests itself in the soul triad as a synthesis of our more developed thinking, feeling and sensing functions. Imbalance with too much Chesed brings emotional weakness, gullibility, melancholia, victimhood, masochism, and helplessness.

A person who lives on the beneficence of someone else and loses their identity has a Chesed imbalance. This person becomes a vessel of the benefactor.

Chesed is the giving nature, and is balanced by Gevurah, which is restraint. Chesed is the boundless outpouring of divine desire to give. Gevurah, or 'might,' is the energy of constriction or withdrawal, also called Tzimtzum, which contains or circumscribes the rush of life force. The divine attribute of Gevurah condenses the Chesed flow of light and life force, concealing it within materiality, so that creatures can live and matter exist screened from the intensity of the very forces providing the source of their existence.

The Soul Triad is comprised of the Primary colors.

The fragrance ascribed to Sepher Chesed is Cedar. Chesed is associated with Zeus; it is the sphere of the philosopher king. Chesed symbolizes our spiritual and religious needs, and the tendency to expansion.

Commandment: Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

Gevurah
-The Fith Path
Severity / Justice / Inner strength - Isaac / Competition

Gevurah's planet is Mars.

Gevurah is entering into the bigger world, and dealing with sometimes harsh consequences. This is where retribution or karma is enacted. This is 'base camp' for the climb to Keter, and this is where we are tested to see if we are really prepared.

Gevurah is the warrior, the athlete, the adventurer, martial artist.

Gevurah is the "Left Hand of God."

GEVURAH, or "Severity - Justice," is the next sphere up from TIPHARET; It is where the balance learned in TIPHARET is needed to deal with the the tests ahead. GEVURAH is strong, unforgiving, and discriminating. GEVURAH is balanced, and on the same level as, CHESED, or Mercy.

Gevurah, forming a triad with Tipharet and Chesed, balances three forces: The Heart (Tipharet), Judgement (Gevurah), and Generosity (Chesed).

The Zohar associates Chesed with Abraham, because his love for God was so great that he was prepared to sacrifice his own son at the Holy command. Isaac is associated with Gevurah, perhaps partly because of his anger for what had almost been done to him.

Potentials of Gevurah: Right use of Will and Power, self defense, confrontation, forcing of issues, bravado, courage, determination, devotion to duty, obedience to higher authority (chain of command), virility, and self-control.

The greater our ability to live an internal life which does not depend on others for the affirmation of "personal victories," the closer we come to being humble. Dependence feeds pride. Humility does not imply lack of self-esteem; on the contrary, tolerance and the ability to empathize are the very consequences of an individual's self respect. It is actually a posture reflecting an internal reality, where the awareness of one's own weaknesses generates great esteem for human nature. Hence the rabbinical adage: "Humility removes the fear of enemies, disputes, and pain."

Balance, always a core concept in Qabala, manifests itself in the soul triad as a synthesis of our more developed thinking, feeling and sensing functions. An imbalance with too much Gevurah brings cruelty, perversion, sadism, workaholism, vengefulness - "Evil."

Chesed - Gevurah

Quick to judge and criticize, or

Restraint and reflection before judgement

A giver or a taker in relationships

Ethical honesty; knowing when an action is selfish
Chesed/Gevurah is a check-and-balance system; it has a kind of parallax, and depth perception.

Gevurah is the source of Divine judgement and law.

Gevurah is restraint, and is balanced by Chesed, the giving nature. Gevurah, or 'might,' is the energy of constriction or withdrawal, also called Tzimtzum, which contains or circumscribes the rush of life force, Chesed, the boundless outpouring of divine desire to give. The divine attribute of Gevurah condenses the Chesed flow of light and life force, concealing it within materiality, so that creatures can live and matter exist screened from the intensity of the very forces providing the source of their existence.

The Soul Triad is comprised of the Primary colors.

The fragrances ascribed to Sepher Gevurah are Tobacco and Leather. It is associated with Mars, the warrior god.

Commandment: Honor your Father and Mother.

________________

Tipharet -
The Sixth Path
Tipharet's planet (body) is the Sun.

Tipharet is at the center of the Tree. It is the point where the personality, moving up, first ventures into the realm of the soul. It is where spirit, descending, first 'splits off' and becomes physical.

Tipharet is at the summit of the personal realm, as Keter is at the summit of the Transpersonal realm. It is where the mundane world meets the spiritual.

Tipharet brings harmony and compassion to the world.

Tipharet is where the "I" is. It is the director of one's personal drama. It is not aloof, but completely involved, bringing spiritual awareness into the mundane realm. It is the small "I," as Keter is the superconsious "I." In Tipharet, we meet our higher selves, and learn to sacrifice lesser desires. It is integration of the higher reality into daily life. The animal nature is below, the spiritual nature is above.

THE GOLDEN MEAN

The Golden Mean, or Golden Section, is a mathematical constant, a ratio that appears in nature and was discovered by Pythagoras in the 5th century B.C.E. This proportional ratio was used in art and architecture by the Greeks and has been used by artists ever since. It was first called "Sectio Aurea" (Golden Section) by Leonardo Da Vinci. This number, 1.6180339..., is the Greek "Phi," or F. Like p Pi (3.14156...), Phi has no end. These are irrational numbers, whose infinitely long strings of decimal places never repeat. These numbers occur naturally and are used in all cultures with a mathematical awareness.

The Golden Section can be demonstrated graphically by making a point on a line positioned such that the two segments it defines have the property that the short segment has the same proportion to the long segment as the long segment has to the entire line.

A----------B----------------C

The Golden Rectangle, whose sides have a ratio of Phi, is shown below.

THE GOLDEN RECTANGLE


A Golden Rectangle is formed from a square like the red square to the left. One side is divided by half, at 'c', and an arc is drawn from b to e; e forms the corner of the Golden Rectangle. Both the green rectangle and the newly formed rectangle have the Phi ratio.

THE GOLDEN SPIRAL

Golden Spirals are formed by nesting Golden Rectangles and then connecting an arc through the corners of the resulting squares.
Seen Here, here,here, andhere.
Rotation of plant leaves on a stalk follow the Phi ratio insuring that the same position is not used twice, affording optimal exposure of underlying leaves to sunlight. Spiral seashells expand at the Phi ratio, insuring that the partitions never align, providing optimal structural strength. The massive blocks used in building the lower levels of the Great Pyramid were overlapped by the Phi ratio to optimize stability. The petals of many flowers are related to the diameter of the pod by Phi. Spiral formations such as sunflower pods, pine cones, lettuce heads, and galaxies correspond with radius vectors generated by nested Golden Rectangles.

The pentagram has been found to contain over 200 Phi ratios.

THE FIBONACCI SEQUENCE

The "Fibonacci sequence" is closely related to the Golden Mean. An example of a Fibonacci sequence is 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,... where each term after the second one is the sum of the two preceding terms. The ratio of each term to the previous one gradually converges to a limit of approximately 1.618, or F. When graphed, Fibonacci curves start out rough and angular, but soon smooth out into Golden Spirals, or as near to them as is perceptible.
Paired Golden Spirals produce this galactic form.

In his famous drawing, Leonardo daVinci (1452-1519) demonstrates that the length of a man's arm has a Golden Ratio to his entire arm-span.

Tipharet is the Golden Mean, the point of balance. It connects macro to micro, through the Golden Spiral. The Fibonacci Sequence is the human soul, beginning rough, but developing into and converging with the Golden Spiral of nature.

The soul triad is composed of the primary colors.

Tipharet, forming a triad with Chesed and Gevurah, balances the three forces: Severity (Gevurah), Mercy (Chesed), and Tipharet (Beauty). The three spheres form the triad of soul.

Potentials of Tipharet: Development of beauty, harmony, balance; centered consciousness, bringing soul into the life. Reaching balance between spiritual and physical forces. It is unlimited devotion, healing, freedom, meditation, realization, rebirth, redemption, spiritual ecstasy, transcendance, wholeness.

The fragrance ascribed to Tipharet is Frankincense (Olibanum). It is associated with Apollo, Christ, Mithras, Krishna, Osiris, and Buddha, all avatars who experienced a transformation of some sort..

Commandment: Do not commit Murder.

__________________

Netzach -
The Seventh Path
Victory / Endurance / Eternity / Prophecy

Netzach's planet is Venus.

Netzach is the the realm of feeling, of sentiment, and even sentimentality. It also means clarity, brightness, sincerity, and truth. It is the home of creative imagination. On the same level as Hod, it is a place where we choose to move up or down. How we handle our emotions is how we determine if we will evolve or devolve.

Netzach, forming a triad with Malchut and Hod, balances three forces: The Body (Malchut), Thinking (Hod), and Netzach (Feeling). The three spheres surrounding Yesod are the 'here and now' of life - and Yesod is the past we carry with us - the subconscious - memories and conditioning.

Balance, always a core concept in Qabala, manifests itself in the personality triad as a synthesis of our thinking, feeling and sensing functions.

Netzach represents the outgoing quality of the ego, expressed by those who desire to change the world forever by their presence.

The perfect balance of nature is an expression of Netzach; the complex interplay of myriad organisms successfully coexisting for millennia, each filling a niche, all complementing each other perfectly, each mind-boggling in it's own complexity and beauty.

Netzach and Hod are often not what they seem. These "tactical" Sephirot have no purpose inherent in themselves, but rather as a means for something else. The Tactical Sephirot process the impulses coming from above, taking from the opposite side. Netzach modulates Gevurah, and Hod modulates Chesed. Netzach is the Victory resulting from Strength (Gevurah); Hod is awe in the face of hidden spirituality or power (Chesed) (See Tree/Helix).

Netzach is associated with Moses - the man who talked with God. His high madrega (level) of purity and devotion made him able to withstand the burning light of the Creator - and to communicate with the Eternal One. When the Shechina, the Holy Light (the feminine aspect of God), descended onto Mount Sinai, the Eternal touched the Now; the people saw the Shofar (Ram's Horn) blasts, and heard the flames. The mixing of seeing and hearing points to deeper communication.

Our seeing can be controlled; we can shut our eyes, avert them, or focus them for close inspection. But we hear sounds whether we want to or not. The seeing/hearing at Sinai is a reflection of Moses' ability to focus hearing - to listen carefully, a trait everyone could seek to develop.

Potentials of Netzach: True communication; focused listening, victory of the Divine. Exploring the mysteries of loving sexuality and Venusian energies, of developing artistic and creative talents, of creating harmony around us, of making communication palatable. Sepher Netzach is affection, animation, beauty, charm, culture, glamour, style, romance, inspiration.

Netzach represents the desires of the ego, and without Hod (Reverberation) can be overly self indulgent. Optimized Netzach manifests as positive impulses to succeed or to make personal contributions to Tikkun Olam (Healing the World).

The Personality Triad is comprised of the Secondary colors.


The Personality Triad is rooted in Malchus, comprised of the Tertiary colors.

The fragrances ascribed to Netzach are Benjamin, Rose, and Sandalwood. It is associated with Artemis, the Amazon, as well as Venus.

Commandment: Do not commit adultery.

_____________________

Hod -
The Eigth Path
Splendor / Glory / Awe / Communication / Responsibility

Hod's planet is Mercury.

Hod is the realm of thought, of communication, of reason, and of truthfulness. On the same level as Netzach, it is a place where we choose to move up or down. How we handle our thoughts is how we determine if we will evolve or devolve.

HOD, or "Splendor," is the next sphere up from YESOD; It is where repressed energies are channeled up from the subconscious, coming from MALCHUT. HOD is cool, and rational. HOD organises the raw cthonic material received from YESOD, "digesting" it, then sends it to NETZACH.



The Personality Triad consists of the Secondary colors.



Netzach and Hod are often not what they seem. These "tactical" Sephirot have no purpose inherent in themselves, but rather as a means for something else. The Tactical Sephirot process the impulses coming from above, taking from the opposite side. Netzach modulates Gevurah, and Hod modulates Chesed. Netzach is the Victory resulting from Strength (Gevurah); Hod is awe in the face of hidden spirituality or power (Chesed) (See Tree/Helix).

Balance, always a core concept in Qabala, manifests itself in the personality triad as a synthesis of our thinking, feeling and sensing functions.

Potentials of Hod: Developing the mind, education, language ability, teaching, writing, math, organization, information technology. It is experimentation, concentration, visualization, dexterity, inventiveness, humor, observational ability, and skill.

Hod, forming a triad with Malchut and Netzach, balances three forces: The Body (Malchut), Thinking (Hod), and Netzach (Feeling). The three spheres surrounding Yesod are the 'here and now' of life - and Yesod is the past we carry with us - the subconscious - memories and conditioning. The Personality Triad is rooted in Malchus, comprised of the Tertiary colors.

The fragrances ascribed to Hod are Amber, Spikenard, and Storax.

Commandment: Do not steal.

_________________________

Yesod -
The Ninth Path

Foundation / Sexuality / Truth-Speaking

Sephir Yesod's planet (body) is the Moon.

Yesod, centered between Malchut, Hod, and Netzach, balances three forces: The Body (Malchut), Thinking (Hod), and Netzach (Feeling). The three spheres surrounding Yesod are the 'here and now' of life - and Yesod is the past we carry with us - the subconscious - memories and conditioning. Sepher Yesod is contact with our dreams, knowing the hidden parts of ourselves. It helps overcome habits, and enables re-creation of self image. It is the regenerative chakra. Invoke Yesod to enhance the assimilation of prana.

Yesod is the domain of the Buddhist Samsara, our own personal illusion, our continuous cycle of re-affirmation of existence. Samsara means, literally: "continual circle," or "whirlpool."

There are six realms, or skandhas of Samsara - all attempts to shield ourselves from the truth of our insubstantiality:

Realm of the gods - spiritual materialism, spirituality as fashion.

Realm of the jealous gods - paranoia, mixed with egotism. This mentality tries to achieve everything at once, defending every front. False spontaneity, preoccupation with comparison, social climbing, distrust.

Realm of humans - Passion, sense of loss associated with the object of desire, nostalgia, obsession with personal style, heroism, expansion of learning.

Realm of animals - plodding stupidity, playing deaf and dumb, following the rules rather than redefining them, closed minded fundamentalism, stubborn clumsiness, humorlessness, ignoring advice.

Realm of hungry ghosts - poverty mentality, no matter how rich you are. Constant need to consume, and to be entertained. Continuous satisfaction of desires leads to boredom, and the paradox of "hunger for hunger."

Realm of hell - aggression and hatred. A world of ugliness, a prison, or war zone. There is always an adversary, games being played, one-upmanship, loneliness in a crowd. Revenge fantasies and grudge nursing.
Samsara is our need for credentials, to prove we exist.

Samsara is the Jiva's (Tipharet) way of separating desire, of pulling away from Brahman. Our bondage to Samsara is based in our samskaras, associated with The World, and Malchut.

Yesod concentrates all the higher powers and influences.

Balance, always a core concept in Qabala, manifests itself in the personality triad as a synthesis of our thinking, feeling and sensing functions.

YESOD, or "Foundation," is the next sphere up from MALCHUT (the beginning of personality); It is where repressed energies are channeled up into the next appropriate sephirot, either HOD (thoughts) or NETZACH (feelings). TIPHARET is the personality's first foray into the realm of Soul.

Potentials of YESOD: Discovering the mysteries of the astral levels, working with dreams; sensing the underlying clockwork in the universe, connecting with the divine plan. It is fantasy, impressionability, instinct, memory, mystery, purification, rejuvenation, seductiveness, and transformation.

The Personality Triad is comprised of the Secondary colors.


The Personality Triad is rooted in Malchus, comprised of the Tertiary colors.

The fragrance ascribed to Yesod is Jasmine, and it is associated with Isis.

Commandment: Do not bear false witness about your neighbor.

___________________

Malchut -
The Tenth Path
Sepher Malchus' planet is Earth.

Malchut (or Malchus) is the Earthly Dominion, while Keter is the Eternal Dominion. Within each is the seed of the other.

The End is Embedded in the Beginning
Zohar

Sepher Malchut is also called "Kingdom," and is the realm of the earth, of the body, and immediate physical sensations. Malchut is before thought. It is in the "Assiah" world, the precinct of human embodiment. (MAL-koot or MAL-koos)

This is the realm of the Thinking Function, a Jungian Concept.

Qabalistic meditation and pathwork should always be firmly grounded in Malchut. Floating free in the upper realms with no grip on terra firma is to be dis-embodied. Invoke Malkut regularly, giving thanks for your opportunity to have a body.

MALCHUT - the beginning of personality; the physical body. YESOD, or "Foundation" the next sphere up, is the realm of the sub-conscious. It is where repressed energies are channeled up into the next appropriate sephirot, either HOD (thoughts) or NETZACH (feelings). TIPHARET is the personality's first foray into the realm of Soul.

Potentials of Malchut: Discovering the mystery of the physical world, learning discrimination, patience, physical healing and vitality, overcoming sloth, taking care of the body.

This is the beginning, where the soul is united with source. This is the beginning of separating desire, the urge to individuate. The realm of separating desire is among the middle sephirot, with desire for source bringing reunion in KETER.

Malchut is formed from the Hebrew letters Mem, Lamed, and Kaph.

Mem is water - "maim" is water in Hebrew, as "Eym" is mother, and "yam" is ocean. These are the "mother waters," the waters of birth, and point to the maternal aspect of the creator, showing Source as the "womb of creation." The depths of the ocean remain calm, while the surface can rage in storm. Mem is 40, which is also the gematria for the word "cHalav," in Hebrew, which means "milk."

Lamed is the "camel whip," the discipline of learning. "Lmd" is the root for both learn and teach in Hebrew, it is a letter of guidance. The letter lamed is a crooked letter - a winding path. Lamed is the guide along the not-straight path.

Kaph is the cupped hand, ready to recieve the water-source of creativity, channeled and guided to the hand/vessel that is open to recieve and give.

Malchut takes us from source through channel to ourselves as receivers and givers. "Mem, Lamed, Kaph," is also the root of Melekh, the word for "King." Malchut is the connection point between our world and the world of the Eternal One, providing a link to the infinite. This conduit is the interface, the threshold, between our humble selves and the Divine Shekinah. When we open ourselves to the higher force, and invite the Creator to come down to our world, Malchus is the "throne" in our hearts. Through meditation and prayer we draw the Divine energy into our kaph, our soul vessel. When we "become the throne," our ego is dissolved by the presence of the Creator Before Time. We release our judgements and are filled with divine radiance. We exchange self-satisfied cleverness for a taste of true wisdom.
Beriekh Shemei, and K'Gavna (Sefard), two prayers from the Zohar that are in the daily and Shabbat services of the Jewish prayer liturgy, both address the deity in the feminine, speaking of how "She nourishes all," and "She who rules over all earthly kings." Malchut is an androgynous force, transcending gender, embodying aspects of all archetypes.

Malchut is also the realm of "machshava" or personal thought processes. Being "sovereign" or "king" of our own thoughts is one of the keys to personal/spiritual development.

Malchut is the Persona, an idea concieved of by Carl Jung.

JUNGIAN CONCEPTS

Three Basic Threads of Jungian Thought:

1. Personal unconscious is supplemented by a "collective unconscious" consisting of universal images.

2. Spiritual needs are at least equally, if not more important, than basic biological needs ("search for meaning").

3. Introverts try to harmonize inner conflicts into a whole self. Extroverts try to harmonize self with social realities.

"Life, so-called, is a short episode between two great mysteries, which yet are one."
Carl Jung 1875-1961

Functions of thought: How the person deals with information from the world:

1. Thinking: Tells what a thing is, gives names, categories to things (true, false), defines alternatives, and reasons objectively. Air Signs.

2. Feeling: Is basically evaluative; tells whether something is good/bad; acceptable/unacceptable; like/dislike. Do not confuse with emotion. Essential notion: Is the object of value? Water Signs.

3. Sensing: Tells you what exists; detects the presence of things. Does not evaluate. Is interested in facts and objects in the objective world; focus is on the trees. Earth Signs.

4. Intuition: Uses hunches, sees possibilities, sees around corners and goes beyond the facts; sees the forest and the trees. Fire Signs.

The four functions are grouped together as two opposing pairs. Thinking and feeling are called "Rational Functions," because they make judgements and evaluations - use reason and logic - in the evaluation of the external world. Sensing and Intuition are called "Irrational Functions," because they seem to go beyond reason and logic and represent a direct linkage to the external world.

"To the psychotherapist, an old man who cannot bid farewell to life appears as feeble and sickly as the young man who is afraid to embrace it."
Carl Jung 1875-1961

More Ideas About Projection

Projection is a difficult concept to grasp, more so for people with conjunctions among the personal planets. (Space between planets gives better perspective. More about 'aspects' coming soon.) The difficulty is in defining the boundary between self and other, seeing where we end and other begins. Much of what we experience is filtered through our own personal history and makeup, and this often manifests as projection.

Projection is misinterpretation - it is mis-reading reality in deference to our assumptions and mis-conceptions. What you judge or condemn (do not accept) within your own being, you tend to submerge and store into the shadows of your subconscious body-mind-energy field. This dark area within is called the "shadow self." Human nature is to "project" that shadow self onto those around you ("Judge not less you be judged"..."beware the mote in thine own eye"). Another example of projection is when a person longs for something subconsciously, but because of social restrictions must reject the same exact thing on the conscious level, when "others are watching." The mind "projects" the negative thoughts onto others, deflecting the responsibility, accusing others of the crime the person so badly wants to commit themselves.

Projection of the shadow self is one of the most insidious saboteurs of healthy and loving relationships. The darkness you see in those around you may really not be in them, but the shadow self within that you are projecting. The more you deny your Shadow, the more it will manifest itself and attract what you will interpret as disruption or pain.

Once an angry man dragged his father along the ground through his own orchard. "Stop!" cried the groaning old man at last, "Stop! I did not drag my father beyond this tree."

It is hard living down the tempers we are born with. We all begin well, for in our youth there is nothing we are more intolerant of than our own sins writ large in others and we fight them fiercely in ourselves; but we grow old and we see that these our sins are of all sins the really harmless ones to own, nay that they give a charm to any character, and so our struggle with them dies away."

from "The Making of Americans" by Gertrude Stein, 1925


Some symptoms of projection:
Difficult people, situations, themes, or scenarios that keep repeating themselves.
Blaming everyone or someone else for your problems.
Scapegoating a person or people as the cause of society's problems.
Feuds between people, starting them, perpetuating them.
Destructive obsessions.

It's important to remember that problems in others are not always a result of our projections. Some people really are what they appear to us to be. In any case, its useful to stay alert to the possiblity that the "irritant" might be coming from within.

Working with the Shadow and Projections is complicated. The quickest route to the core of the Shadow is through dreams and dreamwork.

A Word of Caution: Be careful with the shadow. Encounters with your own dark side can be dangerous if you are not adequately prepared with a firm sense of self. Suppressed pain and rage being newly exposed to the light of consciousness is rarely pretty, or easy.

The Personality Triad is rooted in Malchus, comprised of the Tertiary colors.

The scents ascribed to Sephir Malchut are Patchouli, Poppy, and Dittany of Crete. Mythically, Malchus is Demeter and Persephone.

Commandment: Do not covet what is not yours.

Only Source - This site

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and so what does all this mean you ask?

Well to put it simply: It means that all of life as we know it is connected by some basic rules and foundations and that life after death is split into four types: Reincarnation for the unsatisfied, Eden for the Unkowleged, Hell for the decrepid, Heaven for the learned. The only problem is that Hell is also considered for the ones with Knowledge so heaven is more of those who are learned in the ways of the universe and have mutual understanding of all things, though I don't want to start any argunments, you can't argue with the Qubala... IT shoudl also be noted that the Ten commandments arent regarded as laws but as peices which hold life together and without them you have chaos though you can have some missing peices and as long as one path is available to travel it is possible to live life well and receive a proper after-life.

[ 01-08-2003, 01:05 AM: Message edited by: /)eathKiller ]

[Epona]

(((((Wendy)))))

I am so sorry to hear about your ex co-worker, and really hope she pulls through. My thoughts are with her and her family and friends.

As you know I don't share your beliefs, but will always respect them - and I sincerely hope that your faith can bring you some comfort.

Death is always a difficult subject. Alas in my 31 years I have attended more funerals than weddings - all my grandparents, all my great-aunts and uncles, my uncle, and two really good mates. It never gets any easier to accept.

My view on life and death is close to the Epicurean (Ethical Hedonist) philosophy. We are here, there is no rhyme or reason, no grand plan, no creator, we just are. Live each day as if it were going to be your last (but of course always considering the consequences of your actions to others, that's why it's 'Ethical'). Have as full and rich a life as possible. This can mean different things to different people - to be loved by family and friends, to see the world, to build a good career, to go play in the snow. And to try to draw something positive from negative situations, seems difficult, sometimes impossible. But gaining something positive doesn't have to be in material terms - it can mean a change of outlook, coming to terms with something you hadn't previously accepted, that sort of thing.

I came to this viewpoint after my uncle died in 2001. We never even knew he was ill - he had an undiagnosed hole in the heart, it was astounding that he made it through childhood, let alone to his mid 50s. We didn't know he was ill, he didn't want to worry us, thought he would come through surgery. When they operated they discovered 2 holes, which they weren't able to correct although they did try over several days of surgery. I and my mother sat with him and held his hand when they turned off the life support.

It was a life-changing moment for me, and I think for all the family. My brother, who hadn't spoken to me for 8 years following a row, patched things up between us. My mum told me she was proud of me, told me I was a strong person, apologised to me for various things that had gone wrong between us years before. Both of those things meant a lot to me.

At that point, I also realised that death could and would happen. I had always been terrified of the prospect, to the point of it keeping me awake at night, but I suddenly was able to accept it. That doesn't mean I would be happy to die today, or until I'm old, but that I realise its inevitability and more importantly realise that worrying about the unknown wouldn't make the blindest bit of difference! And I started to live, free of fear. When it happens, it happens. And I live my life without dwelling on that, with the aim of doing today what could so easily be put off until tomorrow. To experience life. To take pleasure in simple things - my parrot screaming with joy every morning, the beauty of the snow falling outside my window, enjoying the company of friends, seeing the stars in the sky at night, savouring my cup of tea. If I make a mistake, to realise where I went wrong so I don't do it again, but never, ever, to have long-lasting regret, or to dwell on 'what-ifs'.

Sorry for the long post and slightly morbid content. I wanted to share how the death of someone close changed me for the better. That's not to say I don't miss my uncle, of course I do.

Wendy, I know you are a very strong woman. You will get through this, whatever your doubts and worries about death may be, I am certain of that. Your strength and your faith will help you get through. Big big hugs. And remember that we love you, and are here for you.

PS: To /)eathkiller - wow, long post, but very interesting. I like your belief in the interconnectedness (if that's a real word!) of everything. Thank you for sharing.

[Ronn_Bman]

Sorry to hear about your friend, I know from hearing you talk about her previously that you really like her and this must be tough.

I wish her the best!

My thoughts about an afterlife? My beliefs are very similar to yours. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Cloudbringer]

Wendy, I know how hard it is to see someone you know and care about be ill to the point of dying. I know it only too well Your belief in God and the life hereafter is a strong one and I know it has always brought me a good deal of comfort, as I share that belief. I find that prayer can really help at times like these.

One thing that is so hard for me, and, I think, for many people is remembering that it will be a better place for our loved one and what we feel is our personal grief at the loss. The idea that we won't ever see them again in this lifetime is a rough one to handle sometimes. I always try to tell myself that for my loved one, it's so much better and it would be selfish to wish them back with me no matter how much I miss them. I can't say that always works to make me feel better, but some days it does help. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Grief is such a personal thing. I know it's a little different for each of us, but I think we all feel a sense of helplessness when someone we care about has died. I hope your coworker is ok. God Bless you for caring.

Laura, I just wanted to say that your post about your uncle was very touching. HUGS to you for sharing it.

[ 01-08-2003, 07:29 AM: Message edited by: Cloudbringer ]

[johnny]

Sorry to hear about your friend. Don't think about death too much, life's too short for that. I know everyone thinks about it at some point in their lifes, but don't give it TOO much thought, it only makes you sad. Being an atheist, i don't believe we're going to a better place after we passed away. It's just over, you're gone, history, only remembered by those who cared, and eventually completely forgotten. I have peace with that though, there's nothing i can do to change it anyway, but if you believe differently, that's only good for you.