AltNeu Qabalah - Basics of Traditional Kabbalah for Tarot & Hermetics

[Flegetanis]

I see that there are people here who may be very receptive to this. At the outset, I would like to avoid "doctrinal" arguments with Golden Dawn or A.'.A.'. purists. You guys are well represented! 🤓  As Lon DuQuette once said, in this exact context, "grownups can have chocolate and vanilla!" I would just like the opportunity to share some things I've worked out over the years.

 

About myself, briefly: I got into Tarot, Runes, & Wicca long before I got into traditional Judaism. It was indeed the Tarot that led me to Qabalah. I was just fortunate to have an opportunity to learn Qabalah from the original Rabbinical sources. As I've told many people, going to Rabbinical school did a lot to reinforce my Paganism, without any resentments or acrimony to my family religion. I've accumulated a few other Initiations along the way, and nothing I've learned has contradicted any of what I've worked out. It all fits all the more cohesively.

 

And with that, here's an excellent illustration of something that may be familiar yet new at the same time:

Edited February 23, 2024 by Flegetanis

[Flegetanis]

Specifically in regards to Tarot symbolism & interpretation, there are two main points of divergence between the Hermetic and Hebrew interpretations of the 32 Paths of the Tree of Life. One is the attributions of the various correspondences of the Tetragrammaton - יהוה  - to the 10 sefirot. The other is the placement of the Hebrew letters on the lines connecting the sefirot. 

The coherence of the various elements (no pun intended) of the Holy Name is something I call the "Tetragrammaton Formula" as, once learned, when you look at one set of correspondences it necessarily reinforces all the others.

 

If you want to skip ahead & not wait for me to write all these posts, you can just read this. I wrote it a long time ago, and it's been floating around the internet for over 25 years, now.

 

The_Tetragrammaton_Formula.pdf

[Nemia]

Thank you, I didn't know the text. A good and lucid summary, very interesting. It's only the tip of the iceberg of a rich tradition. I'm sure you could go much deeper. 

[Flegetanis]

5 hours ago, Nemia said:

Thank you, I didn't know the text. A good and lucid summary, very interesting. It's only the tip of the iceberg of a rich tradition. I'm sure you could go much deeper. 

 

Yes, I intend to. That was written as the first chapter of a prospective book I never finished. It was the basis upon which everything else was to be built. I hope to fulfill some of that, here.

[Misterei]

Interesting that everyone agrees Michael is South. But after that, all bets are off.

What messes with my head is that in Freemasonry, South is water and West is fire. They have a bunch of stuff from Judaism too [King Solomon's temple].

Makes me wonder, does Jewish kabbala associate directions with elements? If so, how?

Edited February 24, 2024 by Misterei

[Flegetanis]

21 hours ago, Misterei said:

Interesting that everyone agrees Michael is South. But after that, all bets are off.

What messes with my head is that in Freemasonry, South is water and West is fire. They have a bunch of stuff from Judaism too [King Solomon's temple].

Makes me wonder, does Jewish kabbala associate directions with elements? If so, how?

 

What's your source for the Masonic associations? I'm not familiar with them.

 

The interesting thing is that I did a bit of selective editing there, as the Bahir (11) also says

This teaches us that Michael, the prince to God's right, is water and hail, while Gabriel, the 
prince to God's left, is fire. The two are reconciled by the Prince of Peace. This is the 
meaning of the verse, "He makes peace in His high places." 

[Flegetanis]

There are many ways of imagining, or portraying, the ten sefirot. While the Tree(s) of Life are by far the most well known - and, ultimately, the most practical for Tarot purposes - there are other models and metaphors that are important. A series of concentric circles is a famous one ("wheels within wheels"). This is doubly useful because it works both from the center moving outwards and from the outside in. This also has parallels with the geocentric model of Plato.

 

Another is the concept of Ispqlaria, which describes the sefirot as a series of lens, filters, prisms, &/or mirrors, that affect how we perceive Divine Light, without inherently changing the Light itself. A beautiful summary of this is the cover of the Pink Floyd album The Dark Side of the Moon. The Darkness is Keter, from which extends a line of Light (Chokhmah, pure information). The prism is Binah, which is discernment of specific qualities within the Light, which then literally manifest as the visible spectrum, which definitely has parallels with the seven lower sefirot. This is an oversimplification, of course, but the imagery fits to convey the general idea.

 

Finally, there is the Shalshelet, or Chain. This is a seemingly linear sequence of the sefirot, wherein they are all inherently woven together, each one with the next, as well as the one before. They are not quite linear, however. This is just for the ease of the human mind in comprehension. Sefer Yetzirah says of the sefirot that "their end is embedded in their beginning, and their beginning is embedded to the end, like a flame to a burning coal." Part of the explanation of that is the idea that, when the Creator has an thought, it is necessarily fully formed and immediately manifest just by virtue of the powers of the Creator. So the first sefira to manifest out of אין is necessarily Malchut - from Nothing immediately comes All. But in order to exist, Malkhut pulls all the other sefirot into manifestation as that series of lens and filters which allow for personal consciousness - אני - to exist. Thus all 10 sefirot must come into being simultaneously, but are viewed as a linear process for the ease of out own limited perceptions. 

 

None of these models contradicts another. They all work. Ultimately, that simultaneous, chain-linked sequence was fleshed out into the Tree of Life diagrams. 

[Misterei]

11 hours ago, Flegetanis said:

 

What's your source for the Masonic associations? I'm not familiar with them.

 

The interesting thing is that I did a bit of selective editing there, as the Bahir (11) also says

This teaches us that Michael, the prince to God's right, is water and hail, while Gabriel, the 
prince to God's left, is fire. 

Interesting that this associates Michael [south?] with water and Gabriel [north?] with fire??? hmmm.

 

I belonged to a mixed Freemason lodge for many years [yes female and mixed lodges do exist]. To that system, south = water and west = fire.

But the FM system doesnt correspond with archangels. It's purely direction + element [at least as far as I know]. Anyway, coming from an astrology / tarot background where south = fire and west = water ... working certain FM rituals always messed with my head a bit.

 

I get the feeling associating archangels with directions and elements is inconsistant and possibly artificially imposed on kabbalah? I wonder what [if any] the Islamic associations would be since they have the same archangels ... ?

 

from wilikpedia:

(Arabic: ميكائيل)(English: Michael),[116] the archangel of mercy, is often depicted as providing nourishment for bodies and souls while also being responsible for bringing rain and thunder to Earth.[117] Some scholars have pointed out that Mikail is in charge of angels who carry the laws of nature.[118]

 

this michael is water but we don't know if he's south [???] He also seems quite different from Michael as the fiery warrior protector angel.

Edited February 26, 2024 by Misterei

[Flegetanis]

17 hours ago, Misterei said:

I belonged to a mixed Freemason lodge for many years [yes female and mixed lodges do exist]. To that system, south = water and west = fire.

But the FM system doesnt correspond with archangels. It's purely direction + element [at least as far as I know]. Anyway, coming from an astrology / tarot background where south = fire and west = water ... working certain FM rituals always messed with my head a bit.

 

I get the feeling associating archangels with directions and elements is inconsistant and possibly artificially imposed on kabbalah? I wonder what [if any] the Islamic associations would be since they have the same archangels ... ?

 

from wilikpedia:

(Arabic: ميكائيل)(English: Michael),[116] the archangel of mercy, is often depicted as providing nourishment for bodies and souls while also being responsible for bringing rain and thunder to Earth.[117] Some scholars have pointed out that Mikail is in charge of angels who carry the laws of nature.[118]

 

this michael is water but we don't know if he's south [???] He also seems quite different from Michael as the fiery warrior protector angel.

 

IS that Le Droit Humain? I'd love to see that ritual.  I thought it might be - and it still very well may be - from one of the old "Scottish" degrees, or Martinism, perhaps. I'm pretty much limited to the American Webb ritual.

 

As for the diverse range of angelic correspondences, I highly recommend reading the ("First" or "Ethiopic") Book of Enoch. "Panuel" is a name in the East that replaces "Uriel" in some chapters, Quite simply, a lot of the best Qabalistic sources are just not consistent with each other on a lot of things, especially angels, their names, and their attributes. One way to think about it is like the Keruvim in Ezekiel; always spinning & revolving. [Also, some inconsistencies are deliberate, to be corrected by the learned student; others are often just the personal quirks & traditions of the individual writer.] But I will say that the Jewish sources are surprisingly consistent on the placement of these four angels. Between the original prayer in my first image here, and such sources as the Book(s) of Enoch, Jubilees, Pirkei D'Rebbe Eliezer, as well as the Bahir; all these angels in their respective quarters are the same.

Edited February 26, 2024 by Flegetanis
finished sentence

[Misterei]

7 hours ago, Flegetanis said:

IS that Le Droit Humain? ...

... Between the original prayer in my first image here, and such sources as the Book(s) of Enoch, Jubilees, Pirkei D'Rebbe Eliezer, as well as the Bahir; all these angels in their respective quarters are the same.

Yes. I was in LDH. So that's my source. It's based on a Scottish Rite although some use a French rite. I can't say any more than my Lodge used the Scots version not the French.

 

OK ... did i miss something? Other than Michael being south and water [???] how are your above sources consistent? What are the other directions + elements +angels?  Reading the thread so far it seems all over the place ...???

[Flegetanis]

12 hours ago, Misterei said:

Yes. I was in LDH. So that's my source. It's based on a Scottish Rite although some use a French rite. I can't say any more than my Lodge used the Scots version not the French.

 

OK ... did i miss something? Other than Michael being south and water [???] how are your above sources consistent? What are the other directions + elements +angels?  Reading the thread so far it seems all over the place ...???

 

I guess I'm not recognized by LDH. 🤪

Most of the "Scottish" degrees are French ("Ecossais"). Ironically, I'm told that a significant part of the American "York" Rite is of Scots origin.

 

These sources: "the Book(s) of Enoch, Jubilees, Pirkei D'Rebbe Eliezer, as well as the Bahir;" all agree on Michael to the South & Right, Gabriel to the North & Left, Raphael behind & to the West, and Uriel, Panuel, or Urpaniel (i.e., both combined), forwards in the East. The East is the Dawn ("AVR") and the Face of God ("PN*AL").

 

Edited February 27, 2024 by Flegetanis
Masonic stuff

[Misterei]

11 hours ago, Flegetanis said:

... all agree on Michael to the South & Right, Gabriel to the North & Left, Raphael behind & to the West, and Uriel, Panuel, or Urpaniel (i.e., both combined), forwards in the East. The East is the Dawn ("AVR") and the Face of God ("PN*AL").

Thanks for clarifiying that!

[Flegetanis]

Concerning the Tree of Life and the Tetragrammaton Formula, it's important to understand that the Primary correspondence is represented by how the Four Letters of the Name are attributed to the 10 sefirot. All correspondences of the Tetragrammation - the Four Worlds, the Four levels of the Soul, the Partzufim, and the Court Cards of the Minor Arcana - correspond to the sefirot according to this illustration:

[Flegetanis]

It is important to know that the fundamental idea represented - in detail - by the Tree of Life diagram can be summed up in it's entirety in the Supernal Triad: Transmitter- Signal-Receiver. The signal issuing from it's source is the letter Yod, and the Receiver is the letter Heh. 

In the overall scheme of the Tree of Life, however, the Supernal Triad as a whole (often referred to as "Da'at") can be considered the Transmitter, the two reflecting triangles are the signal, and Malkhut, the Bride, the Sabbath, is the Receiver.

 

 

The Supernal Triad are Source (AIN - אין - "Nothing" in Hebrew, as God is "No Thing"), Father (Yod/Yang) & Mother (Heh/Yin); these are Keter/Crown, Chokhmah/Wisdom, & Binah/Understanding. The word "Da'at" is Knowledge. If you're familiar with the expression to "know someone, Biblically," it is indeed a form of the Hebrew word "da'at" being translated. When the Father and Mother have "Knowledge" of one another, it is that fertilization which gives birth to the lower sefirot. [Thus, Binah is called "Beersheba", or rather "Be'er Sheva"; the "Fountain of Seven."]

Edited March 3, 2024 by Flegetanis
grammar, punctuation

[Scandinavianhermit]

On 2/24/2024 at 7:51 PM, Misterei said:

What messes with my head is that in Freemasonry, South is water and West is fire.

After looking into alive and defunct degrees from more than one source, you will find, that correspondences of the compass points are all over the place. I guess LDH "standardised" its choice of correspondences. Over time, some things were edited out of degrees in "mainstream" freemasonry. The most extensive collection of defunct degrees and earlier versions of surviving degrees is available in 18th century German. 

 

On 2/26/2024 at 5:15 AM, Misterei said:

I belonged to a mixed Freemason lodge for many years [yes female and mixed lodges do exist].

I'm well aware of that. At least in UK and Belgium there are also lodges with an exclusively female membership. I wish all of them will help their members become virtuous, and that all of them will assist their neighbours in need.  I've read, that UGLE handle the situation politely today. People from UGLE, LDH and female lodges are able to meet each other on matters pertaining to philanthropy and historical research outside of lodge, but all of them stick to the rules about not visiting each others lodges. 

 

On 2/27/2024 at 6:33 PM, Flegetanis said:

Most of the "Scottish" degrees are French ("Ecossais"). Ironically, I'm told that a significant part of the American "York" Rite is of Scots origin.

Yes, it turns out that seemingly geographical terms aren't geographical at all, because the 18th century French deemed everything Scottish to be exotic and desirable, and used it as a "selling point", as it were. Additionally, some of the Ecossais degrees came from the Rhineland and Switzerland. 

 

Also, don't underestimate the Irish influence on the American "York" rite. Laurence Dermott moved from Dublin to London in 1748, three years before he founded the Ancient Grand Lodge of England, which had some impact on the American colonies. 

 

[Scandinavianhermit]

56 minutes ago, Flegetanis said:

 

It is fascinating to see Wicca meet Judaism, and I look forward to read more. 

 

I shouldn't be surprised. In my homespun version of solitary Druidry, Druidry meets the Lutheran Paracelsian mystic Jakob Böhme (Bœhme/Behmen) and the Christian Kabbalah of Franciscus Mercurius van Helmont. 

[Flegetanis]

18 minutes ago, Scandinavianhermit said:

After looking into alive and defunct degrees from more than one source, you will find, that correspondences of the compass points are all over the place. I guess LDH "standardised" its choice of correspondences. Over time, some things were edited out of degrees in "mainstream" freemasonry. The most extensive collection of defunct degrees and earlier versions of surviving degrees is available in 18th century German. 

 

I'm well aware of that. At least in UK and Belgium there are also lodges with an exclusively female membership. I wish all of them will help their members become virtuous, and that all of them will assist their neighbours in need.  I've read, that UGLE handle the situation politely today. People from UGLE, LDH and female lodges are able to meet each other on matters pertaining to philanthropy and historical research outside of lodge, but all of them stick to the rules about not visiting each others lodges. 

 

Yes, it turns out that seemingly geographical terms aren't geographical at all, because the 18th century French deemed everything Scottish to be exotic and desirable, and used it as a "selling point", as it were. Additionally, some of the Ecossais degrees came from the Rhineland and Switzerland. 

 

Also, don't underestimate the Irish influence on the American "York" rite. Laurence Dermott moved from Dublin to London in 1748, three years before he founded the Ancient Grand Lodge of England, which had some impact on the American colonies. 

 

 

I was hoping you'd respond to this. As for Dermott, I've got some funny stories about moving around in the US & encountering "Antient" vs. "Modern" ritual. The "Ancient" ritual is what's actually used in New York, although it's "F&AM", while in Missouri, Iowa, & Illinois are all "AF&AM," i.e., "Ancient." But the ritual does not reflect it. But, in NY, there's certain phrasing that leaves the 3rd Degree "open" and, more to the point, "unfinished," leaving the resolution to the Holy Royal Arch. My preference for the Scottish Rite is that it all takes place in Solomon's time; the original work is complete. My first time in the East was presiding over an AASR Lodge of Perfection, so I really loved how it was all closed & contained, even with it's own version of the Royal Arch.

Edited March 3, 2024 by Flegetanis

[Scandinavianhermit]

1 hour ago, Flegetanis said:

 

I was hoping you'd respond to this. As for Dermott, I've got some funny stories about moving around in the US & encountering "Antient" vs. "Modern" ritual. The "Ancient" ritual is what's actually used in New York, although it's "F&AM", while in Missouri, Iowa, & Illinois are all "AF&AM," i.e., "Ancient." But the ritual does not reflect it. 

US freemasonry didn't standardise its rituals (to some extent) until the convention in Baltimore 1844, but that doesn't mean full uniformity. Sometimes, the importance of Dermott and Webb (considerably earlier) has been exaggerated. Louisiana didn't become part of the US until 1803, and some local lodges are still allowed to use workings of French origin, or so I've read. It is difficult to evaluate correctness of written sources, while sitting on the other side of the Atlantic.

 

In England, things went differently. The Premier Grand Lodge and the Ancient Grand Lodge reconciled and united in 1813, but local lodges are free to use any Craft working of their choice, so there are countless of workings. "Emulation" and "Stability" are probably the most famous ones, but the "Oxford Ritual" (also popular in Wales) allegedly keep a higher linguistic standard. Oxford dons had felt uncomfortable with bad grammar and syntax until  the Oxford Ritual emerged. 

Edited March 3, 2024 by Scandinavianhermit

[Flegetanis]

22 minutes ago, Scandinavianhermit said:

It is fascinating to see Wicca meet Judaism, and I look forward to read more. 

 

I shouldn't be surprised. In my homespun version of solitary Druidry, Druidry meets the Lutheran Paracelsian mystic Jakob Böhme (Bœhme/Behmen) and the Christian Kabbalah of Franciscus Mercurius van Helmont. 

 

A lot of mine is just recognizing that Wicca get a lot of its "forms & ceremonies"  from Ceremonial Magick (& therefore, Qabalah) & just tweaking them a little bit. Also, the Jewish calendar closely parallels the Wiccan Wheel of the Year, so that normally Passover is the first Full Moon of Spring, and the Feast of Tabernacles is the first Full Moon of Autumn. The Rabbinical holidays are all on significant moon phases corresponding to the general symbolism of the season. Thus we have the Jewish New Year for Trees, which is generally the Full Moon closest to Imbolc, while the Sun is in Aquarius, & with a corresponding summer festival on the Full Moon of Av (usually around Lughnasadh, when the Sun is in Leo). Purim is generally the last Full Moon of Winter, and Hanukkah is always spread across the New Moon corresponding - in the Jewish calendar - to the Winter Solstice. Given the extraordinarily detailed accounts of pagan practices in the Talmud, it wasn't hard to fill in the blanks.

 

A great example is how the Talmud describes how Joseph, as Viceroy of the Pharoah, was deified in Egypt as holding scales in one hand, and a measuring stick in the other (to measure the height of the grain in the silo. It immediately struck me that this is the image of Libra, and the Tarot card Justice. That affected my ideas of Rosh HaShanah (Libra/Tishrei), the Scales of Maat, Harvest festivals, and the annual grim reality of apportioning the harvest to members of the community based on merit. Very primitive, but nevertheless profound for me regarding the symbolism of that time of year. 

[Flegetanis]

12 minutes ago, Scandinavianhermit said:

Oxford dons had felt uncomfortable with bad grammar and syntax until  the Oxford Ritual emerged. 

 

New York ritual was infamously written by lawyers.

[Deian]

Hi,
I haven't read most of the books mentioned here, so can just take it as a newbie point of view, at least as far as the literature aspects goes. But I was interested in parts of this some time ago, long story why, so made sense to mention how I have arranged it for my own self, may be helpful to someone else.

And there is the point of view that these arrangements are for creating a space. We set the "watch towers" and everything, but that is set up by us with the idea to fit into what is needed.

 

If one comes from background of The Five Arts for example, they can see the idea of the White Tiger on the right and West. We set Michael there, as in the Zohar Michael is viewed as leading qualities of "Mercy" and that is what one needs in there.

The archangel that is there initially, is not mentioned here, in my view because of that same reasons. Working with her is something that most of us are already doing. But when we create a space, we call Michael there, so instead of "learning" in that way, at least temporary we have "Mercy" there.

So that archangel there, then, is not Michael. That is the "cure". And if one is interested in what is there initially, she is called Yehira'el and is described wonderfully in the Zohar book 25 .

In the Zohar description of the direction seems to include always almost Malkut as West. And that also makes so much sense if we combine it all together.

 

What does Easterh Schools have to do with it... Well, we all look at the same processes. West is west, to fully understand it need all points of view.