These meditations on the Sefiroth are intended
to be taken in a logical sequence.
If you have not already done so,
please begin with Malkut.
Gevurah: Prepare yourself in the usual way.
We start this meditation in the Garden of Tifaret. It is a beautiful rose garden, suffused in shimmering pink and golden light and all the colours of the rainbow.
Place yourself in the garden, and take a little time to enjoy the warm glow and the beauty of the garden all around you.
As you relax, you become less and less aware of your physical body. Your body remains in the room where you left it, unharmed, awaiting your return, but your spirit is for the time being separated from it, and ready to go on a journey.
As you become less and less aware of your physical body, you become more and more aware of your lovely surroundings. The garden enfolds you in its peace, tranquillity, beauty and love.
Leading away from the circular bench on which you sit are no fewer than eight paths, each with its own distinctive colour. Behind you are three paths which you have trodden before: a deep indigo path leading to Hod; one of clear, bright blue leading to Yesod, the path of the arrow, the path of Keshet; and finally a deep turquoise path leading to Netzakh.
Meanwhile, in front of you, are five new paths, along which you have not yet ventured to tread. The beautiful sky blue way straight ahead of you is the most attractive, and represents the ongoing path of the flight of the arrow of Keshet; but the straight way is the most difficult way and you are scarcely ready for this path yet. The paths to either side of it, one of orange and one of red, are only a little less daunting.
But there remain two paths upon which you might venture forth at this time. Ahead and to your right, a clear, lime green path stands open, but it seems tortuous and you will not set foot on it without a guide.
However, ahead and to your to your left is a rich, bottle green path, and it is towards this path that you are drawn.
You step forward onto the path, and almost immediately find yourself drawn down, deep into the Earth itself. You find yourself at the heart of a great stone pyramid, in a huge pillared chamber with paintings upon the walls.
A man, with the head of a bird having a long, slender, curved beak stands here. This is Thoth, the writer of words and the measurer of truths, and it is here that the dead come to be judged. You are not dead yet, but you are privileged to view this spectacle of judgement and justice which will come to all of us in time.
A soul enters, newly departed from its human, physical, form. It offers up its heart to Thoth, who places it carefully in one pan of a weighing scales; in the other pan there is just a single feather. Of course, like most people who are too attached to their physical nature, the heart far outweighs the feather, and the soul is sent back the way it came to incarnate again.
Another soul enters, proud and confident. Its heart is much lighter than the feather; its heart is empty, therefore worthless, and it, too, is sent back to fulfil another cycle of incarnation.
Now it is your turn. Are you ready for this test? Will your heart exactly balance the feather of truth? But on this occasion you are not called upon to take the test; it is not yet your time to leave this life.
Instead, you move on, out of the pyramid and into a large room, where a robed figure is seated. A line of people stands before him. There are two exits from the room; one leads to the outside world and freedom; the other to a dark, gloomy dungeon. The robed figure directs each of the people before him, either to one door or to the other.
But once again, it is not you who are being judged here, and you may pass through a third exit, behind the judge's chair, through an iron archway, and into a great open field, illuminated in a blood-red glow of light.
A great army is assembled here. Rank upon rank, standing firmly to attention, uniforms and weapons bright and gleaming in the ruddy light. This is not an army at war, this is an army prepared for war. You make your way through the precisely ordered rows of soldiers, aware that all are watching you and yet none will harm you if you just continue on your way.
And now you cross an iron bridge over a deep chasm, and you find yourself in the courtyard of a small monastery. The monks are tending their garden, cleaning the courtyard, and doing the various other small but important tasks that are needed to fulfil their need of a simple life, but one with order. Weeds are thrown out; fruits and vegetables are carefully nurtured. No-one speaks; all are intent upon their tasks. Nevertheless, you are allowed to come and go as you please.
There are four gates to the courtyard. Ahead of you is an orange-yellow gate: it is closed. To your right is a bright yellow gate: it, too, is closed. Behind and to your right is a green gate, leading to the iron bridge over which you came when you entered the monastery. While, immediately behind you, is a clear blue gate.
You turn to face the blue gate. It stands open; but when you try to go through it, you find that you cannot, because it is too narrow. You have to leave behind all your possessions, everything that you have with you, in order to be able to squeeze through the opening.
But you do go through; and now, in front of your eyes, you see a range of mountains. But there is something odd here: the mountain peaks in front of you are pointing downwards; while, at your feet, you can see a blue sky with clouds and flying birds.
And you realize that what you are looking at is a reflection in a pool of water; and, as you realize this, you fall forward, into the pool, and are carried away by the currents.
You have no option but to let the currents carry you where they will... but, at last, you are deposited on a dry, firm floor.
You get up and look about you. You recognise this place as the small, round chapel of the University of Hod, which you visited on an earlier journey.
Rest here for a while. And now, return to objective reality, in the place and the time where you started your meditation. Put your consciousness in the centre of your head, just behind your eyes; and when you are ready, open your eyes.
Take a few hours, or a few days, to absorb the significance of this meditation. Then proceed with Khesed.