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.
Khesed: Prepare yourself in the usual way.
Once again, we start the 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 more paths. 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.
To the left of all these is a rich, bottle green path; but it is the path that you followed on your last journey, so on this occasion you turn away from it.
Instead, you approach the remaining path, to the right, whose colour is clear, lime green. It seems very tortuous and you are still reluctant to set foot on it without a guide... but now a guide appears, ready to lead the way for you.
It is a tall figure, wearing a hooded robe like the habit of a monk. The hood is up, you cannot see the face. The figure is carrying a long staff in one hand and a lantern, held high, in the other. The figure turns back towards the lime green path, indicating that you should follow: which you do.
You find yourself following the hooded figure along a steep, rocky path. On either side is sparse moorland grass, strewn with boulders. Here and there are patches of bracken and gorse. As you had expected, the path is indeed difficult to follow in parts but, if you trust your guide, you will find the right places to put your feet.
Keep climbing the rocky path. As you get higher, there are more and more rocks and less and less vegetation. You are in mountainous country, there are high cliffs and deep gorges with rushing streams at the bottom. The path is steeper than ever; frequently, you find yourself climbing steps.
It is getting colder, too, up in the mountains. Patches of snow and ice lie here and there. You draw your clothing tighter around yourself.
And still you climb, higher and higher, patiently following your guide who walks steadily onwards.
At last, you emerge onto an open plateau, brightly lit by sunshine. Your guide turns to you, and you see the beautiful face of an angel. What seemed to be his cloak has now become wings; you approach the angel and he wraps his wings around you.
And you realize that now, at this point in time, you can have anything, absolutely anything that you truly want in the Universe. You see the endless possibilities tumbling towards you, tiny rivulets of golden light, cascading down from above, like strands of hair from the angel's head.
But you may select only one strand. How to choose? All are so beautiful, every one of these endless possibilities draws you.
But you choose one - which one did you select? And you find yourself drawn inside the golden glow, turning now to a deep rich blue as it envelops you. A wise old man seated on a throne is here; he looks stern, nevertheless there is an air of happiness and joy about this place. And through a window you see a deep indigo sky, with a giant planet floating in it, a reddish orange planet covered with swirls of yellow, red and brown mist.
And you drift out through the window, into the sky, and find yourself still surrounded by blue indigo but drifting gently down a golden rivulet of spangled light.
And eventually, you come to rest, and find yourself on a warm, solid floor. You get up and look about you. You recognise this place as the pleasant little summerhouse in the centre of the Garden of Netzakh, 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 the first of the two meditations on Daat.