Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

280 Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard

The Sefiroth can be understood as various facets of

the Divine personality. The highest sphere, Kether,

represents Divine Glory, and the lowest, Malkuth, is

the material world. The Goddess of Malkuth (“Mother

Earth”) is the Shekinah. Below Kether on the Middle

Pillar is an empty space where you would expect to

find a Sefirah (much like the asteroid belt where you

would expect to find a planet!). This space is called

Daath (“knowledge”). It is the Abyss, or Void—the

gulf that separates the finite from the infinite, and the

manifest from the unmanifest. To reach Daath is to at-

tain union with the Divine, the true goal of all mystics.

The first Sephira is the pneuma (ruach or ruah)

[“breath”] of the Living God. From the ruach

comes forth Primordial Air, from which are born

Water and Fire, the third and fourth of the

Sefiroth. From Primordial Air, God created the

22 letters, from the Water he created the cosmic

Chaos, and from the Fire, the Throne of Glory

and the hierarchies of Angels. The last six Sefiroth

represent the six directions of space.

—Gershom Scholem, The Origins of the Kabbalah

The Bahir deals with the Sefiroth, but not in terms of

them being the Tree of Life. The earliest version of the

relationship between the Sefiroth was as a set of con-

centric circles. The Tree of Life is part of the Zohar,

and was later popularized by Isaac Luria.

Quest: Climbing the Tree of Life

Here is a ritual exercise of meditation and

visualization that you can do if you wish,

based on climbing up the Tree of Life

from the material world to the Divine

Realm. This sort of working is a foun-

dation of much Ceremonial Magick.

First, visualize the diagram of the

Tree of Life mapped out upon your

body as shown here.

You may find this exercise most

effective if done naked before a full-

length mirror, especially if you have

just come out of the shower and

are sparkly-clean.

(Malkuth) Visualize a lemon-

yellow light around your

feet. Say: “Lord of the Earth, es-

tablish your kingdom within me

and teach me discrimination.”

(Yesod) Visualize a purple light around

your genitals. Say: “Almighty

God, secure my foundation and

teach me independence.”

(Hod) Visualize an orange light at your left side. Say:

“Lord of Angels, reveal to me your splendor and

teach me truthfulness.”

(Netzach) Visualize an emerald green light at your right

side. Say: “God of Hosts, make me victorious

against my foes and teach me unselfishness.”

(Tiphareth) Visualize a pale yellow light surrounding

your heart. Say: “Lord of Knowledge, grant me

beauty and teach me integrity.”

(Geburah) Visualize a scarlet red light at your left

shoulder. Say: “Almighty Lord, with your strength,

protect me and teach me courage.”

(Chesed) Visualize a blue light at your right shoulder.

Say: “Holy One, with your mercy, teach me obe-

dience and humility.”

(Binah) Visualize a black shadow above your left

shoulder. Say: “Queen of Heaven, grant me un-

derstanding and teach me when to be silent.”

(Chokmah) Visualize a light of all colors mixed to-

gether above your right shoulder. Say: “Heavenly

Father, grant me wisdom and teach me devotion.”

(Kether) Visualize a brilliant white light just above

your head. Say: “Infinite Spirit, crown my life with

the completion of the Great Work, and bring me

into union with you.”

Lesson 4:

The Hermetica

The Hermetica were a collection

of 42 sacred books said to

have been written by the

mythical Hermes Trismegistus

(“thrice-greatest”). He was

considered the greatest of all

philosophers, the greatest of

all priests, and the greatest of

all kings. The Greek Hermes and

the Egyptian Thoth—both dei-

ties of wisdom, magick and com-

munication—had been equated

with each other by c. 500 BCE.

A third manifestation was the Hebrew Patri-

arch Enoch, “2nd Messenger of God.” It was

claimed that Hermes revealed to mankind the

arts of medicine, chemistry, law, art, astrology,

music, debate, magick, philosophy, geography,

mathematics, the 365-day calendar, anatomy, and

oratory (speech-making).

The most important Hermetic symbol is the Cadu-

ceus, Hermes’s winged wand entwined by two serpents.

Although most of the Hermetic teachings are

based on Greek philosophy—particularly Plato and

Aristotle—the writings take the form of dialogues be-

tween Hermes Trismegistus; the Egyptian gods Thoth,

Ammon, Isis and Horus; and the healing gods

Asclepius (Greek) and Imhotep (Egyptian).

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