When approaching the Tree of Life as a map of an initiatic journey, most modern CM groups taking a que from the GD follow the Flaming Sword pattern which takes them through the 10 spheres in a specific order. A few months ago, I wrote a post about how the Sangreal Sodalities "Office of the Tree of Life' works all 22 paths, rather than focusing on just the spheres. This is IMO far superior because the paths are necessary bridges between the powers represented by the spheres, and if you only hit the ones covered by the Flaming Sword you will not work them all. Most modern CM people I tell this too get a look of astonishment on their face as if they had just been told a great secret, but its right there on the map. If you werent meant to work them, than what they hell are they doing there?
So within the context of our Sodality as a group, that is how we work them. That is not however how I worked the tree.
I advocate my own pattern for working the tree. I call it: THE WATERSLIDE.
The waterslide kabbala advocates the view that the pillars of mercy and severity have far more to do with manifesting spirit into matter than matter ascending into spirit.
On a waterslide you typically climb a ladder or staircase that goes in the most direct way possible to the top of the structure. Once at the pinnacle of the structure you can choose any number of slides. Some will straight shots right down as fast as possible. They get the job done,suddenly or shockingly, but you have to keep your legs closed or you will hurt your nads, or if you are a woman, loose your bikini top. If you ever rode the Kamikazi at Action Park, you know what I am speaking of. Other slides will be twisty and slower, but more fun. Some will be tunnels that eve, go completely underground (the cannonball at action park).
Crowleys book of the Law was right in pointing out that there are only three real grades.
1. Those that have set foot into Yesode to see the world beyond conventional perception.
2. Those that have entered Tiphareth and attained the K&C of the HGA, know their True Will.
3. Those that have crossed the Abyss and know reality as it is. The non-dual gnosis.
These can all be attained by using the central pillar; the stairwell that leads to the top of the structure. This is the pillar used by Mystics who yearn for"union" or "enlightenment" or "Gnosis". Esotericists who are more concerned with mapping the trip than they are in reaching their destination are trying to climb up the slide rather than take the stairs. Note with the exception of the path from Malkuth to Yesode, that flaming sword pattern avoids the central pillar of the tree almost entirely. WHY? It leaves the paths entirely when crossing the abyss.
I say take the stairs. I have climbed up a slide in the past (worked at six flags GA for years as a kid) and I can tell you its not all that fun. Once at the top you can look down and choose whatever slide to get back down to Malkuth that you want. Best of all, you can quickly run back up the stairs in your soaking wet bathing suit and slide down a different one.
If you really want to make that map, its a lot easier from the top. There is a saying that all paths lead to the same place. Experience has taught me that this is false. Most paths don't lead anywhere. Sadly you wont realize this until you get to the top of the structure and see the slides.
Like the tree of life, don't take this metaphor to literally. The tree of life is not a place. Its a map, and truth be told, its sort of a shitty map at that.
8 comments:
Last week, someone told me "Strange things are afoot at the circle K," which had me checking online for the movie reference. Sad. It's Bill and Ted's Excellent adventure.
Today's post reminded me of the scene where Napolean is explaining his attack plan: ... le Waterslide ...
Bill: I don't think it's gonna work, dude.
Anyway, I ended up reading the whole post in a bad French accent. Unlike Napolean's plan, I think yours works rather well. I totally agree wis ze last part zo, ze map, she is shitty indeed. Zpherez iz all you need, conzentric zpherez. Even zey can be too much detail, lozing ze territory along ze vay. Ze bezt approach I have vound iz to zimply Work each zphere alone, and zee vat happenz. Ze overall ride zru ze zpherez iz all illuzionz, no?
"There is a saying that all paths lead to the same place. Experience has taught me that this is false. Most paths don't lead anywhere. Sadly you wont realize this until you get to the top of the structure and see the slides."
Do you mean that most paths fail to produce mystical attainment, or, on the contrary, you mean that "the mystics tend to emphasize realizing that you are already there and always were." ("trascencent ordinariness")?
"I say take the stairs. (...) Once at the top you can look down and choose whatever slide to get back down to Malkuth that you want."
Maybe people are so interested in mapping all the way to the top first because they don't really see any reason to go back after they finally get there, except out of pity as a bodhisattva or whatever (the whole "matter is just a training ground" -or even "a valley of sorrows"- school of thought... I wonder what are you supposed to learn 'down' here that would apply 'up there', if matter is so primitive, illusory and all that...)
Good model.
Awww.. Shitty map? I wouldn't say shitty.
"Difficult to make heads or tails of without dilligent study" seems closer to the mark.
I take the lightening flash as the most direct rout for involution containing all the spheres in numerical order. The various onion like arrangements of the tree tend to be closer to the mark for that purpose though.
The Ladder is the way to get to the top, agreed. Because there are several long and winding paths there, and honestly, I might be dead before I hit them all. But.. if I get the goodies at the top and THEN take my time, I care a whole lot less.
I know the Aurum Solis does the path of the serpent for ascent which hits every path and sphere in a specific order.. the spheres being seens as objective things, and the paths as subjective states of consciousness as one learns the ins and outs of those realms.
As a budding wannabe Nath, and alchemist, I am not a fan of this "liberating spirit from matter" business. It sets up a view that they:
a) dont belong togather, and
b) can be seporated
We need MORE spirit in matter! The illusionary lack is the problem! It's not trapped, it's playing! The idea of trapping God in material chains is silly to me, anyway.
Once you realize that Kether in Malkuth, and Malkuth in Kether thing, you're golden. No lack.
Till then it's a matter of slowly waking the hell up, playing in your dream, and conditioning yourself to being something more than just a very clever mammal.
"A few months ago, I wrote a post about how the Sangreal Sodalities "Office of the Tree of Life' works all 22 paths, rather than focusing on just the spheres"
Original post
http://strategicsorcery.blogspot.com/2008/08/all-22-paths-are-important.html
Oh, and btw, it's either "Accident Park", or "Traction Park".
As a native you know at least one person who bled or broke a bone there, so get it right! ;)
I have left some skin on that Alpine slide.
As GA employess we were always endlessly fascinated by the lack of safety at AP
This is brilliant.
I did not realize people used the Lightning Flash as a path of Initiation. The actual path of Initiation is supposed to be the Serpent Path. The Flaming Sword represents the Fall of Man.
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