Elemental attributions of sephiroth
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Hi All,
Here is a basic question, but one which I still struggle with. I am aware that elements are assigned to the different sephiroth, particularly in the Golden Dawn grade tradition. Malkuth - earth, Yesod - air, etc.
I tend to think of water as being related to emotions, but Hod is attributed water. I don't see how that matches up (I tend to think of air as being related to intellect, which I associate with Hod).
Is this a case of "water" (and the other elements) being viewed on a different level than Malkuth? And if so, how do we view the similarities/differences, e.g., of the water of Mem, as distinct from the water of Hod, as distinct from the water quarter of Malkuth?
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@Escarabaj said
"I tend to think of water as being related to emotions, but Hod is attributed water. I don't see how that matches up (I tend to think of air as being related to intellect, which I associate with Hod)."
It's more complex than that.
For starters (probably thinking more in terms of the elements as reflective of the Four Worlds), I coined some phrasing a few decades back that continue to serve me in Tarot. Rather than the "Air = intellect, Water = Emotion" stuff, I thought that Air is intellect but Water is Mind; that Air is reactivity, but Water is feeling.
That's just an example. Hod as Water has several possible important symbols. For one, it is the base of the Pillar of Form - that's terribly important. And even intellect (the Mercury component) is really a form or structural pattern, rather than a vital force.
The Water aspect appears differently depending on the level (plane?) at which you're working the sphere. In all cases, Hod as an initiated stage is marked by a significant amount of receptivity.
In the Hod stage of Temple of Thelema, one of the points emphasized is that what we call "Water" is exactly the same as what we call "Fire," except behaving differently. I can't go into much more detail in that (partly because it would require a LOT of setup), but that hint might be useful. In the higher 'octave' of Hod that is worked in A.'.A.'., there are several basic tasks that are keyed to Water ideas - see ordoaa.org/grade3.htm - To take an obvious one, the word "Qabalah," for all of its intellectual implications, literally means "that which is received." Most of the other practices are actually those which are actively building bridges between Yetzirah and Briah - opening to the "cup" plane of existence.
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Lots to think about. Thanks for the detailed response, Jim.
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I don't believe in assigning a single element to each sphere, as I think it would create imbalances, not only because 10 is not divisible by 4, but because the Tree is not only about balance but about process. Instead, I think every sphere has all 4 elemental aspects to them, each element in the minor arcana having 10 cards to associate to the 10 spheres. For example, I don't know why people arbitrarily associate Kether with air when Kether is everything that is, so it would make more sense for that to include all the other elements.
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Infernal Seraph, 93,
"For example, I don't know why people arbitrarily associate Kether with air when Kether is everything that is, so it would make more sense for that to include all the other elements."
Paul Case observed, "The Universe is mental." In one Hindu perspective, it's the dream of Vishnu.
So attributing Air to the Root of everything that is, isn't arbitrary. There are other, deeper significances here, but that seems to be the key thing to me.
As for imbalances, the Tree itself is balanced. For that to occur, individual elements need to represent opposing, complementary components within that balance.
93 93/93,
Edward
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Jim, is there a source that matches what you have said about the elemental attributes to hod, but for all 10 sephiroth?
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@Alias55A said
"Jim, is there a source that matches what you have said about the elemental attributes to hod, but for all 10 sephiroth?"
Which part of what I wrote?
Looking over my whole post, I'd say that, yes, there's a lot on that! It saturates the Tarot, and especially shows through the Sephirothic initiation formulae. (For example, nothing I wrote above would likely be a surprise to anyone who had been admitted to the 3° of Temple of Thelema or, for that matter, little of surprise to someone who had been admitted to the 3-8 grade of the Golden Dawn.
Everything I wrote is very basic Qabalistic instruction. There was nothing revelatory, innovative, unusual, or startling in it.
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@Alias55A said
"Jim, is there a source that matches what you have said about the elemental attributes to hod, but for all 10 sephiroth?
Which part of what I wrote?Looking over my whole post, I'd say that, yes, there's a lot on that! It saturates the Tarot, and especially shows through the Sephirothic initiation formulae. (For example, nothing I wrote above would likely be a surprise to anyone who had been admitted to the 3° of Temple of Thelema or, for that matter, little of surprise to someone who had been admitted to the 3-8 grade of the Golden Dawn.
Everything I wrote is very basic Qabalistic instruction. There was nothing revelatory, innovative, unusual, or startling in it. "
well i havent got "all" of it when it comes to qabala under my best yet, especially the tarot, and on the other hand i dont have a good book on the tarot except for interpretations from the book of thoth.
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If you have specific questions about the above, I can try to answer them. You asked a very global question - one that would require an essay be written - and one where people learn the pattern best and integrate it most by spending a few years working step by step up the Tree.
That's why I've given half my life to the building and promulgating of an initiation system that makes that possible.