Paths of Concealed Glory
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Hey everyone! It's time for V_I_N's Meaninglessly Specific Questions about the Qabbalah once again!
I was just reading about the Paths of Concealed Glory: an additional number of paths (I read 4 somewhere and 16 somewhere else) that connect the Sephiroth in addition to the more common 22 paths. I think this is intended to make things so that there is a path between any two Sephiroth on the Tree. Does anyone else know anything about this? What would be the point, and doesn't this clash with the whole assigning-the-Hebrew-letters-to-the-paths business?
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These are a different category of Path - which is why they are "hidden."
I'm quite sure these functionally exist. Many of the phenomena attributed to "working the sub-Sephiroth in a Sephirah" are explained at least as well by this alternative phenomenon.
I don't think it's a huge deal, but I do think it is worthwhile and worth knowing about. Here's how I think about them:
The Tree of Life as we know it - with its Paths as standardly arranged and the attributions of the 22 Hebrew letters to them - represent the specific step-by-step mapping of spiritual evolution for humanity in this broad (cross-Aeon, multi-millennial) stage of human evolution. It shows the specific steps (sequences) of securing the linkages on the evolutionary journey inward. It was the gift to humanity by some unknown intelligences - either parahuman or human (I don't really know which) - and has proven itself in practice.
These are not, however, all the possible connections. Instead, it shows the specific connections we have to be sure to plug in along the way.
But there are other connections that can be made. They are not essential to the Path in general or (more matching my own perception) they get made automatically while en route. Their particular value, I think, is in observing them while passing through the corresponding phases. - As an example, there is certainly a linkage that can be formed between our personality level of desire force (Netzach) and superconsciousness (Binah) - even though there is no articulated Path there. There just isn't a particular practice or structured task for it.
Notice that, in ascending the Tree, these never become an issue until the 6=5 Grade (Adeptus Major). Only in Geburah do we first encounter a lower Sephirah not connected to a designated Path. Yet the approach to 6=5 definitely has elements of the physical body and patterns of subconsciousness needing to open to and adapt themselves to the Geburan part of us. These can be seen as "working Malkuth and Yesod sub-Sephiroth in Geburah" or - at least as elegantly - as letting the invisible paths Malkuth-Geburah and Yesod-Geburah work as a gestation or preparation. [NOTE: Malkuth-to-Tiphereth doesn't count. Yesod is in the way. There isn't even an invisible Path making that exact connection.]
Every grade through which I have passed (beyond 2=9) as had a preliminary stage of what clearly were Malkuth and Yesod elements - experienced as first my physical body (cellular level) and then my fundamental psyche (subconscious patterning) conforming to the newly opening aspect of consciousness before the other Paths began to be worked (the ones that are the formal part of the grade work).
For convenience, here is a list of the Paths that are formed this way:
Approaching 6=5:
10 to 5: Physical body opening/adapting to Volition
9 to 5: Subconsciousness opening/adapting to Volition
Mem (8 to 5): Intellect opening/adapting to Volition
Lamed (6 to 5): Illuminated Ego opening/adapting to VolitionApproaching 7=4:
10 to 4: Physical body opening/adapting to Memory
9 to 4: Subconsciousness opening/adapting to Memory
Kaph (7 to 4): Desire opening/adapting to Memory
Yod (6 to 4): Illuminated Ego opening/adapting to Memory
Teth (5 to 4): Volition opening/adapting to MemoryApproaching 8=3:
10 to 3: Physical body opening/adapting to Super-consciousness
9 to 3: Subconsciousness opening/adapting to Super-consciousness
7 to 3: Desire opening/adapting to Super-consciousness
Zayin (6 to 3): Illuminated Ego opening/adapting to Super-consciousness
Cheth (5 to 3): Volition opening/adapting to Super-consciousness
4 to 3: Memory opening/adapting to Super-consciousness
(NOTE: As there is no documented Path that actually completes "the Crossing of the Abyss," the gap between Chesed and Binah has always been considered one of the specific step - but one of mystery. Notice that whether or not we think of it as a "path" in the conventional sense, it is at least a specific step.)Approaching 9=2:
10 to 2: Physical body opening/adapting to Will/Life-stream
9 to 2: Subconsciusness opening/adapting to Will/Life-stream
8 to 2: Intellect opening/adapting to Will/Life-stream
Heh (6 to 2): Illuminated Ego opening/adapting to Will/Life-stream
5 to 2: Volition opening/adapting to Will/Life-stream
Vav (4 to 2): Memory opening/adapting to Will/Life-stream
Daleth (3 to 2): Super-consciousness opening/adapting to Will/Life-streamApproaching 10=1:
(Notice that there is opening neither of Malkuth nor Yesod to Kether in this process.)
8 to 1: Intellect opening/adapting to Seed-self
7 to 1: Desire opening/adapting to Seed-self
Gimel (6 to 1): Illuminated Ego opening/adapting to Seed-self
5 to 1: Volition opening/adapting to Seed-self
4 to 1: Memory opening/adapting to Seed-self
Beth (3 to 1): Super-consciousness opening/adapting to Seed-self
Aleph (2 to 1): Will/Life-stream opening/adapting to Seed-self -
There's a lot of really good stuff in there, Jim. I don't have anything to say about it (being ignorant on the subject), but it's a very interesting perspective on the Hidden Paths.
Do you think important to focus on these while working the regular paths? Or is its primary value just to provide an alternate viewpoint on the natures of the Sephiroth?
Thanks for prodding him, Veritas.
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Thanks for answering so completely (and answering my previous question about the paths around the Abyss to boot). To be honest I didn't know anything about 'working the sub-Sephiroth in a Sephirah'. What's that?
@Mephisto: You're welcome.
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@Mephis said
"Do you think important to focus on these while working the regular paths? Or is its primary value just to provide an alternate viewpoint on the natures of the Sephiroth?"
I've only found them of value when actually passing through the grades; therefore, I haven't found any real use of them beloiw 6=5.
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@veritas_in_nox said
"Thanks for answering so completely (and answering my previous question about the paths around the Abyss to boot). To be honest I didn't know anything about 'working the sub-Sephiroth in a Sephirah'. What's that?"
Every Sephirah is said to have an entire Tree of Life in it. When passing through authentic grades, one often sees these in operation (or, at least, what appears to be these in operation).
One of the most common (and even predictable) phenomena arising from this is the perception by so many people that they are shootiong way up the Tree. The number who think they have "crossed the Abyss" when they've only reached Binah-of-Malkuth comes to mind. But it need not even be that extreme - the perception of "surely being ready for Yesod" on hitting Yesod-of-Malkuth also comes to mind.
But it's not all in the misunderstanding. There is real value in witnessing this as you move through the grades. I've usually experienced "Supernal-of-Whatever" breakthroughs just as I was wrapping up the last tasks of a grade. I've probably invariably experienced "needing to get my feet under me, needing to get my grounding" whenever I've first entered a grade - and then let it take root in my cells and then my psyche - which could be seen as working Malkuth-of-Whatever and Yesod-of-Whatever.
T?he phenomena are clear and recurring - easy to recognize with attention - but they can be explained by different theories (or multiple theories at once). Some of the same things that seem sub-Sephirothic are also explainable by hiddent Paths. - Generally it has been easiest to think of it as "hidden Paths" phenomena when in the approach to a grade, and "sub-Sephiroth" phenomena when working through one.