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"The Ladder of Lights"
My current reading is The Ladder of Lights, a book about Qabalah by William G. Gray. I'd had only the most cursory introduction to the subject before, and I've been thoroughly enjoying myself. Gray's text demands slow, thoughtful reading -- not because it's difficult, but because it's so densely packed with ideas.
One of the elements I'm enjoying the most is that each sephirah has a divine name/nature associated with it, and as I take in each one I feel like I'm getting re-connected to the "One" in a way I haven't been able to be for years. It's hard to find words for this. . . Each sephirah expresses an aspect of the divine -- as in the metaphor of a prism separating white light into color spectrum. Each is light and part of the whole, but has its own characteristics. The names of God in this model don't equate to "persons." There's no anthropomorphizing -- but it focuses on different 'wavelengths' of God, shows how the ultimate divine relates to specific aspects of our existence in meaningful ways.
I know that some people have no problem with the idea of the Almighty Creator being able to relate to them on an individual level -- but it's been a struggle for me for years. Ever since the Void, I've had a hard time imaginging that any Being vast enough to surpass the Void can be connected with an individual in a meaningful way. The Tree helps me reconnect.
There's also a wonderfully humane ethical system involved: one of coming to appropriate balance in all aspects of life, and rising on the Tree to draw closer to God. (There are all kinds of names for this process, depending on which path or tradition a person is within.) And at the same time we are rising, divine energy/light/creation/thought continues to flow down the tree into manifestation. It's a contstant two-way cycle of divine and human coming-together.
I'm finding it lovely and fascinating and challenging in the best possible way. When I've finished reading it, I'm going to re-read Promethea, and then start this book over again.
One of the elements I'm enjoying the most is that each sephirah has a divine name/nature associated with it, and as I take in each one I feel like I'm getting re-connected to the "One" in a way I haven't been able to be for years. It's hard to find words for this. . . Each sephirah expresses an aspect of the divine -- as in the metaphor of a prism separating white light into color spectrum. Each is light and part of the whole, but has its own characteristics. The names of God in this model don't equate to "persons." There's no anthropomorphizing -- but it focuses on different 'wavelengths' of God, shows how the ultimate divine relates to specific aspects of our existence in meaningful ways.
I know that some people have no problem with the idea of the Almighty Creator being able to relate to them on an individual level -- but it's been a struggle for me for years. Ever since the Void, I've had a hard time imaginging that any Being vast enough to surpass the Void can be connected with an individual in a meaningful way. The Tree helps me reconnect.
There's also a wonderfully humane ethical system involved: one of coming to appropriate balance in all aspects of life, and rising on the Tree to draw closer to God. (There are all kinds of names for this process, depending on which path or tradition a person is within.) And at the same time we are rising, divine energy/light/creation/thought continues to flow down the tree into manifestation. It's a contstant two-way cycle of divine and human coming-together.
I'm finding it lovely and fascinating and challenging in the best possible way. When I've finished reading it, I'm going to re-read Promethea, and then start this book over again.
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It's a useful way to do things!
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