The Sefirot They are central to understanding the mystique of the jewish kabbalah. Discover what are they and what are they for, as well as the paths that we must travel spiritually to evolve within the Tree of Life. This will bring you closer to a better understanding of reality, regardless of your religion.
What are the sefirot?
The Sefirot (which means emanations in Hebrew) are the ten attributes that represent the manifestation of the essence of God according to the Kabbalah, are the forms through which infinity manifests itself, showing us the microcosm and the macrocosm, if we know how to study the meaning of the sefirot. From here derives both the physical realm and a series of higher worlds that are not accessible to our ordinary consciousness, although with the right work. we can acquire the wisdom necessary to enter those realms.
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The sefirot tree of life
It could be said that is the diagram, or structure, in which the 10 sefirot are located. The Tree of Life is a scheme of the cosmic organization, but it is also a scheme of the human body and of the mental, emotional and spiritual formation of our nature. It goes from the macrocosm to the microcosm.
Each sefirah (singular of sefirot) is related by what we call Walking trails. They are paths that establish a relationship between different levels of manifestation. The importance of the sefirot and the paths lies in the fact that if we understand their true meaning, we will understand the structure of all reality, at any level.
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Psychological work with the sefirot of the tree of life
Before proceeding with the enumeration of the sefirot, it is important to know what work we must do with them to achieve their virtues. Being abstract concepts, to invoke their power, we must use our active imagination. This consists of closing our eyes to let our inner vision fly about what we focus our attention on. The power of our unconscious is expressed when we let our heads rest and let the images that form in our minds develop without us intervening.
Virtues correspond to each sefirah that we can invoke in our lives if we think of the images associated with them, they are the archetypes. These represent both the sefirot themselves and the paths they form between them in order to ensure that the powers of these emanations permeate our consciousness and with it, we can transform our reality.
types of sefirot
The tradition of the 10 sefirot comes from the book of kabbalah Sefer Yetzira. It describes everything we know about the sefirot, both their position and their attributes and archetype that helps us invoke their power.
1. Kether
At the top of the tree of lifein the very center and crowning it, is the sefirá Kether (“crown”, in Spanish). It is the origin of all the other sefirot and is responsible for the explosion of creation. It is related to the divine will.
It represents the universe, the nature of divinity, the understanding of all archetypes and also helps us find mysticism hidden in the events of daily life. In man it speaks to us of his spirit and of his consciousness in an elevated state. He corresponds to the color white. This sphere is unknowable and therefore difficult to visualize in a meditation.
2 chochmah
Chojma, which means «wisdom», is the second sefirah, located at the top of the right column. It is the explosion of ideas, the unlimited possibilities of thought and from this emanates all artistic activity. It is associated with the right side of the brain, related to intuition and creativity. Its color is gray. Visualizing Hochma gives us imaginative and fantastic, spatial and perceptive capacity. His archetype is the figure of a wise old man who brings knowledge to the world.
3. Bina
Bina, the «Understanding» limits and restricts man’s thoughts but makes them accessible to consciousness and therefore it is possible for us to operate with them. It is located at the top of the left column, opposite at the other point to Hochma. If this was the right side, Bina represents the left side of the brain, since it is the center that is in charge of rational thought. It is associated with the water element and therefore with femininity. It represents the future and corresponds to the color black. Because of his great understanding of the circumstances, this inevitably brings some sadness. To harbor a better understanding of reality, we will visualize Bina in our minds as a mature and silent woman.
4. Hesed/ Chesed
The sefira of Mercy or goodness, depending on how it is translated, is known by the names of Hesed as well as Geduláh (greatness). Of the sefirot of the tree of life, It is in charge of radiating altruism and selfless generosity. There is a certain renunciation and sacrifice that can be compared to Pisces or the Tarot card of the Hanged Man. It also refers to what is fair in the world, to fulfill the agreed word, which is of the utmost importance for spiritual growth. Visualizing this emanation fills us with great kindness and love for all things. His self-sacrifice reminds the figure of the tarot of the hung.
5. Geburah/ Gevurah
The fifth of the sefirot is Geburá or Gevuráh, «Heroism» or is also known by the name of Din, «Right». This below Binah, next to Chesed and above Hod. This emanation is known as strength, judgment and power. Its color is red and it is associated with the planet Mars. and it is that energy necessary to carry out all our projects. It is our most warrior fighting side. We must visualize it invoking the image of a warrior that we admire.
6. Tiffereth
Tiferet is the sefirat of beauty and glory. It stands between compassion and severity (the sefirot of compassion and severity, respectively). These two forces cannot exist without each other, as they are necessary for the flow of divine energy to manifest. It is the only one of the sefirot that connects in the middle of the tree of life with all the other, except with Malchut, in the trunk. This gives us an idea of the importance of knowing beauty in our lives to lead a fulfilled existence. Life is beautiful because God is beautiful, in his infinite compassion. Tiferet has attributes similar to those of The High Priestesswhose main feature is intuition, that is: the direct reception of knowledge without the intervention of the mind Your color on the white.
7. Netsach
Netsaj means «Victory» and it is the seventh sephirah of the tree of life. She is situated below Chesed and is paired with Hod. Netsach is the sphere of Venus. This planet very well represents the positive attributes of the sefirah: triumphant beauty, the power of desire, the instinctive and eternal impulse, artistic inspiration, everything that makes life worth living. Netsach represents the active polarity or force, versus the passive polarity, or the form of the mental matrix of the sefira Hod. It is the sphere of feeling in front of thought and its color is green. We think of this sefirah visualizing a beautiful woman radiating all her goodness.
8. Hod
Hod, which translates as «Majesty» or «Splendour», constitutes the eighth of the sefirot. She stands directly opposite Netzah in her position on the tree of life. While Netzah is emotional, Hod stands as the mental aspect. It is the concrete mind, which allows us to shape our projects and helps us overcome the emotional phases and the most instinctive impulses. The color orange corresponds to it and when it is active in our lives, it brings truth to our words.
9. Yesod
The ninth of the sefirot is Yesod, «Foundation»and it is located below Hod and Netsach, just above Malchut. It is associated with the moon, because it is said to reflect the light of the other sefirot.. Archangel Gabriel corresponds to him, the violet color represents Yesod.
Yesod is the foundation of personality. Built from childhood, it includes temperamental, family, social and cultural factors. It is the part of ourselves with which we identifyat the cost of leaving out other parts that we do not recognize, and that, remaining unconscious. Rectifying the force of Yesod isvisualize in our mind a beautiful face.
10. Malchut
Malkut is the tenth of the spheres. It is the lowest divine attribute in the descending order of them, according to the structure of the Tree of Life. It is said that she is the receiver of all the attributes that are above her. Its main characteristic is that it configures the matter that we can analyze with our five senses. It is the world of action, representing the physical plane as such. The associated color is blood red and corresponds to the alchemical element Earth. grant discernment when visualized through the image of a crowned young woman.