Gedulah

From the Form-pole of Geburah-differentiation, we pass now to the Force-pole of Gedulah-similarity.  Gedulah (pronounced "gedd-you-lah") means "greatness, majesty, magnificence" and is therefore associated with the majestically large, gaseous planet Jupiter. 

In the Hebrew Tradition, this sphere is also given the title Chesed (pronounced "hess-ed" with a glottal, back of the throat 'h') which means "mercy, compassion, loving kindness".  Associated with Gedulah/Chesed is the god-name EL, which translates simply as "god".  This EL-god is masculine and singular, unlike the ELOHIM-god whose Hebrew name signifies a mixture of masculine and feminine.  EL is, essentially, the masculine, forceful aspect of the ELOHIM.

As the supreme deity of the Olympian pantheon, Jupiter/Zeus is the archetypal symbol of the (mostly) benevolent, fatherly sovereign.  This is the Divine Provider, the highest manifestation of the intimately personal, human concept of "god".  Which is to say, Jupiter/Zeus stands just below the higher deity forms which are impersonal and universal.

As the non-sequentialized potentials of Binah/Saturn descend into the realm of sequence, the first level of sequentialization they encounter is similarity.  Similarity is an attractive Force which binds the Binah-potentials together by virtue of their alikeness and commonality.  This primal Force is typified by its qualities of love, mercy, inclusiveness and expansiveness.  This sequentialization of the Binah-potentials by virtue of their similarity, causes them to form Individual groupings.  At this level though, these Individuals are more united than they are separate -- in Gedulah, separation is a quality defined by degree of alikeness, not by degree of difference.

As we rise upwards, Gedulah marks the most rarified aspect of the Individual-self.  Conversely, as the universal Being descends into manifestation, Gedulah marks the most primitive beginnings of Individuation.  In Qabbala, Individuation has four basic stages: assimilation, differentiation, expression and personalization.  The personalization is represented by the spheres Malkuth, Yesod, Hod and Netzach, through which the Individual-self takes on concrete physical form.  The expression is symbolized by the radiant solarity of Tiphareth.  The differentiation is symbolized by the exclusivity of Geburah where the Individual learns to constrict its boundaries and define itself by virtue of what it is not.  The assimilation is symbolized by Gedulah/Jupiter, for here the Individual is an expansive thing, capable only of inclusiveness. 

The ability of our Individual-consciousness to broaden its focus and encompass 'other' within its definition of 'self', is a higher, more potent power than its concurrent ability to bring those boundaries into the sharply limited focus of a physically manifest personal-self.  In other words, the primal attractive force of loving kindness -- because it works through alikeness and threads of commonality!!! -- is even more powerful than the secondary repulsive force of severity and differentiation.  The power experienced in the Geburah/Mars Temple is as nothing when compared to the power of loving kindness to be experienced in the Gedulah/Jupiter Temple. 

In the Western Hermetic Tradition, Jupiter is associated with the major arcana Tarot card, X: Wheel of Fortune.  This card symbolizes the cyclic force of change, typically called destiny, fortune or luck.  In very concrete terms, Gedulah/Jupiter is that finger of change which ceaselessly touches the body of the present-moment. 

The force of change (i.e., loving kindness, inclusiveness, expansiveness) works through alikeness.  Change/future is always connected, as if by a thread, to the what-has-been/what-is, establishing a certain recognizable continuity of events (i.e., evident causality).  The present is related directly to the past by virtue of these threads of commonality/causality  upon which change is ceaselessly wrought.  Exercising our free will within the confines of our present-moments' now-ness, we can self-consciously establish the what-is and to a great extent determine what threads of commonality are available for change to touch.  But, as sequentialized Individuals, we have no power over which among those threads change will actually touch, nor do we have power over how and why change will touch them.

As we each know from personal experience, we have free will to either accept or rebel against the ceaselessness of change.  From within the confines of our present-moments' now-ness, we either face forward into that change and meet it gladly, or we look back to our what-has-been and cling to its comforting illusion of changelessness, or we try perhaps to balance ourselves somewhere in between these poles.  But whatever we do, we are powerless to alter the fact that change is ceaseless.  Even looking back, we are swept forward. 

In essence, our *Individual* free will extends only within the limits of our *present-moment* experience of now-ness.  The Gedulah/Jupiter force of change is what forms our now-ness, it is what draws our now forward through sequence.  Within the confines of our now, our one true power is our innate ability to determine how we ride the ever-cresting wave of change -- our ability to orient ourselves in such a way that change becomes for us a creative, positive, lovingly kind Force.  This is our ability to *consciously* move forward *with* our now.

Forwardness to the Individual is the expansion of self, for as the Individual passes through the realm of sequence, it encompasses within itself all the sequence it's passed through.  The Individual-self encompasses its past within the now-ness of its present-moment.  In other words, the Individual grows.  Indeed, growth is a primary expression of the aliveness which typifies all sequentialized Individual things.

The Individual does not die in the same way that the personal- and physical-selves do.  The Individual passes through sequence until it matures and comes to encompass the whole infinity of sequence.  This encompassing of the whole is a sort of death in that the end is thereby encompassed, but it is the opposite of physical death's finality.  It is instead, a passage into all of Life, with a capital 'L'. 

Gedulah/Jupiter is the primary manifestation/Individuation of Life and stands right at the lower threshold of the encompassing of the whole.  Gedulah receives the descending Binah-potentials and expands with them.  In other words, this is the lower side of the interface of the non-sequential and the sequential.  Our perspective is from within the realm of sequence and we are looking upwards, perceiving the effects of the Binah-potentials entering our sequentialized realm.  We experience this entry as the force of change which defines the forwardness of our present-moment now-ness.

The non-sequentialized Binah-potentials are infinite in number, so from within the realm of sequence, the process of sequentialization is never completed -- its duration is infinite.  Thus change (our perception of the Binah-potentials entering our realm of sequence), is ceaseless, for since the Binah-potentials are infinite in number, they will always be descending into the sequential realm. 

We sequentialized beings witness the Creation from front-row seats, as it were.  The lovingly kind force of change is the Creation, happening in right-now real-time and we are planted smack dab at the center of the action.  The Creation doesn't just happen around us, it is happening within us and it is we who are being ceaselessly Created.

Paul Foster Case wrote, in his Pattern on the Trestleboard, statement number 4: "From the exhaustless riches of its Limitless Substance, I draw all things needful, both spiritual and material."  The infinite number of descending Binah-potentials are the Limitless Substance -- out of which our bubble of now-ness is formed and from which we therefore draw all things needful (a Gedulah/Jupiter process of assimilation, change and growth).

Our Gedulah/Jupiter meditation will focus on Case's statement.  We will begin by rising through the six Temples we've already visited.  We will do this as if we were putting on a ritual robe.  Each Temple/sphere we pass through, we will gather to ourselves and wear as a part of our own bodies.

As we rise from Netzach up to Tiphareth (6), we will visualize Netzach as an emerald-green sphere and place it at our left hip.  With Malkuth at our feet, Yesod at our groin, Hod at our right hip and Netzach permeating our left hip, we rise to Tiphareth.

As we rise from Tiphareth up-and-over to Geburah (5), we will visualize Tiphareth as a radiant golden sun and place it at the center of our chest.  With Malkuth at our feet, Yesod at our groin, Hod at our right hip, Netzach at our left hip, and Tiphareth shining at our solar-plexus, we rise to Geburah.

As we rise from Geburah over to Gedulah (4), we will visualize Geburah as a vivid red sphere and place it at our right shoulder.  With Malkuth at our feet, Yesod at our groin, Hod at our right hip, Netzach at our left hip, Tiphareth at our solar-plexus, and Geburah permeating our right shoulder, we rise to the Gedulah Temple.  Gedulah is brought into this luminous body as a sphere of bright sky-blue and is placed at the left shoulder.

In the Gedulah/Jupiter Temple, we will focus sharply upon what it feels like to be wearing this luminous body.  Our visualization will shift to that of the pictured Tiphareth-Diamond and we will consciously radiate our Individual Light through the mist of descending Binah-potentials.

Here in Gedulah Temple, these Binah-potentials are symbolized by water.  The central fountain and the four corner pillars each emit the Waters of Mercy.  The sequentialized cyclicity of the Waters of Mercy cause the appearance of an upper- and a lower-Waters.  The four Elemental-poles of the upper-Waters meet to form a great thunder cloud which rains down upon the lower-Waters and sends down bolts of Life-giving lightning into the atmosphere between these Waters.  The lower-Waters spring forth and rise upwards to meet the rain and lightning descending from the upper-Waters.  Once met, the homogenous Waters, upper now comingled with lower, fall together into manifestation. 

Standing as radiant Individual Diamond-stars, situated at the point of now-ness where/when the upper- and lower-Waters comingle, we will focus upon the rainbow we form within the ever-changing, ever-transient Water vapor.  We will draw from this Limitless Substance all things needful to us in our now-ness, and ride consciously with the ever-cresting wave of right-now real-time change.  Our focus will be nose-to-nose with the descending infinity of Binah-potentials and we will explore the cutting-edge feel of what it means to be constantly Created . . . to be ceaselessly re-Created.

The spherical rainbow refracted by the vapor of the Waters of Mercy is the equivalent of our luminous bodies.  The rainbow demonstrates Individuation-by-similarity, for even though its colors are created by different spectra of light, it is still a unified, coherent, inter-related whole. 

Each color becomes the next color in the sequence by degrees of alikeness -- red passes along the commonality/causality of yellow and by an infinite succession of degrees, it becomes green.  The rainbow, like our luminous body, is one of an infinite number of Individual microcosmic manifestations of the macrocosm.  An Individual microcosmic body directly mirrors the overall structure of the macrocosm, but it does not contain the whole infinity of possibilities encompassed by macro-cosm. 

Our Gedulah Temple meditation will end with a simple ritual of "high magic" -- we will consciously descend into our luminous body, consciously filling it and causing it to be.  As we return to Malkuth we will be wrapping ourselves in this garment and forming with it our daily life circumstances.  It is "high magic" because our daily life is in fact, the present-moment, real-time, highly sequentialized manifestation of our luminous body. 


MEDITATION #7: GEDULAH

Begin as usual: pass through the Cave Entrance, along the Tunnel passage, up the ten steps, and into the Malkuth Temple where I stand awaiting your arrival.

When all the participants have arrived, I will gather us together and cast a ritual circle. 

Once our circle is cast, we will spend several moments together in the center of the Malkuth Temple, holding hands in a circle and bringing our awareness of the presences of the other participants into focus.  As you look around the circle, try to sense the unique presence of each participant. 

At the appropriate moment, I will bring our focus to the East quarter altar -- our gateway to Gedulah.  Upon the altar, we see the square fountain of the Waters of Mercy. Standing within this spray of Water is the radiant, central Diamond from the Tiphareth Temple.   

Behind the altar, we see the same curtain and symbol we encounter at the Cave Entrance.
As I light the candles upon the altar, we speak, as with a single voice, the phrase: "El, please guide me to Gedulah."

As we pass from Hod to Netzach, we add a Hod-sphere at our right hip.  Passing still upwards, we add a Netzach-sphere at our left hip, then a Tiphareth-sphere at our solar plexus, and then a Geburah-sphere at our right shoulder.  This brings us into the Gedulah Temple and we add a Gedulah-sphere at our left shoulder.  When all have arrived in Gedulah Temple, we will pause for a few moments of orientation.

At the appropriate moment, I will bring our circle together and we will focus sharply upon the presences of the other Individual participants.  Notice the subtle differences which distinguish one Individual from another and then pointedly shift your attention to the similarities which render each recognizable as an Individual.  See how the luminous body of one (though Individually unique) is alike the luminous body of each of the others.

Next we will look just as sharply within ourselves.  Turn your attention inward and sense, as deeply as possible, what it feels like for you to wear your luminous body.  Flow along the commonality/causality thread of your luminous body's radiance and merge with your Tiphareth-Diamond self.  Stand, as illustrated, at the meeting place where the upper- and lower-Waters commingle.

We will then spend several minutes in private meditation upon Paul Case's statement #4: "From the exhaustless riches of its Limitless Substance, I draw all things needful, both spiritual and material."  Try, as you meditate, to place yourself firmly in the present-moment now-ness.  From within that now-ness, face directly into the ever-cresting wave of change and try your best to reorient yourself so that instead of it washing over you, you wash down with it.  Seek out your place within the ever-cresting wave of change and flow with it.

Feel yourself as a radiant being, stationed precisely at that point in time-space where/when the future penetrates the present.  As you radiate into the ever-changing, ever-new Limitless Substance of Water vapor, draw from it what is needful to the ceaseless reCreation of your luminous body.  Observe the threads of commonality/causality which sustain the continuity of your luminous body.  Though it exists within the medium of ever-newness and is ceaselessly reCreated, it still manifests a specific continuity -- it is continuously this thing you recognize as your luminous body. 

Examine, explore and learn by direct experience all that you can of this realm of ever-new now-ness.

At the appropriate moment I will bring our focus together and we will begin the ritual of conscious descent into Malkuth.  I utter the word Gedulah and sphere 4 of our luminous bodies shines forth strongly at the left shoulder. 

I utter the word Geburah and we are transited to the Geburah Temple.  We bring our Gedulah bodies into Geburah and sphere 5 at our right shoulder shines forth.  Take a moment to sense how the power of Geburah, since you've touched Gedulah, now has about it a sense of inspiration.  See how the Gedulah force of Loving Kindness fills and gives a nobility of purpose to the form of your Geburian powerfulness.  Let Loving Kindness permeate all of your powerfulness. 

I utter the word Tiphareth and we are transited to the Tiphareth Temple.  As before, we bring our higher Gedulah-Geburah bodies into Tiphareth and sphere 6 becomes a radiant sun which fills our chest cavities.  Sense how the quality of your radiations are changed by the Gedulah-inspiration and the inspired Geburah-powerfulness.

I utter the word Netzach and our Gedulah-Geburah-Tiphareth bodies are transited to the Netzach Temple.  As sphere 7 shines forth at your left hip, sense how your emotional realm is changed and matured to a higher nobility by your having brought your higher body consciously down into it.

I utter the word Hod and we are transited to the Hod Temple.  As sphere 8 shines forth at your right hip, sense how the presence of your higher body refines and clarifies your powers of intellection and reason.

I utter the word Yesod and we are transited to the Yesod Temple.  As sphere 9 shines forth and fills your pelvic cavity, sense how your higher body coalesces and becomes the coherent personality you manifest.

I utter the word Malkuth and our Gedulah-Geburah-Tiphareth-Netzach-Hod-Yesod bodies transit gently to the Malkuth Temple.  Sphere 10 forms itself solidly at our feet and we stand firmly planted upon it.  We stand, wearing our whole luminous body in Malkuth.  Sense what wearing your luminous body in Malkuth feels like for you personally.

We will close with a short meditation on Paul Case's statement #10: "The Kingdom of Spirit is embodied in my flesh." 

At the appropriate moment, I will draw us together and, holding hands, luminous body joined to luminous body in a circle, we will offer up our prayers of thanks.  Then I will release the circle casting and we will bid our goodbyes.

As you leave the Malkuth Temple, do so with great self-consciousness.  Concentrate upon your luminous body and consciously move with it, down the stairs, through the tunnel and out the Cave entrance.  Take the awareness and sensation of your luminous body with you as you return to normal physical awareness.  When you are firmly back into your physical body, take a few minutes more to yourself and visualize your luminous body surrounding and permeating you.  As you get up and go about your business, try to keep this awareness of your luminous body with you for as long as you can. 


Follow-up Work --

As always, write down some notes summarizing your experience.

In the days immediately following your Gedulah meditation, take time periodically to visualize your luminous body.  Remember to wear it and while wearing it, examine those threads of commonality / causality which connect your luminous body to the circumstances of your daily life.  Acquaint yourself thoroughly with your luminous body.

Don't hesitate to project your personal shield if working with your luminous body makes you feel at all vulnerable.  Your shield and your luminous body are quite compatible and the one will augment the other.

Return regularly to the Gedulah Temple and pursue there the work of fine tuning the self-crafting of your Individuality.  Thoroughly familiarize yourself with the now and with the threads of causality connecting past with future.  Set your imagination free and experiment with the manipulation of those threads of causality. 

Working directly with the causal threads that permeate and sustain the universe is a very high form of magic called "Causality Magic".  Only an Individual who is well along the path of self-crafting and who has truly learned the lessons of Geburah, is allowed access to this high a magic.  In other words, one is led to this higher ability only by successfully passing through the lessons of Geburah -- there is no other entry than that, for there is no such thing as a short cut to the higher magics!