Re: [BardonPraxis] book 231 paths/gates

["Rawn Clark" <rawnclark@...>]

Dear Hervé,

>> in your book 231, i have some difficulties to understand the
differences between a path and a gate. does a path make every time a
gate ? why do you say in the third cycle at the gate#4: 8.10.9.8 =>is a
gate ? isn't it 3 paths ? <<

A Gate is the sequential travel from Sephirot to Sephirot which includes
the Sephirot AND the 'paths' that connect them. In modern lingo, we use
the term 'path' to indicate the connections between the Sephirot, but
this is really a mis-use of the term, Kabbalistically speaking. In the
ancient texts, the term "Path" is used for the Letters AND the Sephirot
(e.g., the 32 Paths of Wisdom) and is not an indication of a connection
between the Sephirot. So, the individual Sephirot are each "Paths" as
are each of the individual Letters.

To illustrate a simple Gate (which looks like a 'path'), let's look at
the first Gate in the Sequence of Initiation: Yesod > Tav > Malkuth.
This Gate is composed of three "Paths": #1 - Yesod, #2 - Tav, #3 -
Malkuth. It is "worked" or traveled, by first attaining Yesod, and then
the 'path' of Tav is pursued "down" into Malkuth. This integrates the
Yesod level of one's consciousness, into the Malkuth level, via the
journey of Tav. The Gate is then traversed in the opposite direction,
upwards and officially ends back in Yesod, thus integrating the Malkuth
level of one's consciousness into the Yesod level, via the reverse
journey of Tav.

When working a Gate, one always begins with the highest Sephirot and
travels first to the lowest Sephirot. In the example of Gate #4
(8.10.9.8), which is composed of five "Paths", one begins in the highest
Sephirot of Hod (8) and travels first to the lowest Sephirot in the
Gate, Malkuth (10). Then one makes their way from Malkuth to Yesod and
then from Yesod back to Hod, completing the form. And then, one works
the Gate in the reverse direction by traveling from Hod to Yesod, then
to Malkuth and ending once again in Hod.

So, a Gate is composed of *at least* three "Paths" and represents the
integration of the various levels of consciousness symbolized by the
"Paths". A "Path" on the other hand, represents just a single discrete
level of consciousness and not an integration of levels.

My best to you,
:) Rawn Clark
14 Sept 2003
rawnclark@...
rawn@...
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