“HUMAN BECOMING”
An adapted article about the Kabbalah by Ted Andrews
The qualities essential for accelerating our growth and spiritual evolution are innate, although this idea is often unrecognised or believed to be only for the realm of the gifted few. Even when this innate ability is recognised though, there is still needed an effective system or a means to release it. In our modern world there are a myriad of individuals providing maps. How then are we to know which map to follow through the labyrinth of spiritual explorations?
The key to remember is that ultimately no one knows better for us than ourselves and there is no one doing anything in the spiritual and metaphysical realm that we cannot also be doing in our own unique way. We must learn to take what we can from whatever source we can, work with it and adapt it into a method that works for us as individuals.
Then whatever system we use as a guide to explore other realms inside or outside of us should fulfil certain criteria. Such a system should be easily understood, and if based upon an older Mystery Tradition, it should be living and growing, adaptable to the modern world and to us within it. This system should be capable of awakening our inner potentials without overwhelming us in the process. Finally, it should enable us to experience the universal energies that fill and touch our lives daily.
The ancient mystical Kabbalah fulfils all of these criteria. It is a map that allows us to look into ourselves for our answers, for our magic and for our miracles. Not from books or from teachers – although they serve their purposes – but from the well of truth that lies within! Rather than searching for some light to shine down upon us, the Kabbalah guides us to the light within – to shine out from us. Only then does the path through the labyrinth of life become a path to the Holy Grail.
Much has been written about meditation and its various practices. There are as many methods of meditation as there are people. As to which method or combination of methods is best, no one can answer that but the individual. What is important is that the method chosen be an active one. It is not enough to simply quiet the mind and allow pleasant images to arise. Over time this can lead to self-deception. We need to act upon what we are stimulating. We operate predominantly within the physical dimension and thus all energies activated on other levels need to be grounded in the physical.
The techniques taught in the Tree of Life Kabbalah are techniques for developing our innate potential. They help us to solve problems, achieve goals, open ourselves to higher capabilities and instil colour and a joy of life. Their application to daily life is work, as any form of development is. That work though can be enjoyable. As it is often said, it is not the destination, but the journey itself that holds the treasures. There are quick methods to open our psychic energies, but they alone do not propel us along our spiritual path to a higher destiny. Neither do they reflect a higher evolution. Only by bridging the psychic with the spiritual archetypes and then grounding them into the physical do we create opportunities for higher evolution.
The entire purpose of working with the Tree of Life is to increase our awareness of the interplay of other dimensions with our physical life so we can learn to control them. This involves removing a tunnel vision approach to life and overcoming reliance only upon the five senses. We must learn to use altered states of consciousness to recognise and understand how energies play upon us in all aspects of our life. We must learn to synthesise the inner realm experiences with the outer reality.
Through pathworking the Tree of Life we can look at the patterns of our lives. We must look for the patterns and relationships between our lives and the lives of others. Are we repeating the same situations and experiences? We must restrain ourselves to look at life and people from all levels.
Working with the Tree of Life means opening up to the intuition and ability to perceive our life in new dimensions. We will no longer be able to perceive people and things from a limited, physical perspective. Everything is affected by us and everything affects us. Control of our environment begins with control of ourself. Until we cease to be influenced by surrounding conditions, we cannot hope to exercise influence over them.
This means we must learn to grow and extend ourselves in an environment that promotes growth and provides protection. Through the Kabbalistic Tree of Life we achieve both.
There are no shortcuts. Through the Tree of Life though, we learn to open to higher knowledge and hidden potential. We learn to use them to integrate the spiritual forces surrounding us into our daily lives in a balanced fashion.
This doesn’t mean it will be easy. It just means that now we have a great tool to help us. It means we can learn to invoke and invite energies into our lives that can bring results. It requires time and effort, but it also brings great rewards for that time and effort.
A great secret lesson of knowledge is that nothing is insignificant. Everything has importance and consequence within our lives, helping to shape us. Recognising this is what working with the Tree of Life is all about.
Learning to utilise and incorporate all of our energies at all times in full consciousness and with full responsibility … this is the Great Work. It is becoming more than human … it is what makes us a human being.