Climbing the Tree of Life: A Manual of Practical Magickal Qabalah

«Many people actually mean the Tree of Life glyph when they say Qabalah. The Tree of Life is the pictorial representation of Qabalistic thought, a concentrated image containing all the philosophical and magickal concepts of Qabalah.» — Rankine distingue el glifo de la tradición que lo produce: mucha gente llama Qabalah al Árbol de la Vida, que él define como la representación pictórica del pensamiento cabalístico y como imagen concentrada de todos sus conceptos

«However strictly speaking Qabalah is the whole tradition of thought as well, embodying a history of millennia of development and mystical experience, as well as the glyph.» — la corrección que sigue a esa distinción: en sentido estricto la Qabalah es también el cuerpo entero de pensamiento, con milenios de desarrollo y de experiencia mística detrás, y no solo el diagrama

«Qabalah offers the student the opportunity to follow a well-defined and multi-layered map of consciousness expansion and self-integration and balance.» — lo que Rankine ofrece al estudiante es un mapa, no una doctrina: un mapa bien definido y de muchas capas de expansión de la consciencia, de autointegración y de equilibrio

«Additionally it is extremely compatible with many other schools of thought, enabling existing beliefs and practices to often be fitted into Qabalistic ideas harmoniously.» — Rankine sostiene que la Qabalah es además compatible con muchas otras escuelas de pensamiento, y que las creencias y prácticas que el estudiante ya tenga suelen poder encajarse en ella sin violencia

«Of the aforementioned systems, only Druidry and the Arthurian mythos can claim not to have been heavily influenced by Qabalistic thought and practice.» — del inventario de la Tradición de Misterios Occidental, Rankine exceptúa dos: solo el druidismo y el ciclo artúrico pueden decir que no fueron influidos de lleno por el pensamiento y la práctica cabalísticos

«Qabalah offers a challenge to anyone who chooses to practice it, for it presents a path to the infinite, which unfolds conditioning and challenges views, whilst at the same time reinforcing all of the best qualities in the student.» — Rankine enuncia lo que el sistema le exige a quien lo practica: es un camino al infinito que desarma el condicionamiento y pone en cuestión las propias ideas, y a la vez refuerza lo mejor del estudiante

«It provides a panoramic worldview and one can practice Qabalah with or without including ritual practice in your life.» — la reserva con que cierra la introducción: la Qabalah da una visión panorámica del mundo y se puede practicar con o sin ritual, de modo que el aparato ceremonial del resto del manual queda declarado como opción y no como requisito

«As with all other aspects of Qabalah, the choice of how you climb the Tree of Life is up to you.» — la fórmula con que Rankine deja la elección al lector, y que da título al libro: cómo se sube por el Árbol de la Vida es cosa de cada quien

«As the English meaning of the word Qabalah being “received teaching/wisdom” implies, we know that it was originally an oral tradition. As such the Kabbalah may have existed for centuries before the first texts were recorded.» — Rankine deriva el carácter oral de la tradición de su propio nombre: si Qabalah significa enseñanza o sabiduría recibida, la Kabbalah pudo existir siglos antes de que se escribiera el primer texto

«According to Jewish myth, the archangel Metatron or Raziel gave the knowledge of Kabbalah to Adam in the Garden of Eden. It passed down Adam’s line to Noah, and to Abraham.» — la cadena de transmisión que Rankine atribuye al mito judío: Metatrón o Raziel entregan el conocimiento a Adán en el Edén y de ahí baja por la línea de Adán a Noé y a Abraham. Rankine lo presenta como mito, no como historia

«Moses was said to be very learned in Kabbalah, and learned much more from the angels during the forty years in the wilderness. He subsequently taught seventy elders, so that the line of descent of knowledge would be secured.» — la segunda mitad de esa cadena: a Moisés se le tuvo por muy versado en Kabbalah y por haber aprendido mucho más de los ángeles durante los cuarenta años del desierto, y por haber enseñado después a setenta ancianos para asegurar la línea de descendencia

«A largely ignored contributory factor in the early development of Kabbalah was the worship of Theos Hypsistos (“the highest God”). The cult of this highest god spread to various parts of the Hellenic Greek culture, as well as various Jewish communities. It was already established by the second century BCE, and provided a transitional state between pagan monotheism and the development of Jewish Kabbalah and Christian thought.» — el factor que Rankine dice que suele ignorarse: el culto a Theos Hypsistos, el dios altísimo, difundido por la cultura griega helénica y por comunidades judías y ya establecido en el siglo II a. C., como estado de transición entre el monoteísmo pagano y la Kabbalah judía

«Born of itself, untaught, without a mother; unshakeable, not contained in a name, known by many names, dwelling in fire, this is god. We, his angels, are a small part of god. To you who ask this question about god, what his essential nature is, he has pronounced that Aether is god who sees all, on whom you should gaze and pray at dawn, looking towards the sunrise.» — la inscripción oracular que Rankine reproduce como muestra de esa semejanza; la nota al pie la localiza en Oenoanda, en el norte de Licia, y la da traducida por Stephen Mitchell. Los nombres van tal cual los imprime el troceo

«We know that one of the earliest and greatest of Jewish Kabbalistic texts, the Sepher Yetzirah or Book of Formation was said to have been written by Simeon ben Yochai in about 70 CE.» — Rankine consigna como atribución recibida, no como dato propio, que el Sepher Yetzirah o Libro de la Formación lo escribió Simeón ben Yochai hacia el año 70 de nuestra era

«This book combines the earlier Merkavah Mysticism (which was practiced during the approximate period of 100 BCE - 1000 CE) and newer Kabbalistic thought, and lays the template for much of the subsequent Kabbalah» — lo que Rankine le adjudica a ese libro: combinar la mística de la Merkavah, que data entre el 100 a. C. y el 1000 d. C., con el pensamiento cabalístico nuevo, y fijar la plantilla de casi toda la Kabbalah posterior

«Merkavah Mysticism was highly significant and stems from Ezekiel 1:26-28, referring to the chariot of Ezekiel’s vision. The Merkavah Mystic or Rider strove to enter into the throne world of God, using fasting and repetitious use of hymns and prayers, akin to mantra.» — Rankine remite la mística de la Merkavah a Ezequiel 1:26-28 y describe su técnica: el místico o jinete busca entrar en el mundo del trono de Dios por el ayuno y la repetición de himnos y plegarias, que compara con el mantra

«When in trance he would send his spirit upwards through the Seven Palaces, where he would encounter demons, and he needed to have prepared many magickal amulets and memorized long incantations to ensure successful passage.» — lo que el manual dice que el practicante encontraba en ese ascenso: demonios en los Siete Palacios, y por eso la exigencia previa de amuletos mágicos preparados y largas encantaciones memorizadas

«A development of Merkavah mysticism was the German branch of Kabbalism, established by Aaron ben Samuel in 917 CE. This version concentrated more on prayer than the ascent to God’s throne.» — Rankine data en 917 la rama alemana del kabbalismo fundada por Aarón ben Samuel, y la distingue de la Merkavah por concentrarse en la plegaria más que en el ascenso al trono

«The German branch also focused on the esoteric meanings of scripture, developing the techniques of Gematria, Notariqon and Temurah that have become a major part of modern Qabalah.» — a esa misma rama alemana le atribuye el desarrollo de la gematría, el notariqón y la temurá, que son, dice, parte mayor de la Qabalah moderna

«The other most influential Kabbalistic works, the Bahir7 and the Zohar, were also said to have been written in the first century CE, but to have remained completely unknown outside of very small select circles until the twelfth and thirteenth centuries CE respectively.» — Rankine consigna la datación tradicional del Bahir y del Zohar en el siglo I y su permanencia desconocida fuera de círculos muy reducidos hasta los siglos XII y XIII

«This view is one that is disputed by some, ascribing authorship of these works to much later historical figures. Gershom Scholem presents very lucid arguments ascribing these works to the thirteenth century in his classic work Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism.» — Rankine consigna el desacuerdo sin arbitrarlo: algunos adjudican esas obras a figuras muy posteriores, y nombra a Gershom Scholem y su Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism como quien argumenta el siglo XIII

«Nonetheless it could perhaps be said that these vital works represent the fruition of a train of thought which began in the first century CE.» — la salida que Rankine propone ante ese desacuerdo, marcada por él mismo como conjetura: que esas obras serían el fruto de una corriente de pensamiento iniciada en el siglo I

«is attributed to the Jewish Rabbi Isaac the Blind (1160-1236 CE), in Provence, France, who was known as the» — Rankine adjudica al rabino Isaac el Ciego, en Provenza, el uso de la palabra Kabbalah para nombrar la tradición, que antes se decía con giros como la obra del Padre o la sabiduría escondida

«The publication of the Zohar by Moses de Leon (1238-1305 CE) in 1290 CE in Spain, together with the use at this time of the first known images of the Tree of Life glyph created a surge of interest in this spreading emanation of Kabbalistic philosophy.» — Rankine data la publicación del Zohar por Moisés de León en 1290 en España y la empareja con las primeras imágenes conocidas del glifo del Árbol de la Vida

«It is significant that the Zohar places great emphasis on the Shekinah, bringing sexual polarity very much to the forefront of Kabbalah at this point.» — lo que Rankine subraya del Zohar es la Shekinah: con él la polaridad sexual pasa al primer plano de la Kabbalah

«Christian Cabalah, drawing on the mysteries of Jewish Kabbalah was now able to develop as a result of the availability of Kabbalistic material.» — Rankine hace depender la Cabalah cristiana de la disponibilidad material de los textos judíos, no de una afinidad doctrinal previa

«This grimoire is Liber Juratus or The Sworn Book o f Honorius. This Grimoire used the Shemhamforash and other non-biblical angels, suggesting a strong influence from Merkavah mysticism. This book is also significant as it contains the first image of the Sigillum dei Aemeth, which was to play a major role in the development of Dr John Dee’s system of Enochian magick.» — Rankine sitúa el Liber Juratus o Libro Jurado de Honorio poco después del Zohar y le adjudica dos rasgos: el uso del Shemhamforash y de ángeles no bíblicos, que remite a la Merkavah, y la primera imagen del Sigillum dei Aemeth, que enlaza con la magia enoquiana de John Dee

«Around the same time period that the Zohar was published and Liber Juratus was being produced, the magickian Ramon Lull was having a vision on Mount Randa (1274 CE) in Spain. Lull’s vision included details of combinations of letters and speculations about the divine names, suggesting a Kabbalistic influence on his experience, possibly as the result of earlier study.» — Rankine data en 1274 la visión de Ramon Lull en el monte Randa y le lee influencia cabalística por las combinaciones de letras y las especulaciones sobre los nombres divinos, con un doble matiz de conjetura

«The Genovese magickian Pico della Mirandola (1463-1494 CE) then went further by publicly declaring the beauty, sanctity and efficacy of Qabalah as good magick in his writings, opening the door for the development of Western Qabalah.» — Rankine adjudica a Pico della Mirandola la declaración pública de la belleza, la santidad y la eficacia de la Qabalah como magia buena. El troceo imprime *Genovese*, gentilicio que el propio libro no explica y que aquí se consigna tal cual

«Pico della Mirandola can be seen as the key figure in the process of merging Kabbalah into Hermeticism and so creating the basis of what we today work as Qabalah.» — la tesis de Rankine sobre el momento de bisagra: Pico es la figura clave del proceso que funde la Kabbalah en el hermetismo y crea la base de lo que hoy se practica como Qabalah

«Texts such as the Orphic Hymns and Chaldean Oracles also influenced him, and his friendship with Marsilio Ficino (1433-99 CE), translator of much of Plotinus and Plato is sure to have contributed to his opinions.» — Rankine completa el entorno de Pico con los Himnos Órficos y los Oráculos Caldeos y con su amistad con Marsilio Ficino, traductor de buena parte de Plotino y Platón

«From here the work of Johannes Reuchlin continued the development of both Cabalah and Qabalah. His writings on Cabalah referred back to Pico della Mirandola’s work and furthered their development, concentrating more on areas like the angels and manipulation of numbers, and expanding Pico della Mirandola’s associations with Pythagorean Numbers and mathematics.» — lo que Rankine le adjudica a Johannes Reuchlin: continuar la obra de Pico por el lado de los ángeles y la manipulación de números, y ampliar la asociación con los números pitagóricos

«Particularly influential was his work De arte Cabalistica, published in 1517 CE.» — Rankine data De arte Cabalistica en 1517, cuatro años después del año que la plana del epígrafe imprime como fecha de esa misma obra; las dos cifras quedan consignadas sin armonizar

«The work of Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (1486-1535 CE), friend of Johannes Reuchlin and student of the extremely influential and significant scholar-magician and cabalist Abbot Johannes Trithemius, continued this development of the integration of Kabbalistic thought into acceptable Western magickal doctrine.» — Rankine coloca a Agrippa en la misma línea, nombrándolo amigo de Reuchlin y discípulo del abad Johannes Trithemius, y le adjudica continuar la integración del pensamiento cabalístico en la doctrina mágica occidental

«His classic work De Occulta Philosophy10 marked the full acceptance of Qabalah as part of the corpus of European magick, to be embraced by those who would follow.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a esa obra de Agrippa: marcar la aceptación plena de la Qabalah dentro del corpus de la magia europea. El troceo imprime *De Occulta Philosophy*, y la nota al pie la data en 1531 y la identifica con los Three Books of Occult Philosophy

«By the late sixteenth century to early seventeenth century Kabbalah was well and truly integrated into the developing Western Mystery Tradition branches of Hermeticism, Alchemy and the newly developing Rosicrucianism.» — Rankine fecha entre finales del siglo XVI y principios del XVII la integración de la Kabbalah en las ramas de la Tradición de Misterios Occidental que nombra: hermetismo, alquimia y el rosacrucismo entonces naciente

«This period marks the “coming of age” of the transition from Jewish Kabbalah to magickal Qabalah, with the emphasis being on practical angelic magick rather than devotional mysticism as was largely the case with Kabbalah.» — la fórmula con que Rankine caracteriza esa transición de la Kabbalah judía a la Qabalah mágica: el acento pasa a la magia angélica práctica en vez de la mística devocional

«In his book, Sanctum Regnum, Levi attributed the twenty-two trumps of the Tarot onto the twenty-two Hebrew letters and thus the paths of the Tree of Life.» — Rankine adjudica a Eliphas Levi, en el libro que nombra Sanctum Regnum, la atribución de los veintidós triunfos del Tarot a las veintidós letras hebreas y de ahí a los senderos del Árbol

«This action was to lay the groundwork for much of the modern perception of Qabalah, including the whole art of pathworking the Tree of Life using the Tarot cards as astral doorways.» — lo que Rankine hace derivar de esa atribución: el groso de la percepción moderna de la Qabalah y el arte entero del pathworking con las cartas del Tarot como puertas astrales

«The last great refinement of Qabalah can be said to have occurred with the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, founded in 1887 CE.» — Rankine data en 1887 la fundación de la Orden Hermética de la Golden Dawn y la llama el último gran refinamiento de la Qabalah

«Certain of the major figures within the Golden Dawn, notably Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, Wynn Westcott and Allan Bennett synthesized much of the corpus of material we now use. Examples of this are the Colour Scales, the Lesser Banishing Pentagram Ritual, the Middle Pillar, Telesmatic Imagery and many of the correspondences.» — Rankine nombra a Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, Wynn Westcott y Allan Bennett como los que sintetizaron el material que hoy se usa, y enumera lo sintetizado: escalas de color, ritual menor de destierro del pentagrama, Pilar Medio, imaginería telesmática y buena parte de las correspondencias

«Significantly, he made seventy-two9 of the nine hundred of his major religious work Conclusions about the Kabbalah.» — Rankine cuenta setenta y dos de las novecientas conclusiones de Pico dedicadas a la cábala; el 9 pegado a la cifra dentro de las comillas es la llamada de nota del impreso, y esa nota remite el número a los ángeles del Shemhamphorash

«Another important work from this period is The Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom by Joannes Stephanus Rittangelius (1606-52 CE), published in 1642 CE. This book gives descriptions of the qualities of the Sephiroth and paths» — Rankine data en 1642 The Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom de Joannes Stephanus Rittangelius y dice de él que describe las cualidades de las sefirot y de los senderos

«often erroneously referred to as part of the Sepher Yetzirah, due to its inclusion in Wynn Westcott’s edition of that latter work.» — la objeción con que Rankine continúa la frase anterior, ya en la plana siguiente: niega que esa obra sea parte del Sepher Yetzirah y atribuye la confusión a su inclusión en la edición de Wynn Westcott

«All the divine powers form a succession of layers and are like a tree» — el epígrafe con que Rankine abre el capítulo del Árbol de la Vida; la nota al pie lo adjudica al Bahir en la traducción de Gershom Scholem

«The Tree of Life is on one level a symbolic glyph which embodies the prime magickal axiom of “As above, so below”, representing as it does both the universe (macrocosm) and the body of man (microcosm), each reflecting the other, but on a different scale.» — la primera de las dos lecturas que Rankine da del glifo: encarna el axioma mágico de como es arriba es abajo y representa a la vez el universo como macrocosmos y el cuerpo del hombre como microcosmos, cada uno reflejo del otro en otra escala

«On another level it is a map of the psyche, enabling the practitioners to explore their own mental and emotional landscapes with a well-used and effective map that is designed to facilitate growth and realisation of the self through integration of the parts of the psyche to create a unified consciousness and soul.» — la segunda lectura, psicológica: un mapa de la psique que permite al practicante explorar su propio paisaje mental y emocional e integrar sus partes en una consciencia y un alma unificadas

«The Tree of Life is a geometric glyph comprising ten circles, the Sephiroth15, meaning “Emanations", arranged in three vertical columns and connected by twenty-two diagonal, horizontal and vertical paths.» — la descripción geométrica del glifo: diez círculos, las sefirot, en tres columnas verticales, unidos por veintidós senderos. El 15 pegado a la palabra dentro de las comillas es la llamada de nota del impreso, que aclara que *Sephiroth* es el plural

«The first recorded images of the Tree of Life occur in thirteenth century CE Spain, and this underwent some changes as different models were postulated. The version we are familiar with in modern Qabalah dates back to around sixteenth century CE Europe.» — Rankine data en la España del siglo XIII las primeras imágenes registradas del Árbol y en la Europa del siglo XVI la versión que la Qabalah moderna reconoce

«The twenty-two paths express the subjective experiences of the self and the world necessary for the development and realisation of inner potential. To each of the paths is attributed a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and a whole host of symbols.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a los senderos: expresan las experiencias subjetivas del yo y del mundo necesarias para realizar el potencial interior, y a cada uno se le atribuye una letra hebrea y un enjambre de símbolos

«The Tree of Life may be divided into parts by a variety of classifications, each of which give insight into the nature of Qabalah. These divisions include the Three Pillars, the Four Worlds, the Triads and the Seven Palaces.» — las cuatro divisiones del Árbol que Rankine anuncia como estructura del libro: los Tres Pilares, los Cuatro Mundos, las Tríadas y los Siete Palacios

«Modern Qabalah is usually categorised into four areas. These are Practical Qabalah, Literal Qabalah, Unwritten Qabalah and Dogmatic Qabalah. Of these the first two are those that are the main concern of this present work.» — Rankine parte la Qabalah moderna en cuatro áreas y declara cuáles trabaja el libro: la Práctica y la Literal, no la No escrita ni la Dogmática

«Practical Qabalah is the area concerned with the magick of Qabalah, including such subjects as divination, meditation and the creation and use of amulets and talismans. This branch of Qabalah is largely derived from Merkavah mysticism.» — la definición de Qabalah Práctica que da el manual: la magia de la cábala, con adivinación, meditación y hechura y uso de amuletos y talismanes, derivada en buena parte de la mística de la Merkavah

«The Literal Qabalah is the area concerned with the manipulation of the Hebrew alphabet and its associated numbers, i.e. Gematria, Notariqon and Temurah. As with Practical Qabalah this branch also grows from roots found in Merkavah Mysticism.» — la definición de Qabalah Literal: la manipulación del alfabeto hebreo y sus números, es decir gematría, notariqón y temurá, con la misma raíz en la Merkavah

«The Unwritten Qabalah is the material that has always remained oral or has never been circulated. The bulk of the Kabbalistic texts (in their thousands) have never been translated from the Hebrew or been available to a wide audience.» — la definición de Qabalah No escrita, y con ella una medida de lo que queda fuera: el grueso de los textos cabalísticos, por millares, nunca se tradujo del hebreo ni llegó a un público amplio

«Finally the Dogmatic Qabalah is the study of classic Qabalistic texts, such as the Sepher Yetzirah, Sepher ha-Zohar, Sepher Bahir and of course the Torah (Old Testament).» — la definición de Qabalah Dogmática por su lista de textos clásicos: el Sepher Yetzirah, el Sepher ha-Zohar, el Sepher Bahir y la Torá

«The Tree of Life may be represented through the Four Worlds. These are Olahm ha-Atziluth (Archetypal World), Olahm ha-Briah (Creative World), Olahm ha-Yetzirah (Formative World) and Olahm ha-Assiah (Making or Active World)» — Rankine nombra los Cuatro Mundos con sus formas hebreas y su traducción: Atziluth arquetípico, Briah creativo, Yetzirah formativo y Assiah de hechura o activo

«Atziluth is also known as the World of Emanations, where God manifests as the archetypes expressed through the Sephiroth. For this reason it is also sometimes called the World of the Sephiroth (Olahm ha-Sephiroth) as this is where they first exist in potential. These archetypes of the Sephiroth are the templates of creation; the ideal representations of what will be when evolution to the highest has occurred.» — lo que Rankine pone en Atziluth: Dios manifestado como arquetipos por las sefirot, que son las plantillas de la creación y las representaciones ideales de lo que será cuando la evolución llegue a lo más alto

«They may also be seen as the pantheistic deities of the pagan religions whose natures embody facets or faces of the ultimate unknowable divine.» — la lectura con que Rankine acomoda el politeísmo dentro del esquema: los arquetipos pueden verse también como las deidades panteístas de las religiones paganas, cuyas naturalezas encarnan facetas o rostros de lo divino último e incognoscible

«Atziluth can also be seen as the world of pure will, before it is manifested into action. In Atziluth the Ultimate acts without intermediaries, expressing itself through emanation of concepts.» — la caracterización de Atziluth como mundo de la voluntad pura antes de hacerse acción, donde lo Último obra sin intermediarios

«Atziluth is also said by some to be the World where God unites with the Shekinah to produce the lower three Worlds.» — Rankine consigna como opinión de algunos, no propia, que Atziluth es el mundo donde Dios se une con la Shekinah para producir los tres mundos inferiores

«The numerical significance of Atziluth adding to 537 can be seen through all the letters attributed to the vertical paths on the three Pillars adding to the same (i.e. 537), demonstrating that the beginning of the three Pillars is contained within the Supernal Triad of the Sephiroth of Atziluth.» — el argumento gemátrico con que Rankine liga Atziluth a los tres pilares: las letras de los senderos verticales de los tres pilares suman también 537

«Briah is the world of creation, where the Archangels are formed from the emanations as they become more manifest. The ultimate force is taking form into patterns of order that enable the further manifestation of energy towards matter.» — lo que Rankine pone en Briah: la formación de los arcángeles a partir de las emanaciones, con la fuerza última tomando forma en patrones de orden

«Briah adds to 218 (BRIAH), which is the same as ether (AVIRA), multitude (RBVA) and the benignity of time (ChSD AaVLM).» — la serie gemátrica que Rankine da para Briah: 218 vale también éter, multitud y la benignidad del tiempo, con sus transliteraciones tal cual las imprime el troceo

«Yetzirah is the world of formation, where the Angels come into being and act as distributors of the patterns of order created by the Archangels who rule them.» — lo que Rankine pone en Yetzirah: los ángeles vienen al ser y distribuyen los patrones de orden creados por los arcángeles que los gobiernan

«Rising to the level of Yetzirah is known as “ascending to the orchard”. The orchard is another name for Eden, so it indicates a return to the perfection without evil (negativity).» — Rankine glosa la fórmula de ascender al huerto: el huerto es otro nombre del Edén, de modo que subir a Yetzirah es volver a la perfección sin mal

«Yetzirah is often seen as containing the six Sephiroth from Chesed to Yesod, which are also collectively called the Sephiroth of Construction (Sephiroth ha-Benyin17) in this context, and correspond to the six days of the creation in Genesis.» — el contenido sefirótico que Rankine adjudica a Yetzirah: las seis sefirot de Chesed a Yesod, llamadas de Construcción, emparejadas con los seis días de la creación

«Assiah is the world of making, where matter is formed. Here man resides, and strives to rise back up through the Worlds to the divine. Assiah is the universe of forms. It is also sometimes referred to as the» — lo que Rankine pone en Assiah: la formación de la materia, la residencia del hombre y su esfuerzo por remontar los mundos hacia lo divino

«Assiah adds to 410 (HTzShIH), the same as liberty (DRVR), holy (QVDSh) and the Tabernacle (MShKN). So in Assiah the world was formed (Tabernacle) as a holy place that man might achieve his liberty.» — la serie gemátrica de Assiah: 410 vale también libertad, santo y el Tabernáculo, y de ahí lee Rankine que el mundo se formó como lugar santo para que el hombre alcance su libertad

«A simple meditation performed on a coin can illustrate the action of the Four Worlds very well. Hold a coin in your hand and contemplate it First see it as a man-made disk, used in commerce; this is the level of Assiah, the manifestation of the coin.» — la primera de las dos meditaciones que el manual prescribe para los Cuatro Mundos: sostener una moneda y verla primero como disco de factura humana usado en el comercio, que es el nivel de Assiah

«Now see the coin as a structure of bonded atoms of different elements, such as copper or silver and nickel, this is the level of Briah the creation of the alloy that makes the coin. Now see the atoms of the coin as part of the manifest universe, like everything else around you, this is the level of Atziluth, the emanation, where the coin is seen as part of the whole that is also you.» — el remate de esa misma meditación, que Rankine hace subir de la aleación a los átomos y de ahí al universo manifiesto, donde la moneda se ve como parte del todo que también es quien medita

«This principle can also be used very well to demonstrate the veracity of William Blake’s classic line “to see a world in a grain of sand» — la segunda meditación prescrita, que Rankine ancla en un verso de William Blake; la nota al pie lo localiza en Auguries of Innocence

«At Yetzirah it may be seen as silicon dioxide, a combination of silicon and oxygen in solid shape. At Briah it is perceived as a structure of bonded atoms, two oxygen to each silicon, forming the grain. At Atziluth it can be realized as the visible form of millions upon millions of atoms, a microcosm or universe in miniature. Truly it can be seen as a world in itself, and we, though far vaster, are but as grains of sand in the universe.» — el recorrido de esa segunda meditación por los cuatro mundos, de dióxido de silicio a estructura de átomos enlazados y a microcosmos, y la vuelta que Rankine le da al final sobre quien medita

«There are four models used to do this, so I will consider them in turn.» — la declaración de método con que Rankine abre el capítulo de las sefirot en los mundos: hay cuatro modelos y los expondrá uno por uno, sin elegir entre ellos

«This model is based on the triads of the Tree, and also is the most used for working magickal Qabalah, as the divisions are also indicated by the presence of the three veils on the Tree.» — lo que Rankine dice del modelo mágico occidental: se apoya en las tríadas del Árbol y es el más usado para trabajar la Qabalah mágica porque los tres velos marcan sus divisiones

«For the purpose of the soul divisions however this model is not so valid and the classical models have a number of advantages» — la reserva que Rankine le pone en la misma frase: para las divisiones del alma ese modelo no le parece tan válido y los modelos clásicos llevan ventaja

«Yechidah (unique one, immortality) and Chayah (vitality) are both higher aspects of the Neshamah (upper soul, breath or pneuma) respectively. The Ruach is the middle soul or spirit, and the Nephesh is the lower soul or animal soul.» — el desglose de las partes del alma que Rankine adjunta al modelo mágico occidental: Yechidah y Chayah como aspectos altos de la Neshamah, el Ruach como alma media o espíritu y el Nephesh como alma baja o animal

«Here Kether is beyond the Four Worlds and corresponds to the Yechidah, and the upper two Worlds contain Chokmah and Binah respectively, which correspond to the Chayah and Neshamah, Yetzirah contains the six Sephiroth from Chesed to Yesod (the Lesser Countenance) corresponding to the Ruach, and Assiah contains Malkuth and the Nephesh.» — el reparto del modelo clásico: Kether queda más allá de los Cuatro Mundos, Chokmah y Binah ocupan los dos mundos altos, Yetzirah las seis sefirot de Chesed a Yesod y Assiah a Malkuth

«Briah is the universe of the Throne (Khorsia), the foundation upon which creation is formed. Many analogies to that of Ezekiel (the sapphire throne of 1:26 and 10:1) of the throne of creation may be found in world myths, such as the quartz throne of the creator god Daramulun in Aboriginal myth» — Rankine identifica Briah con el universo del Trono y tiende analogías fuera de la tradición judía: el trono de zafiro de Ezequiel y el trono de cuarzo del dios creador Daramulun en el mito aborigen; la frase sigue con Isis como trono de Osiris, que aquí queda fuera de las comillas porque el impreso mete ahí una llamada de nota. Los nombres van tal cual los imprime el troceo

«This is much more the mystical perception of the Qabalah, tying in with the» — lo que Rankine dice del modelo clásico frente al mágico: es mucho más la percepción mística de la Qabalah. La frase se corta aquí porque el troceo reemite el marcador de plana en el límite de trozo; sigue ligando ese modelo con el alma, las dimensiones y los sentidos escondidos de los Nombres Divinos

«This is a variant of the more mystical perception of the Qabalah, also tying in with the soul, the dimensions and the hidden meanings of the Divine Names. Here Kether is the highest of the Four Worlds, corresponding to the Chayah and the second World contains Chokmah and Binah, corresponding to the Neshamah, Yetzirah contains the six Sephiroth of the Lesser Countenance corresponding to the Ruach, and Assiah contains Malkuth and corresponds to the Nephesh.» — el modelo clásico alternativo que Rankine expone sin elegir entre él y el anterior: Kether ocupa el más alto de los Cuatro Mundos y corresponde a la Chayah, el segundo mundo lleva Chokmah y Binah con la Neshamah, Yetzirah las seis sefirot del Rostro Menor con el Ruach, y Assiah a Malkuth con el Nephesh

«In this model each of the Four Worlds has its own complete Tree of Life, with the Malkuth of the first being the Kether of the second, and so on, down the Tree.» — la Escala de Jacob según Rankine: cada uno de los Cuatro Mundos lleva su propio Árbol completo, y la Malkuth de uno es la Kether del siguiente

«And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.» — el pasaje de Génesis 28:12 que Rankine da como base escrituraria de ese modelo, citado en la traducción inglesa que el libro imprime

«The great ladder is placed in heaven. The top reaches to the firmament.» — el segundo testimonio que Rankine aduce para la Escala, y que adjudica a la parte 4 del Libro de Razial

«A variant of this has the Kether of the lowest Tree of Life being the Tiphereth of the second, and so on, making a more compact version of Jacob’s Ladder.» — la variante que Rankine consigna sin arbitrar entre las dos: la Kether del Árbol más bajo es la Tiphereth del segundo, con lo que la Escala queda más compacta

«These three pillars represent many concepts and symbols, most of which revolve around the idea of a harmony between two opposing forces.» — lo que Rankine dice que representan los tres pilares: muchos conceptos y símbolos, casi todos girando en torno a la armonía entre dos fuerzas opuestas

«The three pillars are sometimes referred to as the zahzahoth (hidden splendours), a term used to denote the underlying balance of opposing forces of primordial mercy and primordial justice by primordial will.» — el nombre alterno que Rankine recoge para los pilares, zahzahoth o esplendores escondidos, con el que se denota el equilibrio de la misericordia y la justicia primordiales por la voluntad primordial

«The Black Pillar is considered to be negative, in the sense of negative charge as opposed to bad.» — la precisión con que Rankine desactiva la lectura moral del Pilar Negro: negativo en el sentido de carga negativa, no de malo

«As we look at the Tree of Life the Black Pillar is on the left facing us, as it corresponds to the right side of the body. This Pillar equates with Boaz (BAaZ), one of the pillars in the Temple of Solomon.» — la regla de orientación del glifo que da Rankine: el Pilar Negro queda a la izquierda de quien mira porque corresponde al lado derecho del cuerpo, y se empareja con Boaz, uno de los pilares del Templo de Salomón

«Adding together the numbers corresponding to the letters joining these Sephiroth on the Black Pillar we have the total of 48 (Cheth: 8 + Mem: 40). 48 is the total for black (ChM) recalling the name of the pillar, and also star/planet, the heaven of Hod (KVKB) at its base.» — el cómputo gemátrico del Pilar Negro que da Rankine: las letras que unen sus sefirot suman 48, total que vale también para negro y para estrella o planeta, el cielo de Hod en su base

«This point is further developed if we consider the Divine Names of the Sephiroth on the Black Pillar. All three of these Divine Names contain the plural Elohim (Gods) - Yahveh Elohim (Binah), Elohim Gibor (Geburah) and Elohim Sabaoth (Hod). This demonstrates the association with form, for form does not occur in singularity, but rather in relationships that define the form.» — el segundo argumento de Rankine para el mismo pilar: los tres Nombres Divinos de sus sefirot llevan el plural Elohim, y de ahí lee la asociación con la forma, que no se da en singularidad sino en relaciones

«It is no coincidence that both the names Boaz and Jachin add to the same total of 79.» — Rankine niega que sea casualidad que Boaz y Jachin, los dos pilares del Templo, sumen ambos 79

«The White Pillar contains the Sephiroth of Chokmah, Chesed and Hod. Adding together the numbers corresponding to the letters joining these Sephiroth on the White Pillar we have the total of 26 (Vav: 6 + Kaph: 20). 26 is also the total for Tetragrammaton (IHVH), so we can see this pillar expressing the divine force» — el cómputo del Pilar Blanco: 26, el mismo total que el Tetragrámaton, de donde Rankine lee que el pilar expresa la fuerza divina. El troceo imprime *Hod* como tercera sefirá del Pilar Blanco, donde el resto del libro pone Netzach; la discrepancia queda consignada sin corregir

«The Grey Pillar is considered to be neutral, the equilibrium and union of the two opposing pillars. The Grey Pillar represents the times in-between day and night, i.e. dawn and dusk.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al Pilar Medio: neutro, equilibrio y unión de los dos pilares opuestos, y representa los tiempos intermedios entre el día y la noche

«If we add together the numbers corresponding to the paths on the Middle Pillar, we get 463 (Tav: 400 + Samekh: 60 + Gimel: 3). Now “a rod of almond’’ (MTH HShQD) also adds to 463, which is why the Middle Pillar is also known as the almond rod or wand.» — el cómputo del Pilar Medio, 463, que Rankine hace coincidir con vara de almendro, de donde saca el otro nombre del pilar

«The Middle Pillar is also sometimes called the Shekinah, possibly also to indicate this descent of divine wisdom from the highest through to manifestation» — la identificación que Rankine consigna marcándola como posible, no como cierta: el Pilar Medio se llama a veces la Shekinah, quizá para indicar ese descenso de la sabiduría divina hasta la manifestación

«By combining the totals for the letters on all three pillars we get the total of 537 (463+48+26). Significantly 537 is also the total for Atziluth (ATzlLVTh), the Archetypal World of the Supernal Triad. So the three pillars represent the expression of the Archetypal World, each descending from one of the three Sephiroth of the Supernal Triad - Black Pillar from Binah, Middle Pillar from Kether, and White Pillar from Chokmah.» — el remate del argumento gemátrico de los pilares: los tres suman 537, el total de Atziluth, y de ahí adjudica Rankine a cada pilar el descender de una de las tres sefirot de la Tríada Suprema

«Although the Black Pillar is referred to as negative and the White Pillar as positive, there is another consideration when looking at the Sephiroth individually. This is that each Sephira is considered positive to the one below it, and negative to the one above it. E.g. Chokmah is negative to Kether, but positive to Binah.» — la reserva con que Rankine relativiza la polaridad de los pilares: cada sefirá es positiva respecto de la de abajo y negativa respecto de la de arriba

«The Sephiroth of the Tree of Life may be divided into three triads of three, with Malkuth being the only Sephira not included in a triad. These triads can be seen as a repeating pattern that occurs down the Tree, of force and form balancing into action or intent.» — la regla de las tríadas: tres grupos de tres, con Malkuth como única sefirá fuera de tríada, y un patrón que se repite de fuerza y forma equilibrándose en acción o intención

«It is the only triad that forms a triangle with its apex upwards, indicating the divine nature of the forces contained in this triad. It also shows the initial separation of the divine essence into separate components.» — lo que Rankine lee en la forma de la Tríada Suprema: único triángulo con el vértice arriba, lo que indica la naturaleza divina de sus fuerzas y la separación inicial de la esencia divina en componentes

«The Supernal Triad is referred to in some texts and by some modern writers as the Intellectual World (Olahm Mevshekal). Obviously this is only appropriate if using the model of the Tree with each triad as one of the Worlds with Malkuth as the fourth World.» — Rankine consigna la denominación de Mundo Intelectual que otros dan a la Tríada Suprema y le pone su condición: solo vale si se usa el modelo que hace de cada tríada un mundo

«He bindeth the floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light (i.e. Kether). But where shall wisdom (Chokmah) be found? And where is the place of understanding (Binah)?» — el pasaje de Job 28:11-12 con que Rankine ancla la Tríada Suprema; los nombres de las sefirot entre paréntesis son glosa suya dentro de la cita bíblica, no del texto de Job

«Subsequent verses in Job 28:21 also illustrate a further point that many magickians have ignored in their desire to prove they are the supreme magus, despite having supposedly overcome their egos and made them a vessel rather than a master.» — la objeción que Rankine dirige a los magos de su propio campo: dice que muchos pasan por alto ese punto por querer probarse magos supremos pese a declarar vencido el ego

«For the Supernal Triad is not accessible in human form, only when one transcends this and is a being of pure energy, such as the seven Archangels who stand in the presence of God.» — el límite que Rankine le pone a la práctica: la Tríada Suprema no es accesible en forma humana, solo a quien trascienda esa forma y sea ser de energía pura, como los siete arcángeles

«For the skullcap (kippah) worn during worship protects from the influence of the Supernal Triad, which man cannot survive, and the nemys or headdress worn in Golden Dawn rituals also served this function, as well as ensuring the magickian was not possessed by the deities that were called to.» — la lectura funcional que Rankine da a dos prendas: el solideo del culto judío y el nemys de los rituales de la Golden Dawn protegerían de la influencia de la Tríada Suprema, y el segundo además de la posesión por las deidades llamadas

«Many people claim to be exalted grades that correspond to these Sephiroth of the Tree, but this is ego delusion.» — Rankine niega validez a las reclamaciones de grado alto en el Árbol y las llama ilusión del ego

«To master Tiphereth one should know and be practicing the true will, a rare occurrence amongst spiritual seekers. To master Geburah that individual should be ceaselessly radiating the magickal current they are following, and to master Chesed they should be manifesting spiritual truths through a mystery school selflessly teaching that magickal current and aiding others to ascend the Tree of Life.» — la prueba operativa con que Rankine mide esas reclamaciones: dominar Tiphereth es conocer y practicar la voluntad verdadera, Geburah es irradiar sin cesar la corriente mágica que se sigue, y Chesed es manifestar verdades espirituales por una escuela de misterios que enseñe sin interés propio

«The third triad, also known as the Vegetative Triad, comprises the seventh, eighth and ninth Sephiroth of Netzach, Hod and Yesod. It is also known as “the Grandchildren”, referring to its position as the third triad, under» — la Tríada Astral según Rankine: Netzach, Hod y Yesod, llamada también Vegetativa y los Nietos por su lugar bajo los Hijos de la Tríada Ética

«Strictly speaking these terms might be more appropriate for the final Sephira of Malkuth, though they do express the faculties of man which need to be developed - to master the unconscious, the intellect and the emotions that the seeker may then burst through the rainbow of Paroketh» — la reserva de Rankine sobre los nombres de Tríada Natural y Mundo Material, que dice más propios de Malkuth, y lo que sí le concede a esa tríada: expresa las facultades del hombre que hay que desarrollar, el inconsciente, el intelecto y las emociones

«A triad may also be made downwards from Chokmah and Binah, with its apex in Daath. This triad is also known as the Triad of Truth, for Truth is said to be made of Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge. From this triad comes the saying “Knowledge is the child of Wisdom and Understanding» — la Tríada del Conocimiento: se traza hacia abajo desde Chokmah y Binah con el vértice en Daath, se llama también Tríada de la Verdad, y de ella sale el dicho que Rankine recoge

«also adds to 463 (ThGIN), illustrating the crowning glory of Kether manifesting itself down the Middle Pillar in the Royal Child (Tiphereth) and the Royal Bride (Malkuth).» — la segunda equivalencia numérica del Pilar Medio: la palabra coronas vale también 463, y de ahí lee Rankine el descenso de la gloria de Kether por el pilar hasta el Hijo Real, Tiphereth, y la Novia Real, Malkuth

«Significantly, the total for Kether is 620 (KThR), which is also the same as the total for these three Sephiroth added together - Chokmah, Binah and Daath (ChKMH BINH VDAaTh). This equation demonstrates the expression of the ultimate divine that is Kether through the Sephiroth that lead directly to it.» — el argumento gemátrico con que Rankine liga la Tríada del Conocimiento a Kether: 620 vale tanto Kether como Chokmah, Binah y Daath sumadas

«Thus we see that “the Doors” (ShAaRIM) to the divine also adds to this total of 620.» — la tercera equivalencia del mismo número: las Puertas hacia lo divino suman igualmente 620

«The Knowledge Triad is especially referred to in the book of Proverbs. Hence we see it in Proverbs 2:622, “For the Lord giveth wisdom [Chokmah]: out of his mouth cometh knowledge [Daath] and understanding [Binah].» — el pasaje de Proverbios 2:6 con que Rankine ancla la Tríada del Conocimiento; los nombres sefiróticos entre corchetes son glosa suya dentro de la cita bíblica

«It is found again in Proverbs 3:19-20 in connection with the dew which represents the divine light, “The Lord by wisdom [Chokmah] hath founded the earth: by understanding [Binah] hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge [Daath] the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.» — el segundo pasaje de Proverbios, que Rankine trae por el rocío y en el que vuelve a intercalar entre corchetes las tres sefirot

«Dew was a term often used to denote the gaining of heavenly knowledge (of Kether), for it is found in the morning as the sun rises, having descended from the heavens to settle on the grass (earth).» — la lectura que Rankine da del rocío: término para el conocimiento celeste que se gana, porque se halla de mañana al salir el sol tras haber descendido de los cielos a la hierba

«The Seven Palaces is a model that was used in the early Merkavah branch of Kabbalah. Within this the palaces are also referred to as halls or chambers (hekhalot). Texts referring to the practice of the Merkavah branch of Kabbalah are known as Hekhalot texts.» — Rankine adjudica el modelo de los Siete Palacios a la rama temprana de la Merkavah y recoge el nombre de hekhalot para las salas y para los textos de esa práctica

«The first palace contains the Supernal Triad of Kether, Chokmah and Binah. This could be considered the palace of the ultimate and incomprehensible God, residing above the Abyss.» — el reparto del primer palacio según Rankine: la Tríada Suprema, palacio del Dios último e incomprensible que reside sobre el Abismo

«Physically this represents the unknowable beyond the outer boundaries, for Saturn is the Heaven of Binah, the outermost of the classical planets and beyond which man perceived the vastness of infinity, i.e. God.» — la lectura física que Rankine añade: Saturno es el cielo de Binah, el más externo de los planetas clásicos, y más allá el hombre percibía la inmensidad del infinito

«This palace was the ultimate goal of the mystic, or chariot rider, as they were known, to enter into the seventh palace, which represented the Throne room of God, as described in the vision of Ezekiel.» — Rankine declara cuál era la meta del místico o jinete del carro: entrar en el séptimo palacio, la sala del Trono de Dios de la visión de Ezequiel

«It can be seen that essentially the palaces are a planetary model, representing the seven classical planets, and adding in the Sephiroth at the top and bottom of the Tree to keep to the number seven.» — la lectura estructural de Rankine: los palacios son en el fondo un modelo planetario de los siete planetas clásicos, y las sefirot de los extremos del Árbol se añaden para cuadrar el número

«The last palace contains Malkuth and Yesod. This pairing is very important as it emphasises the close relationship between the lowest two Sephiroth, which are the most relevant to humanity in general as containing the direct experience of life shared by all - the physicality of Malkuth, and the unconscious and dream worlds of Yesod.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al último palacio: emparejar las dos sefirot más bajas, que son las más pertinentes para la humanidad porque contienen la experiencia de vida compartida por todos

«The important thing to note here is that within the context of the seven palaces, the first palace, containing the supernal triad, corresponds to Saturday, the Sabbath or holy day.» — la correspondencia semanal que Rankine subraya: el primer palacio, con la Tríada Suprema, cae en sábado, el día santo

«By the same consideration, in modern terms it is interesting to note that the last palace, which is the palace we exist in, corresponds in planetary terms to the Moon and Monday, the beginning of the working week for the bulk of the population.» — el remate que Rankine le saca a esa misma correspondencia: el último palacio, donde existimos, cae en la Luna y el lunes, comienzo de la semana laboral para la mayoría

«By their very nature the three Veils of Negativity are abstract concepts, symbols of the infinite and unknowable. Whereas Kether is the unknown divine that we strive to know and ultimately achieve, the veils are beyond Kether, which is their manifestation.» — lo que Rankine dice de los tres Velos de la Negatividad: conceptos abstractos, símbolos de lo infinito e incognoscible, que quedan más allá de Kether, que es su manifestación

«The Veils of Negativity are the absolute ultimate and remain forever beyond our grasp, defining the limits and then removing them. As such they are very difficult to write about, but hopefully the ideas set out below will give the reader some thoughts to begin their own realisations.» — la reserva con que Rankine declara el límite de su propia exposición: los velos son difíciles de escribir y espera solo dar al lector ideas con que empezar sus propias realizaciones

«This is why the ancient shrines or “Holy of Holies” were empty rooms, and why religions like Islam do not allow representations of the divine.» — la analogía con que Rankine explica la abstracción de lo infinito por la ausencia: los santuarios antiguos eran cuartos vacíos y religiones como el islam no permiten representación de lo divino

«Even though Kether is brilliant and unbearable light, it is as darkness next to the Veils of Negativity, cast into shadow by the limitless light of the Ain Soph Aur.» — la comparación con que Rankine mide Kether contra los velos: siendo luz brillante e insoportable, es como oscuridad al lado de ellos

«Ain is nothingness. It is incomprehensible, the void of potentiality, before creation. In this respect it can be seen as the primal divine essence, without form or restriction, without expression, outside of time and before extending itself into being and creating anything or anywhere.» — la definición de Ain que da el manual: nada, incomprensible, vacío de potencialidad anterior a la creación, esencia divina primordial sin forma ni restricción y fuera del tiempo

«He formed substance out of chaos and made nonexistence into existence» — la frase del Sepher Yetzirah que Rankine cita para el Ain, con la nota al pie localizándola en 2:6. el impreso escribe *non-existence* partido a fin de renglón por un guion blando que la extracción borra, y por eso el verbatim sale con la palabra pegada

«This is interesting for as well as bringing existence (Ain Soph - limitlessness) from non-existence (Ain); it also indicates the divine will as the ultimate principle of order.» — la lectura que Rankine hace de esa frase: además de sacar la existencia de la no existencia, indica la voluntad divina como principio último del orden

«The Zohar says of the Ain: “It is so named because we do not know, and also t cannot be known, what was in this principle as this, to our understanding, yea; even by our wisdom is unattainable.» — la cita que Rankine adjudica al Zohar sobre el Ain, reproducida con las corrupciones del escaneo que el impreso arrastra

«We may note that the supernal Sephiroth of Chokmah (Wisdom) and Binah (Understanding) are implied by this sentence, as is the transitional non-Sephira of Daath (Knowledge).» — lo que Rankine lee dentro de esa frase del Zohar: quedan implicadas Chokmah como sabiduría, Binah como entendimiento y Daath como la no sefirá de transición

«Therefore the Ain may only be understood from the viewpoint of Kether, which is the expression of the ultimate divine, and not the other supernal Sephiroth or the Abyss.» — la consecuencia que Rankine saca: el Ain solo puede entenderse desde Kether, no desde las otras sefirot supremas ni desde el Abismo

«The most secret of mysteries is that which is called Nothing, the most Holy Ancient, from whom the light flows forth.» — la segunda cita del Zohar que Rankine trae para el Ain, en la que ve usado un título de Kether, el Santo Anciano

«It is interesting to note that by rearranging the letters of Ain (Aleph, Yod, Nun) we also make the words Daughter (NIA) and I (ANI).» — el juego de permutación de letras que Rankine propone sobre Ain, del que saca Hija y Yo

«From this we can see that Kether, which we may consider to be the Ani, the identity of the Creator God that is expressed by the first Sephira, is an expression of the fullness of emptiness that God exists as before choosing to manifest.» — la lectura que Rankine saca de esa permutación: Kether, como el Ani o identidad del Dios creador, expresa la plenitud del vacío en que Dios existe antes de elegir manifestarse

«The lesson we can learn from this is that even the unmanifest finds ways of expression when it is named, and given representative letters and numbers.» — la moraleja que Rankine extrae: incluso lo inmanifestado halla modos de expresión en cuanto se lo nombra y se le dan letras y números

«Ain and its permutations add to 61, and we may note that so does Kali, the great black goddess of creation and destruction of the Hindu pantheon. You may wish to meditate on this and see what results you get.» — la equivalencia numérica con que Rankine empareja el Ain con Kali, la diosa negra de la creación y la destrucción del panteón hindú, propuesta como materia de meditación y no como tesis

«Meditate on the void, the complete absence of anything - no images, no sounds, no smells, no feelings, and absolutely no sensory input at all. See how this makes you feel. You may find your internal dialogue becomes annoying, and should try to silence it. When you can shut off the internal dialogue at will and enjoy the stillness of nothing you will have achieved a major step in your spiritual growth.» — la meditación del Ain que el manual prescribe: ausencia total de entrada sensorial, silenciamiento del diálogo interno y disfrute de la quietud de la nada

«Ain Soph is the divine as Infinite Being, immanent in everything. Because Ain Soph is eternal (without end) it is the eternal moment of transition, expressed as the creation of form, the beginning of the universe. From Ain Soph is Kether born, containing within it the plan of all the other Sephiroth to be unfolded. Kether is but a drop compared to an ocean when held next to the Ain Soph. Ain Soph is the unity beyond unity.» — la definición de Ain Soph: lo divino como Ser Infinito inmanente en todo, momento eterno de transición del que nace Kether, que a su lado es apenas una gota frente al océano

«As well as being translated as “without end”, Ain Soph could also be described as limitlessness. Limits are a constraint of not only form, but also force, as they imply activity.» — la precisión que Rankine añade sobre el Ain Soph: los límites constriñen no solo la forma sino también la fuerza, porque implican actividad

«To attempt to describe the incomprehensible, the best illustration I can suggest is the ancient Chinese book The Tao Teh Ching. This comes closer than any other work to expressing the concepts found in the Veils of Negativity.» — la comparación que Rankine elige para lo incomprensible: el Tao Teh Ching chino, que dice acercarse más que ninguna otra obra a los conceptos de los Velos

«Look, it cannot be seen - it is beyond form. Listen, it cannot be heard - it is beyond sound. Grasp, it cannot be held - it is intangible. These three and indefinable; Therefore they are joined in one. From above it is not bright; From below it is not dark: An unbroken thread beyond description. It returns to nothingness. The form of the formless, The image of the imageless, It is called indefinable and beyond imagination. Stand before it and there is no beginning. Follow it and there is no end. Stay with the ancient Tao. Move with the present. Know the ancient beginning is the essence of Tao.» — el capítulo catorce del Tao Teh Ching, que Rankine reproduce entero; la nota al pie da la traducción de Gia-Fu Feng y Jane English de 1972

«In modern terms you may find it useful to meditate on the Ain Soph as dark light and dark matter - invisible and unseeable, yet present everywhere, and by its existence, enabling the light to be known.» — la meditación del Ain Soph que el manual prescribe, formulada en términos contemporáneos: luz oscura y materia oscura, invisibles y presentes en todas partes

«Then expand this meditation to include all the energy we perceive as light and matter, realising that it is part of a much greater whole, that is completely unknowable, and beyond human comprehension. Visualise the whole cosmos, and keep drawing back, until the immensity of the universe overwhelms your mind.» — la continuación de esa misma meditación, que Rankine lleva hasta que la inmensidad del universo desborde la mente de quien medita

«The Ain Soph Aur is the expression of the divine through the process of creation. The utterance of the words “Let there be light’27, can be seen as the expression of the divine essence into its first point of manifestation. It is from the Ain Soph and Ain Soph Aur that Kether comes into existence.» — la definición de Ain Soph Aur: la expresión de lo divino por el proceso de la creación, con el fiat lux como primer punto de manifestación

«With infinite light comes infinite sound, for infinite light is really expressing infinite energy.» — el corolario que Rankine añade: con la luz infinita viene el sonido infinito, porque la luz infinita expresa en realidad energía infinita

«The Ain Soph Aur can be likened to the divine light described by mystics in their attempts to express states of oneness with all of life and creation.» — la equivalencia experiencial que Rankine propone: el Ain Soph Aur se asemeja a la luz divina que describen los místicos al expresar estados de unidad con la vida y la creación

«It was like the sudden dawn of a million million suns, a ganglion of lightnings for my wonder. O Lord (of Caves) if you are light, there can be no metaphor.» — los versos que Rankine adjudica al santo indio Allama Prabhu sobre Shiva, traídos como vislumbre del Ain Soph Aur; la nota al pie los localiza en Speaking of Siva en la traducción de A.K Ramanujan

«It should be further mentioned that the divine light (Aur), which is also expressed by the term Lux or LVX (as in Fiat Lux - “Let there be Light’), is also represented by the term crystalline dew» — la identificación con que Rankine cierra el capítulo: la luz divina, que también se dice Lux o LVX, se representa asimismo por el rocío cristalino

«We may also note that the dew is referred to as being two colours - white and red32, which are classically associated with male and female (e.g. in alchemy). Thus the dew can be seen as a union of both the male and female energies.» — la lectura sexuada del rocío que propone Rankine: blanco y rojo, colores asociados clásicamente a lo masculino y lo femenino, por ejemplo en alquimia, de modo que el rocío queda como unión de ambas energías. La nota al pie remite al Zohar, Greater Holy Assembly 553

«Try meditating on the image of a desert, full of grains of white sand, reflecting the light of the fierce midday sun. Then imagine yourself as one of the grains of sand, within that desert, and consider yourself in relation to the desert. Expand this to the world, and then to the cosmos, and your mind may open more to the concept of Ain Soph Aur.» — la primera meditación del Ain Soph Aur que el manual prescribe: verse como un grano de arena dentro del desierto y expandir esa relación al mundo y al cosmos

«Alternatively, meditate on a drop of dew hanging off a blade of grass in a field as the sun rises, reflecting the light through itself in a prismatic spread of rainbow colours. Imagine yourself as the tiniest particle of water within that drop, which becomes your universe. Then expand your perceptions to the field you are in, then the whole landmass, then the world, and ultimately the cosmos.» — la segunda meditación prescrita para el mismo velo, construida sobre la gota de rocío como universo propio y la misma expansión por escalas

«There are three main veils within the Tree of Life, which divide the Sephiroth horizontally into the three triads and Malkuth. These are the Veil of the Abyss, the Veil of Paroketh and the Veil of Malkuth.» — los tres velos que Rankine sitúa dentro del Árbol y que dividen las sefirot en horizontal: el del Abismo, el de Paroketh y el de Malkuth

«The Abyss is the barrier dividing force (the Supernal Triad) from form (the lower Sephiroth). Above the Abyss is the time before time and after time, and below the Abyss the seven Sephiroth which refer to the seven days of the week» — la función que Rankine adjudica al Abismo: barrera entre la fuerza de la Tríada Suprema y la forma de las sefirot inferiores, con el tiempo anterior y posterior al tiempo por encima

«Yours O God are the Greatness (Chesed), the Strength (Geburah), the Beauty (Tiphereth), the Victory (Netzach) and the Splendour (Hod), All (Yesod) that is in heaven and earth, Yours O God is the Kingdom (Malkuth).» — el pasaje de 1 Crónicas 29:11 con que Rankine ancla las siete sefirot bajo el Abismo, con los nombres sefiróticos intercalados por él dentro de la cita

«The word Paroketh means “veil”, so it is usually simply referred to as Paroketh, otherwise you are saying the» — la objeción terminológica con que Rankine enmienda el uso corriente: si Paroketh ya significa velo, decir velo de Paroketh es decir velo de velo

«Paroketh is usually described as being like a rainbow, and is the barrier separating the aspirant from the adept. When a seeker has mastered the Astral Triad, and has emotions, intellect and unconscious working in harmony, then they are ready to move to the realisation of the true will expressed by Tiphereth, and gain understanding as to their true purpose in life.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Paroketh: barrera que separa al aspirante del adepto, franqueable cuando emociones, intelecto e inconsciente trabajan en armonía y el buscador queda listo para la voluntad verdadera de Tiphereth

«The 25th path, connecting Yesod to Tiphereth, passing through Paroketh, is attributed to the Hebrew letter Samekh and the Tarot Trump Art, which is associated with Sagittarius, the archer. This path is sometimes referred to as the arrow on the bow of the Veil of Malkuth.» — la correspondencia que Rankine da al sendero 25: letra Samekh y triunfo del Tarot Art, ligado a Sagitario, con el nombre de flecha sobre el arco del Velo de Malkuth

«Also referred to as the Veil of the Profane, this veil lies beneath the Astral Triad, dividing Netzach, Hod and Yesod from Malkuth. This veil passes through the 31st, 32nd and 29th paths on the Tree, to which are attributed the letters Shin, Tav and Qoph. Combining these letters we make the word QShTH, meaning bow (or rainbow).» — el Velo de Malkuth según Rankine: pasa por los senderos 31, 32 y 29, cuyas letras Shin, Tav y Qoph componen la palabra que significa arco o arcoíris

«The Veil of Malkuth is the barrier separating the spiritual seeker (aspirant) from those whose focus is purely on the material. This is also indicated in the Zohar, where it says that until the Nephesh (animal soul) is purified, man cannot aspire to the Ruach (middle soul), which corresponds to the Sephiroth between the Veil of Malkuth and the Veil of the Abyss.» — la función de ese velo y el apoyo que Rankine le da en el Zohar: hasta que el Nephesh se purifique el hombre no puede aspirar al Ruach

«Sometimes a veil is also drawn on the Tree below Kether, separating it from the other two Sephiroth of the Supernal Triad. This is the final barrier for the perfected soul to pass across to achieve union with Godhead.» — el cuarto velo que Rankine consigna como trazado a veces: bajo Kether, última barrera del alma perfeccionada para la unión con la Divinidad

«Although not a standard Qabalistic triad, the relationship of Chokmah, Binah and Tiphereth should also be mentioned. This is the template of many world pantheons, and indeed of humanity and the animal kingdom generally. The father (Chokmah) and the mother (Binah) unite to produce the child (Tiphereth).» — Rankine declara que la Tríada Divina no es una tríada cabalística estándar y aun así la trae, por ser plantilla de muchos panteones del mundo: padre y madre unidos producen el hijo

«Tiphereth is the manifestation of the divine energy of Kether. It is the reflected mirror (a title of Tiphereth) in the Veil of the Abyss, giving form to the divine energy in physical form.» — la relación Kether-Tiphereth que Rankine enuncia: Tiphereth es la manifestación de la energía divina de Kether y el espejo reflejado en el Velo del Abismo

«This is why rulership and sacrificial gods are associated with Tiphereth, as representations of the ultimate divine ruler of Kether.» — lo que Rankine deriva de esa relación: los dioses de realeza y de sacrificio se asocian a Tiphereth como representaciones del gobernante divino último

«This is a relationship that is sometimes mentioned but rarely explored. Daath is a curious enigma, as it is considered to be and yet not be a Sephira at the same time.» — la declaración con que Rankine abre el espejo Yesod-Daath, y el enigma de Daath: se la tiene por sefirá y por no sefirá a la vez

«However if we look at the principle of reflection that occurs repeatedly in Qabalah, Yesod is considered to mirror Daath, with Tiphereth being the axis of that mirror. This is reflected in the attributions to the human body, for Daath corresponds to the throat and Yesod to the genitals. Both of these areas are the centres of creativity - the voice and the sexual energy.» — el argumento anatómico con que Rankine sostiene ese espejo: Daath corresponde a la garganta y Yesod a los genitales, y los dos son centros de creatividad

«If we start at the bottom of the Tree of Life and move up the Middle Pillar, we have the Earth, Moon and Sun all aligned. In nature the effect of this is a total» — la Línea del Eclipse que Rankine traza por el Pilar Medio: Tierra, Luna y Sol alineados, cuyo efecto en la naturaleza sería un eclipse total de sol; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana

«Malkuth represents the conscious world, Yesod the unconscious world and Tiphereth being the super-conscious. So the alignment in the spiritual seeker of these energies results in the opening of the mind to develop greater 'cosmic” consciousness, where the individual realises his or her place in the universe.» — el reparto de la consciencia que Rankine adjudica a esa alineación: Malkuth el mundo consciente, Yesod el inconsciente y Tiphereth lo superconsciente

«This is why the 25th path, joining Yesod to Tiphereth, is known as the path of the honest or righteous man, for it requires the balance and purity associated with the alignment of the different worlds for the perfection of the moment.» — el nombre que Rankine da al sendero 25 y su razón: camino del hombre honesto o justo, porque exige el equilibrio y la pureza de esa alineación

«Chokmah is the second Sephira, and we see its energy manifesting lower down the Tree in different aspects. It may be seen in Chesed and Hod, demonstrating the expansion of the dyad, from two (Chokmah) to four (Chesed) to eight (Hod).» — la expansión de Chokmah que Rankine traza por duplicación: dos, cuatro y ocho, es decir Chokmah, Chesed y Hod

«The wise (Chokmah) shall inherit glory (Gedulah): but shame shall be the promotion of fools.» — el versículo de Proverbios 3:35 con que Rankine apoya el flujo de Chokmah a Chesed, con las glosas sefiróticas intercaladas por él

«Binah has a strong relationship to both Netzach and Malkuth. This can be seen as the form of Binah being expressed as the emotions (Netzach) and the final physicality of matter (Malkuth). Also of course Malkuth is the lower reflection of the Shekinah, expressed from the higher aspect of Binah. Binah is the Mother and Wife, and Malkuth the Daughter and Bride.» — la expansión de Binah que Rankine traza hacia Netzach como emoción y Malkuth como materia, y el reparto de papeles femeninos que le sigue

«And if we recall the statements in the Zohar that all women embody the Shekinah, then Netzach as the ultimate expression of the Venusian energies may also be seen as the Shekinah in the individual.» — lo que Rankine deriva de la afirmación que adjudica al Zohar sobre que toda mujer encarna a la Shekinah: Netzach, como expresión última de las energías venusinas, sería la Shekinah en el individuo

«Also Binah and Venus are the two earthiest planets, a fact which is relevant to their association with the elemental plane of Malkuth.» — la observación astrológica con que Rankine cierra el capítulo, que llama a Binah y Venus los dos planetas más terrestres. El troceo imprime *Binah* donde el argumento pide Saturno, y aquí se consigna tal cual

«Ten Sephiroth of Nothingness, Their vision is like the ‘appearance of lightning» — el epígrafe del Sepher Yetzirah 1:6 con que Rankine abre el capítulo del Relámpago, según localiza la nota al pie

«The Lightning Flash is the name given to the path of creation through the Sephiroth of the Tree of Life. It is the quickest route, taken by the energy as the emanation of energy in each Sephira overflowed and rushed into the next Sephira below.» — la definición del Relámpago que da el manual: el camino de la creación por las sefirot, el más rápido, tomado por la energía que desborda en cada sefirá y se precipita en la siguiente

«If we consider lightning, we know now that it actually strikes initially from the ground to the heavens, and then back to the earth. This illustrates the point that the quickest way to achieve enlightenment is the path of the Lightning Flash.» — el apoyo que Rankine busca en el fenómeno físico: el rayo golpea primero de la tierra al cielo y luego de vuelta, y de ahí lee que la vía más rápida a la iluminación es esa

«However lightning is pure energy travelling at the speed of light, and can be immensely destructive. For us as humans, the Path of the Serpent is a much more balanced path, which is far less prone to the potential “crash and burn” effects we may experience if we try to always take the quickest route.» — la reserva inmediata con que Rankine acota esa vía: el rayo es energía pura y puede ser destructivo, y para el humano el Camino de la Serpiente resulta mucho más equilibrado

«The Lightning Flash is also known as the Flaming Sword, a phrase that occurs in connection with the Tree of Life in Genesis. In Genesis 3:24 it says “So He drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Kerubim, and the flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way to the tree of life.» — el segundo nombre del Relámpago, Espada Flamígera, que Rankine ancla en Génesis 3:24

«Also the Kerubim are the angels of Yesod, the Foundation, implying that the Garden is not totally lost, as it is in the realm of the imagination, waiting to be manifested again by man, if he can take responsibility and regain the former harmony he had with the universe around him.» — la consecuencia que Rankine saca de que los Kerubim sean los ángeles de Yesod: el Jardín no está perdido del todo, queda en el reino de la imaginación a la espera de que el hombre lo manifieste de nuevo

«As spiritual seekers it is essential to realise the difference between the energy itself, and the symbols and vessels through which that energy is understood and manipulated.» — la distinción que Rankine declara esencial para quien busca: entre la energía misma y los símbolos y vasos por los que se la entiende y manipula

«That the angels are Kerubim must also be considered significant. The Kerubim (“the strong”) have the heads of the four elemental creatures, i.e. the eagle, the lion, the bull and man.» — lo que Rankine lee en que los ángeles del pasaje sean Kerubim: llevan las cabezas de las cuatro criaturas elementales, y con ellas las energías elementales que se repiten por todo el Árbol

«It is through developing your awareness and giving it every opportunity to expand and develop that you move along your path.» — la regla de avance que enuncia el manual: la consciencia se desarrolla dándole toda oportunidad de expandirse, y en eso consiste moverse por el propio camino

«Bowl and mirror are one metal. Giving back light one becomes a mirror. Aware, one is the Lord’s; unaware, a mere human.» — los versos que Rankine adjudica al santo indio Basavanna y propone como foco de esa idea

«Start performing the Lightning Flash affirmation and familiarise yourself with the energies you will be working with through the Tree of Life.» — la primera de las dos prácticas que el manual manda al cerrar el capítulo del Relámpago: empezar a hacer la afirmación del Relámpago

«Next time there is a storm, take the time to sit in the dark and watch it, feeling the energy change occur whenever there is a flash of lightning.» — la segunda práctica prescrita: sentarse a oscuras durante una tormenta y sentir el cambio de energía en cada relámpago

«The Path of the Serpent is the name given to the meandering path up the Tree of Life from bottom to top, which takes in each path in reverse numerical order.» — la definición del Camino de la Serpiente: la subida serpenteante por el Árbol que recorre cada sendero en orden numérico inverso

«The image of the Serpent on the Tree of Life is initially a negative one in Biblical terms when considering its most superficial level, when the serpent tempts Eve in Genesis 3:1-4. However as with many other phrases in Qabalah, when we look at the Gematria a completely different meaning is revealed.» — el giro con que Rankine invierte la lectura bíblica de la serpiente: negativa en su nivel más superficial, la gematría revela un sentido completamente distinto

«Nechesh (NchSh), the serpent on the Tree, adds to 358. The word for shame also adds to 358 (GShNH), which confirms the obvious interpretation, as Eve and Adam knew shame after eating the fruit and wore clothes to cover their bodies (Genesis 3:7). However 358 is also the total for Messiah (MshlCh).» — la serie gemátrica del 358 que da Rankine: serpiente, vergüenza y Mesías

«The serpent is the root cause of the Messiah, for without the serpent there would be no original sin, and no need for the Messiah to sacrifice himself and redeem mankind. Hence the Serpent and the Messiah are equivalent in this context.» — la lectura teológica que Rankine saca de esa equivalencia: sin serpiente no habría pecado original ni necesidad de que el Mesías se sacrificara

«This is confirmed by the location of the crucifixion. The crucifixion occurred at Golgotha (place of the skull), where Adam was buried. The blood of Christ dropped onto the ground there, redeeming the original sin of Adam.» — el segundo apoyo que Rankine aduce: la crucifixión ocurrió en Gólgota, lugar del cráneo, donde estaba enterrado Adán

«Looking at the word for Skull (GLGLTh), this adds to 466, the same as “The World of Formation” (AaVLM HITzlRH). So the skull is the link between Assiah, the World of the physical, and the purity of Yetzirah, the World of the Angels, and through it the redemption was able to occur.» — la equivalencia con que Rankine cierra el argumento del cráneo: 466 vale también el Mundo de la Formación, de modo que el cráneo enlaza Assiah con Yetzirah

«The Path of the Serpent is the path of completion. By following the Path of the Serpent up the Tree of Life, every experience is achieved, so that the seeker does not fall on their path.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al Camino de la Serpiente: camino de completitud, porque al seguirlo se logra toda experiencia y el buscador no cae

«The Path of the Serpent will be considered in more detail in the second volume of this work, which will concentrate more on the paths on the Tree of Life.» — el anuncio de un segundo volumen dedicado a los senderos que Rankine deja escrito dentro de este

«Meditate on the movement of a serpent. The following piece by John Ruskin from “A Serpent in Motion” provides an excellent focus for meditation.» — la meditación prescrita para el capítulo de la Serpiente, con el texto de John Ruskin que Rankine ofrece como foco

«Tzim-Tzum, or Zim-Zum (pronounced tzeem-tzum and meaning “contraction” or “constriction’), is a term that refers to the concept of a contraction of the Ain Soph to form a "space" into which all of creation could and would manifest (i.e. the Sephiroth of the Tree of Life).» — la definición de Tzim-Tzum que da el manual: contracción del Ain Soph para formar un espacio en el que toda la creación pudiera manifestarse

«The presence of God still permeates the space, but withdraws his dynamic essence, like a beautiful fragrance lingering in a room.» — la imagen con que Rankine explica qué queda en ese espacio: la presencia de Dios lo permea todavía, pero retira su esencia dinámica como una fragancia que persiste en un cuarto

«In the beginning of the King’s authority The Lamp of Darkness Engraved a hollow in the Supernal Luminescence And there emerged out of the Hidden of Hidden The Mystery of the Infinite An unformed line, imbedded in a ring Measured with a thread.» — los versos del Zohar 1:15a que Rankine cita para el Tzim-Tzum, según localiza la nota al pie

«The best description of Tzim-Tzum can be found in the writings of one of the great Jewish Kabbalists, Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-72 CE), better known as the Ari:» — la fuente que Rankine declara mejor para el Tzim-Tzum: el rabino Isaac Luria, a quien fecha entre 1534 y 1572 y nombra el Ari

«Before all things were created ...the Supernal Light was simple, and it filled all existence. There was no empty space ... When His simple Will decided to create all universes ...He constricted the Light to the sides ... leaving a vacated space ... This space was perfectly round ... After this constriction [Tzim-Tzum] took place ... there was a place in which all things could be created ...He then drew a single straight thread from the Infinite Light... and brought it into that vacated Space ...It was through that line that the Infinite Light was brought down below.» — el pasaje de Luria que Rankine reproduce con elisiones del propio libro; la nota al pie lo localiza en el Etz Chaiim

«This could be thought of like a sand grain in an oyster, which accretes layers and forms a beautiful pearl. The sand grain is the space within the Ain Soph.» — la analogía que Rankine propone para el Tzim-Tzum: el grano de arena en la ostra, que va acumulando capas hasta la perla

«This creation of space is the preparation for creation, and is the first instance of separation, where God moves from immanence to transcendence in the prepared space.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a esa creación de espacio: primera instancia de separación, en la que Dios pasa de la inmanencia a la trascendencia

«resulted in the shards falling into the prepared space and taking sparks of the divine light with them. Most of the divine light returned to the Ain Soph, apart from these sparks.» — el desenlace de la rotura de los vasos según Rankine: los tiestos caen al espacio preparado llevándose chispas de luz divina, y el resto de la luz vuelve al Ain Soph

«This is then viewed from two different perspectives, which can be considered the optimistic and pessimistic. The optimistic view is that this was the birth of the universe, with all the pain and difficulties we as humans have come to expect from birth, but on a universal scale.» — la primera de las dos lecturas que Rankine consigna sin arbitrar, la que llama optimista: el nacimiento del universo con el dolor propio de todo nacimiento, a escala universal

«The pessimistic view is that the universes slipped, and Assiah (the world we live in) is now in the World of Shells, and to restore it we have to free all the sparks of light trapped in this realm. This doctrine is sometimes known as “restoration" (tikkun), and can be seen as restoring the divine spark within everything to the primal divine.» — la segunda lectura, la pesimista: los universos resbalaron y Assiah quedó en el Mundo de las Cáscaras, y la restauración o tikkun consiste en liberar las chispas atrapadas

«Of the sublime name of the unity of the Lord, the name of four letters is most glorious. According to the image of Yod Heh [IH], the power and the glory. According to Vav Heh [VH], the secret of the name of every name.» — el epígrafe con que Rankine abre el capítulo del Nombre; la nota al pie lo adjudica al Libro de Razial, Los Nombres Santos, libro 3 parte 4

«Tetragrammaton (IHVH) is the most significant word in Qabalah, as it contains many mysteries within it. It is known as the unpronounceable or unspeakable name of God.» — lo que Rankine declara del Tetragrámaton: la palabra más significativa de la Qabalah y el nombre impronunciable de Dios

«It has been given the vocalization of “Adonai” when pronounced by Kabbalists, though in Qabalah it is usually pronounced in one of four ways. It is either taken letter by letter as “Yod Heh Vav Heh”, or it is pronounced» — las cuatro pronunciaciones que Rankine registra en uso dentro de la Qabalah, frente a la vocalización Adonai de los cabalistas

«The word Adonai (ADNI: Lord) was substituted when texts were spoken out loud, and eventually the correct pronunciation was said to have been lost.» — lo que Rankine consigna como dicho, no como hecho: que la pronunciación correcta acabó perdiéndose tras la sustitución por Adonai

«Prior to this the High Priest spoke it once a year in the holy of holies in the temple, and teachers could pass it on once every seven years to students.» — el régimen de transmisión que Rankine describe: el sumo sacerdote lo decía una vez al año en el sanctasanctórum y los maestros lo pasaban a sus discípulos cada siete años

«To allow the Tetragrammaton to be written down, it would be written as IHVH, with the vowel points from the word ADNI written underneath it, rendering it unpronounceable.» — el recurso gráfico que describe Rankine: escribir IHVH con los puntos vocálicos de ADNI debajo, con lo que queda impronunciable

«The four letters correspond not only to the Four Worlds, but also to the Sephiroth (apart from Kether), and our place in the universe. Some texts also give Kether as the point of the Yod, thus including the whole of the Tree of Life within the word.» — el reparto que Rankine da a las cuatro letras, y la variante de algunos textos que añaden Kether como punta del Yod para meter el Árbol entero en la palabra

«It has also been observed that the three tenses of the verb “to be” can be made from the letters of Tetragrammaton, further reinforcing the associations of time with this word.» — lo que Rankine consigna como observado por otros: que los tres tiempos del verbo ser se componen con las letras del Tetragrámaton, lo que refuerza su asociación con el tiempo

«As both love (AHBH) and unity (AChD) add to 13, it can be seen as saying by Gematria that Tetragrammaton is the unity of divine love.» — la lectura gemátrica del 26 que propone Rankine: dos veces trece, y como trece vale amor y unidad, el Tetragrámaton sería la unidad del amor divino

«This is particularly emphasised by the famous medieval Jewish Kabbalist Rabbi Abulafia, who said:» — la voz que Rankine trae para apoyar esa lectura: el cabalista medieval al que llama Rabbi Abulafia

«This number is also significant as it is the sum of the numbers of the Sephiroth on the Middle Pillar (1+6+9+10), We can thus describe the Middle Pillar of Balance as a manifestation of the unpronounceable name, demonstrating its inherent harmony.» — el tercer argumento del 26 que da Rankine: es la suma de las sefirot del Pilar Medio, que queda así como manifestación del nombre impronunciable

«etragrammaton is the most prevalent divine name through the medieval grimoires, as the ultimate power of God.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al Tetragrámaton en los grimorios medievales: el nombre divino más frecuente, como poder último de Dios. El troceo pierde la capitular y el verbatim arranca descabezado

«And if that Name is said to the judges of the wicked, and to their lords and all their powers . . . . As soon as that Name is uttered in those regions they will fall one upon the other, so that being destroyed they perish and exclaim: ‘Light of all the Lights, who art in the infinite lights, have mercy upon us and purify us.» — el pasaje que Rankine adjudica a la Pistis Sophia como muestra de que el nombre había pasado ya a otras corrientes religiosas, entre ellas los gnósticos

«If IHVH is placed in a Pythagorean triangle the total of the letters is seventy-two, the number of letters in the Shemhamforash.» — el cómputo del triángulo pitagórico con que Rankine liga el Tetragrámaton al Shemhamforash: setenta y dos letras

«The expansion of the name from the initial Yod (I) to the full Tetragrammaton (IHVH) can be seen as the Tree of Life manifesting through the Four Worlds. For there are ten letters corresponding to the ten Sephiroth, and the apex is Yod, which is sometimes used as shorthand for Kether.» — lo que Rankine lee en esa expansión: el Árbol manifestándose por los Cuatro Mundos, con diez letras para las diez sefirot y el vértice Yod como abreviatura de Kether

«The word Shemhamforash, or Shem ham M’forahs is a Hebraicized Aramaic term, usually translated as the» — la etimología que Rankine da del Shemhamforash: término arameo hebraizado que suele traducirse como nombre inefable o nombre explícito

«The Shemhamforash is derived from Exodus 14:19-21. Each of the verses contains seventy-two letters in the original Hebrew, which are translated into the English language thus:» — el origen escriturario que Rankine adjudica al Shemhamforash: los tres versículos de Éxodo 14, de setenta y dos letras cada uno en el hebreo original

«That rivulet of smooth silver - how does it flow, think you? It literally rows on the earth, with every scale for an oar; it bites the dust with the ridges of its body. Watch it when it moves slowly; a wave, but, without wind! A current, but with no fall! All the body moving at the» — el pasaje de John Ruskin que Rankine reproduce como foco de la meditación de la serpiente; la nota al pie lo localiza en un Treasury of Snake Lore editado por B Aymar en 1956. El tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y sigue en la siguiente

«same instant, yet some of it to one side, some to another, and some forward, and the rest of the coil backwards; but all with the same calm will and equal way - no contraction, no extension; one soundless, causeless march of sequent rings, a spectral procession of spotted dust, with dissolution in its fangs, dislocation in its coils» — la continuación del mismo pasaje de Ruskin en la plana siguiente, con la marcha de anillos sucesivos y la procesión espectral de polvo moteado

«However separation then allows for a disharmony through lack of unity. The light of God entered the empty vessels of the Sephiroth, of which all but the» — la consecuencia que Rankine hace seguir a la separación: la luz de Dios entró en los vasos vacíos de las sefirot. El tramo se corta aquí porque el impreso mete a continuación las notas al pie y el folio; la frase sigue diciendo que todos menos los tres altos se rompieron

«The name of God is composed of two parts since there are two parts of love (2x13) [divided between] two lovers, and [parts of] love turn one [entity] when love became actuated» — la primera mitad del pasaje de Abulafia que Rankine reproduce, con los corchetes de la traducción dentro de la cita; la nota al pie lo localiza en 'Or HaSekhel, MS Vatican 233

«The divine intellectual love and the human intellectual love are conjuncted being one. This is the great power of man: he can link the lower part with the higher [one] and the lower [part] will ascend and cleave to the higher and the higher [part] will descend and kiss the entity ascending towards it, like a bridegroom actually kisses his bride out of his great and real» — la segunda mitad del mismo pasaje, donde el amor intelectual divino y el humano quedan conjuntados y el hombre enlaza la parte baja con la alta. El tramo termina donde el impreso corta la plana; la frase sigue en la siguiente

«The letters of verse 19 are written down, with the letters of verse 20 written down underneath them in reverse, and the letters of verse 21 in normal order underneath them. Reading downwards seventy-two threeletter names are obtained.» — el procedimiento con que Rankine explica cómo se obtienen los setenta y dos nombres: las letras del versículo 19 en orden, las del 20 debajo en orden inverso y las del 21 debajo en orden normal, leyendo hacia abajo. El impreso corta *three-letter* a fin de renglón y la extracción une las dos mitades, de modo que el verbatim sale con la palabra pegada

«On His forehead the crown of the explicit name,43 composed of fire and hail, and on His head a crown of glory.» — el testimonio merkávico que Rankine aduce para el Shemhamforash; la nota al pie lo localiza en el Hekhalot Zutarti o Hekhalot Menor y traduce la expresión hebrea como Kether Shem ha-meforash

«Now as there are seventy-two names, made from three letters each, the total number of letters is two hundred and sixteen.» — el cómputo que Rankine hace de las letras del Shemhamforash: setenta y dos nombres de tres letras dan doscientas dieciséis

«For 72 = Chesed (ChSD) and 216 = Geburah (GBVRH), so these names are indicative of the flow of energy between the highest two Sephiroth of the Tree of Life below the Abyss.» — la lectura gemátrica que Rankine saca de esas dos cifras: los nombres indican el flujo de energía entre las dos sefirot más altas bajo el Abismo

«This is further emphasised in The Greater Holy Assembly (volume 2 of the Zohar), for the figure of seventy-two as the product of eighteen and four is referred to in verse 499:» — la fuente que Rankine aduce para leer el setenta y dos como producto de dieciocho por cuatro, y que identifica como el volumen 2 del Zohar

«And between one column and another column45 are contained eighteen bases of columns: and they shine forth with brilliancy in the openings carved out in that veil, and so on all four sides.» — el versículo que Rankine cita de esa obra; la nota al pie aclara que las columnas son el Pilar Blanco y el Negro

«the term carved is used to describe visualisation, especially of magickal words, and so this can be seen as referring to the seventy-two names (4x18) of the Shemhamforash.» — la clave de lectura que Rankine da para ese versículo, remitiendo a su propio capítulo sobre pathworking: tallar describe la visualización, en especial de palabras mágicas

«The number 18 here is significant as it refers to the numeration of the word for life (Chi), which is then expressed through the Four Worlds.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al dieciocho dentro de ese cómputo: es el valor de la palabra vida, expresada luego por los Cuatro Mundos

«So the Shemhamforash is literally the life that shines through the veil expressed through the worlds, i.e. the divine creative power.» — la conclusión que Rankine saca del cómputo entero: el Shemhamforash es la vida que brilla a través del velo expresada por los mundos, es decir el poder creador divino

«Of the unity of one, the secret of the seventy-two most glorious. Proclaim the Shem Hamphorash.» — el pasaje del Libro de Razial con que Rankine cierra el argumento; la nota al pie lo localiza en Los Nombres Santos, libro 3 parte 1

«It is also interesting to note that the Egyptians chasing the Jews in Exodus remove their chariot wheels and are drowned by the deluge of the waters. This recalls the whole idea of Merkavah (chariot) mysticism and the quest for the presence of God.» — el detalle narrativo que Rankine liga a la mística del carro: los egipcios del Éxodo pierden las ruedas de sus carros y se ahogan

«In your mind’s eye see a clear cloudless blue sky. See yourself rising up into the sky, passing through it into the heavens. Keep rising into space and see the stars all around you. Keep rising until the blackness of space is all around you, and the stars have all disappeared. Now rise again, and see the infinite blackness that surrounds you become infinite whiteness. You are surrounded by a huge white curtain that seems to go on forever.» — la primera parte de la meditación sobre el Tetragrámaton que el manual prescribe: subir por el cielo hasta la negrura del espacio y de ahí a una blancura infinita como cortina

«Now visualise the letters of Tetragrammaton in black, huge in front of you. See the colour of the letters and of the curtain intensify, so that it seems the letters are burning black fire, and the background is burning white fire. The letters become bigger and bigger as you move towards them, until your whole mind is swallowed by the Divine Name.» — la segunda parte de esa meditación: las letras del Nombre en fuego negro sobre fuego blanco, creciendo hasta tragarse la mente de quien medita

«To further develop this meditation you can use the letters as astral doorways, and pass through each letter in turn, exploring the different experiences you have when passing through each of the letters.» — la ampliación que Rankine propone para esa misma meditación: usar las letras como puertas astrales y atravesar cada una por turno

«The Shekinah is described in a number of different ways through the different branches of Kabbalah, and this has greatly affected the modern perception. The word Shekinah is from the root Shakhan meaning» — Rankine declara que la Shekinah se describe de maneras distintas según la rama de la Kabbalah, y que eso afecta a la percepción moderna; y da la raíz Shakhan, morar

«The German branch of Kabbalah described the Shekinah as the flame encircling God, causing the throne, angels and human souls to come into being.» — la descripción que Rankine adjudica a la rama alemana: la Shekinah como llama que rodea a Dios y hace venir al ser el trono, los ángeles y las almas humanas. La nota al pie remite a un Kabbalah de Charles Ponce de 1974

«This fits with the idea of the Shekinah being the divine bride, who unites with God in Atziluth, causing the other three Worlds to come into being.» — la lectura que Rankine empalma con esa descripción: la Shekinah como novia divina que se une a Dios en Atziluth y hace venir al ser los otros tres mundos

«When the Shekinah descends into Briah, the highest of the Archangels gather around her, that they may help her light become formed into her body, indicating the nature of Binah both as the residence of the Greater (or unmanifest) Shekinah and as the place where force is at the moment of transition to form.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al descenso de la Shekinah a Briah: los arcángeles más altos la rodean para que su luz tome cuerpo, con Binah como residencia de la Shekinah mayor

«As the Lesser or Exiled Shekinah she is perceived as being the world soul, somewhat akin to the concept of Gaia as postulated by James Lovelock.» — la equivalencia contemporánea que propone Rankine para la Shekinah Menor o Exiliada: alma del mundo, cercana al concepto de Gaia de James Lovelock

«However as the source of souls, Shekinah is also present in every person, as the spark that seeks to reunite with the Greater Shekinah and thus to God.» — el segundo modo de presencia que Rankine le adjudica en Assiah: chispa en cada persona que busca reunirse con la Shekinah Mayor

«Thus when the Bible likens man to a tree, saying “Man is a tree of the field”49, it refers to the presence of both the Tree of Life and the Shekinah within every one of us, for the Shekinah is also known as the» — lo que Rankine lee en el símil bíblico del hombre como árbol del campo: la presencia del Árbol de la Vida y de la Shekinah en cada uno

«The Shekinah as Binah is also known as the Superior Supernal Mother, and the Exiled Shekinah as Malkuth is known as the Inferior or Infernal Mother. These titles and attributions are part of the idea of the Shekinah as the two Heh’s of Tetragrammaton.» — el doble título que Rankine registra: Madre Suprema Superior en Binah y Madre Inferior o Infernal en Malkuth, ambos ligados a las dos Heh del Tetragrámaton

«Her ways are of pleasantness, and her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; and happy is every one that retaineth her.» — el pasaje de Proverbios 3:17-18 que Rankine cita para la Shekinah, según localiza la nota al pie

«For as each Sephira is negative to the one above it and positive to the one below, so is it also the case that each Sephira is feminine to the one above it and masculine to the one below» — la regla de género que Rankine enuncia en paralelo con la de carga: cada sefirá es femenina respecto de la de arriba y masculina respecto de la de abajo

«Hence although Chokmah is known by titles such as the Father (Aba), this is in respect of its relationship with Binah as the Mother (Ama), not in its relationship to Kether, where it is perceived as feminine.» — la consecuencia que Rankine saca de esa regla: Chokmah es Padre solo en su relación con Binah, y respecto de Kether se percibe femenina

«And that Spirit (Shekinah) issued forth from the concealed brain (Kether). She is called the Spirit of Life and through Her do all men understand Chokmah, Wisdom.» — la cita del Zohar que Rankine trae para esa lectura, con las glosas sefiróticas intercaladas por él dentro de la cita

«Some modern practitioners see the Shekinah as being the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost), and others as a feminine aspect of the Holy Spirit. However this view is somewhat denigrating and does not really place sufficient emphasis on the importance of the Shekinah.» — la objeción que Rankine dirige a los practicantes modernos que identifican la Shekinah con el Espíritu Santo o con un aspecto femenino suyo: dice que esa lectura la rebaja

«The Shekinah is literally the “indwelling” presence of God, the divine spark within every human being.» — la definición que Rankine opone a esa lectura: la Shekinah es la presencia que mora dentro, la chispa divina en cada ser humano

«It is wisdom (Chokmah) calling, understanding (Binah) raising her voice. 2. She takes her stand at the topmost heights, by the wayside, at the crossroads, 3. Near the gates at the city entrance; At the entrance she shouts, 4. 0 men, I call to you; My cry is to all humankind.» — la apertura de Proverbios 8 que Rankine cita entera para la Shekinah, con las glosas sefiróticas intercaladas por él

«Accept my discipline rather than silver, Knowledge (Daath) rather than choice gold. 11. For Wisdom (Chokmah) is better than rubies; No goods can equal her.» — el cierre de ese mismo pasaje de Proverbios ya en la plana siguiente, con Daath y Chokmah intercalados por Rankine

«This amazing chapter goes on to describe how the Shekinah existed before creation (7:22-31), being the first act of the divine impulse. Proverbs 7 is an incredible piece of literature regarding the divine feminine and it is astonishing that it has been ignored for so long.» — el juicio de Rankine sobre ese capítulo bíblico: que describe a la Shekinah existiendo antes de la creación como primer acto del impulso divino, y que lo llama asombroso que se haya desatendido tanto tiempo. El impreso dice *Proverbs 8* al abrir la cita y *Proverbs 7* dos líneas después, y las dos cifras quedan consignadas sin armonizar

«The next but one chapter, Proverbs 9, begins with a verse which alludes to the doctrine of the Seven Palaces, referring to seven pillars, indicating how all-permeating the Shekinah is when we start to look for her.» — lo que Rankine lee en el primer versículo de Proverbios 9: una alusión a la doctrina de los Siete Palacios por sus siete pilares

«To really appreciate the Shekinah and her influence, try re-reading The Song of Solomon in the Bible. However read it as an expression of the love between Shekinah and God, and see how the context of what is written there changes. The great beauty of this piece then gains a very different perspective.» — la lectura que el manual propone: releer el Cantar de los Cantares como expresión del amor entre la Shekinah y Dios

«Prepare your space by burning pure frankincense and myrrh on your censer. Drink from a cup of milk and honey, so the taste fills your mouth. Sing the phrase “I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys” as a mantra, whilst visualising yourself surrounded by a circle of flames. Stimulated by these sensations, allow your mind to focus on the concept of the Shekinah.» — la meditación sensorial sobre la Shekinah que prescribe el manual: incienso y mirra, copa de leche y miel, y un versículo del Cantar cantado como mantra dentro de un círculo de llamas visualizado

«To these are added the suffix AL or IH to make the names of the seventy-two angels of Jacob’s Ladder» — el paso siguiente del procedimiento: a esos nombres se les añade el sufijo AL o IH para formar los de los setenta y dos ángeles de la Escala de Jacob. El tramo corta antes de la llamada de nota, que remite al pilar de nube de Éxodo 14:19

«The angels whose names end in -a/ are taken as being angels of mercy attributed to the Pillar of Mercy, and those whose names end in -iah (as -ih is often written) are taken as being angels of severity attributed to the Pillar of Severity.» — el reparto de esos ángeles por sufijo: los terminados en -al al Pilar de la Misericordia y los terminados en -iah al Pilar de la Severidad. El troceo imprime *-a/* por *-al*

«least a metre (just over three foot) from the wall, and there should be no other light source in the room, curtains should be drawn.» — las especificaciones de montaje de la meditación de la llama de la Shekinah: la lámpara al menos a un metro de la pared, sin otra fuente de luz y con las cortinas corridas. El libro reimprime esta misma meditación casi palabra por palabra en la plana 235, donde escribe la medida con cifra en vez de con letra

«This blueness is representative of the Shekinah. Gaze into the blueness and allow it to transport your consciousness into awareness of the Shekinah.» — el remate de la meditación de la llama: el azul celeste que aparece en la negrura representa a la Shekinah, y mirarlo transporta la consciencia

«According to the Zohar there are said to be five colours seen when contemplating a flame - white, yellow, red, black and sky-blue.» — los cinco colores de la llama que Rankine adjudica al Zohar

«To understand the concept of Adam Kadmon (or Qadmon) it is important to realise that the Adam who is expelled from Eden with Eve is actually the fourth of the Adams. The first Adam was Adam Kadmon, the primordial man.» — la clave que Rankine da para entender Adam Kadmon: el Adán expulsado del Edén es en realidad el cuarto, y el primero es Adam Kadmon, el hombre primordial

«Adam Kadmon was traditionally viewed as the fifth World, above Atziluth, containing the potential of the other four Worlds within him (expressed as IHVH representing the body as shown below). This fifth World is sometimes referred to as being the Ain Soph, and as being the dwelling place of Tetragrammaton, the unpronounceable name. It is sometimes equated with the dot on the Yod of Tetragrammaton, as the first impulse of the ultimate.» — lo que Rankine consigna como visión tradicional: Adam Kadmon es el quinto mundo sobre Atziluth, que contiene el potencial de los otros cuatro, y se equipara a veces con el Ain Soph y con el punto del Yod

«Adam Kadmon was formed by a single beam of light sent forth from the Ain Soph, which burst forth from his eyes, ears, nose and mouth as the lights of the Sephiroth.» — la formación de Adam Kadmon según el manual: un solo rayo enviado por el Ain Soph que irrumpe por sus ojos, oídos, nariz y boca como las luces de las sefirot

«The light from the eyes filled the vessels of light that were the Supernal Triad of Kether, Chokmah and Binah. However when the light filled the vessels of the lower Sephiroth it was so intense that the vessels broke. This is the act known as the Breaking of the Vessels (Shevirah)» — el reparto de esa luz: llenó los vasos de la Tríada Suprema, y en las sefirot inferiores fue tan intensa que los vasos se rompieron

«The Sephiroth correspond to different parts of the body of Adam Kadmon, which are sometimes given inaccurately in modern Qabalistic works. It will be seen that Adam Kadmon is viewed from behind, with the right side of the body aligned with the right side of the observer, unlike many modern authors claim.» — la corrección que Rankine dirige a las obras cabalísticas modernas: dice que dan mal las correspondencias corporales y que Adam Kadmon se ve por detrás, con el lado derecho del cuerpo alineado con el del observador

«Note this is not the same as the attributions of the Tree of Life onto the human body, which is an important attribution for personal work with Qabalistic practice, although many works make this mistake and call those attributions Adam Kadmon.» — la segunda corrección de Rankine en el mismo punto: la proyección del Árbol sobre el cuerpo humano no es lo mismo que Adam Kadmon, aunque muchas obras las confundan

«Some sources consider Adam Kadmon to have been the first template of divine manifestation, the “first Adam”, reflected through the Four Worlds in different manifestations. This is part of a doctrine known as the» — lo que Rankine adjudica a algunas fuentes, no a sí mismo: Adam Kadmon como primera plantilla de la manifestación divina, reflejada por los Cuatro Mundos en la doctrina de los Cinco Adanes

«This hermaphroditic Adam contained both male and female, undivided, and is known as the Atziluthic Adam, or» — el segundo Adán según Rankine: hermafrodita, macho y hembra sin dividir, llamado Adán atzilútico o Adán de luz

«This Adam is known as the Briatic Adam, or the "Adam of dust”. This is the Adam who gives names to all the creatures» — el tercer Adán según Rankine: el Adán briático o Adán de polvo, el que da nombre a las criaturas

«The fourth Adam is the Adam from whom Eve is created in Genesis 2:21-2357, formed by the separation of the third Adam.» — el cuarto Adán según Rankine: aquel de quien se hace a Eva, formado por separación del tercero

«This Adam is known as the Yetziric Adam, and was said to be the source of all human souls.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al cuarto Adán: se dice de él que es la fuente de todas las almas humanas

«The fifth Adam is Adam after expulsion from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23-24). This Adam is known as the Assiatic Adam.» — el quinto Adán según Rankine: el de después de la expulsión, llamado Adán asiático

«Mankind, as children of the fifth Adam, are striving to return to the state of the fourth Adam, dwelling in the perfection and paradise of Eden. This is why ascending to the World of Yetzirah on the Tree of Life is also known as “ascending to the orchard”, as the orchard is another name for Eden.» — la meta que Rankine adjudica a la humanidad dentro de ese esquema: volver al estado del cuarto Adán, de donde el nombre de ascender al huerto para la subida a Yetzirah

«Use this classic image as a gateway image, closing your eyes and seeing it in brilliant white on a black background. See it get larger and larger, until it is big enough for you to step into, like a curtain or screen over a doorway. When you have sent your consciousness through to the other side, explore what you find there. After a period of 5-10 minutes, concentrate on seeing yourself again, and bring your awareness back to your body.» — la meditación de Adam Kadmon que el manual prescribe: la imagen clásica como puerta, agrandada hasta poder entrar en ella, con un tiempo de cinco a diez minutos y el regreso al cuerpo

«The word Qliphoth means “shells” or “husks” (singular Qliphah). It is also sometimes written as Klippot or Kellipot. There is much confusion about the nature of the Qliphoth.» — la definición de Qliphoth y sus grafías alternas, y la declaración de que sobre su naturaleza hay mucha confusión

«Many modern writers will describe the Qliphoth as being evil and negative entities, but this viewpoint is extremely limited and entirely misses the point.» — la objeción que Rankine dirige a los autores modernos que describen las Qliphoth como entidades malignas: dice que ese punto de vista es limitado y yerra el asunto

«To bring perfect order into the Six Sephiroth of his Ruach, then will the Qliphoth who may be called the Wild Beasts of the Nation, be forced to retire, they only having been permitted to remain through Disorder.... Their synthesis will become as a strong yet trained animal, whereupon the man rideth, this bringing added material strength unto the man.» — el pasaje de las enseñanzas de la orden interna de la Golden Dawn que Rankine aduce sobre las Qliphoth; la nota al pie lo adjudica a Know Thyself, Flying Roll 21, de Mina Mathers

«Hence the Divine Name corresponds to Atziluth, the Archangel to Briah, the Choir of Angels to Yetzirah, and the Heaven and Qliphoth to Assiah.» — el reparto de las correspondencias de cada sefirá por mundo que da Rankine: Nombre Divino a Atziluth, arcángel a Briah, coro de ángeles a Yetzirah, y cielo y Qliphoth a Assiah

«The Divine Name corresponds to the essence of a Sephira, its inherent divinity, this is its presence in Atziluth. The Archangel is the lens, focusing that divine essence and directing it according to the will of that essence» — la función que Rankine adjudica a cada eslabón de ese reparto: el Nombre Divino es la esencia de la sefirá y el arcángel la lente que la enfoca y dirige

«There is a teaching that the lower Sephiroth (below the Abyss) of the primeval and original ten Sephiroth could only receive the divine emanations, but could not interact or give 60 As a result they were overwhelmed and shattered.» — la enseñanza que Rankine consigna como recibida sobre el origen de las Qliphoth: las sefirot bajo el Abismo solo podían recibir y no interactuar ni dar, y por eso se hicieron pedazos. El troceo deja aquí incrustada la cifra de una llamada de nota

«The broken pieces of these vessels fell to Assiah, and the ten Sephiroth were then created anew in the form where they could interact, giving the Tree of Life. The broken pieces are also considered to be the Qliphoth, which can challenge but cannot give, so they need to be overcome to gain an understanding of the true nature of each of the Sephiroth.» — lo que Rankine dice que siguió a la rotura: los pedazos cayeron a Assiah y las diez sefirot se crearon de nuevo en forma capaz de interactuar, y los pedazos, que pueden desafiar pero no dar, hay que vencerlos

«When you eat a nut, say a hazelnut, you first remove the shell. The inner fruit within is guarded by the outer shell without. Thus are the Qliphoth also. Without a shell or husk, how can the essence within have form?» — la analogía de la avellana con que Rankine explica la función de la cáscara: sin cáscara, la esencia de dentro no tendría forma

«Once the nut is eaten the shell may seem useless, but that does not mean it did not fulfill a necessary function, and indeed will continue to do so as it breaks down and is transmuted into other forms as it rots in the earth.» — la vuelta que Rankine le da a esa analogía: la cáscara parece inútil después, y aun así cumplió su función y seguirá cumpliéndola al pudrirse en la tierra

«Another way to look at the Qliphoth would be to imagine a cross-section of a tree. There are many concentric rings indicating the growth of the tree, all interconnected. Imagine all those inner rings as being the energy of the Sephira, and the Qliphoth would then be the rough dead bark enclosing and protecting all the living wood within.» — la segunda analogía que propone Rankine: el corte transversal de un árbol, con las Qliphoth como la corteza muerta que protege la madera viva

«Our daily waking world is sometimes referred to as the “World of Shells”, and if you think about this for a moment you will soon see why. Modern buildings are like concrete shells, cars are mobile shells, the rubbish from all the processes of modern life can be seen as shells, the list goes on and on.» — la lectura contemporánea que Rankine hace del Mundo de las Cáscaras: edificios de concreto, coches como cáscaras móviles y la basura de los procesos de la vida moderna

«Shape without form, shade without colour, Paralysed force, gesture without motion; Those who have crossed With direct eyes, to death's other Kingdom Remember us - if at all - not as lost Violent souls, but only As the hollow men The stuffed men.» — los versos que Rankine reproduce como la descripción más vívida de la idea de las Qliphoth; la nota al pie los adjudica a The Hollow Men de T.S. Eliot

«So although the Qliphoth are the shells that give necessary form, we must not allow ourselves to become comfortable in the mundane. We must recognise the nature of the Qliphoth, and also that we must break through them to reach the fruit of wisdom beyond.» — la regla que Rankine saca de todo el capítulo: las Qliphoth dan forma necesaria y aun así hay que romperlas para llegar al fruto de la sabiduría

«Likewise when you meditate, banish all thoughts. In this context, those thoughts can be seen as the Qliphoth, for they are unwanted shells distracting you.» — la aplicación práctica que Rankine da a esa idea: en la meditación los pensamientos son las Qliphoth, cáscaras no queridas que distraen

«This is why my discussion of the Qliphoth within the chapters on the Sephiroth will not present them as evil but rather as challenges, as shells to be cracked to reach the kernel of truth within.» — la declaración de método con que Rankine anuncia cómo tratará las Qliphoth en los capítulos de cada sefirá: como desafíos y cáscaras por romper, no como el mal

«A modern perception of the Tree of Life has been the idea of an averse Tree, or Tree of Evil. This is said to be the Tree of the Qliphoth, and derives from medieval hierarchies of demon kings and princes, whilst failing to consider the true nature of the Qliphoth.» — la objeción de Rankine al Árbol del Mal: dice que esa idea moderna deriva de jerarquías medievales de reyes y príncipes de demonios y no atiende a la naturaleza verdadera de las Qliphoth

«Such a perception is derived from the idea of an imbalance in the Tree on the Pillar of Severity, resulting in the creation of this Qliphotic Tree. Such a distorted perception holds little value for the Qabalist beyond a cautionary note to avoid obsession with such ideas.» — el segundo tramo de esa misma objeción: el Árbol qlifótico saldría de suponer un desequilibrio en el Pilar de la Severidad, y a Rankine le parece de poco valor salvo como advertencia

«Allow your mind to contemplate the physical shell of your body - your nails, skin and hair. All of these are dead, yet they enclose and protect all the living tissue within. Meditate on your shell, and keep your attention focused entirely on it.» — la meditación de las Qliphoth que prescribe el manual: contemplar uñas, piel y cabello como la cáscara muerta que encierra y protege el tejido vivo

«the rib being what is taken, and it is written in the Zohaf8 that in fact the term was “side”, implying that the third Adam was still a hermaphrodite.» — el desacuerdo que Rankine consigna sin arbitrar: se disputa que lo tomado a Adán fuera la costilla, y él remite al Zohar, donde dice que el término era costado, lo que dejaría hermafrodita al tercer Adán. El troceo imprime *Zohaf8*: el nombre corrompido por el escaneo con la cifra de la llamada de nota pegada, y así queda dentro de las comillas

«However this leaves a residue of undirected energy» — la definición operativa de las Qliphoth que da Rankine, cortada antes de la corrupción de escaneo que sigue: el residuo de energía no dirigida que queda tras repartir las correspondencias de la sefirá por los cuatro mundos, y que no sigue necesariamente la voluntad divina

«Exploring this helps demonstrate the depths of Qabalah, and helps show that each Sephira and level are like onions, with more layers always ready to be unpeeled to gain deeper understanding as you approach the core essence of the Sephira or level of the Tree of Life.» — la imagen con que Rankine describe la estructura del Árbol: cada sefirá y cada nivel son como cebollas, con capas siempre por pelar conforme uno se acerca a la esencia

«The human soul may be divided into several major aspects, which are considered as each existing in a different world simultaneously, demonstrating once more the interconnectedness of man, the universe and the Tree of Life as all being manifestations of the same creative divine impulse.» — el principio que Rankine enuncia para las partes del alma: cada una existe en un mundo distinto a la vez, lo que muestra la interconexión del hombre, el universo y el Árbol

«One of the key Qabalistic teachings about the soul is that originally all souls were one (as the original hermaphroditic Adam Kadmon), and they became separated into male and female as they began the descent into matter.» — la enseñanza que Rankine declara clave: todas las almas fueron una, como el Adam Kadmon hermafrodita, y se separaron en macho y hembra al empezar el descenso a la materia

«To reach completion a person must find their other half (their “soul-mate”), which may only be done by walking in truth. An old Qabalistic saying is that when two such souls meet, “their union was pre-ordained by virtue of the fact that they were originally one» — la consecuencia práctica que Rankine saca de esa doctrina y el dicho cabalístico que le adjunta: la unión de dos almas así estaría preordenada por haber sido una

«The classic Kabbalistic analogy of the soul was described by Rabbi Moshe Chayim Luzatto as of a glassblower performing his craft. The glassblower is the divine, and the glass vessel is the person. The process of blowing the glass begins with the glassblower breathing (Neshamah) into the tube that connects his mouth to the vessel he is blowing.» — la analogía del vidriero que Rankine adjudica al rabino Moshe Chayim Luzatto: lo divino sopla, la persona es el vaso de vidrio y el soplo mismo es la Neshamah

«The breath then travels through the tube as a wind (Ruach) until it reaches the vessel. Finally the breath enters the vessel and shapes it according to the glassblower’s plan, and it comes to rest (Nephesh).» — el resto de esa misma analogía: el aliento viaja como viento, que es el Ruach, y al entrar en el vaso lo modela y queda en reposo, que es el Nephesh

«This is the animal soul or lower soul, which corresponds to Malkuth in the classical model and the Astral Triad in the modern model.» — la doble correspondencia que Rankine da al Nephesh: Malkuth en el modelo clásico y la Tríada Astral en el moderno

«The Nephesh has the lowest aspects of the soul - the instincts and cravings. The Nephesh is the raw energy necessary for making the body function.» — el contenido que Rankine da al Nephesh: los instintos y los antojos, y la energía cruda que hace funcionar el cuerpo

«Until the Nephesh is refined the seeker cannot move on to purification of the Ruach. This is referred to in The Book of Razial, which says “Conceal the Nephesh in the Foundation”,62 referring to Yesod (Foundation) as the lowest part of the Ruach.» — el orden de trabajo que Rankine impone: no se pasa a purificar el Ruach hasta refinar el Nephesh, y lo apoya en una frase del Libro de Razial

«When the Nephesh is purified, it then becomes a throne for the Ruach to reside in, enabling the seeker to strive towards the Neshamah. By purification the control of the bodily desires is indicated, such as the overcoming of addictions.» — lo que Rankine dice que se gana con esa purificación, y qué entiende por ella: el Nephesh purificado hace de trono para el Ruach, y purificar significa aquí controlar los deseos del cuerpo, por ejemplo vencer adicciones

«This overall attribution is easy to appreciate when we consider that the Nephesh was thought to reside in the blood during life, and to pass into the earth after death (and Nephesh means» — el apoyo que Rankine aduce para esa adscripción: se tenía al Nephesh por residente en la sangre durante la vida y por pasar a la tierra tras la muerte

«And He [God] said: 'What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground.» — el versículo de Génesis 4:10 con que Rankine ilustra ese paso del Nephesh a la tierra, con el corchete aclaratorio del propio libro dentro de la cita

«Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh. Thou shalt not eat it; thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water.» — el pasaje de Deuteronomio 12:23-24 que Rankine trae para la identidad de sangre y vida

«This line of “the blood is the life” has been the inspiration for a whole genre of authors writing books on the theme of vampires, and is probably one of the most-quoted lines of the Old Testament in fictional works.» — la observación de historia cultural que Rankine añade a ese versículo: dice que inspiró todo un género de novelas de vampiros

«In I Samuel 28 this concept of the Nephesh going into the Earth after death is clearly described, when Saul goes to the witch and persuades her to raise the shade of Samuel (i.e. his Nephesh). The witch sees the shade “ascending out of the earth» — el episodio de I Samuel 28 con que Rankine cierra el argumento: Saúl persuade a la bruja de alzar la sombra de Samuel, que ella ve subir de la tierra, y él la identifica con su Nephesh

«Strictly speaking the Nephesh is perceived as residing in the liver, or that the liver (kaved) is the main dwelling place of the Nephesh. The liver as the largest organ in the body is responsible for breakdown and synthesis of complex sugars and proteins transported in the blood. So all the blood gets pumped through the liver, the dwelling place of the Nephesh.» — la precisión anatómica que Rankine añade y el argumento fisiológico con que la sostiene: el hígado es la morada principal del Nephesh y toda la sangre pasa bombeada por él

«The Ruach is the middle soul or spirit, sometimes known as the Intellectual Spirit. It is the seat of the moral qualities of the individual, and represents the purity of the self when it is fully realised. The Ruach may be divided into five sub-parts, corresponding to the faculties of Memory, Will, Imagination, Desire and Reason.» — la definición del Ruach: alma media o espíritu, asiento de las cualidades morales, dividido en cinco subpartes que son memoria, voluntad, imaginación, deseo y razón

«The Ruach is said to dwell in the heart (lev) of man, corresponding to Tiphereth as the centre of man. The Ruach is connected with spiritual experience, being associated with inspiration and prophecy, which is easy to see when we consider that Ruach literally means either» — la morada del Ruach según Rankine, el corazón, en correspondencia con Tiphereth como centro del hombre, y su ligazón con la inspiración y la profecía

«By gaining control of the faculties of the Ruach, you have placed yourself on the path of your true will, aligning yourself to the purpose of the divine and traveling through the experiences of life that bring fulfillment of the self in striving for perfection.» — lo que Rankine promete a quien domine esas facultades: quedar puesto en el camino de la voluntad verdadera y alineado con el propósito de lo divino

«The Neshamah is the upper soul, breath or pneuma. It is first referred to in Genesis 2:7 - “Then the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul [Neshamah].» — la definición de la Neshamah y el versículo de Génesis 2:7 en que Rankine la ancla, con el corchete aclaratorio del propio libro dentro de la cita

«The Neshamah is also referred to as the Shekinah, and is always depicted as being female. Only a person who has discovered their true will and aligned himself with the flow of the divine can experience their Neshamah.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a la Neshamah: se la llama también Shekinah, se la representa siempre femenina, y solo la experimenta quien ha descubierto su voluntad verdadera

«The Neshamah resides in the brain (moach) of each person. It is also said that all people see the Neshamah at the moment of death.» — la morada de la Neshamah según Rankine, el cerebro, y lo que consigna como dicho: que todos la ven en el momento de morir

«Quintessence of the universe, Distilled at last from God’s own heart, In me concentred now abides, Of all that is the subtlest part.» — los versos que Rankine trae para la Neshamah; la nota al pie los adjudica a Minot Judson Savage y a un poema titulado My Birth

«All women are said to be in the shelter of the Shekinah, and so it is said to be easier for a woman to reach the Neshamah than a man.» — lo que Rankine consigna como dicho, no como propio: que toda mujer está al amparo de la Shekinah y que por eso le resulta más fácil que a un hombre alcanzar la Neshamah

«For a person to progress spiritually they must have refined their Nephesh and Ruach and harmonised these with their Neshamah. Now the main dwelling places of these three parts of the soul in the body are the liver, heart and brain. Thus if we take the Notariqon of the names of these three organs we get M(oach) L(ev) K(ayed), making the word MLK, Melekh, meaning King.» — el notariqón con que Rankine remata el capítulo del alma: las moradas de las tres partes son hígado, corazón y cerebro, y las iniciales de sus nombres hebreos componen la palabra Rey

«For anyone interested in Thelema, this has considerable bearing on certain lines of The Book of the Law, especially chapter 2:57-8.» — el puente que Rankine tiende hacia la Thelema: dice que ese notariqón pesa sobre ciertas líneas del Libro de la Ley, y señala el capítulo 2:57-8

«Chayah (or Chiyah or Chiah, meaning “life force” or “living essence’) is a higher aspect of the Neshamah that is the vitality, the creative impulse. This is often equated to the true will.» — la definición de Chayah: aspecto alto de la Neshamah que es la vitalidad y el impulso creador, equiparado a menudo con la voluntad verdadera

«There is a dichotomy here, as the true will is often equated with Tiphereth. It would perhaps be more appropriate to say that Tiphereth corresponds to the realisation of the true will or Chayah, but to actualise and fully realise the true will is an ongoing process that continues as you keep travelling up the Tree.» — la dicotomía que Rankine señala y la salida que propone marcándola como preferible, no como cierta: Tiphereth correspondería a la realización de la voluntad verdadera, cuya actualización plena es proceso continuo

«The Chayah and the Yechidah are known as envelopments (makifim), that is to say they are not perceived as being internalised within the human body. These more subtle aspects of the soul are believed to be present in our auras around us, literally enveloping us.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Chayah y Yechidah: se las llama envolturas y no se las percibe internalizadas en el cuerpo sino presentes en el aura

«The parts of the soul correspond to the force of creation moving through the Four Worlds. Hence any creative impulse within us moves from nothingness to thought, and then to speech and action.» — la serie con que Rankine empareja las partes del alma y el movimiento de la creación: de la nada al pensamiento, y de ahí a la palabra y al acto

«To assist in the ascent of the Tree, we must strive to purify and unite the parts of our soul, each in turn, bringing them into harmony so that we can gain the majesty of the king (or queen) that comes from pure pursuit of the true will, and then we can be open to the force of the Chayah and ultimately the Yechidah.» — el programa que Rankine deriva de esa serie: purificar y unir las partes del alma por turno hasta la majestad del rey o la reina que viene del puro seguimiento de la voluntad verdadera

«The idea of reincarnation, or transmigration of souls, known as “gilgul” (meaning revolving or swirling) was one that became integrated into Kabbalistic belief, being first published in the Bahir in the late thirteenth century CE.» — lo que Rankine consigna sobre el gilgul: se integró a la creencia cabalística y se publicó por primera vez en el Bahir a fines del siglo XIII

«On death the parts of the soul all go to their appointed places. The Nephesh sinks into the earth, to go to Gehinnom (hell) if the person has been bad, the Ruach stays with the body, and the Neshamah ascends to the Throne of God, where the Throne sustains it until it is ready to descend back into physical form.» — el reparto de las partes del alma tras la muerte según Rankine: el Nephesh se hunde en la tierra, el Ruach se queda con el cuerpo y la Neshamah asciende al Trono de Dios

«This doctrine is hinted at by the name of the heaven of Kether, i.e. Rashith ha-Gilgalim (the first swirlings), coming from the same root as the word gilgul.» — el apoyo etimológico que Rankine aduce para el gilgul: el cielo de Kether se llama los primeros remolinos, de la misma raíz

«There are a number of variants of this belief, such as where the souls go depending on conduct. A soul that has fulfilled its spiritual destiny does not need to continue reincarnating, and is said to be stored in holiness by God until the end of time, when it is rejoined with its body» — la primera variante que Rankine consigna: el alma que cumplió su destino espiritual no vuelve a encarnar y queda guardada en santidad hasta el fin de los tiempos

«God will then cause dew (which is the divine light) to exude from His head that will flow through the Sephiroth until it reaches the earth. The dew is said to be that which would have caused Adam and Eve to have become immortal, and will enable the resurrected soul to be remerged with the primal Adam.» — lo que Rankine dice del rocío en ese final: sale de la cabeza de Dios, baja por las sefirot hasta la tierra, y es lo que habría hecho inmortales a Adán y Eva

«When all the souls have remerged with Adam, he can be restored to his state of grace from before the Fall and exile. In this way every person is part of the process of restoration» — la consecuencia colectiva que Rankine saca: cuando todas las almas vuelvan a fundirse con Adán, él recobra su estado de gracia, y cada persona es parte de ese proceso de restauración

«A soul that has knowingly perpetrated evil will return to a lesser form, such as an animal, plant or even stone. This doctrine is analogous to the Hindu concept of karmic reincarnation, and is thought to have its roots in Platonic and Neo-Platonic philosophies.» — la segunda variante que Rankine consigna, con su filiación: el alma que obró mal a sabiendas vuelve a forma menor, doctrina que llama análoga a la reencarnación kármica hindú y de raíz platónica y neoplatónica

«A later version of this doctrine changed the concept of rebirth until perfection is reached with a cycle of only four incarnations. If by the end of the fourth life the soul had not reached a basic level of development it would roam the earth as a spirit (called a dybbuk) that sought to possess other people to control their bodies and be returned to the flesh. If the soul did reach a level of attainment it would find sanctuary until the day of restitution.» — la tercera variante que Rankine consigna: un ciclo de solo cuatro encarnaciones, tras el cual el alma no desarrollada vaga como dybbuk buscando poseer a otros, y la que sí llegó halla santuario

«The animal soul is of the nature of the world of Assiah, of physical existence, and it remains in» — lo que Rankine adjudica al Nephesh: es de la naturaleza de Assiah, la existencia física, y permanece en este mundo aun tras la muerte del cuerpo. El tramo se corta donde el impreso cierra la plana con el folio

«The Yechidah (“unique essence” or “unity’) is the highest aspect of the Neshamah, and can be seen as corresponding to the divine and immortal spark of the soul that is eternal. It is the most ephemeral and transcendental part of the soul, where the highest essence of man becomes the divine.» — la definición de la Yechidah: aspecto más alto de la Neshamah, chispa divina e inmortal del alma, la parte más efímera y trascendente, donde la esencia más alta del hombre se hace divina

«There are as many orders of human souls as the stars and legions of daemons numbered together, and that souls are allotted the nature, function, and name of their respective daemons and stars. Now they call these daemons spirits, the innate guides of our being, each assigned to an individual soul by the law of fate.» — el epígrafe con que Rankine abre el capítulo del Ángel Guardián; la nota al pie lo adjudica a una carta de Marsilio Ficino a Filippo Callimachus de 1484 sobre cómo cada persona tiene un ángel guardián

«Modern Qabalah includes the concept of the Holy Guardian Angel, made popular particularly by the works of the Golden Dawn and Aleister Crowley, but often not very clearly explained or considered. However this idea also has its roots in ancient Kabbalah and other schools of religious philosophy, such as Zoroastrianism.» — lo que Rankine dice del Ángel Guardián Santo: lo popularizaron la Golden Dawn y Aleister Crowley sin explicarlo con claridad, y su raíz está en la Kabbalah antigua y en escuelas como el zoroastrismo

«In Kabbalah a type of angel called a Maggid (pi. Maggidim) is discussed. These angels are said to be created when a person performs good actions, and if a person is consistently good and disciplined, then the Maggid will reveal itself to him.» — la figura cabalística que Rankine pone detrás del Ángel Guardián: el Maggid, ángel que se crea cuando la persona obra bien y que se revela a quien es constante y disciplinado

«Interestingly if the person kept a commandment but not according to the law it was said the Maggid would be made up of both good and evil, combining truth and lies.» — el matiz que Rankine añade sobre el Maggid: si el mandamiento se guardó pero no conforme a la ley, el Maggid se compondría de bien y mal a la vez

«The way to recognise a true Maggid was to test that it always told the truth, motivated one to do good deeds, and always gave accurate predictions of the future.» — las tres pruebas que Rankine da para reconocer un Maggid verdadero: que diga siempre la verdad, que mueva a obras buenas y que acierte al predecir

«It is a voice sent from on high to speak to a prophet... such a voice cannot enter the prophet’s ear until it clothes itself in a physical voice. The physical voice in which it clothes itself is the voice of the prophet himself.» — la descripción del Maggid que Rankine reproduce sin atribuirla a fuente nombrada: voz enviada de lo alto que no puede entrar al oído del profeta hasta vestirse de voz física, y esa voz es la del profeta mismo

«And as there is given to Every man, a good spirit, so there is given to him an Evil spirit; & each of them seeketh an union with his spirit, & endeavours to attract it to itself, and to be mixed with it.» — el pasaje de grimorio renacentista que Rankine aduce para el mismo asunto; la nota al pie lo localiza en el Sloane 3825 y remite a la edición que él firmó con Stephen Skinner

«Now when a good spirit hath influence upon a holy soul, it doth exalt it to the Light of Wisdom, & all things that conduceth to an Intellectual Benignity» — el segundo pasaje del mismo manuscrito, sobre lo que hace el espíritu bueno cuando influye en un alma santa

«Indeed some versions of the Goetia even contain a prayer for conjuration of the Holy Guardian Angel, reproduced here in full.» — lo que Rankine declara antes de reproducir la plegaria: que algunas versiones de la Goetia traen una conjuración del Ángel Guardián Santo

«O thou great and blessed [Name] my angel guardian vouchsafe to descend from thy holy mansion which is Celestial, with thy holy Influence and presence, into this crystal stone, so that I may behold thy glory; and enjoy thy society, aid and assistance, both now and for ever hereafter.» — la apertura de la conjuración que Rankine reproduce, en la que el operador pide al ángel descender a la piedra de cristal; los corchetes del nombre son del texto que él copia

«O thou who art higher that the fourth heaven, and knoweth the secrets of Elanel. Thou that rideth upon the wings of the winds and art mighty and potent in thy Celestial and superlunary motion, do thou descend and be present I pray thee; and I humbly desire and entreat thee. That if ever I have merited Thy society or if any of my actions and Intentions be real and pure & sanctified before thee bring thy external presence hither, and converse with me one of thy submissive pupils» — el cuerpo de esa misma conjuración, con el ángel invocado como quien cabalga sobre las alas de los vientos; la nota al pie la localiza en el Sloane MSS 2731 y en la Lesser Key of Solomon editada por Joseph H. Peterson

«When you have said this over several times you will at last see strange sights and passages in the stone and at last you will see your genius: Then give him a kind entertainment as you were before directed declaring him to your mind and what you would have him do» — la rúbrica que el manual reproduce tras la conjuración: repetirla varias veces hasta ver figuras en la piedra y por fin al genio propio, y entonces darle buen recibimiento

«To achieve the state of balance and harmony required to maintain your existence in Tiphereth or above is a lifelong task.» — lo que Rankine declara sobre el alcance de esa práctica: sostenerse en Tiphereth o más arriba es tarea de toda una vida

«However you can experience visions of your guardian angel in meditations and dreams, and it may even communicate with you in these instances. As has been previously mentioned, any contact with the guardian angel will be characterised by truth and accuracy, which are your guidelines for determining the validity of such perceived encounters.» — el criterio de discernimiento que Rankine deja para los encuentros con el ángel guardián en meditación o sueño: verdad y exactitud

«At first glance the Tree of Life can be a perplexing glyph. The complexity of all the attributions and forms of division into different categories can seem overwhelming, numbing the mind and can often be daunting to the newcomer.» — la dificultad que Rankine concede de entrada sobre el glifo: la complejidad de sus atribuciones y divisiones puede abrumar y adormecer la mente del recién llegado

«The correspondences are there to help explore the symbolism inherent in Qabalah, and open the mind up to the wisdom it contains. By considering one aspect at a time and not rushing at it like a bull in a china shop, Qabalah can be appreciated as ultimately simple, with layers upon layers to be unravelled and marvelled at, like a cosmic onion.» — la función que Rankine adjudica a las correspondencias, y el método que prescribe: un aspecto a la vez, sin prisa, y la Qabalah resulta al cabo simple aunque con capas sobre capas

«Many people have dismissed Qabalah by giving it a cursory glance and declaring “1’m not interested in that Judeo-Christian monotheistic worldview” However such a dismissive attitude displays a woeful ignorance, both of the versatility and depth of Qabalah, and of the history of their own beliefs.» — la objeción de Rankine a quienes descartan la Qabalah por judeocristiana: dice que esa actitud ignora tanto la versatilidad del sistema como la historia de sus propias creencias

«Monotheism is not merely the belief in a single deity - it is the belief in an ultimate deity. Other divine and immortal beings may also be perceived as existing, and fulfilling roles and functions subservient to the will of the ultimate.» — la distinción con que Rankine responde a esa objeción: monoteísmo no es creer en una sola deidad sino en una deidad última, con otros seres divinos subordinados

«This is known as Henotheism, and is still essentially a monotheistic view, with the inexplicable forces and occurrences of the natural world being qualified through association with divine entities.» — la definición de henoteísmo que da Rankine y su función: sigue siendo vista monoteísta, con las fuerzas inexplicables del mundo natural cualificadas por su asociación con entidades divinas

«At the end of the day, the perceptions man has placed on gods - seeing them as human, animal or a combination of the two, are an attempt to create a workable interface between him and the otherwise unknowable forces of the universe.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a las figuras de los dioses: intento de crear una interfaz operable entre el hombre y fuerzas por lo demás incognoscibles

«Images of the gods are gateways for human interaction with divine force.» — la fórmula con que Rankine resume esa función: las imágenes de los dioses son puertas para la interacción humana con la fuerza divina

«Ancient Egypt, whilst celebrating a multitude of gods, was essentially henotheistic. To clarify this statement - there is a creator deity (Atum/Re), who then subsequently sires a race of gods who fulfill different functions.» — el primer caso con que Rankine sostiene su tesis henoteísta: el Egipto antiguo, con una deidad creadora que engendra después una raza de dioses con funciones distintas

«What is the difference between this and an ultimate deity who is served by Archangels and angels fulfilling different functions?» — la pregunta con que Rankine cierra ese caso, equiparando el esquema egipcio con el de una deidad última servida por arcángeles y ángeles

«Likewise if we consider ancient Greece, and study the writings of most of the philosophers, it quickly becomes clear that they are expressing the same henotheistic principle, i.e. there is an ultimate god, who expresses itself through the gods as they are worshipped and celebrated in the myths.» — el segundo caso de Rankine: los filósofos griegos, en quienes dice hallar el mismo principio henoteísta

«Wicca is seen as being polytheistic, yet it contains a goddess who contains all goddesses, and a god who contains all gods, and the two are part of a greater» — el tercer caso, contemporáneo: la wicca, que se tiene por politeísta y donde, según Rankine, una diosa contiene a todas las diosas y un dios a todos los dioses

«This is a henotheistic worldview. Celebrating the ultimate through different names that represent different manifestations of that energy is ultimately monotheistic, not polytheistic. Ultimately, almost all religions have a deity who is the original source, and of whom any other deities can be seen as developments, so in a way they can all be seen as monotheism being expressed through different faces.» — la generalización con que Rankine remata el argumento: casi toda religión tendría una deidad que es la fuente original, y las demás serían desarrollos suyos

«From this position the uniquely effective role of the Qabalah as an expression of the creative divine emanations through different manifestations becomes clear. Qabalah works, and the Tree of Life as a symbol holds true whether you apply it to Christian, Hebrew, Egyptian, Greek, Celtic or any other pantheon.» — lo que Rankine deriva de esa posición para su propio sistema: el Árbol se sostiene igual aplicado al panteón cristiano, hebreo, egipcio, griego, celta o cualquier otro

«This is part of the beauty of Qabalah, that it does not deny the beliefs of the practitioner, but is all-encompassing to a degree that it can accommodate such a wide range of perceptions, as any true spiritual path should be.» — el criterio con que Rankine mide una vía espiritual verdadera: que no niegue las creencias del practicante y las abarque

«Study of the Torah (Old Testament), which is full of Qabalistic symbolism, can greatly enhance the appreciation of Christianity for any adherents of that religion, giving insights of beauty and wisdom that enrich the religious experience.» — lo que Rankine ofrece al lector cristiano: que el estudio de la Torá, llena de simbolismo cabalístico, enriquece la apreciación del cristianismo

«Likewise although this is a book on Qabalah from the viewpoint of the Western Mystery Tradition, to illustrate many of my points it will be necessary to quote from the Torah, to show the origins of terms and the concepts they were used to illustrate.» — la declaración de método con que Rankine justifica sus citas bíblicas: aun siendo un libro desde la Tradición de Misterios Occidental, necesita citar la Torá para mostrar el origen de los términos

«Within the Western Mystery Tradition, to work with the Qabalah as a spiritual system of seeking the divine, one must come to grips with the Archangels. Any hang-overs regarding Archangels and angels from previous religious conditioning must first be overcome.» — lo que Rankine pone como condición de entrada al trabajo: hay que vérselas con los arcángeles y vencer primero los resabios del condicionamiento religioso previo

«The reason for this is that the Archangels are the lenses through which the pure and unknowable energy of the divine is comprehended. The Archangels are the distributors of that divine energy, and partake of it in their essence.» — la razón que Rankine da para esa condición: los arcángeles son las lentes por las que se comprende la energía divina y sus distribuidores, y participan de ella en su esencia

«We must get out of the bad habit of seeing Angels and Archangels as fairy-like winged creatures created entirely for the good of mankind. They are units of specialized energy with an inherent awareness which enables them to accomplish or at least attempt the Original Intent behind them. Angels are more like guided missiles than bodiless babies with wings!» — la descripción de los ángeles que Rankine adopta del mago William Gray; la nota al pie la localiza en Ladder of Lights de 1975

«A critical reference is found in the book of Genesis, referring to the Fall and hinting at the path back up the Tree that man needs to walk. Genesis 3:24» — el pasaje que Rankine llama referencia crítica para el camino de vuelta por el Árbol

«I.e. to walk the way of the Tree of Life you must establish a positive relationship with the entities that guard its mysteries - the angels and Archangels.» — la lectura operativa que Rankine da a ese versículo: para andar el camino del Árbol hay que establecer relación positiva con las entidades que guardan sus misterios

«Many people operate under the misconception that the angels are a Christian concept. In fact the word angel comes from the Greek angelos meaning messenger.» — la corrección que Rankine dirige a quienes tienen a los ángeles por concepto cristiano, con la etimología griega

«Further study shows that angels as they are generally perceived today, i.e. as winged guardian entities, come from ancient Sumeria, over five thousand years ago. Winged human and animal-headed human guardian spirits were a common occurrence within the ancient Sumerian culture, which also gave us writing.» — la filiación que Rankine adjudica a los ángeles alados tal como hoy se los percibe: la Sumeria antigua de hace más de cinco mil años

«The Archangels are specialized functionaries, each fulfilling their function within the scheme of the universe. Do not underestimate their importance or ability to create change and direct energy towards a particular end. Working with the Archangels will help keep you very focused on your path, and ensure you do not stray into too many bad habits.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a los arcángeles: funcionarios especializados cuya importancia advierte no subestimar, y cuyo trato mantiene enfocado al practicante

«The attributions of the planets to the Sephiroth of the Tree of Life are one of the keys to its understanding. An alternative set of attributions for the highest Sephiroth has come about in the last 150 years or so, in line with scientific discoveries of the outer planets.» — lo que Rankine declara sobre las atribuciones planetarias: son una de las claves para entender el Árbol, y en los últimos ciento cincuenta años surgió un juego alternativo a la par de los descubrimientos de los planetas exteriores

«Both these sets of attributions have their own mysteries, and both also maintain an integral spiritual truth.» — la posición de Rankine ante los dos juegos de atribuciones, que consigna sin elegir: los dos tienen sus misterios y los dos sostienen una verdad espiritual íntegra

«If we then add to this the next four Sephiroth, we add the Moon, Mercury, Venus and the Sun. This is a journey inwards, to the Sun, which is the centre of the universe, as all these planets are between the Earth and the Sun, which is the centre of the Tree of Life as it is the centre of our universe.» — la lectura direccional que Rankine da a la mitad baja del Árbol: un viaje hacia dentro, al Sol, porque esos planetas están entre la Tierra y el Sol

«The lower half of the Tree shows us that we have to perfect ourselves first on our spiritual journey, directing our energies inwards to create the inner harmony that allows spiritual growth to thrive. We balance the first Triad of the unconscious/imagination (Yesod), the intellect (Hod) and the emotions (Netzach) to reach the true will (Tiphereth), and are at the centre of our universe, our path and purpose clear.» — el programa que Rankine lee en la mitad baja: perfeccionarse primero, equilibrando imaginación, intelecto y emociones hasta la voluntad verdadera

«In the past, man saw the universe as comprising the seven classical planets, i.e. Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, plus the Earth, and the stars. The attribution of the Zodiac, or fixed stars, and the first swirlings, which represent the creative urge of Divinity, complete the classical attributions for the Tree of Life. Beyond Saturn are the stars, and beyond the stars the ultimate unknowable force that is deity.» — el mapa antiguo que Rankine reconstruye para las atribuciones clásicas: siete planetas más la Tierra y las estrellas, con el zodiaco y los primeros remolinos rematando el Árbol

«By adding Uranus as Daath, i.e. Knowledge, the central role that the scientific approach has played in shaping modern civilization is represented.» — la lectura que Rankine da a la atribución moderna de Urano a Daath: representa el papel central del enfoque científico en la civilización moderna

«However Daath is also the gateway, where man can either soar to the divine power within the supernal triad, or fall into the Abyss and an eternal damnation. This also reflects the power of science, to be used to help the evolution of man, or to drag his soul into servitude.» — el doble filo que Rankine le adjudica a esa atribución: Daath es la puerta por donde se remonta a lo divino o se cae al Abismo, y lo mismo vale para el poder de la ciencia

«Uranus also symbolizes revolution. This implies change to the current order, which is definitely true between the lower Tree and the Supernal Triad. To reach the pure divine energy above the Abyss, you must path through Daath and undergo the transformation and revolution this brings.» — lo que Rankine lee en Urano como símbolo de revolución: para llegar a la energía divina sobre el Abismo hay que pasar por Daath y sufrir esa transformación

«The word revolution also hints at the process of reincarnation, as the concept of gilgul (“revolving”). So Daath also hints at the potential for divinity when one has passed through all the incarnations needed to attain perfection.» — el segundo sentido que Rankine le saca a la palabra revolución: alude al gilgul, con lo que Daath apunta al potencial de divinidad de quien ya pasó todas las encarnaciones

«The attributions of Neptune and Pluto to Chokmah and Kether fit with the model of reaching to the outer limits, with Pluto being the outer guardian of the solar system, and at the same time the underworld. So in this sense Kether is not only the zenith of the Tree, but has come full circle to be beneath the Earth that is Malkuth.» — la paradoja que Rankine formula con la atribución de Plutón: guardián exterior del sistema solar y a la vez inframundo, con lo que Kether cierra el círculo y queda bajo la Tierra de Malkuth

«Life, like a dome of many coloured glass, Stains the white radiance of Eternity.» — los versos con que Rankine abre el capítulo de las escalas de color; la nota al pie los adjudica al Adonais de Percy Blythe Shelley, con el nombre tal cual lo imprime el troceo

«The founders of the Golden Dawn introduced the Colour Scales, so they can be traced back to the late nineteenth century. The Colour Scales are strictly a part of the Western Mystery Tradition, and differ greatly from the much older Hebrew attributions of colours to the Sephiroth.» — la filiación que Rankine da a las escalas de color: las introdujeron los fundadores de la Golden Dawn a fines del siglo XIX, y difieren mucho de las atribuciones hebreas más antiguas

«The Colour Scales represent expressions of the essences of the Sephiroth and Paths. The colours both illuminate the natures of the energies and also draw attention to other forces that influence those energies.» — la función que Rankine adjudica a las escalas: expresan las esencias de sefirot y senderos, iluminan sus energías y señalan las fuerzas que influyen en ellas

«When drawing the Tree of Life for reference, it is better to make separate representations, rather than mix the Colour Scales on the same image.» — la instrucción práctica que da el manual para dibujar el Árbol: representaciones separadas por escala, sin mezclarlas en una misma imagen

«At the end of the day Qabalah is ultimately a practical system, and needs to be worked to be appreciated and to gain its benefits.» — la declaración con que Rankine fija el carácter de su objeto: la Qabalah es un sistema práctico y hay que trabajarlo para apreciarlo y sacarle provecho

«The Colour Scales are used for visualisation of divine names, Archangels, angels etc, as well as for the Sephiroth during exercises like the Middle Pillar and Lightning Flash. They are also to be used for the construction of talismans. By using the appropriate Colour Scale you are focusing on the energy appropriate to that world.» — los usos que el manual prescribe para las escalas: visualizar nombres divinos, arcángeles y ángeles, las sefirot en ejercicios como el Pilar Medio y el Relámpago, y construir talismanes

«The King Scale is used when drawing or visualising the Divine Names of the Sephiroth, and associated deity forms. It is the primary illumination of the force of the Sephira or path.» — el uso de la escala del Rey según el manual: los Nombres Divinos de las sefirot y las formas de deidad, como iluminación primaria de la fuerza

«The Queen Scale is used when drawing or visualising Archangelic names and forms. It is also used for demi-gods and the Elemental Rulers as the highest aspects of the elements.» — el uso de la escala de la Reina: nombres y formas arcangélicas, y también semidioses y Regidores Elementales

«The Emperor Scale is used when drawing or visualising Angelic names and forms. It is also used for the Planetary Spirits and Planetary Intelligences, and the Olympic Spirits.» — el uso de la escala del Emperador: nombres y formas angélicas, Espíritus e Inteligencias Planetarias y Espíritus Olímpicos

«The Empress Scale is used for drawing and visualising all other names and forms. This includes Elemental and Qliphotic spirits, humans, and the spirits of the animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms. This Scale is that of the manifest, physical plane on which we exist.» — el uso de la escala de la Emperatriz: todos los demás nombres y formas, incluidos espíritus elementales y qlifóticos, humanos y los espíritus de los tres reinos

«You may wish to experiment with the earlier set of colour attributions, which is a single scale rather than four different ones. You will see that most of the attributions are very different to those of the four Colour Scales. This was also used for the making of talismans, and for robe colours for appropriate magickal working or meditation.» — lo que Rankine dice del juego hebreo de colores frente al de la Golden Dawn: una sola escala en vez de cuatro, muy distinta, usada igualmente para talismanes y para el color de las túnicas

«Gematria is the comparison of words whose constituent letters create the same total. So for example, Unity (AchAD) and Love (AHBH) both add to 13, and we can say from this that the nature of unity is love, or love promotes unity.» — la definición de gematría que da el manual, con su ejemplo canónico de unidad y amor sumando trece

«Gematria encourages you to develop your intuition by looking at possible links between words with the same numerical total. Some magickians use this to develop very tenuous links that do not stand up to examination.» — la objeción que Rankine dirige a los magos que abusan de la gematría: dice que algunos construyen enlaces tenues que no resisten examen

«Personally I would suggest that if you do not spot a link within about fifteen seconds, do not try and spend hours on it.» — la regla práctica con que Rankine acota ese abuso, marcada por él como opinión personal: si el enlace no salta en unos quince segundos, no dedicarle horas

«Notariqon takes its name from the Latin “notarius” meaning “shorthand writer” Notariqon is the creation of a word by taking the first letters of a sentence and forming them together, essentially an acronym.» — la etimología y la definición de notariqón que da el manual: del latín notarius, escribano de taquigrafía, y la formación de una palabra con las iniciales de una frase

«AG LA is Notariqon of Ateh Gibor Le-olahm Adonai (“To Thee 0 Lord the Glory”), and the prayer ending of Amen which is used throughout Christianity is Notariqon of Al Mlk Natz» — los dos ejemplos de notariqón que da Rankine, con las transliteraciones y traducciones tal cual las imprime el troceo

«This technique is also sometimes applied by taking the first and last letter of each word to form the new words. So if we took the phrase Chokmah Nistorah (Secret Wisdom, a name ascribed to Qabalah), the first letters give us chen (ChN) meaning grace and the last letters give us Heh spelt in full (HH), meaning window. So from this we could say that secret wisdom is the window to grace.» — la variante de notariqón por primera y última letra que expone Rankine, con Chokmah Nistorah dando gracia y ventana

«Notariqon can also be applied as an expansive principle rather than a contractive one. In this instance a word is expanded out, so that each letter in the word becomes the first letter of a word in a sentence. So e.g. Berashith, meaning “In the beginning” is the first word of Genesis. In Hebrew it is written BRAShlTh, which could be expanded to “Berashith Rahi Elohim Sheyequelo Israel Torah”, meaning: “In the Beginning the Gods saw that Israel would accept the law.» — la variante expansiva del notariqón, con Berashith desplegado en una frase entera

«Temurah is the transposition of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, so that each letter is consistently replaced by another one, given by the particular cipher used. By this means different words are created. Temurah was used largely in the making of talismans.» — la definición de temurá que da el manual y su empleo principal, la hechura de talismanes

«There are many different forms of Temurah, so I will give the best known and easiest to work.» — la declaración con que Rankine acota su propia exposición de la temurá: da solo las formas más conocidas y fáciles de trabajar

«The Atbash Cipher, is where the letters are reversed (so Aleph is replaced by Tav, Beth by Shin ... Shin by Beth, Tav by Aleph).» — la primera cifra de temurá que expone el manual, el Atbash, con las letras invertidas

«Boustrophedon, is where alternate lines are written right to left and then left to right (i.e. reversed). Reading downwards then gives new words. This technique was used to form the seventy-two names in the Shemhamforash.» — la tercera cifra, el bustrófedon, que Rankine liga con la formación de los setenta y dos nombres del Shemhamforash

«Thashrag, is where the word is written backwards, e.g. AIN becomes NIA, AL becomes LA, etc.» — la cuarta cifra, el Thashrag, con la palabra escrita al revés

«The upper half of the Tree shows us that when we have balanced ourselves, we then need to radiate our energies outwards to improve our environment» — el programa que Rankine lee en la mitad alta del Árbol: una vez equilibrado, irradiar las energías hacia fuera para mejorar el entorno. El tramo se corta donde el impreso cierra la plana con el folio

«In both the classic and modern sets of attributions this is clearly shown by the fact that the planets are those whose orbits are outside that of the Earth.» — el apoyo astronómico que Rankine le busca a esa lectura, ya en la plana siguiente: en los dos juegos de atribuciones esos planetas orbitan fuera de la Tierra

«The Avgad Cipher, where each letter is replaced by the one following it» — la segunda cifra de temurá, el Avgad, donde cada letra se sustituye por la siguiente. El tramo se corta aquí porque el troceo reemite el marcador de plana a media frase

«The most Ancient One is at the same time the most Hidden of the hidden . . . He made ten lights spring forth from his midst, lights which shine with the form which they have borrowed from Him.» — el primero de los dos epígrafes con que Rankine abre la parte de las sefirot; la nota al pie lo adjudica al Zohar

«The ineffable Sephiroth give forth the Ten numbers . . . Behold! From the Ten ineffable Sephiroth do proceed - the One Spirit of the Gods of the living.» — el segundo epígrafe de esa misma apertura, que la nota al pie adjudica al Sepher Yetzirah

«The Sephiroth can be seen like road maps of the continents. To travel the whole world you have to go to every continent, and you might visit a continent more than once so you can explore different parts of it.» — la imagen con que Rankine describe el recorrido del Árbol: mapas de continentes que hay que visitar todos, y más de una vez para explorar distintas partes

«Description from The Thirty-two Paths of Wisdom. Reference is made in the discussion of the nature of the Sephira to this text, which can often help illuminate more of the nature of the Sephira.» — el primero de los apartados con que Rankine estructura cada sefirá: la descripción tomada de los Treinta y dos Senderos de la Sabiduría

«The Divine Name is the formula encapsulating the mode of manifestation of the ultimate divine energy as it is expressed in the Sephira.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al Nombre Divino de cada sefirá: la fórmula que encapsula el modo de manifestación de la energía divina última en ella

«They are extremely powerful words, which can be used in different ways to tap into the essence of the Sephira. The Divine Names can be repeated as a mantra, included in prayers or meditated on to help gain a greater understanding and insights into the nature of the different Sephiroth, and also how those forces are present and function within you. These words have been used for thousands of years, so be aware that they can create powerful changes in you and your circumstances when used regularly.» — lo que el manual prescribe hacer con los Nombres Divinos y la advertencia que les adjunta: repetirlos como mantra, meterlos en plegarias o meditarlos, con la reserva de que pueden producir cambios poderosos

«In the same way that the Divine Names are said to be aspects of the supreme divine power, so all Archangels are said to be manifestations of Metatron, as the voice of God.» — lo que Rankine consigna como dicho sobre los arcángeles: que todos serían manifestaciones de Metatrón como voz de Dios

«The Archangel acts as a lens for the Divine Essence, enabling us to interact with it and comprehend our role within the universe. Archangels are extremely powerful beings, as they are directing the energies associated with a whole Sephira of the Tree of Life.» — la función del arcángel dentro del esquema: lente de la Esencia Divina que permite interactuar con ella y comprender el propio papel en el universo

«The Angelic Hosts are easy to contact, and may be petitioned through the appropriate Archangel to assist you in your journey and to help you open up your heart to the divine influence and increase your understanding and wisdom as you travel up the Tree of Life. Remember Angel means “messenger”, and do not hesitate to ask for their help with resolving issues, as they are happy to help those who are willing to work and help themselves.» — lo que el manual dice de las huestes angélicas y qué autoriza a pedirles: son fáciles de contactar por medio del arcángel correspondiente y ayudan a quien esté dispuesto a trabajar

«The Heaven of each Sephira is its physical manifestation. So Malkuth corresponds to the Earth, Yesod to the Moon, etc. As you work with the energies of each Sephira, its corresponding energies and qualities in your life will come to prominence in your life. So when you start in Malkuth, issues like your physical situation (home, job) will be emphasised, and in Yesod lunar issues like your dreams, and dealing with hidden issues from the past. Each level needs to be worked through systematically, so you have good foundations in yourself to build upon, to fulfill your potentials to be the best you can be.» — lo que Rankine promete y exige del trabajo por sefirot: al trabajar cada una se hacen prominentes en la vida sus asuntos, y cada nivel hay que recorrerlo sistemáticamente

«Although considered by many to be evil, it is more appropriate to view the Qliphoth as necessary tests to the development of the seeker. To use an analogy, in a video game the Qliphoth would be the “end of level baddie” who needs to be defeated before moving on to the next level.» — la lectura que Rankine opone a la de quienes tienen por malignas a las Qliphoth, con la analogía del videojuego que él mismo propone

«Analysis of the Titles of the Sephira, giving further insight into the nature of the Sephira. Some of these titles are also used as alternative names for Sephira, specifically Gedulah (Glory) for Chesed, and Pachad (Fear) for Geburah. The titles are usually found in Kabbalistic texts, and have found their way into modern Qabalah.» — lo que Rankine dice de los títulos de las sefirot: dan más comprensión de su naturaleza, algunos sirven de nombre alterno, y vienen de los textos cabalísticos a la Qabalah moderna

«Discussion of the Experience of the Sephira, the benchmark of full integration of the energies of the Sephira. This is also sometimes known as the Magickal Power of the Sephira, though Spiritual Experience is a more appropriate term, as it demonstrates the expansion of perception and consciousness that develops as the energy and experience of the Sephira are integrated into the being of the seeker.» — la reserva terminológica de Rankine sobre la Experiencia de la sefirá: prefiere Experiencia Espiritual a Poder Mágico porque muestra la expansión de percepción y consciencia

«Discussion of the Virtues of the Sephira that should be cultivated. The Virtues act as a reference point for the seeker, indicating personality traits that if not already developed should become so before the energies of the Sephira can be fully integrated.» — la función que Rankine adjudica a las Virtudes de cada sefirá: punto de referencia que señala los rasgos de personalidad que hay que desarrollar antes de integrar sus energías

«Some vices can never be fully eradicated, and the seeker must always remain vigilant against such vices, for their recurrence in life usually indicates an imbalance in the energy of the appropriate Sephira, which can indicate the energies are not as integrated as you might have thought, or an imbalance caused by events within the mundane or magickal life.» — la reserva que Rankine añade sobre los Vicios: algunos no se erradican del todo, y su recurrencia indica desequilibrio en la energía de la sefirá correspondiente

«The formula can be seen like a key, to help you unlock the energies of the Sephira, and focus your thoughts on the concepts associated with the Sephira.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a la Fórmula Mágica de cada sefirá: una llave para abrir sus energías y enfocar el pensamiento en sus conceptos

«The Magickal Image acts as a gateway for accessing the energy of the Sephira, giving a simple image that can be meditated upon, and worked with to help develop the positive qualities of the Sephira.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a la Imagen Mágica: puerta de acceso a la energía de la sefirá, meditable y trabajable

«The scents are attributed by the» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye los aromas a cada sefirá: por sus cualidades y sus efectos sobre la psique

«Some deities may be attributed to more than one Sephira, as deities usually have a number of aspects. Where this is the case the appropriate aspect of the deity will be indicated.» — la regla con que Rankine reparte las deidades por sefirá: una misma deidad puede ir en más de una porque suele tener varios aspectos, y en ese caso se indica cuál

«Consider how all of the planetary symbols are made of a combination from the circle, the crescent and the equal-armed cross. How is their position in the symbol relevant, what do the component parts represent?» — la meditación sobre los glifos planetarios que el manual prescribe, planteada como pregunta abierta sobre el círculo, la media luna y la cruz de brazos iguales

«A pathworking to the temple of the Sephira is then given for the Sephiroth below the Abyss. Before you perform any of these pathworkings, read the section in part IX Ritual Techniques on Qabalistic pathworking to avoid any confusion. That section explains the techniques used to begin and end pathworkings, and also how to travel between the temples as you move up and down the Tree of Life. The archangelic encounter described need not be repeated every time you go to the temples, but the appearance of the temple is constant, and the Archangels usually appear in the same form.» — lo que el manual declara sobre sus propios pathworkings: se dan solo para las sefirot bajo el Abismo, el encuentro arcangélico no hay que repetirlo cada vez, y la apariencia del templo es constante

«The Tenth Path is called the Resplendent Intelligence because it is exalted above every head and sits upon the Throne of Binah. It illuminates the splendour of all the Lights, and causes an influence to emanate from the Prince of Countenances, the Angel of Kether.» — la descripción de Malkuth que Rankine toma de los Treinta y dos Senderos de la Sabiduría, que la nota al pie adjudica a Joannes Rittangelius

«Malkuth (pronounced Mal-koot) is the Sephira of the Elements. This refers to the four elements specifically; spirit is not included in this.» — la definición de Malkuth con que abre el capítulo, y su acotación inmediata: los cuatro elementos, sin el espíritu

«This is why the image of Malkuth is usually the circle divided into four by an X, separating it into equal quarters for the four elements. This division is also symbolic of the magick circle, with the quarters indicated by the fourfold division.» — lo que Rankine lee en la imagen de Malkuth: el círculo partido en cuatro por una equis, que es a la vez símbolo del círculo mágico con sus cuartos

«In terms of our existence some say it is the physical plane that we operate upon. However as a concept it would perhaps be more accurate to liken Malkuth to Eden, the perfected Kingdom of Nature.» — la corrección que Rankine propone a lo que dicen otros sobre Malkuth: más que el plano físico, sería el Edén, el Reino perfeccionado de la Naturaleza

«Malkuth is the way we would like to see the physical plane. We live in the lowest part of Malkuth - if you imagine every Sephira having a complete Tree of Life in it, we are in the Malkuth of Malkuth.» — la precisión con que Rankine sitúa al lector dentro de ese esquema: Malkuth es el plano físico como querríamos verlo, y nosotros vivimos en la Malkuth de Malkuth

«When we visit the Malkuth temple we are strengthening the process of manifestation of the ideal to the actual. For although we all live our lives as part of the elements around us, most “civilized” people function in their own little bubble, rather than in a dynamic harmony with their environment.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a la visita al templo de Malkuth y la objeción que le adjunta: refuerza la manifestación del ideal en lo actual, frente a los civilizados que viven en su burbuja

«Malkuth is made up of the principles of the four elements. It is the point of stability and solidity, the objective reality that comprises our existence.» — la caracterización de Malkuth como punto de estabilidad y solidez y como realidad objetiva de nuestra existencia

«As such the process of balance is vital, for when we start on our spiritual journey, we are in the middle of that circle standing at the centre of the crossroads. What path we take is up to us, though the spirit of growth encourages us to have firm roots in the physical but to strive upwards for the light - to become the Tree of Life in miniature, balanced and spreading our branches to realise the potential within.» — la imagen con que Rankine describe el punto de partida del camino: de pie en el centro de la encrucijada, con raíces firmes en lo físico y el impulso hacia la luz

«Malkuth is the only Sephira that is not part of a triad, though it is linked to the three Sephiroth of the Astral Triad (Yesod, Hod and Netzach). Malkuth is said to receive the energies of all the other emanations of the Tree.» — el lugar de Malkuth en la estructura: única sefirá fuera de tríada, ligada a las tres de la Tríada Astral y receptora de las energías de todas las emanaciones

«represent states of being and knowing, parts of the body, spiritual truths, astrological bodies, and many other things. As your understanding of Qabalah grows, what each Sephira means to you will also change and grow.» — lo que Rankine declara que son las sefirot y la reserva que pone a su propia exposición: el sentido de cada una cambia y crece con la comprensión del lector. El verbatim arranca tras la llamada de nota que el impreso pega al sustantivo, y esa nota registra el nombre alterno *Ma'amaroth*

«Heaven is referred to in some works as the Mundane Chakra, a rather confusing and inappropriate term that does little to express the nature of the Heaven. A more appropriate term would be cosmic correspondence, indicating the physical planetary or stellar correspondence.» — la objeción terminológica que Rankine dirige a otras obras: llama confuso e impropio el término chakra mundano y propone en su lugar correspondencia cósmica. El verbatim arranca descabezado porque el artículo queda al otro lado del corte de plana

«The relationship between Malkuth as the physical realm of the elements, with Binah, the beginnings of form, cannot be overemphasised. When Malkuth is described as “sitting on the Throne of Binah”, the relationship is being highlighted.» — la relación que Rankine declara que no puede sobrevalorarse: la de Malkuth como reino físico de los elementos con Binah como comienzo de la forma

«The Throne is a title of Binah, and demonstrates the power of Saturn as the highest aspect of the element of Earth to give solidity and form.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Trono: el poder de Saturno como aspecto más alto del elemento Tierra para dar solidez y forma

«Within the Tetragrammaton we see the feminine influence of the Shekinah (Divine Presence), who is expressed as first as the mother who is the Understanding of Binah (the first Heh) and then through manifestation as the daughter of Malkuth (the final Heh).» — el reparto de la Shekinah dentro del Tetragrámaton: madre que es el Entendimiento de Binah en la primera Heh e hija de Malkuth en la Heh final

«Malkuth represents the making of the creative ideas, the reification of the generative principle in nature, hence nature, the Earth and indeed the Garden of Eden are all referred to as feminine in Qabalah.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Malkuth y la consecuencia de género que le saca: la hechura de las ideas creativas y la reificación del principio generativo, por lo que naturaleza, Tierra y Edén se dicen femeninos

«There is a Qabalistic saying, “Kether is in Malkuth, and Malkuth is in Kether, but after a different fashion» — el dicho cabalístico que Rankine recoge sobre Kether y Malkuth; la nota al pie lo empareja con Sepher Yetzirah 1:6

«This is a cumbersome way of expressing the first axiom of magick» — el juicio con que Rankine glosa ese dicho: lo llama una manera farragosa de decir el primer axioma de la magia

«Malkuth is the ultimate reflection of Kether, the manifestation of pure spirit as physical form. Indeed the perception of light as a wave-particle is perfectly described by this relationship. Kether is the light wave, and Malkuth is the manifestation of this energy as the light particle.» — la analogía física con que Rankine ilustra la relación Kether-Malkuth: Kether como onda de luz y Malkuth como partícula

«Usually translated as “My Lord the King”. Adonai is also the Divine Name which most ties in with man, implying the inherent divinity in each person, as it is the way the unpronounceable name was spoken.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al Nombre Divino de Malkuth: Adonai es el que más liga con el hombre e implica la divinidad inherente en cada persona

«When used in the personal sense it implies the Holy Guardian Angel (referred to as the HGA) or higher self, as a King (Melekh) is one who has refined himself and balanced the aspects of his soul (see the earlier chapter entitled The Human Soul on the Tree) enabling realisation of the HGA.» — lo que Rankine lee en ese Nombre usado en sentido personal: el Ángel Guardián Santo o yo superior, porque rey es quien se ha refinado y equilibrado las partes de su alma

«Another consideration for this name is that it totals 155, which is also by Gematria the sum of the letters corresponding to the four kerubic signs of the elements (i.e. Tzaddi (90) - Aquarius, Teth (9) - Leo, Nun (50) - Scorpio and Vav (6) - Taurus).» — el cómputo gemátrico que Rankine da para Adonai Melekh: 155, suma también de las letras de los cuatro signos querúbicos de los elementos

«The Hebrew word for seed (QNH) also totals 155, bringing the concept of Malkuth as nature, and the magickal image of the veiled and crowned young woman as the potential of nature to mind.» — la tercera equivalencia del 155 que trae Rankine: la palabra hebrea para semilla, que empalma con Malkuth como naturaleza y con su imagen mágica

«This Divine Name means “Lord of the Earth”. It emphasises the divinity inherent in each person as a physical manifestation of spirit, and it is worth noting that by Gematria, 361 also adds to Men (ANShl). Whereas Adonai Melekh implies the formula of divine kingship, Adonai ha-Aretz implies the ability of every person to be a king or queen.» — la lectura que Rankine da al segundo Nombre de Malkuth: donde Adonai Melekh implica la realeza divina, Adonai ha-Aretz implica que toda persona puede ser rey o reina

«Considering 361 as the square of 19, we see that Eve (ChVH) adds to 19, so 361 also implies the power of woman magnified, the generative principle of nature.» — el argumento numérico con que Rankine lee el poder de la mujer en ese Nombre: 361 es el cuadrado de 19, y 19 vale Eva

«Sandalphon is thought to be derived from the Greek synadelphos meaning “brother” or “brotherly one”. In this context he is the brother to Metatron, for Sandalphon transmits the prayers of man to the heavens, and also stands behind the divine throne making garlands or crowns for the head of the most high. These crowns are made from the prayers of the faithful, which Sandalphon has received.» — la etimología que Rankine adjudica a Sandalfón y la función que le sigue: hermano de Metatrón, transmite las plegarias de los hombres y con ellas hace coronas para la cabeza del altísimo

«In his full glory he is said to be more than five hundred years taller than his brother. Sandalphon is also known as Hadraniel, Haviviel and Yagidiel. In appearance he is usually visualised a beautiful, androgynous (though slightly feminine) figure standing about 3m tall, wearing a citrine, olive, russet and black tunic and sandals.» — la descripción de Sandalfón que el manual da para visualizarlo, con la medida en años de altura tal cual la imprime el troceo y los cuatro colores de Malkuth en su túnica

«Modern writers often say that Sandalphon means “the sound of sandals”. The reason given for this spurious attribution this is that sandals are worn on the feet, connecting us to the ground we walk on, i.e. Malkuth.» — la objeción de Rankine a los autores modernos que traducen Sandalfón como el sonido de las sandalias: llama espuria esa atribución

«Sandalphon adds to 280 (final nun not counted), which is the number of tiles in the Vault of the Adepti in the Rosicrucian Mysteries (7 x 40).» — el cómputo con que Rankine liga a Sandalfón con la Bóveda de los Adeptos de los misterios rosacruces

«The mysteries of the earth and the influence of the planetary energies on the earth, as described by the VITRIOL formula, are thus contained within the name of this archangel. He is the master of alchemy, the inner alchemy of the soul and the outer process of transformation in nature.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Sandalfón por esa vía: contiene los misterios de la tierra según la fórmula VITRIOL y es el maestro de la alquimia, la interior del alma y la exterior de la naturaleza

«Sandalphon is said to differentiate the sex of the embryo in the womb. Sandalphon was also identified with Elijah, who was said to become assumed into Sandalphon on his translation to heaven.» — dos tradiciones más sobre Sandalfón que Rankine consigna como dichas: que diferencia el sexo del embrión y que se lo identificó con Elías

«he is an agent of balance of the elemental energies, unlike the elemental Archangels of the next four Sephiroth who embody the qualities of their particular element.» — la distinción que Rankine hace entre Sandalfón y los arcángeles de las cuatro sefirot siguientes: él equilibra las energías elementales y ellos encarnan su elemento propio

«The angels of Malkuth are the Ashim meaning “Flames”. They appear as small dancing blue flames. The Ashim are also called the Issim, and referred to as the Order of Blessed Souls in medieval texts.» — los ángeles de Malkuth según el manual: los Ashim o Llamas, que aparecen como pequeñas llamas azules danzantes, llamados también Issim y Orden de las Almas Bienaventuradas

«For the three primal forces of creation, the three mother letters, are all in their name, representing air, fire and water (Aleph, Shin & Mem), along with Yod, which corresponds to Virgo, an earthy letter. So all four elements are represented in their name, which is totally appropriate for the angels of Malkuth, Sephira of the Elements. Not only that, but Virgo is the Virgin, and one of the titles for Malkuth is The Virgin.» — el misterio que Rankine lee en el nombre de los Ashim: sus letras traen las tres madres más Yod, que es Virgo, con lo que quedan los cuatro elementos y además el título de la Virgen

«Cholim Yesodoth translates as either “Dream Foundations” or “Mundane Foundations” and adds to 564. Both of these are appropriate, as Malkuth is the Sephira of the Mundane elements, and is also connected with dreams (Yesod) by the doctrine of the Seven Palaces.» — la doble traducción que Rankine da al cielo de Malkuth y por qué le sirven las dos: Fundamentos del Sueño o Fundamentos Mundanos

«564 is also the total for the sentence “And the Adam was formed into a living Nephesh”. The Nephesh is the animal soul, the feeling part of the divine spark in man that corresponds to Malkuth in the human body.» — la equivalencia numérica con que Rankine liga ese cielo al Nephesh: 564 vale también la frase sobre Adán formado en un Nephesh viviente

«As a classic attribution this is a negative view of Lilith, that a Goddess is a Qliphoth.» — la objeción que Rankine hace a la atribución clásica de Lilith como Qliphoth de Malkuth: la llama visión negativa de una diosa

«However if we look deeper, the concept of sovereignty of the land being bestowed on the king can be seen as a formula of this attribution of Lilith as the Qliphoth. For she is the night-hag who is also the beautiful maiden, the formula of transformation which is that of the trial undergone by the aspirant to kingship, who must display discrimination and compassion to achieve kingship by kissing the hag.» — la relectura que Rankine propone en su lugar: la soberanía de la tierra conferida al rey, con Lilith como la bruja que es también doncella y la prueba del aspirante a la realeza

«Lilith could not be harmed by the angels, and had the power of the name of God, so in another sense she can be seen as the mirror image of the transcendent absolute in the immanence of nature, the reflection of the divine name of this Sephira.» — el segundo sentido que Rankine le saca a Lilith: imagen espejo de lo absoluto trascendente en la inmanencia de la naturaleza

«Malkuth is the starting place, the physical world we live in, so to progress we must choose to pass through the Gate to which we ourselves hold the key. That gate is discrimination and the key is action, which opens the lock of inertia.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al título de la Puerta, con su llave nombrada: la discriminación es la puerta y la acción es la llave que abre la cerradura de la inercia

«The Gate can also be seen as the uterus, the Gate to the womb, through which we all pass at birth.» — el segundo sentido que Rankine da a ese título: el útero, la puerta por la que todos pasamos al nacer

«This is symbolic of the first stage of womanhood, the daughter, and also the first stage on the path of wisdom, entering the first of the four quarters of Malkuth to begin the balancing process of the material world before attempting to ascend spiritually with firm foundations.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Puerta de la Hija de los Poderosos: la primera etapa de la femineidad y la primera del camino de la sabiduría

«Death is the natural conclusion of life. So as all life in nature (Malkuth) experiences birth, so too must it pass through the Gate of Death at the end of its days. Life returns to the earth through decomposition after death, from Malkuth to Malkuth, the shortest and longest journey.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Puerta de la Muerte: la vida vuelve a la tierra por descomposición, de Malkuth a Malkuth, el viaje más corto y el más largo

«This title recalls the full title of the Tree of Life, as the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, as described in Genesis chapter 2 as the cause of man’s fall from grace.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Puerta del Jardín del Edén, con una identificación que el propio libro no discute: el Árbol de la Vida tendría por título pleno el de Árbol del Conocimiento del Bien y del Mal

«The shadow of death is always with us, and as a Gate it can be perceived as the transition between states, where the body returns to its constituent elements and the soul continues on its journey.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Puerta de la Sombra de la Muerte: la transición entre estados, donde el cuerpo vuelve a sus elementos y el alma sigue viaje

«Justice is the balancing effect of law to ensure that all are treated equally irrespective of status. So again this title indicates a prerequisite for spiritual growth - you must be prepared to treat all fairly and not pay undue attention to material trappings, for in passing through the Gate of Justice you are declaring your intent to purify your spirit.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Puerta de la Justicia y el requisito que le saca: estar dispuesto a tratar a todos con equidad y no atender a las trampas materiales

«The classic posture for prayer is kneeling, which places more of the body in contact with the earth beneath. This title demonstrates the nature of man, combining the earthy and animal side with the aspirational and spiritual side. Prayer is a medium for the spirit to rise, and the Gate of Prayer indicates that we should always keep our feet on the ground even when we seek to rise to the heavens.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Puerta de la Plegaria, a partir de la postura de rodillas: mantener los pies en la tierra aun al buscar los cielos

«This title recalls the link between Malkuth and Binah, for tears are associated with Binah as the result of the Vision of Sorrow, which is the experience of Binah. The world of Assiah, which contains Malkuth, is also called the Vale of Tears, so this title refers to this as well. Also tears can be seen as a purification of the eyes, giving clearer vision to begin the quest - to pass through the gate you must be able to not only look but also to see.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Puerta de las Lágrimas: el vínculo con Binah por la Visión de la Tristeza, el Valle de Lágrimas de Assiah y la purificación de los ojos

«This title emphasises the link between Binah, the Great Mother, and Malkuth. It is a representation of the relationship between the Saturnian energies of Binah as the beginnings of form, where force gains the capacity to manifest, with the end result of physical manifestation as the earthly energies of Malkuth.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Madre Inferior: la relación entre las energías saturninas de Binah, donde la fuerza gana capacidad de manifestarse, y las terrestres de Malkuth

«The Inferior Mother is also a title used for the Shekinah, indicating the presence of the divine feminine within each of us (as the Neshamah) and within nature.» — la segunda lectura que Rankine da al título de la Madre Inferior: se usa también para la Shekinah, e indica la presencia de lo divino femenino en cada uno como Neshamah y en la naturaleza

«This title emphasises the relationship between the Earth as Mother (Malkuth) with the idea of the Sky Father (Kether), once again recalling “As above, so below". The Bride is the second quarter of Malkuth, where the potential of the virgin daughter is about to be realised through union (marriage).» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Novia: la relación de la Tierra como Madre con el Padre Cielo, y el segundo cuarto de Malkuth, donde el potencial de la hija virgen va a realizarse por la unión

«This title indicates the cyclicity of nature through the cyclic nature of womanhood. Having passed from virgin daughter to bride, the third stage is queen, having been through the union of marriage.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Reina: la ciclicidad de la naturaleza leída por las etapas de la femineidad, de hija virgen a novia y a reina

«This title reminds us of the link between Kether and Malkuth, that Malkuth is the lower reflection of Kether (the Crown) and is hence the Lower Crown.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Shabat o Corona Inferior: Malkuth es el reflejo bajo de Kether

«As the final physical manifestation, Malkuth does not reflect its light down the Tree like the Reflecting Mirror (Tiphereth).» — la razón que Rankine da al título del Espejo que no Refleja: Malkuth, como manifestación física final, no refleja su luz hacia abajo por el Árbol

«This title reminds us of the magickal image of Malkuth, and also the astrological image of Virgo, which is mutable earth. The virgin depicts unexpressed potential, and can be seen as the first of the four quarters of Malkuth.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Virgen: la imagen mágica de Malkuth y la imagen astrológica de Virgo como tierra mutable, con el potencial no expresado

«This title refers to the presence of the Qliphoth in the physical world, as the essential residues giving form.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Mundo de las Cáscaras: la presencia de las Qliphoth en el mundo físico como residuos esenciales que dan forma

«The experience of Malkuth is the vision of the Holy Guardian Angel, i.e. the initial impetus that stirs the fires of spirituality and desire to evolve in the individual.» — la Experiencia que Rankine adjudica a Malkuth: la visión del Ángel Guardián Santo como el impulso inicial que aviva la espiritualidad

«The vision does not aid us beyond giving a goal to aim for, the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel that comes from having worked through the Sephiroth up to Tiphereth and balanced all the qualities and polarities in ourselves.» — el límite que Rankine le pone a esa visión: no ayuda más allá de dar una meta, y el Conocimiento y Conversación llega tras recorrer las sefirot hasta Tiphereth

«Discrimination enables us to see through the illusions that people (including ourselves!) create about us. It also teaches us when to speak and to act, and to gauge the effects of our actions. The result of this is taking personal responsibility for your actions, a core lesson to learn for any spiritual seeker.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a la Virtud de Malkuth: la discriminación deja ver a través de las ilusiones, enseña cuándo hablar y actuar y lleva a asumir la responsabilidad personal

«The negative side of the physical is a tendency to remain static. The easiest and laziest route is to do nothing. This vice is one that is ever-present and must always be combated. When inertia or stasis sets in, spiritual growth stops. By overcoming inertia we push ourselves to grow, and cultivate the desire to strive for the best we can achieve.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al primer Vicio de Malkuth: la inercia, siempre presente, que detiene el crecimiento espiritual en cuanto se instala

«The other vice of Malkuth is avarice, a desire to possess without earning. This is another aspect of inertia but more negative, for not only do you not want to do anything, but you want to be rewarded for it.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al segundo Vicio de Malkuth: la avaricia, que define como deseo de poseer sin ganarlo y como cara más negativa de la inercia

«Although yellow is often perceived as the colour of Air in the Qabalah, it is also sometimes attributed to Earth as its highest aspect. This is reflected in the Indian Tattvas, where the element of Earth is represented by a yellow square.» — la razón que Rankine da al amarillo de Malkuth en la escala del Rey: se atribuye a veces a la Tierra como su aspecto más alto, cosa que ve reflejada en los tattvas indios

«The four elements are all represented here, as sub-elements of Earth. Citrine, russet and olive are all combinations of the three primary colours of red, yellow and blue representing fire, air and water. So citrine is blue, red and yellow with a predominance of yellow, representing Air of Earth; russet is red, yellow and blue with a predominance of red representing Fire of Earth; and olive is red, yellow and blue with a predominance of blue, representing Water of Earth. Black, as is shown below, represents earth of earth.» — el desglose cromático que Rankine hace de la escala de la Reina en Malkuth: citrino, oliva y ruso como aire, fuego y agua de tierra por el predominio de un primario, y negro como tierra de tierra

«Black represents the element of Earth in Western Occultism. To see why we have only to consider the fertilising black Nile mud that flooded the lands around the Nile and ensured the growth of the crops in ancient Egypt.» — la razón que Rankine da al negro de la Tierra en el ocultismo occidental: el lodo negro fertilizante del Nilo

«VITRIOL is the formula associated with this Sephira. This formula, found in alchemy, is an acronym for the Latin phrase, “Visita Interiora Terrae Rectificando Invenies Occultum Lapidem”. The combination of the energies of the seven classical planets may be found in this formula, each letter corresponding to one of the planets.» — la fórmula mágica que Rankine adjudica a Malkuth: el VITRIOL alquímico, con su frase latina desplegada y cada letra emparejada a uno de los siete planetas clásicos

«With its entreaty to “visit the interior of the earth and there by rectification find the hidden stone”, VITRIOL teaches us the lesson of Malkuth. For to move forward we must look within. Without balance of the self, progress will be erratic and ultimately result in devolution not evolution.» — la lección que Rankine saca del VITRIOL para Malkuth: para avanzar hay que mirar dentro, y sin equilibrio del yo el progreso resulta errático

«As with all things Qabalistic there is more than one interpretation to this formula. For the hidden stone is the Philosopher’s stone, representing the perfection of the self. It is also the Emerald Tablet, containing the laws of magick, which are Nature’s laws.» — la doble lectura que Rankine da a la piedra escondida del VITRIOL, sin elegir entre ellas: la piedra filosofal como perfección del yo y la Tabla Esmeralda con las leyes de la magia, que son las de la Naturaleza

«This woman is none other than Nature Herself. For although Malkuth is the base of the Pillar of equilibrium, yet still it must be seen as being more feminine in nature, for the generative principle in all species is the female.» — lo que Rankine lee en la imagen mágica de Malkuth: la mujer coronada y velada es la Naturaleza misma, y aunque Malkuth sea base del Pilar del equilibrio se la ve femenina por el principio generativo

«The presence of the crown is significant, for it is Kether (the crown), showing Her divinity and that She is the manifestation of the pure divine energy of Kether, beyond form or gender.» — lo que Rankine lee en la corona de esa imagen: es Kether, y muestra que ella es la manifestación de la energía divina pura, más allá de forma o género

«The veil first gives us the idea of the veil of the mysteries, the preconceptions we must draw aside to begin our spiritual journey. We draw the veil of inertia aside and learn the virtue of discrimination, the ability to appreciate the value of perceptions and experience.» — la primera lectura del velo de esa imagen: el velo de los misterios, las preconcepciones que hay que apartar para empezar el camino

«The veil can be perceived in sexual terms as the virgin’s hymen. For the virgin to become the bride she experiences the union of opposites through sexual union that comprises the nature of growth. The hymen that is broken also can be seen as an underlying theme of the loss of innocence and sexual awareness of Eve and Adam in Genesis.» — la segunda lectura del velo, sexual: el himen de la virgen, cuya ruptura Rankine empareja con la pérdida de la inocencia en el Génesis

«We must remember though that the Virgin is here representing Malkuth, i.e. nature. So her virginity can also be seen as the unmanifest potential, the seeds in the earth and the ungathered harvest. This image shows us the potential waiting to be expressed, needing action by the union of opposites to create expression.» — la tercera lectura, que Rankine antepone a las otras dos: la virginidad como potencial no manifiesto, las semillas en la tierra y la cosecha no recogida

«The veil is also worn by a mourning woman, and in this form represents the mortality of life. The woman is young, showing the generative power of nature, but she also wears the veil of death, for all life must die, as expressed through some of the titles of Malkuth.» — la cuarta lectura del velo: el de la mujer en duelo, con la mortalidad de la vida dentro de una figura joven

«The feet link us to the earth; they are our connection to the ground beneath us. The feet contain ten toes, the ten of Malkuth. The early footwear of man, still used greatly for comfort, were sandals, recalling the modern perception of Sandalphon, the archangel of Malkuth.» — la correspondencia corporal que Rankine da a Malkuth por los pies, con los diez dedos y las sandalias que enlazan con el nombre del arcángel

«Ten is the number of solidity, for not only is it the basis of our numerical system (denary - base 10), but is also the sum of the first four numbers 1(1-4), showing the union of the four elements in this Sephira.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al diez de Malkuth: número de la solidez, base del sistema decimal y suma de los cuatro primeros números

«The mystical number of Malkuth is 55, i.e. 1(1-10). Significantly, one of the main titles of Malkuth, Bride (KLH), also adds to 55. 55 is 5 x 11, the number of the elements multiplied by the number of magick» — el número místico de Malkuth y su descomposición según Rankine: 55, que vale también Novia, y que lee como cinco por once, los elementos por la magia

«Malkuth itself adds to 496 (MLKVTh), which is the sum of the numbers 1-31 [1(1-31)]. This shows us how all the previous thirty-one emanations of the Tree come to fruition in Malkuth at the very base of the Tree as the final physicality of form» — el cómputo de Malkuth que da Rankine: 496, suma de los números del 1 al 31, con lo que las treinta y una emanaciones previas fructifican en ella

«Unsurprisingly the four Tens are attributed to Malkuth, as are the four Princesses, due to the link with the titles of Malkuth.» — las cartas del Tarot que Rankine adjudica a Malkuth: los cuatro dieces y las cuatro princesas

«The Bull is the animal classically associated with Earth, and represents the Element of Earth, and the cow is the feminine counterpart to the bull.» — el primer animal que Rankine adjudica a Malkuth: el toro como animal clásico de la Tierra, con la vaca de contraparte femenina

«The sphinx combines the four elements in its form, and is the poser of the riddle. The magickal virtue of discrimination enables the mental clarity to solve the riddle and move on without being torn to pieces by the sphinx.» — el segundo animal, la esfinge, que Rankine liga con la virtud de la discriminación por el enigma que plantea

«the faeces has fertilising qualities for the plants in nature. In alchemy to produce the Philosopher’s Stone the alchemist must first begin with the base matter, the waste product. The important lesson contained within this image is that of transformation. Nothing needs to be wasted. The Malkuthian symbolism is self-evident.» — la segunda correspondencia corporal que Rankine da a Malkuth, el ano, leída por el poder fertilizante del desecho y por el comienzo alquímico en la materia base, con la transformación como lección

«Aventurine is green and was believed to be formed where lightning struck the ground, giving it perfect Malkuthian symbolism.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye los minerales a Malkuth, aquí con la aventurina: se creía formada donde el rayo golpeaba el suelo

«Coal is attributed to Malkuth, and reflects the axiom of “As above, so below”, for diamond, the pure product of coal that has been subject to hue quantities of heat and pressure (which can be seen as the trials and tribulations of the spiritual journey), is attributed to Kether.» — la atribución del carbón a Malkuth y la polaridad que Rankine le saca: el diamante, producto puro del carbón bajo calor y presión, corresponde a Kether

«The myth recounts that Cupid was paring the Goddess Venus’ nails one day and threw the parings into the Indus River, where they became onyx. The combination of throwing away waste body parts, and that they should be nails, the physically hardest part of the nail that is continually growing, are perfect Malkuthian symbols.» — el mito que Rankine aduce para atribuir el ónice a Malkuth: las uñas de Venus cortadas por Cupido y arrojadas al río Indo

«Salt as representing the element of Earth. Salt is an essential for human life and is also a purifier, representing the highest aspect of Malkuth. Also we may consider the link between salt and ley lines as salt tracks.» — la atribución de la sal a Malkuth por triple vía: elemento Tierra, esencial para la vida humana y purificadora; la nota al pie remite al Old Straight Track de Alfred Watkins por el vínculo con las líneas ley

«Staurolite is also known as Cross Stone due to the “X” mark frequently found on it, making it highly Malkuthian. It is also used in witchcraft for working with nature spirits.» — la atribución de la estaurolita, que Rankine liga a Malkuth por la marca en equis y por su uso en la brujería con espíritus de la naturaleza

«Corn is one of the staple crops that gives man bread, which helps sustain life, and has a long history of sacramental use and also for grounding after ritual. So bread also contains the polarity of Kether-Malkuth, as the sacramental symbol of spirit and also as the grounding principle that helps us keep our feet on the ground» — lo que Rankine lee en el trigo y el pan: contienen la polaridad Kether-Malkuth por ser a la vez símbolo sacramental del espíritu y principio de anclaje tras el ritual

«Dittany of Crete, due to its use in evocation by producing the large amounts of smoke which help in manifestation.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye los aromas, aquí el díctamo de Creta: su uso en la evocación por el humo abundante que ayuda a la manifestación

«The magick circle is the magickian’s representation of the universe. It represents the symbolic creation of the universe, and is the place of action, the union of the elements that is Malkuth.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al círculo mágico: representación del universo por el mago, creación simbólica del universo y lugar de la acción

«The triangle of evocation is the place of manifestation, where non-physical spirits are given form through the use of earthy herbs that generate the smoke to give them a medium to manifest in. As such the triangle of evocation represents the physicality of Malkuth.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al triángulo de evocación: lugar de manifestación donde los espíritus no físicos toman forma por el humo de hierbas terrestres

«Consider, when two cubes are placed one on top of the other, ten faces are exposed, ten being the number of Malkuth. Now the four sides will all be equal size, which is twice that of the top and bottom.» — el análisis geométrico con que Rankine liga el altar de doble cubo a Malkuth: diez caras expuestas, que es el número de la sefirá

«So the four sides can be seen as the four elements in balance, with the bottom being the linking of the elements to the ground below (or physical plane). The top is the place where the tools of the art are placed, and also is exposed to the heavens above.» — la lectura que Rankine hace de las caras de ese altar: los cuatro costados como los elementos en equilibrio, el fondo atado al plano físico y la tapa expuesta a los cielos

«This altar also represents the axis mundi, the central pole connecting the worlds, and could be seen as symbolic of the Middle Pillar as a whole.» — el tercer sentido que Rankine da al altar de doble cubo: el axis mundi, y por ahí el Pilar Medio entero

«Again the balance of the four physical elements is implicit in the equal-armed cross. Physically of course it also depicts the crossroads. The crossroads is the meeting place of four ways, and has traditionally been seen as a place of magick.» — lo que Rankine lee en la cruz de brazos iguales: el equilibrio de los cuatro elementos y, físicamente, la encrucijada

«Cernunnos as the Horned God and Lord of the Beasts and the Forests.» — una de las entradas del catálogo de deidades celtas que Rankine adjudica a Malkuth, citada como muestra de cómo formula cada atribución

«Geb as the Earth God, his body being the Earth.» — la única entrada egipcia del catálogo de Malkuth, con el criterio de atribución dicho en la misma línea

«Gaia as the Earth Goddess, representing the whole of the Earth.» — una entrada del catálogo griego de Malkuth, tomada como muestra del mismo formato

«Ki (Urash) as the primal Earth Goddess.» — una entrada del catálogo sumerio de Malkuth, con las dos grafías del nombre tal cual las imprime el troceo

«Meditate on the symbol for planet Earth, a circle quartered by an equal-armed cross, and see what thoughts and images come to mind.» — la primera de las cuatro meditaciones que el manual prescribe para Malkuth: el símbolo del planeta Tierra

«Spend a few minutes reciting the formula of VITRIOL as a mantra and record the impressions you get.» — la segunda meditación prescrita para Malkuth: recitar el VITRIOL como mantra y anotar las impresiones

«Meditate on the Magickal Image of a young woman crowned and veiled, sitting in a garden, with fields of wheat behind her. Try varying the background through each of the seasons, visualising the flowers and wheat accordingly for the season.» — la tercera meditación prescrita: la imagen mágica de la mujer coronada y velada, variando el fondo por estaciones

«Lay out the four Tens in an equal-armed cross. Put the 10 of Disks at the top and the 10 of Wands at the bottom, the 10 of Cups on the left and the 10 of Swords at the right. Contemplate the images and see what inspiration arises.» — la cuarta meditación prescrita para Malkuth, con la disposición exacta de los cuatro dieces del Tarot en cruz

«Contemplate in turn the effect of the elements and their presence within your body. Start with air, and concentrate on the breath entering and leaving your body. Focus on how oxygen is transported in your blood all around your body, how carbon dioxide is transported to your lungs to be exhaled, and the spaces in your body occupied by air, such as in your mouth, ears, lungs, etc» — el ejercicio del cuerpo como templo elemental que prescribe el manual, empezando por el aire y la respiración

«Now consider the earth within you, the solidity of your bones and nails, your hair and teeth, your skin. Think how earth gives you form and defines the shape you are.» — el tramo del mismo ejercicio dedicado a la tierra dentro del cuerpo: huesos, uñas, cabello, dientes y piel como lo que da forma

«When you have done this for a while consider how all the elements work in harmony to create the body of your temple. By performing this visualisation and studying Qabalah you have already demonstrated the desire to make your spirit grow, and the first step to this is balancing your physical and material world.» — el cierre de ese ejercicio, donde Rankine declara qué muestra el propio lector al hacerlo: el deseo de hacer crecer su espíritu, cuyo primer paso es equilibrar lo físico y lo material

«The Malkuth temple is circular and 15m in diameter. The walls are of white marble and extend up to a height of 3m. From here they become a domed hemi-spherical ceiling, which is a deep azure blue flecked with gold (lapis lazuli). The floor of the temple is made of onyx and marble squares, 1m square like a chessboard. In the centre of the temple there is a white marble double-cube altar, 1m in height and 0.5m square on the top. On the top of the altar is a small silver bowl, in which burns an undying blue flame, the flame of spirit.» — la descripción del templo de Malkuth para el pathworking, con sus medidas y materiales: mármol blanco, cúpula azul con oro, suelo de ónice y mármol en damero y altar de doble cubo con la llama azul del espíritu

«You remember the saying from the ancient Greek Orphic mysteries, “In silence is the seed of wisdom gained”, that was spoken into the ears of initiates as they were given an ear of corn to contemplate as you have been.» — la máxima que Rankine adjudica a los misterios órficos griegos dentro del pathworking, dicha al oído de los iniciados junto con una espiga

«As you contemplate you remember that silence is the virtue of the element of earth, and remember the other elemental virtues, the knowing of air, the willing of fire and the daring of water.» — las cuatro virtudes elementales que el pathworking hace recordar: el silencio de la tierra, el saber del aire, el querer del fuego y el osar del agua

«You realise you will need to cultivate all these qualities and balance them in yourself to progress on your journey, to embody the virtue of the element of spirit - becoming.» — la quinta virtud que Rankine añade a esa serie y la condición que le pone: el devenir del espíritu, alcanzable solo equilibrando las otras cuatro

«the connection between Malkuth and Binah, where form begins, and of which the triangle is a symbol.» — el segundo sentido que Rankine le saca al triángulo de evocación, ya en la plana siguiente: remite a la conexión de Malkuth con Binah, donde empieza la forma y de la que el triángulo es símbolo

«As you look around the temple you suddenly become aware of a large figure looming over you. You realise that it is Sandalphon, and you raise your gaze» — la aparición de Sandalfón dentro del pathworking, descrita en segunda persona como manda el género. El tramo se corta donde el impreso cierra la plana con el folio

«Sandalphon hands you an ear of corn with his right hand, and holds the» — el gesto con que el arcángel entrega la espiga dentro de ese pathworking; la frase sigue con el índice de la mano izquierda en los labios pidiendo silencio, ya al otro lado del corte de trozo que reemite el marcador de plana

«The Ninth Path is called the Pure Intelligence because it purifies the Emanations. It proves and corrects the designing of their representations, and disposes the unity with which they are designed without diminution or division.» — la descripción de Yesod que Rankine toma de los Treinta y dos Senderos de la Sabiduría, que la nota al pie adjudica a Joannes Rittangelius

«Yesod (pronounced Yes-od) is the Sephira of the Moon. Traditionally the Moon is associated with the night, and associated nocturnal activities, like dreaming and practicing magick. Hence the name Foundation, for Yesod is the foundation of magickal practice, corresponding as it does to both the astral plane and to the unconscious.» — la definición de Yesod con que abre el capítulo y la razón que da a su nombre: fundamento de la práctica mágica por corresponder al plano astral y al inconsciente

«Yesod is joined to four other Sephiroth on the Tree, which provides a good analogy to the four phases of the Moon. The 32nd path from Malkuth to Yesod then brings you into Yesod through the New Moon. Opposite this is the 25th path to Tiphereth, which corresponds to the Full Moon. The 30th and 28th paths - to Hod and Netzach respectively, represent the waxing and waning Moon.» — la analogía con que Rankine empareja los cuatro senderos de Yesod con las cuatro fases lunares, sendero por sendero

«The Moon controls the tides on Earth, and Yesod is the higher aspect of Water on the Tree, as the next three Sephiroth also embody the higher qualities of the elements.» — la razón que Rankine da para hacer de Yesod el aspecto alto del Agua, y la regla que extiende a las tres sefirot siguientes

«Classically the crossroads is the place of transformation, of death, spirits and ethereal creatures, ruled over by deities like the Greek Goddess Hekate, with the liminal power they possess.» — lo que Rankine lee en los cuatro senderos que hacen de Yesod la primera encrucijada del Árbol, con Hécate nombrada como deidad de ese lugar

«Yesod poses a riddle that is sublime in its simplicity, yet so often failed by those standing at the crossroads - which path do I take from here. The correct answer is “All of them!” This answer requires the creative use of the imagination, to think outside the box, one of the main ordeals of Yesod.» — el acertijo que Rankine adjudica a Yesod y la respuesta que declara correcta: tomar todos los caminos, lo que exige el uso creativo de la imaginación

«The shape made by the four paths connecting Yesod is also that of the trident This is the tool of Neptune, and implies the connection between Yesod as the Moon, which governs the tides, with the higher Sephira of Chokmah, attributed to Neptune.» — la figura que Rankine lee en esos cuatro senderos, el tridente, con el que liga Yesod a Chokmah por Neptuno

«Chokmah is creative form, without force, but in Yesod it is in the transitional moment of manifestation from force into form, the creation of manifestation in Malkuth.» — la relación que Rankine traza entre Chokmah y Yesod: en Yesod la forma creativa está en el momento de transición de la fuerza a la forma. El troceo imprime *creative form, without force* donde el resto del libro hace de Chokmah la fuerza, y aquí se consigna tal cual

«Yesod purifies the emanations, because it is the realm of connection between the conscious mind of man (the microcosm) and the subtle realms that permeate the universe (macrocosm).» — la razón que Rankine da para que Yesod purifique las emanaciones: es el reino de conexión entre la mente consciente del hombre y los reinos sutiles del universo

«In the downward flow of energy, Yesod puts the impulses of the higher energies into a form which man can work with. In the upward flow of energy, Yesod is the great barrier, the mirror of truth that causes most to succumb to their own ego and not strive further to the illuminating powers behind it.» — la doble función que Rankine adjudica a Yesod según el sentido del flujo: hacia abajo da forma trabajable a los impulsos altos, hacia arriba es la gran barrera y el espejo de la verdad ante el que casi todos sucumben a su propio ego

«In the earliest drawings of the Tree of Life glyph, Malkuth was only joined to Yesod, reinforcing this position of Yesod as the purifying force and filter for the whole Tree.» — el apoyo histórico que Rankine aduce para esa posición de Yesod: en los dibujos más tempranos del glifo, Malkuth solo estaba unida a Yesod

«The serpent is the creative wisdom, which must be embraced with open eyes, lest deception occur.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a la serpiente dentro de ese Nombre y la reserva con que lo dice: sabiduría creativa que hay que abrazar con los ojos abiertos para que no haya engaño

«Gabriel is the angel who usually delivers messages to humanity, embodying the link between man and the universe and the divine as expressed by Yesod.» — la función que Rankine adjudica a Gabriel: el ángel que suele llevar mensajes a la humanidad, y con ello el enlace que Yesod expresa

«In Islam Gabriel is also seen as the divine messenger, it was he who delivered the Qur’an to Mohammed.» — la cuarta aparición que Rankine añade a esa serie, ya fuera de la Biblia: la entrega del Corán a Mahoma en el islam

«As the Archangel of the Moon and Water, Gabriel is the guide to the inner tides of our unconscious. Gabriel can help with developing the imagination and psychic abilities.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Gabriel como arcángel de la Luna y el Agua: guía de las mareas interiores del inconsciente y ayuda para la imaginación y las facultades psíquicas

«Gabriel is the archangel to call to if you are having problems with your menstrual cycle, as he rules the forces that influence it.» — la prescripción concreta que el manual da sobre Gabriel, con la razón que la sostiene: llamarlo ante problemas del ciclo menstrual porque rige las fuerzas que lo influyen

«Gabriel can appear as male or female, and may be called to as either. Gabriel often appears carrying a staff topped with lilies, showing his fruitful nature and ability to help you bring plans to fruition. He is usually seen standing about 3m tall, with a beautiful face, which is more feminine than most of the Archangels. He wears a violet robe, and may bear a silver cup in his hands.» — la descripción de Gabriel que el manual da para visualizarlo, con la advertencia previa de que puede comparecer como varón o como mujer

«The Angels of Yesod are the Kerubim, meaning “The Strong”. They are represented as having two sets of wings, one set pointing upwards and one set downwards; and have a head of one of the four elemental animals - eagle, lion, man and bull.» — los ángeles de Yesod según el manual: los Kerubim o los Fuertes, con dos pares de alas y cabeza de uno de los cuatro animales elementales

«The Kerubim (or Cherubim) were also the guardians of the gate of Eden, embodying the creative aspects of the elemental powers. Kerubim adds to 278, the same as the material world (TzVLM HTVTGTz), emphasising their ability to interact with the physical as emissaries of the elemental energies.» — la función y la gematría que Rankine adjudica a los Kerubim: guardianes de la puerta del Edén, y su nombre suma lo mismo que el mundo material

«In medieval Grimoires the Kerubim correspond to the Order of Angels (and should not be taken as the Cherubim of the Grimoires, who equate to the Auphanim of Chokmah» — la advertencia con que Rankine separa dos usos del mismo nombre: los Querubines de los grimorios medievales equivalen a los Auphanim de Chokmah y no a estos Kerubim

«Levanah translates as “the Moon” and adds to 87. This word can also mean whiteness and frankincense. White is one of the main colours associated with the Moon, and frankincense is the great purifying scent, fitting in with the description given in The Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom. The word cup (ASIK) also adds to 87, fitting perfectly with the cup as the elemental tool of water.» — las equivalencias que Rankine da al cielo de Yesod: 87 vale Luna, blancura, incienso y copa, y las liga con la descripción de los Treinta y dos Senderos

«The Yesodic Qliphoth remind us that we have to look at the panoramic view, and not become trapped in self-delusion, otherwise we fall prey to our animal side and do not strive for the spiritual - we become the obscene ass ourselves.» — la lección que Rankine saca de esa Qliphah: mirar el panorama entero y no quedar atrapado en el autoengaño

«Gamaliel adds to 114, the same as gracious (HGVQ) and science (MDAa), both words that imply taking a more comprehensive approach and striving for balance and a complete perception.» — las dos equivalencias numéricas con que Rankine remata esa lectura: 114 vale también gracioso y ciencia

«This title is an old name for Yesod, and refers to the genitals as the centre of creative force, for they are located at Yesod, and all creation takes place through union.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título Kol: nombre antiguo de Yesod que remite a los genitales como centro de la fuerza creadora

«Yesod is the last of the Sephiroth before the manifestation in Malkuth, and as the Moon is the nearest body to Earth in the heavens.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Extremo Inferior de los Cielos: Yesod es la última sefirá antes de Malkuth, como la Luna es el cuerpo más cercano a la Tierra

«This title emphasises the decision to make the spiritual journey, to apply discernment and move beyond the mundane world.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Sello de la Verdad: la decisión de emprender el viaje espiritual y aplicar discernimiento

«This title states emphatically the essence of Yesod, that one must have right in your heart to achieve success and growth, in all things spiritual. Without righteousness you cannot build the firm foundations necessary for sustained growth, and your world will crumble without the firm foundations required.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Justo como Fundamento del Mundo: sin rectitud no se construyen los fundamentos firmes del crecimiento

«This can be seen as the opening up of the conscious mind to the influences of the more subtle realms, leading to a greater sense of ones place in the universe, enabling progress. For you cannot start a journey if you do not know where you already are!» — la Experiencia que Rankine adjudica a Yesod, la Visión de la Maquinaria del Universo, con la razón que le da: no se empieza un viaje sin saber dónde se está

«As the realm of the imagination, Yesod encourages us to be independent - to think for ourselves and not accept the status quo of what we are told. Yesod forces us to challenge our notions, enabling the development of a secure foundation based on experience, from the trial and error approach that serves much more effectively than the approach of gullible belief.» — la Virtud que Rankine adjudica a Yesod y el método que le adjunta: la independencia, que obliga a cuestionar las propias nociones y prefiere el ensayo y error a la creencia crédula

«The Moon rules over illusion and deception, and the magickian must always» — el primer Vicio de Yesod según Rankine, el engaño, con el aviso de mantenerse vigilante. El tramo se corta donde el troceo reemite el marcador de plana

«Laziness is one of the great and constant challenges to the magickian. The illusory qualities of the Moon make it very easy to fool ourselves into not putting in sufficient effort to progress. When laziness sets in it sends on a downward path, back down to the inertia of Malkuth.» — el segundo Vicio de Yesod, la pereza, que Rankine liga con las cualidades ilusorias de la Luna y con la caída de vuelta a la inercia de Malkuth

«adds to 314, as does Metatron, the archangel of Kether who is the voice of God.» — el argumento gemátrico con que Rankine liga el Nombre Divino de Yesod con Metatrón: Shaddai y Metatrón suman ambos 314

«adds to 18, as does the serpent (ChTA) and IAVA, which is Notariqon of» — la tercera equivalencia que Rankine da dentro del mismo Nombre: 18 vale también la serpiente y un notariqón que él traduce como hágase la luz

«Gabriel first appears in the Old Testament in the book of Daniel. It is Gabriel who first indicates the coming of a messiah to Daniel in this book. Gabriel visited Zachary to tell him» — el recorrido escriturario que Rankine traza para Gabriel: su primera aparición en Daniel y el anuncio del mesías a ese profeta. El tramo se corta donde el impreso cierra la plana con el folio

«his son would be called John (the Baptist) and most famously he told Mary that she was pregnant with Jesus.» — la continuación de ese recorrido en la plana siguiente, con el anuncio a Zacarías y el anuncio a María

«The name Gamaliel means “Obscene Ass”. This seems very peculiar until we consider the classic “forbidden kiss” of initiation found in some magickal» — la Qliphah de Yesod y la traducción que Rankine da a su nombre, que enlaza con el beso prohibido de iniciación. El tramo se corta donde el impreso cierra la plana con el folio

«Here the candidate would be blindfolded and told to kiss the anus of an animal (like a goat), and have to act on faith and trust to do so, only to discover afterwards that he had kissed a beautiful maiden who is swapped in at the last minute.» — el rito que Rankine describe en la plana siguiente para explicar ese nombre: el candidato vendado besa a ciegas por fe y confianza y descubre después a una doncella

«is a very appropriate title for Yesod, for without it the magickian cannot ascend the Tree and perfect himself. This title reminds us that we must always find the divine within ourselves and also in the universe around us, emphasising the interconnectedness of all life.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Shaddai como el Todopoderoso: sin él el mago no puede ascender el Árbol, y hay que hallar lo divino dentro de uno y en el universo

«the link between Yesod and Binah, as written in Job 32:8, “The soul of Shaddai gives them Understanding.» — el segundo sentido del título de Shaddai, con el versículo de Job 32:8 que Rankine trae para ligar Yesod y Binah. El verbatim arranca ya en la plana siguiente porque el impreso corta la frase con el folio

«The indigo represents the generative quality of spirit, and the psychic powers of the magickian activated. The deep blue of balance has become the indigo of the night sky, full of potential and imminent creativity, and home of the Moon in its orbit.» — la razón que Rankine da al índigo de Yesod en la escala del Rey: el azul profundo del equilibrio vuelto cielo nocturno, lleno de potencial y de creatividad inminente

«Violet is a classical lunar colour, hence the attribution here. This violet is also made by uniting the blue of Chesed and scarlet of Geburah, forming the apex of the downward water triangle in the planetary hexagram when drawn on the Tree with Tiphereth as its centre point.» — la razón del violeta de Yesod en la escala de la Reina, con el argumento geométrico del hexagrama planetario trazado sobre el Árbol

«Citrine as Air of Earth (see Malkuth colours) is the aspiration to move beyond the terrestrial sphere, embodied by man’s obsession with reaching the Moon. It is flecked with azure to represent the night sky, home of the moon.» — la lectura que Rankine da al citrino de Yesod en la escala de la Emperatriz: la aspiración a salir de la esfera terrestre, que ve encarnada en la obsesión humana por llegar a la Luna

«ALIM is the formula associated with the Sephira. It means “Goc/s” and adds to 81. 81 is one of the main lunar numbers, as 92. The formula of Gods is one of multiplicity, and emphasises the nature of pantheism as a manifestation of monotheism. Through being able to connect with many faces of divinity, one can come to know a little the unknowable source behind all life.» — la fórmula mágica de Yesod y lo que Rankine le lee: una fórmula de multiplicidad que hace del panteísmo una manifestación del monoteísmo

«81 is also the numeration of Throne (KSA), and emphasises the integral essence of the middle pillar as the perfected balance of the regal mage. The crown (Kether) is worn by the King (M elek- title of Tiphereth) who from the Foundation of his Throne (Yesod) rules the Kingdom (Malkuth).» — la cadena que Rankine construye con la segunda equivalencia del 81: la corona de Kether la lleva el Rey de Tiphereth, que desde el Fundamento de su Trono en Yesod rige el Reino de Malkuth

«Although the moon is considered feminine by some cultures, equally other cultures consider it masculine. The nakedness, strength and beauty of the man indicate his achievements, in that he has already perfected his control of the physical - his body (as Malkuth), and has removed all the illusions surrounding him (i.e. clothes» — lo que Rankine lee en la imagen mágica de Yesod, un hombre desnudo, empezando por descartar que la Luna sea femenina en todas las culturas

«The genitalia are the foundation of the reproductive process (i.e. creation). In man the whiteness of the semen can also be considered lunar, and of course the female menstrual cycle is also linked through duration to the tides of the Moon.» — la correspondencia corporal de Yesod y los dos argumentos lunares que Rankine le da: la blancura del semen y la duración del ciclo menstrual

«Nine is the number which always returns to itself, with all its multiples being divisible by itself, indicating the cyclic nature of nine.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al nueve de Yesod: el número que siempre vuelve a sí mismo, de donde lee su carácter cíclico

«The mystical number of Yesod is 45, i.e. 1(1-9). 45 is 9x5, the number of the Moon multiplied by the five elements. 45 is also Adam (ADM) and The Fool (AMD), linking to the magickal image of Yesod.» — el número místico de Yesod y sus equivalencias: 45 es nueve por cinco, la Luna por los cinco elementos, y vale también Adán y el Loco

«Yesod itself adds to 80 (ISVD), which is the same as Throne (KS) and Union (VAaD). Again the emphasis on Yesod as the key central Sephira of the Tree for magickal growth is clear.» — el cómputo de Yesod y lo que Rankine le saca: 80 vale también Trono y Unión, lo que refuerza su papel de sefirá central para el crecimiento mágico

«The toad lives in the water and can also live on land. It is known for the “precious jewel in its forehead”, implying the psychic powers and creativity, both lunar qualities. Also the toad is traditionally associated with witchcraft.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el sapo a Yesod: vive en el agua y en la tierra, lleva la joya preciosa en la frente y se asocia con la brujería

«Due to its colouring and being grown in the sea. The creation myth of the Yezidi is also appropriate, as it involves the archangel Gabriel and pieces of the giant white pearl being used to make the stars.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye la perla a Yesod, con el mito de creación yezidi que nombra al arcángel Gabriel y la perla blanca gigante

«By its white/transparent colour and association with the Moon. Also gold may be found within quartz, hinting at the sexual process and the path up the middle pillar through Yesod to the gold of Tiphereth.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el cuarzo a Yesod, con el oro dentro del cuarzo leído como el camino por el Pilar Medio hacia Tiphereth

«Silver is precious but soft and easily tarnished, requiring constant care, as does the attention of the magickian.» — la moraleja que Rankine saca del metal planetario de la Luna: la plata es preciosa pero blanda y se empaña, y pide cuidado constante como la atención del mago

«Mandrake is used in sexual magick and also bears a human shape, making it very Yesodic.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye la mandrágora a Yesod: su uso en magia sexual y su forma humana

«The magick mirror is the tool par excellence of the moon, used to skry in and enable the psychic abilities of the magickian to be focused. As the moon reflects the light of the sun, so the mirror reflects the light of its environment.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al espejo mágico: herramienta lunar por excelencia para la visión y para enfocar las facultades psíquicas

«The 9-rayed star represents the cyclic nature of the Moon, being formed by a single continuous line, or by superimposing three triangles at 40° to each other, representing the changing faces of the moon.» — lo que Rankine lee en el nonagrama: la naturaleza cíclica de la Luna, trazado de una sola línea o por tres triángulos superpuestos

«The stimulatory effect of perfumes as a bridge between the material world of Malkuth and the subtle realms of the astral make them Yesodic. Also by their use as offerings to spirits and deities, filling the air and rising to the sky.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye los perfumes a Yesod: puente entre el mundo material de Malkuth y los reinos sutiles del astral

«Hekate as the Goddess of the Moon, of crossroads, and of the liminal.» — una entrada del catálogo griego de Yesod, que recoge las tres funciones con que Rankine ya había nombrado a Hécate en el cuerpo del capítulo

«Recite the formula ALIM (pronounced El-o-heem) as a mantra for a few minutes and record your impressions.» — la meditación de la fórmula que el manual prescribe para Yesod, con la pronunciación indicada

«Meditate on the Magickal Image of a very strong and beautiful naked man standing in a field at night with the full moon in the sky behind him. Vary the image so that the different moon phases are represented - new moon (crescent), half moon and dark moon (i.e. no moon) as well as the full moon, and see what difference this makes to your meditation.» — la meditación de la imagen mágica que el manual prescribe para Yesod, variando las fases de la Luna en el fondo

«The Yesod temple is circular and 15m in diameter. The walls are of a swirling pattern of grey and purple semi-solid mist and extend up to a height of 3m. From here they become a domed hemi-spherical ceiling, which is a deep azure blue flecked with gold (lapis lazuli). The floor of the temple is made of marble, with a 9-rayed star in amethyst-purple spanning the whole floor. In the centre of the temple there is a white quartz double-cube altar, 1m in height and 0.5m square on the top. On the top of the altar is a small silver bowl, in which burns an undying blue flame, the flame of spirit.» — la descripción del templo de Yesod para el pathworking: muros de niebla semisólida gris y púrpura, estrella de nueve rayos en amatista sobre el suelo y altar de doble cubo de cuarzo blanco

«You hear a bell ring and look around. Between the pillars you see the figure of the archangel Gabriel. He stands around 3m tall, with a very beautiful feminine face. He has large white wings folded at the back and wears a violet tunic. In his left hand he bears a bunch of lilies and in his right hand is a silver chalice.» — la aparición de Gabriel dentro de ese pathworking, con los lirios en la izquierda y el cáliz de plata en la derecha

«You keep looking and the images become of you when you are younger and younger. Then they change again and it is someone you do not immediately recognise. But as you look the figure seems more and more familiar, and you realise it is your previous incarnation on this earth.» — el remate de esa visión, donde el pathworking lleva al practicante a reconocer su encarnación anterior

«After a while Gabriel touches you on the shoulder, and tells you that is enough for today. You can return again and look further back in the chalice of remembrance, to explore and learn from your past lives.» — el límite que el propio pathworking le pone a esa práctica: el arcángel la corta por hoy y deja la vuelta al cáliz del recuerdo para otra vez

«aspect of Wicca, which is largely a lunar religion, and which encourages naked ritual to honour the moon goddess and her consort.» — la segunda lectura de la desnudez de la imagen mágica de Yesod, que Rankine liga con el skyclad de la wicca, a la que llama religión mayormente lunar. El verbatim arranca ya en la plana siguiente porque el impreso corta la frase con el folio

«Gabriel gestures that you should look in the chalice, and as you look in the waters contained within it you see them mist over, so they look like the night» — lo que el pathworking manda ver en el cáliz: las aguas se enturbian hasta parecer el cielo nocturno. El tramo se corta donde el impreso cierra la plana con el folio

«sky with clouds rolling through. You gaze deep within the clouds and visions start to appear, of times you had forgotten, from your childhood.» — la continuación de esa visión ya en la plana siguiente: nubes rodando y visiones de tiempos olvidados de la infancia

«The Eighth Path is called the Absolute or Perfect Intelligence because it is the mean of the Primordial, which has no root by which it can cleave or rest, save in the hidden places of Gedulah, from which emanates its proper essence.» — la descripción de Hod que Rankine toma de los Treinta y dos Senderos de la Sabiduría, que la nota al pie adjudica a Joannes Rittangelius

«Hod (pronounced Hod) is the Sephira of Mercury. Mercury is associated with the intellect, and the power of logic and rational thought. In terms of our existence, Hod is our thoughts and ideas.» — la definición de Hod con que abre el capítulo: sefirá de Mercurio, del intelecto y del poder de la lógica, es decir nuestros pensamientos e ideas

«As the fastest moving planet, Mercury is entirely appropriate as the cosmic representative of this, the darting quicksilver fire of the nerve synapses firing in our brains, as ideas dart around at the speed of light.» — la analogía fisiológica con que Rankine justifica la atribución de Mercurio a Hod: el fuego de azogue de las sinapsis nerviosas

«The ability to think logically is often seen as being very cold, and the intellect as being very divorced from feeling and sensing. However this perspective tends to discount the other quality of the intellect, which is intuition.» — la objeción de Rankine a la lectura fría del intelecto: descuenta la otra cualidad de la mente, la intuición

«This is why the symbol of Mercury is the caduceus, or twin serpent staff. The cold logic of the mind is balanced by the intuitive flashes of inspiration that are also Mercurial in their nature - the black and white serpents of the caduceus.» — lo que Rankine lee en el caduceo: la lógica fría de la mente equilibrada por los destellos intuitivos, que son las dos serpientes

«Communication is another Mercurial trait, and a necessary quality, for a good idea means nothing if it is not clearly communicated to others and its benefits spread.» — la razón que Rankine da para contar la comunicación entre las cualidades necesarias: una idea buena no vale nada si no se comunica con claridad

«Mythically Mercury is the psychopomp, the guide between the worlds. This role expresses the fluid quality of Mercury, the ability to adapt to ones environment and be at home in any surroundings and circumstances.» — lo que Rankine lee en el papel mítico de Mercurio como psicopompo: la cualidad fluida de adaptarse al entorno y estar en casa en cualquier circunstancia

«Efficiency could be described as the key word for Hod, the ability not to waste your energy, but rather to use it effectively to always do everything in the best and most appropriate manner.» — la primera palabra clave que Rankine da a Hod: la eficiencia, entendida como no desperdiciar la energía propia

«The other key word for Hod is flexibility. Mercury is nothing if not adaptable, able to undergo immediate changes and be ready to deal with whatever may occur. Flexibility also requires honesty and the ability to exercise clarity and discrimination no matter the circumstances.» — la segunda palabra clave de Hod y lo que Rankine le exige: la flexibilidad, que pide honestidad y claridad en cualquier circunstancia

«The power of the mind is to give form to ideas, and Hod is a Sephira of form. The experiences of the astral and the imagination of Yesod may be given more form in Hod - through giving a framework to ideas and through being able to manipulate the subtle energies of the astral.» — la función que Rankine adjudica a Hod frente a Yesod: dar forma a las experiencias del astral y a la imaginación mediante un marco para las ideas

«The word Elohim combines a feminine noun with a masculine ending, indicating the duality of gender associated with Mercury and reminds us that the intellect is both male and female.» — el argumento gramatical con que Rankine lee la dualidad de género de Mercurio: Elohim junta un sustantivo femenino con una terminación masculina

«Raphael means “Healer of God”, and he is the archangel charged with healing mankind and the earth.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Rafael: sanador de Dios, encargado de curar a la humanidad y a la tierra

«Some books attribute Michael to Hod and Raphael to Tiphereth, due to Tiphereth also being associated with healing. However this alternative attribution ignores the essential airy natures of Raphael and fiery nature of Michael, which clearly indicates the correctness of attributing them as they are found here.» — la objeción que Rankine dirige a los libros que permutan Miguel y Rafael: dice que esa atribución alterna desatiende la naturaleza aérea de uno y la ígnea del otro

«Raphael is also the patron of travellers, often being depicted with a pilgrim’s staff, and he protects those on journeys, especially air travel. As well as protecting travellers, Raphael’s special charges are the young and innocent.» — las otras tutelas que Rankine adjudica a Rafael: los viajeros, sobre todo en avión, y los jóvenes e inocentes

«Raphael is the archangel of knowledge and communication, and may be called to help with any related areas, such as improving your memory, learning languages, exams, dealing with bureaucracy and business matters.» — los asuntos concretos para los que el manual manda llamar a Rafael: memoria, idiomas, exámenes, burocracia y negocios

«Raphael was the angel who gave King Solomon the ring inscribed with the pentagram that enabled him to bind demons, and force them to build his» — la tradición salomónica que Rankine adjudica a Rafael: le dio a Salomón el anillo con el pentagrama que le permitió atar demonios. El tramo se corta donde el impreso mete la nota al pie

«He was said to have healed the earth after the Flood, and also visited Noah after the Flood to give him a book of medicine, which had belonged to the angel Raziel.» — las dos tradiciones postdiluvianas que Rankine consigna como dichas sobre Rafael: que sanó la tierra y que dio a Noé un libro de medicina que había sido de Raziel

«The Angels of Hod are the Bene Elohim, meaning “The Sons of the Gods”. Bene Elohim adds to 148, the same as AHIH IH JHVH ALHIM, one of the great names of God that combines the divine names of the three Sephiroth of the supernal triad.» — los ángeles de Hod y el argumento gemátrico con que Rankine los liga a la Tríada Suprema: su nombre suma lo mismo que un gran nombre de Dios que combina los tres Nombres supremos

«148 is also the total for Netzach, whose order of Angels are the Elohim (Gods), so it is appropriate that the Bene Elohim (Sons of the Gods) should be linked to that Sephira.» — la segunda equivalencia del 148 que trae Rankine: vale también Netzach, cuya orden de ángeles son los Elohim, de modo que los Hijos de los Dioses quedan ligados a esa sefirá

«The original concept of Bene Elohim was the idea of the gods of the old polytheism, who became downgraded and integrated into Judaism and hence Qabalah.» — el origen que Rankine adjudica a los Bene Elohim: los dioses del politeísmo antiguo, degradados e integrados al judaísmo y de ahí a la Qabalah

«Render to Yahweh, O sons of gods (BNI ALHIM), render to Yahweh glory and strength.» — el versículo del Salmo 29:1 que Rankine llama referencia cabalística clara, por leer gloria y fuerza como Chesed y Geburah

«In appearance the Bene Elohim stand about 2m tall with white wings and are very beautiful. Some of them appear more masculine, and some more feminine. They wear orange tunics.» — la descripción que el manual da de los Bene Elohim para visualizarlos, con unos más masculinos y otros más femeninos

«Kokhav translates as Mercury or “Sunstar”. It sums to 48, which is the product of 6 and 8, emphasising the link between Mercury (8) and the Sun (6).» — el cielo de Hod y el argumento numérico con que Rankine lo liga al Sol: 48 es el producto de seis por ocho

«So Samael can be seen as the voice of doubt that makes you question everything, and he is dispelled be the confidence of truth, which brooks no doubt for it is perfect in itself. This perception is reinforced by Gematria - Samael adds to 131, the same as humility (AaNVH)» — lo que Rankine adjudica a esa Qliphah y el apoyo gemátrico que le busca: voz de la duda que se disipa con la confianza de la verdad, y su nombre vale lo mismo que humildad

«This is the vision described in the first chapter of Ezekiel, of the splendour of God manifested through the Kerubim and the Auphanim (Wheels). These choirs of angels are those of Yesod and Chokmah, so literally the Foundation (Yesod) of Wisdom (Chokmah).» — la Experiencia que Rankine adjudica a Hod, la Visión del Esplendor, con la lectura sefirótica que hace de los dos coros angélicos de Ezequiel

«Having had the visions of the higher self and the workings of the universe in the previous two Sephiroth, the next liminal experience is the perception of the divine within the universe, stimulating the seeker on their quest towards perfection.» — la serie de experiencias en que Rankine inserta esa visión: tras el yo superior y la maquinaria del universo, la percepción de lo divino dentro del universo

«The power of truth is the harshest virtue, for it forces us to face up to our faults and see things as they are. Truth implies accuracy of perception, the cold logic of Hod, which brings the binary logic of computers to mind. Truth does not allow for ambiguity, it is either yes (1) or no (0).» — la primera Virtud de Hod según Rankine, la veracidad, que llama la más dura y compara con la lógica binaria de las computadoras

«Being truthful with yourself requires honesty and is essential to spiritual growth. Being honest with others requires integrity, as it implies a balance that does not swing towards the self-serving selfishness of the ego.» — la distinción que Rankine hace dentro de esa virtud: ser veraz consigo pide honestidad y serlo con otros pide integridad

«Paradise exists wherever you speak the truth, and do the right; Hell is present wherever you speak that which is false, or do that which is evil. Paradise and Hell are not localities, they are states.» — el pasaje de Eliphas Levi que Rankine trae para la misma virtud; la nota al pie lo localiza en The Magical Ritual of the Sanctum Regnum de 1896

«The ability to laugh is an essential quality for growth. We need to be able to laugh at ourselves when we behave in an arrogant or silly manner, to reach us never to become too self-important.» — la segunda Virtud de Hod según Rankine: el humor, y la capacidad de reírse de uno mismo cuando se obra con arrogancia

«Mercury is also the trickster, so there is an element of laughing at the misfortune of others when this is misinterpreted. The important lessons taught by the trickster are imparted with humour to bypass self-importance and ensure they strike home, not to belittle or ridicule unless it is the only way to help a person overcome stumbling blocks.» — la acotación que Rankine pone al papel de embaucador de Mercurio: las lecciones del trickster se imparten con humor para saltarse la propia importancia, no para menospreciar

«This vice is linked to the illusory nature of unbalanced Yesodic force. For dishonesty is a knowing act, indicating a tendency to serve only the base desires of the ego, thus restricting the spirit. Being dishonest with yourself is a retrograde step that will only damage the growth of your spirit. Being dishonest with others perpetuates the energy of manipulation and using people for your own ends, which is a restriction of their will and right to grow.» — el Vicio de Hod según Rankine y sus dos caras: la deshonestidad consigo retrocede el crecimiento del espíritu y la deshonestidad con otros restringe su voluntad y su derecho a crecer

«The violet-purple is the product of the deep violet of Chesed with the lavender of Daath. This union of the colours emphasises the emanations which are most in tune with Hod, for Uranus (Daath) is the higher manifestation of Mercury, and Chesed (Gedulah) is the root of Hod, as described in The Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom.» — la razón que Rankine da al violeta púrpura de Hod en la escala del Rey: Urano en Daath sería la manifestación alta de Mercurio, y Chesed es la raíz de Hod según los Treinta y dos Senderos

«Mercury is also associated with healing, of the mind and body. Mercury provides the knowledge and skill needed to practice healing, for the training to» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Mercurio en materia de curación: da el conocimiento y la destreza necesarios para practicarla. El tramo se corta donde el impreso mete la nota al pie y el folio

«be a doctor or healer is a long and arduous process, requiring the mind to be honed like a scalpel to work effectively.» — la continuación de esa frase en la plana siguiente: formarse como médico o sanador es proceso largo y arduo que pide afilar la mente como un bisturí

«The Gods of Hosts”. The multiplicity of deity within this divine name emphasises the manifestation of the divine in a variety of forms. This is paralleled in Netzach with the use of the name Tzabaoth, and demonstrates that both thoughts and emotions are a plurality of experiences, providing a multitude of ways to experience the divine.» — lo que Rankine lee en el Nombre Divino de Hod: la multiplicidad de la deidad, en paralelo con Netzach, porque pensamientos y emociones son pluralidad de experiencias

«Samael means “The False Accuser”. Samael is sometimes described as the husband of Lilith, and it is interesting to note that he is the false accuser» — la Qliphah de Hod, con la traducción de su nombre y el emparejamiento con Lilith que Rankine consigna como dicho por algunos. El tramo se corta donde el impreso cierra la plana con el folio

«he challenges ideas to make you examine the truth of them. When you can prove the truth of something, you can dispel false accusations.» — la lectura que Rankine da a esa Qliphah ya en la plana siguiente: desafía las ideas para obligar a examinar su verdad, y se disipa al probarla

«This is best represented by the feather of Maat, the Egyptian Goddess of truth and harmony, against which the heart of the deceased soul was weighed on the scales of balance to» — la imagen con que Rankine representa la veracidad de Hod: la pluma de Maat en la balanza. El tramo se corta donde el impreso cierra la plana con el folio

«see if the person had led a good life. The French occultist Eliphas Levi beautifully summed up the value of truth with his words:» — la continuación de esa frase en la plana siguiente, con la presentación de Eliphas Levi como ocultista francés antes de citarlo

«The yellowish-brown is the colour of Citrine quartz, the crystal of Hod as the "Thief s Stone”. The white flecks indicate the higher aspect of this, i.e. the trickster rather than simply the thief.» — la razón que Rankine da al pardo amarillento de Hod en la escala de la Emperatriz, con el cuarzo citrino llamado piedra del ladrón y las motas blancas leídas como el embaucador

«Azoth is the Mercurial Fluid, the essence. The word is made by combining the A and Z of the English alphabet (first and last) letters) with the last letters of the Greek and Hebrew alphabets, i.e. Omega (O) and Tav (Th).» — la fórmula mágica de Hod y la construcción que Rankine le da: el Azoth alquímico, hecho con la primera y la última letra del alfabeto inglés más las últimas del griego y del hebreo

«Azoth sums to 414, as does Ain Soph Aur (Limitless Light) and Meditation (ThGVH). Azoth is the alchemical fluid, the essence of life that permeates all and acts as a catalyst for change and growth towards perfection.» — las equivalencias del Azoth y lo que Rankine le adjudica: 414 vale también Luz Ilimitada y Meditación, y el Azoth es el fluido alquímico que impregna todo y cataliza el cambio

«The number 8 of Hod also indicates this formula, for when placed on its side it gives us the symbol of infinity, characterising the nature of Azoth.» — el argumento gráfico con que Rankine remata esa fórmula: el ocho de Hod tumbado da el símbolo del infinito

«The hermaphrodite combines both sexes, and this echoes the combination of genders in both the divine name and the Angels (Elohim). The image of the hermaphrodite also recalls the idea of the original man as a hermaphroditic being, before the duality of gender (the first three Adams).» — lo que Rankine lee en la imagen mágica de Hod: el hermafrodita recuerda la combinación de géneros del Nombre Divino y de los ángeles, y al hombre original antes de la dualidad

«This concept implies the divinity of balancing the genders within, and stresses the need for spiritual seekers to balance the qualities within themselves, which are commonly referred to as» — lo que Rankine deriva de esa imagen: el deber del buscador de equilibrar dentro de sí las cualidades que suelen llamarse masculinas y femeninas

«The attribution of this part of the body is more based on the location of Hod on the Tree than to symbolic correspondences.» — la reserva con que Rankine declara el criterio de la correspondencia corporal de Hod: se funda más en la posición de la sefirá en el glifo que en simbolismo

«The Mystical number of Hod is 36, i.e. 1(1-8). 36 is also 62, and hints at the close relationship between Hod and Tiphereth, for Mercury is the nearest planet to the Sun, with the quickest orbit.» — el número místico de Hod y lo que Rankine le lee: 36 apunta a la relación estrecha con Tiphereth, porque Mercurio es el planeta más cercano al Sol

«Hod itself adds to 15 (HVD), which is also the total for Jah (IH), the divine name of Chokmah. As the eighth Sephira, Hod is the lower manifestation of the energy of Chokmah, reflected through Chesed. This relationship is described through the powers of 2 and the manifestations of duality down the Sephiroth of the Tree - 4 (Chesed) is 22 and 8 (Hod) is 23.» — el cómputo de Hod y la serie de potencias con que Rankine lo liga a Chokmah por Chesed. El troceo imprime los exponentes en línea, y así quedan dentro de las comillas

«The twin-headed mythical serpent is suggestive of the Mercurial caduceus, and hence its attribution to Hod.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye la anfisbena a Hod: la serpiente mítica de dos cabezas sugiere el caduceo

«Mercury is only found solid in nature when combined with other elements, such as sulphur to make cinnabar (Mercury Sulphide), demonstrating the need to ground thoughts to make them solid rather than uncontained fancies.» — la lección que Rankine saca del metal mercurio: solo se halla sólido combinado con otros elementos, de donde lee la necesidad de aterrizar los pensamientos

«The black and white colouring of moly recalls the twin snakes of the caduceus, and the mythical use by Odysseus after being given moly by Hermes to transform his men back to human form after the enchantress Circe had turned them into swine.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el moly a Hod, con el episodio de Odiseo y Circe que lo sostiene

«Storax is used as a base for other perfumes, in the same way that mercury is used as the amalgam for making alloys of metals, acting as the binding material.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el estoraque a Hod: base de otros perfumes como el mercurio lo es de las amalgamas

«The apron represents the craftsman or mason, and indicates the act of giving form to ideas. Also the apron conceals the “Splendour” of the person wearing it.» — lo que Rankine lee en el mandil como herramienta de Hod: el artesano o masón que da forma a las ideas, y el ocultamiento del Esplendor de quien lo lleva

«The caduceus is the magickal emblem of Mercury, as the symbol of healing and the messenger. This symbolism has been maintained by its adoption as the emblem of the medical profession.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al caduceo y su pervivencia: emblema mágico de Mercurio como símbolo de la curación y del mensajero, adoptado por la profesión médica

«The name of an item gives it definition, and some would say restriction. When we talk about magickal names and the power they contain, the myth that first springs to mind is that of Isis tricking Ra out of his power by learning his true name.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al nombre como herramienta de Hod, con el mito de Isis y Ra como primer ejemplo

«The Egyptian idea of the true name of an entity or item giving control of it is one that has become widespread in western culture, though often in an underlying way.» — la difusión que Rankine adjudica a esa idea egipcia del nombre verdadero: se extendió por la cultura occidental, muchas veces de modo subyacente

«The eight-rayed star represents the balanced nature of Mercury as the twin current. Likewise the octogram is formed by two squares at 45° to each other» — lo que Rankine lee en el octograma: la naturaleza equilibrada de Mercurio como corriente doble, con la figura formada por dos cuadrados a cuarenta y cinco grados

«Hermes as the God of Magick, Communication and Healing, and as Psychopomp.» — la entrada de Hermes en el catálogo griego de Hod, con las tres funciones y el papel de psicopompo

«Iris as a Messenger Goddess bearing the Caduceus, and also of the Rainbow, hinting at Paroketh.» — la entrada de Iris en el mismo catálogo, donde Rankine liga el arcoíris de la diosa con el velo de Paroketh

«Meditate on the symbol for Mercury, of the equal-armed cross under a circle, surmounted with a crescent on its side. See what ideas and images come to mind.» — la meditación del glifo planetario que el manual prescribe para Hod, con la descripción exacta del símbolo

«Meditate on the Magickal Image of a beautiful hermaphrodite. Try the meditation with the left side male and right side female, and then swap them over next time. See what difference this makes to your meditation.» — la meditación de la imagen mágica prescrita para Hod, permutando el lado masculino y el femenino entre una sesión y otra

«A particularly appropriate form of meditation for Hod is the method known as gerushin, or meditating on verses. An inspirational phrase from the Torah was the original useage of this technique, developed in the sixteenth century CE.» — la técnica de meditación que Rankine declara propia de Hod: el gerushin o meditación sobre versículos, que data en el siglo XVI y cuyo uso original era una frase de la Torá

«Alternatively you can use any verse that inspires you, such as Santaya’s famous quote “those who do not learn from the past are condemned to repeat if or Blake’s “to see a world in a grain of sand» — las dos citas alternas que Rankine propone para esa técnica; el troceo imprime *Santaya* y corta la cita a media palabra, y así queda consignado

«The Hod temple is circular and 15m in diameter. The walls are of opal and extend up to a height of 3m, with flashes of red, yellow, blue and green seen in them as you walk around the temple. From here they become a domed hemi-spherical ceiling, which is a deep azure blue flecked with gold (lapis lazuli). The floor of the temple is made of Citrine quartz, inlaid with an 8-rayed silver star whose tips reach the walls. In the centre of the temple there is an opal double-cube altar, 1m in height and 0.5m square on the top. On the top of the altar is a small silver bowl, in which burns an undying blue flame, the flame of spirit.» — la descripción del templo de Hod para el pathworking: muros de ópalo con destellos, suelo de cuarzo citrino con estrella de ocho rayos y altar de doble cubo de ópalo

«Raphael tells you that the green stone is the Emerald Tablet, and hands it to you to study.» — el objeto que el pathworking de Hod pone en manos del practicante: la Tabla Esmeralda, entregada por Rafael

«You gaze at the Emerald Tablet, and see it is covered with strange hieroglyphs. As you look at the hieroglyphs they seem to shift in front of your eyes. The first line is now readable and says “With certainty, that which is above is as that which is below» — lo que el pathworking manda leer en esa tabla: jeroglíficos que se desplazan ante los ojos hasta que la primera línea se vuelve legible

«As you continue to stare at the tablet, the words speak to you, and you realise that the truth on the Emerald Tablet is an ever-changing message that varies with the observer. Remember as fully as you can the words you read on the Emerald Tablet so you can consider them and meditate on them afterwards.» — la regla de lectura que el propio pathworking enuncia sobre esa tabla: su verdad es un mensaje siempre cambiante que varía con el observador

«The Seventh Path is called the Occult Intelligence because it is the refulgent Splendour of the intellectual virtues which are perceived by the eyes of the intellect and the contemplations of faith» — la descripción de Netzach que Rankine toma de los Treinta y dos Senderos de la Sabiduría, que la nota al pie adjudica a Joannes Rittangelius

«Netzach (pronounced Net-zack) is the Sephira of Venus. Venus is the planet of love, and no other planet (or goddess) has inspired artists, writers and poets as much as she. Love can be experienced in a variety of ways, and this is expressed well through the Greek words for love - Agape (spiritual love), Eros (physical or sexual love) and Filia (brotherly o r kinly love).» — la definición de Netzach con que abre el capítulo y las tres palabras griegas con que Rankine reparte el amor: ágape, eros y filia

«The polarity of Netzach and Hod is emphasised in The Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom by the use of the term “refulgent Splendour", as splendour is the translation of Hod.» — el argumento textual con que Rankine lee la polaridad Netzach-Hod: el Esplendor refulgente de los Treinta y dos Senderos, siendo esplendor la traducción de Hod

«However as Hod is a lower manifestation on the tree of form from Binah, so is Netzach a lower manifestation on the Tree of the force of Chokmah. For our emotions give force and power to our drives.» — el reparto que Rankine hace entre las dos sefirot: Hod es manifestación baja de la forma de Binah y Netzach de la fuerza de Chokmah, porque las emociones dan fuerza a los impulsos

«It is for us to ensure that the emotional charge we create is positive, rather than negative. Negative emotions have a tendency to be stored in our bodies as blockages, and tied up energy that could be used more constructively for our growth.» — la advertencia que Rankine añade sobre esa carga emocional: las emociones negativas tienden a almacenarse en el cuerpo como bloqueos y energía atada

«Venus is of course the Morning and Evening Star, first to rise and last to set in the heavens. Originally it was perceived as being two different stars, until astronomy showed otherwise.» — el dato astronómico que Rankine trae para Netzach: Venus se tuvo por dos estrellas distintas hasta que la astronomía mostró lo contrario

«The significance of this emotionally is to remind us that emotions have their opposites, hence the old saying “it’s a thin line between love and hate» — la lectura emocional que Rankine saca de ese dato: las emociones tienen sus opuestas, con el dicho que cita al respecto

«To master your emotions ensures you can channel their energy into your growth. You can recognise the futility of negative emotions and transform them into their positive counterparts. This includes self-love, though in a positive way where you acknowledge your faults and strive to correct them, not in a narcissistic way.» — lo que Rankine promete del dominio de las emociones y el límite que le pone: incluye el amor propio, pero reconociendo los defectos y no de modo narcisista

«The flashing colours within opals recall the flashes of thought within the mind. Also, as a silica gel, opal is the most fluid of the minerals referred to as crystals, containing a high percentage of water.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el ópalo a Hod: los destellos de color recuerdan los del pensamiento, y como gel de sílice es el más fluido de los minerales llamados cristales

«Always remember that in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, Venus was the one goddess who was unconquered, remaining ever-present through art, sculpture and literature.» — lo que Rankine manda recordar de Venus: en la Edad Media y el Renacimiento fue la única diosa no conquistada, presente sin falta en arte, escultura y literatura

«Love is the strongest force in the universe, and it can help you realise your potential if it is present in your life in a positive way.» — la afirmación con que Rankine cierra la presentación de Netzach: el amor es la fuerza más poderosa del universo y realiza el potencial de quien lo tiene de modo positivo

«This name refers to God as the victorious warrior, and expresses the transmission of the Martial force of Geburah through the balancing Solar energy of Tiphereth to the Venusian form of Victory.» — lo que Rankine lee en el Nombre Divino de Netzach: Dios como guerrero victorioso, y la transmisión de la fuerza marcial de Geburah por el Sol de Tiphereth a la forma venusina

«Uriel, also known as Auriel or Oriel, is the Archangel of Venus and of Earth, and of peace and salvation. His name means “Light of God”, and he is often depicted with a flame or lamp in his hands.» — el arcángel que Rankine adjudica a Netzach, con sus tres grafías y la traducción de su nombre

«Uriel is associated with magickal power, and the» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Uriel: poder mágico y aplicación de la fuerza, y por eso el ángel al que llamar para romper ataduras y vencer la inercia

«He is also the patron of astrology and has been linked strongly with electricity.» — las dos tutelas que Rankine añade a Uriel: la astrología y, en lectura moderna, la electricidad

«Uriel is credited with being the angel who gave alchemy and the Qabalah to man. Uriel was the angel who helped inspire Abraham to lead the Jews out of Ur.» — las dos tradiciones que Rankine adjudica a Uriel como recibidas: que dio al hombre la alquimia y la Qabalah y que inspiró a Abraham a sacar a los judíos de Ur

«As one of the most powerful Archangels, Uriel is said to be the bearer of the keys to hell, standing as guardian to that infernal realm.» — la tercera tradición sobre Uriel que Rankine consigna como dicha: portador de las llaves del infierno y guardián de ese reino

«Some texts give Hanael or Anael as the archangel of Netzach, as he is depicted as a Venusian figure through many of the medieval texts. The attribution of Hanael to Netzach seems to start around the fifteenth century CE.» — la atribución alterna que Rankine consigna sin arbitrar: algunos textos ponen a Hanael o Anael en Netzach, cosa que data hacia el siglo XV

«The Angels of Netzach are the Elohim, meaning “Gods”. Elohim is also the magickal formula associated with Yesod, emphasising the strong link between the two most feminine of the planets - Venus and the Moon.» — los ángeles de Netzach y el enlace que Rankine les saca: Elohim es también la fórmula mágica de Yesod, lo que liga los dos planetas que llama más femeninos

«As with the Bene Elohim, this word originally referred to other gods. In Psalm 82:1 we read “God was standing in the congregation of El, amid the gods (ALHIM) he was holding judgement.» — el origen que Rankine adjudica a los Elohim y el Salmo 82:1 con que lo apoya

«So the theme of the supreme god working through manifestations of deity is clearly illustrated here, a theme that runs through the Tree of Life and is one of the reasons for its versatility.» — lo que Rankine lee en ese salmo y por qué le importa: el dios supremo obrando por manifestaciones de deidad es uno de los motivos de la versatilidad del Árbol

«Nogah translates as “Venus” or “glow”, referring to the twilight. As the twilight is the time when the light of day shines forth into the night, so these concepts are considered to be masculine (day) and feminine (night), and twilight is a reference to the act of sexual union, when two partners unite.» — la lectura sexual que Rankine da al cielo de Netzach: el crepúsculo como el momento en que la luz del día se derrama en la noche, referencia al acto de unión

«Nogah adds to 64, the same as Golden waters (Ml ZHB), emphasising the goddess of love rising from the waters. Justice (DIN) also adds to 64, and indicates the quality of justice as an expression of compassion - equality dispensed by the victor.» — las dos equivalencias del 64 que trae Rankine: aguas doradas, por la diosa del amor saliendo de las aguas, y justicia, leída como igualdad dispensada por el vencedor

«The raven is the carrion bird, found on battlefields. The link between love and war is here emphasised, and the inherent tendency towards both in mankind.» — lo que Rankine lee en la Qliphah de Netzach: el cuervo carroñero de los campos de batalla subraya el vínculo entre amor y guerra

«To achieve Victory, and/or to achieve Love, and emotional balance, you need to have confidence. Confidence comes from a balanced emotional being, and represents the firm foundation of experience and self-knowledge.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Confianza: viene de un ser emocional equilibrado y representa el fundamento firme de la experiencia y el autoconocimiento

«Firmness refers to our purpose - being able to maintain ones convictions and discipline without being tempted by laziness or hedonism. We need to be firm with ourselves to reach our goals, and firm in dealing with others to not allow them to manipulate us to their own ends.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Firmeza: mantener las convicciones y la disciplina sin ceder a la pereza ni al hedonismo, y no dejarse manipular

«As Netzach represents the quality of love, so the nature of love is eternal. For divine love is beyond measure, and fills eternity, which is its receptacle.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Eternidad: el amor divino está más allá de toda medida y llena la eternidad, que es su receptáculo

«This is a vision that suffuses the whole being with spiritual love, making you aware of the inherent beauty within all life, and the marvel of existence.» — la Experiencia que Rankine adjudica a Netzach, la Visión de la Belleza Triunfante, que impregna el ser de amor espiritual

«Having this vision tends to be a life-changing experience, as it usually engenders the virtue of unselfishness in the person.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a esa visión: suele cambiar la vida porque engendra la virtud del desinterés

«One of the greatest qualities of love is that it removes selfishness, engendering the desire to help others. This is displayed through the love of family, friends and partner. When you help others, you radiate energy out into the world, seeking to help the species and the world grow.» — la Virtud de Netzach y lo que Rankine le adjudica: el desinterés, que se muestra en el amor a la familia, los amigos y la pareja

«The pursuit of pleasure to the exclusion of all else is a downward path to the animal self. Hedonism denies the spiritual aspirations and is dangerous as it can conceal itself within the pleasures of activities you enjoy, engendering obsession. The firmness of the alternative title of Netzach must be applied to yourself to ensure you do not abandon your goals and dreams.» — el primer Vicio de Netzach según Rankine, el hedonismo, del que dice que puede esconderse dentro de los placeres que uno disfruta y engendrar obsesión

«Lust is a vice that stems from either laziness or a tendency to objectivise. When you lust after a possession you desire something without putting in the work for it. And when you lust after a person, you are seeing them as a trophy, a status symbol that will improve your self-image through possession.» — el segundo Vicio de Netzach y el análisis que Rankine le da: se codicia una posesión sin poner el trabajo, o a una persona como trofeo que mejora la propia imagen

«Amber suggests the richness of the resin, long prized as a jewel, and worn as a necklace of love, e.g. the Brisingamen of the Norse goddess Freya.» — la razón que Rankine da al ámbar de Netzach en la escala del Rey, con el collar de Freya como ejemplo

«Emerald is the gemstone of Netzach, and the colour is associated with fertility, especially in ancient Egypt.» — la razón del verde esmeralda de Netzach en la escala de la Reina: el color de la fertilidad, señaladamente en el Egipto antiguo

«Olive is also water of earth (see Malkuth), recalling the Love Goddess (implied by the golden flecks) rising out of the sea and coming on to the land, as in the myths of Aphrodite and Venus.» — la lectura que Rankine da al oliva de Netzach en la escala de la Emperatriz: agua de tierra, con la diosa del amor saliendo del mar y pisando la tierra

«Agape is spiritual love. It is unconditional and selfless, and is a demonstration of spiritual strength, that the animal nature has been overcome, and compassion and the desire to evolve can be radiated outwards to help improve the world around you.» — la fórmula mágica de Netzach y su definición: el ágape como amor espiritual incondicional y desinteresado, demostración de que la naturaleza animal está vencida

«Agape is a Greek word, and is a key term in the modern magickal doctrine of Thelema. Part of the essence of this doctrine is that in Greek Gematria Agape adds to 93, the same as Will (Thelema). So love and will are expressions of the same energy - the force and the intent.» — el puente que Rankine tiende a la Thelema desde esa fórmula: en gematría griega ágape y voluntad suman 93, de modo que amor y voluntad expresan la misma energía

«Significantly the name of Nike, Greek goddess of Victory, also adds to 93, demonstrating the relevance of this formula to this Sephira.» — la tercera equivalencia del 93 con que Rankine ata la fórmula a la sefirá: el nombre de Nike, diosa griega de la Victoria

«The naked woman could also be seen as the prize won by the warrior, who has achieved Victory (Netzach) and survived, and can enjoy the favour of love.» — la segunda lectura de esa misma imagen, que Rankine consigna junto a la anterior sin elegir: el premio ganado por el guerrero que alcanzó la Victoria y sobrevivió

«The Mystical number of Netzach is 28, i.e. 1(1-7). 28 is the number of days in the lunar month, and also the average time for a woman’s menstrual cycle, so the link to the feminine and the Moon are clear. 28 is also the number for union (IChVH) implying sexual union.» — el número místico de Netzach y sus equivalencias: 28 son los días del mes lunar y del ciclo menstrual medio, y vale también unión

«Netzach itself adds to 148 (NTzCh), the same as Bene Elohim (see Hod) and AHIH IH IHVH ALHIM, the great name of God that combines the divine names of the supernal triad. This can be interpreted as signifying that the manifestation of the divine power is best expressed through love, the force of Netzach, which will ultimately have the Victory.» — el cómputo de Netzach y lo que Rankine le lee: 148 vale también Bene Elohim y el gran nombre que combina los tres Nombres supremos, de donde el poder divino se expresaría mejor por el amor

«The dove is classically known as the bird of love, yet it will also fight fiercely if cornered.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye la paloma a Netzach, con el matiz de que también pelea con fiereza si se la acorrala

«The peacock is associated with love as the bird that courts through its fantastic and elaborate plumage. The fact that it is the male peacock who is the dandy emphasises the position of Netzach at the base of the masculine Pillar of Mercy.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el pavo real a Netzach: corteja por su plumaje, y que el dandi sea el macho subraya el lugar de la sefirá en el Pilar de la Misericordia

«Copper is the planetary metal of Venus, soft by itself but when combined into alloys producing much harder metals, as the love of two people produces a more complete whole.» — la lección que Rankine saca del cobre: blando por sí solo y más duro en aleación, como el amor de dos personas produce un todo más completo

«Also the inclusions in an emerald are called the “jardin” (garden), recalling Venus as being goddess of gardens as well as love.» — el primer motivo con que Rankine atribuye la esmeralda a Netzach: sus inclusiones se llaman el jardín, y Venus es diosa de los jardines además del amor

«Also the Holy Grail was said to be made of an emerald that fell from Lucifer’s brow when he fell, and as the morning star he embodies Venus.» — el segundo motivo, que Rankine consigna como dicho: el Grial sería de una esmeralda caída de la frente de Lucifer, que como lucero del alba encarna a Venus

«Love is more commonly represented by a goddess than a god, and the attribution of a beautiful naked woman to represent the Venusian qualities of» — la primera lectura que Rankine da a la imagen mágica de Netzach, la mujer desnuda: el amor se representa más por una diosa que por un dios. El tramo se corta donde el impreso cierra la plana con el folio

«love is an obvious one, again recalling Aphrodite raising from the waves.» — la continuación de esa lectura en la plana siguiente, con Afrodita saliendo de las olas

«The girdle of Venus contains the power of love, and may bind anything, being the strongest force in the universe.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al ceñidor de Venus como herramienta de Netzach: contiene el poder del amor y puede atar cualquier cosa

«The lamp is representative of the light of love, which must be enkindled in the heart of the seeker to truly strive for the divine. Also the lamp is borne by Uriel as one of his tools.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a la lámpara del amor: hay que encenderla en el corazón del buscador para aspirar de veras a lo divino

«The seven-rayed star represents the energies of Venus as the whole spectrum of love, as seven is the number of the rainbow.» — lo que Rankine lee en el septagrama: el espectro entero del amor, porque siete es el número del arcoíris

«As distinct from the octogram, the 8-rayed star is a motif used to represent early Love goddesses like Inanna and Ishtar.» — la distinción que Rankine hace entre el octograma de Hod y la estrella de ocho rayos de Netzach, que adjudica a las diosas del amor antiguas

«The Morrigan as a Goddess of Sex and battle, also the raven is one of her aspects (the Badb).» — una entrada del catálogo celta de Netzach, que Rankine ata a la Qliphah de la sefirá por el cuervo

«Lucifer as the Morning Star.» — la entrada de Lucifer en el catálogo romano de Netzach, colocado ahí por el lucero del alba y no por su papel cristiano

«Meditate on the Magickal Image of a beautiful naked woman. Try varying the age of the woman in your meditations, so that she is in her twenties, thirties, forties, fifties and see what difference this makes to your meditation.» — la meditación de la imagen mágica prescrita para Netzach, variando la edad de la mujer entre los veinte y los cincuenta años

«The Netzach temple is circular and 15m in diameter. The walls are of white marble and extend up to a height of 3m. From here they become a domed hemi-spherical ceiling, which is a deep azure blue flecked with gold (lapis lazuli). The floor of the temple is made of rose quartz, with a 7-rayed star in green spanning the whole floor. Within the centre of the seven-pointed star is a red 7-petalled rose. In the centre of the temple there is an emerald doublecube altar, 1 m in height and 0.5m square on the top. On the top of the altar is a small copper bowl, in which burns an undying blue flame, the flame of spirit.» — la descripción del templo de Netzach para el pathworking: suelo de cuarzo rosa con estrella de siete rayos verde, rosa roja de siete pétalos en el centro y altar de doble cubo de esmeralda. El impreso escribe *double-cube* partido a fin de renglón por un guion blando que la extracción borra, y por eso el verbatim sale con la palabra pegada.

«A bell rings and you see Uriel standing before you. He is about 3m tall, with a beautiful face. He wears an emerald green robe and carries a lit, polished copper oil lamp in his left hand. Uriel places the lamp on the top of the altar and bids you gaze into the flame.» — la aparición de Uriel dentro de ese pathworking, con la lámpara de cobre puesta sobre el altar

«You contemplate the flame, and see white, yellow and red dancing in the flame. As you see these colours you become more aware of the emotional tides within your own being. Then you become aware of the surrounding blackness around the flame. At this point you feel how your emotions are sometimes negative, and how jealousy, spite and other negative emotions hold you back.» — lo que el pathworking manda ver en esa llama: los tres colores que despiertan la consciencia de las mareas emocionales, y la negrura que trae los celos y el despecho

«As you keep gazing at the blackness around the flame, you perceive a sky blue colour in the blackness around the flame, and your spirit resonates to this, reminding you that you can be so much more than you are now, and that when you are in total harmony your emotions they do not drain your energy and slow your progress down.» — el remate de esa contemplación: el azul celeste que aparece en la negrura y la promesa de que las emociones armonizadas dejan de drenar la energía

«The Sixth Path is called the Mediating Intelligence, because in it are multiplied the influxes of Emanations; for it causes that influence to flow into all the reservoirs of the blessings with which they themselves are united.» — la descripción de Tiphereth que Rankine toma de los Treinta y dos Senderos de la Sabiduría, que la nota al pie adjudica a Joannes Rittangelius

«Tiphereth (pronounced Tif-er-ef) is the Sephira of the Sun. As the sun is the centre of our universe, and the heart is the centre of the body, so Tiphereth occupies the centre of the Tree of Life.» — la definición de Tiphereth con que abre el capítulo, con la doble analogía del sol en el universo y el corazón en el cuerpo

«Long before astronomy accepted a heliocentric view of the universe, the Tree of Life was predicting this with its central attribution of the sun to Tiphereth.» — la afirmación con que Rankine adelanta el heliocentrismo al Árbol: la atribución central del sol a Tiphereth lo habría predicho mucho antes de que la astronomía lo aceptara

«Tiphereth represents the true will of the individual, the living fire of divine spirit that burns in the heart and is flamed by the intent of truth and spiritual devotion.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Tiphereth: la voluntad verdadera del individuo, fuego vivo del espíritu divino que arde en el corazón

«This is why it is called the “Mediating Intelligence”, for it is the point of balance in man, receiving the flow of the universe and directing it in a harmonious manner with his personal genius attached to it.» — la razón que Rankine da al nombre de Inteligencia Mediadora: es el punto de equilibrio en el hombre, que recibe el flujo del universo y lo dirige con armonía

«Tiphereth is also the lower reflection of the unknowable divine of Kether, as the manifest divinity. It represents the divine child, the manifestation of deity.» — la segunda función que Rankine adjudica a Tiphereth: reflejo bajo de lo divino incognoscible de Kether, el hijo divino, la divinidad manifiesta

«As such it is the point of illumination, the revealing of the mysteries to bring forth Wisdom (Chokmah) and Understanding (Binah). Hence the attribution of gods of light and the sun, as those who illuminate the day.» — la consecuencia que Rankine saca de esa función: Tiphereth es el punto de iluminación, de donde la atribución de los dioses de la luz y del sol

«Another key to the role of Tiphereth is that it is the point of balance between force and form. The higher energies of the Tree find their expression through the centre, and those energies can then manifest into form lower down on the Tree.» — la tercera función que Rankine adjudica a Tiphereth: punto de equilibrio entre fuerza y forma, por el que las energías altas hallan expresión

«The role of the illuminating energy of Tiphereth is to engender growth and evolution. In nature we see this through the sunlight being used for photosynthesis in plants, and the effects of sunlight on humans. Lack of sunlight can result in insufficient production of vitamin D under the skin, and for many people a malaise of the spirit (SAD or Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder). The solar light makes life more pleasurable and bearable.» — el argumento fisiológico con que Rankine sostiene esa función solar: la fotosíntesis, la vitamina D y el trastorno afectivo estacional

«You will see that Tiphereth is unique amongst the Sephiroth in having several magickal images and experiences associated with it. This is because this is the level of spiritual maturity.» — la singularidad que Rankine adjudica a Tiphereth: es la única sefirá con varias imágenes mágicas y varias experiencias, por ser el nivel de la madurez espiritual

«This name is usually translated as “God made Manifest in the Sphere of the mind”. This name may seem curious when the attribution of the heart to Tiphereth is considered.» — el Nombre Divino de Tiphereth y la objeción que Rankine se plantea a sí mismo: parece raro que hable de la mente si a la sefirá le corresponde el corazón.

«It must be recalled though that in the ancient world the heart was seen as the place of the soul and centre of understanding, hence e.g. the weighing of the heart in the Egyptian underworld.» — la respuesta que Rankine da a esa objeción: en el mundo antiguo el corazón era el lugar del alma y centro del entendimiento

«Tiphereth is also associated with the will, and the will is a mental quality.» — el tercer argumento con que Rankine cierra esa objeción: a Tiphereth le corresponde también la voluntad, que es cualidad mental.

«Further, the true will is the path of evolution and correctness for an individual, when they are doing what is right for them and going with the flow of the universe. In this sense the individual can be said to be performing the divine will, as they are on the path of right action, and are ascending the path of spiritual growth. Hence by performing their true will, they are manifesting God in the sphere of the mind.» — el segundo argumento con que Rankine resuelve esa objeción: quien hace su voluntad verdadera hace la voluntad divina, y así manifiesta a Dios en la esfera de la mente

«Michael was the first angel created, and is often seen as the leader of the angels or “first among equals”. His name means “He who is like God”. He is usually shown wielding a sword or lance, and sometimes the scales of justice.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Miguel: primer ángel creado, primero entre iguales, con espada o lanza y a veces la balanza de la justicia

«Michael is the archangel of Fire and the Sun, and helps those who call him to achieve goals and destinies. Amongst the achievements especially sacred to Michael are marriage and music.» — las tutelas que Rankine adjudica a Miguel: fuego y sol, y entre los logros que le son sagrados el matrimonio y la música

«If you are seeking to achieve a legitimate goal, or in need of protection, Michael is the angel you should call to, as he is the defender of the just and is also known as the Merciful Angel.» — la prescripción que el manual da sobre Miguel: llamarlo ante una meta legítima o ante la necesidad de protección, porque defiende a los justos

«Michael was the archangel who appeared to Moses as the fire in the burning bush. He also rescued Daniel from the lion’s den and informed Mary of her approaching death.» — el recorrido bíblico que Rankine traza para Miguel: la zarza ardiente, el foso de los leones de Daniel y el anuncio de su muerte a María

«Michael appears in Revelations as the leader of the celestial host that defeats the antichrist. He is the prayer-leader in the Heavens in Islam.» — las dos apariciones con que Rankine cierra ese recorrido: el jefe de la hueste celestial del Apocalipsis y el que dirige la oración en los cielos según el islam

«There has been much debate about the attribution of Michael (and Raphael) to Tiphereth or Hod. Since the twelfth century different Grimoires, and even copies of the same Grimoires have attributed both these Archangels to both these Sephiroth.» — el desacuerdo que Rankine consigna sobre Miguel y Rafael: desde el siglo XII distintos grimorios, y aun copias del mismo grimorio, los reparten al revés entre Tiphereth y Hod

«The biblical symbolism of fire, lion, leader of the celestial host are all clear indications that Michael should be attributed to Tiphereth rather than Hod.» — la posición que Rankine toma en ese desacuerdo y el argumento que aduce: el simbolismo bíblico de fuego, león y jefe de la hueste pone a Miguel en Tiphereth

«In appearance the Malachim stand about 2m tall, and are very beautiful. They have white wings, and wear golden tunics and have golden crowns on their heads. All around them there is an intense aura of nobility and grace.» — la descripción que el manual da de los Malachim para visualizarlos, con túnicas y coronas de oro

«Shamash means “The Sun”. This term in Hebrew is probably derived from the name of the ancient Sumerian sun god.» — el cielo de Tiphereth y la etimología que Rankine le adjudica, marcada por él como probable: el nombre hebreo vendría del dios sol sumerio

«It should be mentioned that solar gods are usually associated with healing, i.e. the balancing of the energies of the body, as Tiphereth balances the energies of the Tree.» — la lectura que Rankine da a la curación de los dioses solares: el equilibrio de las energías del cuerpo, como Tiphereth equilibra las del Árbol

«Thagirion means “The Disputers”. In this context the Thagirion can be seen as the forces that seek to unbalance the impetus of the seeker from his true will.» — la Qliphah de Tiphereth y su lectura: los Disputadores son las fuerzas que buscan desequilibrar el impulso del buscador respecto de su voluntad verdadera

«For the true will is not a steady path, but requires constant vigilance. There is no task more difficult than consistently practicing the true will, for it means always acting with grace and considering the flows around you, and avoiding personal gain and egotism.» — la reserva que Rankine pone a la voluntad verdadera: no es camino estable, pide vigilancia constante, y es la tarea más difícil que hay

«This title links the Tree of Life to the first Adam, the hermaphroditic being who contained both male and female before being split into the duality of gender. In the same way Tiphereth balances the energies of the female and male pillars in its unifying harmony.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Adán dado a Tiphereth: el primer Adán hermafrodita, y el equilibrio de los pilares femenino y masculino

«In this context clemency is the mildness and gentleness of compassion and reconciliation. It is the positive benevolence of the balanced person.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Clemencia: mansedumbre de la compasión y la reconciliación, benevolencia positiva de la persona equilibrada

«Tiphereth requires several rites of passage, it is a prize that needs much toil, but is well worth the labour.» — lo que Rankine dice que cuesta alcanzar la belleza y perfección de Tiphereth: varios ritos de paso y mucha fatiga. El verbatim arranca ya en la plana siguiente porque el impreso corta la frase con la nota al pie y el folio

«Malachim means “Kings”. The Sun is the ruler of our solar system» — los ángeles de Tiphereth y la razón de su nombre, los Reyes, porque el Sol rige el sistema solar. El tramo se corta donde el troceo reemite el marcador de plana a media frase

«not surprising that the quality of rulership should be associated with the angels of Tiphereth, who are governed by the first of the Archangels, Michael. The Malachim equate in medieval Grimoires to the Order of Virtues.» — la continuación de esa frase al otro lado del corte de trozo, con los Malachim gobernados por Miguel y equiparados a la Orden de las Virtudes de los grimorios medievales

«This name, meaning Compassion, is used in early Qabalistic texts as an alternative title for Tiphereth. It indicates the need for compassion in a spiritually developed person, recognising their interconnectedness with all other life. It also recalls the line from The Book of the Law: “Compassion is the vice of Kings.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Rachamin dado a Tiphereth, y la línea del Libro de la Ley que trae a continuación sin comentarla

«This title indicates the union of Tiphereth with Malkuth to produce the divine union of Sun and Earth.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Esposo de Malkah: la unión divina del Sol y la Tierra

«This title is a complement and reflection of Kether as The Greater Countenance. It implies the manifest power of the sun, which has been the subject of so much worship by different cultures through history as the source of life. It also refers to Jesus as the Son of God, physically manifesting his countenance in human form.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Rostro Menor: complemento y reflejo de Kether como Rostro Mayor, con el poder manifiesto del sol y con Jesús como Hijo de Dios

«It may also be translated as “The Impatient One”, indicating the desire of the Bridegroom (Tiphereth) to be united with his bride (Malkuth).» — la segunda traducción que Rankine da a ese mismo título: el Impaciente, por el deseo del Novio de unirse a su novia

«This title also refers to Adam, but here it is as Adam Kadmon, man perfected, and emphasises the microcosmic attribution of the Tree of Life to the human body.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Hombre dado a Tiphereth: Adam Kadmon, el hombre perfeccionado, y la atribución microcósmica del Árbol al cuerpo

«The imagination, intellect and emotions have all been brought into harmony, enabling the seeker to realise their true will, and perceive their place in the universe and the greater flow of life.» — la primera Experiencia que Rankine adjudica a Tiphereth, la Visión de la Armonía de las Cosas: imaginación, intelecto y emociones armonizados

«This expression is frequently quoted without explanation, but what is it?» — la objeción con que Rankine abre la segunda Experiencia de Tiphereth: dice que la fórmula del Conocimiento y Conversación se cita a menudo sin explicarla

«Knowledge and Conversation of the HGA is another way of saying that a person has reached a point of balance, where they have harmonised their emotions (Netzach), intellect (Hod) and Imagination (Yesod), so that they are in control of the material existence (Malkuth).» — la traducción sefirótica que Rankine da a esa fórmula: es otra manera de decir que se alcanzó un punto de equilibrio entre emociones, intelecto e imaginación

«So essentially if the HGA is considered the interface between the conscious mind and the divine part of the self, achieving knowledge and conversation of it is the process of being able to draw from the divine genius inherent in the soul.» — la definición operativa que Rankine propone para el Ángel Guardián Santo: interfaz entre la mente consciente y la parte divina del yo

«This is an appreciation of the symbolism of selfless sacrifice as a path to liberation. In the case of Jesus this has been perceived as an act of redemption, but it equally applies to figures like Buddha, and might equally be called “The Vision of the Mystery of the Boddhisattva”, as any individual reaching this stage of spiritual evolution who chooses to stay there and help others to also reach their level is acting out of compassion and selfless love of life.» — la tercera Experiencia de Tiphereth y la ampliación que Rankine le hace: la Visión del Misterio de la Crucifixión valdría igual para el Buda y podría llamarse Visión del Misterio del Bodhisattva

«The balance engendered through reaching Tiphereth produces an ineffable desire to achieve perfection of the self and help others to achieve the same - this is the Great Work.» — la primera Virtud de Tiphereth y la definición que Rankine da de la Gran Obra: perfeccionarse y ayudar a otros a hacer lo mismo

«Compassion is the desire to help others without thought of reward or selfaggrandisement. Compassion travels hand in hand with devotion to the Great Work, and the two virtues are inseparable. When you lose one, you lose both.» — la segunda Virtud de Tiphereth y el lazo que Rankine le pone con la primera: compasión y devoción a la Gran Obra van juntas y se pierden juntas. El impreso escribe *self-aggrandisement* partido a fin de renglón por un guion blando que la extracción borra, y por eso el verbatim sale con la palabra pegada.

«Pride is one of the most difficult vices to deal with. Whilst there is nothing wrong with being pleased with your achievements, it is a very small step into pride, which can lead to feelings of arrogance and superiority. As soon as these creep in, all the work you have done to balance yourself starts to slip away.» — el Vicio de Tiphereth y el aviso que Rankine le adjunta: del gusto por los propios logros al orgullo hay un paso muy pequeño

«It is an essential aspect of spiritual development never to assume you are better than others, but rather to accept that everyone has different paths that they travel at different paces. To think otherwise will inevitably lead you to slip backwards on your path, causing you to waste energy that could be better spent on continuing to move forwards.» — la regla que Rankine opone a ese vicio: no suponerse mejor que nadie, sino aceptar que cada quien recorre caminos distintos a ritmos distintos

«This represents the colour of the sky at dawn as the sun rises, affirming the birth of the sun and the beginning of the new day.» — la razón que Rankine da al rosa claro de Tiphereth en la escala del Rey: el color del cielo al alba

«The colour of the harvest, implying the earthing and transmutation of the solar rays. Also amber, which was thought in ancient times to be formed from solidified sunlight.» — la razón del ámbar dorado de Tiphereth en la escala de la Emperatriz: el color de la cosecha y la creencia antigua de que el ámbar era luz solar solidificada

«This magickal formula is that of divine manifestation. On the one hand it is the name of Jesus, as God Incarnate. However it is also the unpronounceable name of Tetragrammaton (IHVH); which can be seen as representing the four elements, with the letter Shin, corresponding to Spirit, in the centre.» — la primera fórmula mágica de Tiphereth y su doble lectura: el nombre de Jesús como Dios encarnado y el Tetragrámaton con la Shin del Espíritu al centro

«INRI was the Notariqon written above Jesus on the cross, representing the sentence “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” (Jesus Nazaraeus Rex Judaeorum), so in that instance it represents sacrifice as previously discussed.» — la segunda fórmula de Tiphereth y su lectura primera: el notariqón de la cruz, con la frase latina desplegada, leído como el sacrificio

«However as has been pointed out by Crowley, it could also be used to represent other relevant phrases, such as “All of nature is renewed by fire” (Igni Natura Renovata Integra), describing the positive quality of fire in enabling various forms of plant to germinate and continue. In this instance it then represents the highest aspect of Fire, as does Tiphereth itself.» — la segunda lectura del INRI, que Rankine adjudica a Crowley: toda la naturaleza se renueva por el fuego, que ve en la germinación de ciertas plantas

«Another interpretation of INRI is the message of Christ, “Intra Nobis Regnum del”, or “the kingdom of God is within us» — la tercera lectura del INRI que Rankine consigna junto a las otras dos sin arbitrar entre ellas

«The majestic king is the strong ruler, which is a clear embodiment of the principles of Tiphereth as the solar regent. It also recalls the images of the king from alchemy as the seeker undergoing spiritual transformation.» — la primera imagen mágica de Tiphereth y su lectura doble: el regente solar y el rey de la alquimia como buscador en transformación

«The child represents the aspect of Tiphereth as the child of Chokmah and Binah, and can be seen as representing the child of promise, the solar rebirth at the winter solstice. This formula expresses the cyclic nature of the relationship between the sun (Tiphereth) and the earth (Malkuth), for the child may grow up to become the adult ruler, married to the Bride (Malkuth).» — la segunda imagen mágica de Tiphereth: el niño como hijo de Chokmah y Binah y como renacimiento solar del solsticio de invierno

«This represents the formula of self-sacrifice as expressed through the myth of Christ, and the Buddha, where the good of the whole is put before the good of the individual. This formula is also seen in modern paganism in the harvest myth of the slain corn king at Lughnasadh, whose body feeds his people.» — la tercera imagen mágica de Tiphereth: el dios sacrificado, que Rankine lleva del Cristo y el Buda al rey del grano del paganismo moderno

«The heart is traditionally attributed to the sun, as the centre of the body, responsible for the well-being of the whole body by circulating the blood, as the sun is responsible for the planets orbiting it.» — la correspondencia corporal de Tiphereth y la analogía que la sostiene: el corazón circula la sangre como el sol rige los planetas

«As the sixth Sephira on the Tree, the number of Tiphereth is 6. Six is unique in that it is the only number that can be formed by multiplying its factors and also by adding them» — lo que Rankine adjudica al seis de Tiphereth: el único número que se forma tanto multiplicando como sumando sus factores

«The mystic number of Tiphereth is 21, i.e. 1(1-6). 21 is also the number of AHIH, the divine name of Kether, 7 am”. This once again indicates the position of Tiphereth as the reflection of Kether, manifesting the unknowable divine into the knowable divine.» — el número místico de Tiphereth y lo que Rankine le lee: 21 vale también el Nombre Divino de Kether, lo que vuelve a colocar a Tiphereth como su reflejo

«Tiphereth itself adds to 1081, which is 1(1-46). This number is of such a size that no other obvious significant words add to the same total, although this in itself could be considered significant.» — el cómputo de Tiphereth y la negativa que Rankine consigna como hallazgo: no hay otras palabras significativas con ese total, cosa que él mismo señala como posiblemente significativa

«Tiphereth sits in the centre of the web of the Tree like a spider, also it is connected by eight paths to eight of the Sephiroth, corresponding to the eight legs of the spider.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye la araña a Tiphereth: ocupa el centro de la telaraña del Árbol y la unen ocho senderos a ocho sefirot

«As the bird that regenerates itself through fire, the phoenix is obviously solar by nature.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el fénix a Tiphereth: el ave que se regenera por el fuego

«By its love of the sun, opening at dawn and closing at dusk, leading to its original name of “Day’s Eye”. Also the yellow centre with white petals tinged pink is very solar.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye la margarita a Tiphereth, con la etimología del ojo del día

«Oak is traditionally solar and is considered the ruler of the trees. Consider also the mystery of the mistletoe being collected by the Druids from the oak tree with gold sickles.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el roble a Tiphereth, con el muérdago cortado por los druidas con hoces de oro

«Reconciler of the Tree of Life”, as it reconciles the energies of the higher Tree with those of the lower Tree.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Reconciliador: Tiphereth reconcilia las energías del Árbol alto con las del bajo

«Frankincense is associated with spirituality, purity and the will. It was also used as a symbol of Ra in ancient Egypt, linking it to solar worship.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el incienso a Tiphereth: espiritualidad, pureza y voluntad, más su uso como símbolo de Ra en el Egipto antiguo

«This is attributed to Tiphereth as a symbol of the mystery of the sacrificed god, and also due to its being made of six parts (four vertical, with two more horizontal) when being seen as comprised of squares. In fact in this form it can be seen as an opened up cube.» — lo que Rankine lee en la cruz del Calvario: el misterio del dios sacrificado y una figura de seis partes que resulta ser un cubo desplegado

«The cube is 6-sided, and implies the balance of Tiphereth through its equality of edges and faces. Also it has eight corners, corresponding to the eight paths coming off Tiphereth.» — lo que Rankine lee en el cubo: seis caras por el número de la sefirá y ocho vértices por los ocho senderos que salen de ella

«The hexagram is the 6-pointed star, which naturally associates it with Tiphereth. It embodies the balance of the upward and downward flowing energies in a central harmony. It is also the symbol of the universe, reflecting the central position of the sun in the universe and the Tree of Life.» — lo que Rankine lee en el hexagrama: equilibrio de las energías ascendente y descendente y símbolo del universo con el sol al centro

«The lamen is worn on the chest over the heart, giving it Tipherethic attributions. Also it is worn as an act of will to attract positive and harmonious forces, and so represents an expression of the will.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al lamen: se lleva sobre el corazón y se porta como acto de voluntad para atraer fuerzas positivas

«The sword represents the will of the magickian. Some attribute it to Geburah due to its being made of iron and used for war, but this misses the point of the use of the sword in magick, to direct and where necessary control.» — la objeción que Rankine dirige a quienes atribuyen la espada a Geburah: dice que eso yerra el punto de su uso en magia, que es dirigir y, si hace falta, controlar

«Mabon as the Child of Promise who brings Health or Sickness to the Land.» — una entrada del catálogo celta de Tiphereth, tomada como muestra del formato con que Rankine adjudica cada deidad

«Sekhmet as the fierce midday sun and manifestation of Re’s wrath.» — una entrada del catálogo egipcio de Tiphereth, donde Rankine da el criterio de atribución en la misma línea

«Meditate on the Magickal Images of Tiphereth. For the majestic King you can try meditating on him standing and seated on a throne, to see if you receive any differences. For the child try visualising the child as a boy and as a girl, the age should be in the 4-7 range. For the sacrificed God you can visualise Christ on the cross, and Buddha being eaten by a tiger.» — la meditación de las imágenes mágicas que el manual prescribe para Tiphereth, con las tres imágenes y sus variantes, incluida la edad del niño

«Make yourself comfortable, and sit cross-legged on the floor (or sit on a chair if this is a problem, but keep your back straight). Concentrate on your nostrils, on the breath entering and leaving. Do not try and control your breathing initially, it is good to practice this meditation for a week or so before moving onto breath control.» — la primera instrucción de la meditación de la respiración que el manual prescribe: atender a la entrada y salida del aire sin controlarla durante una semana

«Whenever your find your attention has wandered as a result of boredom or fatigue, or thoughts intrude, gently but firmly return your attention to your nostrils. Do not be disturbed by this in any way as it is inevitable, simply return your attention to the nostrils and continue.» — la regla que el manual da para la atención dispersa en esa meditación: devolverla con firmeza y sin alterarse, porque la distracción es inevitable

«The frequency with which the attention wanders merely highlights how little we focus our minds, and regular practice of meditation helps us become more aware of ourselves, and able to concentrate without being distracted. Do not be distressed by the frequency with which thoughts may intrude at first, keep returning the concentration to the nostrils, eventually you will find your internal voice shuts off and all is still.» — lo que Rankine lee en esa dispersión y lo que promete de la práctica regular: hace más consciente de uno mismo y acaba por apagar la voz interna

«This state is known as mochin de-gadluth (“mentality of adulthood”) indicating that the seeker has reached an advanced level of mental control, as compared to the usual state where the internal dialogue chatters on, known as mochin de-katnuth» — los dos términos con que Rankine nombra los estados de control mental: mentalidad de adulto y mentalidad de infancia

«After a week or so, move to inhaling to a count of four, holding the breath to a count of four, and then exhaling to a count of four. This technique will accustom you to regulating your breath. With practice it becomes automatic so you do not have to concentrate on your breath when meditating, and you can control your breath automatically whilst meditating using another focus.» — la segunda fase de esa práctica: inhalar, retener y exhalar a cuatro tiempos hasta que la regulación se vuelva automática

«For relaxation inhale to a count of four and exhale to a count of eight. This can be increased with practice, but the exhalation should always be longer than the inhalation, preferably double the length.» — la variante de relajación que prescribe el manual, con la exhalación siempre más larga que la inhalación

«With experience (say after a few months), retention of the breath for longer periods is a powerful technique. Inhale to a count of four, hold for a count of sixteen, and exhale to a count of eight. With practice this can be increased, but it should be in equal increments, such as to six (inhale), twenty-four (hold), twelve (exhale). This is known as north-south breathing.» — la tercera fase, que Rankine reserva para después de unos meses: cuatro, dieciséis y ocho tiempos, con incrementos proporcionales, y el nombre que le da

«You hear the sound of a bell and a harmony, like a chorus of angels. As you look around the temple you see the archangel Michael. He holds an unsheathed sword in his right hand, and a sword in a scabbard in his left hand. As with the other Archangels, Michael stands about 3m tall, and he wears a golden yellow tunic. His face is beautiful but seems to radiate light and power, making it almost impossible to look directly at his face.» — la aparición de Miguel dentro de ese pathworking, con una espada desenvainada en la derecha y otra envainada en la izquierda

«Michael offers you the hilt of the scabbarded sword, and you pull the sword out of its scabbard. As you hold it the sword seems to sing, and you feel a connection with the blade. You realise this sword represents your will, your determination, clarity and discrimination.» — lo que el pathworking entrega al practicante y qué declara que significa: la espada que canta y que representa su voluntad, determinación, claridad y discriminación

«Michael reminds you that the sword of will is double-edged, and that you should exercise a clear mind and true purpose when you wield this sword.» — la advertencia que el propio pathworking pone en boca del arcángel: la espada de la voluntad es de doble filo y pide mente clara y propósito verdadero

«The Fifth Path is called the Radical Intelligence because it resembles Unity, uniting itself to Binah, Understanding, which emanates from the primordial depths of Chokmah, Wisdom.» — la descripción de Geburah que Rankine toma de los Treinta y dos Senderos de la Sabiduría, que la nota al pie adjudica a Joannes Rittangelius

«Geburah (pronounced Ge-voor-ah) is the Sephira of Mars. It is associated with power and energy. The power of Geburah must be directed by the true will, to be power with, or it can turn into the domineering power of control over others.» — la definición de Geburah con que abre el capítulo y la condición que Rankine le pone: el poder debe dirigirlo la voluntad verdadera o se vuelve poder de dominio sobre otros

«The only power over we need to be interested in is power over ourselves, the ability to control our actions and keep them in harmony with our true wills as manifestations of the divine will.» — la única forma de poder sobre que Rankine admite: el poder sobre uno mismo, para mantener las acciones en armonía con la voluntad verdadera

«War and violence are associated with Mars, and these are examples of power being used to control - the “might is right” syndrome. Yet ultimately violence is futile, for deeds built on unnecessary violence will always come undone as they lack a natural balance.» — lo que Rankine dice de la guerra y la violencia: ejemplos del poder usado para controlar, y en último término fútiles porque lo construido sobre violencia innecesaria se deshace

«As Sun Tzu said, “If you have to resort to violence you have already lo st» — la frase que Rankine adjudica a Sun Tzu para esa idea; la nota al pie la localiza en El arte de la guerra, y el troceo parte la última palabra

«Within nature of course violence is a function of life and the food chain, hence the expression “nature is red in tooth and claw”. But the violence in nature is based around killing for food, or to establish hierarchies to breed the healthiest young. It is instinctual violence as part of animal behaviour.» — el matiz que Rankine añade sobre la violencia en la naturaleza: mata por alimento o por jerarquía de cría, y es instintiva

«Humans have established patterns of behaviour (ethics and laws) to reduce the need for violence. In a social structure violence is usually anti-social.» — la distinción que Rankine hace entre esa violencia y la humana: éticas y leyes existen para reducir su necesidad, y en una estructura social suele ser antisocial

«The art of the warrior, which can be seen as part of the lessons of Geburah, is about control. Many people do not realise this. A good warrior will be» — lo que Rankine adjudica al arte del guerrero como lección de Geburah: es control, cosa que dice que muchos no advierten. El tramo se corta donde el troceo reemite el marcador de plana

«assertive rather than aggressive. This is known as “showing the sword”. By establishing clear boundaries and showing you will not be dominated, much of the time you can avoid conflict. Sometimes conflict is unavoidable, then a warrior will do the minimum necessary to resolve the situation.» — la continuación de esa lección al otro lado del corte: el buen guerrero es asertivo y no agresivo, marca límites claros y, si el conflicto es inevitable, hace lo mínimo necesario

«So the power of Geburah is the power to do what needs doing, under the direction of the will. As soon as the violence becomes uncontrolled and unnecessary, the individual undoes all the hard work they have put in to rise that far on the Tree of Life. Man’s history is littered with negative martial energy, showing that as a species we have a very long way to go!» — la fórmula con que Rankine resume el poder de Geburah y el juicio con que cierra: la historia humana está llena de energía marcial negativa

«The Tiphereth temple is circular and 15m in diameter. The walls are of tiger’s eye and extend up to a height of 3m, with veins of amber, brown and black shades running through them. From here they become a domed hemispherical ceiling, which is a deep azure blue flecked with gold (lapis lazuli). The floor of the temple is made of sunstone, inlaid with a gold hexagram whose tips reach the walls.» — la descripción del templo de Tiphereth para el pathworking: muros de ojo de tigre con vetas de ámbar, pardo y negro, y suelo de piedra del sol con un hexagrama de oro. El impreso escribe *hemi-spherical* partido a fin de renglón por un guion blando que la extracción borra, y por eso el verbatim sale con la palabra pegada.

«Within the centre of the hexagram is a golden sun design, with six larger rays reaching out to touch the points of the inner hexagon. In the centre of the temple standing on the centre of the sun design there is a topaz double-cube altar, 1m in height and 0.5m square on the top. On the top of the altar is a small gold bowl, in which burns an undying blue flame, the flame of spirit.» — la continuación de esa descripción: el sol de oro con seis rayos mayores, el altar de doble cubo de topacio y el cuenco de oro con la llama azul del espíritu

«This divine name means “The Strong Gods”, and emphasises the martial quality of this Sephira. It sums 297, as does “fortified castle” (ARMVN), indicating the associations with combat and security.» — el Nombre Divino de Geburah y su equivalencia gemátrica: 297 vale también castillo fortificado

«Khamael (or Samael or Camael) is the archangel of Mars, and is one of the seven Archangels who stand in the presence of god, which is emphasized by the meaning of his name, “he who sees God”. Khamael is a warrior who represents divine justice, and is the head of the order of Angels called Seraphim.» — el arcángel de Geburah con sus tres grafías, la traducción de su nombre y el mando de la orden de los Serafines

«In appearance Khamael stands about 3m tall with a beautiful face and fiery red hair. He appears as a warrior, with a scarlet red tunic, green plates of armour, an iron helmet and a sword. He has large green wings.» — la descripción de Khamael que el manual da para visualizarlo, armado y con cabello rojo de fuego

«Khamael is said to grant invisibility and rules over martial qualities like power and invincibility. Khamael is the ideal angel to call upon to help you take personal responsibility and to develop self-confidence. He will help you deal with the consequences of your actions and to find justice, but only if you stick to the truth.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Khamael y la condición que le pone: ayuda a asumir la responsabilidad propia y a hallar justicia, pero solo si uno se atiene a la verdad

«Many writers have put Khamael forward as the angel who wrestled with Jacob. He is also thought to have been the other angel who appeared with Gabriel to comfort Jesus during his agony in the garden of Gethsemane.» — dos identificaciones que Rankine consigna como propuestas por otros, no como propias: Khamael como el ángel que luchó con Jacob y como el que confortó a Jesús en Getsemaní

«Khamael is the angel who guards the gates of heaven, chief of the twelve thousand fiery Angels of destruction who guard the gates. Khamael is also the angel who holds Leviathan in check until Judgement Day, when he will swallow the souls of sinners.» — las dos funciones escatológicas que Rankine adjudica a Khamael: jefe de los doce mil ángeles ígneos de la destrucción y guardián de Leviatán hasta el Juicio

«Seraphim means “Fiery Serpents”, and adds to 630, the same as “The Holy Spirit” (DVChA QRIShA). The first of the Seraphim was Lucifer, who fulfilled the divine will by ensuring the departure of man from Eden.» — los ángeles de Geburah, su equivalencia con el Espíritu Santo y la afirmación con que Rankine hace de Lucifer el primero de ellos, cumplidor de la voluntad divina al asegurar la salida del hombre del Edén

«In appearance the Seraphim are very beautiful angels, around 2m tall with who have three pairs of white wings on their backs, in scarlet tunics, whose auras are filled with flames that surround them at all times. They are described in Isaiah 6:2 in his vision of God.» — la descripción que el manual da de los Serafines para visualizarlos, con tres pares de alas y auras de llamas, anclada en la visión de Isaías 6:2

«The Seraphim equate in the medieval Grimoires as the Order of Powers or Potestates (not to the Seraphim in the grimoires, who are confusingly equated to the Chaioth haQadosh of Kether» — la advertencia con que Rankine separa dos usos del mismo nombre: los Serafines de los grimorios medievales equivalen a los Chaioth haQadosh de Kether y no a estos

«Golachab means “The Burners”. The Golachab present the challenge of using power without burning yourself or others by lack of focus or harmony in the wielding of that power. It is all too easy to get your fingers burned when in a position of power, and the Golachab ensure that this will happen unless you keep to the path of your true will.» — la Qliphah de Geburah y el desafío que Rankine le lee: usar el poder sin quemarse ni quemar a otros por falta de foco o de armonía

«Fear may seem a curious title, until we appreciate the positive aspects of fear. Fear is a motivating force. On an emotional and mental level fear of failure will make you strive harder to succeed, and to be as good as you can at something.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Temor: el miedo como fuerza motivadora, que en lo emocional y lo mental empuja a esforzarse más

«On a physical level it floods the body with adrenaline, ready to act, through “fight or flight’. And of course there is the “fear of Gocf\ the awe and terror that can permeate the being when realising a fraction of the magnitude of the incomprehensible.» — las otras dos caras del miedo que Rankine consigna: la adrenalina de la lucha o huida y el temor de Dios como pavor ante lo incomprensible

«Justice indicates the martial energy being balanced into control without violence, demonstrating a positive side to power.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Justicia: la energía marcial equilibrada en control sin violencia

«Red is the traditional colour attribution for Geburah, as red and gold. As with Chesed being white, it is significant that red is the colour of the female in alchemy.» — la observación con que Rankine ata Geburah a la alquimia: siendo Chesed el blanco, es significativo que el rojo sea el color de lo femenino en esa tradición

«Courage can manifest in being brave when there is danger, and overcoming fear, or standing up for what is right and having the “courage of your co n v ic tio n sBoth instances are noble behaviour, as they demonstrate the best of being human, a desire to do what is right, i.e. uphold the divine will through positive action.» — la primera Virtud de Geburah y las dos formas en que Rankine dice que se manifiesta: el valor ante el peligro y el defender lo que es justo

«By following your true will you act efficiently, which means you have more energy to do things. People tend to be very inefficient in their lives, and waste a huge amount of energy. But the more you practice Qabalah and develop the qualities of the Sephiroth, the more you strive to be efficient and direct all your energy positively and usefully, so that you are as effective as possible.» — la segunda Virtud de Geburah y el argumento que le da Rankine: quien sigue su voluntad verdadera obra con eficiencia y desperdicia menos energía

«When might is unbridled it becomes cruelty. Cruelty is forcing people to do things that are hurtful or damaging to them, and taking pleasure from it. To engage in cruel behaviour indicates a conscious decision to exercise power over others, and shows the path of evolution has been ignored for the path of self-aggrandisement. There can be no excuse for cruel behaviour; it shows a lack of spiritual awareness and compassion.» — el primer Vicio de Geburah y el juicio con que Rankine lo cierra: no hay excusa para la crueldad, que muestra falta de conciencia espiritual y de compasión

«When energy is directed into destruction, it results in the wasting of all the positive energy of construction that went into the destroyed thing. This is destruction for the sake of it, not the constructive destruction of say, a forest fire.» — el segundo Vicio de Geburah, con la distinción que Rankine hace entre la destrucción por sí misma y la constructiva de un incendio forestal

«The martial red, not as bright as scarlet to reflect its more physical nature, is tinged with the black of Binah to show the influence it receives from above.» — la razón que Rankine da al rojo con motas negras de Geburah en la escala de la Emperatriz: el negro de Binah muestra la influencia que recibe de arriba

«AGLA is Notariqon for the phrase “Ateh Gibor Le-olahm Adonai” (You are strong forever O Lord), and its use as the magickal formula of Geburah emphasises the strength associations of Mars.» — la fórmula mágica de Geburah, con la frase hebrea desplegada y su traducción

«It is significant to note that the warrior is crowned, implying he is of royal blood and in a position of authority. This then suggests that he is leading, and wielding power as he might a weapon. This is the formula of the warrior, ready to act where necessary, but only where necessary.» — lo que Rankine lee en la imagen mágica de Geburah: que el guerrero esté coronado lo sitúa al mando, dispuesto a obrar solo donde haga falta

«As 90% of the population are right-handed, this association makes sense as the right hand is the part of the body most associated with action - the doing of things requiring tools or weapons.» — el argumento con que Rankine justifica la correspondencia corporal de Geburah, la mano derecha

«Geburah being the fifth Sephira, 5 is its number. We have 5 digits on each hand and each foot, and man is associated most with this number, for it is also the pentagram representing the limbs and senses of man.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al cinco de Geburah: los dedos de manos y pies y el pentagrama de los miembros y los sentidos del hombre

«The mystical number of Geburah is 15, i.e. 1(1-5). 15 is also the total for Hod, showing the influence of Geburah onto the Sephira below it; and Jah, the Divine Name of Chokmah, indicating that the energy of Geburah needs to be tempered with wisdom.» — el número místico de Geburah y sus dos lecturas: 15 vale Hod, por la influencia hacia abajo, y el Nombre de Chokmah, de donde la necesidad de templar esa energía con sabiduría

«216 is also the total for fear (IRAH) and anger (RVGZ), both of which are concepts associated with this Sephira. 216 is also the number of letters in the names of the 72 angels of the Shemhamphorash.» — las equivalencias del cómputo de Geburah: 216 vale también temor e ira, y es el número de letras de los setenta y dos nombres del Shemhamforash

«The garnet is a fiery red in colour, and was believed to be formed from the solidified eyes of dragons, giving the fiery connection with the breath of the dragon, who also presented the challenge to the warrior - win or die (unless he was clever enough to use his wits and win by riddling» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el granate a Geburah, con los ojos solidificados de dragones y el desafío del dragón al guerrero

«By its name and high iron content, bloodstone is associated with Mars. Its other name is heliotrope, as it was believed to turn sunward, indicating the link between Geburah and Tiphereth.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye la heliotropía a Geburah, con el segundo nombre de la piedra leído como enlace con Tiphereth

«The sting of the nettle on its underside and its non-stinging smooth upper side indicate the Martial nature of the nettle perfectly.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye la ortiga a Geburah: pica por el envés y no por el haz

«The chain is made of iron, and was used to control rebellious spirits in evocatory magick. The use for discipline is Geburic.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye la cadena a Geburah: de hierro, y usada en la magia de evocación para controlar espíritus rebeldes

«Discordia, as Goddess of Discord who preceded Mars’ chariot into battle.» — una entrada del catálogo romano de Geburah, tomada como muestra del formato

«significant as they can be seen as bringers of divine change of great magnitude, embodying the Holy Spirit.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a los Serafines: traen cambio divino de gran magnitud y encarnan el Espíritu Santo. El verbatim arranca ya en la plana siguiente porque el impreso corta la frase con el folio

«This vision shows us what we are capable of, the power that we can wield by doing our will. Yet it also reminds us of the old saying» — la Experiencia que Rankine adjudica a Geburah, la Visión del Poder. El tramo se corta donde el impreso cierra la plana con el folio, justo antes del dicho sobre el poder absoluto

«Unbridled power becomes domination, and leads to abuse of power. This is why the mercy of Chesed is needed to balance power with compassion and temperance.» — la reserva con que Rankine acota esa visión ya en la plana siguiente: el poder sin freno se vuelve dominación, y por eso hace falta la misericordia de Chesed

«Meditate on the symbol for Mars, of a circle with an equal-armed cross coming out at the 1.30 position on the clock.» — la meditación del glifo planetario que el manual prescribe para Geburah, con la posición del símbolo dicha por la esfera del reloj

«The Geburah temple is circular and 15m in diameter. The walls are of garnet and extend up to a height of 3m. From here they become a domed hemispherical ceiling, which is a deep azure blue flecked with gold (lapis lazuli). The floor of the temple is made of marble, inlaid with an iron pentagram whose tips reach the walls. In the centre of the temple there is a ruby doublecube altar, 1 m in height and 0.5m square on the top. On the top of the altar is a small iron bowl, in which burns an undying blue flame, the flame of spirit.» — la descripción del templo de Geburah para el pathworking: muros de granate, suelo de mármol con pentagrama de hierro y altar de doble cubo de rubí. El impreso escribe *hemi-spherical* y *double-cube* partido a fin de renglón por un guion blando que la extracción borra, y por eso el verbatim sale con la palabra pegada.

«Khamael tells you to call your sword to your hand, which you do. As you hold your sword in your hand you feel a flow of orange energy from your sword. It surrounds you and fills your aura, creating a visible egg of orange energy around you. You feel the strength of Mars permeating your being, filling you with power.» — lo que el pathworking de Geburah manda hacer con la espada recibida en el templo anterior: llamarla a la mano y dejar que su energía naranja llene el aura

«A sense of your own ability to achieve your goals fills you, and strengthens the aura around you. As it grows stronger, you realise that you do not have to allow anyone else to drain your energy with their behaviour if you keep your boundaries clear and firm. You know that all your energy can be put into achieving the goals that matter to you.» — la lección que el propio pathworking declara: con los límites claros y firmes nadie drena la energía de uno con su conducta

«The Fourth Path is called the Cohesive or receptive Intelligence because it contains all the Holy Powers, and from it emanate all the spiritual virtues with the most exalted essences. They emanate one from another by virtue of the Primordial Emanation, the Highest Crown, Kether.» — la descripción de Chesed que Rankine toma de los Treinta y dos Senderos de la Sabiduría, que la nota al pie adjudica a Joannes Rittangelius

«Chesed (pronounced Hes-ed) is the Sephira of Jupiter. Jupiter is traditionally associated with rulership, and success. It is the planet associated with religion, but the mysteries contained within a religion rather than the exoteric form or structure.» — la definición de Chesed con que abre el capítulo y la precisión que Rankine añade: Júpiter es el planeta de la religión, pero de sus misterios y no de su forma exotérica

«Jupiter embodies the benevolent ruler, dispensing justic^ with mercy, tempered with authority. Jupiter teaches obedience to the higher cause, when service becomes a pleasure and not just a duty» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Júpiter: el gobernante benévolo que dispensa justicia con misericordia, y la obediencia a la causa superior como placer y no como deber. El troceo parte la palabra *justice* y así queda

«Chesed is the first reflection of Chokmah, and represents the highest level that form can take before being transmuted to pure force. Chesed is linked with the highest aspects of water, which can be seen as the force that overcomes all. Hence the Pillar of Mercy is also known as the Pillar of Water.» — el lugar que Rankine da a Chesed en la estructura: primer reflejo de Chokmah y nivel más alto que la forma alcanza antes de volverse fuerza pura

«The divine essence of Kether is likened to dew, and this finds its first expression below the Abyss in Chesed.» — la lectura que Rankine da al rocío dentro de Chesed: la esencia divina de Kether halla ahí su primera expresión bajo el Abismo

«thousands upon thousands of waves of water... yet there is not a single drop of water there, only the radiance of the marble stones with which the palace is furnished.» — la descripción de la entrada al sexto palacio que Rankine cita para Chesed; la nota al pie la localiza en el Hekhalot Rabbati

«Jupiter is also associated with ascendancy, and gaining a superior position. This includes such areas of life as good bodily health, as well as mental, emotional and spiritual health. Chesed represents the holistic balance of all aspects of the self.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Júpiter en materia de salud: Chesed representa el equilibrio holístico de todos los aspectos del yo

«Without this balance you cannot cross the Abyss, for it will result in destruction of the self due to lack of integrity.» — la condición que Rankine pone para cruzar el Abismo: sin ese equilibrio, el cruce destruye el yo por falta de integridad

«The suffix -e l is found in the majority of archangelic names, and in Sumerian was associated with the “shining ones”, a particularly appropriate term regarding angels.» — la etimología que Rankine adjudica al sufijo de los nombres arcangélicos: en sumerio se asociaba a los brillantes. El troceo parte el sufijo con un espacio y así queda

«31 is also LA, meaning “no f, implying the formula of reversal, as expounded by Frater Achad» — la fórmula de inversión que Rankine lee en el Nombre Divino de Chesed y a quién se la adjudica; la nota al pie identifica a Frater Achad con Charles Stansfield Jones, a quien Crowley tuvo por su hijo mágico

«This formula encourages the individual to think outside of the box, looking at the different possibilities contained within an idea or situation, a state worth being in when wielding the benevolent authority of Chesed.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a esa fórmula: mover a mirar las posibilidades distintas dentro de una idea o situación, estado conveniente al ejercer la autoridad benévola

«The word meaning To Go (HVK), also adds to 31, and implies the quality of action, which is particularly appropriate to Chesed, as the final impetus to leap into the Abyss to cross over to the Supernal Triad.» — la segunda equivalencia del 31 que trae Rankine: Ir, que liga Chesed con el impulso final para saltar al Abismo

«Tzadkiel, who is also known as Zadkiel, Satqiel, Zedkiel and Zachiel, is the archangel of Jupiter, and of benevolence, memory and mercy. His name means "Righteousness of God", and he is often depicted with a dagger in his hand.» — el arcángel de Chesed con sus cinco grafías, sus tutelas y la traducción de su nombre

«However this dagger represents the power of the intellect, and also his role in saving Abraham’s son.» — la doble lectura que Rankine da a esa daga: el poder del intelecto y el papel del arcángel al salvar al hijo de Abraham

«Tzadkiel is a comforter, and he is associated with invocation and prayer. He is hence the archangel to help overcome despondency, and to help you forgive others for their negative deeds.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Tzadkiel: consolador ligado a la invocación y la plegaria, al que llamar contra el desaliento y para perdonar a otros

«As archangel of Jupiter, Tzadkiel can also be appealed to for help with financial matters and for achieving justice in a situation.» — las dos peticiones concretas que el manual autoriza sobre Tzadkiel: asuntos financieros y justicia en una situación

«Tzadkiel is the chief of the order of angels known as the “Brilliant Ones” (Chasmalim). He is one of the two standard bearers (along with Zophiel) who follow directly behind Michael as he enters battle.» — los tres cargos que Rankine adjudica a Tzadkiel: jefe de los Brillantes, portaestandarte tras Miguel y uno de los siete que presiden junto a Dios

«The Chasmalim or “Brilliant Ones” stand about 2m tall, and are extremely beautiful, with white wings. They wear sapphire blue tunics, and give off an aura of intense light that makes it difficult to look at them.» — la descripción que el manual da de los ángeles de Chesed para visualizarlos, con túnicas de azul zafiro y un aura de luz intensa

«Chesed is unusual in that the total for its angels, the Chasmalim is 428, the same as the total for its Qliphoth.» — la singularidad numérica que Rankine señala en Chesed: sus ángeles y su Qliphah suman lo mismo

«Tzedeq (or Tzedek) means “Jupiter”, which is the planet of expansion. It can also mean righteousness, and is used as a title for lower Sephiroth which represent lower manifestations of the energy of Chesed.» — el cielo de Chesed y su doble sentido: Júpiter como planeta de la expansión y la rectitud usada como título de sefirot inferiores

«Gha’aghseblah means “Smiters” or “Breakers-in-Pieces”. This is in opposition to the positive creative aspect of Jupiter, which is benevolent rulership.» — la Qliphah de Chesed y su lectura: los Golpeadores se oponen al aspecto creativo positivo de Júpiter, que es el gobierno benévolo

«This title, like Love, refers to the benevolent and nurturing aspect of the developed spirit at Chesed. This title is also used for Tiphereth, indicating the first stage at which compassion can be sustained.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Compasión dado a Chesed, señalando que se usa también para Tiphereth como primera etapa en que se sostiene

«Glory represents the expression of the divine essence. It demonstrates the manifestation of the inner radiance, as an outer glory.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Gloria: la manifestación del resplandor interior como gloria exterior

«This title indicates the method of behaviour that should be automatic and natural for someone who has reached Chesed on the Tree. To have developed this far, a person must be living in a state of grace.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Gracia: quien llegó tan lejos ha de vivir en estado de gracia

«This is due to the traditional attribution of white and silver as the colour of Chesed. However it is interesting to note that white is the colour of the male principle in alchemy, balancing the female red of Geburah.» — la observación alquímica con que Rankine cierra los títulos de Chesed: el blanco es el color del principio masculino en esa tradición y equilibra el rojo femenino de Geburah

«The type of love referred to here is unconditional spiritual love (Agape). It is the love of all life that characterises the divine impetus to grow and evolve. This vision is the true “religious experience”, of the type that will totally affect the recipient’s life, and cause them to devote their whole life to the development of humanity on a spiritual basis, which is the next evolutionary step.» — la Experiencia que Rankine adjudica a Chesed, la Visión del Amor, que llama la verdadera experiencia religiosa y que dedicaría la vida entera al desarrollo espiritual de la humanidad

«Being able to obey others requires the discipline learned earlier on the path. In this instance it refers to obedience to the divine will through the true will. It is the unswerving obedience to the cause of the Great Work, which consumes the magickian with the undying flame of spirit.» — la Virtud de Chesed y la precisión que Rankine le pone: obediencia, pero a la voluntad divina por la voluntad verdadera

«The negative side of religion is intolerance, which is expressed through bigotry. Bigotry is the expression of a closed mind, unable to accept or value the input of others, and is a reflex of arrogance and egotism. When bigotry is expressed, the fall will be swift.» — el primer Vicio de Chesed y el aviso que Rankine le adjunta: la intolerancia como mente cerrada y reflejo de la arrogancia, tras la cual la caída es rápida

«away from abandoning everything to jump into the abyss. Hence gluttony may manifest as a last-ditch attempt by the ego to keep the body firmly rooted to the physical.» — la continuación de esa hipótesis al otro lado del corte: la gula como último intento del ego por mantener el cuerpo enraizado en lo físico

«Chesed stresses the health of the body, so self-indulgence through gluttony is a vice to be avoided. Gluttony may result from the desire to feel more» — el segundo Vicio de Chesed y la hipótesis con que Rankine lo explica: la gula vendría del deseo de sentirse más anclado en lo físico. El tramo se corta donde el troceo reemite el marcador de plana a media frase

«By not being true to what you believe in you become a hypocrite. Hypocrisy is a betrayal of the self, of the values you uphold, and of the people you are hypocritical too. It is a reflex of abuse of power, when the corruption of power has permeated the being and turned the path of the true will into the gratification of the ego, ensuring the seeker slides back down to the bottom of the Tree of Life.» — el tercer Vicio de Chesed y lo que Rankine dice que provoca: la hipocresía como traición del yo y reflejo del abuso de poder, que devuelve al buscador al pie del Árbol

«When the benevolent compassion of the wise ruler, as expressed by Chesed, becomes abused by the desire to dominate, tyranny follows. Tyranny is the refusal of the ruler to recognise that she or he is also a servant.» — el cuarto Vicio de Chesed y la definición que Rankine da de la tiranía: la negativa del gobernante a reconocerse también siervo

«The deep violet of Chesed combines the blue of Chokmah and the crimson of Binah, demonstrating the first manifestation of the divine energies below the Abyss. Also violet is widely associated with royalty and episcopal matters.» — la razón que Rankine da al violeta profundo de Chesed en la escala del Rey: combina el azul de Chokmah y el carmesí de Binah, primera manifestación bajo el Abismo

«The deep azure flecked yellow recalls the colouring of lapis lazuli, the stone of Chesed. It also indicates the sky as the stars in the firmament.» — la razón que Rankine da al azur de Chesed en la escala de la Emperatriz: el lapislázuli, que es la piedra de la sefirá, y el cielo con sus estrellas

«Tetragrammaton, the unpronounceable name of God, is assigned here as the magickal formula, and with very good reasons. Firstly it is the fourfold name, corresponding to the number of the Sephira. Secondly Chesed is the first Sephira below the abyss, representing the highest that man can aspire whilst in physical form, so this formula is one of transformation, of moving beyond the physical.» — la fórmula mágica de Chesed y las dos razones que Rankine le da: es el nombre cuádruple, como el número de la sefirá, y una fórmula de transformación para salir de lo físico

«It is said that if IHVH is correctly pronounced it will destroy the universe, but this could be interpreted as destroying the universe of the adept, i.e. moving him or her beyond the physical into the abyss and on towards godhead.» — lo que Rankine consigna como dicho sobre el Tetragrámaton y la lectura que propone: destruir el universo sería destruir el universo del adepto y moverlo al abismo

«This image represents the height of achievement below the Abyss - rulership. It is also a classic Jupiterian image, as the Ruler of the Gods.» — lo que Rankine lee en la imagen mágica de Chesed: el rey coronado y entronizado como cumbre del logro bajo el Abismo

«The left side of the body is associated with the “passive” qualities of compassion and benevolence of Jupiter in contrast to the dynamism and “active” nature of Mars on the right side.» — el argumento con que Rankine reparte los brazos entre Chesed y Geburah: el izquierdo para las cualidades pasivas de Júpiter y el derecho para el dinamismo de Marte

«As the fourth Sephira, 4 is the number of Chesed. Four is a number of stability, being 22. It represents solidness, and this is the physicality of form beginning to manifest below the abyss.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al cuatro de Chesed: número de estabilidad y solidez, con la forma física empezando a manifestarse bajo el Abismo

«The mystic number of Chesed is 10, i.e. 1(1-4). 10 is also a number of solidness, representing the physicality of Malkuth. This emphasises that all the spiritual impulses in Chesed "find their expression in the physicality of Malkuth, if we have eyes to see.» — el número místico de Chesed y lo que Rankine le lee: 10 es también la fisicalidad de Malkuth, de modo que los impulsos espirituales de Chesed hallan ahí su expresión

«Chesed itself adds to 72. 72 is a highly significant number, as it is associated with the Shemhamforash, the 72-fold name of God which gives the name of 72 angels. The Shemhamforash is seen as an expansion of IHVH, which is the magickal formula of Chesed.» — el cómputo de Chesed y el enlace que Rankine le saca: 72 es el número del Shemhamforash, expansión del Tetragrámaton que es la fórmula de la sefirá

«As a combination of the horse and the wings of air, the pegasus expresses the energy of Chesed as the highest aspect of air.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el pegaso a Chesed: caballo y alas del aire, con el que expresa el aspecto más alto de ese elemento

«The unicorn is a symbol of purity, demonstrating the perfection of the self needed to move beyond Chesed.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el unicornio a Chesed: la pureza que exige la perfección del yo para pasar de ahí

«Cedar is traditionally one of the most religious of scents, used both as an incense and to make temple furniture. The scent of cedar inspires the mind to the purity of purpose demanded by Chesed.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el cedro a Chesed: uno de los aromas más religiosos, usado como incienso y para el mobiliario del templo

«Symbolising the role of the ruler as the “shepherd” of his people, both spiritual and material.» — lo que Rankine lee en el cayado como herramienta de Chesed: el papel del gobernante como pastor de su pueblo

«Another symbol of rulership, and also benevolence, as the sceptre is a symbolic tool and not a practical one.» — lo que Rankine lee en el cetro: símbolo de gobierno y también de benevolencia, por ser herramienta simbólica y no práctica

«The wand represents the will of the magickian harmonised with the universe, so it has no edge or need to command, merely to direct.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a la varita: la voluntad del mago armonizada con el universo, sin filo ni necesidad de mandar

«By its four sides and majesty the pyramid is a symbol of Chesed. Also it hints at the City of Pyramids in Binah.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye la pirámide a Chesed y el guiño que le añade hacia la Ciudad de las Pirámides de Binah

«For this meditation (derived from a traditional Kabbalistic meditation) you need a piece of sapphire, or another pure blue stone that is a single shade of blue.» — la meditación del zafiro azul que el manual prescribe para Chesed, declarada por Rankine derivada de una meditación cabalística tradicional

«Visualise the sea for a couple of minutes, and then visualise the sky for a similar time. Then hold the crystal to your brow, to the position of the third eye, and focus on opening your psychic senses, and try to visualise the sapphire throne of God. If you can see this then see a mighty throned king on the throne. Practice this meditation to help develop your psychic sensitivity.» — el procedimiento de esa meditación y lo que promete: el cristal en el entrecejo, el trono de zafiro visualizado y el desarrollo de la sensibilidad psíquica

«The Chesed temple is circular and 15m in diameter. The walls are of white marble and extend up to a height of 3m. From here they become a domed hemi-spherical ceiling, which is a deep azure blue flecked with gold (lapis lazuli). The floor of the temple is made of lapis lazuli. In the centre of the temple there is a sapphire double-cube altar, 1m in height and 0.5m square ontj>e top. On the top of the altar is a small tin bowl, in which burns an undying blue flame, the flame of spirit.» — la descripción del templo de Chesed para el pathworking: suelo de lapislázuli, altar de doble cubo de zafiro y cuenco de estaño con la llama azul

«The throne is carved from a single piece of lapis lazuli, and is deep blue with gold flecks running through it. Tzadkiel gestures to the throne and you go and sit in it. As you sit there you feel a tremendous sense of peace, and visions of successes you have achieved and good deeds you have performed fill your mind. You realise that your uniqueness contributes to the ongoing flow of life that you are part of.» — lo que el pathworking de Chesed pone ante el practicante: el trono de lapislázuli, con visiones de los propios logros y la conciencia de que la unicidad de cada quien aporta al flujo de la vida

«Daath (pronounced Da-arf) is the interface between the Supernal Triad and the lower Tree. The dew of Kether passes through Daath to fertilise the rest of the Tree, as is recorded in Proverbs 3:20, “By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.» — la definición de Daath con que abre el capítulo, con el versículo de Proverbios 3:20 que la sostiene. El troceo imprime la pronunciación como *Da-arf*

«Daath is considered to be the first child of Chokmah and Binah, which did not come to manifestation. It is a paradox, being the “Sephira that isnT. The Sepher Yetzirah makes it very clear that Daath is not a Sephira - ‘Ten Sephiroth of Nothingness, ten and not nine, ten and not eleven» — la paradoja que Rankine formula sobre Daath y el pasaje del Sepher Yetzirah con que la sostiene: la sefirá que no lo es

«Some modern writers claim that Daath is a relatively new concept, however references to Daath are found throughout the important texts, such as the Torah and magickal works such as Sepher Raziel Hemelach (The Book of the Angel Raziel).» — la objeción de Rankine a los autores modernos que tienen a Daath por concepto reciente: dice que las referencias están en la Torá y en el Sepher Raziel Hemelach

«As a result Daath can be seen in some respects like a Zen koan. Trying to» — la comparación con que Rankine describe a Daath: un koan zen. El tramo se corta donde el troceo reemite el marcador de plana

«make sense of Daath unless one is experiencing Daath is nonsensical. The only way to really appreciate Daath is from direct experience.» — el límite que Rankine le pone al entendimiento de Daath: solo se aprecia desde la experiencia directa

«Daath is also intimately connected with the legend of the Fall, for it is the Tree of Knowledge (Daath) of Good and Evif' which Eve and Adam eat the fruit of. Daath then becomes the bridge between the perfection of the Supernal Triad, and the lower Tree, which strives for the lost perfection (of Eden).» — el papel que Rankine adjudica a Daath en la leyenda de la Caída: es el Árbol del Conocimiento del que comen Adán y Eva, y queda como puente entre la Tríada Suprema y el Árbol bajo

«The attribution of this name to Daath is one from Kabbalah, as modern Qabalah does not make such an attribution. Modern sources mostly repeat the Divine Name of Binah (IHVH Elohim), which is lazy and not entirely appropriate.» — la objeción que Rankine dirige a las fuentes modernas sobre el Nombre de Daath: dice que repiten el de Binah y llama a eso perezoso y no del todo apropiado

«The blue is the colour of the sea; The sea is the colour of the sky; And the sky is the colour of the Throne of Glory.» — la cadena de equivalencias que el practicante debe decir en voz alta en la meditación del zafiro, del azul al mar, al cielo y al Trono de Gloria. El verbatim arranca en el segundo verso porque el impreso mete la llamada de nota pegada al nombre de la piedra en el primero

«and is often used in connection with the transmission of the divine energy and purpose from Kether, sometimes as the ability to prophesy.» — el uso que Rankine adjudica al Nombre Divino de Daath, que traduce como Espíritu de Santidad: la transmisión de la energía y el propósito divinos desde Kether, a veces como facultad de profetizar

«The name comes from Exodus 31:3 and refers to the fulfillment of sanctity to work in the Tabernacle: “And I have filled him with the Spirit of Holiness, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge» — el origen escriturario que Rankine adjudica al Nombre Divino de Daath, con el versículo de Éxodo 31:3

«The whole of the Knowledge Triad is referred to in this line - wisdom (Chokmah), understanding (Binah) and knowledge (Daath). To utter the holy name (Tetragrammaton) the throat and indeed whole being would have to be pure and the rites known, hence this Divine Name is highly appropriate for Daath.» — lo que Rankine lee en ese versículo: la Tríada del Conocimiento entera, y la pureza de garganta que exige pronunciar el nombre santo

«Different sources make different suggestions about the attributions for Daath. Some sources suggest Mesukiel, whose name means “The Veiler of God”, whereas other modern sources give Raphael, Michael, Gabriel and Uriel as guardians of this liminal point.» — el desacuerdo que Rankine consigna sin arbitrar sobre el arcángel de Daath: unas fuentes dan a Mesukiel y otras a los cuatro arcángeles

«Mesukiel should be seen in a similar form to the other Archangels - around 3m tall, with large wings on his back (though the wings are black) and a greywhite tunic. His face is very beautiful, but is difficult to see clearly, as if there is a translucent veil in front of it.» — la descripción de Mesukiel que el manual da para visualizarlo, con alas negras y el rostro velado. El impreso escribe *grey-white* partido a fin de renglón por un guion blando que la extracción borra, y por eso el verbatim sale con la palabra pegada.

«There is not an order of Angels assigned to Daath.» — la ausencia que Rankine consigna como dato: Daath no lleva orden de ángeles

«Some attribute the planet Uranus to Daath, as the planet of revolution and breaking down of old form. Sirius is also suggested by some modern writers, as the brightest and most significant star in the heavens.» — el segundo desacuerdo que Rankine consigna sobre Daath: unos le dan Urano y otros modernos Sirio

«Choronzon is another name for Satan, i.e. the adversary. This is not the devil in the modern Christian sense of the word, but rather the entity that will seek to confound you and destroy the development that you have achieved.» — la Qliphah de Daath y la precisión que Rankine le pone: adversario, no el diablo en sentido cristiano moderno

«Choronzon is not evil, he is simply the ultimate force of reduction, which will destroy that which has not been made strong enough through persistence and strong foundations.» — lo que Rankine niega y afirma de Choronzon: no es malvado sino la fuerza última de reducción, que destruye lo que no se hizo fuerte

«Abaddon (“the Destroyer’) as the angel of the bottomless pit (Revelations 9:11) could also be attributed here. In this context Daath is interpreted as the bottomless pit, and thus Abaddon is the necessary destruction of physicality and anything which holds the pure spirit back from ascending higher up the Tree.» — la segunda atribución que Rankine propone para la Qliphah de Daath, con el pozo sin fondo del Apocalipsis leído como la propia Daath

«Science seeks to bring truth through understanding, and hence the attribution of this title to Daath.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Ciencia dado a Daath: busca traer la verdad por el entendimiento

«As the place of union of the Father and Mother (Chokmah and Binah), and also of the bride and groom (Malkuth and Tiphereth).» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Cámara Nupcial: lugar de unión del Padre y la Madre y también de la novia y el novio

«Daath’s influence is definite and can be felt, but it is not a complete Sephira as we understand them. For this reason it is the Hidden Sephira or Invisible Sephira, detectable more by its effects.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Sefirá Escondida: su influencia se siente y se detecta más por sus efectos

«Many myths (like the Egyptian) have the idea of the sun passing through the underworld, being lost to human sight during the hours of darkness. At such times it is referred to as the Black Sun or the midnight sun. Hence Daath is the midnight sun, as it is concerned with the transmission of energy between the divine source (Kether) and the sun (Tiphereth) in the darkness (Daath).» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Sol de Medianoche: el sol que cruza el inframundo, con Daath como la oscuridad donde se transmite la energía de Kether a Tiphereth

«Daath is known as the Upper Room because it is the highest point on the Tree of Life that can be entered by humans.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Aposento Alto: el punto más alto del Árbol al que puede entrar un ser humano

«This is the sense of futility and desperation that fills the seeker, blotting out the light of illumination and hope and replacing it with the darkness of failure.» — la primera Experiencia de Daath y su definición: la Noche Oscura del Alma como sentimiento de futilidad y desesperación

«Mystics have recorded their experiences of this state, which can actually strike at any time, not just in Daath. The Dark Night of the Soul is an extreme challenge to all you have learned and experienced, to overcome the negative emotional state and journey on through to the illuminating light of the radiant dawn, trusting in your purpose and not being dragged down.» — la precisión que Rankine añade sobre esa experiencia: los místicos la registraron y puede golpear en cualquier momento, no solo en Daath

«The Abyss is the place of transformation. As Nietzsche said, “And when you stare persistently into the Abyss, the Abyss also stares into you.» — la segunda Experiencia de Daath, con la frase que Rankine adjudica a Nietzsche

«By the time you have climbed high enough up the Tree of Life to jump into the Abyss, one virtue you will have developed is confidence!» — la primera Virtud de Daath según Rankine: quien llegó tan alto como para saltar al Abismo ya desarrolló la confianza

«Daath also brings about a detachment from the physicality of form, as it is the bridge between the pure force of the Supernal Triad with the manifesting form of the lower Tree.» — la segunda Virtud de Daath: el desapego de la fisicalidad de la forma, por ser puente entre la fuerza pura y la forma

«Like a horse that stops at a hedge and refuses to continue, so Cowardice can rear its head and try to entice the seeker to remain in the pleasures of the flesh, rather than evolve higher up the Tree. This is a subtle and insidious form of cowardice that can strike as swiftly as a venomous snake.» — el primer Vicio de Daath y la imagen con que Rankine lo describe: el caballo que se planta ante el seto

«Another sudden assailant at the Abyss is doubt. Suddenly any insecurities that have not been resolved lower down the Tree suddenly become magnified and seize hold of the seeker, bringing doubt and loss of confidence.» — el segundo Vicio de Daath: la duda, que magnifica las inseguridades no resueltas más abajo en el Árbol

«Whilst pride in your achievements is not a bad thing, when it becomes outright hubris it is a problem. This suggests an excess of Geburic force, making the seeker feel over-proud and not allowing the detachment needed to let go of the last ties to the physical.» — el tercer Vicio de Daath y el diagnóstico que Rankine le da: la desmesura vendría de un exceso de fuerza de Geburah

«Whilst preparing to jump into the Abyss it is very easy to isolate yourself in the belief that it will make it easier. This is not the case, as you need to have fully appreciated people and things to really be able to let go of them. Simple isolation is a means of allowing ego to creep in, and self-delusion shines into the seeker’s spirit from the Yesod-Daath Mirror.» — el cuarto Vicio de Daath y la objeción que Rankine le hace: aislarse no facilita el salto, porque hay que haber apreciado a las personas y las cosas para soltarlas

«This attribution refers to the Yesod-Daath mirror. The dark purple of Yesod is reflected via Tiphereth into Daath, and then lightened by the white brilliance of Kether into Daath from above.» — la razón que Rankine da al violeta puro de Daath en la escala del Emperador, apoyada en el espejo Yesod-Daath

«As the sound of the universe, expressing the creative divine, Aumgn (or Om as it is written in brief) is appropriate to Daath, which corresponds to the throat and is the gateway between the divine supernal triad and the rest of the Tree.» — la primera fórmula mágica de Daath y su razón: el sonido del universo, apropiado a una sefirá que corresponde a la garganta

«The formula of silence is the one used to overcome the guardian of the Abyss, Choronzon. Choronzon causes the seeker to doubt everything, and befuddles with a seamless blend of lies and truth, so the only defence against this is to ignore him and not interact, thereby robbing him of his power.» — la segunda fórmula mágica de Daath y la táctica que prescribe: ante Choronzon, que mezcla mentira y verdad sin costura, la única defensa es ignorarlo

«Thus this silence is not merely that of not speaking, but also of a still mind untroubled by internal dialogue. By this point on the Tree the seeker should be able to shut off the internal dialogue at will, and needs to do this at Daath.» — la precisión que Rankine añade sobre ese silencio: no es solo callar sino tener la mente quieta, con el diálogo interno apagado a voluntad

«There is no magickal image associated with Daath.» — la segunda ausencia que Rankine consigna como dato: Daath no lleva imagen mágica

«The throat is the place of creation, in the sense of uttering the sacred words and names. Also the absence of sound (silence) is the formula for overcoming Choronzon.» — la correspondencia corporal de Daath y su doble sentido: la garganta como lugar de creación por la palabra y como sede del silencio

«The mystic number of Daath would thus be 66, or 1(1-11). The Divine Name ALHIK (referring to Deuteronomy 4:24, “The Lord thy God is a consuming fire”) also adds to 66. This appropriate name gives a measure of the process of refinement and transcendence called for to pass through Daath.» — el número místico que Rankine adjudica a Daath en condicional y la equivalencia que le da: 66 vale el Nombre del Dios que es fuego consumidor

«Daath itself adds to 474, the same as the plural of wisdom (ChKMVTh), indicating the diverse nature of Daath, refracting the higher energies from above into rays and fragments to assail and test the seeker.» — el cómputo de Daath y lo que Rankine le lee: 474 vale el plural de sabiduría, de donde la naturaleza difractante de Daath

«No cards are specifically attributed to Daath.» — la tercera ausencia que Rankine consigna: Daath no lleva cartas del Tarot atribuidas

«No specific animals are attributed to Daath. However the images of the bizarre fish and creatures that live in very deep seas come to mind as being appropriate symbolic representations for Daath.» — la cuarta ausencia y lo que Rankine propone en su lugar, marcado como sugerencia propia: los peces y criaturas de los mares muy profundos

«An absence of smell would be more appropriate for Daath, as it is a place of leaving the traces of the physical behind.» — la quinta ausencia que Rankine consigna, esta vez razonada: para Daath sería más apropiada la falta de olor

«The prism takes white light (Kether) and refracts it into the seven colours of the rainbow (the seven Sephiroth below the Abyss» — lo que Rankine lee en el prisma como herramienta de Daath: refracta la luz blanca de Kether en las siete sefirot bajo el Abismo

«Serket the scorpion goddess, as “she who causes the throat to breathe» — una entrada del catálogo egipcio de Daath, donde el epíteto de la diosa ata la atribución a la garganta

«The Third Intelligence is called the Sanctifying Intelligence, the Foundation of Primordial Wisdom; it is also called the Creator of Faith, and its roots are in Amen. It is the parent of faith, whence faith emanates.» — la descripción de Binah que Rankine toma de los Treinta y dos Senderos de la Sabiduría, que la nota al pie adjudica a Joannes Rittangelius

«Binah (pronounced Bee-nah) is the Sephira of Saturn, it is also the Sephira of the Great Mother, the Divine Feminine.» — la definición de Binah con que abre el capítulo: sefirá de Saturno y de la Gran Madre, lo divino femenino

«Until the eighteenth century Saturn was perceived as being the outer planet, and as such represented a boundary to man. Beyond Saturn was the vastness of the infinite, which is why Binah is seen as the beginnings of form. Saturn marked the boundary, the moment of transition between force and form.» — el argumento histórico con que Rankine explica que Binah sea el comienzo de la forma: hasta el siglo XVIII Saturno era el planeta exterior y marcaba el límite

«There is a saying in modern science that “evolution occurs at the boundaries”, and from a magickal perspective we can see a lot of sense in this. The coastline where the sea and the land meet, or hilltops where air and earth meet are classic examples of places perceived as being imbued with force and good natural spots for performing magick.» — el dicho que Rankine toma de la ciencia moderna y los ejemplos con que lo lleva a la magia: la costa y las cumbres como lugares de fuerza

«However from a more individual perspective, we can say that evolution takes place at the boundaries of our consciousness. We need to discover our boundaries, our limits, before we can transcend them and take another step towards perfection.» — la aplicación que Rankine hace de ese dicho al practicante: hay que descubrir los propios límites antes de trascenderlos

«Although Binah may be seen as being unattainable as a continuous state of being in human form, being representative of the beginning of a pure energy state, nevertheless we can draw inspiration from the deep panoramic understanding that Binah has to offer.» — la reserva con que Rankine acota Binah: inalcanzable como estado continuo en forma humana, y aun así fuente de inspiración

«This is why Binah is also known as the “City of Pyramids”. Although pyramids were places to preserve the dead, they also provide a panoramic view from the top, and the top can only be reached by a long ascent from a very large base.» — la razón que Rankine da al título de Ciudad de las Pirámides: las pirámides guardan muertos y dan vista panorámica desde una cima que exige un ascenso largo

«Binah is described as having “its roots in Amen” because this is a title of Kether, and it reminds us that Binah is the beginning of the roots of Kether, the first flowering into form of the divine impetus which sustains the whole Tree.» — lo que Rankine lee en la frase de los Treinta y dos Senderos sobre las raíces de Binah en Amén: Amén es un título de Kether, y Binah es el primer florecer en forma del ímpetu divino

«Binah is one of the great keys to the Tree of Life. The more you meditate on the symbolism of Binah, the more you may find yourself able to manipulate your own life and energies in a more positive manner, as you become more aware of the greater web of life around you.» — lo que Rankine promete de la meditación sobre Binah: manejar la vida y las energías propias de modo más positivo al advertir la red mayor de la vida

«Tzaphkiel means "Beholder of God”. He is also known as Jophiel, whose name means “Beauty of God'. Tzaphkiel is one of the seven Archangels who stand in the presence of God. He is known as the Angel of Paradise because of his role in the Garden of Eden, and in modern times is the patron of all those who fight pollution and love and protect nature.» — el arcángel de Binah, con sus dos nombres y sus traducciones, y las tutelas que Rankine le adjudica en tiempos modernos

«He is the first angel mentioned in the Bible, though not by name, being the guardian of the Tree of Life, and it was he who drove Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden after they had eaten the forbidden apple, and bars the return of man, standing at the gates bearing the flaming sword.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Tzaphkiel en el relato del Edén: primer ángel mencionado en la Biblia, el que expulsó a Adán y Eva y el que cierra el regreso con la espada llameante

«Aralim means the “Strong and Mighty Ones”. They are referred to in medieval Grimoires as the Order of Thrones. In appearance the Aralim stand about 2m tall, with beautiful though somewhat severe faces. They wear black tunics and gold crowns. They have white wings on their backs, and rainbows play about them at all times.» — los ángeles de Binah, su nombre, su equivalente en los grimorios medievales y la descripción que el manual da para visualizarlos

«Shabathai means “Saturn”, and this is the first planetary attribution on the Tree of Life. Saturn is the giver of form, which can be seen as both restriction of energy into the physical, and the means of establishing creation, i.e. as the womb of creation.» — el cielo de Binah y lo que Rankine adjudica a Saturno: dador de forma, a la vez restricción de la energía en lo físico y medio de establecer la creación

«Satariel means “Hiding”. This is in opposition to the energy of Binah as being given form and made manifest. So everything that should become clear with the understanding of Binah is hidden and confused.» — la Qliphah de Binah y su lectura: lo que debería aclararse con el entendimiento de Binah queda escondido y confundido

«This title refers to Binah as the Sephira of the Divine Feminine, balancing the Masculine energy of Chokmah that she carries within (as the Yod).» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Madre Fértil y Brillante: equilibra la energía masculina de Chokmah que Binah lleva dentro

«This title indicates Binah as the Sephira of the Divine Feminine without the fertilising energy of Chokmah.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Madre Oscura y Estéril, que consigna junto al anterior sin arbitrar: Binah sin la energía fertilizante de Chokmah

«The waters of the womb have often been linked to the primal waters of creation, e.g. in Egyptian myth, and this is a similar such attribution to Binah as the birthplace of form.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Gran Mar: las aguas del útero ligadas a las aguas primordiales de la creación

«This title refers to the Greater Shekinah, as the idealised holy place, in contrast to the Lesser or Exiled Shekinah in Malkuth.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Jerusalén de Arriba: la Shekinah Mayor como lugar santo idealizado frente a la Exiliada de Malkuth

«This title demonstrates the qualities of Binah as the lowest Sephira of the World of Briah, supporting the energies of the other Supernal Sephiroth above it, as this world is known as the Throne of God from visions such as those of the Merkavah tradition.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Trono: Binah es la sefirá más baja de Briah y sostiene las energías de las supremas de arriba

«The Buddhist experience of all as sorrow is particularly appropriate at Binah, as it is the ultimate crossroads between force and form. As both states will always strive for the other, sorrow is the inevitable consequence until transcendence is achieved.» — la Experiencia de Binah y el argumento con que Rankine la sostiene: fuerza y forma se buscan siempre la una a la otra, y la tristeza es consecuencia inevitable hasta trascender

«This refers to the silence of the mind that has shut off its internal dialogue, not simply the absence of speech. The silence of speech of Malkuth has reached its highest aspect in Binah as the silence of mind.» — la Virtud de Binah y la distinción que Rankine le pone: el silencio de la mente, no la mera ausencia de habla, como aspecto más alto del silencio de Malkuth

«This is the avarice or greed for that which a person does not have, referring to an absence of balance - the unfertilised Ama.» — el Vicio de Binah y el diagnóstico que Rankine le da: la avaricia por lo que no se tiene, que remite a la Ama no fecundada

«Crimson as the colour of rich oxygenated blood indicates the menstruum of the fertile woman, indicating the feminine nature of Binah.» — la razón que Rankine da al carmesí de Binah en la escala del Rey: el menstruo de la mujer fértil

«The black indicates the absorption of all colours, showing the Saturnian nature of Binah as the devourer of time. Also black as the colour of mourning indicated by the Vision of Sorrow.» — la doble razón del negro de Binah en la escala de la Reina: la absorción de todos los colores y el luto de la Visión de la Tristeza

«IAO was a derivative of Tetragrammaton (IHVH), making it a pronounceable word that could be used in magickal work. In this way the uncontrollable force of Tetragrammaton (and Chokmah) is given form (Binah), enabling it to be used as a formula of transformation and growth.» — la fórmula mágica de Binah y su origen según Rankine: derivado pronunciable del Tetragrámaton, con lo que la fuerza incontrolable recibe forma

«The image of God was usually shown in profile, displaying only the right side of the face, as the full face with both eyes open was thought to destroy the universe. The right side is the side where the glimpse of God, i.e. the form of Binah, can occur.» — lo que Rankine lee en la correspondencia corporal de Binah: la imagen de Dios se mostraba de perfil porque el rostro entero con los dos ojos abiertos destruiría el universo

«Binah is the third Sephira of the Tree, and hence its number is 3. The impetus of the line as direction, the energy of Chokmah, is given form in the triangle, the first manifestation of solidity through the creation of a plane. Although 2dimensional the transition is clearly indicated by the figure, hence its use as the place of manifestation.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al tres de Binah: el ímpetu de la línea de Chokmah recibe forma en el triángulo, primera manifestación de solidez por la creación de un plano. El impreso corta *2-dimensional* a fin de renglón y la extracción une las dos mitades, de modo que el verbatim sale con la cifra pegada a la palabra.

«The mystical number of Binah is 6, or 1(1-3). As the number of Tiphereth is 6. we can also see a reference to the child as the product of the mother. In one sense Tiphereth represents the child born from Binah (after her fertilisation by Chokmah» — el número místico de Binah y lo que Rankine le lee: seis es el número de Tiphereth, el hijo nacido de Binah

«Binah itself adds to 67, which is the same as the letter Zain spelt in full. Zain is attributed to the 17th path, which leads from Binah to Tiphereth, and is hence particularly appropriate. Zain means sword, and represents the sword of intent, which is the will of Tiphereth guided by the understanding of Binah.» — el cómputo de Binah y el enlace que Rankine le saca: 67 vale la letra Zain, del sendero 17 que va de Binah a Tiphereth, y Zain significa espada

«The bee as a symbol of the soul and the great goddess is appropriate to Binah as a symbol of the Neshamah. Also of course a Queen bee rules the hive.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye la abeja a Binah, con la reina de la colmena como segundo motivo

«Some sources (e.g. Crowley) give woman as appropriate to Binah as the ultimate representation of the feminine.» — la atribución que Rankine consigna nombrando a quién se la adjudica, y no como propia: Crowley pondría a la mujer misma en Binah

«Jet is traditionally a stone of mourning, and also formed from fossilized wood, showing a transformation of form, giving the symbolism of Binah.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el azabache a Binah: piedra de luto y madera fosilizada, es decir transformación de la forma

«This gem is attributed here as the colour of Binah in the King Scale, with the star of Chokmah contained within it. It is also the highest aspect of the Geburic ruby, the pinnacle of the Pillar of Severity.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el rubí estrella a Binah: el color de la escala del Rey con la estrella de Chokmah dentro, y el aspecto más alto del rubí de Geburah

«As musk is a scent of male attraction, so civet is produced by the female civet cat to attract males, and is hence appropriate to Binah.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye la civeta a Binah, por contraste con el almizcle masculino

«The triangle is used to constrain and give form to spirits, and so is entirely appropriate to Binah as the beginnings of form. Also the triangle has three sides, the number of Binah.» — lo que Rankine lee en el triángulo como herramienta de Binah: constriñe y da forma a los espíritus, y tiene tres lados

«The sickle harvests plants for their medicinal and magickal qualities to be used in the sacred rites, hence its association here, linking form with change.» — lo que Rankine lee en la hoz como herramienta de Binah: cosecha las plantas para los ritos sagrados, ligando forma y cambio

«As the ultimate symbol of the feminine, and symbolically depicted by the triangle of manifestation. Likewise the womb as the source of creation is appropriate.» — lo que Rankine lee en el yoni como símbolo de Binah: representado por el triángulo de la manifestación, con el útero como fuente de la creación

«Tree to Binah, in one sense this is true. However it is not death of the pure soul, rather it is the lesser death of form, of the body.» — la precisión con que Rankine acota la asociación de Saturno con la muerte: no es muerte del alma pura sino la muerte menor de la forma. El verbatim arranca ya en la plana siguiente porque el impreso corta la frase con la nota al pie y el folio

«Lord Gods”. The multiplicity of the Parzufim (“faces”) as expressions of the divine impetus in Elohim is made clear by being united with the ultimate force of Tetragrammaton. This formula encapsulates the power of Binah as the place of the beginning of form, and as such, the womb of creation, being the head of the Black Pillar. All of the Divine Names on this pillar contain the name Elohim, indicating the multiplicity of the nature of form.» — el Nombre Divino de Binah y lo que Rankine le lee: la multiplicidad de los Parzufim unida a la fuerza última del Tetragrámaton, con Binah como útero de la creación, y todos los Nombres del Pilar Negro llevando Elohim

«Isis as the Mother Goddess, and by her name meaning throne.» — una entrada del catálogo egipcio de Binah, donde el criterio de atribución va dicho en la misma línea

«Meditate on the symbol for Saturn, of the equal-armed cross connected to a crescent pointing horns down and see what images you get.» — la meditación del glifo planetario que el manual prescribe para Binah, con la descripción exacta del símbolo

«You are standing in an endless desert. Beneath you the sand is white, tiny pieces of quartz eroded by the passing of untold millennia. Above you the stars fill the black sky. You gaze up at the stars, seeing the millions of silver specks of light. As you continue to stare you realise that they are not all silver, and start to make out other colours, like blue and red, amongst the silver.» — la apertura de la visualización de la Ciudad de las Pirámides que el manual prescribe para Binah: el desierto de arena blanca de cuarzo bajo un cielo negro de estrellas

«You start walking, as flying and other magickal means of travel do not work here in this desert.» — la regla que el propio ejercicio impone dentro de esa visualización: en ese desierto no funcionan el vuelo ni los otros medios mágicos de viaje

«You realise it is a whole series of pyramids. They are massive, reaching hundreds of metres from the floor, and made entirely of black stone. As you stare at these mammoth constructions, brilliant white light discharges from their peaks, and shoots off into space.» — lo que la visualización manda ver al acercarse: pirámides de piedra negra de cientos de metros que descargan luz blanca por sus cimas hacia el espacio

«You realise that this city is of the dead and the living. The dead are the physical forms left behind by the living spirits, who have transcended the flesh and become beings of pure energy.» — lo que el propio ejercicio declara sobre esa ciudad: los muertos son las formas físicas dejadas atrás por los espíritus vivos que trascendieron la carne

«The Second Path is called the Illuminating Intelligence. It is the Crown of Creation, the Splendour of Unity, equalling it. It is exalted above every head, and is named by Qabalists the Second Glory.» — la descripción de Chokmah que Rankine toma de los Treinta y dos Senderos de la Sabiduría, que la nota al pie adjudica a Joannes Rittangelius

«Chokmah (pronounced Hok-mah) is traditionally the Sephira of the fixed stars, in more recent times often attributed to Neptune. It is the place where the divine essence begins to be expressed. This is made clear in Proverbs 4:7 “The beginning is Wisdom: Acquire Wisdom» — la definición de Chokmah con que abre el capítulo, con la atribución tradicional a las estrellas fijas y la moderna a Neptuno, y el versículo de Proverbios 4:7

«Chokmah is the first emanation from Kether, and begins the process of differentiation, bringing duality onto the Tree of Life. Chokmah is considered the masculine impulse, as Binah is the feminine, both emanating from the androgynous energy of Kether.» — el lugar que Rankine da a Chokmah: primera emanación de Kether, que trae la dualidad al Árbol como impulso masculino frente al femenino de Binah

«The outer limits of our perception are marked by the stars, which represent Chokmah. Chokmah is the creative impulse of the divine will, and as such mirrors that intent of the will in us as humans.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Chokmah: el impulso creador de la voluntad divina, que espeja esa intención en la voluntad humana

«This is well expressed in The Book of the Law, in the lines “Every man and every woman is a star” (AL 1.3). We all have the divine spark within us, which is symbolically represented by the stars in the heavens.» — la línea del Libro de la Ley que Rankine trae para Chokmah, con su referencia de capítulo y versículo

«On a physical level our bodies are made of atoms and molecules that may once have been parts of stars. So the interconnectedness of everything in the universe, all energy, is perfectly expressed in this statement.» — el argumento físico con que Rankine sostiene esa lectura: los cuerpos están hechos de átomos que pudieron ser partes de estrellas

«This is why Chokmah is the Illuminating Intelligence”, because it shines light into every area of life and the universe. By the light of Chokmah, the pure will permits the template of creation to be unfolded, the perfection and truth of the divine becomes visible to all.» — la razón que Rankine da al nombre de Inteligencia Iluminadora: por su luz la voluntad pura despliega la plantilla de la creación

«The unpronounceable name of Tetragrammaton that is the creative utterance of God is the beginning of the expression of his wisdom and creativity. It is significant that the paths on this pillar (the 16th and 21st) have the letters attributed to them whose total is 26 (Vav;6 + Kaph:20), the same as IHVH.» — el Nombre Divino de Chokmah y el argumento gemátrico que Rankine le da: las letras de los dos senderos de ese pilar suman lo mismo que el Tetragrámaton

«We may also note that the four letters may be permuted into twelve combinations, echoing the twelve signs of the Zodiac, which is attributed to Chokmah.» — el segundo argumento del mismo Nombre: las cuatro letras permutan en doce combinaciones, como los doce signos del zodiaco

«Yah is also sometimes given as the divine name of Chokmah. This name is also known as the “Inner ChamberJ\ being comprised of the first two letters of Tetragrammaton. It adds to 15, but when the letters are spelt in full it adds to 30, showing a doubling effect, as can be seen by moving from 1 (Kether) to 2 (Chokmah). 15 is also the total for Hod, the eighth Sephira, demonstrating the link between these two Sephiroth, for Hod (8) is the expansion of Chokmah (2) through Chesed (4), the scale of two increasing.» — el Nombre alterno de Chokmah y las dos lecturas numéricas que Rankine le da: la duplicación de 15 a 30 y el enlace con Hod por la escala del dos

«Raziel means “Herald of God”. As the archangel associated with wisdom (Chokmah), we can see why Raziel is given as one of the two possible Archangels who transmitted knowledge of the Kabbalah to Adam.» — el arcángel de Chokmah, con la traducción de su nombre y el enlace con la cadena de transmisión que Rankine trazó al principio del libro

«Raziel is usually seen standing about 3m tall, with a beautiful face, wearing a grey tunic and sandals. Stars seem to twinkle and shine about his head as he moves, like an ever-changing diadem of constellations.» — la descripción de Raziel que el manual da para visualizarlo, con estrellas titilando alrededor de su cabeza

«Auphanim means “W h e e ls The Wheels are described in Ezekiel 1:15-18, as being like a huge wheel, of beryl colour (i.e. aquamarine), with many eyes on the rims of the wheel. In medieval Grimoires they are called the Kerubim.» — los ángeles de Chokmah, su descripción anclada en Ezequiel 1:15-18 y la advertencia de que los grimorios medievales los llaman Kerubim

«Masloth means “The Zodiac” or “Fixed Stars”. The Fixed stars represented the ultimate to man, the absolute boundary of his perception. The first swirlings of Kether are removed by time and space and are unknowable, but the wisdom of Chokmah can be aspired to.» — el cielo de Chokmah y la lectura que Rankine le da: las estrellas fijas eran el límite absoluto de la percepción humana

«In modern magick Neptune is sometimes attributed to Chokmah, probably due to the Kabbalistic attribution of the Mother letter Mem, corresponding to water, to Chokmah.» — la hipótesis con que Rankine explica la atribución moderna de Neptuno a Chokmah, marcada por él como probable

«Ghagiel means “Hinderers”. The Ghagiel serve to hinder the free flow of energy from Chokmah to further down the Tree of Life.» — la Qliphah de Chokmah y su lectura: los Estorbadores impiden el flujo libre de la energía hacia abajo

«As the only Sephira emanating directly from Kether. Although Chokmah is considered to be the father (Ab), in relation to Kether it is the son, showing the way relativity is always a factor on the Tree.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Hijo Unigénito: Chokmah es padre respecto de Binah e hijo respecto de Kether, con lo que la relatividad es siempre un factor

«This is the Torah that existed before manifestation, the wisdom (in potential) waiting to be revealed.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Torá Primordial: la sabiduría en potencia anterior a la manifestación

«The correct pronunciation of this name is said to destroy the universe. Hence the experience of Tetragrammaton can be likened to the final destruction of individuality, preparing the soul for re-union with the ultimate divine.» — la primera Experiencia de Chokmah y la lectura que Rankine le da: la destrucción final de la individualidad que prepara el alma para la reunión

«This experience is the final vision or “revelation” of the ultimate before reunion with it. This is often described in spiritual traditions as an experience that you cannot survive, and in some respects this is true. Language can be deceptive though, and it should be made clear that the destruction referred to is that of self before becoming part of the unified and eternal all.» — la segunda Experiencia de Chokmah y la precisión con que Rankine la acota: lo destruido es el yo, no la persona, antes de hacerse parte del todo unificado

«This represents the final devotion, to the ultimate divine, the unified and eternal all that represents everything. The devotion described is the devotion to perfection, which overcomes any other priorities.» — la Virtud de Chokmah: la devoción final a lo divino último, que vence cualquier otra prioridad

«No vices can be associated with this level of perfection.» — la ausencia que Rankine consigna como dato en Chokmah: a ese nivel de perfección no se le asocia vicio alguno

«The grey colour indicates the transmission of energy through the Supernal Triad - from the white brilliance of Kether to the blackness of Binah.» — la razón que Rankine da al gris de Chokmah en la escala de la Reina: la transmisión de la blancura de Kether a la negrura de Binah

«The creative energy is finding its first expression, hence the three primary colours of red, blue and yellow fleck the white potential symbolising Kether.» — la razón que Rankine da al blanco moteado de Chokmah en la escala de la Emperatriz: los tres primarios sobre el blanco potencial de Kether

«As the image of Binah indicates the divine feminine, so this image represents the divine masculine, mature and able to demonstrate this (through the beard» — lo que Rankine lee en la imagen mágica de Chokmah: la figura barbada como lo divino masculino maduro, en paralelo con la mujer madura de Binah

«This is the concealed side of the face, where the divine wisdom is still unknowable due to being too far outside the realm of human experience.» — lo que Rankine lee en la correspondencia corporal de Chokmah: el lado oculto del rostro, donde la sabiduría divina queda fuera de la experiencia humana

«As the second Sephira on the Tree, the number of Chokmah is 2. Two represents the line, connecting two points. This is then indicative of motion, as it gives direction, and indicates energy in action. The straight line is the shortest distance between two points, and hence represents the emanation of energy from Kether to Chokmah.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al dos de Chokmah: la línea entre dos puntos, que da dirección y por tanto movimiento y energía en acto

«The mystical number of Chokmah is 3, or 1(1-2). This hints at the completion to come when Chokmah has become full and sent forth the emanation of energy that forms Binah, thus completing the Supernal Triad.» — el número místico de Chokmah y lo que Rankine le lee: apunta a la compleción que llega cuando Chokmah emana la energía que forma Binah

«Chokmah itself adds to 73, which is the same as the letter Gimel spelled in full. This is interesting as Gimel is attributed to the 13th path, from Kether to Tiphereth. This path is from the divine essence to the son, and Chokmah represents the father. As the father manifests through the son, this equation shows the way the unified energy manifests through diverse expressions.» — el cómputo de Chokmah y el enlace que Rankine le saca: 73 vale la letra Gimel, del sendero 13 que va de Kether a Tiphereth, es decir de la esencia divina al hijo

«because the energy of Kether has begun its journey to manifestation, and this is expressed in the vastness of the stars, which we can see crowning the earth each night and reminding us of our connection to the rest of the universe.» — la razón que Rankine da al título de Corona de la Creación: la energía de Kether ha empezado su viaje a la manifestación, y eso se expresa en la vastedad de las estrellas que coronan la tierra cada noche

«None attributed, though some sources (e.g. Crowley) give Man as the masculine principle.» — la ausencia que Rankine consigna en el catálogo animal de Chokmah y la atribución que adjudica a otros, nombrando a Crowley

«As the ultimate symbol of the Druids, growing on the oak (Chesed), with its white berries symbolising semen, mistletoe is a potent symbol of male potency and Chokmah.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el muérdago a Chokmah: crece sobre el roble de Chesed y sus bayas blancas simbolizan el semen

«Due to its iridescent pearl-grey, as Chokmah in the Emperor scale, with flashes of blue indicating the King Scale.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye la labradorita a Chokmah, por su gris perla iridiscente y sus destellos azules

«Hu (“creative utterance”) as the magickal power of words and as “he who spoke in the darkness» — una entrada del catálogo egipcio de Chokmah, donde el epíteto del dios ata la atribución al poder mágico de la palabra

«Meditating on the stars can induce profound shifts in consciousness. To perform this meditation you need to be somewhere away from a big city, so light pollution will not block out the beauty of the night sky.» — la meditación de las estrellas que el manual prescribe para Chokmah, con la condición práctica de alejarse de la contaminación lumínica

«The First Path is called the Admirable or Hidden Intelligence because it is the Light giving the power of comprehension of the First Principle, which hath no beginning. And it is the Primal Glory, because no created being can attain to its essence.» — la descripción de Kether que Rankine toma de los Treinta y dos Senderos de la Sabiduría, que la nota al pie adjudica a Joannes Rittangelius

«Kether (pronounced Ket-er) is the Sephira of the first swirlings, which could be equated with the “Big bang” as the beginning of the manifestation of the unmanifest as expressed through the veils of negativity. In modern times it is usually equated to Pluto.» — la definición de Kether con que abre el capítulo y la equivalencia moderna que Rankine le propone con el big bang

«Kether is the unknowable divine; the creative essence and impetus that infuses all the deities that are manifestations of the energy of the universe. Hence it is the crown, because it is worn on the top of the head, representing that which is beyond the comprehension of the mind.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Kether y la razón que da a su nombre: lo divino incognoscible, corona porque se lleva en lo alto de la cabeza

«Kether contains within itself the plan of the entire Tree of Life. All the Sephiroth are within Kether in potential, undivided and unexpressed, in a harmony of unity.» — lo que Rankine pone dentro de Kether: el plan del Árbol entero, con todas las sefirot en potencia, sin dividir ni expresar

«the principle of all principles, the Secret Wisdom98, the Most Exalted Crown, with which all Crowns and diadems are adorned» — la frase del Zohar que Rankine cita para Kether; la nota al pie aclara que el término de sabiduría secreta se usa a menudo para el Árbol entero

«In its position in relation to the rest of the Sephiroth, Kether is the shining point of unimaginable brilliance, for it is entirely positive, emanating all the other principles from its essence. However in respect of the veils of negativity it is a point of contraction, through which the limitless light (Ain Soph Aur) crystallises part of itself into the physical universe.» — la doble lectura que Rankine da a Kether según desde dónde se la mire: punto brillante y enteramente positivo hacia abajo, punto de contracción respecto de los velos

«This recalls the whole notion of man being created in God’s image, which is another way of saying we all have a divine spark within us.» — lo que Rankine lee en ese reflejo: la noción del hombre creado a imagen de Dios, que es otra manera de decir que cada uno lleva una chispa divina

«This union within each of us with the divine spirit with the physical emphasizes the fact that matter is also sacred, and not something to be reviled or despised, as many have declared.» — la consecuencia que Rankine saca de esa unión y a quiénes objeta con ella: la materia es también sagrada y no algo que vituperar o despreciar

«Denial of the flesh may be a way to holiness, but there are ways which enable us to experience the fullness of life as well as pursue our spiritual path, and this is vital in our modern age.» — la posición que Rankine toma sobre la ascesis, concediendo antes de objetar: negar la carne puede ser vía de santidad, y aun así hay modos de vivir la plenitud de la vida y seguir el camino espiritual

«AHIH adds to 21, which is the mystic number of Tiphereth, demonstrating the potential of the unknowable divine to express itself through the manifest beauty of Tiphereth. 21 is also the total for “purity’ (ZChV), expressing the essential quality of the first manifestation, and “deep meditation” (HGIG), implying looking deep within to find the connection to the divine.» — las tres equivalencias del 21 que trae Rankine para el Nombre de Kether: el número místico de Tiphereth, la pureza y la meditación profunda

«An expanded version of this Name is also sometimes used, which is AHIH AShR AHIH, “I am that I am”. This is also sometimes translated as the alternative title of Kether, “Existence of Existences» — la versión ampliada del Nombre de Kether que Rankine consigna, con sus dos traducciones

«Metatron (or Methratron) is the “Voice of God”. The force of God’s voice is perceived as being too great for any living being, that it would destroy them through its power. Hence Metatron acts as the voice of God, enabling that force to be expressed in a manner that does not overcome.» — el arcángel de Kether y la función que Rankine le adjudica: la voz de Dios, cuya fuerza destruiría a cualquier ser vivo si no se expresara por él

«Enoch is said to become Metatron, raised to the highest rank due to his piety, becoming transformed into a being of pure fire.» — lo que Rankine consigna como dicho sobre el origen de Metatrón: Enoc convertido en él por su piedad y transformado en ser de puro fuego

«The Kabbalistic scholar Gershom Scholem gives evidence to suggest that Metatron was originally the secret name of Michael, and that this tradition survived until the fourth century CE.» — lo que Rankine adjudica a Gershom Scholem, nombrándolo como estudioso y no como voz propia: que Metatrón fue en origen el nombre secreto de Miguel

«This connection shows the bond between Kether and Tiphereth as Father and Son, Great and Lesser Countenance.» — lo que Rankine lee en esa conexión: el lazo entre Kether y Tiphereth como Padre e Hijo, Rostro Mayor y Rostro Menor

«Similarly it seems likely that the secret name of Metatron (i.e. the archangel of Kether) was Akhtariel, which was always written followed by Yah YHVH.» — la conjetura que Rankine formula marcándola como probable: el nombre secreto de Metatrón habría sido Akhtariel

«Metatron always wears a crown (indicative of Kether), the brilliance of which makes it impossible to look at his head directly. When visualizing him he usually seen seated on a throne, or standing about 3m tall, with an incredibly beautiful face, which is more masculine than most of the Archangels. He wears a brilliant white robe, and rainbows seem to fill the air all around him when he moves.» — la descripción de Metatrón que el manual da para visualizarlo, con la corona cuyo brillo impide mirarle la cabeza

«Metatron adds to 314, the same as remote (RChVQ), which fits with Metatron’s place as one of the seven Archangels in god’s presence, and as archangel of Kether.» — la primera equivalencia del cómputo de Metatrón: 314 vale también remoto, lo que Rankine casa con su lugar entre los siete que están ante Dios

«314 is also Shaddai, a title of Yesod and Divine Name, showing the role of that Sephira as described in The Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom, to “dispose the unity ... without diminution or division» — la segunda equivalencia del mismo cómputo, con la que Rankine ata Metatrón a Yesod por los Treinta y dos Senderos

«Metatron is the archangel referred to in Exodus 23:21 “Take heed of him, and hearken unto his voice; be not rebellious against him; for he will not pardon your transgression; for My name is in him.» — el versículo de Éxodo 23:21 que Rankine adjudica a Metatrón

«They are described in Ezekiel 1:613, as having the body of a man, with four faces, of the four elemental creatures of Man (Air), Lion (Fire), Eagle (Water) and Bull (Earth). Each one has two pairs of wings, and their feet are described as being like the sole of a calf's foot, and of burnished bronze. The angels appear joined in a circle, with wings linked on either side, and with an amber-coloured fire between them, from which shoots forth lightning.» — la descripción de esos ángeles que Rankine toma de Ezequiel, con los cuatro rostros elementales, los pies de becerro y el fuego de ámbar entre ellos. El impreso corta el rango de versículos *1:6-13* a fin de renglón y la extracción une las dos mitades, de modo que el verbatim sale con la cifra corrida.

«They are referred to in medieval Grimoire texts as the Seraphim.» — la advertencia con que Rankine separa dos usos del mismo nombre: los grimorios medievales llaman Serafines a los ángeles de Kether

«We can see that the faces are those of the animals corresponding to the fixed or so-called Kerubic signs of the Zodiac, i.e. man (Aquarius), lion (Leo), eagle (Scorpio) and bull (Taurus).» — lo que Rankine lee en esos cuatro rostros: los signos fijos o querúbicos del zodiaco

«This was used as a term to describe the “Milky Way”, also known as the encompassing Serpenf, and can be seen as the completion of the Path of the Serpent on the Tree of Life, having ascended through all the paths and finally reached Kether.» — el cielo de Kether y lo que Rankine le lee: el término describía la Vía Láctea, llamada también la Serpiente que envuelve, y cierra el Camino de la Serpiente

«Lay out a blanket and lie on the ground, gazing at the stars overhead. Contemplate the stars, and recite the phrase “Ribbono shel Olahm”» — el procedimiento de la meditación de las estrellas y la frase hebrea que manda recitar como mantra; el tramo corta antes de la llamada de nota que el impreso pega a la traducción inglesa

«However within the divinity of Kether is a vital lesson to remember, which is that it is reflected in Malkuth - “Kether is in Malkuth, and Malkuth in Kether,» — la lección que Rankine declara vital dentro de la divinidad de Kether: que se refleja en Malkuth, según el dicho cabalístico que vuelve a citar. El tramo se corta donde el impreso mete las notas al pie y el folio

«In this the beginning of the unfolding of the Tree» — lo que Rankine lee en los cuatro rostros querúbicos: se insinúa ahí el comienzo del despliegue del Árbol. El tramo se corta donde el troceo reemite el marcador de plana a media frase

«is hinted at, by showing part of what is to come, the whole wheel of the Zodiac and time.» — la continuación de esa frase al otro lado del corte: lo insinuado es la rueda entera del zodiaco y del tiempo

«and can be seen as the affirmation of existence by the divine. The phrase I am” is one of the most widely used in language, as it qualifies the actions of the individual. It is also used to commence any affirmations.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al Nombre Divino de Kether, que traduce como *yo soy*: la afirmación de la existencia por lo divino, con una frase que llama de las más usadas de la lengua porque califica las acciones del individuo

«and they are also known as the “guardians of the Throne” (Merkavah). They are described in Ezekiel 1:6» — el segundo nombre que Rankine da a los ángeles de Kether, el de guardianes del Trono de la Merkavah, antes de describirlos por Ezequiel

«Thaumiel means “Twins of God” who by their nature imply division into duality of the original unity, denying its fundamental integrity and wonder.» — la Qliphah de Kether y su lectura: los Gemelos de Dios implican la división de la unidad original en dualidad

«Amen adds to 91 (AMN), which is 1(1-13), being the full expression of Unity (AchAD = 13). 91 is the total for Angel (MLAK), showing that God is the source of all the angels» — la gematría con que Rankine lee el título de Amén dado a Kether: 91 es la expresión plena de la Unidad y vale también Ángel

«91 is also the total for Daughter (MLKA), a title of Malkuth, showing the link between these two Sephiroth once more.» — la segunda equivalencia del 91, con la que Rankine vuelve a atar Kether y Malkuth

«In older texts Kether is thus described, and the appendage of heavenly distinguishes it from Chokmah, whilst also making the emanation of that second Sephira from Kether obvious.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Sabiduría Celeste dado a Kether en textos antiguos: el añadido lo distingue de Chokmah y hace ver la emanación

«So called because the light of Kether is unknowable to man and any being in physical form.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Oculto de los Ocultos: la luz de Kether es incognoscible para el hombre y para cualquier ser en forma física

«This title reminds us that the height of the divine countenance is considered vast, and would take centuries to view if traveling constantly, were its full scale appreciated.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Altura Inescrutable: la altura del rostro divino tomaría siglos de viaje constante

«This title is linked to Arik Anpin, “Long of face”, and refers to the vastness of the divine countenance. It is not a reference to the divine having a particularly big nose!» — la acotación con que Rankine desactiva la lectura literal del título de Nariz Larga

«The journey towards perfection, redeeming all the lost light from the “Breaking of the Vessels” is one that will take a vast span of time, hence Kether is longsuffering waiting fro that return to perfection.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Sufrido: el viaje que redime la luz perdida en la rotura de los vasos tomará un lapso vastísimo. El troceo imprime *fro* por *for*. El impreso corta *long-suffering* a fin de renglón y la extracción une las dos mitades, de modo que el verbatim sale con la palabra pegada; y el troceo imprime *fro* por *for*.

«This could be read as the “Single Light” or the “Simplest Light”. Both of these are appropriate, for Kether is indeed the single light of unity, and it is also the simplest light, as it has not divided and is thus simple and not complex.» — la doble traducción que Rankine da al título de Lux Simplicissima y por qué le sirven las dos

«This title refers to the fact that Kether contains the potential and template of all the other Sephira contained within it.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Macroposopos: Kether contiene el potencial y la plantilla de todas las demás sefirot

«This title hints at the link between Kether and the first of the veils of negativity, the Ain, which is the not of not-existence.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Cabeza que no es: el lazo entre Kether y el Ain, que es el no de la no existencia

«As the point of manifestation of the divine essence, the circle being the outward radiation of the creative energy as the perfect shape, without beginning or end.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Punto dentro del Círculo: el círculo como radiación de la energía creadora, figura perfecta sin principio ni fin

«Refers to the initial moment of transition, where the formless became the point, which was small as it was contained within the limitless light of Ain Soph Aur.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título del Punto Pequeño: el momento inicial de transición donde lo informe se hizo punto dentro de la luz ilimitada

«Zair Anpin - The Vast Countenance Implying both the position of Kether on the Tree of Life, and the magnitude of divinity.» — el título que Rankine adjudica aquí a Kether, y que en el capítulo de Tiphereth había dado a esa otra sefirá como Rostro Menor; la contradicción queda consignada sin armonizar

«This title refers to the position of Kether on the Tree of Life, and the association with the colour white, as containing all the other colours within it.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de la Cabeza Blanca: la posición en el Árbol y el blanco que contiene todos los colores

«The ultimate aim of the Great Work is to return to the divine source, i.e. achieve union with god. This experience may occur briefly in moments of meditation when the state of divine bliss (i.e. Samadhi) is achieved, but can only be achieved fully by the dissolving of the identity back into the ultimate.» — la Experiencia de Kether y el límite que Rankine le pone: la unión con Dios puede darse brevemente en el samadhi, pero solo se logra del todo al disolverse la identidad

«By completing the Great Work the magickal experience is automatically experienced. As a goal to strive for this is a wonderful thing, for it sets us an ultimate target. In reality we can only achieve this by moving past the physical and existing as pure energy.» — la Virtud de Kether y la reserva que Rankine le adjunta: la meta es maravillosa y en realidad solo se alcanza pasando lo físico y existiendo como energía pura

«None - Perfection does not have any vices.» — la ausencia que Rankine consigna como dato en Kether: la perfección no tiene vicios

«The indescribable luminosity of the divine is expressed through light beyond colour. All the colours of the spectrum are contained within it, but they are undifferentiated at this point, which is that of undifferentiated purity.» — la razón que Rankine da al Brillo de Kether en la escala del Rey: luz más allá del color, con todo el espectro dentro y sin diferenciar

«The all-containing white is flecked with gold, expressing the purity of the metal most associated with divinity. The potential for the expression of the father (Kether) through the child (Tiphereth) is also hinted at by the gold flecks.» — la razón que Rankine da al blanco moteado de oro de Kether en la escala de la Emperatriz: el metal más asociado a lo divino y el paso del padre al hijo

«Ararita is Notariqon for the phrase Achad Resh Achudohtoh Resh Yechidotoh Temurahtoh Resh, which translates as “One is his beginning, One is his individuality, His permutation is One» — la fórmula mágica de Kether, con la frase hebrea desplegada y su traducción

«This formula emphasises the divine as the inherent creative force present in all life. Though we are all separate, yet we are all interconnected, forming part of the greater whole that is the desire to evolve.» — lo que Rankine lee en esa fórmula: lo divino como fuerza creadora presente en toda vida, con todos separados y a la vez interconectados

«ARARITA sums to 422 (when the T is taken as Teth), which is the same as “The Vast Countenance” (ARIK ANPIN), a title of Kether, demonstrating further the relevance of this formula for this Sephira.» — la primera lectura numérica de esa fórmula: tomada la T como Teth, suma lo mismo que el Rostro Vasto

«This image recalls titles of Kether like the “Ancient of Days” and “Ancient of A n c ie n ts It indicates the wisdom, understanding and knowledge that come from experience. The ancient king has done it all and reached the zenith, being able to go no further.» — lo que Rankine lee en la imagen mágica de Kether: el rey anciano que lo ha hecho todo y llegó al cenit, sin poder ir más lejos

«Kether was also represented as the giant head of a bearded ancient king (the “ Vast Countenance”), rising in profile from an endless sea, indicating the primal nature of Kether. The images are in profile to indicate that Kether can only be glimpsed and never truly known.» — la segunda imagen de Kether que Rankine consigna y la razón del perfil: Kether solo puede vislumbrarse y nunca conocerse de veras

«The very top of the body as Kether is the top of the Tree of Life. Also the crown sits on the top of the head and represents rulership, as the Divine Creator is seen as the ruler of all creation.» — la correspondencia corporal de Kether y la doble razón que Rankine le da: la cima del cuerpo y la corona que representa el gobierno

«Kether is the first Sephira on the Tree, and unsurprisingly its number is 1. Magickally one is the undivided totality, the interconnectedness of all.» — lo que Rankine adjudica al uno de Kether: la totalidad indivisa, la interconexión de todo

«The mystical number of Kether is also 1, as it is the source, and does not have any preceding numbers to add to it.» — la razón que Rankine da para que el número místico de Kether coincida con su número: es la fuente y no tiene números previos que sumar

«Kether adds to 620, as does “The Doors” (ShAaRIM), implying its position and role as the point where the unmanifest energies of the veils of negativity become manifest as the primal essence, which then permeates the rest of the Tree with its divinity.» — el cómputo de Kether y lo que Rankine le lee: 620 vale también las Puertas, por donde lo inmanifestado de los velos se hace manifiesto

«620 is also the total of the words Chokmah Binah Daath (ChKMH BINH VDAaTh), the first descending triad of the Tree, and shows that the divine essence can also be expressed through its separation into the duality of male and female and the resulting product of their union, expressed as a product of thought rather than a physical child (which is Tiphereth).» — la segunda equivalencia del 620 y lo que Rankine le saca: la esencia divina expresada por la separación en macho y hembra y el producto de su unión, aquí como producto del pensamiento

«The four Aces are attributed to Kether. The Aces are the roots of the powers of the Elements as expressed in the subsequent numbers from 2-10, the unfolding of the potential power of the Elements through their manifestations.» — las cartas que Rankine adjudica a Kether y su lectura: los ases como raíces de los poderes de los elementos

«The ouroboros serpent with its tail in its mouth symbolising both eternity and making the glyph of zero is appropriate to Kether, particularly as it also implies the veils of negativity beyond Kether, which Kether manifests.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el uróboros a Kether: simboliza la eternidad y dibuja el cero, con lo que apunta a los velos más allá

«The swan is attributed to Kether due to its colouring and regal nature, and ability to live in the three environments of air, water and earth. It is also suggested that this attribution is made due to the linking of the swan with the Sanskrit word Aumgn, which represents the creative impulse of the universe.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el cisne a Kether, con la segunda razón dicha como sugerida por otros: el enlace con el Aumgn sánscrito

«Diamond is the hardest of minerals, formed of one substance only, carbon, which is necessary for all life. The beauty of diamond, and the way it refracts light, as well as its ability to amplify energy and its incredible value all make it a symbol of Kether. Also diamond takes its name from the Greek adamas meaning unconquerable, and this also hints at the creation of Adam Kadmon and the manifestation of man.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el diamante a Kether, con la etimología griega de invencible ligada a Adam Kadmon

«The almond is associated with the Rod of Aaron, and represents the whole of the Middle Pillar. The flowering almond at the top of the plant thus symbolises Kether at the top of the Middle Pillar.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el almendro en flor a Kether: la vara de Aarón y el Pilar Medio entero

«Ambergris enhances the fragrance of any smell it is mixed with, so it brings out the best of them, expressing the Kether aspect.» — el criterio con que Rankine atribuye el ámbar gris a Kether: realza cualquier fragancia con la que se mezcle

«The point represents the first manifestation, indefinable and intangible yet still manifest, as is Kether.» — lo que Rankine lee en el punto como herramienta de Kether: la primera manifestación, indefinible e intangible y sin embargo manifiesta

«Ptah as the Creator God who brings the universe into being through the “thoughts of his heart and the words of his mouth» — una entrada del catálogo egipcio de Kether, donde el criterio de atribución va citado del propio mito

«because of the vastness of the divine countenance. This may also be translated as the “Patient One” and indicates the pure compassion of the divine.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Arik Anpin: la vastedad del rostro divino, y en su segunda traducción, el Paciente, la compasión pura de lo divino

«internal Light” or “Light within” recalls the illuminating power of Kether as the first manifestation of the divine from the veils of negativity, and recalls the thread of light in Tzim-Tzum.» — lo que Rankine lee en el título de Lux Interna: el poder iluminador de Kether como primera manifestación desde los velos, y el hilo de luz del Tzim-Tzum

«taken as a Tav, it adds to 813 (ARARIThA) the same as Genesis 1:3 - “And God said Let there be Light, and there was Light, which expresses the first illumination of Kether.» — la segunda lectura numérica de la fórmula de Kether, que Rankine consigna junto a la anterior: tomada la T como Tav, la cifra coincide con el versículo del fiat lux

«Theos Hypsistos as the ultimate deity, of whom all others are perceived as aspects.» — la única entrada del catálogo romano de Kether, que devuelve al culto que Rankine puso al principio del libro entre las raíces de la cábala

«This meditation draws on the power of the Divine Name of Kether - AHIH (Ee-hay-ya). As this name means “/ a/77”, this English translation is used to prefix the declarations of awareness meditation. You then use the phrase repeatedly, until you have exhausted your awareness and alter a state of bliss.» — la meditación de la consciencia que el manual prescribe para Kether, construida sobre la traducción del Nombre Divino. El troceo imprime *alter* donde el sentido pide *enter*

«So e.g. you might start “/ am aware that it is warm in here; I am aware that I am wearing a blue top; I am aware that a car alarm is going off outside; etc When you have stopped being able to think of anything, silence and bliss enter your mind.» — el ejemplo con que Rankine muestra cómo se enuncian esas declaraciones de consciencia hasta agotarlas

«The moment that you start to be aware of yourself as an individual again and your internal dialogue starts up, loudly vibrate the expanded divine name AHIH AShR AHIH (Ee-hay-ya Ash-er Ee-hay-ya)» — la instrucción de cierre de esa meditación: al reaparecer el diálogo interno, vibrar en voz alta el Nombre ampliado

«Concentrate again on the darkness in the room, and see it as a deep velvety darkness, that seems to enclose the flame. Return your attention to the flame and perceive it as the light of Kether surrounded by the Ain Soph.» — el remate propio de la meditación de la llama en su segunda aparición, la de Kether: la llama vista como la luz de Kether rodeada por el Ain Soph

«Pathworking is a form of creative visualisation. Its name is descriptive of its purpose - literally to “wo/ifc the paths” of the Tree of Life. The term is now used to describe guided visualisations generally, but its original purpose was for exploration of Qabalistic symbolism, and through this greater understanding of the self and the universe.» — la definición de pathworking que da el manual y su propósito original: explorar el simbolismo cabalístico y con él el yo y el universo

«To experience these fully, you may find it helpful to tape yourself reading the descriptions given. Tape them slowly, leaving gaps, to allow yourself to clearly visualise the details when you perform them. Experience will soon show you the optimum spacing for you.» — la instrucción práctica que el manual da para los pathworkings: grabarse leyendo las descripciones despacio y con pausas

«Generally pathworkings are most effective when they last for 10-20 minutes.» — la duración que el manual declara óptima para un pathworking

«To begin a pathworking, ensure that you are sitting comfortably. You may lie down, but this is not recommended as it can result in you falling asleep! Close your eyes and focus on your breathing, making sure you have a comfortable breathing rhythm.» — la postura que el manual prescribe para empezar un pathworking, con la advertencia de no tumbarse por el riesgo de dormirse