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  Assiah, action—matter, man, shells, demons.

  The ten houses, or heavens, of Assiah, the material world are:

  1. Primum Mobile, Rashith ha Gilgalim.

  2. Sphere of the Zodiac, Mazloth.

  3. Sphere of Saturn, Shabbathai.

  4. Sphere of Jupiter, Tzedek.

  5. Sphere of Mars, Madim.

  6. Sphere of Sol, Shemesh.

  7. Sphere of Venus, Nogah.

  8. Sphere of Mercury, Kokab.

  9. Sphere of Luna, Levanah.

  10. Sphere of the Elements, Olam Yesodoth.6

  The Serpent on the Tree of Life

  The traditional tarot consists of a pack of seventy-eight cards made up of four suits of fourteen cards each, together with twenty-two trumps, or major arcana, which tell the story of the soul. Each suit consists of ten numbered cards, as in the modern playing cards, but there are four instead of three honours: King or Knight, Queen, Prince or Emperor, Princess or Knave.

  The four suits are:

  1. Wands or Sceptres comparable to Diamonds.

  2. Cups or Chalices comparable to Hearts.

  3. Swords comparable to Spades.

  4. Pentacles or Coins comparable to Clubs.

  The Divine Names Attributed to the Sephiroth

  No. of Sephirah

  Divine Name

  (Atziluth)

  Archangelic Name

  (Briah)

  Choir of Angels

  (Yetzirah)

  1. Kether

  Eheieh

  Metatron

  Chayoth ha-Qadesh

  2. Chokmah

  Yah

  Raziel

  Auphanim

  3. Binah

  YHVH Elohim

  Tzaphqiel

  Aralim

  4. Chesed

  El

  Tzadqiel

  Chashmalim

  5. Geburah

  Elohim Gibor

  Kamael

  Seraphim

  6. Tiphareth

  YHVH Eloah Vedaath

  Raphael

  Melekim

  7. Netzach

  YHVH Tzabaoth

  Haniel

  Elohim

  8. Hod

  Elohim Tzabaoth

  Michael

  Beni Elohim

  9. Yesod

  Shaddai El Chai

  Gabriel

  Kerubim

  10. Malkuth

  Adonai ha-Aretz

  Sandalphon

  Ashim

  Note by Regardie: The student should himself draw several Trees of Life, and upon them place the above names in proper order. Only by doing this will he learn of their significance.

  Planetary Names

  Name of Planet in Hebrew

  Angel

  Intelligence

  Spirit

  Shabbathai

  Cassiel

  Agiel

  Zazel

  Tzedek

  Sachiel

  Iophiel

  Hismael

  Madim

  Zamael

  Graphiel

  Bartzabel

  Shemesh

  Michael

  Nakhiel

  Sorath

  Nogah

  Hanael

  Hagiel

  Kedemel

  Kokab

  Raphael

  Tiriel

  Taphthartharath

  Levanah

  Gabriel

  Malkah be Tarshisim

  ve-ad Ruachoth

  Schechalim

  Schad Barschemoth

  ha-Shartathan

  Second Meditation

  Let the Zelator meditate on a straight line. Let him take a ruler or a pencil and by moving it a distance equal to its length, outline a square. Having done this, let him, after quieting his mind with the rhythmic breathing taught in the first meditation, mentally formulate a cube, and endeavour to discover the significance of this figure and its correspondences.

  Let him meditate upon minerals and crystals, choosing especially a crystal of salt and, entering into it, actually feel himself of crystalline formation. Looking out on the universe from this standpoint, let him identify himself with the earth spirits in love and sympathy, recalling as far as he can their prayer as said in the closing of the Zelator grade.

  Let him meditate upon the earth triplicity, visualizing the symbols of a bull—a virgin—a goat—which stand for Kerubic earth—mutable earth—cardinal earth. For the above terms consult a simple astrology manual. Make notes of the ideas and pictures which arise in your mind.

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  5. Note from JMG: This is a canticle used in Christian worship, also known as the Song of Creation, in which all the works of creation are called upon to bless, praise, and sanctify God.

  6. Note by Regardie: This is sometimes rendered Cholem Yesodoth, and translated “The Breaker of Foundations.” I am pretty certain that this is a mistake no doubt due to a printer’s error in reproducing “Ch” in place of “Gh,” the latter being intended for Ayin, according to some older systems of transliteration.

  THEORICUS GRADE PAPERS

  Third Knowledge Lecture

  The soul is divided by the Qabalists into three principal parts:

  1. Neschamah, the highest part, answering to the three supernals.

  2. Ruach, the middle part, answering to the six Sephiroth from Chesed to Yesod inclusive.

  3. Nephesch, the lowest, answering to Malkuth.

  Neschamah answers to the higher aspirations of the soul. Ruach answers to the mind and reasoning powers. Nephesch answers to the animal instincts. Chiah answers to Chokmah, yechidah to Kether, while neschamah itself is referred to Binah.7

  The Sepher Yetzirah divides the Hebrew letters into three classes of three, seven, and twelve.

  Three mothers:

  Seven double letters:

  Twelve single letters:

  The Holy Place embraces the symbolism of the twenty-two letters. The table of shewbread, the single letters. The Altar of Incense, the three mothers.

  Astral spirits are those belonging to the astral plane. Such are false and illusionary forms, shells of the dead, and ghosts and phantoms. Elemental spirits are those belonging to the nature of the elements; some are good and some are evil. An angel is a pure and high spirit of unmixed good in office and operation.

  In the tarot, the ten small cards of each suit refer to the Sephiroth. The four suits refer to the letters of Tetragrammaton thus:

  Sceptres or Wands to Yod

  Cups—Heh

  Swords—Vau

  Pentacles—Heh (final)

  The four suits also refer to the four worlds of the Qabalists thus:

  Sceptres to Atziluth

  Cups—Briah

  Swords—Yetzirah

  Pentacles—Assiah

  The honours of the tarot pack are, as it were, the vice-gerents of the Great Name, in the Qabalistic world to which each suit is referred. They also symbolize father, mother, son, daughter, birth, life, death, and resurrection.

  The seventeen squares out of a square of lesser squares, refer to the sun in the twelve signs of the zodiac and the four elements.

  This form of the caduceus of Hermes is that of the three mother letters placed on one another thus:

  Fylfot Cross

  Mother Letters Caduceus

  The caduceus has another meaning on the Tree of Life. The upper part wings touch Chokmah and Binah: These are the three supernals. The seven lower Sephiroth are embraced by the twin serpents whose heads rest upon Chesed and Geburah.

  The meaning of Luna on the Tree of Life is thus: in its increase it embraces the side of mercy; in its decrease the side of severity; and at the full, it reflects the sun of Tiphareth.

  Tree of Life Caduceus

  Third Meditation

  Let the Theoricus practice the moon breath, while saying mentally the word Aum. (Moon breath is through the left nostril only.)

  Let him m
editate upon the waxing and waning crescents, while visualizing a silver crescent upon an indigo background.

  Let him now call before his mind the signs of the airy triplicity zgem, zlib, and zaqua and enclosed in these, let him meditate upon the numbers nine and five and therewith the forms of the pentagram and pentangle.

  Let him now rise in imagination above the mineral world into the world of trees and flowers and identify himself in love and sympathy with the powers of the elements behind these.

  Let him realize the mental world where mind rules over matter, and let him meditate upon the ideas of appearance and reality.

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  7. Note by JMG: That is, yechidah, chiah, and neschamah are the three highest parts of the soul; the term neschamah is also used for all three collectively.

  PRACTICUS GRADE PAPERS

  Fourth Knowledge Lecture

  The Figures of Geomancy and Their Zodiacal Attributions

  Puer Aries

  Puella Libra

  Amissio Taurus

  Rubeus Scorpio

  Albus Gemini

  Acquisitio Sagittarius

  Populus Cancer

  Carcer Capricorn

  Via Cancer

  Tristitia Aquarius

  Fortuna Major Leo

  Laetitia Pisces

  Fortuna Minor Leo

  Caput Draconis Dragon’s Head

  Conjunctio Virgo

  Cauda Draconis Dragon’s Tail

  The numbers and lineal figures appropriate to the planets are:

  Saturn

  3

  Triangle

  Jupiter

  4

  Square

  Mars

  5

  Pentagram

  Sun

  6

  Hexagram

  Venus

  7

  Heptagram

  ury

  8

  Octagram

  Moon

  9

  Enneagram

  The magical squares of the planets are formed of the squares of the number of the planet, arranged so as to yield the same number each way. The number of the sum of each column of figures and the number of the total of all the numbers of the square, are also numbers especially attached to the planet. Thus the number of the planet Saturn is three, square nine, sum of all columns vertical, horizontal, and diagonal fifteen; total sum of all numbers, forty-five.

  These numbers are then formed into divine and spirit names, as is demonstrated in that section of this book dealing with sigils.

  The solid Greek Cubical Cross, the admission badge for the Path of Tau, is composed of twenty-two squares, answering to the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

  Solid Greek Cubical Cross

  The solid triangle or tetrahedron, or Pyramid of Fire, the admission badge for the Path of Shin, represents the simple fire of nature and the latent or hidden fire.

  The three upper triangles refer to fire—solar, volcanic, and astral—while the lowest or basal triangle represents the latent heat.

  Tetrahedron

  The Greek Cross of Thirteen Squares, the admission badge for the Path of Resh, is referred to the sun in the twelve signs of the zodiac, and also in the midst of the four elements.

  Greek Cross

  The Cup of Stolistes, the admission badge to the grade of 3xox = 8xhx, is thus referred to the Tree of Life. It embraces nine of the Sephiroth, exclusive of Kether.

  Yesod and Malkuth are referred to the triangle below, the former to the apex, the latter to the base. Like the caduceus, it further represents the three elements: water, fire, and air. The crescent refers to the waters above the firmament, the sphere to the firmament, and the basal triangle to the consuming fire, which is opposed to the fire symbolized by the upper part of the caduceus.

  Cup of Stolistes

  The symbol of ury on the Tree of Life embraces all but Kether. The horns spring from Daath (Knowledge), which is not, properly speaking, a Sephirah, but rather a conjunction of Chokmah and Binah.

  ury on the Tree of Life

  Attribution of the Tarot Trumps

  Path

  No.

  Tarot Trump

  Letter

  Symbol

  11

  0

  The Foolish Man

  12

  1

  The Juggler

  13

  2

  The High Priestess

  14

  3

  The Empress

  15

  4

  The Emperor

  16

  5

  The Hierophant

  17

  6

  The Lovers

  18

  7

  The Chariot

  19

  8

  Strength (Justice)

  20

  9

  The Hermit (Prudence)

  21

  10

  The Wheel of Fortune

  22

  11

  Justice (Strength)

  23

  12

  The Hanged Man

  24

  13

  Death

  25

  14

  Temperance

  26

  15

  The Devil

  27

  16

  Tower Struck by Lightning

  28

  17

  The Star

  29

  18

  The Moon

  30

  19

  The Sun

  31

  20

  Last Judgment

  32

  21

  The Universe

  Fourth Meditation

  Let the Practicus meditate upon the symbols of the rhomboid and the vesica. Let him seek out their meanings and correspondences. Let him contemplate the symbol of ury and the number eight.

  Let him now learn to control his emotions, on no account giving way to anger, hatred, or jealousy, but to turn the force he hitherto expended in these directions towards the attainment of perfection, that the malarial marsh of his nature may become a clear and limpid lake, reflecting the divine nature truly and without distortion.

  Let him identity himself with the powers of water, considering the water triplicity in all its aspects, with its attributions and correspondences.

  Notes on the Tarot

  by Frater S.R.M.D.8

  In the Tree of Life in the tarot, each Path forms the connecting link between two of the Sephiroth. The king and the queen are the correlations of the Abba and the Aima in that suit; the knight or prince answers to Microprosopus, and the knave or princess which was anciently a female figure, is referred to the bride, Kallah or Malkah.

  Combining, then, the material attributions of the Sephiroth and the Paths, it results that:

  0. Fool = The crown of wisdom, the primum mobile acting through the air on the zodiac.

  1. The Juggler = The crown of understanding, the beginning of material production, the primum mobile acting through the philosophic ury on Saturn.

  2. High Priestess = The crown of beauty, the beginning of sovereignty and beauty, the primum mobile acting through the moon on the sun.