18 Planes
of Existence
18.1 Primordial
planes
The Ari z”l, Isaac Luria, was the first to describe the cosmological
structure above the world of Atzulut, the place of the sefirot. I described a
journey that took me to the place of G-d before time and space in a previous
vision.
[1323]
That vision brought me to the limit of what is knowable about G-d and then into
the Nothingness beyond, Ayn Sof. This vision focuses on the experience of the 4
Expansions of the Name of G-d in the 5th universe residing above the apex of the
Yod, what is known as Adam Kadmon.
18.1.1 Adam Kadmon
I used the following finger response techniques for
obtaining answers from the subconscious. Answers with movements of the right
hand are for the good (tov), those with the left hand are not so (ra). The
lifting of the index finger means yes, the pinkie means no, and the fingers in
between are degrees between yes and
no.
[1324]
Meditation 18-1: Into Daat and Up Through Havayah
17th of Tamuz 5754 – Morning
I ascended to Malchuts and then to
Yesod[1325] with the help of
angels lifting me into the light. From Yesod I went to the Garden of Eden where
I saw the Lubavitcher Rebbe
shlita[1326]
standing outside the gates. I asked him the secret to getting married and he
said, “Emunah, that one must believe with all one’s will for it to
happen.” I asked if he were Moshiach and he answered again with Emunah,
that he has done all he could, it is up to us to believe with all our mind for
Moshiach to be.
I wanted to ascend higher to see the Tzaddik Emes, Rebenu z”l. I
passed through Tiferets and was stuck at the Gates of
Daat[1327] that I did not know
how to open. I did not know the Name of Hashem associated with this
sefirah.[1328] Eventually I saw
Binah as a mother and Hochmah as a father embrace and the gates were opened and
Binah lifted me up and showed her husband what she had found. I said, “I
need to speak to the Tzaddik Emes and you should help me.” The father
took me and passed me into the base of Keter. The entry to Keter opened inward
like a hole punched upward through paper, like a new gate made for each who
enters. I said, “I will to ascend to the level to see the Tzaddik
Emes.” I was lifted through the blackness into the worlds above. I entered
the level of MaH – 45 and the expansion of the Havayah was before me and
then BN – 52, and then SaG – 63, and finally AV – 72 where I
saw Rebenu z”l standing.
He was so happy. He said, “I am as proud of you as one of my
finest students for though you live in the recesses of the world, you have
learned so much of my teachings and have studied with my
teachers.”[1329] It is
impossible to describe the joy he felt and I felt to reach him. I asked Rabbenu
z”l to help me with a question and he put his hands upon my head to know
the situation. I asked him what he is doing at this level and he said,
“you should continue to learn my teachings and you will understand, but
for now it is beyond
you.”[1330] All of a
sudden, I felt a vacuum pulling me down and I descended through the Tree in
rapid progression through all of the sefirot and upper worlds.
Meditation 18-2: Adam Kadmon
Regressed myself back to the point of conception and witnessed a spark
of light like a shooting star back to its place in the heavens waiting to be
born. As I followed the white star back into the night sky, I found its
stationary location in the right wrist of Adam Kadmon. Like the rest of the
sparks, it was motionless waiting to be reborn. I felt the incredible longing
in the spark for the chance at life again, for the chance to improve its
station. How long it waited to be born. Such a longing, the other sparks
felt the same. All were waiting for suitable parents to provide a chance in
life.[1331]
18.1.2 Expansion
of the name Hashem
19th of Tamuz 5754
To understand the secret of entering Daat and Rabenu z”l’s
role at the level of AV. From the Ari z”l:
YVD HY VYV HY
יוד הי
ויו הי
The Tetragrammaton expanded with Yods, adding up to 72 (Ab) motivates
the union of Hochmah – Wisdom (Father) and Binah – Understanding
(Mother), through the Neshamah of the Neshamah (i.e. Chaya) of the saint. It is
associated with Hochmah –
Wisdom.[1332]
The saint in this case is Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, who can make it
possible to enter Daat through his Chaya bringing Hochmah and Binah together for
one to enter there. He is at the level of AV for it is Mekor Hochmah, the
source of wisdom, and also part of the name of his new settlement in Israel,
Nachal Novea Mekor Hochmah where his efforts on high in the spiritual realm
parallel the physical construction in our world. The name of the settlement
translates to “The Source of Wisdom is a Flowing
Brook.”
The
words of a man's mouth are as deep waters,and the wellspring
of wisdom as a flowing brook.(Proverbs 18:4)
Elsewhere Rabbi Nachman speaks of a ‘Nachal Novea Mekor Chokhmah
–
נחל
נובע מקור
חכמה where the initial letters rearranged spell
at Nachman –
ןנחמ.
[1333]
Because the letters must be rearranged the verse holds a secret –
סוד.
18.2 Astral
and Ethereal Planes
The Astral plane is a place
outside of all places and yet connecting all. When in the Astral plane, one is
invisible to all beings in other planes and yet able to observe all. The Astral
body is a glowing white light and connects to its physical source by a line of
light. It is also possible to teleport the physical body to the location of the
Astral body in the non-physical planes. In this way one can interact with
beings on other planes. The advantage of Astral travel is that it is possible
to bypass gate keepers to reach spiritual destinations since one can only be
seen by other beings on the Astral plane. The disadvantage to Astral travel is
that it is difficult and one must achieve a high degree of purification and shed
the physical body to enter this plane.
Text
18-1: Zohar on Ethereal and
Astral Planes
For every letter that was transmitted to Moses, used to ascend as a
crown upon the heads of the holy celestial Hayyoth, who with them flitted
through the ether which is under the refined and unknowable
supernal
ether.[1334] There
were large letters and small letters; the large letters came from the most high
and hidden Temple (hekhal) and the smaller letters from another lower Temple;
and both kinds were transmitted to Moses on Sinai, along with their occult
combinations.[1335]The
Ethereal plane is an inner plane that is experienced while dreaming at night.
The Ethereal plane connects all physical places in the Universe and enables the
subconscious to explore their locations. One can enter the Ethereal plane from
the Astral plane but not vice-versa.
R. Eleazar began here
with the verse, “Ask thee a sign [Tr. note: The Hebrew word is oth, which
in Talmudic Hebrew commonly means “letter”] of the Lord thy God, ask
it either in the depth or in the height above” (Isa. VII, 11). He said:
‘We have compared the former with the latter generations, and found that
the former were conversant with a higher wisdom by which they knew how to
combine the letters that were given to Moses on Mount Sinai, and even the
sinners of Israel knew a deep wisdom contained in the letters and the difference
between higher and lower letters, and how to do things with them in this world.
For every letter that was transmitted to Moses used to ascend as a crown upon
the heads of the holy celestial Chayot, who with them flitted through the ether
which is under the refined and unknowable supernal ether. There were large
letters and small letters; the large letters came from the most high and hidden
Temple (hekhal) and the smaller letters from another lower Temple; and both
kinds were transmitted to Moses on Sinai, along with their occult combinations..
[Tr. note: The rest of this passage up to 3b [“And he called...”]
deals mainly with the occult powers of various letters. The whole is omitted
from the editiones majores of Mantua, Cremona, and Lublin.][Note:The last
fifteen lines of the Hebrew text do not appear in the translation as explained
in the previous translator's note]
Meditation 18-3: Astral Travel
Astral Travel – May 19, 1997 –
27th
Day of Omer – 8 PM
Today is influenced by Yesod in Netzah which brings righteous foundation
to eternal visions. I visited Berkeley and the Hochmat HaLev meditation center
for their weekly meditation. I took the BART up to Berkeley from Fremont and
read a little of Crowley’s book on Magic. I had been trying to decipher
the mystery of the Astral plane. I was late and jettisoned myself into the
silent meditation.
I saw forms of the archangels descend and they
pushed me higher from Malchuts to Yesod. The angels passed me to other angels
in a chain fashion each pushing me higher. Each complained about my state of
impurity and quickly pushed me to the next angel. Eventually something had to
be done about the impure state and I beheld a boiling pool of water and sulfuric
acid. There was a small sense of fear and then I was tossed into the pool. I
sank into the waters and felt myself suffocating. As I sank, I noticed an
angelic mermaid form near the bottom of the pool and she spoke to me, “You
are safe here.” I began to breath and I noticed that the bottom of the
pool was pure acid. The color was a blue-green. Quickly, the acid burned away
my clothes. I asked the angel where I was and I was informed that I was in the
Lower Plane of Water between the sefirot of Netzah and Hod. There are different
types of liquids in the lower planes and this was a place of acid. I asked who
she was and she said that her name would be the Hebrew word for acid with the
suffix of an
angel.[1336] I
asked if she was an angel. She said that most beings are messengers of Hashem
but that her role was more of an acid elemental. I noticed my skin was burning
and pealing away and I beheld a pure white form of light emerging from the
shell.
She told me that this was my Astral body and that I would be able to
enter the Astral plane with it, while she watched over the remains of my
physical form. I traveled quickly out of the pool and noticed a new perspective
on the Sefirotic Tree. I was outside of the tree now looking in while connected
with a line of white light to my body in the Lower Plane of Water. I noticed
that I could look into any world yet I could not be a part of any of them. I
glanced into Tiferet and descended into the world. I saw Jacob there in
discussion with other religious sages. None of them noticed me because I was
not really in that world. I moved out of the sphere and then gazed into Hesed
and saw Abraham and Sarah there performing eternal chores associated with their
meeting tent and they too could not see me. I popped out and then gazed into
Binah and beheld the great angelic mother transmitting light energy and above
her chains of other angels in an eternal dance. Though I wanted to dance with
the angels, they could not see me and I understood the limitations of the Astral
plane.
I asked about the Ethereal plane and found that I
could enter it invisibly with the Astral body. I saw many dream souls within
the beatific scenes of the ethereal world. Finally, I returned to Binah and
asked what it would take to be seen so that I could dance with the angels. I
understood that I could merge back with the physical body while within the
sphere of Binah. I drew my body up from the Plane of Water and wrapped my body
around my Astral form. Immediately I became physical in the World of Binah and
the angels saw me and descended. I began to dance with them in great joy. I
joined with their ascent to the world of Keter and we entered this world
carrying the prayers of those singing into the realm of Will. I began to fall
through a center column of the angels, each one closing its wings around me in a
salute of departure. I unwrapped back into the astral body and the angels
departed.
Nevertheless, all alone, I heard the Voice of
G-d,
and I knew before G-d we are never
invisible.
18.3 Space
Travel
Meditation 18-4: Space Travel
April 25, 2000
I ascended into Malchuts with the name Adonai. This was Malchuts of
Asiyah, a round cave with an opening at the top into Yesod. With further
ascent, I encountered Eloah the source of creation. “I was here before and
I will be here after. All that is I created.” I asked about His
relation to El Shaddai? “She is my younger sister. She is within
creation nurturing and helping to grow.” And what of El Chai? “He
is the little brother, younger than El Shaddai. He causes the motion and
springiness of life.” And what do you know of Eheyeh asher Eheyeh.
“He is before me and will be after me before and beyond the
Creator.” And of YHVH? “He is the viaduct connecting all of the
higher spiritual places to creation. We are all connected to the root of
Names, Yuhoah.” And El? “El is the prefix of my name and is the
kindness that bestowed creation.” And of Elohim? “This is the din
balancing kindness.” And of Yah. “Ah, Yah is in the crown and is
the source of the higher energies sustaining the energies
below.”[1337]
I asked to be shown a black hole that I may understand its role. I was
shown an ocean of plasma before the creation of our world. I asked what is
this? “Before your Universe existed, Hashem made previous universes.
These are the remnants of the previous one. As the plasma cooled, gravity
pulled particles together. Ultimately all was pulled into the great central
light of the Universe. This is like the light of YHVH in Tiferets. This great
star went super nova spewing elements throughout the Universe.
I entered the black hole. According to general relativity, gravity
slows down time. Hence within a singularity time slows, maybe even stops.
Light doesn’t emanate from a black hole due to gravity. This is like the
place of Keter. There is no surface. One can fall into the singularity and be
one with G-d.
One can communicate with each individual name of G-d. In this manner
one can explore the meaning of concepts within the subjective perspective of
differing attributes.
Meditation 18-5: Flying into the Past / Remaking the
Present
October 26, 2002
From a spiritual dream on Shabbat afternoon. During the dream, I was
revealed to the divine name Wah –
וה. By
saying this Name of G-d, one can elevate oneself to flying in a lucid dream or
staying in flight. In addition to flying across space, Wah permits one to fly
across time and visit the past and return to the future. Encountering the past
with Wah changes the present so that one will find that when one returns to the
date that one left, the place will look different in some small way and be
different in a larger way. In my dream I started from Bimah, the raised place
in a Jewish sanctuary, and I returned to the same place, though its appearance
had changed and also reality.
How does Wah –
וה
transform reality? Quite simply, this name associates with Binah, mistress of
the future. Yah –
יה
associates with Hochmah, master of the past. One recites Wah, over and over, to
ascend in flight. Even without dreaming Wah is effective. Jacob dreamed of the
angels ascending to heaven and returning.
One should try to become familiar or known to others in places of
worship. One should teach others spiritual ways, though one would find that it
is difficult to teach others to travel the Tree of Life, to travel in time.
This week was Shabbas Vayera – ‘And G-d appeared’ to
Abraham on the plains of
Mamre –
אלני
ממרא. Three men appear to Abraham and
Abraham offers them hospitality. From here we learn that one doesn’t ask
questions when a guest arrives, that it does not matter if they are Jewish or
not, and that one quickly prepares something for them to drink and eat. As the
guests are present, G-d speaks to Abraham and tells him that He will destroy
S’dom. G-d does not speak through one of the angels on this subject.
Nevertheless, Abraham questions G-d on this until they decide that if he finds
ten good men, G-d will not destroy the city for the sake of the ten. From here
we learn the principle that it is meritorious to pray with a minyan, a group of
ten. Interestingly, Abraham does not pray to save his son when G-d commands him
to take Isaac for a sacrifice. Why did he not pray for Isaac though he prayed
for S’dom. This teaches that before one can pray for a mercy that there
must be justice. Because Isaac had done nothing wrong, the command to sacrifice
him was not a punishment, hence without justice there is no concept of
mercy.[1338]
On the other hand, G-d would punish the people of S’dom for their sins,
hence Abraham could pray for mercy. From here we also learn that since G-d
created the universe with the name Elohim, he created it with justice; in so
doing, He necessitated the principle of mercy in the
world.[1339]
One should be a good example to others. One should develop a
‘center of gravity’. With a ‘center of gravity’ one can
travel in other circles and be without personal
conflict.[1340] Developing a
‘center of gravity’ requires a commitment to ones principles. It is
harder to keep ones principles than to know them.
[1323] see ‘Back to
the Beginning’
meditation
[1324] Led by a
simple eye closure hypnosis
tape.
[1325] In Yesod, I saw
the Nickelsburg Rebbe who like all living Tzaddikim ascend regularly to this
sefira. Yesod which means foundation is symbolized by the Tzaddik Joseph. The
gematria of Yesod –
יסוד is 80.
Sod which means secret is 70. Yesod is also the 8th sefira representing
dedication. The temple was rededicated to Hashem on the 8 days of Hanukkah.
Likewise, the tzaddik dedicates his entire life to Hashem. Yesod is the home of
the tzaddikim (and the Living G-d) while they are living, El
Chai.
[1326] I saw him as in
a portrait picture that can be found in the house of Chabad shalichim –
messengers.
[1327] Daat or
knowledge is the quasi sefira which is the result of mastery of wisdom,
understanding, kindness, and responsibility. It is the gateway to Keter, the
crown of G-d, which is the place of G-d’s
will.
[1328] A
cherub
came with a coal & placed it in my mouth and I
was cleansed and my mouth opened. The place of Daat does not associate with a
single name of G-d but one must open his mouth with wisdom to
enter.
[1329] The tapes of a
Breslov
teacher in Los Angeles, name unknown, and the
tapes of Rabbi Aryeh
Rosenfield.
[1330] In
Rabbi Nachman
Letter[1331] Palo Alto
JCC meditation group under the direction of Ira Brandell meets Thursday at 7
PM.
[1332] Shaar
Ruach
Hakodesh, p. 110. First Yichud. Quoted in
Meditation and Kabbalah, Page
238.
[1333] Likutey Moharan,
Ch. 19, Page 188, bottom notes. Also see Chayeh Moharan i.e. Tzaddik
#86.
[1334]
Astral
[1335] Soncino
translation of Zohar, Vayikra, Section 3, page 2a on the small aleph on the
first word of the Torah
portion.
[1336] Acid is
humetz, the word for vinegar is hometz
that which we must
remove from our household and soul to purify ourselves. The angel’s name
is Humzahel –
חומצהאל[1337]
Yah associates with Hochmah which is nearest Keter. Crown here refers to the
location of the three highest sefira in
general.
[1338] Adam Walton,
October 26, 2002
[1339] Adam
Walton, October 26,
2002
[1340] Micha Baruch at
Shaare Tefilah in Salt Lake City