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Golden Dawn Lectures
The Garden of Eden
THE GARDEN OF EDEN BEFORE THE FALL
This diagram is described in the Practicus Ritual. It shows in a glyph the teaching proper to the Practicus on entering the Sephirah HOD which he has reached by the Paths of SHIN and RESH from MALKUTH and YESOD respectively.
At the summit are the THREE SUPERNAL SEPHIROTH summed up into ONE — AlMA ELOHIM, the Mother Supernal — The Woman of the Apocalypse (Chap. 12) clothed with the SUN, the MOON under her feet, and on her head the Crown of Twelve Stars.
It is written ‘So the Name JEHOVAH is joined to the Name ELOHIM, for JEHOVAH planted a Garden Eastward in Eden.’
From the Three Supernals follow the other Sephiroth of THE TREE OF UFE. Below the TREE, proceeding from MALKUTH is THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE of GOOD AND of EVIL which is between the Tree of Life and the World or Assiah or Shells, represented by the Coiled Up DRAGON with Seven Heads and Ten Horns — being the Seven Infernal Palaces and the Ten Averse Sephiroth. (These are described in the text of the Rituals but are not read to the Candidate at his Grade. When studying this diagram, these descriptions should be looked up, but they are not required for the exam.)
The River NAHER flows forth from the Supernal Eden and in DAATH it is divided into Four Heads: —
PISON: Fire — flowing to GEBURAH where there is Gold.
GIHON: Water — the Waters of Mercy, flowing into CHESED.
HIDDIKEL: Air — flowing into TIPHARETH.
PHRATH (Euphrates): Earth — flowing into MALKUTH.
It is written “In DAATH the Depths are broken up and the Clouds drop down dew.”
The word Naher has the meaning ‘perennial stream’ — ’never failing waters’ as opposed to other words meaning Torrent or Brook.
The River going out of Eden is the River of the Apocalypse, the Waters of Life, clear as crystal proceeding from the Throne, on either side of the Tree of Life, bearing all manner of Fruit.
Thus the Rivers form a Cross and on it The GREAT ADAM, the SON who is to rule the Nations, was extended from TIPHARETH and his arms stretch out to GEBURAH AND GEDULAH, and in MALKUTH is EVE, supporting with her hands the TWO PILLARS.
THE GARDEN OF EDEN AFTER THE FALL
This diagram is described in the Philosophus Ritual. It shows in a glyph the teaching proper to a Philosophus on entering the Sephirah NETZACH which he has reached by the Three Paths of QOPH, TZADDI, AND PEH from the SEPHIROTH — MALKUTH, YESOD and HOD respectively.
The Great Goddess EVE, being tempted by the fruits of the TREE OF KNOWLEDGE whose branches tend upwards to the seven lower Sephiroth, but also downward to the Kingdom of Shells, reached down to them and the two pillars were left unsupported.
Then the Sephirotic Tree was shattered. She fell and with her fell the Great ADAM. And the Great Red Dragon arose with his seven heads and ten horns, and EDEN was desolated — and the folds of the Dragon enclosed MALKUTH and linked it to the Kingdom of the Shells.
And the heads of the Dragon rose into the seven lower Sephiroth, even up to DAATH at the feet of Alma Elohim.
Thus were the four Rivers of EDEN desecrated and the Dragon Mouth gave forth the Infernal Waters in DAATH — and this is LEVIATHAN, The Piercing and Crooked Serpent.
But TETRAGRAMMATON ELOHIM placed the Four Letters YHVH of the NAME and the Flaming Sword of the Ten Sephiroth between the devastated Garden and the Supernal Eden, that this should not be involved in the Fall of ADAM.
And it became necessary that a Second Adam should arise to restore the System, and thus, as ADAM had been spread on the
Cross of the Four Rivers, so the Second ADAM should be crucified on the Infernal Rivers of the four armed Cross of DEATH — yet to do this He must descend into the lowest, even MALKUTH the Earth, and be born of her. (Psalm 74. ‘Thou breakest the Heads of Leviathan in pieces.’)
And on the Dragon Heads were the names of the eight Kings of EDOM and on his horns the names of the Eleven Dukes of EDOM, for DAATH having developed in the Dragon a new Head, the Seven Headed Dragon with Ten Horns became Eight Headed and Eleven Horned. (Genesis, 36:31 to 43. Chronicles 1: 43 to 54.)
NOTE: The Edomites were the descendants of Esau who sold his birthright. Their Kings came to symbolise unlawful and chaotic forces.
Proof read and edited by Frater D.M.T. © Thelemagick.
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