CRET OF SECRETS

nwritten Mysteries of Esoteric Qabbalah

By: Michrl-Albion Macdonald
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HEPT ANGLE BOOKS
GILLETTE, NEW JERSEY
MCMLXXXVI
(THE
SECRET OF
SECRETS
THE UNWRITTEN MYSTERIES OF
ESOTERIC QABBALA
l
BY
MICHlL-ALBION MACDONALD
HEPTANGLE BOOKS
GILLETTE, NEW JERESEY
MCMLXXXVI
CoPYRIGHT 1986 BY MJC ALBION MACDONALD
LIBRARY OF CoNGRESS CATALOGUE CARD NUER: 86-81789
ISBN: o-93521
4
-08-9
HEPTANGLE BOOKS
Bx 28 Brkeley Height, New Jercey 07922 USA
TCt
i-l
4~w
(DEDICATION
TO the Greatly Honoured Sorer, Per Mare ad
Astra, and the Highly Honoured Sorer, Cor
Asteri for their help i the early years of the 0
L K and for their aid in compiling this work
from the various knowledge-Ieaures
of the Outer Order.
INTRODUCTION
THE MYSTICAL QABBALAH IS SAID TO MVL FIRST
been communicated to Adam by the Angels, after
he had been driven from Paradise, that he might
learn the Way of Return to his former sate. Mos
hisorians place the origin of written Qabbalah at
about the same period as the Talmud,when the
Hebrews lived in Babylon. !Simply sated, Qab
balah means Tradition-originally an oral tradi
tion-by means of which the Hebrews explained
the Nature of all things, in Heaven, on Earth, and
in the Abyss. As in the Talmud, these things are
discussed in meticulous detail, and approached
from every possible angle, but are worded in an
almos superfcial way; a veil, which belies the
complexity of the mysical importance of the words
used. But the time for the rending of the veil has
come. The unwritten mysery contained in the
written word though available to all has been under
sood by few.
The scope of all Qabbalah can be categorized
under four headings: Pratical Qabbalah, Dog
matic Qabbalah, Esoteric Qabbalah, and Magical
Qabbalah. The Pratical Qabbalah involves the
c, 30 B. C. E,
ix
X INTRODUCTION
mySical interpretation of Scripture" through the
means of the Sacred Letters of the Hebrew Alpha
bet, which of themselves comprise not only letters,
but numbers also. The use of the letters and their
numericalvalues are further divided into three sci
ences: Gematria, the Sraight interpretation of a
passage by its numreical value; Notariqon, or the
Sudy of passages by:means of the initial or fnal
letters thereof only; and Temura,or the Sudy of
decyphering and recyphering the mySical passages
through the permutation of letters by subSitution
with others (often by means of complex tables or
formulc) . . It is because of the innumerable pur
poses and uses to which these sciences
.
can be put
that it has been termed pracical.
The Dogmatic Qabbalah represents the bulk of
the written Qabbalah. All the works -such as the
Sepher Yetzirah, the Sepher Ha- Tzenioutha, and
the Greater and Lesser Holy Assemblies of the Sepher
Ha-Zohar fall into this category generally though
moS derrive conclusions through more than one
means of Qabbalah. In the majority of these works
the Ten Sephirot or "Numerations of Deity" are
either discussed dire. Bly or intimated at through
mySical wording. Of these a great de.l will be
said later.
INTRODUCTION
The Esoteric Qabbalah is the mos highly mysi
cal-and by consequence, the leas understood
division of the Hebrew Tradition. It is sometimes
called the 'Unwritten Tradition' or the 'Secret of
Secrets' because it has been kept closely and hidden
for many centuries. It is partly philosophical, and
partly dogmatic, and for the mos part concerns the
undersanding of the written word in its true and
secret light. Many things once considered 'unwrit
ten' or secret are now available to all, by virtue of
books such as this which elabourate the myseries
at great length. There are so many such books
available in our present Century that the term,
'unwritten' can scarce be applied to it any longer.
The fnal division, or the Magical Qabbalah deals
mainly with the application of the Tradition to
ceremonial and talismanic Magic; the evocation of
spirits, &c
.
, for the purpose of greater understand
in of the World Divine. In this heading may be
placed such books as the Sepher Raziel Ha-Mala
chim, and its ilk and variants.
The work of this present volume is to clearly
elaborate for the reader the myseries hidden in the
Qabbalah. Although all four divisions of Qabbalah
shall be dealt with at some length, it does not fall
within the scope of this work to give a word for
Xt) INTRODUCTION
word translation of the major works of the Qabbalah
-seeing as there are already many excellent works
of that kind-but only to rend the veil which
shrouds them, that through-meditation and sudy,
the reader may come_to a fuller harmony with the
Absolute.
THE
SECRET OF SECRETS

'I: The Creation
THE BEGINNING, was the AIN: and
the AIN was ToHU and BoHu. What
is this AIN? It is the frS veil of ex
iSance, called Negative or 'antibeing
ness.' MySically, it is the naught [o], nothingness,
but this is an over-simplifcation, for the AIN is the
concept of exiSance before exiSance itself-Neg
ative ExiSance: exiSance negatively. It is not the
opposite of exiSance as we know it (for that is Neg
ative SubsiSance) but rather its twin, exiSing in an
other realm than ours; being, but in an opposite
manner. Hence was the Deity, A.IK ANPIN, the
'Ancient of Days' who is the VaS Countenance,
before our world was formed. He always was, al
ways is, and always shall be. The AIN-the naught
-was ToHU-without form-and BoHu-void.
ToHu and BoHu are the Primal Chaos from which
the Firmaments of the Heavens were formed. This
frmament called ToHu is like a Sea of CrySal be
fore the Face of the Almighty, and this Firmament
2
MCDONALD
called Boau is like a Sea of Stones. And this al
legory is meant to say that the Mos High removed
himself even from the naught, and encircled him
self in what was, (yet remaining invisible and un
reachable.
And the nought became the liitless-the AIN
SoPH-through the numeration, conception, and
expression of the Word. And the Firmaments di
vided the space of the limitlessness from the Mos
High. What is this limitlessness? It is potential
ExiSance, the second veil, which is called Infnity
[oo], like a seed which shall someday give birth to
a cedar, but as yet is but a seed, and may die before
it realizes its potential. It is forever and ever, like
the Almighty One, and cannot be measured.
Within the span of the Firmaments the Almighty
spoke the Word and from the limitless came 'The
Limitless Light'-the third veil, AIN SoPH AUR
by which the previous two were reconciled. What
is this 'Limitless Light, ' and what this reconcilia
tion? It is Positive Exisance [ooo], or reality, the
third in the trinity of A, M, and SH-Aleph, Mem,
and Schin. The AIN is Mem, the Waters; and the
AIN SoPH AUR the Shin, or Fire; and the AIN
SoPH is the balance between, which is the Air or
SECRET OF SECRETS
Aleph.'
Together theCreator did colleB these veils,
and direBed them in one place [i. e., a point] and
this point of Absolute Exisance, which is, is not,
and may be, is KETHER, the Crown of Crowns.
Hence was the Vas Countenence as we know it,
for he is KETHER, and KETHER is Him.
,2: The Numeration.
CE is the frs Numeration KETHER:
Source of Sources, whose essence is
Exisence, even as the Name of God
attributed to it is EHEIEH which is, "I
am. But as yet there was only thought, not form .
nor subsance. Wherefore from the brilliance of
the Divine White Head issued forth a certain beam
of Light, which coalesced and focused became the
second Sephira or Emmanation of Deity.
This was CHOKMH or Wisdom, the expression
of the Masculine potency of Deity, and the Creative
Will; but alone Wisdom is insufcient to express
or create, being half and not whole. Therefore did
the Almighty frs refe a upon himself through con
templation, and arrived at BINAH, or Undersand-
They also stand for the three Alchemical princilpes: Mercury,
Sulphur, and Salt.
4
MCDONAD
ing, the third Sephira. This in essence was a mir
ror image, equal yt opposite, and represents the
aspects ofF ertility and Completeness which are the
Feminine aspeCs of Deity.
Together these three Sephirot form the Triad of
the Absolute. because from these three arise man's
concept ofDeity in its highes form. The next three
emmanations are arrived at by refe &ion of the frs
three in reverse; these are GEDULAH or Majesy,
GEBURAH or Strength, and TIPHETH or Beauty.
GEDULAH is called also CHESED or Mercy, and
GEBURAH is HADAR which is Greatness, DIN; Jus
ice, and P A CMD which is fear. Through these three
is the ToRH based for in them is the key to all ft
and moral to God.
These three in turn are reproduced after a lesser
manner and their counterparts are NETZACH or
Vi Cory, and HoD or Splendour, and Y ESOD the
Foundation, which is called also CHEDOAH or Joy,
seeing that in joy is the foundation of all Goodness.
Together these form the Triad of Desire, for they
express all that man deprived of Higher Aspiration
doth require in his span on earth.
The las Numeration is the sum of all, which is
called MALKUTH, the Kingdom. This las is the
world of man and beass; the place called EDEN or
SECRET OF SECRETS
5
Paradise before the fall of Adam.
Ten are these Numerations, and ten each are
their infnitudes, equal and opposite: Beginning &
End, Good & Evil, Height & Depth, EaS & WeS,
North & South: Finite and Infnite together.
!3: The Paths
OW FROM EACH Sephira there goeth
.
forth three branches or Paths-and
some return to previous Numerations
while others go to those after-and
hese Paths are twenty-two in number, being each
one of the Sacred Letters of the Hebrew Alphabet.
rom KETHER issue Aleph, Beth, and Gimmel;
from CHOKMAH, Daleth, He, and Vou; from BINAH,
Zain and Cheth; from GEDULAH, Teth, Yod, and
aph; from GEBURAH, Lamed and Mem; from
IPHARETH, Nun, Samekh and Aoyn; from NETZ
ACH, Pe, Tzaddi, and Qoph; from Hoo, Resh and
hin; and from YESOD, Tau. [see Figure 1]
And these shall Sand for signs, and for symbols
tand planets, and all the forces of Nature, as shall
.
e explained hereafter, and together with
.
the ten
ephirot they shall make up the Thi rty-two
Ways of Wisdom.
6 MCDONALD
4 4: The Sared Letters
IHE SACRED LETTERS, WHICH STAND FOR
the Paths, and tor signs, symbols and
forces are divided into three headings:
the Mother Letters, which are Aleph,
Mem, and Schin; The Double Letters, which are
Beth, Gimmel, Daleth, Caph, Pe, Resh, and Tau;
and the Single Letters, which are He, Vou, Zain,
Cheth, Teth, Lamed, Nun, Samekh, Aoyn, Tzaddi,
and Qooph.
The Three Mother Letters Sand for the forces
of Nature, which is to say Mem, the Water; Schin,
the Fire or .thyr; and Aleph the Air which med
iates the two; and the union or mixture of them
bringeth about Earth. And through them are the
hidden powers of the Veils of ExiSence revealed.
The Seven Double Letters Sand for symbols of
opposites, and the virtues of the planets, for in each
is a duplicity of hardness and softness; of Doh
and Le
h
-attra Bion and repulsion; oft CHESED
`1Cof the Double Letters has two values, one hard, and one
sft, (to which a breath is added when pronounced) the most
noteworthy of thee are Beth, b and bh or v; Gimmel, g
(
and gh or j; Pe, p and ph or f; and Tau, t and th.
t Leh and Doh are the Chaldcn secret names for the powers of
Electricity and Magnetism respectively.
SECRET OF SECRETS
7
and DIN-Mercy and Severity. t They sand also
for height and depth, Eas and Wes, North and
South, and for the Mysical Centre wherein is the
Holy of Holies. ! They are the antithesis ofJusice
and Cruelty in Life; Wisdom and Foolishness;
Wealth and Poverty; Fruitfullness and Sterility;
Life and Death; Dominion and Servitude; Peace
and War; Beauty and Ugliness.
Beth is the Highest letter, from which creation
was frs expressed-for it is not written BERESHITH
BA ELOHIM &c . . . ! !-and to it is established
insight, and the Planet Mercury. Gimmel is wealth
and mysery, and to it is established the Moon.
Daleth is the symbol ofF ertility wherefore is Venus
assigned to it. Caph is filled with Goodness, and
to it is assigned Jupiter. Pe is the letter of Domin
ion, and its pl anet is Mars. Resh is Peace and Joy,
whose symbol is the Sun. And Tau, the End and
the All is represented and expressed in Saturn. *
The Twelve Single Letters sand for the Symbols
and Signs of the Zodiac, and the twelve oblique
t The two Pillars.
l "In the Beginning the Elohim created . . . " but also, "by Beth
were created the Elohim . . .
One version of the Seher Yetzirah disagrees with this assign
ation. It suggests the following: to Beth the Moon; to Gim
mel. Mars; to Daleth, the Sun; to Caph, Venus; to Pe,
Mercury; to Resh, Saturn; and to Tau, Jupiter.
SECRET OF SECRETS
9
points of space. To He is the Sign Aries, and the
point ofEas-height attributed; to You, Taurus and
North-Eas; to Zain, Gemini and Eas Depth; to
Cheth, Cancer and South-Height; to T eth, Leo and
South-Eas; to Yod, Virgo and South-Depth; to
Lamed, Libra and Wes-Height; to Nun, Scorpio
and South-Wes; to Samekh, Sagittary and Wes
Depth; to Aoyn, Capricorn and North-Height; to
Tzaddi, Aquarius and North-Wes; and to Qooph,
Pisces and North-Depth. These Signs sand also
for the Hebrew Months of the year, as is well
known.
,5: The Sword and the Serent
HE APPEARANCE OF THE TEN Sephirot
out of the AIN is like a Lightning
Flash, being without end. It commen,
ces at the Beginning or KETHER, an4
oeceios through each in its turn, even unto MAL
KUTH, * This Lightning Flash touches the Paths
of Aleph, Daleth, T eth, Lamed, Nun, Pe , Resh, and
Tau; But between BINAH and GEDULAH it sretch
eth across the Abyss wherein is the Mysery of
Myseries. t This is the form of the Flaming Sword,
But being without end, i t continues through each of the Four
Worlds and beyond, as shaJl D explained later.
t Which is to say DAATH, the so-called 'eleventh Sephira.'
IO MACDONALD
:which the Almighty gave unto that Kerub to guard
the Tree of Life. It is the Way of Return for all
those who seek the Light. * [see Figure 2]
The Twenty-two Paths are the Ways of Wisdom
and Truth; awful and magnifcent; but a Serpent
embraces those paths, who is called Wisdom, but
wrongly, for he comprehends the Paths, but not the
Numerations. He is called NoGAH which is Splen
dour, for he beguiles; and it was he who tempted
Eve to error.t He is neither Good nor Evil, but is
of a mixed nature, for he leapeth the highes of all
the Qippoth or Shells. ! [See Figure
3
]
The Serpent NoGAH is pierced through by the
Sword on either side, so that he may both receive
the superior and inferior infuences, and in his
jaws he grasps his tail. When the Messiah-who
is Metatron**-arises, the Serpent shall be cloven
The Way of the Sw01d is the Pathway taken by the Magician
in his development. The Path of the Serpent is the route of
.
the Mystic.
t NoGAH is the Hebrew name for the planet Venus.
! They who are external to the Sephirot.
Compare this with the Celtic Serpent-Father, the Worm Auru
beus-Pendragon in the Arthurian Mythos, and also the
Gnostic Agathodaimon .
.. Metatron, the Archangel of KETHER is called the NEPHESH
HA-MESSIAH when.ioined to Sandalphon in MALKUTH. To
gether they are called the RuACH f-QADISHA, a title of
the SHEKINAH.
1 2
MACDONALD
into three pieces by the Sword, and shall be called
three lesser spirits. *
'6: Of Knowledge and the Quintessence
NUMERATIONS ARE TEN, UU OF
Wisdom and Undersanding there is
sues forth a certain ofspring, for
CHOKMAH is the seat of the Creative
orce, whil
e BINAH is the consri &ing; Fertile In
telligence. Their child is called DAATH or Knowl
edge, which is apart from the Tree of Life [see Fig I]
being located in the mids of the Abyss, and yet is
included therein. t It is the seat of the RuACH
ELOHIM, the Breath of God! which is called the
Quintessence of Life or the lthyr, because it viv
ifes and gives Life to all things, and unites the
opposed forces of the elements.
' 7: The Pillars
WIN ALL THOSE THINGS CREATED U
'tl1 the Almighty there exiss an Equilib
rium which is universal, and is expres
! sed through the diversity of the lT
CHAIIM or Tree of Life. This Force is called
i.e., into three Qlippoth.
t It is sometimes clled the 'eleventh Sehirah.'
! Otherwise clled the RuACH V'DAATH.
SECRET OF SECRETS IJ
METAQELAH, and is omnipresent, for no thing can
exis without balance. Wherefore can the Tree of
Life be divided into three Pillars: CHESED or Mercy,
DIN or Judgement, and RAcHMIM or Mildness*
which is not properly a Pillar, but is the balance
and reconciliation of the two opposites. t
DIN which is Judgement or Severity is formed
properly of the Sephirot BINAH, GEBURAH, and Hon,
but is considered an acive force because through
Knowledge does Wisdom guide all Judgement [see
Figure
4
] . But CHESED or Mercy is formed from
CHOKMAH, GEDULAH, and NETZACH, and is passive,
for through Knowledge is Undersanding gleaned
with which Mercy may be given [see Figure 4].
And the Mysery of it is this: that CHOKMAH in
fuences the lef Pillar even as the Right Brain in
fuences the Lef Hand; and BI NAH likewise doth
Jacin Baz in Masonry. The middle pillar is rarely named
in esoteric traditions because it in actuality represents the
mediating force man, the Archimage.
t The Left Pillar is depicted as black becuse that colour is the
absence of all Light Spectra and is therefore indicative of
the LEH. The Right Pillar is whitethe presence of all
Light Spectra-to indicte the DoH. The black pillar i
countercharged with gold, and the white pillar with silver
to hint at their androgyny, which is implicit in the Middle
Pillar mystery. Gold is considered a masculine colour, D-
ing of the Sun, while Silver is feminine, being of the Moon.
Both are present on the Middle Pillar as TIPHARETH and
YESOD.
SECRET OF SECRETS
IS
infuence the Right Pillar in the same manner as
the Left Brain does the Right Hand; for are not
left-handed people Merciful, artiStic and creative?
and right-handed persons intelleCual and Severe?
Meditate on this mySery and marvel at the Wisdom
of our Tradition.
'8: The TETRAGRAMMATON, The Shekinah, and the
PENTAGRAMMATON
HE GREAT NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES Ib
a fourfold mySery, whose compon
ents are the letters Y OD HE VAu HE.
iThese represent the Four Principal
Elements, .ire, Water, Air and Earth; and the
Four AspeCs of the Creator, : Father, Mother, Son
and Bride. These are equal and opposed forces,
but through the Divine Presence or Shekinah they
are unifed by the Fifth Element, the lthyr, or
RuAcH ELOHIM. In this manner does the unpro
nounceable Name TETRAGRAMMATON become YEH
ESHUAH-the PENTAGRAMMATON-through the in
terposition of the Schin of the Shekinah between
the Parents and the Ofspring. *
i . e., Yoo, HE, ScHIN, Vou, HE; which represents the fve
pinted star or Pentagram with its apex up. It is a Symbol
of the Emanuel, as shall later be explained.
16 MACDONALD
,9: Of Metatron & Sandalphon
PILLARS L1JuDGEMENT AND MERCY
represent two Archangels, who are
Metatron and Sandalphon. Together
they were once one Spirit, the Shek
inah or Divme Holy Presence of the Almighty, but
even as the Architypical man ADAM QADMON was
divided into Adam and Eve, so then was the Holy
Shekinah separated into these two forces of Meta
tron and Sandalphon.
Metatron is of KETHER, and is passive and male, .
although without form being of Pure Light. San
dalphon is a Bive and female, although androgynous
in form and substance being Pure Matter, and of
MALKUTH. Metatron is the Guardian of the Pillar
of Mercy; he is said to represent the Messiah or
Chosen of God-for it is written "my Name is in
him, "** but he cannot manifes himself without his
counterpart (Sandal phon) who is the Kaleh Mezloth,
or Bride of the Stars, for in all works of the M
o
s
High there is METAQELAH. It is she who is the
Keeper of the Pillar of Judgement, and their union
i inexorably linked with that of ADAM QADMON . .
_.The Name Metatron is equivalent to the Name of God SHADDAI
in Gematria.
SECRET OF SJCRETS
She is LEH, and he is DoH; and the Secret Name
of their union is ZoA, for the Mercies of God dart
out and return, even like unto the CHAIOTH HA
QADESH-the Holy Living Creaturest -but the
Judgements of God descend, even unto the Found
ation. [see Figure
5
]
! 10: The Four Worlds and their forces
IHERE ARE FoUR WoRLDs coRRESPC
ding to the Letters of the TETRAGR
M TON. They are Atziluth, the Aichi
typal World corresponding to Yon;
Briah, the Creative or Mental World corresponding
to He; Yetzirah, the Formative or Asral World
corresponding to Vou; and Assiah, the Material
World corresponding to the He fnal. Each of these
worlds has its own Decade of Sephirot! correspon
ding each to diferent aspe Bs of the Creation.
To Atziluth is assigned the Divine Names of God
The Name Zoa-ZAIN Vou-is written in the Passing of the
River Characters, a secret Qabbalistic Alphabet formed from
the Paths on the Tree of Life. It should be noted that Zoa
is very similar to the (Valentinian) Gnostic Zoe, the lesser of
the two aspects of the Sophia or Secret Wisdom. The greater
of these is called Pistis, and can easily be identifed with
AIMA the Supernal Mother in Qabbalah.
t The CHAIOTH are the Chora of Angels attributed to KETHER.
l Although some schools employ a 'composite Tree' (vde fg. 1)
this is the original and more correct interpretation.
0
, -
r

.
_

G
- G
#
t
s
SECRET OF SECRETS 19
which are: in KETHER, EHEIEH which signifes
111
8, in BINAH, IHVH ELOHIM which signifes
"Tetragrammaton is God" and expresses the mys
tery of a deity both male and female; * in GEDULAH,
EL who is "One; " in GEBURAH, ELoHIM GIBoR,
"God the Mighty; " in TIPHARETH, AGLA, t in
whose mySery is expressed the Balance of MajeSy
and Power inherent in the Almighty; in NETZACH,
IHVH TzABAOTH, ! "The Great God of HoSs; "
in HoD, ELOHIM TzABAOTH "God of HoSs; " in
YESOD, SHADDAI EL CHAI, which is "the Almighty
and Eternal Lord of Life; " and in MALKUTH,
AooNAI MELEKH T A' A us, which signifes "The
Lord and King of Heaven and Earth. " All these
Names are of Great Power, and from them alone
The androgyny of Tetragrammaton has been explained; to it
is added Elohim, the masculine plural of a feminine name,
Eloah.
t The Name AGLA is a Notariqon for the expression "Atheh
Gibor Leo lam Adonai, "-"Thou Art the Power Forever, L
Lord," but it can also D rendered"Aieth Gedul Leolam
Adonai,"-"Thine are the Blessings (Glories) L Lord,"
which makes it a balanced name in keeping with TIPHARETH.
The Name Eloah Ve'DATH is frequently attributed to
TIPHARETH, but it is more probably a Name of the 'eleventh
Sephirah' itself. Another common assignation to TIPHARETH
is Adonai Elohim or Tetragrammaton Eloah.
! Occasionally Edoniel Tzabaoth.
Sometimes Adonai Ha-Aaretz, 'Lord of the World' but the
above is truer to the Chaldran Mystery.
L
20 MACDONALD
spring all other True Divine Names, through[the
my Series of Our Tradition.*
To Briah are assigned the Archangels which rule
the Ten Sephirot, which is to say those most often
referred to in the Sacred writings, which are: in
KETHER, Metatron; in CHOKMH, Raziel; in BI NAH
Tzaphqiel; in GEDUIAH, Tzadqiel; in GEBURAH,
Khamcl; in TIPHARETH, Raphcl; in NETZACH,
Haniel ; in HoD, Mikcl, ; in YESOD, Gabriel; and
in MALKUTH, Sandal phon. t
Which is to sy by Gematria, Temurah, or Notariqon, as shall
be shown hereafter.
t There exists persistent argument as to the true assignation of
the Archangels with the four Sephirot 'of the Cross' (i. e.,
&, Raphrl, Gabriel, and Uriel; the Lords of Fire, Air,
Earth, and Water respectively with the num. Tiphareth, Hod
Netzach, and Yesod-the most common misssignation); in
argument I cite that U riel was in ancient Mss. associated with
the Moon and therefore Water-although in the Grimoire of
Armelheis refered to as a Sraphim, and therefore of Geb
urah properly. The confusion arises in the:later equation of
Yesod, the Lunar sphere to Medirval Qabbalists, as Earth.
The debate between Mikrl or Raphrl as Archangel of
Tiphareth is equally heated. My prsonal view is that

rl is overbalanced in Severity, and the more correct assign

ation for Him is Hod. He is called the ruler of the Spirits of
Fire, and Tiphareth is the Sun, Helios, an Airy realm more
suited to Raphrl, the confusion between 'Splendous' and
' Glory' being easily enough explained. I believe that the er
ror ocured during the Christian Gnostifcation of certian
Qabbalistic elements. I contend the above assignation to b
the most correct Qabbalistically.
SECRET OF SECRETS 21
ToY etzirah the Charas of the Angels frS leared
of in Eziekiel are assigned, along with a great many
liSs oflesser Angels too numerous to cite by Name.
These Charas are: in KETHER, the CHAIOTH HA
QA DESH or "Holy Living Creatures" who are so
pel fe a that the higheS of them do not require form,
but are composed of Light alone, which they may
mould to many diferent likenesses; in Cao,
the AuPHANIM or "wheels" amoung whom are the
Archangels of the Zodiac, Malakidel, Asmodel,
Ambriel, Meriel, U miel, Hamaliel, Zuriel, Briniel,
Edoniel, Hamel, Cambriel, and Emonitziel; in
BI NAH, the ARALIM or "Thrones" amoung whom
there are many powerful Angels who guard the
Merkabah or Chariot-throne ofGod; t in GEDULAH
the CHASMALIM or "lucid ones;" in GEBURAH, the
In order, from Aries to Pisces. They furthermore comprise
the majority of the Lords of the Paths on the Tree of Life.
The remaining Lords are, for the elements: Ruachiel for
the uth Path and Air; Miel for the 23rd Path and Water;
lihiel for the 31st Path and Fire; and Auphiriel for the
32nd Path and Earth. And for the Planets: Tiriel for the
1 2th Path and Mercury; Zen<1 or Illiel for the 1 3th Path
and the Moon; /O&for the 1 4th Path and Venus; Loc<1
for the 21st Path and Jupiter; Meph<1 for the 27th Path
and Mars; Robael for the 30th Path and the Sun; and Geth
<1 for the 32nd Path (as Saturn).
t Note also that the majority of the Demons fell from the ranks
of the Thrones.
Cc
22
MCDONALD
SERAPHIM or "buring zealous ones" who together
dispose the blessings and judgements of God;* in
TIPHAERTH, the MALAKIM or "Kings" who are glor
ious and wonderous to behold; in NETZACH, the
ELOHIM or "Gods" who are not truly so, but are
High Angels of Armies; in HoD, the BENI ELOHIMt
or "Sons of Gods" who are alike and yet lesser to
the ELOHIM; in Y ESOD, the KERUBIM or "srong
ones" who guard the Merkabah on four sides in the
direcion of the Four Quarters; whose chiefs are
Ariel in the Eas for Air, Seraph in the South for
Fire, Tarshish in the North for Water, and Kerub
in the Wes for Earth; ! and i n MALKUTH, the
!sHIM or "Sons of Man. "
To Assiah lasly are attributed the Realms of the
Stars of the Heavens, which are: in KETHER,
The Chasmalim are said to sparkle like stars or gemstones, but
the Seraphim are said to bum like fre; and administer
Judgements and enlightenment alike through a fame of fre
from their palms. [ -ed.l
t Otherwise the Tarshishim or 'seas,' which is more accurately
an alternative CHoRA for Netzach, not Hod.
l Here again I have corrected the rsassignation of Earth to the
North and Water to the West, the which error is frequently
to be found in sources dated after the 12th Century.
Occasionally the Name of this CHORA is given as .sHIM or
'Sons of Fire,' and subsequent romantic magical images have
ben formulated around this error. The practical Qabbalist
will recognise however the propriety of assigning the Sons
of Man to Malkuth, and not the Sons of Fire.
SECRET OF SECRETS 23
RAsHITH HA-GILGALIM or "The beginnings of
whirlings" which corresponds to the Primum Mob
ile or the Realm of the Fixed Stars; ' in CHOKMAH,
MEZLOTH or the Sphere of the Zodiac; in BINAH,
SHABBATAI or Supernal Saturn; in GEDULAH,
TzEDEQ or Supernal Jupiter; in GEBURAH, MADIM
or Supernal Mars; in TIPHARETH, SHEMESH or
Supernal Sol; in NETZACH, NoGAH or Supernal
Venus; in HoD, KoKAB or Supernal Mercury; in
YESOD, LEVANNAH or Supernal Luna; and in
MALKUTH, 0LAM YESODOTH, or the World of the
Elements. *
There are four Secret Names for these Four
Worlds which express simply the inner meaning of
each, which are: for Atziluth, AuB "the concealed; "
for Briah, SEG, "the exaulted; " for Yetzirah, MAH,
"the incomprehensible;" and for Assiah, BEN, "the
Son."
! I I : Of Jacob's Ladder
TREES OF THE FouR WoRLDS ARE
joined together somewhat after this
fashion (see Fig. 6) , and this is the form
of Jacob's Ladder, which ascends in-
This has ben incorrectly given as CHOLEM YEsODOTH or
'Breaker of the Foundations' in sme works.
SECRET OF SECRETS
to Heaven in which the infuence of LEH and DoH
alternate thus: in Atziluth and Y etzirah LEH rules
the Left Pillar and DoH the Right; and in Briah
and Assiah LEH rules the Right Pillar and DoH the
Left. The Wrungs of this Ladder, which are the
Paths of the Four Worlds are all of divers colours,
which represent the diferent oCaves of the forces.
, 12: The Elemental Mobile
11u HAS BEEN DISCUSSED THERE ARE FIVE
elemental forces, which are: Fire,
Water, .thyr, Air, and Earth, which
correspond to the Name Y EHESHUAH or
. Each of these has its own par
ticular Realm or Plane together with its own sub
elemental forces. t These can be illustrated in the
form of a wheel, whose hub is TIPHARETH-for
TIPHARETH is neutral, being partly Air, partly Fire,
and partly .thyr! and from this hub spring the
In Figure I I include the colours for the Sephirot and the Paths
in the Briatic Scle. It would take up unnecessary space to
reproduce the colour schemes for all four worlds in the pre
sent volume. tviz., Fire of Air, Water of Air, &c.
! ^: the scheme of the elemental mobile predates the use of
DATH, which fi rst appears in the Lesser Holy Assembly. In
this scheme Tiphareth and Binah were given many of the
properties we now assign to Daath. It is included, along
with the scheme of Jacob's Ladder, as an example of early
Qabbalistic doctrine.
MACDONALD
Planes of the Elements. To CHoKMH-the origin
of the Plane of Aleph-is the Plane of Air assigned;
to BINAH, the mysterious Mother of the Abyss, the
Jthyr; to NETZACH the seat of Love, the Water;
to HoD the consuming intelligence, Fire; and to
MALKUTH, the Earth. The spokes which join the
fve Planes to the hub are furthermore symbolic of
the fve qualities (sub-elements) of the lthyr,
which is all-permeating, ever-present, and discrim
inates not. [see Figure 7 ]*
, These sub-elements have colours assigned in the Briatic scale
as well: for fire of fre, scarlet; for fre of water, and water
of fre, ochre; for fre of cthyr and cthyr of fire, red-orange;
for fire of air and air of fre, pale apricot; for fre of earth and
earth of fre, russet; for water of water, dark lime green; for
water of cthyr and cthyr of water, yellow-green; for water
of air and air of water, chartruse; for water of earth and
earth of water, olive; for cthyr of cthyr, amethyst; for
cthyr of air and air of cthyr, lemon-yellow; for cthyr of
earth and earth of cthyr, raw sienna; for air of air, mid
yellow; for air of earth and earth of air, citrine; and for
earth of earth, black. All these are derrived from the Bri
atic colour scheme for MALKUTH (by extraction of pigment).
These four, Russet, Olive, Citrine, and Black are traditional
in all occult groups, but in some, the colour citrine is mis
represented by a green darker than that of the olive, or
else these two are reversed. The colours russet, olive, and
citrine are based on mixtures of Tiphareth, Netzach, and
Hod with Yesod, e. g., citrine is formed by mixing a very
small amount of violet with mid-yellow; russet, by mixing
"iolet and orange; and olive (properly the military olive
drab colour) by mixing violet and emerald. When russet,
SESRET OF SECRETS 27
'13: Of the Beforeworlds or Kings of Edom, and of
the Qlippoth
IS WRITTEN THAT ALL WHICH IS NOT
included in the Ten Numerations ex
iSs not, and this is so. The MoS High,

before having made this world, and
sealed 1t with letters and signs, made other worlds,
which were imperfe a, and did not continue, but
were di Sroyed. These were the Realms of the
Kings of Edom, whose remnants are called the
Shells or Qlippoth, which exiS only beyond the AIN
as negative subsistance.
The Kings of Edom are the SATAROTH or "con
cealers" which rule in the frS kingdom correspond
ing to the Triad of KETHER, CHOKMAH, and BINAH
in the Qippothic Worlds; the REPHAIM or "vol
itionless ones" who occupy the second kingdom
corresponding to GEDULAH; the QETEBIM or "dis
troyers'' who rule the third kingdom corresponding
to GEBURAH; the TAGA'ARIM or "rebukers" who
occupy the fourth kingdom corresponding to
TIPHARETH; the SEIRIM or "devils demanding sac
rifces" ruling the ffth kingdom corresponding to
citrine, olive, and black are mixed, the result is a burt
sienna. [-ED.)
?H
t I" N 'I J.
NODCh
SECRET OF SECRETS 2
9
NETZACH; the TERAPHIM or "graven images"
which . occupy the sixth kingdom corresponding to
to Hoo; and the NA'AIMOTH or "indolent ones"
occupying the seventh and laS kingdom, correspond
ing to YEsoo and MKuTH in the Qlippothic
Worlds.
These kingdoms have each their Princes, which
are; in the frs kingdom, Dumah; in the second
kingdom, Satan; in the third kingdom, Moloch;
in the fourth kingdom, Asmodeus; in the ffth king
dom, Hilel; in the sixth kingdom, Samcl; and in
the seventh kingdom, Nahemah. **
, There exists also a somewhat confcting scheme which creates
a Qlippothic counterpart to the Four Worlds composed of
ten anti-Sephirot. In Atziluth these are expressd as con
cepts of vileness against deity, viz., Duality, Stupor, Bar
rennes, Apathy, Cruelty, Ugliness, Lust, Greed, Instab
ility, and Materialism; in Birah by the Arch-devils, Satan
Moloch who rule jointly, Beelzebub, Lucifer, Ashtoreth,
Asmodeus, Belphegor, Baal, Adramelekh, Lilith, and Belial;
in Yetzirah by the Infernal Armies (counterparts of the
CHoRAs), the THAUMIEL or 'double-headed ones,' the GHoG
IEL or 'hinderers' (called sometimes the CHAIGIDEL or 'vam
pires'), the SATARIEL or 'concealers,' the GAGH SHEKELAH
'breakers in pieces' or GAMCHIKOTH 'disturbers of souls,'
the GoLAHAB or 'burning ones,' the T AGARIRIM or' disputers,'
the GHARAB ZEREQ or 'Ravens of Death,' the SAMAEL or
'jugglers,' the GAMALIEL or 'obscene ones,' and the MER
usHALIEL or 'wicked ones;' and in Assiah by the fve ac
cursed nations, who are arranged in a somewhat obscure
manner: to the inverse of KETHER, CHOKMAH, and BrNAH,
the ANAKIM or 'Anarchists;' to the inverse of GEDULAH,
30 MCDONALD
! 14: Of Macroprosopus & Microprosopus
HAS BEEN DISCUSSED, BEFORE ALL ELSE
was ATIK YoMIN, The Ancient of
Days who is called ARIK ANPIN or
Macroprosopus, flled with the dew of
blessings, his eyes flaming with judgements, and his
hair sraight and white, being divided into Four
hundred and ten locks which account each for a
world of Light in the continuum of Positive Ex
isence. Likewise his beard divided into Thirty
one parts, in each of which are Three-hundred and
ninety worlds. And ARIK ANPIN decended into a
defned form, and became AB, the Supernal Father.
AB then refe Bed upon himself* forming AIM,
the Divine Mother.
To the Supernal Father, AB, is referred the Yod
of TETRAGRA TON, while to the Divine Mother
GEBURAH and TIPHARETH, the GEBURIM or 'Violent Ones;'
to the inverse ofNETZACH, and Hoo, the RAPHAIM or 'cow
ards;' to the inverse ofYEsoo and MALKUTH, the NEPHILIM
or 'voluptuous ones,' and to DAATH, the AMALKITES or
'aggressors.' This last arrangement seems to be similar to
that of the Seven Kingdoms of Edom above. The five ac
cursed nations are furthermore attributed to the letters of
the PENTAGR ATON, &c.
From which action comes the Name ABBA ELOHIM. The
Name ELOHIM is afed alike to / and AlMA bcause it
is representative of their union.
SECRET OF SECRETS
3
1
is the (initial) He assigned; and these two conjoined
make up the Name lAH which is the one, the
Initial God. As lAH ELOHIM they join to become
parents of the Son, ZAUIR ANPIN or Microprosopus,
who embraces the lower Sephirot even unto the
Foundation. * These worlds are the reign of the
Son who is King, t and he is referred to Vou of
TETRAGRAMMATON. His eyes are a certain Gold
colour, bordered within and without by a thread of
Red and a thread of Black; and the Whites thereof
are Brilliant, and clear. These are the Myserious
Colours of the Four Worlds which are; in Atziluth,
Brilliant White; in Briah, the Red threads; in
Y etzirah, the certain Gold; and in Assiah, the
threads of Black. ! He is represented in Allegory
by Adam, the Firs Man, who supports the Columns
of Creation. His counterpart in the Heavens is
Which is to say, GEDULAH, GEBURAH, TIPHARETH, NETZACH,
Hon, and YEson.
t His reign shall last I 59 I lons, for I 59
l is the sum of the names
of the lower Sephirot by gematria.
! In the composite Tree scheme (vide Fig I) the Key world in
Atziluth is KETHER; in Briah they are GEDULAH and GEB
URAH; in Yetzirah it is TIPHARETH, which although properly
of Briah still infuences the three Sephirot of Yetzirah sig
nificantly; and in Assiah it is MALKUTH. These are also the
colours of the Four Kerubim: the Ox is white; the Lion,
red; the Man, yellow; and the Eagle, black.
The Pillars of CHESED and DIN,
3
2
MACDONALD
Metatron, the Prince of Countenences, called also
the Prince of the World.
Adam in turn is supported by Eve-his other half
-who is called MALKAH, the Queen ruling in the
Kingdom, MALKUTH. She is symbolic of the Bride
of Microprosopus, the TEBUNAH or "Special Intel
ligence, " t which is called KALEH MEZLOTH, the
Crlesial Bride. ! To her is referred the (final) He
of TETRAGRAMATON, for secretly she is BINAH re
born-Mother of BEN Ve-BATH, the Son and
Daughter-but the daughter is she herself renewed,
and the Union of Son and Bride shall bring about
the CH or Joyful Awakening, which is the enlight
enment of Man; by this Union shall the True Name
TETRAGVTON-Y od He Vau He- be re
vealed.
ARrK ANPIN and ZAUR ANPIN are the Vast and Lesser Count
enences. Metatron is frequently refered to as MELEKH SHER
ANPIN, the Prince of [the) Countenences. He is also called
IHVH HA' QATON-thc lesser Tetragramton, implying
him as the EMANUEL.
t The TEBUNAH is AIMA and MALKAH. Compare this with the
Holy Sophia or 'Secret Wisdom' of the Gnostics.
! Literally, the Bride of the Sphere of the Zodiac, a title of
Sandal phon.
The secret of this Mystery , although not outwardly explained,
can be understood through careful study of this chapter.
SECRET OF SECRETS
33
' Is: Of the myriad worlds, and the Unity of the
Finite Universe.
INEACHOF THE FOUR WORLDS EX
is Ten Sephirot, and in each Sephirot
yet Ten further Sephirot; and the
numbering of this is accounted 400,
b number of Tau, the Cross; the
Universe, and the Completion of all things.
It is written that KETHER is in MALKUTH, and
that likewise MALKUTH is in KETHER, but after an
other manner.t Wherefore are the Four Worlds
linked one to the next, MALKUTH to KETHER. It is
written further that Reality hangs on a thread, and
that thread is the AIN SoPH, the Infnite Matrix
which is extended through the Sephirot of all 400
MEAUROTH, ! exising in every direcion. As each
operate in each, so is the crux of this mysery.
The Infnite Matrix connecs MALKUTH to
KETHER across the Abyss from World to World in
a manner similar to that of an hour-glass, the which
In gematria, the Hebrew letter Tau is equal to 400. It is
furthermore the name of the Cross in Greek, and assigned
to the 32nd Path on the Tree of Life to which is assigned
the last Arcnum of the RoTA which is the Universe.
t This ha been suggested before in the chapters concerng
Metatron and Sandalphon, Jacob's Ladder, &c.
! Or Lights, i. e., the 400 worlds previously alluded to.
34
MCDONALD
conceals a rotation in opposite direcions of the
connecing spheres. And the influences ofMALKUTH
in its fourfold manifesation will fall into the vortex
or Infnite Matrix of the AIN SoPH, and from thence
into KETHER in the world below, as the sands pass
through the hour-glass. It is further undersood that
the infuences so transfered mus frs undergo a
metamorphosis while in the vortex of the AIN So PH
before they are compatable with the world below.
The Four W odds thus joined form a fgure called
Jacob's Ladder [see Figure 6] which is the Primary
Column or continuity of yet a larger scheme, * and
does correspond to Yod of TETRAGRATON.
There are further three more columns or continui
ties which are the Secondary Column , correspond
ing to He of TETRAGV TON; the Tertiary Col
umn , corresponding to Vau; and the Quatrinary
Column, corresponding to He (fnal). Of these four
Clumns two are of CHESED and two are of DIN t
and conceal one further Column at their centre, l ike
the Pillars of the lTZ CHAIIM when rotated on its
axis (or the Middle Pillar) and projeced out as if
In the Primary Continuity, Atziluth would be the Prime Arch
etypal World; Briah, the Prime Creative; Yezirah, the
Prime Formative; and Assiah , the Prime Material.
t Yod and Vau, the Primary and Tertiary Pillars are of LlN,
while the Pillars assigned to He are of CHESED.
SECRET OF SECRETS
35
a solid sphere. ! This Sphere is called Positive
Exi Sence, and is synonymous with the ArN SPH
AU.
By the laws of METAQELH, or Universal Equi
librium, there muS also be a realm of continuities
corresponding to the Qlippoth, wherefore the Seven
Kingdoms of Edom being embodied in a Sphere and
quadrupled will make up the Four lnverse_Worlds
of an Inverse Primary Column; one of four making
up the sphere of Negative SubsiSance, which is to
say all that exteral to Creation. These two spheres
of Positive ExiSence and Negative SubsiSence are
enclosed in a sphere of Absolute Reality, which is
the Finite Point of the Divine Schema beyond which
there exiSs no thing, save the AIN which is to say
Nothingness.
! Simply stated , this projection is like two Tree sharing t
same Middle Pillar; Kether and Malkuth constitute the
ples of North and Suth respctively, and the infuence of
the concealed Sephirot, Tiphareth and Y eed ocupy the
equitorial and lower tropical regions, while Daath behaves
like the white of this 'egg.' This scheme was frst developed
by S. L. MacGregor Mathers, and was subsequently pub
lished by the late Dr. Isrcl Regardie, in his The Golden
Dawn.

MACDONALD
! 1 6: The divisions of the Soul in Man.
SOUL IS DIVIDED EQUALLY INTO
three Images or TzELEMOTH, which
are the NEsMH or mental Body,
called the Higher Soul; the RuAcH or
Asral Body, called the Spirit; and the NEPHESH
or Physical Body** and the Animal Soul . ! The
.TzELEM of the NEsHAMAH is divided into three
parts: the Y ECHIDAH, or 'origin of the Divine Mind'
corresponding to KETHER; the CHIAH, or 'higher
vital principle' corresponding to CHOKMAH; and the
(lesser) NESMH, or 'formative principle' . corre
sponding to BrNAH. !The TzELEM of the RuACH
corresponds to the forces of GEDULAH, GEBURAH,
TIPHARETH, NETZACH, and HoD. !The TzELEM of
the NEPHESH corresponds to YESOD and MLKUTH.
There exis further in the TzELEM of the NEsH
AH three Beass: to the Y ECHIDAH is referred the
CQnscie< e; to the CHIAH is referred the Lurker at
the Threshoid, and to the NESHAMAH is referred the
4The ideas of the Hermetic body ad Qabbalistic psycospy
are not entirely compatble, and there are valid arguments
for assigning the Mental Bdy to the RuACH and the Astrl
to NESHAMAH. Further the NESHAMAH is not exclusively
Physicl but i also the origin of the instincts. The physicl
shell is sometime called the GoPH in Qabbalah.
SECRET OF SECRETS
Dark Twin. * Each of these
.
muS be overcome be

fore the QabbaliS will attain unto the visior of the
Merkabah.
..
! 17: The Energ Centrs of the Body in Man
THE BODY OF MAN THERE ARE FIVE
energy centres, corresponding to the
Sephirot of the Middle Pillar. In the
centre of the forehead is the Crown
centre or Third Eye, which corresponds to Kether.
It is to be imagined as a sphere of brilliant white
light. The second centre is in the throat, and is
referred to Daath. It is to be imagined as a sphere
of intense mid-violet or 'lavender 1thyr-light. The
third centre is the Solar Plexus, to which is assigned
Tiphareth, and the colour Yellow. The fourth cer-.
tre is in the groin, and it is assigned to Y esod. It
is to be imagined as a sphere of indigo-purple light.
The las centre is located at the arches of the feet
when placed together. It is assigned to Malkuth,.
and its colour is an olive or ruddy brown hue of
light. t On occasion there are centres assigned to
the ears, the shoulders and the palms, correspond
ing to the Pillars of DrN and CHESED, but more
* The Ego, Superego, and ld respectively in Freudian Psychology.'
t Compare these with the Hindi Chakras.
LD
MACDONALD
frequently these are discounted.
In a meditative Sate the QabbaliS will make him-'
self aware of these centres one by one, anchonng
them frmly in his imagination. The moS common
method is to begin at the MKUTH centre and work
upwards. This is a preliminary exercise to Path and
Sphereworking, and to the Vision of the Merkabah.
' 1 8: Conceringjouries of the Mind & Spirit
PLANES OF EXISTENCE HAVE BEEN
detailed in the previous chapters, each
with their inhabitants and natures,
which the QabbaliS may avail him
of by partaking of a journey of the Mind or
Spirit. To the ancient mySics of the Qabbalah and
Hekkaloth the very higheS aspiration they could
attain was 'The Vision of the VaS Countenence and
the Holy Merkabah, ' which is to say plainly, to be
hold the Face of God the Almighty One, seated on
hs Throne .
This feat was achieved only by the moS ascetic
and disciplined, and involved the achievement of a
trance-like Sate wherein the mental or ASral bod
ies (and on rare occasion both) could be separated
from the physical and ascend upwards to the realms
beyond. These can be more or less classifed into
SECRET OF SECRETS
39
one of two categories generally, namely either jour
rues on the Paths of the Tree of Life, or journies in
the Sephirot themselves. Modern Qabbaliss use
the terms ' Pathworkings' or 'Sphereworkings' to
describe these experiences. There are isolated ac
counts of ' spontaneous' mysical experiences suf
fered by certain Rabbis when they reached an ec
satic state, but for mos, it is a difcult and
deliberate ac achieved through pracice.
The would-be traveller mus frs attain a med
itative sate of peace wherein he is oblivious to the
external world, next he should charge his energy
centres-which is to say meditate on them and im
agine them vividly as igniting to full acivity-and
thirdly at defning and separating the TzELMOTH of
his Soul, and separating the necessary portion from
the body-if he is exploring Y etzirah, then the
RuAcH; if Atziluth, then the NESHAMAH and its
components, &c. The aspirant having surrounded
himself with images, scents, and so on in sympathy
with the realm in quesion should concentrate on
that plane to the exclusion of all else. An ecsatic
state will be achieved and with it the vision, even
that greatest of Visions, the Merkabah.
F I N I S
APPENDIX I
The Practical & the Magical Qabbalah
As MENTIONED BEFORE, THERE ARE THREE SCIENCES
to the PraCical Qabbalah: Gematria, Temurah, and
Notariqon, which we shall each examine. ! GEM
ATRIA is the science of assigning a numerical value
to each Hebrew letter,and then analyzing a word
or name with another by equivalency. For example,
the name SHADDAI written SH D I equals 300 plus
4
plus I o or
3
I
4
; likewise, the Name of the Arch
angel METATRON written M T T R V N is
4
0 plus
9 plus 9
plus 200 plus 6 plus so (we do not use the
fnal value of Nun which is 700 in this rendering)
which also equals
3
1
4
Hence it is written of Met
atron, "My Name is in Him. "
! The assignation of number to the Hebrew alpha
bet is as follows:-
,.

i
.
N
300 30
3 200 20 2
. 100 10 1
c
0 ,
,
J . i r Q
,
600 60 6 500 50 5 400 40 4
r r


n
1
v
T
900 90 9
800 80 8 700 70 7
Note the Greek and Latin languages have their own Gematrir.
qI
42 MACDONALD
This is called the AIQ BEKER Table, or Palace of
the Nine Chambers, which is the mos frequently
used table of TEMURAH in addition to being a con
venient means of memorizing the values of the
Hebrew letters. By means of it, letters in one
chamber might be subsituted for each other, for
insance the grest Name IHVH might be subsitu
ted by ANSK creating the Name ANESEKH, which
could then be subsequently added to a conjuration
as a barrage of ' barbarous Names. ' Many of the so
called 'barbarous Names' of evocation are in fac
derived through one method or another ofTEMURH
cypher. ' Let us examine another method ofTEM
URAH called Matrix TEMURAH. From the Phrase
'ATHEH GIBOR LEOLAM ADONAI1 we will make a
Matrix of an equal number of squares both length
wise and heighthwise, adding 'nul value letters' if
required. We have 1 7 letters in our phrase, viz. :
A TH H, G I B V R, L Ao L A M, A D N I and
the closes matrix being
4
x
4
we shall need to drop
one letter to ft the pattern. We arbitrarily shall
drop the A in LEOLAM and form our matrix thus:
i l N
i .
v
J i N
SECRET OF SECRETS
43
and reading from top to bottom, and preceeding
from right to left we obtain 'GRMI HvLN THBAOD
AILA which we can confuse by sill further per
mutation to arrive at 'GIREM HA-0LIN DE-BAOTH
ALIA, which sounds like a perfecly reasonable col
lecion of Mysical Names of Power conveying
message, and yet is far removed from the original
ATHEH GIBOR LEOLAM ADONA!.
From the same phrase, ATHEH GIBOR LEOLAM
ADONAI we obtain by NoTARIQON the Name of
Power AGLA, which is taken from the initial letters
of the sentance. Likewise a word can be extended
to a sentance by NoTARIQON, e.g. , the word:
BERESHITH, 'In the Beginning, ' the frs word of
Genesis, is often extended as BERESHITH RAHI
ELOHIM SHEIEQBELO IsRAEL THORAH, 'In the Begin
ning did God know that lsrrl would accept His
Law
There are furthermore highly complex tables of
correspondance for the process of TEMURAH and
other cyphering, of which I shall give the mos fam
ous example, the two tables of Tziruph.
MCDONAD
In the two tables given above, each horizontal
line represents a method of TEMRAH subsitution,
for example in the frs line of the Irrational Table
we have the A BATH method, where A is subsitu
ted for L and vice versa, B by TH, &c.
The Magical Qabbalah used similar methods, but
not for the purpose of obscuring and prote cing
secrets as was the more common use of the PraC
ical Qabbalah, but for the purpose of creating new
Names and symbols. The method of Matrix Tem
urah given before is one type of Magical Qabbalah,
whereby new Names-in reality alternatives for ex
ising ones-were created. Sigils were likewise de
rived in similar divers ways. I am certain that mos
of my readers are familiar with the method of de
riving sigils from the Kameas or Planetary Squares
attributed to Agrippa, and so I need only mention
that method in passing. There is , however, a less
familiar but equally excellent means of deriving
sigils from the AIQBEKER table (vide page 41 ) which
I shall now elaborate.
The Nine Chambers or Palaces are used to create
a new script of nine charaCers, viz.,
_
U L :
0 C -. n I . Each of these shall be said to
represent the letters it contains. In this system, for
example, the Name MIKAEL is written _ L U L
SECRET OF SECRETS
4
7
C. These characers being made to share any
lines parallel between each we arrive at: _ &
UL
& C which combined frther and rotated
obscurely yield this:
In addition more sophisicated alphabets were of
ten employed, amoung which was the Chaldran
'Passing of the River' characers, so called because
they are formed from the passing of the infuences
from Sephirah to Scphirah on the Tree of Life.
They are:-
t n t
ll ob < \ 1 : [
o A? r X v > a
APPENDIX IJ
A TABLE OF CoRRESPONDANCES
ON TE TREE OF LIFE
In the Tables following the Roman Numerals heading the col
umns are to be read as indicated below:-
I Path
IJ Title
IIJ Symbol
IV God Name
v Angel
VI Chora
VIJ World of Stars
VIIJ Briatic Colour Scheme
IX Sub-Elemental Colours in Briah
x RoTA Arcanum
XI Geomantic Figure
XIJ Platonic [or Ptolemaic] Solid
XIIJ TzELEM hf the Sul
XIV Alchemical Principles
x Metals Substances
XVI Mystical Expriences
XVIJ Energy Centres
XVIIJ Ten Cmmandments
XIX Ordo Lux Kethri ensignium
49
SECRET OF SECRETS
S
I
I IJ IIJ IV
N VI
I KETHER EHEIEH Metatron CHAIOTH
HA-QADESH
2 CHOKMAH
i
IAH Raziel AUPHANIM
3 BINAH
l
IHVH ELOHIM Tzaphqiel ARALIM
0 DAATH
4
ELOAH Tzoqiel
4 GEDULAH
'
EL Tzadqiel CHASMA LIM
5 GEBURAH
O
ELOHIM GIBOR Khamrl SERPHIM
6 TIPHARETH
0
AGLA Raphrl MALAKIM
7
NETZACH
\
IHVH TZABAOTH Haniel ELOHIM
8 HOD
!
ELOHIM TZABAOTH Mikrl BENI
ELOHIM
9 YESOD
J
SHADDAI EL CHAI Gabriel KERUBIM
I O MALKUTH

ADONAI MELEKH Sandal phon
TA
'
AUS ISHIM
r r
N 8
Ruachiel
1 2 .
!
Tiriel
1 3 l J
Zen ri
1 4 ,
\
Aodrl
1
>
M
'
Malakidel
r 6
,
'
Asmodel
I 7
l

Ambriel
r 8
M
Moriel
19
t (
Urnicl
20

11
Hamaliel
21
,1
'
Locrl
22
'
:: Zuriel
23
QC
\ Miel
24
l
m
Briniel
25
c
Edoniel
26
'
' Hanrl
27
I
O
Mephael
28
r
"
Cambriel
29
" )
Emonitziel
30 ,
0
Robrl
3 1
w
,
Jshiel
32 M l
Gethrl
32 i8

Au phi riel
3 1 i8

Akatriel
E
5
2
MACDONALD
I VIJ VIIJ IX
r RASHITH HA-GILGALIM White Brilliance
2 MEZLOTH Dove Grey Apricot, Chartruse
3 SHABBATAI
0 ABYSSUS SHEOL
4 TZEDEQ
5
MADIM
6 SHEMESH
7 NOGAH
8 KOKAB
9 LEVANNAH
10 OLAM YESODOTH
I I
1 2
1 3
1 4
l
>
1 6
1 7
1 8
1 9
20
21
22
23
24
2
5
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
32 b
31 b
Black
Mid-Violet
Blue
Red
Yellow
Emerald Green
Orange
Mid-yellow, Citrine
Red-orange,
Yellow-green
Lemon-yellow,
Raw Sienna
Ochre, Dark lime,
Chartruse, Olive
Scrlet, Ochre,
Apricot, Russet
Indigo-purple
Russet, Citrine,
Olive, Black (Ibid)
Yellow
Orange
Violet
Green
Scarlet
Red-orange
Orange
Orange-yellow
Yellow
Yellow-green
Blue
Green
Blue
Blue-green
Blue
Violet
Red
Purple
Magenta
Yellow
Red
Indigo
Lemon-yellow
Intense Amethyst
Yellow-green
Raw Sienna
Red-orange
Black, fecked white
Raw Sienna
Cinnibr,fecked gold
SECRET L SECRETS
53
I X
I
2
3
0
4
5
6
7
8
9
I O
Fol
I 2 Magus
I 3
High Priestess
I 4 Empress
I 5 Emperor Puer
XI
I 6 Pope Amissio
I 7 Lovers Albus
I 8 Chariot Populus, Via
I
9
Strength Fortun maj, m.
20 Hermit Conjunctio
2 I Wheel of Fortune
22 Justice Puella
23 Prudence
24 Death Rubus
25 Temprnce Acquisitio
26 Devil Career, Opposito
2 7 Tower of Babel
28 Hop
Tristitia
29 Faith Lrtitia
30 Charity
I Judgement
32 Universe
32 bis
3I bis
Cauda Draconis
Caput Draconis
XIIJ
YECHIDAH
lcosohrdron CHIAH
NESHAMAH
Dodechardron
Icoshrdron
Octahrdron
RUACH
NEPHESH
(GOPH)
Dodecahrdron
Dodecahrdron
Dodechrdron
Dodechrdron
Dodechardron
Dodecahrdron
Dodechrdron
lcosohrdron
Dodecahrdron
Dodecahrdron
Dodecahrdron
Dodechrdron
Dodechrdron
Tetrn
Cube
Dodechrdron
The Platonic Solids are quite versitile as path and spherework
ing aids. The primary assignations are to the elements, vz.:
the Tetrahrdron to Fire, the lcoschrdron to Water, the
Octahrdron to Air, the Cube to Earth, and the Dodecar
dron to the 1thyr. In addition the Dodecahrdron can be
used also for the Zodiacl Signs, and the Icosohrdron for
EE the Sephirot and their Qlippothic counterparts ( 1 - 1 0 I-
5
MCDONAD
I XIV XV XVI
I
\ \
Metallic Root* Union with the Absolute
2
e
' Phosphorus The Beatifc Vision
3

Lead Knowledge of the Sophia
0 d Philosopher's
Stone Total Knowledge
4 ', o Tin or
Antimony Ultimate Sacrifce
5
d ,

Iron or Realization of Supreme
Sulphur Power
6 0 Gold Harmony of Selft
7 9 Copper ! Absolute Love
8 ! Quicksilver Vision of the Merkabah
9
J
Silver Transcendance over Illusion
IO e Medicina Recognition of the Divine
Metallo rum Purpose
I I

I 2
I 3
I 4
I
S
I 6
I 7
I 8
I 9
20
2I
22
23
e
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
3I

32
32 b
3I b

20 respectively). In fact this latter is especially suited to
This is sometimes substituted with Aurichalcum or Potassium.
t This is the AlchemicalSublimation of te Soul, called mysticlly
"The vision of the Holy Guardian Angel." t or Brass
I XVIJ
I Crown
2
3
o Throat
4
5
6 Solar Plexus
7
8
9 Groin
Io Feet
I I
I 2
I3
I 4
IS
I6
I7
I 8
I9
20
2I
22
23
24
2
5
26
27
28
29
30
3I
32
32 bis
3 I bu
SECRET OF SECRETS
XVIIJ XIX
I am the Lord thy God; thou
shalt have no other gods &c.
Thou shalt make no graven image.
Thou shalt not blsapheme, &c.
Remember that thou Amethyst
keep Holy the Sabbath. Puzzle
Honour thy Father and
Mother.
Thou shalt do no murder.
(see Daath)
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not bear false witness.
Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbor's wife, &c.
55
Aleph Lamen
Hour-glass
Heart Lamen
Argentum
Astrum
Cinquifoil
Rose
Sword Lamen
Sigillium
Theurgia
Cross of Equ
ated Forces
this assignation, as each face of the Icosohrdron is a triangle,
and each side in that triangle can be said to represent the
Paths entering or exiting that Sephirot or anti-Sephirot.
[vide. : Plato, Timcu, S3C-S7D.-PUB.]
APPENDIX IIJ
DESCRIPTION OF THE ARCANU MAJOR
OF THE ROTA:
o: FooL: A: AnattraBive young man-like card
1 2- --is seen in mid- sride. He fxes his gaze on the
heavens, not the Earth, oblivious to the clif-edge
direCly before him. At his feet a white wolf men
aces, but to this he also pays no heed. Over his
left shoulder-but carried in his right hand-is
slung a quarterstaf with a golden net tied to the
end, and within the net is a crystal orb. In his left
hand he raises an antique rose in a whimsical ges
ture. Down on his back shines the afternoon sun.
Up in the sky fies a Black Eagle. and snowcaped
mountains in a massif decorate the background
The garments of the youth are decorated variously
with the symbols of .thyr, Air, Fire, and Water.
This card is the antithesis of Card 12.
1 : MAGus: B: A dark haired youth holds a Hare
above his head in his left hand. His eyes are shut
in concentration. His right hand is sretched to
wards a Brmus upon which are the four insru
ments of Magic: Staf, Sword, Chalice and Penta
cie. His fngers sugges a ScHIN by their juxtaposi-
5
7
MACDONALD
tion, and a red aura envelopes both he and the in
Sruments. Above his head hangs the symbol of the
Archimage; infnity in blue. He has donned the
garment of an Adept; the white robe of silk, with
red glyphs of warding, and a red sleeveless mantle
also of silk. The robe is girt with a girdle of iron
in the form of a serpent grasping its own tail in its
mouth. Upon his brow reSs a crown of Pentagrams
also made of iron. The Name AGLA is clearly vis
ible on the band of the crown, at his forehead.
2: HIGH PRIESTESS: G: A dark-haired Priestess
Sands in the Temple between the two Pillars. The
left is Black conutercharged gold, and the right is
White countercharged silver. In the foreground
is a thurible, smoking with incense, and in the back
ground hangs the Banner of Order in the same col
ours as the Pillars. She Sands on a dias of fve
Seps, each a diferent variety of Marble (elements
& cthyr) and is reading from a scroll which she
holds by the poSs in both hands (it is the ToRAH).
Her expression is Sern. She is dressed in white
robes girded by a silver cin Cure over which is a
mantle of sky-blue with fowing sleeves. Upon her
breaS is an equal armed cross of silver, and adorn
ing her head is a cap woven of silver links. It has
SECRET OF SECRETS
5
9
fve rays like a Sar and contains a silver plate with
the Great Name IHVH, the which ress above her
brow.
3: EMPRESS: D: Mother Nature kneels within a
fairy-ring. She wears a garland wreath on her head
with fve lit white candles (elements). Animals of
all sorts gather round her; in her lap is nesled a
dove, and cut wheat is srewn at her feet. In the
background is a river, and juniper trees. Around
her neck hangs the sign of Venus in copper. Other
innocent-hearted motifs.
4: EMPEROR: H: A tall man in full armour sands
with a great hos behind him. To his left a trumpet
er; to his right, a boy carrying his banner: a black
bear rampant on a red feld. The Emperor stands
in a valiant pose; his sword drawn; his head bare
displaying handsome gold locks, a fne beard, and
moustache blown astray in the wind. He seems
envigorated by his surroundings; the potential con
ques . . . Upon his polished shield is a Ram's head
worked in gold. In the far disance is a canyon with
a river, and some of the land is ablaze with fre.
6o MACDONALD
s: PoPE: V: A Pope sits on a throne atop a three
Sepped dias (Mercury, Sulphur, Salt). His robes
are white sate with gold damask roses. About
him kneel four creatures: in the lower right a Red
Lion, in the upper right a Man in a Yellow Toga,
in the upper left a Black Eagle, and in the lower left
a White Ox. These are the Four Kerubim, and
together with the Pope their positions hint at the
Pentagram, for he [the Pope] is the uniting force or
Jthyr. There is a brazier with a conical l id in the
background, as well as the usual paraphenalia of a
cathedral.
6: LovERs: Z: Adam and Eve Sand in Paradise.
Above them watches Gabriel. Behind Adam, the
Tree of Life is depi &ed as an a&ual Tree with
glorious blossoms in the positions of the Sephirot.
Its leaves are red Yod-fames. Behind Eve is the
Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, whose
eleven fer-like branches and seven fruits represent
the planets, and the Qlippoth. The serpent-archi
type slithers up the Tree of Knowledge, and Eve is
reaching for the fruit . . . juS beyond her grasp.
7: CHRIOT: CH: A Chariot, drawn by a Black Lion
and a White Lamb carries a warrior in silver, gold
SECRET OF SECRETS 6 1
and adamantite (blue) armour away from a great
city. His armour is set in lumar, solar and Sellar
motifs, and he bears in his right hand a sceptre
with a Crescent Moon. His shield which is hung
upon the front of the Chariot bears the image of a
Crab in adamant-blue.
8: STRENGTH: T: Daniel pulls the thorn from the
lion's paw. The four Kerubim look on. The sym
bol of infnity hangs over his head. Simple motifs,
the two fgures dominate in the pi cure.
9
: HERMIT: I: A Ancient in brown robes cin
tured in black with a gold Hexagram embossed on
the breaS Sands at the top of a high mountain. To
his back is the opening to a cave, and below lies a
city. In his left hand he bears a lantern from which
six rays emmanate, and in his right hand he bears
a Saf in the likeness of a serpent. The hood of his
robes suggeS a Y od by shape. His head is bowed,
and his eyes are shut with resolution. The motifs
of Uranus, and Fire are also present, but after a
subdued manner.
10: WHEEL OF FoRTNE: K: Fortune- blind
folded, naked virgin-turns a wheel whose six
62 MACDONALD
spokes are the Wands, Swords, Cups, and Penta
cles of the ROT A. Upon the wheel ride an andro
gyn, the serpent architype, and a naked infant. For.
tune turns the wheel by pulling the golden rope of
EMETH-or Truth. The Four Kerubim reside in
the four quarters.
I I : JUSTICE: L: A naked virgin Sands on the Seps
before a Temple. In her left hand she bears the
scales of juSice, in her right a drawn sword. She
is blindfolded to symbolize her impartiality. She
Sands between the two Pillars to symbolize her bal
ance. With her right foot she subdues a wolf which
lies on the Seps before her.
1 2: PRUDENCE: M: A young man Sands frozen in
mid-Sride. Carefully he scans the ground before
him for a s afe place onwhich to set his foot. Jagged
chasms and crevaces in the earth yawn open around
him, seemingly intent on swallowing him up. In the
background, the sea is seen in a raging tempest. The
sky is dark, and the Moon is in the South Node.
In the diSance a gallows-in the shape of a Daleth
-has been ere Ced on a Sretch of rocks. The waves
pound agains them. But for all this, the young
man displays a calm reserve. His head is engulfed
SECRET L1 SECRETS
in a blue aura, and above him fies a dove bearing
an olive branch in her beak. Neptune and Water
motifs.
13: DEATH: N: The battlefeld depi ced in card 4
is seen in aftermath. Both Emperor & common man
alike lie dead in gore: A Woman-Lady Death
rides a white palfrey with red eyes through the car
nage. She weaves her way through this unhappy
scene with a dispassionate expression. She is a
dorned in Black armour and carries a fauchard.
Behind her rides a boy. bearing her banner-a
sylized white cinquifoil rose on a black feld. The
boy is alike dressed in black, and his seed is also a
white palfrey. Amoung the dead, a widow mourns
with her two children. The burned remains of a
city is seen now in the canyon-at the end of the
river, and the Sun sets behind it, painting it in the
colour of blood.
14: TEMPERENCE: S: Rap hel is seen in a valley
near a pool. He bears a torch in one hand, upright,
and pours water into the pool from a chalice in the
other. His wings are outsretched, and a rain
bow shines between them. His eyes are closed in a
reverent manner, and a white aura glows about his
MACDONALD
head. His left foot is advanced and is in the pool
underwater while his right remains on land (his
right knee is bent slightly). His robes are white,
and bear the N ae TETRAGRAMMA TON on them. He
wears a circlet on his brow with the emblem of the
Sun. The Four Kerubim.occupy the quarters once
more.
1
5
: DEVIL: Ao: Baphomet Sands behind an onyx
altar. Draped unconscious or dead upon it lies a
naked virgin, chained by her wri Ss. Her head is
toward the left of the card, and dangles over the
edge of the altar. Her golden hair cascades down.
In the foreground are seen two damned souls chai
ned to an iron ring on the altar. One is female, but
with cloven hooves, horns, and a lion's tail. She
ofers on her knees a Chalice and a bunch of grapes
to the Goat of Mendes. The other is a male, with
one cloven hoof, horns, and the tail of a scorpion.
He is likewise kneeling, but on one knee, and of
fers the Goat an inverted torch. At the feet of the
male figure (to the left of the card) burns a black
candle; to the right, at the feet of the female, a
white candle burns. Behind Baphomet on the wall
can be seen the inverted Pentagram in orange. Be
tween his horns burns a red candle, but he himself
SECRET OF SECRETS
glows faintly in lavender. Superimposed uon the
inverted Pentagram is a drawn sword, point down
wards. With his lef hand Baphomet makes the
Aoyn sign, revealing the sigil of Saturn which is
burned into his palm. In his right hand he bears
a black wafer, triangular in shape. There are shad
ows and dark colours everywhere. The card sym
bolizes all that is false.
1 6: TowER OF BABEL: P: The Tower has been
Sruck by jagged lightning, whose shape resembles
the Flaming Sword. Where the Sephirot are on the
sword, the lightning-fash glows brighter. From
the shattered tower fall two fgures, a king and queen
whose juxtaposition on the card hint at the letter
AYoN. They plummet towards the hard rocks of
reality below.
The tower is burning and crumbled, although
seemingly made from solid rock. To the left of the
Tower hover eleven yod-fames-but ebon in col
our-in the confguration of the Averse Sephirot.To
the are right, ten white yod-fames in the form of the
Tree of Life or Venus symbol . The Sky is an angry,
lurid red.
66 MACDONALD
1
7
: HLPE: Tz: A beautiful, naked virgin, kneeling
on her left knee, her right foot being in a pool of
water, pours from two emphorc. From the blue
(elechic) one in her right hand (magnetic) she pours
the elixir of life (lavender, representing the lthyr)
into the water of the pool, and from the red (mag
netic) one in her left hand ( ele chic) she pours the
elixir onto the earth from whence it fows of in fve
direBions (the senses). Behind her, and to the
right of the card is the Tree of Life as it was seen
i card six, but now the yod -shaped leaves are green.
To the lef is the Tree of Knowledge in which now
pearches the dove seen in card twelve, sill holding
the olive branch in her beak. Above the virgin is
a golden seven-pointed sar accompanied by ten
silver sars of smaller size. The whole assembly of
sars give the appearance of the symbol of Pluto
(for the virgin is secretly Persephone). Her hair is
long and blonde, her eyes are closed reverently, and
her pose hints at a swastika (i.e. , ALEPH or KETHER).
Yellow roses grow by the side of the pool, and multi
coloured butterfies futter about them. Everywhere
is Life, for this is Eden resored. A predonunance
of green. with subtle Air and Water motifs.
SECRET OF SECRETS
r 8: FAITH: Q: A waining Moon shines, caSing
nine rays into the night. But grey clouds are en
croaching, threatening to engulf the light. The
four clouds are vaguely yod-shaped and have a red
glow to them. On a plateau below are seen two
towers, a red to the left, a blue to the right (LEH &
DoH &c. ). A path between the two towers leads
down to an uncomely fen from which a crayfsh
emerges. The path is guarded by two black wolves
with faming red eyes. One of them howls at the
moon.
19: CHARITY: R: A huge Sun shines on two naked
children dancing in a walled garden. Each clasps
the other's hands as if they meant to spin each other
about in circles. The girl's feet splash in a pool of
water. The boy' s feet dance on green grass. Five
red yod-fames shine down upon them in blessing
from the Sun; the sky is cloudless and the garden
is decked with daisies and sunfowers.
20: JuDGEMENT: SH: Michrl, a dark-haired Angel,
Sands before the Tree of Life. His left hand reSs
on the pommel of the Flaming Sword; his right
hand makes a sign-the opposite of Baphomet' s in
F
68 MACDONALD
. card ffeen-which looks like the letter Shin. The
symbol of Mercury is revealed as glowing in his
palm (orange). Wormwood grows at his feet. His
white robes bear the red-and-gold equal-armed
cross. Behind him the Tree of : Life (depicted as
an a&al tree) errupts like a volcano spewing red
yod-fames into the air: the hail of sulphurous fre.
Out of the ground, heads and hands grope forth:
the dead rising from their graves. One corpse. that
of a child, is already risen. and sounds the trumpet
call. Michcl, like Raphcl in card fourteen and
Gabriel in card six has a white aura about his head.
There is a river in the foreground with a serpent
swimming

in it (to the left of the card). The child

Sands in the fow of the river (to the right). The
sky is tempeSuous; with l ightning and fre.
21 : UNIVERSE: TH: Within the polychromatic back
ground of the ASral Plane of Y etzirah is an elipse
composed of 400 lesser circles of various colours.
Within this elipse is the shining fgure of a naked
virgin. Her eyes are closed reverently; her right
foot is advanced, her lef on tip-toe; her right hand
1 advanced, raised, and rotated to the right: her
left is thrown back, lowered, and rotated to the left.
Both hands grasp shafts of brilliant white light. A
SECRET OF SECRETS
red silk scarf (discreetly placed) suggess the letter
KPH as it billows behind her. In the four corners
of the card are the Four Kerubim, the Red Lion,
Black Eagle, Yellow-haired Man, and White Ox
who have appeared in so many other trumps.
ADVERTISEMENT:-The author of t volume is presently
looking for artists of exceptional skill to paint the images for a
complete RoTA deck. Interested persons may apply by snding
their rendition of any of the major RoTA Arcanum described in
the appndix above to the author in cre of this publisher. The
artist chosen will receive an equal prtion of the proceeds from
the subsequent sle of the Deck itself.
f
APPENDIX IV
Example of a Path & Sphereworking
on the Tree of Life
PREPARATION: ' IF THE STUDENT IN
tends to condu a himself through
these examples without the aid of a
guide, he should frS read each over,
and memorize it efecively. Having done this, he
should fnd a quiet, tranquil place where he can
condu a himself through the working without being
disturbed. He can choose either to lie down in the
'Wand PoSture' or sit upright in the 'King's Pos
ture. ' I myself would suggest the former, as it re
quires less demand on the physical body during a
given working, but either is suitable. Next he
muS close his eyes, and begin breathing deeply and
rhythmically as taught before, neither hyperventil
ating nor Saggering his breath. He should imagine
his body as the image of the Middle Pillar, and
should charge his Energy Centres accordingly, i
turn from MLKUTH upwards to KETHER.
When these Pathworkings-ighteen in all, fol
lowing the path of the Kerubic Sword-were fr
given in 1 98
3
to members of the 0: . L: . K:. and
some priviledged others, a preamble was read at the
71
72 MCDONAD
commencement of each working, accompanied by
synthesizer. For the convienience of the reader in
experienced in disciplined Wesern Meditative
techniques, that preamble is here reproduced . . .
PREAMBLE: Relax. Close your eyes ar begin deep
ar rhythmic breathing. Hold your breath in for a
certain number of heartbeats, then exhale; and hold
your breath out for an equal length of time.
Imagine that one by one each of your Energy Cent
res is charging in tur: beginning with the arches of
your feet, cause your Malkuth-centre to charge with
a ball of olive light. * Next at your groin, or Yesod
centre allow an indigo-purple sphere to form and grow.
At your solar-plexus, brilliant yellow sunlight
Tiphareth-beams forth. In your larynx or Daath
centre, violet !thyr-light throbs in harmony with the
beat of your heart; and lastly, at your crown or Kether
centre, a sphere of white brilliances begins to glow.
You ARE the Middle Pillar; diferent colours of light
begin to meld and blur until you are engulfed in light,
and violet !thyr force encloses you in a protective
sphere # . . (music)
As you relax, you begin to feel your physical body
Olive was found to be the easiest of the Malkuth colours to
imagine as light. Previous trials with Sienna-the synthesis
of the four colours-had failed.
SECRET OF SECRETS
7
3
become heavier and heavier; indeed each limb is lead,
and you cannot lit it from the floor. But also. you
feel as i a part of you has grown remarkably lighter;
indeed it is as a feather, growing lighter and lighter
with each passing rhythmic breath. This is your Ast
ral Body. Concentrate on the dichotomy of yourself;
the contrast between the two bodies . . .
As you feel your Astral Body begin to rise, and sep
arate from your physical body, tmagine that the violet
sphere of lthyr-light moves with you, carring you
like a soap bubble. You are now foating above your
physical body, but you are not alarmed. You feel only
peace.
Engulfed in your sphere of Light you continue to
rise, higher and higher: up through the roof and out
into the (night) sky. As you continue to rise, higher
and higher, the light continues to increase in its bright
ness; brighter and brighter, until itsever pulse can
be felt, and heard (music)
You foat outwards into the Astral,and you drift
through its eddies and currents. You pass through its
vast dimentions until you reach that certain special
point. You know where it is without thinking, and
slowly your Magic sphere. begins to descend through the
pl0osm
7
4
MACDONALD
SPHEREWORKING: ! MALKUTH: 9 9 . You are in a
barren waseland, amongs the toppled remnants of
a fortifed stone wall half hurried in the soi l. The
wind howls harshly around you, and the Sun beats
down on your back . . . and in some way, this place
seems familiar to you, like a remote dream from
the pas . . .
At your feet, a peculiar creature, some primative
monotreme or mammal, emerges from its burrow;
it has white furry claws-powerful, and made for
burrowing, like a mole' s; and its torso is prote Bed
by scaly armour-like a dragon' s; its mouth is
really more of a hooked beak-like a parrot' s; and
its tail is fat and paddle -like-like a beaver' s. All
in all a strange assembly of parts for one creature
to possess. At frst you feel tempted to dismiss the
creature as merely a desert-dwelling relative of the
platypus, but as you ponder the curiosity of its con
stru chon, a revealation hits you: this creature is
composed of symbols for the Four Elements! Fire,
Water, Air, and Earth are all represented in its
features.
It gazes up at you with solemn, sad eyes, and
speaks
SECRET OF SECRETS
when the dust has fallen,
silence rules the Earth;
when the ancient, crumbling, stone lies
buried beneath the dirt;
when the Mystery returns to darken
mutant man,
He will undrstand 4 9 4 *
7
5
As you ponder its words, you look up, and dis
cover that your surroundings have changed. The
terrain is now diverse; separated into four wedge
shaped quadrants meeting at the exa a point where
you sand. To the East lies a lush and inviting rain
fores; to the North, a coastline with crashing
ocean waves; to the West, rocky mountains, land
scapes with high clif faces and yawning fssures;
and to the South, sretch sandy dunes as far as the
eye can see. Looking closer, you note that each
quadrant is marked by a lone pyramid, each difer
ing from its fellows, just at the limits of your
perception.
You look back at your guide, and are surprised
once more: in place of the platypus-creature there
sands an androgynous Angel in robes of salmon
* this is taken from the lyrics of the song Mutant Man by the
late Patrick Cowley.
MACDONALD
pink. Her hair is short-cropped, but as white as
the creature' s fur; her eyes are j us as black and
sorrowful. She is Sandalphon, as you realize now,
and as she wordlessly turns, and walks away you
unquesioningly follow . . .
To which quadrant does Sandalphon lead you?
What do you fnd there?
RETURN: . . . Your surroundings begin to fade, 0 the
sphere forms around you . . . You are returing to your
body . . . You are awake. You feel perfectly relaxed
an refreshed.
PATHWORKING: THE 32ND PATH: TAu: hen the
sphere vanishes, we fnd we have returned to the
barren wasteland. Sandalphon is waiting for us in
her human form. The wind fafes and rusles her
robes of salmon, and her great green wings lose a
feather or two as the wind guss. She welcomes us
with great warmth and joy, embracing us with arm
and wing alike; we are her special charge, the
Children of Earth.
Her skin is tanner, and more radiant than we re
member; almos golden. And she is no longer sor
rowful, but joyful. We are not of the race called
'mutat man' for which the Earth has sufered, we
SECRET OF SECRETS
77
are the true Children of the Earth; the seekers of
the Light.
She passes her hand before us,"and our clothing
is replaced by robes of white linnen, loose-woven,
like cheesecloth. She passes her hand before us
again, and we fnd our robes girded by srong leather
belts. She seems pleased.
"I know why you have 'come. " 'she tells us, "To
travel the Paths of Ascention. Your frs tes will
be the
3
2nd Path. It is the path of the elements;
the four equated forces, perpetually in contes. Its
symbol is the Equal-armed Cross, which is the
mos ancient symbol of Saturn in its simple, sabil
izing nature. Walk the Path and partake of its
Mysery.
"
Turning from us,"Sandalphon cups her hands
above her head. Within them we see a small token:
an equal -armed cross formed from fve cubes of
some luserous mineral. Her eyes are shut in con
centration. The wind is building to a furious roar.
Clouds of Fire, smoke, and mis are gathering . . .
the elements have gone wild! She does not seem to
notice, and indeed the area surrounding us is calm
in comparison with the tumult beyond. We notice
now that Sandal phon herself is changing; her white
hair is darkening to black; only a few white fecks
MACDONALD
remain. Her robes, too change colour: their hue is
deepening to indigo. In this form she is Gethrl,
keeper of the
3
2nd Path. We know this without
undersanding how we know, but our undersand
ing of Qabbalah tells us that Sandalphon is the
mysical daughter of BINAH, the Supernal ocave of
Saturn which is one of the keys of this Path. San
dalphon-Gethrl-intones a word, and from her
token a beam of brilliant light burss forth. It slices
the mrlsorm before us like a knife slices butter,
creating a path for us to travel upon. As we begin
to follow Gethrl down the path, the windsorm
worsens; a rageing tumult, a battle of opposites is
being waged beyond the safety of our path. Water
and Fire and dust swril through the savage winds;
and srange creatures swim through the earth, and
walk solidly upon water. But on our path, all is
calm and sane. Before us there presently sands a
White Ox, who blocks our path.
"I am the Firs Kerubim. In what_ Name do you
come?' '
Our guide answers for us, "The Almighty Lord
of Life, SHADD AI EL CHAI. " The Ox nods, and
vanishes into the mrlsrom. We proceed a little
further on, and then we are stopped by a Man in
Yellow.
SECRET OF SECRETS
7
9
"I 3 the Second Kerubim. By what symbol do
you come?' '
"By the Cross of Equated Forces. " answers the
Angel, displaying her token. The Man vanishes.
As we look ahead of us we can now see that our
path leads its way up into a high mountain, winding
and twising around the pinnacle. Near the very
peak, we think we can see a twinkle of light Yes!
It pierces the sorm lie a bacon!
When we reach the foot of the mountain, we are
sopped again.
"I am the Third Kerubim." a Red Lion with a
golden mane declares, "What leads you; what Path
do you follow??"
We answer together with Sandalphon who i s
Gethrl, "Led by the Light, we follow the Path of
the Sword. " And the Lion lets us pass. The sum
mit trail winds upwards and upwards; we feel the
crispness of the air in our lungs, smell the odour of
long-forgotten freshness in it. The ascent does not
weary us; it invigorates! As we continue to climb
with renewed speed we are sopped again, by a
Blac Eagle.
"I am the Fourth Kerubim. What is the secret
of this Path?"
8o MACDONALD
' ' Man is the only creature made in God's Image.
' '
we reply. And the Eagle fies away.
At laS we reach the top of the Mountain, and
the end of the Path. Waiting for us is a beautiful
female Angel. She wears robes of purple. and her
hair is long and black; bound by a circlet of silver
which shines with light. She is llliel, Mother of the
Seven Mansions of the Moon. She Sands before
two great silver portals which also beam with light.
She looks direaly at us with her violet eyes and
asks; "Why have you set out on this journey; fol"
lowed along this Path? What do you sek? tWhat
do you hope??"
Sandalphon does not answer. She no longer
snds beside us, for she is this third Angel also.
It is for us alone to slve this queSion . . .
[R}