kabbalah (and meditation)

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 26 Nov 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

kabuki	26 Nov 2002
Lately I've become interested in using the tarot cards in meditation. I've mainly done this with individual cards that hold significance for me but i've also been sporadicly going through the 'HallowQuest' (Caitlin Mathews). I'm really keen to extend this, in the future, to working with the Kabbalah. Can anyone reccomend any books with give practical information on using the tarot cards in relation to the Kabbalah, via meditation. And am I right in thinking this is whats meant by 'pathworking' ?

juice	27 Nov 2002
Um maybe. Pathworking has most often been described as following a story or set of symbols while in a meditative state. I'm afraid that was too short an answer. How to Path Work: the $0.00295 Version 1. Pick a subject like 3 of pentacles, water, aces, victory, health, parenthood, or winning that race next week. 2. Write down a list of all the concepts and objects you can think of that can be associated with your subject. 100 might be more objects than you need and ten is probably not enough. 3. Now write a story that includes all of these objects. You get points for creativity in finding ways to make all the things sounds like something you can see or experience with your senses, or something feel like you're doing. You won't turn into a copy of Tower if it is boring. Most I've seen are written like a journey you imagine yourself on. 4. Read it on to tape. Most people can't relax enough or avoid too many distraction while reading. You could arrange for a live reading by somebody else. Swap favors with a friend. 5. Go someplace wheere the only outside sensations or distractions are the voice reading the story. Now do whatever ritual you use to get into a meditative state. Follow the story as if you were the primary actor. Imagine that you are actually experiencing the story first hand. 6. Send me cash. :)

jmd	27 Nov 2002
Most people who use the term 'pathworking' when applied to Tarot and Qabalah refer to the form employed by the Golden Dawn (and since become reasonably 'popular'). Each (Major Arcana) card is placed on one the the paths (hence 'pathworking') said to connect Sefirah to Sefirah on the Tree of Life. You may be interested to check the Study Groups section entitled 'Qabalah' - and post specific questions there. In terms of a book, Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki's Shining Paths would be useful for your purposes (I haven't my book handy, by am pretty certain as to its title).

Laurel	27 Nov 2002
_Archetypes on the Tree of Life_ by Madonna Compon is useful as well and I think has everything you are asking for. In terms of Kabbalistic meditation in general, you can't go wrong with Aryeh Kaplan's works, esp _Meditation & The Kabbalah_ and then use the techniques you learn there and work in the tarot on your own. Laurel

SlyR	27 Nov 2002
Absolutely! Archetypes on the Tree of Life is an excellent pathworking reference, perhaps the best.

Major Tom	28 Nov 2002
I'm rather fond of The Book of Tokens - Tarot Meditations by Paul Foster Case. })

Ravenswing	07 Dec 2002
i'll second that major. and go with case's suggestion to read them aloud. make a **big** difference. raven

Ophiel	08 Dec 2002
Greetings. Denning/Phillips' "Magical States of Consciousness" is an excellent book on pathworking. Each path has a picture that can be used as a springboard onto the path, and the pictures are like optical illusions. This is an excellent, highly recommended book but unfortunately it is out of print and tough to find.

The kabbalah (and meditation) thread was originally posted on 26 Nov 2002 in the Using Tarot Cards board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Using Tarot Cards, or read more archived threads.