Wednesday, September 17, 2008

The Inner Tree

(Image: Yggdrasil or the Tree of Life)

I've been slowly reading a book I bought a couple weeks ago. It is _The Kabbalah Experience_, by Naomi Ozaniec. I was on the airplane headed for Phoenix when I did the first meditative exercise. It is more like guided imagery, to be exact, but the meditation led me on my own symbolic journey.
The first exercise is called "Inner Tree". To read the short exercise and to participate in it yourself, read page 10 of the book, found HERE.

I wrote down my reflections in a small memo pad; I share them here with you. If you read the page and do the meditation, I'd be interested in discussing your reactions to it.
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I stood before the garden with great curiosity, as I have done with the mysteries in general. Opening the door, I walked to the tree which has very tempting fruit. I partake of the fruit. It's the Tree of Knowledge and the fruit is Wisdom, meant to transform me. After eating the fruit, I exit the door opposite the one I came in, because it was the farthest away, hence there will be the greatest transformation from who I was before I walked into the first door. I did not want to leave the way I came, for to do so would mean I'd return to my former incomplete self. Finally, I close the door, signifying the transformation is complete. (I also thought of the forbidden fruit that Adam and Eve ate. I believe this thought is caused by remnants of my early Christian upbringing.)

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It should be said here that I am not interested in Ka-pop-alah, or the modern day fad that is made popular by Madonna. I hope to find the real Kabbalah in my searches.

2 comments:

Jody said...

Sophia,

I am very interested in Kabbalah, though not the pop stuff either. I write about an idea I have of writing a Kabbalah-based novel for young adults, rather like the Chronicles of Narnia....(www.JosephineCarrWrites.blogspot.com).

As to your search for a Teacher: it seems to me pretty obvious that you ought to turn this search over to Mother God or the powers of the Universe....let Her/It bring you the right teacher when you're ready. While you wait, you can continue to read widely and deeply (as I note you do). Thus far, at the age of 56, I've not yet gotten a specific teacher, although I'd welcome someone. I am in constant contact with my guides and angels, and I feel quite profoundly that I'm finally on the right path for myself. If you want any more thoughts about great books to read, I'm the one to ask!

All the best, Jody

Sophia said...

Hi Jody,

I do not yet know much about Kabbalah but I have found myself curious about it several times over the course of three and a half years. I am just now taking steps to familiarize myself with it.

I will stop over at your place and check out this writing about the young adult book. I'd probably like it; I'm 30 and a couple years ago I found myself enjoying the first Narnia movie.

Thank you for your comment. I'm a slow reader (very slow due to OCD repetition), but I do enjoy learning from books.