A few months back, I completed an initiation that involved meditating on each of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet in turn for between 4 days to a week each. Specifically, I focused on each letter like a sigil, along with its corresponding card in the Major Arcana of the tarot, and their corresponding path on the tree of life.
22 letters. 22 cards. 22 paths.
This initiation was recommended to me by my good friend and fellow traveller on the left hand path, Dave Block, as a less-intense alternative to Qliphothic initiation – something which I didn’t feel quite ready to embark upon and which Lucifer told me I was not ready for yet either. I was half way through one of Dave’s lectures about the Qliphoth and the Annunaki wars on Aeon Byte Gnostic Radio and had just asked Lucifer to guide me to a more suitable initiation. About a minute after resuming the lecture, Dave mentioned the Hebrew letter meditation.
Even now, I still don’t feel quite ready to set foot onto the Qliphoth, even though it fascinates me. Instead, I’m preparing myself for Kundalini Tantra, by practicing Karma Yoga and Bhakti Yoga. To be honest, I don’t expect Kundalini to be any less intense than the Qliphoth – I’m just more drawn to Eastern mysticism.
But I digress…
Source code of reality
The esoteric significance of the Hebrew alphabet cannot be overstated. It is both an alphabet that represents sacred phonological vibration as well as an entire system of numerology, in which each letter having a numeric value. Divine names, mantras, dates, and situations can be interpreted (or created) using the Hebrew alphabet. Even entire passages of the Hebrew bible have numerological significance. The complexity of the Hebrew alphabet as a magickal system could easily be a lifelong study.
Many Western occult system almost invariably include a basic introduction of the Hebrew letters as part of its training. The tools created by a magician for ceremonial magick – such as those created found in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn – are all inscribed with Hebrew script.
All of reality can be interpreted numerically and geometrically. When I think of the Hebrew letters in this way, I am reminded of the green cascade in The Matrix. I am reminded of Odin’s sacrifice on the World Tree Yggdrasil who, having hanged for nine days and nights, acquired the secrets of the runes. I honestly don’t think the Hebrew alphabet and the runes are all that dissimilar – same goes for Sanskrit.
Intent and methodology
My intent going into this was not to learn Hebrew, memorise all of the correspondences of each letter or understand their numerological or esoteric significance of to a high degree. Rather I simply wanted to allow the process of meditating on each one as a sigil in its own right to guide me, and let my intuition fill in the blanks as far as meaning and significance is concerned.
My methodology was fairly simple. I made it a part of my morning magickal routine and conducted the meditation directly after my morning Qi Gong practice. I had a hand-drawn copy of each Hebrew letter and its corresponding tarot in front of me. As is my preferred method for charging any other type of sigil, I used the Wim Hof breathing technique; gazing at both the letter and the card during the breath-hold.
Before moving on to a new letter, I’d do some rudimentary research about it to get the ball rolling, usually chabad.org and glorian.org. But this was only to prime myself – I’d always be sure to allow my mind to wander and surrender to any downloads that I received. Sometimes I didn’t get much new and had to rely on those existing interpretations. Other times I got some really cryptic gnoses, wildly different to any ‘traditional’ interpretations.
Immediately after the session, I recorded my insights in the diary. When I had finished working with one letter, I’d stick in to my wall as a kind of progress motivator.
Simple but not easy
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much out of this process at all. I’ve been using the tarot daily for about five years and have a pretty good understanding of the cards’ meanings. What effect could meditating on them plus some arbitrary character from a once-dead-now-revived language possibly have?
Well, I wouldn’t say my life fell apart drastically, but the entire initiation was a series of internal and external changes. Some were blissful, some were painful. None of them were tied to any particular letter.
In the first couple of weeks, I began to feel really amazing about having discovered the magickal path in this lifetime, about its possibilities for understanding myself and reality, about the situations and people one meets along the way. There was an overwhelming sense of gratitude.
This was followed by a period of deep isolation and loneliness, when I realised that I had no one to truly share this enthusiasm with. Good friends tried to be supportive, for sure, but no one really ‘got it’. I was seeing the world through completely different eyes to everyone else and speaking a different language. Magick is a deeply personal experience and the path is ultimately a solitary one.
There were a lot of attachments I was forced to let go of. Some close relationships simply dissolved. I soon realised that they weren’t serving me at all but it wasn’t easy. My car, which was actually a piece of shit, died. This meant, I had to start cycling, but my bicycle was stolen a couple of weeks later before my eyes in broad daylight.
Finding myself
With all of this extra time I had to contemplate in solitude, I was ultimately able to connect with what my purpose is. It’s fairly complicated to describe in detail, but it involves being more of a minimalist, narrowing my focus, and I’m about to relocate to a new city.
Ultimately this was one of the best things I’ve done for spiritual journey in a while and, in about four or five months, I definitely feel like an inner transformation has taken place. It wasn’t easy, but nothing that’s worth living for is.
The meaning of the letters
Because it’s important to share experience and gnoses whilst on the magickal path to help others, the rest of this article will serve as my interpretation of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet. Like I said above, I referred to some online sources to get me started, but my interpretation is purely personal. Should you choose to do this yourself, your interpretation may be different.
For a personal touch I’ve digitised my hand-drawn rendition of the letters. Because I was unfamiliar with Hebrew when I started, I didn’t realise that I was using a stylised version of the alphabet as a reference for most (but not all) of the letters until I was about two-thirds through the initiation. Therefore, my drawings will differ to what you may see printed in occult grimoires, etc.
Aleph
Number: 1
Tarot card: The Fool
Path: 11 – Kether-Chokmah
Alchemy: Air
Interpretation: Creation made the decision to express itself. It took the first leap into the unknown, thus beginning the fool’s journey.
As occultist, we are creators. This is the first step we take – that we must make when forging a new path.
Bet
Number: 2
Tarot card: The Magician
Path: 12 – Kether-Binah
Alchemy: Mercury
Interpretation: While Aleph represents the path toward Chokmah (wisdom), the emotional component of creation, Beth represents the path to the logical (Binah) component of creation. Aleph and Beth represent the Feminine (Shakti) and Masculine (Shiva) principles, respectively.
The alchemical symbol of Mercury represents the Thothian aspect; the unification of paradox
Gimel
Number: 3
Tarot card: The High Priestess
Path: 13 – Kether-Tiphareth
Alchemical: Moon
Interpretation: Unconscious. Creation crosses the Abyss. The crossing of two viels, Briah and Atziluth
Dalet
Number: 4
Tarot card: The Empress
Path: 14, Chokmah-Binah
Alchemical: Venus
Interpretation: The central binder of the first three letters. Dalet is the Hebrew word for ‘door’ or ‘gateway’. The number 4 represents the four alchemical elements, the four worlds. Holds the equilibrium between understanding and wisdom.
The Empress (feminine & nurturing) holds a sceptre – possibly a torch to guide us or a penetrative phallus. She sits in front of a forest, almost guarding it. The forest of the unknown, the unconscious of the Abyss. This is contrasted by the golden wheat/barley in front of her. She is the balancing force of the universe.
We walk towards her with humility.
Heh
Number: 5
Tarot card: The Star
Path: 15 – Chokmah-Tipheroth
Alchemical: Aries
Interpretation: The emotional intuitive path between the central Sun and the supernal triad. The Ruler
Vav
Number: 6
Tarot card: The Heirophant
Path: 16 – Chokmah-Chesed
Alchemical: Taurus
Interpretation: The higher path on the right side of the tree of life. Where forgiveness and letting go of judgement of self and of others is not only a display of strength and courage, but aso the only way of emancipation from bondage.
This often requires a teacher or some kind of trial that forces us to surrender to come to this realisation.
Zayin
Number: 7
Tarot card: The Lovers
Path: 17 – Binah-Tiphareth
Alchemical: Gemini
Interpretation: Twins. The second side that connects the third and second triad.
Chet
Number: 8
Tarot card: The Chariot
Path: 18 – Binah-Geburah
Alchemical: Cancer
Interpretation: Chet signifies enclosure, limited scope of something with a wider spectrum. It is a protective quality, demonstrating competencec within that scope and certainty in one’s ability. Like have blinkers on that allows us to narrow down our talents and focus on something – a specialisation.
Teth
Number: 9
Tarot card: Strength
Path: 19 – Chesed-Mercury
Alchemical: Leo
Interpretation: The veil that must be pierced before entering Da’ath. Sometimes signified as a Dragon, possibly the womb of Lilith (in Crowley’s Thoth deck, it is the ‘Lust’ for entering the womb). It takes courage to pierce the veil. The serpent guards the treasure. She wears a crown of thorns and an infinite halo. She is an enlightened master/mistress. Her feminine aspect means that we must embrace the feminine to go beyond.
Yod
Number: 10
Tarot card: The Hermit
Path: 20 – Chesed-Tiphareth
Alchemical: Virgo
Interpretation:Secrets, solitude, invisibility. Potentiality of creation. The first two-digit number.
Kaf
Number: 20
Tarot card: Wheel of Fortune
Path: 21 – Chesed-Netzach
Alchemical: Jupiter
Interpretation: Container of matter. What gives it form. It is what gives shape and physicality to that which is manifested in physical reality. The Wheel of Fortune is what gives the magician the ability to create that shape in accordance with his or her will.
This is the manifestation of desires. The idea that we are capable of controlling our lives as opposed to being carried by ‘fate’.
Lamed
Number: 30
Tarot card: Justice
Path: 21 – Geburah-Tiphareth
Alchemical: Libra
Interpretation: The equaliser. The ‘stuff’ pf reality is manifested with Kaf (Wheel of Fortune). With Lamed, it is brought into harmony. If the manifestation is not in accordance with Natural Law, the return to equilibrium will provide sometimes harsh lessons. The scales of justice always seek a return to equilibrium
Mem
Number: 40
Tarot card: Hanged Man
Path: 23 – Geburah-Hod
Alchemical:Water
Interpretation: This represents the necessity to sacrifice, to wait and sit still in a seemingly chaotic moment and surrender. Much like Odin, who hangs on the Tree Yggdrasil, at the end of the ordeal, he is the recipient of wisdom (Mem).
The element of water represents the unconscious, which is the place where sacrifice is made. As the unintegrated shadow manifests chaos (the leftward ripping apart of the tree – the Adversity), only through integration and not fighting it, can we manage the situation
Nun
Number: 50
Tarot card: Death
Path: 24 – Tiphareth-Netzach
Alchemical: Scorpio
Interpretation: Death and rebirth. Renewal. The death of desires. Being willing to give up and start afresh.
Samech
Number: 60
Tarot card: Temperance
Path: 25 – Tiphareth-Yesod
Alchemical: Sagittarius
Interpretation: Transmutation. Alchemy. Changing into higher vibration through tempering the materials that already exist.
Combining the qualities in harmonious amounts to create perfection.
Descent down into the moon, the lower end of the astral realm
Ayin
Number: 70
Tarot card: The Devil
Path: 26 – Tiphareth-Hod
Alchemical: Capricorn
Interpretation: Limitless nothingness. Dual force – light and darkness. Spiritual eye – the ability to see between worlds. One eyes sees all with simple monocular vision.
Epiphany in communicating with the feminine via embodies presence.
Pah
Number: 80
Tarot card: The Tower
Path: 27 – Hod-Netzach
Alchemical: Mars
Interpretation: The conquering child. War and destruction. Active, exciting intelligence. First veil. Stripping away the dross. Total surrender to the purification fire.
Tsadeh
Number: 90
Tarot card: The Emperor
Path: 28 – Netzach-Yesod
Alchemical: Aquarius
Interpretation: The fractal nature of reality, where creation is governed by mathematical equations and ratios (sacred geometry). The ‘order’ as represented by the Emperor card.
The inevitable tree that grows from a seed or the inevitable manifestation that grows from an idea.
Jerah of the runes. You reap what you sow.
Qoph
Number: 100
Tarot card: The Moon
Path: 29 – Netzach-Malkuth
Alchemical: Pisces
Interpretation: The first little epiphanies that we get when starting on the path of magick.
Resh
Number: 200
Tarot card: The Sun
Path: 30 – Hod-Yesod
Alchemical: Sun
Interpretation: Wealth, glory, the playful god. Burning away shit that doesn’t serve.
Shin
Number: 300
Tarot card: Judgement
Path: 31 – Hod-Malkuth
Alchemical: Fire
Interpretation: Grounding, bringing glory down to earth. Healing, regeneration
Tau
Number: 400
Tarot card: The World/The Universe
Path: Yesod-Malkuth
Alchemical: Saturn
Interpretation: Unity of the cosmos. The End and The Beginning. The Alpha and Omega. The All. Brahma.