Two ivory Djed pillars found in a
First Dynasty tomb at Helwan.
(photograph taken by J.D.Degreef)
The Concept of the Djed Symbol
By Vincent Brown, 2012
One of the most enigmatic symbols of Ancient Egypt is the Tet, or Djed. Although it was widely used as a religious icon throughout much of the history and geography of Ancient Egypt, it is still not clearly understood what the Djed was originally conceived to represent. Determining its meaning from its appearance alone is not an easy task so we shall take some of the suggested definitions and analyse each individually. But first of all lets look at the key elements that make up the symbol.
Typical Distinctive Features:
- Four horizontal bars surmounting a vertical shaft
- Vertical striations between each bar
- These striations are shown in profile on the sides of the Djed creating a curved appearance
- Four bands around neck of the shaft
- Sometimes a small capital can be seen surmounting the Djed
- The Djed often stands on a rectangular base
Partzufim/Partsufim (Hebrew: פרצופים, singular Partzuf, Hebrew: פרצוף), meaning Divine “Personae/Visages/Faces/Forms/Configurations”, are particular reconfigured arrangements of the 10 sephirot Divine attributes/emanations of Kabbalah into harmonised interactions in Creation. Their names derive from mystical discourses in the Zohar, the foundational text of Kabbalah, where they appear as synonymous manifestation terms for the sephirot. Their full doctrinal significance emerges only in 16th century Lurianic Kabbalah in relationship to the cosmic processes of Shevirah-“Shattering” and Tikun-“Rectification”. Each Patzuf is a Yosher-“Upright” scheme of all the sephirot around one of their number, analogous to the interrelated sephirot configuration in Man. Continue reading
Daath and the Abyss
From [see source]
“Nothingness lies coiled in the heart of being – like a worm” – Sartre
In modern Kabbalah there is a well developed notion of an Abyss between the three supernal sephiroth of Kether, Chokhmah, and Binah, and the seven lower sephiroth. When one looks at the progress of the Lightning Flash down the Tree of Life, then one finds that it follows the path structure connecting sephiroth except when it makes the jump from Binah to Chesed, thus reinforcing this idea of a “gap” or “gulf” which has to be crossed. Continue reading
The Veil of Paroketh
Paroketh is rather an odd part of the Tree. Sources don’t agree on where it comes from, what its name means, what it represents, or even whether it’s a veil at all. What’s right? Can we even tell?
I have seen it said of Paroketh that:
The Veil of Paroketh falls in the Path of Samekh between the two Sephiroth called Yesod and Tiphareth. The word Paroketh (PRKTh) refers to the four elements: Peh is Water, Resh is Air, Kaph is Fire, and Tau is Earth. It is the Word of the Veil of the Temple, before the Holy of Holies. It is the Veil of the Four Elements of the Body of Man. Continue reading
On the Nature of the Qlippoth
From My Occult Circle
The following chapter will briefly describe each Sephiroth as well as the nature of its equivalent Qliphoth. The intention is to foster a deeper understanding of how the respective divine and demonic forces are related to each other. Bringing together the nature of each Sephiroth and the literal translation of the respective demonic name might proof to be a valuable key for unlocking the dark side of the tree.
KETHER – THAUMIEL
Kether (Crown) represents the first and purest emanation of the Divine. Kether also represent the first moment of creation. It marks the moment Continue reading
The Qliphoth/Qelippot or Kelipot (Heb. קליפות) – literally “Peels”, “Shells” or “Husks”, from singular: קליפה Qliphah/Kelipah “Husk”) – are the representation of evil or impure spiritual forces in Jewish mysticism. The realm of evil is also termed ‘Sitra Achra/Ahra’ (Aramaic סטרא אחרא, the “Other Side” opposite holiness) in Kabbalah texts.
In the Kabbalah, the Kelipot are metaphorical “shells” surrounding holiness. They are spiritual obstacles receiving their existence from God only in an external, rather than internal manner. Divinity in Judaism connotes revelation of God’s true unity, while the shells Continue reading
The symbol of the Sefirot is the defining notion of Kabbalistic theosophy. The Sefirot (singular Sefirah) which are almost always conceived to be ten in number, are the building blocks of creation, the archetypes of existence, the traits of God, and the primary values of the world. The earliest reference to the Sefirot is in the proto-Kabbalistic source, Sefer Yetzirah (The Book of Formation), where the ten Sefirot and the twenty letters of the Hebrew alphabet are together said to comprise the “thirty-two wondrous paths of wisdom” through which God “engraved and created the world”. Subsequently, the Sefirot symbolism became a predominant theme in Sefer ha-Bahir, the Zohar, and all later Kabbalistic texts. Continue reading