Qabala
article continued from last page, click
here!
Please
note how cooperative Mars, Inc., the manufacturer of M&M's,
has been in my endeavors. The most recent M&M colors added to
the chocolate candy spectrum, purple and blue, directly match a sphere
correspondence. Now if I can just convince them to produce black,
sparkling gray, and iridescent white M&M's which correspond
to the top three spheres, Binah, Chokmah and Kether, respectively,
we will have a complete M&M Tree of Life.
With my capacity to create fun learning games and an abundance of
chocolate candy, I was equipped with a wonderful, yet simple way to
study the Qabala. To further acquaint myself with the Tree of Life,
I used a rather large piece of paper to manually draw the tree and
colored each sphere its respective color. With corresponding colored
pens, I listed the six attributes I intended to learn. As there are
overwhelming numbers and types of correspondences for each sphere,
it is important in the beginning to select a limited number to master.
I chose name, color, Archangel, planet, crystal and virtue/vice.
To deepen my knowledge of Qabalistic mysteries, I made smaller “cheat
sheets” with the chosen sphere correspondences, which I took
with me during my daily activities. I also carried a small bag of
traditionally colored M&M's in my purse or pocket. Throughout
the day I played a simple game in which I had to name a specified
correspondence for the color of M&M chosen before I was permitted
to eat the M&M. As I love chocolate (have I mentioned this already?),
I had ample opportunity to test my Qabala knowledge. A word of warning
- although M&M's may not melt in your hands, as the ads say,
they will melt in your pockets.
Whether or not utilizing M&M's to expand your knowledge, the
journey down the Qabala path can be both fascinating and magical.
One of the wonderful aspects of the Qabala is that the Tree of Life
can be very personal and, within certain parameters, can be individualized
for each student. A relationship can be developed with the Archangels
who will guide the student in personalizing their Tree of Life to
fit their respective stage of enlightenment. But it is this very flexibility
that can make the Qabala so daunting for the beginner. Because each
author writes about their personal experience, there can be an inconsistent
appearance in correspondences, spelling, placement of spheres, etc.,
in various books.
Therefore, I recommend in the early stages of Qabalistic studies to
read only one, possibly two, authors' representation of the Tree
of Life. As I solely studied Ted Andrews' book until my foundation
was firmly built, I was intrigued, rather than frustrated, when I
began encountering these differences.
Also, I read each book at least twice, as by the second reading I
was able to understand much of what I missed in the initial reading.
Once I was comfortable with my correspondence foundation, I started
expanding my reading material. Another rather simple and helpful book
I enjoyed was The Elements of the Qabalah by Will
Parfitt.
As with all spiritual practices, the Qabala is meant to serve as an
integral part of the practitioner's everyday activities and assist
in living an enlightened life here on earth. As I allowed myself to
lessen the intensity of my studies, I have discovered Spirit's
phenomenal sense of humor and the importance of fun in my life. For
me, M&M's have assisted me in bringing levity to my everyday
spiritual practice.
Holly
D. Elmore, Mh.D, facilitates Spirit Awaken workshops and provides
classes and individual consultations. Contact her at spiritawaken@bellsouth.net
or 404-261-4690.
Practice
