25 samekh (support)

The path of Samekh links Tiphareth, the incarnating aspect of the soul, with Yesod, the great energizer between mind and matter at the personality level. On this path our creative abilities as such are tested. Creation takes place 'from above' as a process of differentiation and amplification through the cycles of the Astral Light in Yesod. From below, the creative process is a process of synthesis or blending together of the yetziratic forms aiming at Tiphareth's beauty and harmony. That is why Crowley named the corresponding tarot trump "Art": The creative process is a method of manifesting and verifying the spiritual principles of Tiphareth through life. This creative process between the one and the many is obviously also a sexual process, and the challenge of Samekh can be approached very physically indeed. The various forms of Tantra of India and the taoist systems taught by e.g. Mantak Chia all emphasize the circulation of yesodic life-energy between the lower and higher parts of the body - a truly alchemical process also stimulated by the Middle Pillar ritual. In sexual alchemy energy is most often curculated along the spine, the primary structure supporting the body. Samekh actually means prop or support, the path supporting us on our climb towards Tiphareth from Yesod, the Foundation. To achieve a lasting transformation, this energy work includes healing meditations where sexual and astral opposites are reconciled in order to release the energy from projections. These projections leading to the apparent seperateness of our personality are "the primary temptation, by which the Creator trieth all righteous persons", a fundamental source of human evil.

Meaning of Letter: Prop. Support.		Type of Letter: Simple Letter: Anger.		Value: 60.
Place	Between Tiphareth and Yesod on the Middle Pillar, between the Ethical and Astral Triangles. Compare also with the parallel paths Ayin and Nun.
"32 Paths of Wisdom"	"The Twenty-fifth Path is the Intelligence of Probation, or is Tentative, and is so called because it is the primary temptation, by which the Creator trieth all righteous persons."
Tarot Trump	14. Art/Temperance. The Daugther of the Reconcilers. The Bringer Forth of Life. The Pregnant Womb. Law of Verification.
Virtue / Vice: Productive / dualistic.			Astrology: Sagittarius.
The four worlds	Atziluth	Briah	Yetzirah	Assiah
Meanings of Trump	Harmony	Optimistic	Ingenious	Regenerative
Colours	Blue	Yellow	Green	Dark vivid blue
Tarot affirmation 1:	"I integrate and blend the diverse elements of my life to create a balance, unity and harmony in everything I do. My life is filled with joy and good health".
Tarot affirmation 2	"I am Art, artful in the way I live".
Magical symbols	Alchemical items.
Body	Solar plexus. Nervous disorders. Transmutation. Vision of peacock.
Mythology	Diana, the Huntress, the Moon Goddess. Centaur (Sagittarius). The Temptation of Christ.
Other symbols	G Sharp. Bergamot. Hyacinth. Passiflora. Cedar. Peacock.

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