: also
knows as: caballa, kabala, kaballa, Kaballah, qaballah
 1.
Hebrew tradition: possibly a collection of mystical writings,
a collection of symbolical interpretation of Hebrew Scriptures.
2. Cabalistic traditions: Lurianic Kabbalah; Messianic tradition (Sabbatai
Zevi, accepted as the Mystical Messiah of Israel by the entire (?) Jewish
world (1666) as well as part of the Christian & Muslim worlds.
3.System of esoteric theosophy, started about the 9th - 10th century
and evolved into the system of Jewish philosophy that has been transmitted
orally right down from the patriarchs, prophets, elders etc; since creation.
4.Foudation books: A.) THE BOOK OF CREATION: monologue by patriarch Abraham,
revealing the 32 ways of wisdom which God used to create the Universe
by letters and alphabet. B.) THE ZOHAR: also called the Bible of the
Kabbalists. Title means 'light, splendor (from Genesis 1:3 ("Let there
be light"), written in Aramaic (A Semitic language originally of the
ancient Arameans). It is a commentary on the Pentateuch (the first five
books of the Old Testament). Divided into three parts: doctrinal, hermeneutical,
and theurgical (Divine or supernatural intervention in human affair.).
Books on Cabala
 1st
World: The En-Soph (Endless, Infinite, God) emanates ten ' Sephira,
masculine, active, feminine, passive unite into 'Crown', trinity:
love, justice, beauty, firmness, splendor. All this combines into
the the archetypal man, without whom the production of permanent
worlds is not possible.
2nd Word: Creation in inhabited by the angel Metatron who governs the
visible world.
3rd World: Formation - ranks of Good Angels
4th World: Action, matter - here demons torture mortals and Samael (the "angel
of poison or of death") rules. Together with his wife Harlot, this is
the 'Beast'.
The position of human beings: Humans are directly created not by En-Soph,
but by the Sephiroth, and are the counterpart of the 'archetypal' person.
Bodies are mere garments of their souls. Humans are God-like in as much
as they carry unity and trinity: intellect world, soul world and the
world of matter. Souls dwell in human bodies, transmigrate and eventually
return to God.
Destiny of the World: At the end of days the world will return to the
Infitite Source. hell disappears and endless bliss kicks in.
Books on Doctrinal
 (Interpretive;
explanatory.):
The esoteric doctrines of the Kabbala can only be perceived by initiates
that are able to discover the heavenly mysteries that are hidden within
the letters of the Sacred Text. Three principal hermeneutical methods
are recommended: 1. The Temurah (change): each letter of the Hebrew alphabet
is exchanges with another in a complicated mathematical way. 2. The Gematriah
(Gr. gemetria): the use of numerical values of the words and letters,
advanced numerology. 3. The Notarikon (Lat. notarius): reconstruction
of words and letters to discover hidden connections and meanings.
Theurgical (Divine or supernatural
intervention in human affairs.): Tthe Zohar: delivers formulae
by which an adept can enter into dierct communications with invisible
powers. Dominion over demonsm sickness, nature etc.
ORIGINS: It is unlikely that the Book
of Creation goes back to Abraham. Some elements of the Zohar go
back to antiquity whereas others can be traced back to a Spanish
Jew, Moses of Leon (d. 1305). Echos of Pythagoras, Plato, Aristotle,
the neo-Platonists of Alexandria, the Oriental or Egyptian Pantheists
as well as the Gnostics of the earliest Christian ages are also
evident.
Books on Hermeneutica
Keter ,the first of the ten sefirot, corresponds to the superconscious
realm of experience--and thus accounting for the image of a "crown," which
suggests an aura surrounding one's consciousness.
In the configuration of the sefirot, keter appears at the top of the
middle axis.
 The
Zohar states: "the supernal crown [keter elyon] is the crown of kingdom
[keter malchut]." The first, highest of the Divine emanations--keter--is
thus linked to the last--malchut.
The word keter = 620. This is the full number of G-d's commandments to
Israel, the 613 mitzvot of the written Torah together with the 7mitzvot
of the oral Torah. The Torah text of the Ten Commandments possesses 620
letters, for all of the 620 mitzvot are included in the Ten Commandments.
In Kabbalah, the secret of the 620 commandments is that from keter (=620)
are projected "620 pillars of light" which serve to connect the "ceiling" of
keter to the "floor" of malchut. These pillars of light encompass the
souls of Israel that devotedly fulfill the will (keter) of the King of
Kings, the Holy One blessed be He (malchut).
The sefirah of keter develops into two partzufim ("profiles"). Its outer
partzuf, referred to as Arich Anpin ("the Elongated Face"), corresponds
to the superconscious power of ratzon ("will") in the soul. Its inner
partzuf, referred to as Atik Yomin ("the Ancient of Days"), corresponds
to the corresponding power of ta'anug ("pleasure") in the soul.
The seven lower sefirot of Atik Yomin "enclothe" themselves within the
partzuf of Arich Anpin, (thus introducing pleasure as a primary motivational
force driving the will). The three upper sefirot of Atik Yomin, which
do not "enclothe" themselves within Arich Anpin, represent the unadulterated
superconscious pleasure of emunah ("faith")--deriving from the experience
of one's essential rootedness within Divinity.
Hence, Kabbalah speaks of the three Reishin ("heads") of keter, referred
to by the Zohar (Deuteronomy 288a ) and the Arizal as: Reisha d'Arich
("the elongated head"), corresponding to the force of ratzon; Reisha
d'Ayin ("the head of nothingness"), corresponding to the force of ta'anug;
and Reisha d'lo Ityada ("the unknowable head"), corresponding to the
force of emunah.
These three "heads" of keter correspond to the three meanings of the
word keter in Hebrew. In addition to meaning "crown," the root keter
means both "to wait" and "to surround."
The meaning "to wait" corresponds to "the unknowable head" of keter,
for we wait, in perfect faith, for that level of G-d's essential Divinity,
absolutely hidden and concealed from the consciousness of this world,
to become revealed in the consciousness of the world to come.
The meaning "crown" corresponds, in particular, to "the head of nothingness," the
source of Divine pleasure in the soul. The "crown" symbolizes the spiritual
power to receive and integrate into one's consciousness the pleasure
of Divine revelation, as our sages express with regard to the world to
come: "the righteous sit with their crowns on their heads and receive
pleasure from the radiance of the Divine Presence" (Tractate Kalah Rabati
2:3 ).
 The
meaning "to surround" corresponds to "the elongated head," the level
of supernal will. The power of will "surrounds" all of the conscious
powers of the soul (corresponding to the Divine emanations from chochmah
to malchut). It forces them to manifest themselves in accord with its
directions.
The power of will, "the elongated head" of keter, reflects G-d's omnipotence.
Likewise, the Divine state of pleasure, "the head of nothingness" of
keter, reflects G-d's omnipresence ("the radiance of the Divine Presence").
Perfect faith, "the unknowable head" of keter, reflects the absolute
truth that "G-d is all, all is G-d."
Books on Keter
Name of a widely scattered Jewish family of Spanish origin.
 One
of the earliest cabalists; born 1240 at Saragossa, in Aragon; Died some
time after 1291. Compiled his "Sefer ha-Ot" (The Book of the
Sign) on the little island of Comino, near Malta, 1285-88. Abulafia calls
his cabalistic system "prophetical cabala,". OKHRANA - some kind of zarist
secred police. Was active in Paris. THE ASSASSINS - The Assassin movement,
called the "new propaganda" by its members, was inaugurated by al-Hasan
ibn-al-Sabbah (died in 1124), probably a Persian from Tus, who claimed
descent from the Himyarite kings of South Arabia. The motives were evidently
personal ambition and desire for vengeance on the part of the heresiarch.
Books on Abulafia
 French
chemist who, through a conscious revolution, became the father of modern
chemistry. This tendency to use the results of others without acknowledgment
then draw conclusions was characteristic of Lavoisier. Abu Ali al-Hasan
ibn al-Haytham Born: 965 in (possibly) Basra, Persia (now Iraq) Died:
1040 in (possibly) Cairo, Egypt He is often known as Alhazen which is
the Latinised version of his first name "al-Hasan". One of
the most eminent physicists, whose contributions to optics and the scientific
methods are outstanding. He made a thorough examination of the passage
of light through various media and discovered the laws of refraction.
He also carried out the first experiments on the dispersion of light
into its constituent colours. His contribution to mathematics and physics
was extensive.
Books on Lavoisier
A device illustrating the reactive forces of a gas jet: usually a spherical
vessel mounted so as to rotate and equipped with angled exit pipes from
which steam within it escapes ETYMOLOGY: 17th Century: from Latin aeolipilae
balls of Aeolus or aeolipylae gates of Aeolus]
Books on Aeolipile
(for more detailed
information click here)
 Gnosticism
is a philosophical and religious movement which started in pre-Christian
times. The term is derived from the Greek word gnosis which means "knowledge".
It is pronounced with a silent "G" (NO-sis). Gnostics claimed
to have secret knowledge about God, humanity and the rest of
the universe of which the general population was unaware. It
became one of the three main belief systems within 1st century
Christianity, and was noted for its: novel beliefs about Gods,
the Bible and the world which differed from those of other Christian
groups tolerance of different religious beliefs within and outside
of Gnosticism lack of discrimination against women. The movement
and its literature were essentially wiped out by the end of the
5th century CE by heresy hunters from mainline Christianity.
Its beliefs are currently experiencing a rebirth throughout the
world.
Books on Gnosticism
The word means literally a public worker, demioergós, demiourgós, and
was originally used to designate any craftsman plying his craft or trade
for the use of the public. Soon, however, technítes and other words began
to be used to designate the common artisan while demiurge was set aside
for the Great Artificer or Fabricator, the Architect of the universe.
1. A powerful creative force or personality. 2. A public magistrate in
some ancient Greek states. 3. A deity in Gnosticism, Manichaeism, and
other religions who creates the material world and is often viewed as
the originator of evil. 4. A Platonic deity who orders or fashions the
material world out of chaos. In the dualistic Gnostic theology, the creator
of the material world, which is evil by nature. Hence he was identified
by the early Christian Gnostic heretics with Yahweh. Plato refers to
the Demiurge frequently in the Timaeus as the entity who "fashioned and
shaped" the material world. Plato descibes the Demiurge as unreservedly
good and hence desirous that the world should be as good as possible.
The reason why the world is imperfect is that the Demiurge had to work
on pre-existing chaotic matter. Gnosticism also presents this distinction
between the overall "creator" and the Demiurge. However, in contrast
to Plato, many systems of Gnostic thought present the Demiurge as being
antagonistic to the will of the Supreme Creator, the Demiurge being focused
solely on material reality and the "sensuous soul". In this context the
Demiurge can be characterised as the "Satan" of Gnostic thought. In the
Apocrypphon of John (in the Nag Hammadi collection), the Demiurge is
characterised as "Yaltabaoth", who proclaims himself as God:
The concept of the Demiurge does not reconcile easily with Christian
philosophy. The Platonic interpretation seems to presuppose the pre-existence
of matter (in a chaotic form) and this conflicts with the Judeo-Christian
concept of an all-powerful creator who fashioned the universe out of
nothingness (ex nihilo). While the concept of Satan is well-defined in
Christian literature, most theologians reject the notion that Satan (or
an equivalent being) could also be the creator of the physical universe,
this being the achievement of the Supreme God.
Books on Demiurge
 Sometimes
Bain Marie (French for 'Mary's bath'), the name given to a kind
of double cooker used by alchemists. The inner pan is gently warmed
by the water in the outer pan, which is the only part in direct
contact with the flames. It is said that the name is derived from
the gentleness of the heat, but it is more likely that the word
is derived from the image of a source of spiritual heat (that is,
Jesus) being nourished by water (Mary).
Books on Bain Marie
 The earliest writing in Mesopotamia was a picture writing invented by
the Sumerians who wrote on clay tablets using long reeds. The script
the Sumerians invented and handed down to the Semitic peoples who conquered
Mesopotamia in later centuries, is called cuneiform, which is derived
from two Latin words: cuneus , which means "wedge," and forma , which
means "shape." This
picture language, similar to but more abstract than Egyptian hieroglyphics,
eventually developed into a syllabic alphabet under the Semites (Assyrians
and Babylonians) who eventually came to dominate the area. Sumerians
created cuneiform script over 5000 years ago. It was the world's first
written language. The last known cuneiform inscription was written in
75 AD.
Books on Cuneiform
From the Arabic word "al-tannur" (oven), the athanor is the
furnace used by the alchemists to perfect matter. Built of brick or clay,
the athanor usually was shaped like a tower with a domed roof and was
designed to keep an even heat over long periods of time. The alchemists
considered it an incubator and sometimes referred to it as the "House
of the Chick." Symbolically, the athanor is also the human body and the
fire of bodily metabolism that fuels our transformation and the ultimate
creation of a Second Body of light. The mountain is a symbol for the
athanor, since the perfection of the metals takes place under the guise
of Nature within mountains. Sometimes a hollow oak tree is used to symbolize
the atanor.
Books on Athanor
The upper part of a still; a still-head. The term is often used to refer
to a complete still. (see cucurbute; Distillation) homunculus
n. (pl. -li ) little man; dwarf; human embryo. homuncle, n. homuncular
Books on Alembic
The earliest of the Alexandrian Gnostics; he was a native of Alexandria
and flourished under the Emperors Adrian and Antoninus Pius, about 120-140.
Syrian or Egyptian founder of the Basilidean sect of Christian Gnostics
in Alexandria during the reigns of the Roman Emperors Hadrian and Antonius
Pius. What we know of Basilides and of his system we know by virtue of
the reports of his enemies, primarily Irenaeus of Lyons (c. 100 - c.
203 e.v.)and Hippolytus. Only a few fragments of his writings remain,
these are primarily preserved in the Elenchos of Hippolytus. Basilides
was probably the first major Gnostic who viewed himself as a Christian
theologian; but unlike his predecessor Simon Magus, he rejected the Old
Testament. His system was probably an attempt to reconcile the Pauline
Christianity, Egyptian Gnosticism, and popular Alexandrian Platonist
philosophy of his day with his own mystical experiences. He claimed,
by some accounts, to have been vested with secret revelations from Paul
through his "interpreter" named Glaucius; by others from the disciple
Matthias; by others from the now unknown and possibly fictitious prophets
Barcoph and Barcabbas. He wrote 24 commentaries, called Exegetica, on
the Gospels, only fragments of which now remain. He also wrote hymns
and odes for his congregation, none of which have been discovered to
date.
Books on Basilides
Yaldabaoth creates the heavens and earth and has offspring of his own. These offspring also radiate in male-female pairs. Then, Yaldabaoth creates the seven heavens by using verbal expression, presumably a cosmic power equal to the authoritative command of God in Genesis (for example, "God said ‘Let there be light, and there was light’"). These seven heavens appear to have some sort of organization, like a celestial society. As in the Apoc. John, Yaldabaoth declares himself the only God. Angered, Sophia speaks to her child and reveals herself in all her glory.
Books on Cosmic Power
It is also known that the Valentinian Gnostics had established a procession of Eons (immortal essences or energies), that numbered 30; this is the theory of the Plerome, the paradigm of Totality. The 30 eons are divided into three groups: the Ogdoad, the Decad and the Duodecad. Markos of Haeresiarcha (end of the 2nd century A.D.) developed a model that assimilates the Valentinian eons into the operators of astrology: the Ogdoad is formed from the four emanations or primordial eons (the Elements) and the four agents (the elemental values); the Decad is constituted of the seven planets, the "eighth sphere," the Sun and the Moon; and the Duodecad is formed from the twelve Zodiacal signs. [22] What is remarkable in the author's brief report on his contemporary Irene is not only that the Ogdoad seems to relate to the octotopos, but also that the Gnostics had a kind of foreknowledge about the existence of Uranus and Neptune.
Books on Plerome
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