Aetherous Posted November 26, 2012 (edited) I have no real exposure to Kabbalah, but maybe others here do. Feel free to share. (By "pure sources" I simply mean, not kabbalah tied into any particular magickal system...lets JUST talk kabbalah in this thread..."pure" doesn't have anything to do with a particular source being unquestionable in its legitimacy. But that can be discussed, too.) I like these preview videos that I've stumbled upon in the past couple of days... http://www.kabbalah.com/where_to_begin http://learn.kabbalah.com/power-kabbalah-1 http://learn.kabbalah.com/power-kabbalah-level-2 http://learn.kabbalah.com/power-kabbalah-3 ... This website appears to offer everything (courses, books, etc) at no cost: http://edu.kabbalah.info/home Edited November 26, 2012 by turtle shell 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Protector Posted November 26, 2012 Hey... wanna learn a cool trick? ... See kabbalah right there? ... See these 10 sephirots on it? ... Draw a long horizontal line over each one of them ... Know what you get? ... Seven lines ... Crazy, huh? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chi 2012 Posted November 26, 2012 Hey... wanna learn a cool trick? ... See kabbalah right there? ... See these 10 sephirots on it? ... Draw a long horizontal line over each one of them ... Know what you get? ... Seven lines ... Crazy, huh? Yawn. Sinfest is in a slump. Need to practice more horse stance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ralis Posted November 26, 2012 I will post some links and info. when I return home. Aryeh Kaplan, Daniel Matt are two very excellent writers on the subject. Also the Kabbalist Abraham Abulafia is well worth a Google search. I would recommend avoiding the above links. Rav Berg sells red strings and expensive water that has been blessed by him. Google it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Protector Posted November 26, 2012 Yawn. Sinfest is in a slump. Need to practice more horse stance. HOW CAN EVERYONE TELL Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chi 2012 Posted November 26, 2012 HOW CAN EVERYONE TELL Could be masturbation. I'm picking a lack of horse stance. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted November 26, 2012 (edited) We see that your tree of life isn't rooted. ... I would recommend avoiding the above links. Rav Berg sells red strings and expensive water that has been blessed by him. Google it. Yea, I had heard this before...and of course their lessons books etc cost a bit of money. What do you think of the last link, where everything is free? Edited November 26, 2012 by turtle shell Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RiverSnake Posted November 26, 2012 Meditate on the Tree....that's about as pure a source as it gets. -My 2 cents, Peace Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ralis Posted November 26, 2012 If you want a pure source to learn from, nothing is much more pure than the Sepher Yetzirah, the Book of Creation. This is one of the works that any other author you can reference will have based their information off of, and is one of the earliest explanations of the Kaballah available. I believe several translations of it are available, although I can't vouch for one over the others. If you want a pure source to learn from, nothing is much more pure than the Sepher Yetzirah, the Book of Creation. This is one of the works that any other author you can reference will have based their information off of, and is one of the earliest explanations of the Kaballah available. I believe several translations of it are available, although I can't vouch for one over the others. I have Kaplan's translation. Other recommendations? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dainin Posted November 26, 2012 This guy seems to be kind of interesting and old school. Note that I haven't studied with him personally and don't know enough about the subject to say if he is legit or not: HaRav Ariel Bar Tzadok Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ralis Posted November 26, 2012 I know the OP asked for pure sources, and this definitely does not qualify, but I developed a very different depth of understanding of the Qabalah from Dion Fortune's The Mystical Qabalah. The thing that I discovered is that the quality of her descriptions was clear enough and accurate enough to make it worthwhile for me to read despite cultural and practical elements I did not agree with entirely. I have been trying to layer multiple sources, and have also been working to integrate my work with the Tarot as I study it. Having each of these elements working together has been really beneficial for me in terms of my overall understanding. In what way is Kaplan's translation not recommended? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thelerner Posted November 27, 2012 Its purity is questionable, but I like Abulafiah's (1240-1290) work as translated in Ecstatic Kabbalah by Rabbi David Cooper. Its not intellectual, its chanting, breath work, a system of sacred vowels. Not wholly different then Egyptian and Shinto practices. A great free practice is from Abardoncompanion.com. Rawn Clark's 'Magic of IHVH-ADNI' series of 8 lessons. It's kabbalah with a Hermetic Bardonian twist. A channeled work (thus not pure) that starts simple and gets very deep. He has later audio's that use it as a healing device. Much Kabbalic study is very intellectual with complex diagrams, lists and structures, both of the above are experiential without being new agey. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theurgy Posted November 27, 2012 Here is a now out-of-print and rare edition of the Sepher Yetzirah published by Heptangle books: http://www.scribd.com/doc/65262467/Heptangle-Sepher-Yezirah 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theurgy Posted November 27, 2012 (edited) The study of the Holy Kabbalah is like building a pyramid--one adds layers to one's understanding in a stepwise fashion until the knowledge becomes part of one's Being. Here is a list of books which form a (possible) progressive study of Kabbalah: A Garden of Pomegranates -- Israel Regardie The Essential Kabbalah -- Daniel C. Matt The Mystical Qabalah -- Dion Fortune Sepher Yetzirah -- Aryeh Kaplan Zohar, the Book of Splendor--Basic Readings from the Kabbalah -- edited by Gershom Scholem De Arte Cabalistica. On the Art of the Kabbalah -- Johann Reuchlin The Book of Splendours: The Inner Mysteries of Qabalism -- Eliphas Levi The Mysteries of the Qabalah -- Eliphas Levi The Holy Kabbalah -- Arthur Edward Waite Edited November 27, 2012 by theurgy Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theurgy Posted November 27, 2012 Note: in my list above I neglected to include Angels and Other Mysteries of the Tree of Life by Omraam Michael Aivanhov. In reviewing its contents it has struck me that this may be the single best overview and introduction to the Holy Kabbalah I have read. In it, Aivanhov (whose level of attainment is very apparent) clearly explains in simple language what the Kabbalah is and why one should study it. This little book is highly recommended for beginning and advanced students alike. Oh, and what's this? It happens to be available on scribd: http://www.scribd.com/doc/58466844/Omraam-Mikhael-Aivanhov-Angels-and-Other-Mysteries-of-the-Tree-of-Life Enjoy, friends 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheshire Cat Posted November 27, 2012 I'm not a wise Kabbalist, but I understand that it is often a good idea to expand our view of a thing as much as possible. By including every tiny details, we can let our wisdom grow day by day. For this reason, I want to suggest a book that can give a nice taste of the kabbalist ground. What is really cool in this book is the portraits of the real Masters of the art. After reading this book, I matured a very high opinion of the level of attainments that this science can give. Not for the miraculous stories, but for the teachings itself. http://www.amazon.com/Nine-Gates-Jiri-Langer/dp/0227675525 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daojones Posted November 29, 2012 (edited) This is a difficult topic. You could spend much of your time researching what is pure kabbalah before actually getting into studying anything. There's cabalah, qabbala, and kabbalah - each representing some group: gnostic, tarot, golden dawn/hermetic, and Jewish. No idea what the difference is between all of them, but I'm sure within each group there are subsets of thought and schools. I would agree with Dainin about the site he recommends, probably the most accessible you can find.also try the walking stick foundation. I dont want to be discouraging but reading aryeh Kaplans books will almost certainly not get you anywhere. And reading original texts straight up is a waste of time....these are very complex texts. Please note this would all be Kabbalah. I've not read any kabbalah Centre stuff but would be curious what they're view is. Edited November 29, 2012 by daojones 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thelerner Posted December 1, 2012 Can't vouch for it but here is a link to several many texts, actually the site is quite a treasure trove of pdf writings if you go up a notch. http://golden-dawn.com/eu/displaycontent.aspx?pageid=244-qabalah-collection Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Protector Posted December 2, 2012 *from across the room* I still think it's a cool trick!!!!! Team Chakra!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theurgy Posted December 3, 2012 I dont want to be discouraging but reading aryeh Kaplans books will almost certainly not get you anywhere. With all manner of respect, this is such a ridiculous statement that it is nearly legendary. While this may be true for you, it seems fairly unwise to conclude that this should be the case for everyone else. Also, to flippantly dismiss the work of this brilliant scholar who has demystified so much of the Kabbalah for the layperson is truly the stuff poppycock is made of! Therefore, I will disagree with you as Aryeh Kaplan has written several books which most certainly helped me: http://www.amazon.com/Inner-Space-Introduction-Kabbalah-Meditation/dp/0940118564/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354506535&sr=8-1&keywords=innerspace+aryeh+kaplan http://www.amazon.com/Meditation-Bible-Aryeh-Kaplan/dp/0877286175/ref=la_B001JX0XDG_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1354506558&sr=1-6 http://www.amazon.com/Meditation-Kabbalah-Aryeh-Kaplan/dp/0877286167/ref=la_B001JX0XDG_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1354506558&sr=1-7 His translation of the Sepher Yetzirah was already mentioned in this thread. All of these books are LOADED with PRACTICAL techniques to experiment with and test the results therefrom. Of course as ever, one must DO the work or these books "will almost certainly not get you anywhere" as you so eloquently pointed out. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
三江源 Posted December 3, 2012 This is a difficult topic. You could spend much of your time researching what is pure kabbalah before actually getting into studying anything. There's cabalah, qabbala, and kabbalah - each representing some group: gnostic, tarot, golden dawn/hermetic, and Jewish. No idea what the difference is between all of them, but I'm sure within each group there are subsets of thought and schools. I would agree with Dainin about the site he recommends, probably the most accessible you can find.also try the walking stick foundation. I dont want to be discouraging but reading aryeh Kaplans books will almost certainly not get you anywhere. And reading original texts straight up is a waste of time....these are very complex texts. Please note this would all be Kabbalah. I've not read any kabbalah Centre stuff but would be curious what they're view is. daojones, what you say about Aryeh Kaplan is deeply misleading and plain wrong. Perhaps because you assert this opinion without giving any actual information as to what thought process forms your point of view, your comment appears needlessly derogatory and utterly misinformed. Aryeh Kaplan's works will get you somewhere very profound if you study them and work with them in a receptive way. Lets keep this thread of resources as meaningful and useful. If you have an opinion that something is not useful, please say why. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShenLung Posted December 4, 2012 For my two cents, I would suggest that Rabbi Yeshua had some very profound insights on kabbalah, you just have to pick through the dime store drama to find them. Some texts have made this easier by printing his lectures in red letters, but there is precious little of them that have survived the centuries 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RiverSnake Posted December 6, 2012 (edited) "It is well known to mystics that if a man meditates upon a symbol around which certain ideas have been associated by past meditation, he will obtain access, to those ideas, even if the glyph has never been elucidated to him by those who have received the oral tradition by "mouth to ear". Dion Fortune, The Mystical Qabalah Get started any time: http://usgs.typepad.com/.a/6a013485938a51970c017c32c5bf81970b-popup -My 2 cents, Peace Edited December 6, 2012 by OldGreen 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daojones Posted December 11, 2012 Ahem, now to my defence: What I did not clearly elaborate in my post: Inner space is a great book. It is loaded with important concepts and lays out the system. This book and his other entry level ones like the ones linked to in a previous post are great for getting into the rabbit hole....but its a deep hole. Inner space, for me, was like getting a set of concepts without context and application. It is very abstract. It contains a lot, but much more study is necessary to make something of it. books like yetzirah are just way to complicated to actually get what is being said in such a short book and in a translation and without a teacher filling in the holes. I tried studying it and had a lot of supplementary materials both in Hebrew and English and still could only come away with speculations about what was actually being said. I think it is a nice book, but will not get you anywhere by itself. Turtle: I had heard a line of thought that moses learned Egyptian mysticism during his time as a prince of Egypt...perhaps this is where the idea is from? Not sure what kka ba ankh means, but in a nutshell in Hebrew kabbalah means received...implying an oral communication and a mystical reception of divine things and stuff 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted December 11, 2012 I had heard a line of thought that moses learned Egyptian mysticism during his time as a prince of Egypt...perhaps this is where the idea is from? What Moses took from his Egyptian upbringing is something totally interesting to me. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
