Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Daniel Moler, author of the new Shamanic Qabalah.
Since I was young, I have always wanted to be an explorer, to travel the outer reaches of space into uncharted territory. Over time, the mysteries of the cosmos grew deeper the more I learned about the way the material universe works. There seemed to be unseen forces at work that I wanted to understand.
I was soon to learn that the ancients were not naïve about these invisible forces, but highly understood and even knew how to harness them. Shamanism is one of the oldest spiritual modalities on the planet for understanding the invisible forces of the universe that surround us. Most all the original religions sprang forth from this archaic technology and, in some cases, its practices have been refined over time. The holy Qabalah is just such a refinement. Utilizing the composite symbol system called the Tree of Life, the Qabalah paves a path forward for those who yearn to seek that connection with the unseen.
Set up like a diagram of the cosmos, the Tree of Life is a map for aspiring explorers of consciousness. One thing that is learned as an initiate of the Mystery teachings of Qabalah is that the self is merely a reflection of the greater universe, and vice versa. Therefore, the Tree of Life is not merely a symbol-system representing the framework of the Divine, but also a schema for understanding oneself. It is imperative, then, to know yourself fully and completely in order to comprehend the ineffable cosmos. For this reason, the inscription Gnothi Seauton (“Know Thyself”) was written upon the Temple of Apollo, one of the ancient Mystery schools of Greece. This is the essence of the Great Work: to understand that the key to union with God or Goddess resides completely within your inner self.
In my newest Llewellyn offering, Shamanic Qabalah: A Mystical Path to Uniting the Tree of Life & the Great Work, I lay out a template for exploring the inner and outer worlds in the tradition of the ancients. Fusing Hermetic Qabalah, Peruvian shamanic practices, and many other spiritual modalities, I examine what it is to be an initiate of the Mysteries, the goal of the Great Work, and how to achieve it. I also describe in detail all 32 paths on the Tree of Life, the roadways that act as keys to unlocking the invisible aspects of the universe that reside in each one of us.
Additionally, with my own training in shamanic traditions, I provide ritual examples through an altar set called the mesa in which you can construct your very own control panel for navigating the dimensions of consciousness. The similarities between this Peruvian altar and the Western Mystery Tradition are astounding. One must wonder if the archaic techniques of the Great Work aren’t universal. I believe they are and that we learn a lot by finding the best of what works from these various traditions to evolve spiritual practices for the next generations.
Our thanks to Daniel for his guest post! For more from Daniel Moler, read his article, “Mysticism of the Unseen.”
