David Cumes Surgeon/Sangoma (Zulu for Shaman)

THE TREE OF LIFE AS A WAY OF CONQUERING THE THREE DEADLY SINS OF KARMA

David Cumes

The next few blogs will help show us how the Tree of Life manages the three deadly sins. Although somewhat similar to the Chakra system the energy centers or sephirot are more complex. There are ten as opposed to the usual seven chakras. These are arranged in three columns rather than one.

The left side is "moon" like in energy and contracts or restrains like the parasympathetic nervous system. The right is "sun" like and expands like the sympathetic nervous system. These resemble the main sun and moon "nadis" or energy channels that spiral up the central channel of the spine and connect the chakras.

Left and right on the T.O.L. are integrated by the central column which embraces Will - Intention - Passion. The center holds the balance. Daat just below the crown or Keter is not a true sephira and symbolizes Faith or Grace. There are 22 pathways linking up to balance the sephirot.

As we said in the last blog each sephira also has its light and dark side we need to integrate both through their three basic horizontal triangles.

The top triangle points upward & comprises;

Keter (Crown) - Wisdom - Understanding.

The middle triangle;
Love - Mercy - Judgment
and

The lowest;
Foundation (basically Ego;)
Non Attachment - Attachment (to objects of our desire.)
This triangle represents similar polarities to the lower three chakras below the diaphragm.
Both middle and lower triangles point downwards.

Tension between the three sephirot of each and their respective balancing allows the seeker to move up the T.O.L. and conquer the serpent coiled around the central trunk which represents; ego, monkey mind, our evil inclination or shadow and the dark forces outside of us, also called tricksters.

In this way we can re-enter the metaphoric Garden of Eden (Buddhism's Pure Land, Yoga's Causal Realm.) When we do this we come into direct realization that we are made in the image of the Creator ...
"I am that I am," which is Oneness or Unity Consciousness. Duality disappears, at least for a while, and the Knower, Known and Process of Knowing become One thing. The knowledge of this truth, however, remains forever.

Tiferet the heart of the Tree represents love and requires that we conquer our fears - including guilt, self remorse/recrimination, self condemnation and shame with Universal Self Acceptance (U.S.A.) and forgiveness, empathy and compassion In addition we should strive to have an unconditional positive regard for others. We don't have to like them but we need to love their humanity and its potential. The Bushmen of the Kalahari teach that to be a good healer (or seeker) we need to love people no matter what we think of them. Namaste in Sanskrit.

What makes us contract? The Five Judgments
or Fears mostly on the left side

Understanding
Judgment
Attachment
(=Self-cherishing &
Desirous Attachment)

Ego (Foundation)

Kingdom (us on earth)
in the center.

What makes us expand? The Five Loves mostly
on the right side of the Tree of Life

Keter

the Crown is similar

to the 7th Chakra

in the center.

Wisdom
Mercy

Love
in the center

Non-attachment
(to the objects of our desire)