David Cumes Surgeon/Sangoma (Zulu for Shaman)

The Cosmic Tree of Life #2

(Continuing with the first & uppermost triad:)

Keter-Understanding-Wisdom

which
incorporates the polarities of

Truth vs. Denial & Doubt

and

Hope, Belief, Trust, Surrender vs. Hopeless, Resignation, Detachment

Hope, Belief and Trust (Surrender)
and there Counterparts of
Hopelessness, Denial, Resignation, Detachment

Hope, Belief and Trust have somewhat similar characteristics but subtle differences. Belief is not as strong as Faith (just below Keter) which occurs in the absence of any reason and can be blind. Belief usually requires some evidence to support it - Faith does not. Both have their dark side and Belief may be influenced by dogma or deluded facts and false Understandings. The shadow side of Wisdom is the arrogance of thinking one knows it all.
Truth and Belief will be determined by how well we scrutinize all the credible evidence which these days can be very challenging. In other words, our Understandings and what we do with facts.

Without right Understand and Wisdom we will not be able to distinguish between our skillful or unskillful Beliefs

UNDERSTANDING WISDOM

The Truth will depend on how we balance the Wisdom of Knowing with the Understanding that comes from Knowledge. We need both Sephirot. These two energy systems will also help us decide what we really need to Believe in. Faith goes beyond evidence and cognitive thinking but if True will invoke the Wisdom of an Inner Knowing.

Hence the Truth that was quoted last week that the

"intuitive is closest to I am that I am."

The intuitive is closest to the macrocosm of the Creator and "feeling" the energy of the Divine. For instance the indigenous mind of the hunter-gather that relies entirely on nature to survive and that lives beyond the five senses to hunt effectively, can reach ecstatic states of being and of "Knowing" without being literate. Wilderness gives him or her all the lessons that scripture can teach.

Balance is achieved by harmonizing polarities. Dualities come into harmony by negotiating a third or middle path...

The Ancestors

This is the middle way that the Buddha taught.

Wild nature is an incredible place to balance all the multiple polarities and find it.

The Ancestors

A lack of any Hope, Doubt and Denial of any Hope, can lead to Resignation, Detachment and even Despair.

Surrendering requires Trust and the Ancestors teach us to...

Beware the odiousness of Doubt!!

Resignation, Doubt and Denial can be comforting, as in the "couch potato syndrome," where a certain complacency and Hopelessness implies there is nothing that can be done about the situation. Resignation and Denial lead to Detachment.

Resignation and Detachment are a giving up!

Surrender on the other hand is not waving the white flag of defeat but rather

a giving IN to something much bigger than oneself,

NOT a giving up.

Surrender implies connecting with one's higher Self and the "Field," letting go with trust, being unattached and in the flow or the Tao.

Surrender which requires Trust is a giving in to a higher force and purpose.