My View on Tzim Tzum

While most of my modern work (Magickal work that is) is Enochian these days, I did have a revelation regarding some past work I had done in the Golden Dawn. The whole thing came about while coming out of trance and meditation, resting in a room, staring at the light and shadow play on a wall. In that instant the axiom of the Thrice Great Hermes: As above, So Below, fulfilled itself in my mind. The play of Light and Shadow of this world below, began to describe and unlock the secrets of the above world - specifically in the nature of what is called Tzim Tzum.

Tzim Tzum Basics
In the Kabbalahistic lore, there is a concept known as Tzim Tzum. It corresponds to the notion of the nature of God and how we were created. It's a logic proof. It starts with... if God exists and is All Powerful, then He would have no boundaries. Having no boundaries, then God would exist equally in all time and space. All locations of existence would have equal amounts of God. The conclusion (although debated amongst Kabbalahists) is that God had to remove itself (create a void, if you will) for the world of manifestation to be created. In other words, without some degree of separation from God, all would be God - there would be no difference.

That's Tzim Tzum in a nut shell. As I mentioned, it is debated. Rabbi Chaim Volozhiner would disagree with this assumption... but I feel quite strongly that the assumption holds. It's logical. It's even alluded to in the Old Testament, regarding Moses and not looking upon the Face of God... for one would surely die. I think the term Death here, really means "loose one's identity." You would become one with God, if you shared space with God. The oneness having a loss of identity.

My Insights
As I started this post, I described coming out of trance and meditation, and noting the play of light and shadow on the walls. That's when it all came together for me. The Tree of Life, the Four Worlds of the Kabbalah and Tzim Tzum. As I went down the steps of thought, I came to quite a few realizations that I personally believe to be true for me. In return I thought I'd share them with anyone who cares to listen. But first we should define a few terms.

Tree of Life
In the Kabbalah there is a symbol used in both a macro and micro way. It's the Tree of Life. Although drawn slightly differently, it is usually depicted as ten circles (called Sepherot) connected by lines (pathways.) The sepherot are organized in such a way the symbol can resemble a "tree." In today's terminology, the Tree of Life, when extrapolated to a three-dimensional concept, begins to look like the DNA diagram.

The Tree of Life represents both Adam Kadmon (the archetypal person) as well as the physical universe, as well as higher and lower levels of existence (beyond the physical universe.)

The Spheres or Sepherot are arranged in sequence, to indicate different states of being as one moves up and down the tree. From the Qabbalah (Hermetic Kabbalah) frame of reference, these Sepherot are assigned corresponding values. Values of color, thought, emotion, metals, scents, God Names, Angels.

Incidentally the Pathways upon the Tree of Life are represented in the Tarot Trumps (google "pathworking" for more information.)

Four Worlds of the Kabbalah
As you can find in most modern off the shelf books on the Kabbalah, there are four main separations of existence. These separations are depicted upon the macro Tree of Life. They range from the Highest/Sublime regions of Atziluth, to the mundane physical universe (which is called Assiah.)

Tzim Tzum
As briefly described, it is the creation concept where a Divine creator pulls itself back, to create a void where it does not directly reside.

One a quiet weekend evening, I sat on a couch after several hours of magick work and meditation. I had a single lamp turned on in a rather dark room. It was there I saw how the Light manifested on the wall, yet the Light source was separated from the wall. As the light traveled through the room, it's strength fell off and bled into various shades of gray, until it reached the shadows of the corners in the room.

So to, I believe the spiritual world exists and manifests.

The Divine creator is similar to the Lamp. It is the source of all Light, and spiritual Light is Life. It is the purest of Light... Operating at such a rapid vibration that it appears still. Those of you who are familiar with the Kybalion might also agree with me here, as the Kybalion also states this regarding the Divine Spiritual Light appearing to be at rest - but really moving at an intense vibration.

This Divine Light source - the All Powerful One - radiated into the void it created. Similar to my lamp, the Light lost some vibration, but remained brightest at the areas of the void closest to the Divine Source. As the spiritual light descended into darkness, it met resistance. Darkness, operates at a much slower vibration. Pure darkness would be entirely still, and slowly increase in vibration as the shades of black move into shades of gray.

These two forces meet in the void, and upon meeting create something amazing. They allow life to manifest. That's my theory. Life in all forms of manifestation (from the Highest world to the lowest) is the product of interplay and balance of the vibratory states of Darkness and Light.

How can I attest that this creates life? Well it doesn't really "create" - God did that. This process of spiritual darkness and light force interplay lowers the Divine Light in vibration till it finds a place to rest. Now at a lower vibration, existence forms separate from the Divine source, yet connected to Him.

So what's it all mean for me?
This is all well and good, but what does it matter? What real benefit is this knowledge to us, as human beings?

There is actually a lot of benefit that can come from this belief. It explains why "evil" exists. It explains how possibly the Biblical Lucifer transcended to become Satan. It explains our true goal. Finally, it explains the future and where it's all going.

How does it explain the nature of Evil?
Evil is a term, a category we use to describe the spiritually dark aspects we witness and feel. They can be products that work out into our physical world, or remain as spiritual forces we catch a glimpse of from time to time. But why would a loving Creator, allow evil? Or was it really the fall of man that brought evil into our lives?

I believe that the darkness was a requirement to make the "Shades of Gray" that are not part of God. The Separated Nature, if you will, that would become the Archangels, Angels, physical creatures, demonic spirits, Qlippoth. Without Tzim Tzum all would function at the same vibration. All would be God. But now, with the void, the separated material operates at it's own unique vibratory states. This gives the rise in consciousness.

Without Darkness (evil), I think we wouldn't be able to be individuals. In short, Darkness is a required element in the totality of creation.

I believe we would all have the mind of God - aspects of His nature. This isn't to condone acts of evil, but to suggest it's fabric was needed for the beginning stages of creation.

Darkness, in time, is conquered... more on that in a bit.

So what's this about Lucifer to Satan?
In Hebrewaic Magick we know that a name is a powerful thing. A spiritual name of a spiritual being defines it's range of work. Most angelic names in Hebrew end in "-el" - El being a name of God. The designation being "of God." Michael, Auriel, Gabriel, Raphiel are examples of this. The name Lucifer (Bringer of Light) was a designation of a high spiritual being.

We have also no doubt heard that Angels had no "free will," so how did they rebel? A good question, that is explained in this theory of mine on Tzim Tzum.

In ancient Gnostic texts it is thought that Lucifer would travel with God to Earth - during the creation. What that means to me, is that Lucifer went from the realm of purest light (Atziluth) to the realms of the physical world. I do not believe God came Himself to the lower realms, but His manifested Light did. Lucifer went with it to observe it's work.

As one passes from each vibratory level, one's very existence is modified. Our thoughts, mind, all of it, are transformed as we lower and raise in vibratory states.

As Lucifer descended to the lower planes with the manifested Light of the Divine, Lucifer gained a new ability - self reason. No longer was he constrained to blind obedience. He now had choice. He was in the realm of Free Will. He was also in the realm of a lot of problems. Here the vibration is much lower... below the physical world, the darkness grows... to where it actively works against the Light vibration. This was the rebellion in the mind of Lucifer.

Once the rebellion was realized, he was given a new name... the Adversary. Satan.

Our True Goal
Our purpose, or true goal, is simply to return to the Light source... Rather then Lucifer being born in Light, we are at a level of lower vibration. We are doing the opposite of his operation. Instead of going from Higher to Lower, our goal is to go form Lower to Higher. To become perfect ("Be ye perfect as I am perfect," says the Master Christ.) The perfection is through the series of improvements we go through as we ascend back through incarnations into the worlds above - and reunite with the Godhead.

Our reunion with God, doesn't cause us to loose our individual minds, but rather - to be one with God and yet retain our distinctive intelligence.

I believe this is the result of the spiritual alchemy. God created us imperfect, so that we could become perfected. If we only resided in His existence, we wouldn't be unique. Even, if we existed at the highest world, we would be separate but have no free will. But as we exist at a realm of lower vibration, we have free will to choose a higher vibratory state. We do this by our very thoughts, each and every day. Our spiritual developments drive us higher and higher.

But what about the "bad people" who fail? Well I'm going to say that I believe in reincarnation. That our lives are reborn into different vibratory states. One is reborn downward into hellish realms, or realms of darkness, but there is always hope for the spark of life within to rekindle with a spiritual drive - and push forward once more.

This brings us to the topic of, "Where's it all going?"

Where's it all going?
Divine Light is boundless. It may seem bound, as we don't experience it directly here in the once void. Here in the realm where the Creator can only indirectly manifest through saints, angels and emissaries. But really the Divine Light has no end. The void, in fact does of boundaries and end.

Since the Divine Light has no end to it's source... it will keep supplying the void of Tzim Tzum with Light. The Light will build up. It will stack up. It will permeate the Darkness -raising the vibration.

Ultimately, all vibratory states will rise. Even, I believe, will the broken shells of the Qlippoth raise in vibration and be filled with the spark of life once again.

To me, this is a message of hope. Esoteric hope. Hermetic hope.