Alchemical Yoga Meditation Practices Level One

The Tree of Life Meditation

The glyph of the Tree of Life is a very important symbol structure used by
virtually all of the Western esoteric traditions. Rosicrucians, Qabalists, Hermeticists,
Alchemists, and other ecstatic practitioners use the Tree of Life as a map that not only
contains the secrets divine being, but also the living energies of creation itself. Initiates of
these disciplines undertake special practices that lead to divine union, and encompass the
complete identification and fusion with the spiritual essences held within the symbols and
patterns of the Tree. Through this process, ones identity shifts from that of the limited
human persona to knowledge of oneself as a fully divine being, attaining and integrating
all of the powers and potencies that are natural to such a being.
The Tree of Life is a compendium of the universe, manifest and unmanifest. It is
therefore also a thorough representation of the human as a divine creation. The Tree as a
geometrical configuration exists within everything in creation; and the powers
symbolized by the glyph are the same powers that eternally create heaven and earth. The
Tree of Life exists within the essential being of every human.
In the Alchemical Yoga, the energy field in and through which the human and
astral bodies are manifested is known as the Sphere of Being, and sometimes referred to
simply as the sphere. A sphere is an accurate term for the etheric body because ancient
philosophies agree that all of creation begins with the projection of space in the form of a
sphere. Combinations of the four elements are emanated into this sphere, thus completing
creation. In beginning Alchemical Yoga practices, we experience the existence of the Tree
of Life within our Sphere of Being.
This Tree of Life practice begins with what has traditionally been known as the
Middle Pillar meditation. It more accurate to term it the Tree of Life meditation because it
involves building the entire Tree into ones body and sphere. This article will teach you
this foundational meditative practice.
Start with the Relaxation Exercise, and then begin the Tree of Life meditation. It
will take a little time to master all of the vibratory names and images; however, the effort
you make will be well worth the time and concentration involved as you will find you
immediately begin to feel more balanced and centered. Below are the Relaxation
Exercise and the Tree of Life Meditation.

Relaxation Exercise
Get into a comfortable sitting or reclining position. Do not lie down as you may
fall asleep. Close your eyes and visualize a container of crystalline blue liquid above your
head. See the container tip over, and the liquid begin to flow into the top of your head.
This vibrant blue substance brings deep relaxation into everything it touches. See and feel
the fluid entering into your head and face, and feel all of the muscles relax. As the fluid
continues to flow down through the body, all tension is released from the muscles.
Continue watching and feeling the liquid moving down the body, and say to yourself the
name of each section of the body as it relaxes, i.e., my neck is relaxed, my shoulders are
relaxed, my arms are relaxed, etc.
Finally, see and feel the blue fluid flow out through the bottoms of the feet, and relax the
feet. Now formulate the image of a small black dot in the minds eye. With this dot write
your first name. Next, write the word relax. Now write your last name, and again write
the word relax. Dismiss the image of the dot. Drift quietly and peacefully into the
silence for several minutes.
Tree of Life Meditation
The first element of this practice involves centering oneself within the Tree of
Life by visualizing the Middle Pillar of the Tree running down through the top of the
head, along the spine, and out the base of the spine. However, it is important to also build
the side pillars of the Tree to the right and left, and to the front and back of ones body.
Ultimately the channels are also visualized connecting the spheres. Read through the
entire description of the meditation, and practice speaking the God names before you
begin the first time.
This exercise should be done at lease once a day; twice is better. It is best
performed by sitting comfortably at your altar. Light a candle and some incense and
invoke your Highest Self and/or deity of choice with a prayer or mantra.
Begin at the top of the head, the Crown chakra, and visualize the brilliant white
sphere of Kether radiating as a large ball (see diagram below). Verbally or mentally chant
the God name of Kether, Eheyeh (Eh-hay-yah) or its English translation, I AM. You
should continue chanting the name and holding the visualization until you can feel the
energy very strongly, like a tingling or vibration in at the top of the head.
When Kether is strongly present, see and feel a shaft of light descending
downward through the head into the spine, creating each sphere in turn. Take as much
time as necessary with each sphere to allow the feeling of vibrancy to build. Continue
down through the spheres of the middle pillar in the same manner, visualizing a sphere of
brilliant white light in each chakra, and chanting the names as follows:
Chokmah & Binah: Third Eye. See the spheres to the right and left of the
forehead, generating a line of force across and into the third eye, where they form
a sphere of luminous lavender light. God-name: Yod-heh-vav-heh Elohim (Ehlow-heem), Supreme Creator.

Chesed & Geburah: Throat chakra. See the spheres to the right and left of the
throat, generating a line of force across and into the throat where they form a
sphere of radiant blue light. El Elohim Gebor (Geh-bour) Creator of Compassion
and Strength.
Tiphareth: Heart chakra. See a sphere of brilliant yellow-gold light within the
heart, emanating outward from the body in all directions. Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh
Eloah Va Daath (Eh-lo-ah Va Dy-aat), Creator Manifesting as Divine
Knowledge.
Netzach & Hod: Solar Plexus chakra. See the spheres to the right and left of the
solar plexus, generating a line of force across and into the solar plexus, where
they form a sphere of brilliant green light. Yod-heh-vav-heh Elohim Tzabaoth
(Zah-bah-ote), Creator of the Hosts of Heaven.
Yesod: Sacral chakra. See a sphere of radiant violet (blue-purple) light within the
sacral chakra half-way between the naval and the pubic bone, emanating outward
from the body in all directions. Shaddai El Chai (Shah-dye El Ki-ee), Creator as
the Source of Sustenance, the Life Force of the Body.
Malkuth: Root chakra. See a sphere of radiant deep brownish red light at the base
of the spine, as if you are sitting upon a ball of light. Adonai Ha Aretz, (Ah-donye ha Ah-retz), Creator as Lord of the Universe.

When the middle pillar is established, return your attention the top of your head.
Create the spheres of the side pillars from the top down in the same way as you did the
middle pillar. Strongly visualize and feel the radiance of each sphere in its appropriate
color and placement as if you are backing into the Tree (see diagram below). The God
names are as follows:

Chokmah: A pearlescent gray sphere to the left of the forehead. Yod-heh-vav-heh The
Primal Elements of Creation.
Binah: An indigo sphere to the right of the forehead. Yod-heh-vah-heh Elohim, The
Primal Elements as God/dess the Creator.
Chesed: A brilliant blue sphere to the left of the throat. El, Compassionate Creator.
Geburah: A brilliant scarlet red sphere to the right of the throat. Elohim Gebor
Powerful Creator.
Netzach: A brilliant emerald green sphere to the left of the solar plexus. Yod-heh-vahheh Tzabaoth, The Primal Elements of Creation Forming Angelic Beings.
Hod: A bright orange sphere to the right of the solar plexus. Elohim Tzabaoth, Creator
of the Hosts of Heaven.
As you can see, this practice will take some time to develop. Refer to these
instructions as needed until you have memorized the God names. When you can see and
feel all of the spheres simultaneously, begin to build in the channels in pure white light,
connecting the spheres. Visualizing the channels as their energy courses through the body
should bring a feeling of balance and vitality into the being.

Chavah Aima, 2000-2006, All rights reserved under US and international copyright
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