BETWEEN THE GATES
Mercy - (Chesed) is compassion and, more importantly, purity. Mercy provides us with the energy to be in the world but not of it - to be a morally and ethically upright, but not an uptight, person. Mercy connects heaven and earth, and, in its influence, the divine plan is understood and expressed. Selflessness is the current manifest here. Its physical location is the left shoulder. Imagery associated with Chesed includes vast temples and buildings of great culture, philosophy, and worship. Strength - (Geburah) is self-discipline, the ability to get to work on what needs to be done and the courage to follow it through. Here we mean the work of self-actualization, as well as the work of quieting the mind and getting down to business. Its physical location is the right shoulder. Imagery associated with Geburah is stoic, spartan, and militaristic, or at least geared towards action. Beauty - (Tiphareth) is the experience of self or "I." Here we exist as an independent being, but also feel the subtle and notso-subtle connections to others and, more importantly, to our divine origins. This experience offers us the highest levels of subjectivity, or "selfness." T h e higher we go on the Tree, the more selfless we become and the clearer our perception of our self, others, and the universe is. T h e lower we go, the more selfish and marred in our perspective of people, things, and experiences we are. Tiphareth's physical location is the heart and solar plexus. Imagery associated with Tiphareth is usually bright and brilliant and includes beautiful architecture, overviews of gardens, and openness to bright blue skies. It is regal, royal, and very elaborate at times. Victory - (Netzach) is the interface between self and the material world. It is the domain of the emotions and, more importantly, the instincts to be, have, and do. Its physical location is the left hip. T h e imagery associated with Netzach is very natural, green, and vast. Trees can be huge, with dwellings in them. A deep connection to the natural world is expressed here, and it feels like an eternal late spring or early summer.
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