Moebius (Jean Giraud) With With Alejandro Jodorowsky,  'Les Yeux Du Chat’ (The Eyes Of The Cat), 1978

Julian Jordanov

Illustrations from The Haggadah by renowned artist and book illustrator Arthur Szyk. 

Szyk, who was born in Poland in 1894, was known for his politically engaged art. His illustration of the Parable of the Four Sons, for example, shows the “Wicked Son” as a man dressed in German clothes, with a Hitler-like mustache and a Bavarian hat.

One of the many varied Haggadot for you to view in VCU Libraries.

Disgrace of the Angels (ca. 1690/ Etching and engraving) - Richard van Orley

Johann Baptista Großchedel - The Magical Calendar (A Synthesis of Magical Symbolism from the Seventeenth-Century Renaissance of Medieval Occultism), 1620. The Magical Calendar is an ancient masterpiece in Western Hermeticism showing the secret cosmological tables of Celestial and Magical correspondences. They are based in part on extensive tables in Agrippa, book 2, chapters 4-14, but go well beyond anything in Agrippa, especially sigils. It is said to be one of the most important documents from the seventeenth-century Renaissance showing the hidden Magical Symbolism of the Rosicrucians.

Four Worlds in Kabbalah. The Four Worlds are the comprehensive categories of Spiritual Realms in Kabbalah in the descending chain of Existence. The concept of “Worlds” denotes the emanation of creative Lifeforce from the Ein Sof Divine Infinite, through progressive, innumerable Tzimtzumim. Atziluth (אֲצִילוּת), meaning World of Emanation. On this level the light of the Ein Sof (Infinite Divine “Without End”) radiates and is still united with its source. This supernal revelation therefore precludes the Souls and Divine Emanations in Atzilus from sensing their own existence. In Atzilus the 10 Sephiroth emerge in revelation, with Chochma (Wisdom) dominating, all is nullification of Essence to Divinity, not considered created and separate. The last Sephirah Malchut (Kingdom) is the “Divine Speech” of Genesis 1, through which lower Worlds are sustained. Beri'ah (בְּרִיאָה), meaning World of Creation. On this level is the first concept of Creatio ex Nihilo, however without yet shape or form, as the creations of Beriah sense their own existence, though in nullification of being to Divinity. Beriah is the realm of the “Divine Throne”, denoting the Sephiroth configuration of Atzilus descending into Beriah like a King on a Throne. The Sephirah Binah (Understanding) predominates, Divine intellect. Also called the “Higher Garden of Eden”. The Highest Ranking Angels are in Beriah. Yetzirah (יְצִירָה), meaning World of Formation. On this level the created being assumes shape and form. The emotional Sephiroth Chesed to Yesod predominate, the souls and angels of Yetzirah worship through Divine emotion and striving, as they sense their distance from the Understanding of Beriah. This ascent and descent channels the Divine vitality down through the Worlds, furthering the Divine purpose. Therefore, in Yetzirah are the main angels, such as Seraphim, denoting their burning consummation in Divine emotion. Also called the “Lower Garden of Eden”. Assiah (עֲשִׂיָּה), meaning World of Action. On this level the creation is complete, differentiated and particular, due to the concealment and diminution of the Divine vitality. However, it is still on a spiritual level. The angels of Asiyah function on the active level, as the sephirah Malchut (fulfilment in Kingship) predominates. Below spiritual Asiyah is Asiyah Gashmi (“Physical Asiyah”), the final, lowest realm of Existence, our material Universe with all its creations. The last two Sephiroth of Asiyah channel the Lifeforce into Physical Asiyah.

Pepe Larraz: Arrival

Akiya-Kageichi          -          https://twitter.com/Akiya_kageichi

Arthur Avalon - The Nadis, “The Serpent Power: The Secrets of Tantric and Shaktic Yoga”, 1919. The Nadis, often alluded to as “rivers” in the poetry of scripture, like real rivers, course towards an ocean, and have tributaries branching off in other directions. In the above diagram we have the solar and lunar (Pingala and Ida) nadi that converge in the brow chakra at the level of the astral body, and through the right and left nostril at the level of the physical body. Within the physical spinal cord there are, as Paramahansa Yogananda taught, three astral nadis, the finer one, less perceptible ones, within the grosser ones, from Sushumna to Vajra to Chitrini. The Sushumna begins at the base of the spine, (probably GV1 Krittika). The Vajra begins with Kundalini’s awakening out of the Kanda chakra (probably GV2 Rohini). The Chitrini Nadi begins somewhere in the Navel chakra. Leaving the physical chakras now in the Hrit chakra of between Heart and Navel the Brahmanadi begins where the Soul begins to access its causal body (probably GV8 Magha). All three are connect to the Brow chakra.  From root to brow chakras Kundalini moves upward in a spiralling serpentine motion because it is accessing so many Nadis and we can control her using Prana at this stage so Ida and Pingala are involved. There is a back and forth between Ida and Pingala as she ascends the Sushumna like an electric current responding to positive and negative currents.  Once she reaches the brow and the Soul, now identified with Kundalini, the Guide or Guru within, in the sincere seeker now seeks union with the collective “I” or Siva/Consciousness differentiated and even beyond to transcendence, Siva/Consciousness undifferentiated. Now the waves of mind (Vrittis) need to stop in order to transcend that astral space and enter the causal. At this stage, as at any stage of spiritual advancement, the Soul needs grace. It doesn’t just happen by force or will alone. The heart needs to be into it, devotional practice changes the Soul’s vibration. In fact all the chakras need to be purified. Just as one takes off ones dirty shoes before entering a Hindu temple, then by grace, Kundalini (the purified Soul) casts off the astral/active mind and can enter in one movement the innermost sanctum of Brahama Nadi experiencing the silence of the causal field. This is where the aspirant begins to feel the Crown chakra. The journey is not complete until Kundalini has pierced the Brahmarandhra chakra and entered into the Crown chakra.