Meditations on Hod, part 2...
Hod is spelled Heh, Vev, Daleth. Heh is the first Breathe from which G-d gives life, and the Window through which we can see clearly. It represents the clarity and truth found in the intellectual Hod. Vev is the Hook and And. It is about coming together, binding things together. This is seen in Hod as the embracing of hardship. Daleth is the Poor Man, receiving from the Rich Man, Gimel. It is also the Door, through which we receive. Hod is part of the feminine Pillar, which represents receiving. Hod is about embracing hardship, receiving from G-d, and seeing clearly.
Hod is 5 (Heh) + 6 (Vev) + 4 (Daleth) = 15. 15 is the gemetria for Pride and Lamentation. Pride can be both good or bad. Pride allows us to stand up for what we believe in, and to do a good job in our work. It takes Pride to embrace hardship and overcome it. But Pride can also be a great obstacle, for sometimes Pride gets in our way and keeps us from embracing that same hardship. Over-due or excessive Pride is the issue. Lamentations are all about hardship. When the burden seems too great, we call out in Lamentation. But this is when G-d steps in and helps us to overcome. Both Pride and Lamentation are phases of Hod. 15 reduces to 6, which is Vev once again. As I've said, both Pride and Lamentation are involved in embracing hardship. They are held together with Vev.
I have seen Desolation and Murder listed as the Qlipoth of Hod. I think a better one would be Compromise. It is embracing the enemy and giving up your own values in the process, rather than staying true to who you are while embracing the hardship. Compromise has both a positive and negative connotation. The positive is giving way in one area to come to an agreement. I'm only referring to the negative here. When we compromise our values and beliefs, we end up losing whether we win the prize or not. The word I'll use for this is Panah, to turn, for Compromise is to turn away from your beliefs or values.
Do you see clearly? What is clouding your thinking or your understanding? Are you embracing hardship or avoiding it? It's not always necessary to suffer hardship, but if you avoid it, you avoid the blessing at the end. Are you willing to receive, or does your pride get in the way? Do you allow yourself sufficent pride to do what must be done? Do you have too much pride? Are you at a place of Lamentation? Are you willing to cry out, or are you too proud? Do you compromise your beliefs and values to get what you want, or do you hold onto them and ebrace the hardship this might bring?
~Muninn's Kiss
Hod is 5 (Heh) + 6 (Vev) + 4 (Daleth) = 15. 15 is the gemetria for Pride and Lamentation. Pride can be both good or bad. Pride allows us to stand up for what we believe in, and to do a good job in our work. It takes Pride to embrace hardship and overcome it. But Pride can also be a great obstacle, for sometimes Pride gets in our way and keeps us from embracing that same hardship. Over-due or excessive Pride is the issue. Lamentations are all about hardship. When the burden seems too great, we call out in Lamentation. But this is when G-d steps in and helps us to overcome. Both Pride and Lamentation are phases of Hod. 15 reduces to 6, which is Vev once again. As I've said, both Pride and Lamentation are involved in embracing hardship. They are held together with Vev.
I have seen Desolation and Murder listed as the Qlipoth of Hod. I think a better one would be Compromise. It is embracing the enemy and giving up your own values in the process, rather than staying true to who you are while embracing the hardship. Compromise has both a positive and negative connotation. The positive is giving way in one area to come to an agreement. I'm only referring to the negative here. When we compromise our values and beliefs, we end up losing whether we win the prize or not. The word I'll use for this is Panah, to turn, for Compromise is to turn away from your beliefs or values.
Do you see clearly? What is clouding your thinking or your understanding? Are you embracing hardship or avoiding it? It's not always necessary to suffer hardship, but if you avoid it, you avoid the blessing at the end. Are you willing to receive, or does your pride get in the way? Do you allow yourself sufficent pride to do what must be done? Do you have too much pride? Are you at a place of Lamentation? Are you willing to cry out, or are you too proud? Do you compromise your beliefs and values to get what you want, or do you hold onto them and ebrace the hardship this might bring?
~Muninn's Kiss