Adam Kadmon

The performance took place in two separate locations with live closed circuit video feed.

In the main gallery an elevated stage was built where the text of the lecture was delivered by the artist in full body paint with the ten sephiroth marked with fluorescent paint on his body. On the back wall the Tree of Life diagram was painted also in fluorescent paint and ten candles were placed on the stage floor in the same formation.

Across from the performer a large

video screen showed live video

images of a heterosexual couple

having intercourse in the gallery’s bathroom..

ADAM KADMON

This is my mortal body – it is made of Earth, Water, Fire and Air

This body is the dwelling place of God

I am Adam Kadmon, the body of God – the Microcosm

Adam Kadmon is a metaphysical concept that attempts to define the spiritual characteristics of the deity and identify them with the material characteristics of man.

Etz Hayim, the Tree of Life, is a composit glyph - in symbol this represents both Adam Kadmon - the heavenly man - the macrocosmos – and material man - the microcosmos – thus, the tree of life can be seen as a magical-religious system of correspondences that identifies the human with the divine.

Beyond Kether the first sephira, there are three veils of negative existence: Ain, Ain Soph, and Ain Soph Aur representing the unmanifested, the unknowable, and the absolute.

This is the light first issued by God when he created the Universe.

The tree of life is composed of spheres, called the sephiroth, sephira being the singular form of the word.

The spheres are interconnected by 22 lines, called paths, which represent the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The 10 sephiroth and the 22 letters are known as the 32 paths of wisdom.

Although the sephiroth represent the different manifestations of the cosmic force, and thus, of evolution, the paths are phases of subjective consciousness by means of which the soul becomes aware of cosmic manifestations.

The sephiroth known as numerical emanations, represent the abstract forms of the numbers 1 through 10. Each sephiroth symbolizes a quality characteristic of God as well as of man.

Each of the paths symbolizes the particular state of consciousness that must be reached in order to acquire a divine characteristic. These states of consciousness are represented by the 22 Hebrew letters.

The 10 sephiroth are divided into 3 columns or pillars, known as the Right-Hand Pillar, Middle Pillar, and the Left-Hand Pillar.

• The Right-Hand Pillar represents the male-active-positive principle and has positive-male characteristics. (FIRE)

• The Left-Hand Pillar represents the female-passive-negative principle and has negative-female characteristics. (WATER)

• The Middle Pillar represents Harmony, Mildness, Equilibrium, and is the balancing factor between the other two. (AIR) It has both male and female qualities, as it is a depository and transmitter of the other two pillars.

The 10 Sephiroth represent the following spiritual qualities

and physical characteristics of the body:

KETHER: THE CROWN (top of the head)

Jung - the divine self

Symbol - the Point, the Swastika

Virtue - Attainment

Astrology - ruled by Neptune

Archangel - Metraton

HOKHMAH: WISDOM (right side of face)

Jung- the active intellect

- the animus

- the father

Symbol- Phallus, staight line

Virtue- Devotion

Astrology - Ruled by Uranus

Archangel - Ratziel

Connecting path is the divine spirit, transpersonal consciousness.

BINAH: UNDERSTANDING (left shoulder)

Jung - the passive intellect

- the anima

- the Mother

Symbol- Cup, Female sex organs

Virtue- Silence

Astrology - ruled by Saturn

Archangel - Zaphkiel

HESED: MERCY or LOVE (left arm)

Jung - the active emotion

- the ego ideal

- the reward

Symbol- Orb, Tetrahedron

Virtue- Obedience

Astrology - ruled by Jupiter

Archangel- Tzadkiel

Connecting path is the soul, the conscience.

Somewhere around the place of the heart there is DAAT, the hidden Sephira, representing the higher knowledge – it is the center of the first Triad, ruled by Pluto.

GEVURAH: JUSTICE or SEVERITY (right arm)

Jung - the passive emotion

- the super ego

- the punishment

Symbol- Pentagon, Sword

Virtue- Courage

Astrology - ruled by Mars

Archangel- Khamael

Connecting path to TIFERET is the soul, also the passive-emotional complexes.

TIFERET: BEAUTY (the solar plexus)

Jung - this is the self of individuality

Symbol- Cube

Virtue- Devotion to the Great Work

Astrology - ruled by the Sun

Archangel - Raphael

NEZAH: VICTORY (right leg)

Jung - the active action

- the libido

Symbol- Rose

Virtue- Unselfishness

Astrology - ruled by Venus

Archangel- Haniel

This is the Liminal Threshold between the individual unconscious and the personal consciousness. This is the line of the Awakening.

HOD: GLORY (left leg)

Jung - passive action

- the Mortido

Symbol- Names, versicles and apron

Virtue- Truthfulness

Astrology - ruled by Mercury

Archangel- Michael

YESOD: FOUNDATION (organs of generation)

Jung - the Ego Identity, the Mind

- the Shadow

Symbol- Perfumes

Virtue- Independence

Astrology - ruled by the Moon

Archangel - Gabriel

MALKHUT: KINGDOM (the feet)

Jung - Body

- Central Nervous System

- Id -Nefesh

- the Subconscious (this is where all energies are condensed; this is the Magician himself)

Symbol- Equal Cross

Virtue- Discrimination

Astrology- This is the Earth

Archangel- Sandalphon

The Sephiroth act in pairs, the one on the right hand pillar working with its opposite on the left, and then synthesizing their powers thruogh the Spehira that stands between them on the Middle Pillar.

One always should keep in mind that the concentrated energies on one particular Sephira throws the whole system out of balance and will then experience some physical manifestations of a negative type.

The diagram is of great importance to the Kabbalist, because it lets him identify at the glance, the combinations of elements that form each aspect of the Absolute.

• The first triad being ruled by the element of Air

• The second Triad is ruled by the element of Fire

• The third by Water

Malkuth, the 10th Spehira, is ruled by the element of Earth, in spite of the fact that it stands in the Middle Pillar which is ruled by the element of Air. This is because the other spheres are only states of consciousness and are not yet manifested in matter. Malkuth, the depository of their combined forces, is the one that can transmit these forces to the physical world.

Yesod, Foundation, is a combination of Water and Fire; standing in the Middle Pillar is a synthesis of all other forces. This is the realm of the Mind, the union of forces, the Mogen Dóvid.

Tiferet is the self of the Individuality Composite of Fire and Air- this is the Seat of the Soul.

Kether is a combination of the element of Air within itself, and thus it is said to be Air of Air.

Daat, the invisible sphere and the center of the first triad. This sphere is one of the greatest mysteries of the Kabbala. It’s name is Knowledge. In the biblical narrative, we find subtle reference to the sexual act as a man knowing a woman. This act of Knowing is the secret of Daath. The Female principle of God, known as Matrona, hovers overs the marital bed during sexual intercourse. One of her names is also Shekinah. She is often identified with the great archangel Metraton, who stands in Kether, the Sephira. Shekinah or Metraton projects the powers of God’s Female Principle into the hidden sphere of Daath.

The first Triad of spheres is the Superconsciousness.

In order to reach this realm, the student of the Kabbalah has to cross on his ascent, the line of the Abyss, the veil of the supernals. The adept who will pass through will get lost in the womb of the Universe. He has to be reborn, but first, he has to give up all his material comforts and pleasures. Spiritually naked and materially desolated.

After emergence, his life will take a completely different direction that will inevitably lead him to his final aim of uniting his soul with God’s.

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This is my mortal body... it is made of Earth, Water, Fire and Air.

This body is the dwelling place of God.

I am Adam Kadmon, the body of God - the microcosmos.

The End