When you run a magnet across metal repeatedly, the metal becomes a magnet.  Likewise, when you run electricity through a coil of wire with a core of metal in the middle, you get a magnet.  The magnetic field exists at a right angle to the direction of flow.  A third direction, at a right angle to both the electrical current and the magnetic field, is the magnetic flux, measuring the strength and extent of the magnetic field.

Similar effects occur with magical Ritual.  'Asah, Action, is the Ritual or magical action that occurs.  When you conduct the same magical Action or Ritual repeatedly, this creates a magical charge.  This charge imparts magical properties to those doing the Actions; the target of the Actions; implements, props, and articles used in the Ritual, the location of the Ritual, the Actions of the Ritual, and anything else involved in the Ritual.

A staff used in many Rituals becomes charged, making it more useful in Rituals.  A location where Rituals are conducted often becomes more welcoming for Rituals.  Actions used over and over again become more powerful.  Rituals become easier for a person who conducts or is involved in many Rituals.  Repetition increases the power of magic.

This can be seen in my walks.  Since I walk with Kavanah, Intention, my walking becomes a Ritual, and Action.  When I walk, I always walk around the same area in the same direction, though different routes.  My routes overlap and interconnect, but always move in the same direction around each area.  The main area I walk in wraps around a hill with a house on top.  This hill acts as a core, just as with the electrical coil.  The paths form lines of force around the core.  Each path is infused by magic because of my Intention, forming a magical coil around the core.  The core becomes the concentration of my magic, a source of power.

~Muninn's Kiss

herbmcsidhe pointed out the following image, also containing the symbols of the three branches of the Faith Cochrane talks about:



The Seven African Powers:

The Seven African powers are the most well-known and celebrated divinities of the Yoruban Pantheon, and are common to all Yoruban faiths, although they are not always considered to be the same deities. In Macumba traditions (Candomble, Umbanda), they are called Orixa; in Vodoun, they are called Lwas (Loas); in Palo, Nkisi. In all of these traditions, the Orishas have many aspects (Caminos), which are often quite diverse.

Yoruba religion - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The philosophy of Yorùbá (also known as Irunmole, Ifa, Orisha or Aborisha) is that all humans have Ayanmo (manifest destiny) to become one in spirit with Olódùmarè (Olòrún, the divine creator and source of all energy). Each person in Ayé (the physical realm) uses thought or action energies to impact the community of all other living things including the Earth, and so to move towards destiny. As such, one's destiny is in one's hands. To attain transcedence and destiny in Òrún-Réré (spiritual realm of those who do good and beneficial things), one's Orí-Inu (spiritual consciousness in the physical realm) must be elevated to unify with one's Iponri (Orí Òrún). Those who stop improving are destined for Òrún-Apadi (spiritual realm of the forsaken). Life and death are cycles of habitation in physical body and spiritual realms while one's spirit evolves toward transcendence. This evolution is most advanced in Irùnmolẹ (oní irun, of the unique hair that distinguishes humans from beasts; imo, enlightened of destiny, ilẹ on the land)

For most people, iwapẹlẹ (balanced culture), meditation and sincere veneration sufficiently strengthen one's Orí-Inu. One is able to gbadúra (pray) for support of the Egungun (one's elevated ancestors) or the Orí-Òrún for application of the Odu (knowledge of all ages) to one's benefit. Those with strong motivation to manipulate destiny may consult Orunmila through Ifá (divination sciences) and ẹbò (offering). In invoking the Orunmila so directly, care is required to ensure alignment of thought and action. The Orunmila brings into motion either Oríṣà (benevolent or angelic forces) or Ajẹ (malevolent or demonic forces). All communication with the Òrún is energized by invoking Àṣẹ (the essence of Olódùmarè that gives life to all). Àṣẹ is delivered by Ẹlégbara (Eṣu, the divine messenger) who, without distortion or partiality for good or for bad, negotiates communication to the Òrún and navigates Òrún forces to the Ayé.

Concerning more about Orí-Inu and Àṣẹ:

Orisha - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The Orisha faith believes in a Supreme Being, namely God. Adherents of the religion appeal to specific manifestations of God in the form of the various Orisha. Ancestors and culture-heroes held in reverence can also be enlisted for help with day-to-day problems. Faithful believers will also generally consult a geomantic divination specialist, known as a babalawo or Iyanifa, to mediate in their problems. This practice is known as Ifa, and is an important part of life throughout West Africa and the rest of the diaspora world. UNESCO, the cultural and scientific education arm of the United Nations, declared Ifa a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2005. An important part of the traditional Yoruba faith is that the Yoruba believe their ancestor Oduduwa fell from the sky and brought with him much of what is now their belief system. Part of this is the belief that daily life depends on proper alignment and knowledge of one's Ori. Ori literally means the head, but in spiritual matters is taken to mean an inner portion of the soul which determines personal destiny and success. Ase, which is also spelled “Axe,” “Axé,” “Ashe,” or “Ache,” is the life-force which runs though all things, living and inanimate. Ashe is the power to make things happen. It is an affirmation which is used in greetings and prayers, as well as a concept about spiritual growth. Orisha devotees strive to obtain Aseh through Iwa-Pele or gentle and good character, and in turn they experience alignment with the Ori, or what others might call inner peace or satisfaction with life.

Ori is the Godself Feri talks about, the Neshamah of Kabbalah. Ase is the Kami of Shinto, and is Kavanah, Intention.  The Orisha are different manifestations of the Divine.

~Muninn's Kiss

'Asah is the Hebrew word for "to do, fashion, accomplish, make" and can mean "to do", "to work", "to make", "to produce", "to deal (with)", "to act", "to effect", "to prepare", "to make (an offering)", "to attend to", "to put in order", "to observe", "to celebrate", "to aquire (property)", "to appoint", "to ordain", "to institute", "to bring about", "to use", "to spend", "to pass", "to be done", "to be made", "to be produced", "to be offered", "to be observed", "to be used", "to press", or "to squeeze".  Basically, if it's an action, it's 'Asah.  A Ritual is an Action done as an act of worship.  Ritual comes out of Stillness, out of Damam, and leads to Kavanah, Intention.

'Asah is spelled Ayin, Shin, Heh.  Ayin is the eye, and represents Kether, and the Ain, the Non-existant.  It represents G-d as that which we can't see or understand.  Shin is Fire and the Tooth, and is the Mother connecting Chokmah, Wisdom with Binah, Understanding.  Heh is the first Breathe, from which Chokmah comes, and connects Kether to Chokmah.  'Asah represents the Supernal Triad, Kether, Chokmah, and Binah.  It is out of these three that Action that changes things comes.  The word for Hour is spelled the same way, for Action occurs in Time, not in the Stillness of Now that it comes out of.

'Asah is equal to 70 (Ayin) + 300 (Shin) + 5 (Heh) = 375.  The phrase "Generally and Specifically" has the same value, alluding to the effect Action has on the world:  first it has direct effect, but indirectly affects all else.  375 reduces to 6, Vev, implying the effect of both Self and Other, and the ability of Action to bring together and separate.

Ritual is defined as:

Ritual - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

A ritual is a set of actions, often thought to have symbolic value, the performance of which is usually prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community by religious or political laws because of the perceived efficacy of those actions

'Asah becomes Ritual when it is done with intent, and comes out of the Stillness of Damam and the Silence of Hacah.  And action can be ritual, can take on symbolic meaning.  If we live our lives as Ritual, each action has meaning, and so makes a difference.  Without Ritual, we just go through the motion, never having Kavanah in our Actions.

Each Action changes the world, for Good (Tov) or for Bad (Ra').  We start in Kavanah, Intention, and Shiflut, Lowliness.  These lead us to Damam and Hacah.  From the Stillness and Silence, we see clearly what needs to be done, and we choose to do it, 'Asah.  This choice creates change in the world.  Actions coming from Damam and Hacah are Actions of Destiny, not Fate.  Actions of Fate are Actions not done as Ritual, Actions that just follow what is expected, instead of choosing.  When we choose, it becomes Destiny.  It's not the Action that is important to create change and Destiny, it's the Intention behind that Action, it's the choice and the Act of choosing.

~Muninn's Kiss

Just as Intention and Lowliness, Kavanah and Shiflut, lead to Stillness and Silence, Damam and Hacah, Damam and Hacah lead to Action and Words.  Action is Ritual, and the Hebrew word 'Asah best describes it.  Words are to Prophesy, Naba'.

'Asah is the Hebrew word for "to do, fashion, accomplish, make" and can mean "to do", "to work", "to make", "to produce", "to deal (with)", "to act", "to effect", "to prepare", "to make (an offering)", "to attend to", "to put in order", "to observe", "to celebrate", "to aquire (property)", "to appoint", "to ordain", "to institute", "to bring about", "to use", "to spend", "to pass", "to be done", "to be made", "to be produced", "to be offered", "to be observed", "to be used", "to press", or "to squeeze".  Basically, if it's an action, it's 'Asah.  A Ritual is an Action done as an act of worship.  Ritual comes out of Stillness, out of Damam, and leads to Kavanah, Intention.

Naba' is the Hebrew word for "to prophesy" or "to be under the influence of divine spirit".  Words spoken out of Silence are Naba'.  Naba' are the words of the Divine spoken through man.  This leads back to Shilflut, Lowliness.

~Muninn's Kiss

Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle (Page 4):

When you become aware of silence, immediately there is that state of inner still alertness.  You are present.  You have stepped out of thousands of years of collective human conditioning.

Being aware of silence is Kavanah of Hacah again.  This leads to Stillness, Damam.  The only road to being in the Now is the road of Kavanah of Hacah.  Damam is the Now.

~Muninn's Kiss

Hacah is pronounced hä·sä', and is spelled Heh, Samech, Heh (הסה).  It means "to hush, to command to be silent, hush, keep silence, be silent, hold peace, hold tongue, still".

In gematria, Hacah is 5 (Heh) + 60 (Samech) + 5 (Heh) = 70.  70 is also ליל, Night, and סוד, Secret.  Both of these involve Silence.  The most Silent time is just before dawn, while Night still reins.  A Secret is only kept with Silence.  70 reduces to 7, which is is Zayin, the Weapon or the Arm.  Zayin is active, so this implies Silence being active.  You choose to be Silent, you become Silent.  Silence doesn't just happen.  Zayin is also about Will and Desire, Kavanah.  Silence isn't just active, it's Intentional.  You have to Desire Silence, and Intentionally seek it.  Zayin is crowned.  It is the Husband crowned by the Wife.  Hacah is Shiflut crowned by Kavanah.  It is Kavanah of Shiftlut, Awareness of Lowliness.  For out of that Awareness, we realize we have nothing to say, so we are Silent and wait for the Divine to give us Words.

Hacah is spelled Heh, Samech, Heh.  Heh is the Breathe, and the Window.  Samech is the Support, and the Circle, the Cycle.  Both meanings of each letter reveals something about Silence.  Hacah is Breathe Supporting Breathe.  It's two Breathes, one coming in, one going out, in perfect balance.  This balance of breathing out and breathing in result in Silence.  It is a Window Supporting a Window.  It is through the dual vision, two Windows, that true Prophecy comes.  One Window is Shiflut, and the other is Kavanah.  Kavanah Supports Shiflut.  These result in Silence, from which Prophecy comes.  Breathe Cycles through Breathe.  Each Breathe leads to the next.  Awareness, Kavanah, of this Breathe is Silence.  Slow Breathe after slow Breathe is Silence, Supported by Stillness, Damam.  Windows all in a row, as a Cycle, though each reveals what is behind it, the whole Cycle hides, keeping the Secret, keeping Silence.

If Damam is internal, Hacah is external.  Silence is outward Stillness.  People can see Stillness only by it's effects, but Silence is obvious to the outside world.  The world is noisy.  Silence is not.  Silence is hard to find in the outside world, so, when we are Silent, that Silence is louder than the noise.  Silence shouts against the contrast of noise.

If Damam is the root of visions and dreams, and of actions, Hacah is the root of Prophecy and of True Words.  Words that don't come from Silence are just noise, but out of Silence comes True Words, which are living Truth, Prophecy.  Prophecy is the Words of the Divine, power put into Words.  Prophecy spoke the world onto being, out of the Silence that come before.  Silence became Prophecy, and that Prophecy caused Stillness to become Action.  Prophecy is necessary to bring Action out of Stillness, just as Kavanah is necessary to bring Silence out of Shiflut.  Kavanah impregnates Shiflut, and Silence comes.  Kavanah impregnates Silence and Prophecy comes.  Prophecy impregnates Damam and Action comes.

If Damam is related to the Dance, Stillness and Action, Action and Stillness, Hacah can be seen in the Song.  With normal talking, Silence is the lack of Words.  It isn't part of the whole, but a break.  But in Song, the Silences between notes are as important as the notes themselves.  Song is a Dance in sound.  Silence is the sound of Stillness, and Prophecy is the sound of Action.  As in the Dance, both the Silence and the notes are needed to make the Song.

If Damam is Waiting and Expectation, Silence is Listening to the Divine.  We can't hear if we don't Listen.  Silence is the outward response to the inner Waiting.  We sit Waiting and Listening in the presence of the Divine.  Sometime the Divine speaks and we respond.  This is Prophecy and Action.  But sometimes we continue Waiting, continue Listening, because the time isn't right yet.

Hacah cannot be achieved without Shilfut, Kavanah, and Damam.  To find Silence, first think about Shiflut.  Think of yourself in relation to the Divine.  Compared to the Infinite, what are you?  With Awareness of this, Silence comes.  But Silence can't be maintained without Stillness.  Silence must lead to Stillness, or our minds wander and Silence breaks down into simply not talking.  External Silence must become internal Stillness.  When it does, Silence continues.  So, to find and maintain Silence, first seek an Awareness of Lowliness, then follow the exercise to find Stillness.  Wait in this place.  With practice, all four elements become one.  Shiflut, Kavanah, Hacah, and Damam occur simultaneously.  This is the goal.

~Muninn's Kiss

Which soul is Damam found in?

The Nephesh, the animal soul, can be seen as our id, or our subconscious.  It is rapped in emotions, and constantly wanting, constantly moving us.  This is not Damam.

The Ruach is the soul we are most familiar with.  If Damam was found here, it would be easy to find, for our lives as we see them take place in this soul.  No, Damam is not here.

This leaves the Neshimah, the upper soul.  It is here that we find Shiflut, Kavanah, and Damam.  But this soul is in three parts:  Neshimah, Chiah, and Yechidah.  Damam is above the level of Neshimah, for Neshimah interacts with the Ruach, so can't be still.  It is Shiflut, the lowest of the Divine parts of the soul.  Chiah is Will, Kavanah, and is energy.  It flows from the Yechidah to the Neshimah, so is also in motion.  Only the Yechidah, the Divine Spark, is Still;  Only Yechidah is Damam.



Which world is Damam found in?

Assiah, the World of Action, is the spiritual world corresponding to our physical world.  It is the true world behind the illusion we create.  Action brings movement.  There is no Stillness, no Damam in Assiah.

Yetzurah, the World of Forms, is the Divine Chariot, always in motion, and the Sea of Mem, always in flux.  Yetzurah is not Damam.

Briah, the World of Creation, is a world of opposites.  Light separates from Darkness.  Male separates from Female.  This separation is motion, in not Damam.

Only in Atziluth do we find Damam.  It is in the unity, the lack of separation, that Damam is found.  The Light fills all of Atziluth.  It emanates down, moving through the lower worlds, but here it is Still.


Where do we find Damam on the Tree of Life?

Malkuth is Assiah, and our world.  There is no Stillness in the Kingdom.

Yesod, Foundation, sounds Still at first.  It is not.  It is the channel from the upper Sephiroth to Malkuth below.  In Yesod, everything flows downward.  It is a great maelstrom, funneling the water of Yetzurah to Assiah below.

Hod, Glory, always moves forward to embrace obstacles, moving on the face of Mem.  Netzach, Victory, also moves on Mem, moving forward to conquer.

Tipherah, Beauty, is closer to Stillness.  But it is Geburah, Judgement, and Chesed, Mercy in equal measures, each moving forward to give or take.

Binah, Understanding, searches out answers, once more in motion.  Chokmah, Wisdom, constantly stirs thoughts into emotions, emotions into ideas, ideas into Wisdom.

Only in Kether, the Crown, is there Stillness, Damam.  A Crown sits on the head, not moving.  Kether is Techidah, the highest soul, and the source of Atziluth, the World of Emanations.  Kether is the Endless Light (Ain Soph Ohr), not moving, the Endlessness (Ain Soph), empty and Still, and the Nothing (Ain), where movement can't exist.

~Muninn's Kiss

Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle (Page 4):

The equivalent of external noise is the inner noise of thinking.   The equivalent of external silence is inner stillness.

Whenever there is some silence around you -- listen to it.  That means just notice it.  Pay attention to it.  Listening to silence awakens the dimension of stillness within yourself, because it is only through stillness that you can be aware of silence.

See that in the moment of noticing the silence around you, you are not thinking.  You are aware, but not thinking.

When I started looking as Shiflut and Kavanah, Hacah and Damam, I thought of Kavanah and Damam as external, leading to external actions, and Shiflut and Hacah as internal, leading to internal words.  When I first read this entry, I wasn't sure what to think.  Digging deeper, I realized I had it backwards.  Lowliness and Silence, along with words, are external, because they relate to things external.  Intention and Stillness, along with actions, are internal, because they relate to things internal.

Awareness is Kavanah.  Awareness of Silence, Kavanah of Hacah, brings us to Damam.  Kavanah of Hacah is not Damam, but it leads us to Damam.

Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle (Page 6):

Silence is helpful, but you don't need it in order to find stillness.  Even when there is noise, you can be aware of the stillness underneath the noise, of the space in which the noise arises.  That is the inner space of pure awareness, consciousness itself.

You can be aware of awareness as the background to all your sense perceptions, all your thinking.  Becoming aware of awareness is the arising of inner stillness.

Awareness of Awareness is Kavanah of Kavanah.  Kavanah of Kavanah is Stillness, Damam.  As we become Intentional, we become aware that we are Intentional.  This brings us to Damam, Stillness.

Kavanah of Shiflut, Awareness of Lowliness, is Hacah, Silence, for when we are Aware of and Intentional in remembering we are Lowly, we know our own words will never be enough, so we step into Hacah, and are Silent, waiting for words that are not our own.  This is the essence of Prophecy.

~Muninn's Kiss

I'd like to look a little more at Damam.

Damam is spelled Daleth-Mem-Mem.  Mem can be a suffix in Hebrew meaning "from".  Dam, Daleth-Mem, means blood or, figuratively, wine.  So, if Mem is seen as the suffix, Damam means "from blood" or "from wine".  In the Tanakh, blood is related most often to sacrifice and to life.  Life and death are in the blood, but so is redemption and forgiveness.  Blood provides hope, just as Kavanah is hope.  Hope comes from the blood, from the Stillness of Damam and manifests as Kavanah.  Stillness is like death, but in Stillness, blood still flows, so it is from the blood that we know it is Stillness and not death, or death and not Stillness.  When Cain killed Abel, his Dam (blood) cried out and G-d heard it.  It is from the Blood that the Divine hears us, and responds to us.  It is in Stillness that we can speak clearly with the Divine.


Damam can be seen in dance.  When we are walking, stopping is not part of walking; it's not walking.  And stopping is distinct from walking.  Not so with dance.  Movement and Stillness work together to form the dance.  These stops that are still part of the dance are Damam.  A life of Damam is a dance.  Sometimes you are in Stillness, sometimes you are in action.  Damam leads to action and action leads to Damam.  Both are needed.  Both are part of the dance.

~Muninn's Kiss

The 17th letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Beit is Pe, the Mouth.  The mystic meaning of Pe is communication and the Oral Torah, both of which come from the Mouth.  The Zohar teaches that the power of Da'ath (Knowing) is concealed in the Mouth.  Da'ath is the intimate coming together of two things, like a husband and wife Knowing each other.  But it's also communication.  It is through speech that knowledge is shared.  It is through speech that two people come to know each other well enough to become husband and wife.  Even with an arranged marriage, the arrangement is made with the Mouth.  As the Oral Torah, Pe represents the secrets of G-d.  The Written Torah is static.  New meanings can be seen, but the words remain the same.  The Oral Torah is dynamic, changing with need and circumstances, always opening up new ideas and concepts.  Pe also means "here" as in being present.  This is the secret of Kavanah, to be Intentional, to be Present, to be Aware of the physical time and space around you.

Pe is the form of a Mouth with a Tooth in it.  Shin is the Tooth, and is Fire.  The Oral Torah in our Mouth is Fire, just as the Written Torah is black Fire on white Fire.  Pe looks like a Daleth with a Vev hanging upside down from its head (the Tooth), and a Vev lying down below it.  Inside the Pe is a Beit.  Pe is pregnant with Beit.  The Torah starts with the letter Beit, so this hidden Beit symbolizes the Torah being spoken from the Mouth of G-d.  There is a secondary meaning as well.  Beit is the House.  What is spoken in the House is also spoken out of the House.  What we say in private is seen in public.  Pe also has a final form, where the Daleth drops all the way below the line, without a Vev below.  This is the Mouth open wide, taking in food, nourishment, instead of sending out speech.

Pe is the 17th letter, and has a value of 80.  The Final Pe has a value of 800.  17 is the gematria for Tov (Good), representing the Good spoken from the Mouth of G-d.  The first thing G-d speaks in Genesis is "Let there be light."  Light appears, and G-d sees with his Eyes (Ayin) that it is Good.  The thirty-third word in the Torah is Good.  Thirty-three equals 16 + 17, Ayin + Pe.  Eighty is the gematria for Yesod (Foundation) and Geburah (Judgement).  Judgement is given through the Mouth.  Yesod is symbolic of the connection between Male and Female sexual organs during intercourse, so is symbolic of Da'ath.  800 is the gematria of Malkuth (Kingdom).  It's through the Mouth, through Speech, that the Kingdom becomes manifest.  G-d spoke, therefore it is.  17, 80, and 800 reduce to 8, Chet, the fence.  This represents the potential power within realized in the speaking through the Mouth.  In both the Ari's and the Gra's Trees, Pe connects Geburah, Judgement, to Hod, Glory, across from Kaph, which connects Chesed, Mercy, to Netzach, Victory.  G-d's Judgement is spoken and comes down to the world through the Intellect of Hod.

On Kircher's Tree, Pe connects Netzach and Hod.  This is the place of Mem on the other two Trees.  If Mem is spelled Mem-Mem (one of the spellings), it is 80 in gematria, the same as the value of Pe.  Netzach and Hod represent two approaches to conflict:  attach directly or embrace and conquer from within.  But of these start with speech, with the Mouth.  Netzach starts with a spoken challenge.  Hod starts with a spoken invitation.  This is the secret of Pe on Kircher's Tree.

When we first encounter Pe, we find the Tower here.  The Tower in Pe represents revelation spoken to us from the Mouth of G-d.  When G-d speaks, things change.  Old ideas crumble.  And, when we speak, things change.

The Fool coming to Pe begins to understand the power of the Mouth.  He learns that we needs to be careful what he says, for words have power.  And he learns that when speech is required, it can't be held back.

After the Fool has travelled on, we find the Star shining on Pe.  The Star in Pe represents the hope and inspiration a word kindly and fitfully spoken can bring.

Pe is about communicating.  In what ways does communication fail for you?  Are you saying what needs to be said?  Are you hearing what you need to hear?  Speak to those around you, not holding back what needs to be said.  Listen to people, listen actively, so you can respond kindly and fairly, with Judgement and discernment.

~Muninn's Kiss

Damam is pronounced dä·man' and is spelled with a Daleth and two Mems (דמם).  It means "to be silent or to be still", and is usually translated as "to be silent, be still, wait, be dumb, grow dumb".

In Gematria, Damam is 4 (Daleth) + 40 (Mem) + 600 (Final Mem) or 4 + 40 + 40.  The first is 644, and the second is 84.  644 is also חלום, a dream.  Out of stillness comes vision.  644 reduces to 5, which is Heh, the first Breathe.  When you are still, all that moves is your breathe.  If the second Mem takes the value of 40, Dream is 84 as well.  But 84 is also ידע, Knew.  In the stillness, we remember what we already knew but forgot.  84 reduces to 3, Gimel, Camel.  Gimel is the rich man chancing after the poor man to give to him.  In stillness, we value others more than our possessions.

Damam, Stillness, is a place of learning.  It is in the Stillness that we have visions and dreams, not in the hustle and bustle of life.  When we are still, we are less distracted, and so are able to clearly see what is shown to us.  We are more able to see the world as it really is instead of the illusion we see outside Stillness.  All that moves, twirls, causes commotion and distraction around us is temporary and fades, because it is the illusion.  The Truth is in the Stillness, for when all else passes away, Stillness will remain.

Stillness seems simple, but to one used to the movement of life, Time, and Fate, it seems impossible to reach.  It is through Kavanah and Shiflut that we come to Damam.  By becoming lowly, we step out of the trap of ambition and simply come as we are.  This eliminates many distractions.  Kavanah eliminates the rest.  As we focus on Stillness, and grab onto that feeling, with the Intention of reaching it, all else fades, and we step into Damam.  It's easier if you can remember tasting it before, because then you know what you are looking for.  We all have felt Damam, as a child, when most things didn't matter to us anyway.  But we have forgotten.  To remember, we must find Damam again.

One method of finding Damam is with meditation.  Go to a place that is quiet, where you won't be disturbed.  First, you need to step into Shiflut.  Close your eyes and think about your place in the Universe.  Compare yourself to the size of the Sun, to the size of the stars, compare the number of you (one) to the number of stars.  Realize how small you are.  That is Shiflut.  Now, to reach Damam.  In your mind, visualize reaching out to the world around you.  Feel what you are sitting on.  Feel the walls and ceilings if you are inside, or trees and ground if you are outside.  Feel yourself join with each of these.  Reach out further.  And further.  Feel the Stillness in the things around you.  Now, return your attention to your body.  Feel your centre.  This will be below your navel, but above your groin.  Feel yourself sliding into that spot, settling, relaxing.  Sometimes it's easier to feel if you pull in your stomach, like you are about to put on a corset, the same posture used in ballet.  You are now centred, and this is Stillness.  The focusing was Kavanah.  Once you've felt Damam, it is easier to return to it, even out in the movement and noise.  It is good to practice reaching that point in a peaceful place so it will be easier out of that peace.

~Muninn's Kiss

Shiflut is your attitude, whereas Kavanah is your focus.  Shiflut is a realization of your true position in the world.  Kavanah is a realization of G-d's position in the world.  In Kavanah, everything is an act of worship, everything is ritual, everything is purposeful and directed.  Living life in Kavanah is living life intentionally, thinking about each decision, making each action and each word spoken count.

Kavanah is also Hope.  It is easy with Shiflut but no Kavanah to lose Hope.  There is no Hope without Intention.  Kavanah is what allows us to reach up to G-d, and the result of the reaching is G-d reaching down to us.  We may be lowly, but we are cared for, cared about, by G-d, who is the opposite of lowly.  He is Kether, the Crown, and greater still than that.  It is through our reaching to him and him reaching to us that we find Hope, for in that moment, in the Now, Fate, Mazal, has no hold on us.  In that moment, we have Hope that Fate doesn't bind us.  There is no Mazal for Israel.  That is Hope.



Joshua 24 / Hebrew - English Bible / Mechon-Mamre:

וְאִם רַע בְּעֵינֵיכֶם לַעֲבֹד אֶת-יְהוָה, בַּחֲרוּ לָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת-מִי תַעֲבֹדוּן--אִם אֶת-אֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר-עָבְדוּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר בעבר מֵעֵבֶר הַנָּהָר, וְאִם אֶת-אֱלֹהֵי הָאֱמֹרִי אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם יֹשְׁבִים בְּאַרְצָם; וְאָנֹכִי וּבֵיתִי נַעֲבֹד אֶת-יְהוָה

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.'

When the Israelites had finished conquering the promised land, Joshua gave them a choice.  They could choose to follow G-d, or they could choose to follow the gods of the people around them.  This was a moment of Kavanah, or Intention.  In that moment, they had a choice that would effect them from then on, a choice that would change things.  They could choose which direction to point themselves, where to place their Kavanah.  Joshua and his family had already decided.  They purposed in their hearts, had Kavanah in their hearts, to follow G-d.  The rest of the Israelites chose likewise.



BibleGateway.com: Luke 9:51-56:

Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” But He turned and rebuked them,[f] and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.

Jesus also shows Kavanah.  Knowing he was going to Jerusalem to be killed, he nevertheless purposed to go there.  But every decision made from Kavanah changes things.  Last time he came, the villages of Samaria received him, but now that he had Kavanah to go to Jerusalem, they didn't.  He had made his choice.  To them, he had chosen the enemy.  But, he knew Jerusalem would reject him and kill him, so he hadn't chosen Israel over Samaria; he had chosen Death over Life, Sacrifice over Self, Shiflut over haughtiness.  In so doing, he was rejected by both Samaria and Israel.  Kavanah always changes things, always has a price.  But, in Kavanah, we have a choice, whereas in Mazal, there is no choice.  Mazal is Fate, but Kavanah is Destiny.


Odin shows constant Kavanah as he prepares from Ragnarok.  He knows he will be the first to die in the battle, swallowed whole by the wolf Fenris, but that doesn't matter to him.  What he is concerned with is that something survives the Endless Winter.  From the time he realizes what will happen, he focuses all his attention to that goal.  He stops ruling Asgard and becomes Vegtam, the Wanderer.  He gives up his eye for wisdom so he would know what to do.  He wanders the world talking to men, gods, and giants, trying to get everything in place.  He gathers warriors to fight, even taking the best when they are needed most in the battle at hand, so they can fight in the battle to come.  Every action he makes comes out of Kavanah.  Every action he makes changes things.  Often, they make things worse for a time, but each action is one piece to allow something to survive in the end.  Everything has a price, but the choice is yours if you act out of Kavanah.

~Muninn's Kiss

The other important concept which goes along with Shiflut is Kavanah, Intention.  Kavanah can mean Intention, Concentration, Attention, Focus, Intensity, Directedness of the Heart, and other similar things.  The root of Kavanah is Kavan, meaning to direct, aim, or attune.  Kavanah is about directing your conciousness.

Kavanah is most often used to refer to prayer.  In this context, Kavanah is the focusing of your consciousness on G-d.  Reading a formal prayer, you can either just read it, or you can concentrate on G-d, taking the words and making them yours.  You take the words and put them in your heart and speak from your heart.  The mind reads and speaks, so the speaking of the words is from the thoughts, but Kavanah is speaking them from emotion, which is what changes them from words to prayer.

Kavanah is what divides ordinary time from Sacred Time.  Kavanah is what allows us to step out of the flow of time and into the Moment, into the Now.  Kavanah is what allows us to throw off the chains of Fate.  As you focus on the Sacred, you enter the Sacred.  As long as you stay focused, you stay in the Sacred, stay in the Now.  The more time you spend in the Now, the easier it is to stay in the Now.  Profane Time becomes Sacred Time.

What separates a painting that's well painted from a good painting?  Kavanah.  Kavanah is the emotion put into the painting, which is visible to the viewer, making it more than commercial art.  What separates a well played piece of music from a masterpiece?  Kavanah.  Kavanah is the emotion that is put into the music, which the hearer is affected by, can tell is there, but can't point to musically.  What makes a well done dance different from a beautiful dance?  Kavanah.  Kavanah is the emotion and personal energy put into the dance, separating it from the technique.  Without Kavanah, there is no art, only commercial products.  Kavanah is the soul of art, which gives it life.  It the Heh, the Breathe, breathed into the art to bring it to life.

My grandfather told my dad that if he was going to be a ditch digger, be the best damn ditch digger there was.  This, too, is Kavanah.  Kavanah is about giving something your all, pouring yourself into it.  If you're not giving it everything, your focus is somewhere else.  But if you give everything to everything you do, you are living with Intention, you are living with Kavanah.  When you live with Kavanah, you change things.  The world can't remain the same when Kavanah is present, because you are pouring yourself into what you are focusing on.  It becomes part of you, an extension of you, and touches everything that it encounters.  Music played or sang with Kavanah changes its hearers.  Art made with Kavanah changes those who see it.  Kavanah creates ripples, which change the fabric of the universe around us.  The hearer of the song is changed, so interacts with the world differently, changing the things around her.  These changes affect other people, changing them, so they interact differently.  Each moment of Kavanah, whether its same or large, changes all the world, changes all of history, vibrates across the tapestry of Time and Fate, creates Destiny.

Kavanah is present in creation.  G-d said let there be, and there was.  G-d didn't ask, but commanded, because he knew it would happen.  Kavanah is knowing that the change will occur, not wondering if it might.  G-d intended for creation to occur, so it did.  It's G-d's focus that created, and it's G-d's focus that keeps creation from vanishing.  G-d is always concentrating on creation, on us.

Another way to describe Kavanah is as True Will (Greek Thelema).  The idea is that there is a True Will within each of us, our Destiny, so to speak.  If we can determine what we truly want and line our life up with that, nothing is impossible.  Each of us were created with a True Will, a true purpose, a Destiny.  Fate, Mazal, causes us to just go along with the status quo, letting our True Will shrivel up.  The goal, then, is to find that True Will and water it, help it to grow.  That is Kavanah, intentionally choosing to find our True Will and follow it.  Psalms 37:4 says, "So shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and He shall give thee the petitions of thy heart."  G-d created us with desires, petitions, in our hearts.  When we align ourselves with these desires, which are our True Will, G-d gives them to us.  Kavanah is the act of aligning your mind with your heart, and your heart with your Destiny.  It is an inward act and works in relation to the outward act of Shiflut.

Kavanah is Kaph, Vev, Nun.  These three add up to 76, which reduces to 13, which reduces to 4, which is Daleth.  Kavanah is equivalent to Daleth, which is the symbol of Shiflut.

Kaph is the Palm of the Hand, which was used to form man.  G-d took clay, and with Kavanah and the Palm of his Hand, he formed it, and it was more than just clay.  He breathed into it, put his Kavanah into it, and man lived.  Kaph is also a king bowing, and is a sign of submission.  This speaks of the connection between Kavanah and Shiflut.

Vev is And, and the Hook.  Vev joins things.  Here, it joins Kaph and Nun, creating Kavanah, but it has more meaning than that.  Vev signifies both the Bride and the Bridegroom.  The Bride's only focus is on the Bridegroom, and the Bridegroom's only focus is on the Bride.  Vev is the joining of those two focuses, the Kavanah flowing from the Bride to the Bridegroom, and from the Bridegroom to the Bride.  This is prayer with Kavanah.  The one praying is focused on G-d, and G-d is focused on the one praying. Kavanah flows to and from G-d.  In Kavanah, the one praying and G-d are joined, in the Now, in the Sacred Time.

Nun is the Fish, swimming in the waters of Mem.  Nun represents hidden things, and represents the heir to the throne, the Mashiach (Messiah).  Kavanah is the inner direction.  It isn't a matter of physically looking toward something, it is an inner, spiritual focus.  Nun is the Mashiach, the hidden one who will be revealed.  Mashiach represents G-d's Intention, Kavanah, for the world, the completion of his focus.  Nun is hidden within Mem, just as the True Will is hidden in the heart.  The search for True Will is the search for Nun in the Great Sea of Mem.

Kavanah is the joining together (Vev) of Kaph and Nun.  The humble king comes together with the heir to the throne.  The Palm which forms man comes together with the things that are hidden.  Kavanah takes the hidden and makes them manifest, forming it into something that has life.  Kavanah takes the dreams of the humble king and makes them flesh.

Kavanah is about living with Intention.  Each moment is an opportunity.  Each circumstance holds potential.  All we have to do is stop letting life pull us along.  Stop and look around.  Kavanah is about seeing the opportunities in each moment and making the decision how to respond instead of letting it be made for you.  If a path seems easy and seems like it doesn't take thought, Kavanah requires stopping and thinking about it anyway.  Do you have to do what comes easy, or do you have other options?  What would each option allow to happen?  Sometimes you will do what you would have done without stopping, but then you are choosing to do it, not just doing it.  That is Kavanah: choosing a path with Intention.

~Muninn's Kiss

After some more thought about this post, I think that it's not so much that we step outside Fate as that Fate can be redirected, bound to a new course. Fate, which most people just give up control to, becomes Destiny, which we embrace. The difference between Fate and Destiny is Intention. Fate is just letting life direct you, with no Intention of your own. Destiny is taking a hold of life and directing it, embracing it, choosing it. Someone said in response to what I had said, that the only thing we can change is ourself, and I think they have it, but, since all things are affected by all other things, when we change ourselves, it changes the world around us. Each time we change a little thing in ourselves, it ripples out, changing the world around us. I think that is what magic is, not changing the world, but affecting the world through changes in us. But that isn't the goal.

In

Glossary of Kabbalah and Chassidut: K:

Kavanah ("intention"):
1. the intention or ideas with which one meditatively imbues his actions.
2. a specific idea so used.