Hod (Kabbalah)

Hod ("Majesty"; הוד) in the Kabbalah of Judaism is the eighth sephira of the Kabbalistic tree of life. It is derived from "hod" הוד in the Hebrew language meaning "majesty" or "splendor" and denoting "praise" as well as "submission".

Hod sits below Gevurah and across from Netzach in the tree of life; Yesod is to the south-east of Hod. It has four paths commonly which lead to Gevurah, Tiphereth, Netzach, and Yesod.

All the sephirot are likened to different parts of the body, and netzach and hod are likened to the two feet of a person: right foot and left foot. Feet are usually only the means for a person's activity. While the hands are the main instrument of action, the feet bring a person to the place in which he wishes to execute that action.

Hasidic Judaism's view of "Hod" is that it is connected with Jewish prayer. Prayer is seen as form of "submission"; "Hod" is explained as an analogy - that instead of "conquering" an obstacle in one's way, (which is the idea of "Netzach"), subduing oneself to that "obstacle" is related to the quality of "Hod".

In a mystical sense, in which the Tree of Life is supposed to be a roadmap to "consciousness", "Hod" is where form is given by language in its widest sense, being the key to the mystery of form. (Perhaps this may be an adopting of a point of view of the psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan), our unconscious desires come from "Netzach", and are given form in the symbolic realm by "Hod", manifesting unconsciously through "Yesod" to Malkuth.

Non-Jewish occult associations

Hod is described as being a force that breaks down energy into different, distinguishable forms, and it is associated with intellectuality, learning and ritual, as opposed to Netzach, Victory, which is the power of energy to overcome all barriers and limitations, and is associated with emotion and passion, music and dancing.

Both these forces find balance in Yesod, foundation, the world of the unconscious, where the different energies created await expression in the lowest world of Malkuth, the Kingdom.

The archangel of this sphere is Michael, and the Bene Elohim is the Angelic order.

Hod is said to be the sphere in which the magician mostly works. An example is given by Dion Fortune. Imagine primitive man is meditating in the wilderness, and comes in contact, begins to understand, some energy which surrounds him. In order that he can grasp it better, he creates some form, perhaps the form of a god or a symbol, in order to have something with which he can relate. He then uses that statue or that symbol in future ceremonies in order to get in contact with that intangible energy once again. This is the role that Hod plays in magic, while the music and dance that may be present in such a ceremony is the role that Netzach might play, providing the raw energy to reach the higher levels of consciousness.

In comparing with Eastern systems, both Hod and Netzach are sometimes associated with the Manipura chakra, which is associated with the breaking down and releasing of energy, anabolism and catabolism.

777 associates Hod to the Four Eights of tarot, Anubis, Thoth, Hanuman, Loki, Hermes, Mercury, Jackal. Hermaphrodite, Opal, Storax, and quicksilver (Not a complete list)

ee also

*Hod (Hebrew) (the Hebrew language word)

References

Jewish

*"Bahir", translated by Aryeh Kaplan (1995). Aronson. (ISBN 1-56821-383-2)
* [http://www.chabad.org/library/article.asp?AID=6237 Lessons in Tanya]
* [http://www.aish.com/spirituality/kabbala101/Kabbala_20_-_Netzach_and_Hod_Means_to_an_End.asp Kabbalah 101: Netzach and Hod]

Non-Jewish

* "777", Aleister Crowley (1955). Red Wheel/Weiser. (ISBN 0-87728-670-1)