The Garden of Eden After the Fall

The unfolding outer order (Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn) initiatic process inevitably leads to the situation represented by the diagram entitled "The Garden of Eden after the Fall". This diagram is shown to the candidate during initiation into the H.O.G.D. 4=7 grade of Philosophus. Here the heads of the dragon arise into consciousness; as shown in the diagram, they attach themselves to the seven lower Sephiroth on the Tree of Life. At this phase the initiate's ego is assaulted by his or her personal complexes. This is a necessary process for the awakening psyche, but it tends to be an unpleasant one.

Excerpt from the article Israel Regardie, Initiation, and Psychotherapy

This diagram is described in the Philosophus Ritual. It shows in a glyph the teaching proper to a Philosophus on entering the Sephirah NETZACH which he has reached by the Three Paths of QOPH, TZADDI, AND PEH from the SEPHIROTH—MALKUTH, YESOD and HOD respectively.

The Great Goddess EVE, being tempted by the fruits of the TREE OF KNOWLEDGE whose branches tend upwards to the seven lower Sephiroth, but also downward to the Kingdom of Shells, reached down to them and the two pillars were left unsupported.

Then the Sephirotic Tree was shattered. She fell and with her fell the Great ADAM. And the Great Red Dragon arose with his seven heads and ten horns, and EDEN was desolated—and the folds of the Dragon enclosed MALKUTH and linked it to the Kingdom of the Shells.

And the heads of the Dragon rose into the seven lower Sephiroth, even up to DAATH at the feet of Alma Elohim.

Thus were the four Rivers of EDEN desecrated and the Dragon Mouth gave forth the Infernal Waters in DAATH—and this is LEVIATHAN, The Piercing and Crooked Serpent.

But TETRAGRAMMATON ELOHIM placed the Four Letters YHVH of the NAME and the Flaming Sword of the Ten Sephiroth between the devas­tated Garden and the Supernal Eden, that this should not be involved in the Fall of ADAM.

And it became necessary that a Second Adam should arise to restore the System, and thus, as ADAM had been spread on the Cross of the Four Rivers, so the Second ADAM should be crucified on the Infernal Rivers of the four armed Cross of DEATH—yet to do this He must descend into the lowest, even MALKUTH the Earth, and be born of her. (Psalm 74. ‘Thou breakest the Heads of Leviathan in pieces.’)

And on the Dragon Heads were the names of the eight Kings of EDOM and on his horns the names of the Eleven Dukes of EDOM, for DAATH hav­ing developed in the Dragon a new Head, the Seven Headed Dragon with Ten Horns became Eight Headed and Eleven Horned. (Genesis, 36:31 to 43. Chronicles 1: 43 to 54.)

NOTE: The Edomites were the descendants of Esau who sold his birthright. Their Kings came to symbolise unlawful and chaotic forces.

(Artwork is copyright © 1995 by Pontus Lindqvist)