The Aethers

On the Aethers

by Dean Hildebrandt

The thirty aethers were described to Dee as stretching from heaven to earth. Whereas such descriptions for things like the seven heavens are now considered metaphorical, in the case of the aethers this description is literally true. They connect the Earth's zone of the solar system to the surface region of the Earth and provide an avenue for energy from the Sun and other extraterrestrial influences to manifest. Described in connection with the aethers was the Holy City of Revelation 21, with twelve angels associated with the tribes of Israel along the walls and seven angels about a throne inside. According to my work with Ave, the names for the Holy City are found in the tablet:

Reading down gives the names along the walls as in Dee's diagram. Reading across gives the lamp names which run clockwise inside. The throne name is found in a spiral in the center of the tablet: ARVINVNEOCARNOGHCG

The function of the city in relation to the aethers is to provide a focus on the Earth's surface through which the influence of the aethers can manifest. The twelve angelic names on the sides of the city are associated with the numbers 1-12 and the tribes of Israel. The numbers refer to the astrological houses. The tribes can most easily be interpreted in terms of the Hebrew single letters (taking the traditional interpretations which bear little resemblance to the Golden Dawn's).

Possible takes on these twelve are:

1) OLPAGED. Relates to Teth as the higher nine sephirot, with the sense of self associated with the 1st house fitting with Malkhut. The self as receptive to higher forces.

2) ZIRACAH. Relates to Heh, the female component of IHVH, and the materially oriented 2nd house. Giving substance and material form.

3) HONONOL. Relates to Cheth as the lower eight sephirot, Binah and Malkhut connected, and to the 3rd house as concrete intelligence. Realization becoming known concretely.

4) ZARNAAH. Relates to Zayin as the lower seven sephiroth and the family structure aspect of the 4th house. Space given discipline as in a (Confucian) family to prepare for reception from higher.

5) GEBABAL. Relates to Nun as manifestations of Binah and the 5th house as personality. Personality as face of what comes from above.

6) ZVRCHOL. Relates to Vav as Zer Anpin (spehiroth 4-9), the space arising from the separation of Binah and Malkuth, and the 6th house as work and service. Work within the space of potential afforded by separation.

7) ALPVDVS. Relates to Samekh as supporting and guiding force and the 7th house as harmonious partnership. Harmonious partnership between worker and forces behind him.

8) CADAAMP. Relates to Koph as the material and the divine hidden within and the 8th house as life and death. Cycles of creation and destruction feel influence of patterning from above.

9) ZARZILG. Relates to Iod as first letter of IHVH and the 9th house as exploration. The beginning of the creative process as the beginning of a journey; things begin harmoniously.

10) LAVAVOH. Relates to Lamed as action inspired by the flow of energy from the supernals and the 10th house as career. Energy enters through all available avenues.

11) ZINGGEN. Relates to Ayin as connecting IHVH (adds to 26, Ayin's path number) to the 70 (Ayin's gematria) tribes of Israel and the 11th house as social ideals. Perfect harmony of agents implementing will and will from above.

12) ARFAOLG. Relates to Tzaddi as the individual manifesting divine will and the 12th house as absorption in the divine. Absorption in the higher manifesting.

There has been some debate as to whether the aethers' natural order is from top to bottom or vice versa or both. In particular, some people follow Aleister Crowley's lead in working the aethers from bottom to top as a form of initiation. My results have indicated that the aethers naturally function from top to bottom, and the logic of their calls place in the system would suggest the same. The aethers certainly can be used for initiation, but they are not designed for the purpose. An analogy might be that one can get a work-out running up and down an escalator even though the escalator is not designed for exercise. Since numerous people have come up with various ways of trying to identify the aethers with the Tree of Life, it seems worthwhile to point out the differences between them. Whereas the sephiroth of the Tree are by nature relational, the aethers are a stack of distinct spaces. Thus, if one climbs the aethers, one has progressively to leave behind denser things, to be picked up again if one comes back down. Also, the Tree is a map of the relationship between God and humanity, whereas the aethers do not particularly involve either of these. In climbing the aethers, one will tend to tune into the will coming form the Sun rather than God.

Most of the action involved with the aethers actually occurs in and around the city, rather than in the aethers themselves. The first two aethers are responsible for receiving impulses from outside and forming them into active agents which then move down. The third aether then gives a connection to the city, and further effects are seen there until one reaches the twenty-second aether which renews the direct connection between aethers and city. The major division of the aethers is into the first twenty-two, the next seven, and the final one. Within the group of seven, there live a large number of beings who are able to join with the impulses coming down from above and eventually move out through the bottom aether to help implement them. The top twenty-two aethers can further be divided into the top ten and lower twelve, and the group of twelve can be further divided into threes, with the lowest group of three especially having its own status. These divisions parallel the parts of the Olive.

In describing the aethers and parts, I have focused on interpreting their names in terms of the letter essences received by Patricia Shaffer. A comment on the letters L, Z, and D is in order. These can be associated with the numbers 1, 2, and 3, as in the AMSU formula, with L referring to a primary agent, Z to a separated agent of L, and D to the space of possibilities arising between these. In interpreting the names of the aethers, Z always refers to the city as the space separate from the aethers through which they act, as does the letter X and sometimes others. There are a number of primary agents to which L refers as progress in made from higher to lower levels, and D also has a number of referents. The aethers and parts may be described as follows:

1.

LIL - A primary agent arising out of the energy coming from outside the aethers.

OCCODON - Becoming emerging from the created cause becomes potential as the means of becoming self. The energy coming into the aethers gives rise to a self, the primary agent.

PASCOMB - Established source for possessing creative becoming knowing choice. Integrates the new self into suitable patterns of the aethers.

VALGARS - The light is the source of the First without beginning moving to possess. The self absorbs the light of the Sun in order to possess lower energies.

2.

ARN - Time moves the self. The need to move into the cycle of cause and effect begins the process of doing so.

DOAGNIS - Potential being begins not within energy's possession. Controls ordering processes with which energy coming in will fit.

PACASNA - Established source of creation of beginnings of possession within time. Directs new energy into possession of ordering processes.

DIALIOA - Intermediate possibilities enable the beginning of the First's energy becoming a source below. The process of integration causes the new self to become a source below.

3.

ZOM - The separate space (city) becomes known. First contact is made with the city.

SAMAPHA - Possession begins the mind which is the source of establishing life anew. Possession of influence in the city awakens a mind there reflecting the self above.

VIROOLI - Light enables the movement of being to become the First's energy. Light already present outside city allows self's influence to spread.

ANDISPI - The new self's intermediate possibilities enable the possession of established energies. The process of integration at the ground enables the self to control established energies.

4.

PAZ - Established source of separation. Establishing the process of things coming through the city.

THOTANP - Balanced life becomes balance anew within space. Things outside the city bring the new influence into adjustment with preexisting patterns.

AXZIARG - Now limiting the separate space enabling the beginning of moving not. City's influence quiets as the new pattern no longer needs to be imposed.

POTHNIR - That established having become balanced life within energy's motion. Initial influence now part of established order.

5.

LIT - The First energizes the balance. Influence of primary agent felt again within new balance, giving it direction.

LAZDIXI - The First begins the city's potential for energy to emerge from limited circumstances. The self relays its influence through the city.

NOCAMAL - The self becomes the cause of beginnings emerging from the mind as source of the First's influence. Self causes mind previously awakened to send out its influence from the city.

TIARPAX - Balance enables the beginning of movement of established sources of limitation. Influence upon established sources is felt.

6.

MAZ - Mind again separate. Awakened mind of city now directing processes.

SAXTOMP - Possession begins limiting the balance which becomes the mind's space. The mind exerts control.

VAUAAMP - Withing darkness begins the light which is the source of beginnings within the mind's space. Mind obtains ways of acting within this space.

ZIRZIRD - Separation enables movement of separated energies which move potential. Mind is able to act.

7.

DEO - The Third's will becomes. Mind reconnecting with First becomes intermediate (Third) between First and energies outside the city, thus establishing fructifying processes.

OPMACAS - Becoming established mind begins the creation which is source of gathering. Mind finds its position enabling it to gather what it needs.

GENADOL - Not willing within time the Third becomes the First. Independence is dropped in favor of control by the First.

ASPIAON - Now possessing space enables the beginning of becoming self. First formation of what will become an agent outside the city; pregnancy.

8.

ZID - Separation enables the Third. Mind as Third extends its influence out of the city, giving rise to its offspring. Here can be found a connection with the EM or NI and EM together or their formulae.

ZAMFRES - Separation begins the mind's manifestation of motion willing possession. Mind as moving patterns underlying and controlling the material.

TODNAON - Judgement becomes potential within the time of being within (the city as womb). Development of that formed by APSIAON.

PRISTAC - Setting in motion energy possessing the balance of new creation. Birth of above. Beginning of seperation into balanced creation and/or destruction (as per lower three EM).

9.

ZIP - Separation energizes space and enables establishment. The Virgin of the World incorporates the new offspring.

ODDIORG - Becoming the Third's Third enables becoming without movement. Offspring as between mind as Third and energies outside city becomes source of change without changing itself.

CRALPIR - Creation moves beginning the First's setting energy in motion. The offspring is now the primary agent (First).

DOANZIN - The Third becomes the source within the city of enabling self. The mind as Third gives over to the offspring.

10.

ZAX - The city now limited. The states of the city changes to a lower plane, corresponding to the turning within the aethers.

LEXARPH - The First's will limited now to motion establishing life. Offspring focused to the lower level.

COMANAN - Creator becomes aware of time as emerging from selves and selves as emerging from time. Time as limitation which allows individual things.

TABITOM - Judging to begin the choice to enable judgement to become mind. The offspring now begins working.

11.

ICH - Energy creates through life (in its highest sense).

MOLPAND - Mind becomes the First as established source within potential.Mind within city now reflected in offspring as First established.

VSNARDA - Light possesses the hosts within time which move potential anew. Movement of hosts produced by offspring reflecting mind.

PONODOL - Establishment becomes self becomes potential becomes the First. The relationship between mind and offspring passes through stages, first the definition of the offspring, then its definition as a self, then its movement into potential, then its definition as the primary agent.

12.

LOE - The First being willed. The offspring acts through specific avenues as will from city.

TAPAMAL - Judgement begins establishment begins mind begins the First. Judgement of mind in city moves through stages of relationship to offspring until it is enitirely offspring's.

GEDOONS - Not willing the possibility of being's becoming the self's possession. Remaining part of the play of the universe, acting without becoming seperated.

AMBRIOL - Now mind chooses movement energizing the being and enabling the becoming of the First.

13.

ZIM - Separation enables mind. Beginnings of independent action of offspring as seperate.

GECAOND - Not willing creates the beginning of becoming selfhood's potential. Mind in city allows offspring to develop independently.

LAPARIN - Unity begins an established source of motion energizing self. Joined mind and offspring becomes mind as source of inspiration for offspring.

DOCEPAX - The Third becomes the creative will which establishes a source of limitation. Mind as setting boundaries within which offspring acts.

14.

VTA - Light adjusts this moment of time. Light passes from city through offspring.

TEDOAND - Balanced will in the space between city and offspring becomes a source within the potential outside the city.

VIUIPOS - Dark enables the light from which emerges the energy which established becomes possessor. Darkness outside city receives light from within.

OOANAMB - Being becomes the beginnings emerging from the self (offspring) of knowing choices. Being outside the city becomes a vehicle of the offspring.

15.

OXO - Becoming emerges from limitation. Things progress within limitation of being outside the city.

TAHANDO - Balanced beginnings from within life of self's potential to become. Influence of offspring prepared for.

NOCIABI - Self becomes the creative energy beginning the chosen energies. Offspring now active.

TASTOXO - Balance begins possessing judgement which becomes a limitation on becoming. Offspring in control.

16.

LEA - The First (offspring) wills anew.

CUCARPT - Creation emerging from light begins motion establishing judgement. Movement begins implementing the offspring's will.

LAUACON - The First begins the light from which emerge the beginnings of creation becoming selves. Offspring as source of new selves.

SOCHIAL - Togetherness becomes the cause of life's energy becoming new Firsts. The new selves become primary agents.

17.

TAN - Judging now the selves. The city evaluates the new selves and destroys those that are wrong.

SIGMORF - Possessing energy which isn't known becomes movement manifested. Selves now feel energy from the city.

AYDROPT - Time enables the Third's motion to become established judgement. Judgements made.

TOCARZI - Judgement becomes the cause of new movement of seperate energies. Judgement implemented moves selves.

18.

ZEN - The city wills the selves.

NABAOMI - Selves begin choosing to begin becoming aware of energy. Selves become aware of energy from city.

ZAFASAI - The city begins manifesting begins possession begins energies. The city moves to control selves.

YALPAMB - Energy begins the Firsts as established sources of knowing choice. Selves as avenues for city's energy.

19.

POP - Establishment emerging from becoming. Selves become established in particular locations in space where they work.

TORZOXI - Judgement becomes the movement separating being with limiting energy. Energy giving definition to the limited specifics which have been introduced.

ABRIOND - Anew choosing motion enabling becoming within possibilities. Motion allowing action within chosen spaces.

OMAGRAP - Becoming mind now not moving anew here. Limitations now established.

20.

KHR - Because breath moves. Entering the processes of life within the chosen locations.

ZILDRON - The city enables the Firsts potential to move being within (the locations chosen). City sets selves in motion within locations.

PARZIBA - Established source of movement of separate energies choosing anew. Selves evolve according to their natures and the nature of the locations chosen.

TOTOCAN - Becoming emerging from judgement emerging from becoming creates anew within. Selves follow paths derived from judgements which set them in motion.

21.

ASP - Now possessing space. Ability to engage in concrete actions within locations.

CHIRSPA - Creating life enables motion possessing established sources. Means of controlling preexisting aspects of locations chosen.

TOANTOM - Balance becomes the source of selves' judgments becoming known.

VIXPADG - Dark energy limits established sources' potential to negate (the new energy coming in).

22.

LIN - The First energizes within. The original First, offspring, and multiple selves combine to energize the locations.

OZIDAIA - Being separate enables the Third to begin energizing anew. City as Third energizes locations.

PARAOAN - Established source of movement which is source of beginnings of becoming which is source of beginnings with (the locations). Becoming refers to the city and offspring processes, movement to coming down the aethers.

CALZIRG - Creation begins the Firsts' division of energies moving not. The selves are able to take over dormant energies in the locations.

23.

TOR - Judgement becomes motion. Locations begin to be prepared to receive inhabitants from aethers 23-29.

RONOAMB - Motion of becoming emerging from within spaces beginning to become aware of choices.

ONIZIMP - Becoming within (locations) enables energy emerging from the city to know the space (of the locations).

ZAXANIN - The city begins the limitation from which emerge the beginnings of selves emerging from its energy. The ways is laid for entry of beings from aethers.

24.

NIA - Within energy begins. Locations receive influx of energy from the aethers.

ORCANIR - Being's movement creates new selves of energy moving. Creating new agents within the locations.

CHIALPS - Because life enables beginnings of the Firsts' establishing possessions. The Firsts within the locations take control of the new agents.

SOAGEEL - Possession becomes the source of no purpose willing the Firsts' influence. Firsts' gather control without specific purpose.

25.

VTI - Light judges energy. Focusing and balancing the energies aroused through NIA.

MIRZIND - Knowing the energy which moves the city' energy within the potential of the locations.

OBVAORS - Becoming chooses light as source of becoming the motion of possessing. Choices made as to how to direct energies aroused.

RANGLAM - Motion beginning within does not unite anew with awareness. Energies evolve without awareness of the direction they are moved by.

26.

DES - The Third wills gathering. The Third here refers to aethers 23-29, intermediate between the higher aethers and the city, from which are gathered those inhabitants attracted by the preceding, who are then given order and direction.

POPHAND - Space becomes the setting of life anew within the Third. Beings are gathered together within a particular space in the lower aethers.

NIGRANA - Interior energy's not moving allows beginnings to emerge from within. Preexisting tendencies of those gathered are removed allowing new ones to emerge in accord with the pattern developing.

BAZCHIM - Choosing to begin dividing because life enables knowledge. Those gathered become aware of new purposes and begin redividing in response.

27.

ZAA - (Connection to) the city begins anew. Those gathered see where they are going and coordination begins on both ends.

SAZIAMI - Possessing anew the city enables the beginning of awareness of energy (in the locations).

MATHULA - Knowledge begins balancing life enlightening the Firsts anew.

ORPANIB - Becoming moves established sources of self enabling choice. Those gathered find avenues for themselves within the locations.

28.

BAG - Choosing to begin nothing. Those gathered drop their original wills as the original First becomes apparent again.

LABNIXP - The (original) First begins choosing selves (out of those gathered) according to the energies of the limited spaces (the locations).

FOCISNI - Manifest becoming (of locations) causes energy to gather the selves' energies.

OXLOPAR - Becoming limited the First becomes an established source of motion. The original First now settles into a directing role.

29.

RII - Motion (coming from the gathered) energizes the energies (of the locations).

VASTRIM - Light now possesses the judgement which moves energizing awareness. Pattern coming down aethers begins to take control of the energies of the locations.

ODRAXTI - Becoming the Third's movement begins the limitation of judgement's energy. Energies in locations are tamed and directed according to what is coming from the aethers.

GOMZIAM - Without becoming known outside the city, through the city enabling the beginning of mind. Intelligent direction passes through the city to control the energies.

30.

TEX - Judgement wills limitation. Forces those gathered to conform to the rules of Earth before passing out of the aethers.

TAOAGLA - Justice begins the becoming which is the source of beginnings which do not unite anew. Justice put things through the final filter which forces them to act independently.

GEMNIMB - Without purpose knowing self enables knowing choices. Choices are seen because the self is not driven down a specific avenue.

ADVORPT - Now the Third's light becomes motion establishing justice. Having seen choices, it is possible to act justly.

DOZINAL - The Third's (lower aethers') influence becomes the city's enabling self (the offspring) to begin the Firsts' activities. Moving out of the aethers enables acting through the city.