These are extraordinary times, and Kabbalah offers us incredible strength and justice, providing compassion, calm, and order to situations that might otherwise lead to chaos, destruction, or conflict. Carlos de León invites students and friends of Ontogony to join an online series exploring the Names of God—Adonai and El Shaddai—and their profound spiritual significance.
Understanding the Divine Names: In essence, God has no name. Being infinite, God cannot be fully contained by any single title or description. Yet, in choosing an engagement with us—His creatures, and the world, at large— God assumes manifestations that we recognize with various names: Creator, Judge, Merciful One, Master, and more. Each name represents a unique way to experience God's presence. As the Midrash says, "You want to know My name? I am called according to My actions."
Exploring the Names Adonai and EL Shaddai: Kabbalists meditate on hundreds of Divine Names, equally revered as expressions of the one God. Jewish tradition highlights 7 Holy Names, that cannot be erased and must be written with unique concentration, each linked to the 7 inferior spheres of the Tree of Life. Adonai is related to Malchut, and El Shaddai to Yesod: the 2 spheres nearest the spiritual realities to our everyday lives.
In Jewish tradition, "Adonai" is pronounced whenever the Tetragrammaton appears in prayer. In Christian tradition, the name Jesus (Lord) carries similar deep and specific significance. Whenever we invoke the "Lord" or "God Almighty," we evoke a particular Divine action…often without realizing it!
The Power of Hebrew: The Names of God along with The Bible, itself, are traditionally written in Hebrew, whose letters are not merely symbols. They embody spiritual meaning and intention that can be distorted, diluted, or lost altogether, in translation. By revisiting the original version can deepen our learning and enhance our spiritual experience, opening new avenues for insight and growth.
As outlined in the Sefer Yetzirah ("Book of Formation"), the Hebrew alphabet represents divine energy patterns. Kabbalists believe that the correct permutation and pronunciation of the Divine Names can bestow the powers to heal, to perceive distant events, or even to create a golem (a humanoid from clay). Moreover, every element of the Bible holds multiple levels of meaning, according to the Zohar; and we are urged to look beyond the surface!
Join Us: Embark on a transformative journey through these eleven live-streamed sessions, available from October 25, 2024, to November 21, 2025. Together, we will deepen our spiritual practice, broaden our consciousness, and cultivate compassion and gratitude through unified meditation on the Names of God.
Register now and experience the transformational power of these ancient sacred practices!