Netzach

The Seventh Path
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Victory / Endurance / Eternity / Prophecy

Netzach's planet is Venus.

Netzach is the the realm of feeling, of sentiment, and even sentimentality. It also means clarity, brightness, sincerity, and truth. It is the home of creative imagination. On the same level as Hod, it is a place where we choose to move up or down. How we handle our emotions is how we determine if we will evolve or devolve.

Netzach, forming a triad with Malchut and Hod, balances three forces: The Body (Malchut), Thinking (Hod), and Netzach (Feeling). The three spheres surrounding Yesod are the 'here and now' of life - and Yesod is the past we carry with us - the subconscious - memories and conditioning.

Balance, always a core concept in Qabala, manifests itself in the personality triad as a synthesis of our thinking, feeling and sensing functions.

Netzach represents the outgoing quality of the ego, expressed by those who desire to change the world forever by their presence.

The perfect balance of nature is an expression of Netzach; the complex interplay of myriad organisms successfully coexisting for millennia, each filling a niche, all complementing each other perfectly, each mind-boggling in it's own complexity and beauty.

Netzach and Hod are often not what they seem. These "tactical" Sephirot have no purpose inherent in themselves, but rather as a means for something else. The Tactical Sephirot process the impulses coming from above, taking from the opposite side. Netzach modulates Gevurah, and Hod modulates Chesed. Netzach is the Victory resulting from Strength (Gevurah); Hod is awe in the face of hidden spirituality or power (Chesed) (See Tree/Helix).

Netzach is associated with Moses - the man who talked with God. His high madrega (level) of purity and devotion made him able to withstand the burning light of the Creator - and to communicate with the Eternal One. When the Shechina, the Holy Light (the feminine aspect of God), descended onto Mount Sinai, the Eternal touched the Now; the people saw the Shofar (Ram's Horn) blasts, and heard the flames. The mixing of seeing and hearing points to deeper communication.

Our seeing can be controlled; we can shut our eyes, avert them, or focus them for close inspection. But we hear sounds whether we want to or not. The seeing/hearing at Sinai is a reflection of Moses' ability to focus hearing - to listen carefully, a trait everyone could seek to develop.

Potentials of Netzach: True communication; focused listening, victory of the Divine. Exploring the mysteries of loving sexuality and Venusian energies, of developing artistic and creative talents, of creating harmony around us, of making communication palatable. Sepher Netzach is affection, animation, beauty, charm, culture, glamour, style, romance, inspiration.

Netzach represents the desires of the ego, and without Hod (Reverberation) can be overly self indulgent. Optimized Netzach manifests as positive impulses to succeed or to make personal contributions to Tikkun Olam (Healing the World).

The Personality Triad is comprised of the Secondary colors.

The Personality Triad is rooted in Malchus, comprised of the Tertiary colors.

The fragrances ascribed to Netzach are Benjamin, Rose, and Sandalwood. It is associated with Artemis, the Amazon, as well as Venus.

Commandment: Do not commit adultery.