by Rabbi Fern Feldman
The Zohar imagines the process of creation as a flowing forth from a deep spring or well.
In this image, the source is in the depths, and the flow goes up, (rather than the more common western image of source as up, with the flow going down.) Here, the closest we can imagine to the source of emanation of all creation is the dark point at the depths of the deepest spring.It is possible for us in our awareness to follow the flow of creation backwards to return to source. The deeper we go into the dark, into our own inner depths, and into the infinite depths, the closer we get to the source, to the essence.
The Zohar also teaches:
Every person who presents his request before the King should focus mind and will on the root of all roots, to draw blessings from the depth of the well, so that it will gush blessings from the spring of all. And what is that? The place from which the river issues and derives, as is written: A river issues from Eden…(Genesis 2:10)…This is called ‘out of the depths’—depth of all, depth of the well, springs issuing and flowing, blessing all. This is the beginning of drawing blessings from above and below. (Zohar II 63b, Daniel Matt translation)
The Zohar invites us to focus our awareness in the deepest depths, to the place from which creation emanated, the source of all blessing. And the more we can draw the flow of blessing from the deepest of the deep, the more the world will be filled with the presence of the sacred.
I invite you to listen to the following recording, to enter a short journey back through the creation story to be held in the dark waters, and hear what wisdom you may find there. –Rabbi Fern Feldman
Read more: Rabbi Fern Feldman teaches about the Sacred Darkness at Hanukkah.
Featured Image: Stephen Bowler via Flickr
Listen to Rabbi Fern Feldman lead a Guided Meditation about the Darkness Before Creation, or return to the Gateway of Darkness.
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