For Brigid: Kabbalah Tree Purification

Re-visioned Kabbalah Tree by Judith Laura 

For Brigid this year I'm sharing portions of a ritual to purify the Kabbalah/Qabalah Tree of Life from what I have found to be patriarchal reversals and other inappropriate symbolism. The ritual appears in full in my book Goddess Spirituality for the 21st Century, where I suggest that one of the times particularly appropriate for this ritual is Brigid/Imbolc/Candlemas.

The person(s) performing the ritual removes from the Tree, through action and words, "all patriarchal distortion," purifies the Tree, rededicating it to "the work of the Goddess," and speaks this blessing:

"Sacred Tree,

restored now to the beauty of nature

rooted again in the richness of earth

May your limbs blossom

with the flower of love.

May your branches brim with

the fruit of labor.

May we discover your secrets in openness.

May we know your truths with pleasure.

And may all your paths bring peace.

So be it.”

This is followed by ritual work re-visioning of the various aspects of the Tree (I suggest using candles--one for each aspect [aka sefirah]), and then by a guided meditation including the entire Tree. The ritual closes with this blessing:

"Blessed be that which we receive from ancient times.

Blessed be that which we recreate.

Blessed be that which we create anew.

Blessed be the Tree of nature.

Blessed be the Tree of life.

Blessed be the Tree of knowledge.

Blessed be the created and the creator.     
Blessed be."

Excerpts from Goddess Spirituality for the 21st Century: from Kabbalah to Quantum Physics, copyright 1997, 2008 by Judith Laura. The Second Enlarged Edition of this book won the USA Best Books Award 2009 in the comparative religion category. The artwork shown in this post varies from the art in the book. For example, this art (available through Zazzle--click on pic link) is in color, the art in the book is b&w). More info on my research on this subject is available on the Feminism & Religion blog  and Matrifocus (the cover art in the Matrifocus article is from an earlier edition of the book.)