" Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat."

 

... Theodore Roosevelt ...
26th president of US (1858 - 1919)

 

Keywords

Creativity

Achievement

Synthesis

Union

 The Energy of the Sphere 

The Illumination of The Self

"For behold all acts of Love

and Pleasure are my rituals"

from: "The Charge of the Goddess" by Doreen Valiente

The sphere of Netzach is the place of balance of hedonistic and aesthetic ideals. Love is the primary focus, but not at the expense of over indulgence in physical pleasure.  This is also the place of expression of  Love of Nature in all her forms. The connection between beauty and the natural forces and energies is a strong one that even in nature's more disruptive expression, the essence of order and intelligence in design in her shaking free those disruptions of energy from her mantle are still done with a sense of order and aestheticism.

Netzach is known as the sphere of Victory. The principle of victory here is not one of wanton take-over and infringement of another's space, but rather victory that is found within the triumph over obstacles, whether perceived or real.  This over coming is brought to a place of clarity and scrutiny primarily through the action of revealing the true nature of the experience. The resulting balance that occurs is the interaction between Hod and Netzach, academia and pleasure, science and art. This is the work of a polarizing effect. The balance of male and female principles, expansion and contraction, mercy and severity of nature are those obstacles which when brought to a place of control and exertion of will form the basis for creative outpour.

The Occult Intelligence

Netzach is known as the "Occult Intelligence". By definition Occult means:

1. Beyond the realm of human comprehension; inscrutable.

 the revelations that occur within the sphere of Netzach are those that  surpass our human experience. They are the stuff of dialogue between our heart of compassion (Netzach)

and our Higher Mind (Hod).

 2. Hidden from view; concealed.

Although Netzach provides illumination that allows the Mind stream of Hod to come to its pure insights of intellect infused with emotion this energy is one that is more subtle and complex in nature.

According to Dolores Ashcroft-Nowicki, Director of Servants of the Light Mystery School:

“It (Netzach) is called this because it is the radiance that illuminates the transcendental powers that are seen with the mind's eye and with the reverie of Faith.”

We could think of this in terms of Netzach's connection with it's connecting sphere; Hod- pure reason, intellect and inspiration. The highest thoughts and loftiest aims are nothing will never come to fruition unless there is the spark of radiant light- so pure and refined in its essence that it is the expression of beauty that is incomprehensible at a physical state of being. This radiance alone is also not quite enough to fully catalyze the pure mind stream, there must also be the refined mind touch of the Divine ( emanated downwards from the spheres above)-the pinnacle of the "Fool" of Tarot's attribute of utter belief and faith that all will be well as he steps forward into the unknown.

Intelligence of the Heart

Intelligence of the Heart refers to the concept that was explored by scientist and metaphysician, R.A Schwaller DeLubicz during his studies of Egyptian spiritual and alchemical practices. For most, the concept of intelligence is confined to the physiology of the mind and the senses that the mind involve. To the Ancient Egyptians, the "heart" was the holder of these attributes of intelligence and knowing. According to Schwaller:

"Our rational mind is unable to grasp the central mystery, he argues, because our "sensory organization clearly seems to be imperfect. This condition can only be alleviated through a "perfecting of consciousness".

This way of thinking is deeply reflective of the principles of Netzach and its force of impact on Hod, the rational mind. Without this innate intelligence which serves to provide the deeper understanding (realized through expansion and issuance of those qualities of Divine Love) pure reason will never have the necessary glue to provide thoughts of substance and viability. They will always remain within the world of lofty ideals that never come to full fruition.

Numerical Value

Netzach  is the 7th Sphere.  Within the energy of the  # 7 lie the many paths of higher expression and development. 7 is is the number of the Pleiades, the number of the Elder Planets and the Sacred Vowels and the Seven Major Chakras within the etheric bodies. This is also the number of synthesis having moved from the harmonious balance of the number six to a place of gathering all of those experience into a  place of multiple options and choices for further expression and exploration. In astrology, the seventh house if often associated with Higher learning.

Location on the Tree

The Polarized Field

The importance of the connection between Netzach and Hod is found in the placement of these spheres being the first linear points on the ascent up the Tree. Being the polarized opposite of Hod, Netzach is able to provide the necessary refinement of pure  intellect. Each interacts directly upon the other; the path between serving as the channel of filter as the flow of energies are moved back and forth. Each sphere carries within itself a replication of the entire Tree, and in this configuration, each of the spheres at polar extremes of pure essence draw some of the other's energies into their core of being.

Base of Pillar of Mercy

Netzach sits at the base of the Pillar of Mercy (Force).  It receives the downpour from Chesed (Mercy through knowledge of all the spiritual virtues ) and Chokmah (The Celestial Father of Wisdom). It is the Ending place of Divine Compassion which has been finely honed and created through emanation from the Higher Spheres.  Netzach holds within itself the response to creativity. The downpour from those spheres above which when finally reaching the abode of Netzach have gathered and drawn down into Netzach the appropriate and necessary reactions to knowledge of the Universal Laws and wisdom in exercising them (Chokmah) and Mercy (Chesed) that has been drawn from knowledge of the divine virtues that test the limits and boundaries of right action. 

Wisdom-Universal Law  Chokmah		Vision of God
Mercy- Memory Chesed		Vision of Love
Emotion- Love  Netzach		Vision of Beauty Triumphant

Capacity of the Heart

Netzach also has multiple paths of connection.  It, like its connecting sphere Hod,  is  connected via a Path to Tiphareth (the central sphere of the Tree) - to the right of Hod  ( the base sphere of the Pillar of Severity) and reaching upwards out of the moon sphere of Yesod.  These paths offer  many routes of emanation from Netzach's core to be opened and awakened. In its upward movement towards Chesed, the order and elegance found within Netzach's domain is drawn into Chesed as a higher amplification of the principle of Divine Love. In its descent towards Malkuth,  Netzach brings the energies of compassion and the opportunity for higher expression of physical love.

The Spiritual Experience

Vision of Beauty Triumphant

In the sphere of Netzach the vision of beauty is that of nature and all of its components, human, animal, mineral, flora and fauna. There is also a sense of appreciation of all the finer things and highest ideals. This is present in both the physical concepts of the sphere as well as the spiritual etherical levels. This is the place of triumph over the baser self. Of organized effort to bring refinement and the orphic delights of the arts to fill the container or structure that is being created before it is released into the place of the intellect that can further define and order it.

The Illusion of the Sphere

Lust, Promiscuity

The Illusion of Netzach is that of lust and promiscuity.  The highly idealized and divinely infused love contained within the sphere of Netzach can readily be used as a means of only gratifying oneself under the guise of spiritual practice. Many an unscrupulous spiritual  leader has seduced the unwitting practitioner into sexual servitude by promising a way to higher enlightenment through the energies of the sex act.

In reality, the sacred sexual practice of Tantric Yoga would fall within the sphere of Netzach. In contrast to the vice of the sphere, in this practice of Tantra, sexual union and the highly refined and potent energies it produces are solely used for the purpose of spiritual development and benefit with the practitioners receiving very specific trainings in technique and undergoing various levels of initiation.

The Briatic Color

Emerald Green

 Magickal Image

A Beautiful Naked Young Woman

The image of a beautiful naked young woman as magickal symbol for Netzach carries with it  both appeal to the visual senses and the stimulation of desire for that which is pleasing to the eye and ripe with potential for possessing as one's own. It is the feeding of this desire that causes the will to move beyond stasis and inertia. It is the desire for that which is uplifting that has given the world some of the most beautiful art work. Art which has been enjoyed for centuries and is lasting. And, it is the desire for permanence which Netzach infuses Hod's brilliant flashes of inspired thought with that gives way to lasting manifestations. 

Alessandro Botticelli (Florentine, 1444/5-1510)

THE BIRTH OF VENUS

 Original (after 1482) in the Uffizi, Florence Tempera on canvas

"The original of this work was probably painted for Lorenzo Pierfrancesco de' Medici's villa at Castello near Florence. The use of a canvas makes it stand out from the more common panel and fresco paintings of the time. Botticelli's Birth of Venus is among the first large-scale paintings of mythological subjects since Antiquity. It shows the myth of Venus' birth, as told by Hesiod and later by Poliziano. Venus, who sprang full-grown from the sea foam, was blown by the winds to land on Cythera (present day Cyprus). Here, a figure identified as Spring or Flora welcomes her on land. Venus generally represents earthly love, yet here identification with heavenly love is suggested by her modesty and by the roses around her, which were symbols of pure love and of the Virgin Mary."

Text by Robert Gerwing.