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balance." What is here meant by the terms "equilibrium of
balance"? Equilibrium is that harmony which results from the
analogy of contraries, it is the dead centre where, the
opposition of opposing forces being equal in strength, rest
succeeds motion. It is the central point. It is the "point within
the circle" of ancient symbolism. It is the living synthesis of
counterbalanced power. Thus form may be described as the
equilibrium of light and shade; take away either factor, and
form is viewless. The term balance is applied to the two
opposite natures in each triad of the Sephiroth, their
equilibrium forming the third Sephira in each ternary. I shall
recur again to this subject in explaining the Sephiroth. This
doctrine of equilibrium and balance is a fundamental
qabalistical idea.
The "Book of Concealed Mystery" goes on to state that this
"Equilibrium hangeth in that region which is negatively
existent." What is negative existence? What is positive
existence? The distinction between these two is another
fundamental idea. To define negative existence clearly is
impossible, for when it is distinctly defined it ceases to be
negative existence; it is then negative existence passing into
static condition. Therefore wisely have the Qabalists shut out
from mortal comprehension the primal AIN, Ain, the
negatively existent One, and the AIN SVP, Ain Soph, the
limitless Expansion; while of even the AIN SVP AVR, Ain Soph
Aur, the illimitable Light, only a dim conception can be formed.
Yet, if we think deeply, we shall see that such must be the
primal forms of the unknowable and nameless One, whom we,
in the most manifest form speak of as God. He is the Absolute.
But how do we define the Absolute? Even as we define it, it
slips from our grasp, for it ceases when defined to be the
Absolute. Shall we then say that the Negative, the Limitless, the
Absolute are, logically speaking, absurd, since they are ideas
which our reason cannot define? No; for could we define them,
we should make them, so to speak, contained by our reason,
and therefore not superior to it; for a subject to be capable of
definition it is requisite that certain limits should be assignable
to it. How then can we limit the Illimitable?
The first principle and axiom of the Qabalah is the name of the
Deity, translated in our version of the Bible, "I am that I am,"
AHIH AShR AHIH, Eheieh Asher Eheieh. A better translation
is, "Existence is existence, or I am He who is."
Eliphas Levi Zahed, that great philosopher and Qabalist of the
present century, says in his "Histoire de la Magie" (bk. i. ch. 7):
"The Qabalists have a horror of everything that resembles
idolatry; they, however ascribe the human form to God, but it is
a purely hieroglyphical figure. They consider God as the
intelligent, living, and loving Infinite One. He is for them
neither the collection of other beings, nor the abstraction of
existence, nor a philosophically definable being. He is in all,
distinct from all, and greater than all. His very name is
ineffable; and yet this name only expresses the human ideal of
His Divinity. What God is in Himself it is not given to man to
know. God is the absolute of faith; existence is the absolute of
reason, existence exists by itself, and because it exists. The
reason of the existence of existence is existence itself. We may
ask, 'Why does any particular thing exist?' that is, 'Why does
such or such a thing exist?' But we cannot ask, without its being
absurd to do so, 'Why does existence exist?' For this would be
to suppose existence prior to existence." Again, the same author
says (ibid. bk. iii. ch. 2): "To say, 'I will believe when the truth of
the dogma shall be scientifically proved to me,' is the same as to
say, 'I will believe when I have nothing more to believe, and
when the dogma shall be destroyed as dogma by becoming a
scientific theorem.' That is to say, in other words: 'I will only
admit the Infinite when it shall have been explained,
determined, circumscribed, and defined for my benefit; in one
word, when it has become finite. I will then believe in the
Infinite when I am sure that the Infinite does not exist. I will
believe in the vastness of the ocean when I shall have seen it
put into bottles.' But when a thing has been clearly proved and
made comprehensible to you, you will no longer believe it you
will know it."
In the "Bhagavadgîtâ," ch. ix., it is said, "I am Immortality and
also death; and I, O Arguna! am that which is and that which is
not." [Or, "which exists negatively."] And again (ch. ix.): "And,
O descendant of Bharata! see wonders in numbers, unseen
before. Within my body, O Gudâkesa! see today the whole
universe, including everything moveable and immovable, all in
one." And again (ibid.) Arguna said: "O Infinite Lord of the
Gods! O Thou who pervadest the universe! Thou art the
Indestructible, that which is, that which is not, and what is
beyond them. Thou art the Primal God, the Ancient One; Thou
art the highest support of this universe. By Thee is this universe
pervaded, O Thou of the infinite forms.Thou art of infinite
power, of unmeasured glory; Thou pervadest all, and therefore,
Thou art all!"
The idea of negative existence can then exist as an idea, but it
will not bear definition, since the idea of definition is utterly
incompatible with its nature. "But," some of my readers will
perhaps say, "your term negative existence is surely a
misnomer; the state you describe would be better expressed by
the title of negative subsistence." Not so, I answer; for negative
subsistence can never be anything but negative subsistence; it
cannot vary, it cannot develop; for negative subsistence is
literally and truly no thing. Therefore negative subsistence
cannot be at all; it never has existed, it never does exist, it never
will exist. But negative existence bears hidden in itself, positive
life; for in the limitless depths of the abyss of its negativity lies
hidden the power of standing forth from itself, the power of
projecting the scintilla of the thought unto the outer, the power
or re-involving the syntagma into the inner. Thus shrouded and
veiled is the absorbed intensity in the centerless whirl of the
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