Embodying the Sefirot

During the seven weeks between the 2nd day of Passover (leaving Egypt) and holiday of Shavuot (receiving Torah), we engage in a practice of Counting of the Omer, where we have an opportunity to create balance in our lives by studying and embodying the Sefirot (סְפִירוֹת), divine attributes described in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. Each week, we study and purify one of the seven lower Sefirot, in the order that they appear on the map, beginning with Hesed on the 2nd day of Passover.

See below two images of the Sefirot. The Ten Sefirot map onto the body!

When we take the Sefirot into embodied practice, we can view the layout of the map as a guideline for balance. We balance the right and left sides, with the center pillar of Keter, Tiferet, Yesod and Malchut serving as the central line of balance in the body. The body map is a mirror as we look at it. When we look at the right side of the paper, this reflects back to us the right side of our bodies. The Sefirot on the right, Hesed and Netzach - are forward, expanding outward energies. The Sefirot on the left, Gevurah and Hod - are retreating, contracting energies. Tiferet is the balance point of Hesed and Gevurah. Yesod is the balance point of Netzach and Hod. 

Another way to view the map is a movement from top to bottom as we move from the world of complete Divinity (Keter) to the world of Divinity within Physicality (Malchut). The Upper triad of Keter, Chochmah and Binah, the first three Sefirot, are in the realm of unity and Ein Sof, and we do not include them in the counting practice. We begin with the triad of Hesed, Gevurah and Tiferet, where we tend to intrapersonal and interpersonal relations in the realm of the heart and the emotional body. With the triad of Netzach, Hod and Yesod we move into the world of action and physicality, landing us finally in Malchut where ultimately the ‘rubber hits the road’.

When we bring the study of the Sefirot into embodied practice, we can take two approaches. First, the qualities are located at certain parts of the body, so we can focus upon those areas of the body in our movement and stillness explorations. Second, we can take the quality of the Sefirot into the entire body. For example, we can bring an exploration of Hesed, associated with water, as a quality of ‘flow’ throughout the entire body as we move.

Embodiment practices that integrate mind, heart and spirit will ultimately bring us to a deeper level of wholeness. When we bring awareness to our bodies, we may experience difficult emotions -- this journey may be painful. But if we pay close attention and allow ourselves to stay with and feel the emotions that arise as we practice, we can access the deepest part of ourselves, our essence (etzem/the quality of matzah) that is timeless and unchangeable. As we practice embodying new qualities of the Sefirot each week, we strengthen our capacity for experiencing and expressing these qualities as we move our bodies in the world.

Please read below for inspiration for Embodying the Sefirot. Enjoy complimentary access to a carefully curated music playlist to accompany each Sefira, and find links to one-hour practices available for purchase.

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Hesed | Lovingkindness/Flow | חסד

Hesed (חסד), translated as ‘Lovingkindness’, is located at the right arm/shoulder. Hesed is the expansive, generous, benevolent quality of the universe. The universe is said to be created with Hesed - the world rests upon this foundation.

Olam Hesed Yibaneh
עוֹלָם חֶסֶד יִבָּנֶה
Psalms 89:2 

We may experience Hesed in the body by focusing upon the right arm, both shoulders and arms as we explore the balance of Hesed and Gevurah. Or we can explore Hesed as fluidity, flow and expansion, with opening gestures of the arms moving into the quality of flow throughout the entire body. Hesed is the generous, sustaining benevolence that is ever-present in the universe & always available to us. 

Gevurah | Boundaries/Strength | גבורה

Gevurah (גבורה), translated as ‘Boundary’, is located at the left arm/shoulder. Gevurah is the quality of restraint in the body, of limiting our movement or sharpening our movements. Gevurah is NO.

We may experience Gevurah as that which contains us (the skin, the rib basket that contains the heart and lungs), that which gives us structure (the skeletal body) or that which gives us strength (our muscles or Hiyyut/our life force, ).

Tiferet | Harmony/Beauty | תפארת

Tiferet (תפארת), translated as ‘Beauty’, is located at the heart center. When we engage in movement practices to open the upper body (shoulders, chest, rib basket), we may open ourselves to deeply held feelings of grief, sadness and anger. Tiferet is associated with compassion (Rachamim).

We may also experience Tiferet in the embodied practice by focusing upon balancing the right and left, front and back of the body, centering of the torso over the pelvic bowl, alignment of the thoracic, respiratory and pelvic diaphragms.

We may also engage an exploration of Tiferet by focusing a practice entirely upon center points in the torso - the heart area, the solar plexus, or the belly.