Beth - The House

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	Beth - House, Mercury, Self-consciousness, transparent intelligence, life and death
	Yod - Open hand, earthy, Virgo, response, intelligence of Will, touch, coition
	Tav - Mark, signature, lead, Saturn, Cosmic consciousness, administrative intelligence, dominion and slavery

The letter name Beth means "House". The original form of Beth is an arrowhead, symbolizing aim and penetrating power. In the tarot, Beth is The Magician, the planet Mercury. Mercury is the ruling planet of Virgo, The Hermit, Yod. The place where the liberating power is born is "Bethlehem" - "The House of Bread". Virgo rules the intestines which are certainly where the bread you eat goes = the house of bread. The particular place where the Christ Child is born is in the manger (French - manger = to chew). Tav is the last letter, like omega in the Greek alphabet. Tav, The World, represents the fully aware adept who experiences cosmic consciousness and participates in the cosmic administration.

One interpretation is: In order to achieve liberation (Tav), we need to consciously attend to and focus (Beth) upon what we eat and upon our processes of digestion (Yod). First of all, avoid negative thoughts and feelings while you are preparing and eating food. Subtle energies needed for the alchemical process are absorbed from food only if we consciously attend to the process. This begins with choosing high-quality live foods and really tasting them. As living food is chewed, the cell walls are broken down and the enzymes begin to degrade, liberating great amounts of energy for several minutes. It is advantageous that you chew such food long, not only for ease in further digestion, but also so this liberation of energy occurs in the area of the higher chakras of the body. Your throat and head get irradiated with wonderful energy when you eat this way. Saying grace and blessing the food has important effects too, one of which is to help you focus upon what you are about to eat. There are great mysteries in food. Invite the food to come in and become you. Be grateful for it. Imagine the wonderful subtle food energy, the liquid gold, being absorbed through the lactiles of your intestines and circulating via your bloodstream through your whole body. These are very practical mysteries, indeed.

"Life and death in touch with the world." It all happens in your house.
"Focus upon the inner awakening into cosmic consciousness."
"Being still and aware, the higher consciousness lights your path to utter dependence on the One Life and (paradoxically) complete freedom."
"By focusing upon the One within you, you become that One and participate in the cosmic administration."
"Properly attenting to digestion leads to liberation."

The basic "4 room" house design of ancient Israel.	However, for much of their history, the Jews and other early Qaballists were nomadic. Their homes were often the tents of the nomadic wanderers and gatherers as shown here.