Shadow of Self: A Psychoanalysis Approach to Tantra and Kabbalah 1

Shadow of Self: A Psychoanalysis Approach to Tantra and Kabbalah

Denizhan Dakılır

Shadow of Self: A Psychoanalysis Approach to Tantra and Kabbalah

Contrary to popular belief, religious texts and their esoteric understanding can explain a great

deal of human nature within the light of psychoanalysis. Of course, this will require the individual

to see God not further away from him, mainly stop looking for God outside of conscious, he will

try to look within of his Dasein to find God. This main idea of Kabbalah and Tantra, produces

a deeper understanding of religious texts we face today.

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and

female he created them.”

Genesis 1:27
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The main idea of Ain Soph as Endless Light, shines and reflects itself into Kether, that

Kabbalah’s very existence of an individual, which has the divine name of “I am” or “I will be”

implies the very nature of an individual’s potential into the future, that is yet to take a shape and

without any empty forms. However, it also states that individual, claiming “I am”, “I will be” is

also aware of his existence in the world. He recognizes itself and he’s aware of his potential that

has yet to take shape. Further, when the individual tries to create something from these

potentials, he creates a synthesis within his pure self, Kether, they become an extension of

himself. These synthetic knowledge within himself, tend to be the main point when he tries to

look into himself to recognize himself. Not recognizing that he gave birth to those forms, he

becomes obsessed with them to extend of making these forms get into way of his pure self. This,

being dependent on the wisdom he experiences with understanding, is the main point of

Kabbalah with Chokmah and Binah. Chokmah, being the Wisdom itself and Binah, being the

Understanding herself in Kabbalah, they are the two lights of God to form the reality we receive

within our senses. That light, being the Logos of God, is forming the external forces outside of

our mind, while external forces, the moment they enter into our mind becomes one with our

mind. They are now, in fact, taking lordship over our mind, completely giving an understanding

of ourselves (That is including our reality we receive with our mind.) is completely being

controlled by that knowledge. One could argue that this knowledge that mind receives is still

within pure self, Yechidah, that is the highest level of soul still connected to God and the essence

of God. Strangely, we can also see the connection of Yechidah with Chayah, Chayah being “to
Shadow of Self: A Psychoanalysis Approach to Tantra and Kabbalah 3

live” is equal to understanding of Kether with “I will be” and “I am” in the pure sense that

individual in Kether is only existing, recognizing itself as a living being, while sustaining himself

and being aware of its potential for future existence. To focus on how we are creating these

synthetic knowledge to formulate our personality so we can pretend these personalities

formulated by our understanding of knowledge, we must first look at into Ain and Ain Soph.

Normal understanding of Tree of Life within Kabbalah gives us the order that Ain must be

placed higher than Ain Soph as a negative existence. As it’s a state of Self, God that is

unknowable to us even with experience. However, I would like to raise another view point to this

within the light of psychoanalysis and traditional Kabbalah with the concept of Four Worlds.

Firstly, let us understand the concept of Ain Soph. The translation of Ain Soph in English gives

us the meaning of “Endless One”, as in giving the sense that God’s Light, his Word reaches

everywhere. While Ain, being the negative existence itself, is completely darkness and there are

no light. This first state of God can be explained with “God’s Word was an attempt of God to

realize itself and it’s glory within itself.” so naturally, every existence of God would be

generated within God himself so he can enjoy the glory of himself with the creation realizing the

glory of himself. While this is true, this would also give a certain approach to religions we have

today. The essence of God which shines bright to every religion is just an attempt of God to

realize the glory and love of God. This will be argued with the Second Adam being the Jesus

Christ in every Abrahamic religion, Hell as a concept of self and Tantric philosophy will also be

applied for further clarification. Now, we should apply Ain and Ain Soph into individual’s level

where we can also use our understanding of Self within the observation of our nature.
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Within the concept of Four Worlds, Ain is placed below the Ain Soph, as connected to Chokmah

which realizes that all the models of esoteric traditions, all religions, all philosophical models are

just an attempt of fiction to realize our nature with a synthetic thought, making ourselves trapped

in our minds with a language that is limiting to explain ourselves to others. Buddhism’s theory of

“Form is empty, emptiness is form.” is the thought of attempting to realize these fictions are

limited to understand our nature better. Further, within Shaivism and specially with the texts

from Abhinavagupta, one could argue that outside of mind/body, everything we do is

meaningless (Outside of using these systems to get a clue on the process of realizing our

nature/pure self.) as long as we do not look within to reach the pure self, Yechidah, we will be

always subject to semi-truths that is always changing. In short, we will be clouded with the

eternal light of Ain Soph. While every candle is being lit to glorify the God, while every candle

is being the truth that is a reflection of Ain Soph within their context, they will be limited to

certain individuals within their context, language, life and culture. So, what happens when there

are no candles to show the God? What happens when every candle is getting blown and there’s

only one truth, that is nothingness? This state of understanding, as I have stated with Buddhism’s

philosophy is connected to Ain. A complete darkness of an understanding of nature. Everything

is being destroyed by the Wisdom of individual that is a reflection of Wisdom of God. It’s

eternally generating a form, a shape and destroying the form it gives. It’s nihilistic and an

attempt to raise above Nihilism. The Will to survive and understand its nature, naturally shapes

and forms different concepts within itself to make it a personality, that is still reflecting the
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fullness of the individual’s self but as much as it can. However, one could argue that these

personalities can act like a symbol which acts like a vehicle to pure self within this concept. And

that would be correct, since it would give way to realize that Gevurah (Strength) of self is only

an empty form that is given by the limited knowledge one has. The further dwelling with these

personalities, if one observes the personality he/she created, quickly it will be realized that they

are just empty forms that must be destroyed. This stage is also a process to realize Ain

Soph, Kether, Yechidah that is fullness of God (still connected to God.) Since everything that is

being produced by mind with a limited knowledge will be destroyed, the mind will eventually

look inside to realize itself. Instead of mind being a slave to knowledge outside of itself, the

mind will try to realize the transcended self to receive knowledge about itself. This, being called

RaZ is one of the secrets of prophets to receive divine communication within Kabbalah.

“The result of RaZ is an understanding of deep mysteries, allusions, and prophesying. The main

difference between the way these Quasi Sefirah appear is, where Daat is always visible, RaZ

only becomes visible, under meditation, and only when probed from the Sefirah Yesod –

Formation. Further, in that case, it's only visible to the one who is doing the probing (receiving

the results of RaZ).”

The Daath (Knowledge, Experience) should also be explored within the concept of a hidden door

above Tiphareth (Harmony) and within the concept of Four Worlds, connecting with Yesod
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(Foundation) as well as in Enochian mystical tradition where it’s connected with Choronzon, he is

known as a “demon”. In the concept of being above Tiphareth as a door, it also gives a meaning

such as “Messiah” and “Door”. Being connected to angel known as Metatron (Which sometimes

connected to Enoch after he is raised to Heaven) Daath, being the knowledge, heart of Binah

(Understanding) and child of the marriage between Chokmah (Wisdom) and Binah. Now, let us

further examine Daath’s concept within our context. We could place Daath, within both

Buddhism and Shaivism’s concept as a shadow of self with the translation and understanding of

Daath as Knowledge and Experience. The pure self, creates the mind to make us experience the

knowledge that exists outside of our mind which we cannot completely grasp within the present

moment and will eventually turn our mind to another ego we create within our mind. That ego

(Even though it’s our creation and reflection within our mind.) will be a dual ego to experience the

feelings we got from that external force. Further, when we try to grasp more and more into that

knowledge we will add more imagination into it within our own limited understanding while not

considering an action is just an action, a text being just a text and since knowledge is only

possible as phenomena and noumenon, we are subject to knowledge taking ownership of our

mind with a clouded truth. The further we try to look into these past experiences to grasp the

object better, the further we will form imaginations and empty forms within our mind, just like

chasing after a shadow to step on it. We will never succeed until we realize to look inside as a

process of Ain to reach our own Truth, our own Yechidah that is the fullness of Truth as a pure,

transcendental self. Unless we do this, we will trap ourselves within this knowledge as an

enslaved being completely bound by its own making which will result in being delusional with

a clouded mind.
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This, of course, includes the whole esoteric, philosophy traditions as a knowledge. The further

we study these, unless we make them as a tool to understand the framework of our nature and get

a clue for process of realizing our nature, they will bound us with their chains. One could argue

however, Yesod (Foundation) as Daath (Knowledge) receiving the divine knowledge from the

Tiphareth (Harmony), that is our divine self we create outside of us so our mind can grasp some

portions of knowledge, also requires these chains to reflect the divine man in the lower worlds.

“Then the Shaykh elaborated, "The Real transcends form (surat) and image (shakal), but if He

ever appears in form, it is in that of the Perfected Person (insan-i kamil). The Ascended Person is

therefore not the Truth/God (haqq), but the Face of the Truth/God (surat-i haqq). If one wishes to

sit with God, talk with Him, let him sit in the presence of saints/gnostics ('awliya/'urafa)

[alternative translation: If the presence of the Real is desired, adopt the association of saints

(awliya) and ascended gnostics ('urafa)] ”

Imdad al-Mushtaq ila Ashraf il-Akhlaq

This Yesod, being the Daath (Messiah) is also described as Jesus Christ in some teachings of

Kabbalah, where the Yesod connects with Lower Garden of Eden, we can rightfully refer to

teaching of Bible and Quran to describe Jesus Christ as Second Adam, reflecting the

divine essence completely into world within both Islam and Christianity. Just like how a Father

reflects with his teachings into his Son, that father tries to find himself in the eyes of his son to

understand himself. It is certainly a coping mechanism for the self to not realize itself within

itself.

"So it is written: 'The first man Adam became a living being'; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit."

1 Corinthians 15:45

However as much as there’s an importance of exoteric traditions to reflect the divine into lower

worlds, there’s also a point we cannot miss at all. Within Tantra and Kabbalah, we can read

certain practices and philosophy to receive the direct unique knowledge of God to individual

within their own life. Firstly, we should mention the importance of Tantric thought in this

context of dual ego and divine guidance to individuals. We should start with looking at the

wrathful aspects of Shiva in Shaivism and Vajrayana Buddhism. Namely, Mahakala, Vajrapani,

Vajrakilaya and Bhairava (They are in fact the same.). The importance of mind should not be a

slave to knowledge also holds true in Yoga Sutras as well as Tantric tradition. In this case, we
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should take a psychoanalysis approach to Tantra with these aspects of Shiva (pure self). Firstly,

the mind that is getting created to understand the external source of mind (not above pure self, for

pure self/transcending self will always be unchanging and containing all) will be at a

passive-active state to grasp the knowledge and understand it. Giving them a form, a shape,

thinking about them as an active state, observing them and letting them take lordship over the

mind will be the passive state of mind. At that point, mind can only hope to exist within this enslaved

state. However, within the practice of Tantra, once mind is trying to reach a state, Shiva will

appear as the “anti” of that state. It will always try to go against the self, no matter if it’s good or

bad, it will always try to create obstacles/doors for it. For the Shiva in Shaivism is equal to pure,

transcending self, it contains everything within itself and it’s completely unchanging. So the

moment the obstacle gets into the conscious (We can even argue before it came to contact, it was

always within conscious for we are the ones who give a form and shape to that object.) it will be

below the transcending self and completely at the mercy of transcending self. That is also one of

the reasons for some Shaivites acting in a certain way they are received as a “crazy”, “evil” person.

For they are trying to become that Shiva which opposes everything and destroys everything that is

“Satan” like in the result. Further, if the knowledge that tries to take the ownership of mind can be

changed to Mahakala interacting with mind, it will be equal to destroying the mind completely so

it can be freed from the bondage it has set upon itself with the imagination, knowledge and

experience it gained. Making itself completely limited to his semi-truth and resulting in a

delusional mind, Mahakala’s interaction will result in mind being destroyed, attachments

completely being erased at that very moment. We must also note that mind in this sense becomes

Shakti (Feminine essence, energy, forms, illusion.) since it forms and gives shape to an external
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source, it’s being penetrated by the very Lingam of Shiva in the aspect of Bhairava. Transcended

self, which is Shiva, creates that mind to interact with another knowledge (Which in truth it

creates both of these as a play.) and Khecari Mudra is being used to not to fall into mind’s

imagination, being the Sun itself with light that gives form and life, in Yoga tradition to drink the

immortal nectar, which can be understood like RaZ (a positive noumenon) so we can be one with

Transcendental Self in this very life time, while most traditions of East refuses the idea of “As

long as you live with a material body, you will never attain moksha in your life time.” Shaivism

seeks liberation while living in the material world, giving no limitation to their living style. Truly

produces a unity within duality. While in a simple summary, this breaking of bondage can lead

to mind not investing in a past ego within mind to understand and feel the extra knowledge with

his imagination, the individual will start to live and enjoy the present moment completely. I

should also add the Zen Buddhism and Shaivism’s idea of practice before using philosophy

and theology. Where the individual seeks not to understand the divine with a phenomena, it is

always suggested in Shaivism to form your own ritual and esoteric understanding within

yourself. For everything is a fiction exists only to serve as a tool to realize the process of

discovering the self, the individual must take its own unique path whatever means required to

understand the pure, transcendental Shiva. For you must become one with the reality you live in

(the present moment) if you are drawing, you should focus and merge with the action of drawing,

actor that draws, place you are doing the action of drawing and very picture that is getting drawn,

so you can realize that you are above all of this as limitless self. One must also note, in Yoga

tradition and in Thelema, the only true Magick considered by others comes from the result of this

process, where every other occult tradition is just a mind tool to realize your self, so they are
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meaningless outside of your mind. One could argue this action of discarding the dual ego (Created

in mind to focus on past.) also discarding the idea of focusing on the future while it is yet to exist,

giving a form to it would again result in imagination, so focusing on the present moment where

Mind can realize The Transcendental Self and result in a limitless state is truly a neither-neither state.

“A proper name, then, as it was once penciled at the theater, “always ready to regain control. An

intact joyau beneath the disaster.” All you will have to do, once this stone has been thrown out, is

to go a bit further, behind the citing of l’astre solaire (sun=death=mirror) in order to glimpse a

poisoned ring. Then an antidote and then the key. Which are all the same.”

Jacques Derrida, Dissemination

References

Paul Eduardo Muller-Ortega​. ​(1988). The Triadic Heart of Siva ISBN10: 0-88706-786-7
ISBN13: 978-0-88706-786-0
30.1.1 Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Forum ​Retrieved from

http://www.cs.utah.edu/~spiegel/kabbalah/jkm30.htm