WORK OF THE CHARIOT
Ma'aseh Merkavah, the Work of the Chariot
is also mentioned in hush tones in the Talmud. This
work is based upon the visions of Ezekiel and relates to making mystical
journeys through the spiritual realm. In the ancient Heikhalot literature
we read that "Ezekiel stood beside the river Chebar gazing into the
water and the seven heavens were opened to him (see Jewish Mystical Testimonies,
compiled by Louis Jacobs)." The technique of gazing into water is one
which has been used by shamans around the world. Similarly, gazing into
a fire or coals is also very common shamanistic technique. Perhaps, the
formlessness of both fire and water helps break down the rigid structures
of our minds and stimulate imaginative visions and journeys. Whatever the
mechanism, a particular phrase from the Heikhalot literature that catches
my attention is yoredei ha-merkavah. This literally means "those who
go down in the chariot." My personal understanding of this relates
to traditional Kabbalistic understandings of Ezekiel's visions. These visions
are usually conceded to have taken place in Yetzirah, the world of formation,
which is at a lower level than the world of creation. Thus, one should first
ascend to a higher spiritual level, and then descend to an "astral"
level where such forms or visions are prevalent. A modern day version of
"riding the chariot" might be a guided meditation where one first
centers oneself and connects with deeper levels, and then lets one's inner
revelations unfold in the guise of imaginative visions. For more experienced
meditators, the technique is to let one's energy first ascend to the crown
center and then descend to the portal of the "third eye" where
one may then visually traverse the Heavenly Palaces. Either way, if one
is able to gain greater spiritual insight through imaginative journeys brought
about by water, fire or meditation, then the procedure has been of value.
As mentioned earlier, we spend six days of the week engaged in the "work
of creation", but on the seventh day we become "merkavah riders"
and let our souls return to Hashem. In one sense, this means that for six
days the flow of creative energy is downward from the "spiritual"
plane to the "physical" plane, but on the seventh day we use our
meditation tools to reverse that flow and let our
consciousness ascend to the "spiritual" level for rest and renewal.
In the Talmud, fire appears when they
begin to discuss the work of the chariot. I believe that this fire appears
because as they ascend, the spiritual energies that were hidden are now
uncovered. At a deeper level, however, there is a certain amount of illusion
involved as we are always existing simultaneously on both the spiritual
and the physical levels. Nevertheless, from the point of view of this illusion,
it is necessary to engage in one type of activity for the first six days
of the week, and then another type on the seventh.