This is part of a series exploring the seven lower Sephirot (spheres) of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. These spheres are the seven core emotions that drive human interaction.
This week we are exploring the sphere of Netzach, which is the trait of enduring action.
as you forge ahead
ever in pursuit of more
celebrate what’s here
Last week I celebrated a big milestone: I published my 1,800th blog post. I hardly paused to celebrate it.
It wasn’t that long ago that I celebrated my 1,500th post. When that moment came, I immediately set my sights on the milestone of 1,500 consecutive posts. When I hit the 1,500 streak, I again shifted my focus to the 1,800 mark. And as 1,800 approached I started to put 2,000 in my sights.
On one hand, this is an example of how the quality of Netzach can drive us forward. Setting and pursuing bigger goals is how we grow. The feeling of progress is a fuel that can help us sustain our endurance.
On the other hand, moving the finish line can become a form of self-sabotage. The literal translation of Netzach is “victory.” It’s hard to achieve victory when you’re constantly changing the rules of the game.
If you keep pushing the finish line, you’ll never cross it. And if you don’t cross the finish line a sense of defeat starts to creep in. This can sap motivation.
This is where Hod of Netzach comes in.
The Partnership of Netzach and Hod
No discussion of Netzach can be complete without Hod.
Netzach pushes forward towards a longer-term vision. It always sees the way things could be; it sees the potential and possibility of a situation.
Hod appreciates things as they are now. It sees the beauty and the good in every situation.
If we were all Netzach, we would constantly feel like we were falling short of our potential. This can sap our motivation to sustain endurance for the long haul.
But if we were all Hod, we would get complacent in the status quo.
When we allow ourselves to feel into whatever pain we have regarding our current situation we can use that pain as leverage to catalyze change.
Seeing the good in every situation is important; but if it’s all we see, then we deprive ourselves of the fuel we need to initiate change.
In the body, Netzach and Hod map to the right and left hip. When we walk, we alternate leading with the right leg and then the left leg.
Life requires that we constantly hold both Netzach and Hod in this dynamic tension: appreciating what is good about a situation while also driving toward an ever more expansive vision of the future.
Fuel Your Drive By Celebrating Your Wins
This week, our focus is on Netzach. We are refining our trait of endurance and persistence. Hod of Netzach is the ability to celebrate where we are now even as we continue to drive forward toward our vision of what is possible.
When we have a healthy Hod of Netzach, we recognize that celebrating our wins along the way can be the fuel we need to sustain our endurance for the journey.
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