The Ten Meta-Plagues

THE TEN META-PLAGUES The plagues represent the hard turning points which started us off on the journey. R. Yehuda Arieh Leib of Gur (a 19th century Hassidic Rebbe) says that the ten plagues serve as a preparation for the ten commandments. The ten plagues break the veils of concealment and allow for revelation of the Divine Power. Difficulties impel us to truth. We pour out ten drops of wine for the ten plagues as we say together: THESE ARE THE TEN PLAGUES WHICH THE HOLY ONE BROUGHT UPON EGYPT. THESE ARE THE PLAGUES: Ci' Blood DAM ti=.: Frogs TZEFARDAYA Lice KINIM AROV Wild Beasts Blight DEVER rri,v Boils SH'KHIN Hail BARAD :-r.::l-,N Locusts ARBEH 7,vri Dark- HOSHEKH ness Death of the MAKAT First- B'KHOROT born The waters are turned to blood, causing thirst & panic. Valuable energy is dispersed, causing hemorrhaging of our vitality and loss of confidence. The physical discomforts of thirst and not washing shake us out of our stiffness. The inner Pharaoh (narcissistic, addictive, insecure,) is reminded of its relation to a larger reality. This discomfort purifies limited world views. Frogs arise in great multitude and even enter into the houses. The sound, sight and smell of swamp creatures such as frogs is deeply stirring to the prehistoric parts of our brain. The conflicts in our lives can dredge up the swamp level of the psyche, the slimy, cold-blooded drives of the survival instinct. This discomfort penetrates the forgetfulness of routine that stunts the soul. Lice (mosquitoes) come in great numbers making everyone uncomfortable. When focus is lost, the plague of inner lice appears. Every little seed or grain of dust takes on power. The God that is in every little thing becomes more powerful than ourselves, provoking an irritable, restless state of agitation. Everyone around us is itchy, attending with great anxiety to utter trivialities. We ask ourselves how it is that we are being controlled by beings with such minor agendas. This discomfort moves us to set first things first. A zoo of wild beasts roam the city streets causing chaos. The wild beasts symbolize the invasive quality of parasitical elements. Opening oneself without clear boundaries may result in unscrupulous players struggling over you to control what they perceive to be a vacuum. They are enabled to take over when we do not reveal our true power, purpose and potential. This discomfort moves us to set firmer boundaries with powerful players. Cattle are struck by disease, impoverishing the people. The death of large animals suggests that a major foundation of society has been lost and signifies the devastating havoc created by the absence of discipline and the loss of discrimination associated with being out-of-touch with inner guidance. This discomfort moves us to set about regaining our inner vision. An epidemic of skin eruptions blanket the population. Unresolved experience festers and creates toxic, dangerous, painful lesions which prevent us from being at peace. The plague of Boils represent the shadow side of ongoing integration of toxic and conflicting and festering. Toxicity qualities. Instead we find a buildup, compartmentalization, results from lack of attention paid to integration. This discomfort moves us to face and resolve negativity. Instead of moisture creating A torrent of hail flattens and damages property. conditions for a world teeming with life, hard ice is proliferated becoming weapons of This mass destruction. Instead of a victory of abundance we find a bombardment. discomfort moves us to regain our warmth and melt our hard places. Swarming locusts devour all creating famine. Invasion by insects is an image of being overrun by a multiplicity of elementary units, fragmenting the psyche so that it could be rebuilt on safer ground. Locusts represent a proliferation of independent contractors dragging society down towards a more primitive reality. This discomfort moves us to re-examine our political assumptions. All the lights go out, including sun, moon, stars & fires. The land is enveloped in fog. The sense of connection becomes eclipsed. One becomes blind to another's needs resulting in dangerous breaches of other's reality. The complete blackout suggested by the plague of darkness points to a strong sign to change. When one doesn't pay attention to sign after sign, ultimately the signs get stronger until they become outer realities & external pressures from society. This discomfort moves us to greater vital dedication to doing our work in life. Removal of Leaders: The eyes and decision-makers are gone . Nothing else has worked to get the powers-that-be (the small self, ego) to relinquish its control. Death is a lowering of the awareness center so that its power may be reduced, much as the brains of the computer HAL were taken apart in the movie 2001. The activated Self, the neshama, lowers the ego's consciousness. Its inability to let go are anesthetized so that transformative powers may rise to control the organism. This discomfort transforms our entire life-situation.