The Prism Reveals

היום שבעה ימים, שהם שבוע אחד בעמר
Today is seven days, which is one week, of the omer
מלכות שבחסד
A day of leadership in a week of loving kindness

This last of the intentions, malkhut --majesty, leadership-- is like light going through a prism. When white light hits a prism, the refraction shows the spread of colors contained in the white. Malkhut sits at the bottom of the kabbalistic map of the sefirot, receiving the aspects of each of the preceding intentions. It is with malkhut, with a synthesis of all the sefirot, all the intentions, that we move into the world of action.

Balancing Connections

היום ששה ימים בעמר
Today is six days of the omer
יסוד שבחסד
A day of foundation in a week of loving kindness

One way I see the first six sefirot, intentions, of the omer week is an alternation between soft and hard pairs. Loving kindness/strength; compassion/perseverance; humility/foundation. The balance is dependent on the aspect of the weekly container.

The hardness of yesod/foundation represents a grounding, a firm connection maintained with the earth. Holding it in loving kindness reminds us not to let that connection tie us down so firmly that we stagnate. We need to be able to take off, willing to learn from influences outside our sphere. The beauty of having a spiritual practice is that we always have a way to reconnect to that supportive yesod space that grounds us.