A Beginner's Guide to Ceremonial Magick: The Ritual of the Middle Pillar

First, we're going to go over how the ritual works in magickal terms, leaving out a great deal of technical terms and concepts for your convenience. Read on to discover how it works, or simply skip down to do ritual itself.

The Middle Pillar exercise is used by the beginner and experienced magus alike to awaken the Sephiroth in the Pillar of Mildness. The technique involves the visualization of a continuous stream of Divine energy traveling from the top of the head to the soles of the feet, in the form of bright white light, passing through the middle of three pillars on the Tree of Life Glyph that appear on the body and thus energizing and cleansing the energy centers found there. To understand the concepts I've just described, you need to learn how to read the Tree of Life.

Study the module image above closely. The picture is called "The Tree of Life". It is an integral part of Jewish mysticism which was later incorporated into the theories and practices of Western Esotericism, a mystery tradition based on the work of several magickal orders in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Several members stood out among the Order's founders and members, foremost among them Madame Blavatsky, Wescott, Mathers and Israel Regardie, who were instrumental in introducing the core spiritual concepts of Zoroastrianism, Catholocism, Kabbalism, Buddhism and Hinduism into the Order's magickal repetoire.

You'll notice that the picture above (called a glyph) contains a set of spheres numbered 1-10. Each sphere is a Sephira (plural: Sephiroth), an emanation of Divinity. Reading the Tree of Life helps to visualize the stream of light that is directed from Divinity into the person doing the ritual. Its not necessary to go into great detail about the Tree of Life; there are plenty of good books written by Order members about the subject, which I've listed below if you want to supplement this article with a good book (word to the wise: don't start with Dion Fortune/Violet Firth. She's a tough read. I recommend starting with anything by Chic Cicero).

The four Sephiroth that you'll be invoking in this ritual are listed below.
[Key: The syllable in bold has the emphasis in the word.
Example: Surprise: "Sur-prise"]

1. Kether: "ke-ter", Sephiroth #1.
2. Tiphareth: "tee-fair-et", Sephiroth #6.
3. Yesod: "yeh-sode", Sephiroth #9.
4. Malkuth: "mahl-koot", Sephiroth #10.
as well as: Da-ath: "dah-aht", Not a traditional Sephiroth.

You'll quickly note that these five spheres are the very same Sephiroth that occupy the middle position in the Tree of Life diagram above, forming a "pillar" in the middle of the glyph. This is also the "middle" of the three pillars that you can find on the Tree, called the Pillar of Mildness.

For future reference, the left hand pillar consisting of Sephiroth #3, 5, and 8, is called the Pillar of Severity, and is associated with the Left Hand Path. The right hand pillar consisting of Sepiroth #2, 4, and 7 is called the Pillar of Mercy, and is associated with the Right Hand Path. However, we won't be working with either of those. To quickly sum up why it is important to work with the Middle Pillar, consider what each pillar name denotes.Think about the kind of images, thoughts, or concepts that the words "severity", "mercy" and "mildness" evoke. Which one sounds the most peaceful, tranquil and balanced, the most similar to what we're trying to achieve by doing this ritual? I'd vote for "mildness" just on a hunch, but continue reading to discover why.

The other two pillars (Severity and Mercy) are extremes in human nature that create a continuum between interpersonal forces of extreme harshness and mercy. Someone who is either very hard-natured (severe) or who has a veritable wellspring of forgiveness and acceptance (merciful) wouldn't be completely balanced. What do you get if you mix fire and water? Steam. Or acid and base solutions? Salt water. The Middle Pillar is like an ethereal buffer between the powerful forces at either extreme of human nature. For this reason, it is often known as The Pillar of Balance.

However you want to look at it, the Pillar of Mildness is the pillar we'll be working with for the rest of this article. Next, we'll go over how to do the ritual.

Before you begin the ceremony, it is important to prepare your surroundings for the important magickal work you are about to perform. Ceremonial magick is an invocation of the Divine that purifies, cleanses and sanctifies your immediate surroundings. It is important, therefore, to treat your ritual space with respect and reverence. Once you perform a ritual in a particular place for the first time you are no longer in your bedroom, living room, spare room, attic, or garden. You are in the temple of the Gods.

Disconnect yourself from your everyday world. Turn off the phone, pager, TV, radio, and stereo. Draw the curtains if it is daytime, or work during twilight or nightfall. The only thing you need for the ritual is a solitary candle to provide light. It can be black or white in color, depending on the which of the two colors feels right for you. You can use a black candle to symbolize humankind's distance from the greatness of Divinity and spirituality's goal to bridge that gap and journey from darkness to heavenly light. Or you may choose white to symbolize the purity of the Divine. Candles in colors like primary red, green, gold, violet, brown or tan have other associations. They can be used, but they don't send the same message. Incense can be lit, and bells used to mark the beginning and end of the ritual if you wish, but neither is mandatory.

Its good to set aside a set of clothing for exclusive, symbolic use in magickal rituals. It can be any article of clothing you don't use much, but it should be loose and comfortable. Before using it, wash it to make sure it is clean and do not wear it until the ritual. Wear nothing but this set of clothing; many people even choose to forsake undergarments for the sake of disconnecting from the prime material world. Ritual clothing is also very popular (such as a black satin robe), which you can find in almost any occult supplies store in your major cities, or online. I use Azoth Art for magickal apparel and supplies. I highly recommend it.

Once you have your ritual space prepared you are ready to move on to the second step.

Carved Wood Incense Box with Sandalwood Incense Set - $ 20.50

It is important to practice proper breathing when doing the ritual. A person who doesn't breathe correctly is not able to relax and concentrate as much as someone who takes deep, slow breaths. The Four Fold Breath is a relaxation technique that helps the body and mind to relax and concentrate on the ritual work ahead. It is highly recommended by the ritual's author, Israel Regardie. Deep breathing is also a key to relaxation and health which is what we're going for here.

The Four Fold Breath is simple to perform: Just count to four as you inhale, then count to four as you exhale. Repeat. Keep your breathing slow and even enough that you can count four seconds as you inhale, and four as you exhale. This will help you to relax and focus on the ceremony.

As you breathe in and out, you may also spend a few minutes relaxing the muscles in your body and emptying your mind of stray thoughts and worries about getting the ritual "right". Picture a ball of pure white light bathing you in warmth, peace and relaxation. Let that ball travel wherever you need to relax, and feel yourself loosen up and let yourself go. Smell the incense if you have some lit. Hear the flickering of the candle flame. Feel your clothes whisper across your skin.

Relax and just breathe. You are about to begin.

If you've never vibrated before, don't worry. You don't need to be an expert in chanting in order to do the vibrating in this exercise. Just let it flow from within you naturally. Don't howl (see right), and don't do it like a death metal singer. It is similar to singing and the same principles apply. Fill your diaphragm with a long, deep breath. Let the breath out evenly, vibrating as you expel the air from your body into your oral cavity and out of your mouth. The same cautions also apply. Don't lust for "perfect results" and force your voice box to do all the work. It'll wear out and you'll end up with a sore throat.

Just breathe, and let the God Name leave you naturally and effortlessly.

Now the much anticipated moment has arrived - you are about to do the ritual. Pay close attention to these instructions; proper relaxation, setting and focus will yield the desired results in your everyday practice. If you do this ritual every day for a month, you will suddenly notice that the previously unfamiliar gestures and words described here have become second nature. The Hebrew words used in the ritual are easy to pronounce and only require a little memorization. There is very little body movement. The hardest task before you is not the ritual itself, but the concentration and passion that you direct into every word, every image, every visualization. See yourself as a powerful and glorious being full of bright, scintillating white light. Do not doubt that it is fully within your power to master this most basic of magickal ceremonies. The renewed balance, health and relaxation you will notice within yourself will be your reward. Remember: "Inflame yourself with prayer!"

The Middle Pillar Exercise

1. Go to your designated, prepared ritual space and light your candle. Place it on the ground and seat yourself nearby. Wear loose, comfortable apparel, preferably your ritual clothing. Begin the Four Fold Breath by breathing in and out in four second intervals.

Recommended Additional Step: If you are already familiar with the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, perform it to banish unwanted negative energies from your sacred ritual space.

2. Empty your mind, relax and begin to visualize the following:

Imagine your body suspended within space. Right above your head, a shining disc of white light shines brightly. Using your imagination to visualize a continuous stream of this ineffable light, draw it down to the top of your head to create a sphere of that same energy. The very moment when it touches you:

3. Vibrate: AY-HEY-YAY. Feel the warmth of the Light.

Draw the bright, scintillating light from the crown of your head to your throat in a continuous stream, creating a sphere of light within that area. Feel the Light cleanse and replenish this energy center.

4. Vibrate: YOD-HEY-VAHV-HEY-EL-OH-HEEM. Feel yourself connect with your innermost self.

Draw the powerful stream of bright light from your throat to the middle of your chest, creating a sphere over your heart.

5. Vibrate: YOD-HEY-VAHV-HEY-EL-OH-AH-VAH-DAH-AHTH. Feel yourself balance and center yourself.

Draw the energy stream from your heart in a stream of light, creating a sphere in your groin area.

6. Vibrate: SHAH-DAI-EL-KAI. Feel yourself become the master of your lower nature.

Draw the Light to your feet, creating a sphere half above and half below the ground.

7. Vibrate: AH-DOE-NAI-HAH-AH-RETZ. Feel your connection to this world, the Kingdom.

Visualize the five points you have created within your body: at the top of your head, your throat, your heart, your groin and at your feet. See them connected by a stream of scintillating white light that remains connected to the disc of bright light that hangs suspended above your head. Remain with this image a moment. Feel the balance and powerful sanctity of your connection to the Divine.

Move the energy around your body. Take energy from the endless stream of Light and pass it through the left side of your body, going from your shoulder to the tips of your fingers and toes. Then take that same energy and move it from the left side of your body to the right side, energizing and cleansing your body of unwanted energies.

Finally, collect all the energy in your body into one giant sphere within your heart.

8. Vibrate: YEY-HEH-SHOO-AH.

Raise your hands high above your head, and let the energy radiate from within you and watch it leave your body in a shower of bright light.

9. Vibrate: YEY-HOH-VEY-SHAH.

Return to the Four Fold Breath. Breath deeply, and enjoy the energetic connection you have established with the Divine. This is an excellent time to pray or meditate, since you have now emptied your mind and aura of unwanted energies and will find the practice more effective and much easier.

10. When you are finished, blow out the ritual candle. Ring your ceremonial bell if you decided to use it to mark the end of the ritual. Put out your incense, and keep breathing. Take in the awesomeness of creation. Give thanks, for you have been within the temple of the Gods and left blessed, light, and balanced.

Like everything else, practice makes perfect. As you continue to study and refine your ceremonial practices, you will undoubtedly notice improvements in the results. My first experiences have always been unforgettable and life changing, but everyone is unique. Have faith and confidence in yourself, and if it feels right: practice, practice, practice!

I owe a great deal of this article's informative content to the most revered of occult masters, Dr. Israel Regardie. Without his extensive work to revive the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in the United States we would be without this beautiful, eloquent and awesome system of ceremonial magick.

I also thank Donald Michael Kraig for being the first occult author that inspired me to pursue this spiritual practice with his influential book "Modern Magick", which has had an enormous amount of well deserved success. If I have written something here, he has doubtlessly written it more eloquently and with a generous dollop of his personal humor.

Thanks to the G. H. Sorors and Fraters who welcomed me into the Great Work with wise words, guidance and laughter. The search continues for the Philosopher's Stone, the Summum Bonnum, LVX.

To all those who have taken the time to read this article, I wish you the best success with your spiritual practice, whatever it may be, for it is written in the Neophyte ritual that there exists no religion or spirituality naught but contains a ray of that ineffable Light which we all seek. It is also said that if even one person prays, they will shine like a candle on the astral. If all of us join together in prayer, we will light up the world.

Light in Extension!

Photo Credits: Wikimedia Commons