The Middle Pillar

by Israel Regardie

  RELAXATION EXERCISE 1

  Gravity and Relaxation

  Lie face up on a mat or thick blanket placed on the floor and relax. (The floor provides a hard, uncomfortable surface which will immediately let you know about the variety of ways you hold tension within your body. You will either have to get up or relax totally.) A small cushion may be placed under the head. Let the weight of your body sink into the floor. Begin breathing in a rhythmic fashion.

  Bring your attention to your torso and head. Inhale and tense the muscles of your stomach, chest, and neck. Exhale and relax totally, feeling the weight of your body sinking into the floor. Do this several times.

  Concentrate now on your left arm. Inhale and make a fist, tensing the entire arm, and raise the limb off the floor about six inches. Exhale, and relax your arm. Allow it to drop to the floor. Do this a number of times until the limb feels totally relaxed and falls readily with the force of gravity.

  Now center your attention on your right arm from hand to shoulder. As you inhale, make a fist, tensing all the muscles in your arm, and raise your arm off the floor about six inches. Exhale and relax your arm completely, allowing it to fall back to the floor. Repeat several times until the arm is relaxed.

  Next, focus your attention on your left leg from hip to foot. As you inhale, lift your leg about eight inches off the floor. Bend your foot so that your toes are pointing toward your head. Tense all the muscles in your leg. Exhale and relax all tension in your leg, letting it drop to the floor. Repeat several times until your leg is fully relaxed.

  Focus your attention on your right leg from hip to foot. As you inhale, lift your leg about eight inches off the floor. At the same time, bend your foot so that your toes are pointing toward your head. Tense all the muscles in your leg. Exhale and relax your leg completely, allowing it to fall back to the floor. Do this a number of times until the limb feels totally relaxed and falls readily with the force of gravity.

  Tense your whole body several times and then relax totally. Let yourself take a few deep sighs. Do this a number of times until at length you feel as though you were melting into the floor, carrying all the tension out of your body like a stream of water from melting ice. Give yourself up wholly to the support of the floor. Accept the fact that the floor can easily hold up the weight of your body. Relax and let it.

  RELAXATION EXERCISE 2

  For Two People

  This exercise is designed for the simple purpose of making one aware of the amount of muscular tension that is held within the body. Two people are needed for this method—one who will receive the benefit of relaxation, and the other who will aid the process. Here we will refer to the first person as the subject and the second as the assistant. For the subject loose-fitting garments, including slacks or sweatpants, are required.

  The subject should lie face up on a mat or thick blanket placed on the floor. If lower back pain is a problem, place a number of pillars under the subject’s knees. A small cushion may be placed under the head. The subject should lie quietly for a few minutes, becoming aware of the body as in the first exercise. After a short time, the subject will probably come to the realization that he or she cannot totally relax. This is where the assistant comes in.

  The assistant should be seated to one side of the subject. He or she should commence by placing one hand under the subject’s ankles and raising both legs a few inches off the floor. Next, the assistant should place the other hand under the subject’s knees and slowly remove the hand from under the ankles. This will cause the lower part of the legs to drop, unless the subject still holds tension in the muscles.

  Now the assistant should hold the ankles together with one hand and remove the hand from under the knees, and gently attempt to separate the knees. If the subject is relaxed, each knee should fall outward. This may take several attempts before the subject relaxes enough to permit the knees to fall.

  Next the assistant relaxes the subject’s arms one at a time. Each arm should be wiggled as if shaking a rope. Then, holding the elbow to the floor with one hand, the assistant raises the subject’s forearm perpendicular to the floor. When the arm is released it should be noted whether it falls easily, hangs in the air, or is lowered by the muscles. Again, many attempts may be required before the forearm is relaxed enough to drop.

  Moving on to the shoulders, the assistant elevates the elbow a few inches off the floor and releases it. If the shoulder joint is relaxed the elbow drops effortlessly. Each shoulder can be relaxed further by the assistant placing both hands under it, lifting it slightly, and allowing it to drop to the floor. The body should fall solidly and the head should roll without restraint on the neck.

  At this time the assistant should watch for signs of deep relaxation, such as heavy sighs, slow deep breathing, lines on the face softening, and the whole body sinking down onto the floor.

  The assistant should then gently push his or her fingers into the abdominal muscles bordering the hips, one side followed by the other. A slight pressure is maintained during which the muscles may give spasms of resistance due to tension. Alternate this application of pressure from one side to the other until the muscles relax.

  After this the assistant should apply slight pressure on the chest and sides in the same manner.

  For the final part of this exercise the assistant should gently lift the subject’s head a couple of inches and allow it to flop back onto the cushion. If this is done several times, the subject should feel deeply relaxed.

  After a few moments of restful meditation, the subject and the assistant may switch roles and repeat the exercise.

  RELAXATION EXERCISE 3

  Tension, Relaxation, and Visualization

  (Note: If we accept the premise that psychological states can effect immediate responses in the mind/body system, then it follows that mental pictures or visualizations can be used to purposely effect an attitude of total relaxation prior to magical work.)

  Lie face up on a mat or thick blanket placed on the floor and relax. Let the weight of your body sink into the floor. Begin breathing in a rhythmic fashion.

  Start with the top of the head. Inhale and deliberately tense the muscles of the forehead for a moment. Visualize your brain and the muscles of your brow. Tense the muscles as much as you possibly can. Then exhale, let go of the tension, and relax the forehead totally. Feel and visualize your muscles as they relax. Do this two or three times.

  After a brief period of time, inhale and tense the muscles of your face, squeezing your eyes shut. With your mind’s eye, see your face contorted with muscular tension. Then exhale. Release the tension and imagine the muscles of your face slipping back into their natural pose with the eyes gently closed. Repeat two or three times.

  Next, inhale and tense the jaw and neck, clenching the teeth and pushing the tongue against the roof of the mouth. Visualize your face with lips pressed firmly shut. Then exhale and release the tension and let your jaw and tongue relax. Repeat as before.

  Now turn your attention to the shoulders and upper arms, tensing them as you inhale, using your elbows to press down on the floor. Visualize your shoulders against the floor as you hold them stiffly, slightly off the floor as they seem to shrink inward. Then exhale and release the tension, stop pressing with your elbows and imagine the shoulders expanding slightly outward as they sink back into the floor. Repeat.

  Focus on your lower arms and hands. Put your thumbs inside your palms and clench your hands into fists. Press your wrists into the floor to add tension to your forearms as you inhale. Visualize the closed fists and stiff arms. Then exhale. Relax your limbs and see the hands uncurl slightly from their martial pose into a more peaceful one. Repeat.

  Center your attention on your back, pushing it into the floor as you inhale. Start with the lower back followed by the upper back. Visualize your spine as it is pressed into the floor. Exhale. Relax your back and imagine it gently springing back to its normal state. Repeat.

  Now focus on your chest. Inhale
deeply and expand your chest to its absolute fullest capacity. Hold your breath (and the corresponding tension) for a few moments and visualize your chest and ribs extended to their limits. Exhale naturally. With your mind’s eye, see your chest gently fall back and assume its normal state. Repeat.

  Tense the muscles in your lower abdomen. Inhale and tighten your abdominal muscles as though you were trying to fit into a tight pair of pants, or as if your navel were being pulled toward your spine. Visualize your abdomen being pulled tight against your spine and imagine the organs of your abdomen pressed closer against one another. Then exhale and release the tension. See your muscles and organs spring gently back into place.

  Next tense the muscles in your buttocks and thighs, turning your toes in toward each other as you inhale. Visualize that your thighs are as taut as those of a runner who is about to sprint forward. Exhale and allow your legs to drop back into their normal position. See your thigh muscles relaxing. Repeat.

  Now observe your knees and lower legs. Inhale, pressing the backs of your knees into the floor and bend your feet so that your toes are pointing toward your head. Visualize your calves and knees pressed firmly against the floor. Then exhale and let your lower legs drop back into their normal position as you see the muscles relax. Repeat.

  Focus on your feet and ankles. Inhale and point your feet like a ballerina standing on pointe. Curl your toes. Visualize your feet tensed in this way. Then exhale and allow the feet to bounce back. Visualize your feet and toes totally relaxed. Repeat as before.

  Now inhale. Tense your entire body as much as possible. Imagine your body as stiff as a board. Then exhale and relax fully and deeply. Visualize your body becoming almost liquid in its relaxed state. Do this at least three times, then remain totally relaxed. Notice how much more relaxed your body is after the balancing effects of flexing and releasing.

  Breathe deeply without strain. Visualize yourself enveloped in a sphere of brilliant white light. Imagine your body bathed in this light and feel its warmth on your skin. As you inhale feel the divine light filling your lungs and spreading throughout your entire body to the ends of your fingers and toes, giving you a sense of ultimate peace and relaxation. As you exhale breathe out a portion of this endless light, giving its tranquil effects back to the divine source in a cycle of flux and reflux. The more light you breathe out, the more light you breathe back in, until your whole being seems as if it is created out of this divine light.

  Now visualize a golden sphere of healing light in the center of your body around the area of your heart. Feel its soothing warmth. See this sphere traveling to areas of your body where some tension remains. Whatever part of your body the sphere touches becomes fully relaxed and regenerated. Let the sphere traverse over every part of your body, and when this is done, place it back in its original position, centered on your heart.

  Continue to relax in this state for a few moments. Then take a few deep breaths and feel the vitality stirring within as you end the meditation.

  (Note: A group of people may elect to perform this exercise together. If this is the case, one person should record the exercise on a tape player, with soothing music in the background. The participants should lie on the floor—in a circle if possible with heads pointing in toward the center—with a fair amount of space between each person. Play the recording and begin the exercise.)

  RELAXATION EXERCISE 4

  Visualized Circulation

  In the previous exercise the student was encouraged to become more aware of the body’s physical sensations. In this exercise the student learns how to use the techniques of relaxation to manipulate body sensations in a premeditated fashion in order to cause certain changes that are both physical and psychological.

  Relaxation is a crucial step in changing one’s conscious awareness from the mundane events of the day to a more spiritual focus. It is also an essential procedure that will always be undertaken prior to more advanced techniques and rituals.

  For this technique it would be helpful if the student had a basic understanding of human anatomy.

  Before sitting or lying down, spend a minute or two engaged in physical exercise to increase the blood circulation and stimulate deep breathing. (One way to do this is to pretend that you are skipping rope in a stationary position.)

  Then stand upright with the legs slightly apart. Take a deep breath and exhale, expelling all of your air as you let yourself fall forward from the waist, completely relaxed, hands hanging near the feet for a moment. Allow yourself to be totally limp from the waist up. Inhale and bring yourself back to the full standing position. Repeat this process about a dozen times. Be aware only of the various body sensations.

  The actual relaxation exercise, which lasts approximately one-half hour, can now begin. Take some very deep breaths. Sit or lie down on the floor, and remain aware only of what the body is feeling.

  Visualize your brain just as you have seen the human brain in drawings—a large gray-white walnut shaped organ divided into two hemispheres. Imagine it clearly. Concentrate. Do not allow your mind to wander from the visualization. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back. Hold the image of the brain in your mind until you begin to feel a warmth spreading out from the center of your head. Imagine yourself stimulating the flow of blood to the brain, relaxing the blood vessels there. You may be aware of a gentle tingling sensation. Picture the blood vessels within the brain dilating enough to hold larger amounts of blood. This turns the brain pink, resulting in the sensation of warmth that you are experiencing.

  Move on to the eyes, visualizing them as two balls held in place by muscles. Imagine the muscles becoming enlarged as you channel more blood to the area. This stimulates the feeling of warmth. Then relax, imagining the eyeballs sinking back gently into their sockets.

  Follow this procedure for the rest of the head—visualize the warming blood flowing into the blood vessels of the temples, cheeks, ears, nose, lips, tongue, and chin. In all cases, feel the warmth and the tingling of the blood gradually followed by the feeling of relaxation.

  See the heated blood flowing into the muscles of the neck, the shoulder joints, the arms, hands, and fingertips. Imagine the pink muscles saturated with blood. Feel the radiant warmth of the blood tingling within the fibers of your muscles.

  You should now be approximately ten minutes into the exercise. The remaining time should be spent visualizing the rest of the body in the same manner—imagine once again the muscles of the neck, the glands, the larynx, the pharynx, and shoulders. Imagine that the blood flows into every artery and capillary. Now concentrate on the abdominal area and the internal organs. Spend a few moments on each organ separately—the heart, the lungs, the bronchi, the liver, pancreas, intestines, kidneys, etc. (The more you relax the abdomen, the more likely it is that the rest of the body will relax also.)

  Finally imagine the current of warm blood separating into two mighty arterial rivers of blood which flow from the pelvis into the thighs, knees, legs, feet, and toes. Relax completely.

  The increased blood supply caused by the successful performance of this exercise will induce a broad sense of relaxation.

  Once you have completed this portion of the exercise, observe how you feel. Let a sense of total repose and fulfillment be permanently recorded in your mind. Feel the pleasure of the moment. Impress the image thoroughly and strongly upon your mind. If you are able to remember this experience clearly, it can be evoked at any time. Whether you are driving a car or riding on an airliner, you can remember the feeling of pleasurable relaxation and evoke the memory which will result in the tension leaving the muscles of your body.

  If at any time you wish to relax, simply take a deep breath and imagine the word relax as you release the air from your lungs. Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, command yourself to relax. Remember the serenity of complete relaxation and it will be instantly brought back to you. Eventually this will become a conditioned reflex, the effects of which will be complete and automatic.


  This exercise should be performed at least once a day. (Twice would be better—once in the morning and once in the evening.) Variations on this technique could also be used to help cure illnesses. One might imagine the stream of blood flowing through and breaking down a cancerous growth for elimination from the body—or the flow of blood may be seen to heal a wound.

  RELAXATION EXERCISE 5

  The Practice of the Divine Essence

  For this exercise the student should review and practice all of the relaxation and body awareness exercises prescribed earlier.

  To perform this exercise, lie down in a comfortable position. Once relaxed, reflect on the fact that the entire surface of your body is covered by millions of tiny pores. In truth, every muscle and organ in the body is composed of cells which have minute areas of space between them.

  Imagine that the pores on the skin of your face (nose, cheeks, and brow) are stretched wide open. (This should only take a matter of seconds if you have performed the previous exercises regularly.) Then proceed to visualize the skin on the scalp and back of the head in the same fashion. Continue on to the skin of the neck, shoulders, arms, chest, abdomen, hips, thighs, legs, and feet. Imagine the surrounding membrane of every part of the body, including the internal organs, permeated by a series of pores loosely weaved together by a net-like substance.

  Once you have obtained a feeling of the opening of all the pores in your body, return to reflect upon your head. Imagine that the brain also has become full of open pores and is now somewhat sponge-like. Apply this visualization to every part of the body—the bones, muscles, and soft organs—all becoming like sponges.