The Middle Pillar

by Israel Regardie

  Part II: Air

  Then see the shaft come down in the skull in the usual way into the neck, and in the neck you form another ball that extends all the way through the throat and neck, and this time you will see it colored yellow, which is the color of Air. See in this ball the Kerubic Sign of Aquarius. Then you say the Prayer of the Sylphs. You visualize the light in yellow. Superimposed on that sphere in its absolute complement of purple you see the two lines of the symbol of Aquarius). You are to see these lines inside the yellow in purple color, and you vibrate: YOD-HEH-VAV-HEHFollow it with the archangel: RAPHAELand the angel CHASSAN. When you feel the ball is alive and real, and you can feel spiritual power pouring through it, then say the Prayer of the Sylphs.

  Part III: Fire

  See your shaft descend once more to the solar plexus, or just above the end of the sternum, the little breast bone. See the ball extending from front to back—a big ball of red fire, a brilliant flaming red. See the shaft in white and the balls in different colors. The color of this center is red. This is the sphere of Fire. I want you to see inside the center of this ball the symbol of Leoin emerald green, and vibrate the name: ELOHIM. Then your archangel: MICHAELand the angelic name: ARAL. Vibrate the names, and when you feel their power start on the Prayer of the Salamanders.

  Part IV: Water ∇

  The shaft descends once more to the region of the hips, the generative region, and there you will see another ball formed. This time it will be in a very lovely ultramarine blue. When you have this sphere formed in blue, visualize inside this sphere the symbol of Scorpioin orange. This is the sphere of Water. Then you vibrate the name of EL. Then vibrate your archangelic name: GABRIELand your angelic name: TALIHAD. Then the Prayer of the Undines.

  Part V: Earth

  Then your shaft goes down again to the feet, and forms again in the feet another ball. The usual color of the element of Earth is black. But since it is difficult to get a complement color of black, I am going to give you indigo. Superimposed on this will be the symbol of Taurusin a very light yellow, the complement of indigo. The divine name is ADONAIwhich you vibrate. Then vibrate the archangelic name: AURIELand the angelic name: PHORLAKH. That will be followed by the Prayer of the Gnomes.

  Part VI: Circumambulation

  Here you have five balls on the central sphere. When you get down to the feet, stop and see this shaft with the five balls all glowing, then start what I call the Formula of Circumambulation; but the first method is to be the Fountain. See all the power in the feet center and then see it rush up from the feet center like the water in a fountain. As this power rushes up see it take away all the power from all the other spheres on its ascent to the top, so that you can imagine as it goes from ball to ball, it takes all the power out from each sphere in turn until it gets to the white light; then visualize it drawing up the power of the different centers so it will be a combination of all the colors from indigo up.

  See the sense of power rather than the literal sense of color. See it. You circulate power from the different balls until it is a fountain. Make sure the power is circulating away from the centers. The result will be that you will have formed around you an aura by the circulation of power issuing up through the shaft. Then follow with the other two methods. The circulation down the left side and up the right, and the circulation from the head down the front of the body, under the feet and up the back. Use the inhalation and exhalation. The aura will be in a state of great activity. The light is pouring through and making it a great power. In order to close assume the godform of OSIRIS and keep that as long as you feel like it. I want you to make the Banishing Ritual a habit. Begin and end every ritual with it. This Middle Pillar Ritual can be done either sitting or lying flat.

  THE TREE OF LIFE EXERCISE

  (The Rite of Three Pillars)

  (See Figure 15, p. 220.) This exercise can be performed either standing, sitting, or lying down. After a few minutes of relaxation, imagine a sphere of white light just above your head. Vibrate the name “Eheieh” (“Eh-hey-yay”). Keep vibrating this word until it is the only thought in your conscious mind. Maintain a strong visualization of the white sphere.

  Then imagine a shaft of white light descending from your Kether center to your Chokmah center at the left temple of your forehead. Visualize a sphere of white light there. Intone the name of “Yah” (meaning “Lord”). Keep vibrating the name until it is the complete focus of all your attention.

  Bring a shaft of white light horizontally across from your Chokmah center to your Binah center at the right temple of your forehead. Form a sphere of white light there. Vibrate the name “Yhvh Elohim” (“Yode-heh-vav-heh El-oh-heem”) a number of times until it occupies all of your mind.

  Now bring a shaft of white light down diagonally from your Binah center to your Daath center at the nape of your neck. Visualize a sphere of white light there. Vibrate the name “Yhvh Elohim.” Intone the name until it is the only thing in your conscious mind.

  Next, visualize a shaft of white light down diagonally from the Daath center to your Chesed center at your left shoulder. Form a sphere of light there. Vibrate the name “EL” (meaning “God”) a number of times until it fills your mind.

  Bring a shaft of white light horizontally from Chesed to your Geburah center at your right shoulder. Visualize a sphere of light there. Vibrate the name “Elohim Gibor” (“El-oh-heem Ge-boor,” meaning “God of Battles”). Intone the name until it is the only thing in your conscious mind.

  Figure 15: The Tree of Life in the Human Body.

  Now bring a shaft of light diagonally across from Geburah to your Tiphareth center around the area of your heart. Form a sphere of light there. Vibrate the name “YHVH Eloah ve-Daath” (“Yode-heh-vav-heh El-oh-ah v’-Dah-ath”) several times until it fills your consciousness.

  Next, visualize a shaft of white light down diagonally from the Tiphareth center to your Netzach center at your left hip. Form a sphere of white light there. Vibrate the name “YHVH Tzabaoth” (“Yode-heh-vav-heh Tzah-bah-oth,” meaning “Lord of Hosts”) a number of times until it occupies all of your mind.

  Bring a shaft of white light horizontally from Netzach to your Hod center at your right hip. Form a sphere of light there. Vibrate the name “Elohim Tzabaoth” (“El-oh-heem Tzah-bah-oth,” meaning “God of Hosts”). Intone the name until it is the only thing in your conscious mind.

  Now see the shaft of white light descending diagonally from Hod into the Yesod center in the genital region. Imagine a sphere of light formed there. Intone the name “Shaddai El Chai” (“Shah-dye El-Chai,” meaning “Almighty Living God”) several times as before.

  Next, visualize the shaft of light descending straight down from Yesod into your Malkuth center at the feet and ankles. Imagine a sphere of light formed there. Vibrate the name “Adonai ha-Aretz” (“Ah-doe-nye Ha-Ah-retz,” meaning “Lord of Earth”) a number of times as before.

  Imagine the Tree complete. Then circulate the light you have brought down throughout all the spheres of the Tree. Move the energy around your aura using the four Circulations of Light described earlier.

  Finally focus some of the energy back into your Tiphareth center, the seat of equilibrium and balance.

  THE RITE OF FIVE PILLARS

  The following exercise is a very simplified method for exploring the idea of a three-dimensional Tree of Life.8 Using this method, a total of five pillars are formed within the student’s sphere of sensation—the two outer pillars of Mercy and Severity are duplicated, while the Middle Pillar maintains the pivotal balance. The image of the Tree of Life is reflected into the human body (see Chapter Nine, pages 180-184) so that the practitioner faces the archetypal image of the Tree, which is in turn reflected behind him (see Figure 16 below).9 Many more complex variations of the Five Pillar exercise are possible.

  This exercise is best performed either standing or sitting. After a few minutes of relaxation, vibrate the divine names of the Middle Pillar Sephiroth, one time each, esta
blishing the central column within your Sphere of Sensation. Then use the four Circulations of Light mentioned earlier to visualize and strengthen your aura, which extends several feet out from your physical body—a sphere of oval-shaped light.

  Figure 16: The Five Pillars.

  Once you have visualized the Sphere of Sensation, establish the four outer pillars which curve around the outer edges of your aura as follows.

  Return to your topmost center, Kether. Imagine a sphere of white light just above your head. Vibrate the name “Eheieh.” Keep vibrating this word until it is the only thought in your conscious mind.

  Imagine a ball of white light several feet in front of and to the right of your head. When this is fixed in your mind’s eye, visualize a corresponding ball of white light several feet behind and to the left of your head. Intone the name of “Yah.” Keep vibrating the name until both Chokmah spheres are glowing intensely with light.

  Now imagine a ball of white light several feet in front of and to the left of your head. When this image is fixed in your mind, visualize a corresponding ball of white light several feet behind and to the right of your forehead. Intone the name of “Yhvh Elohim.” Keep vibrating the name until both Binah spheres are radiating with light.

  Next, imagine a sphere of white light at your Daath center at the nape of your neck. Vibrate the name “Yhvh Elohim.” Intone the name until it is the only thing in your conscious mind.

  Visualize a ball of white light several feet in front of and to the right of your right shoulder. When this image is firm in your mind, visualize a corresponding ball of white light several feet behind and to the left of your left shoulder. Intone the name of “El.” Keep vibrating the name until both Chesed spheres glow brightly with light.

  Next imagine a ball of white light several feet in front of and to the left of your left shoulder. When this image is fixed in your mind, visualize a corresponding ball of white light several feet behind and to the right of your right shoulder. Intone the name of “Elohim Gibor.” Keep vibrating the name until both Geburah spheres are radiating with light.

  Now, imagine a sphere of white light at your Tiphareth center around the area of your heart. Vibrate the name “Yhvh Eloah ve-Daath.” Intone the name until it is the only thing in your conscious mind.

  Visualize a ball of white light several feet in front of and to the right of your right hip. When this image is firm in your mind, visualize a corresponding ball of white light several feet behind and to the left of your left hip. Intone the name of “Yhvh Tzabaoth.” Keep vibrating the name until both Netzach spheres glow brightly with light.

  Next imagine a ball of white light several feet in front of and to the left of your left hip. When this image is fixed in your mind, visualize a corresponding ball of white light several feet behind and to the right of your right hip. Intone the name of “Elohim Tzabaoth.” Keep vibrating the name until both Hod spheres are radiating with light.

  Now, imagine a sphere of white light at your Yesod center in the genital region. Intone the name “Shaddai El Chai” several times as before.

  Visualize a sphere of light at your Malkuth center at the feet and ankles. Vibrate the name “Adonai ha-Aretz” a number of times as before.

  Imagine that the Five Pillars have now been fully established in your aura. Then circulate the light you have brought down throughout all the spheres of the Tree. Circulate the light and energy using the same breathing / visualization techniques of the standard Middle Pillar exercise.

  Finally focus some of the energy back into your Tiphareth center, the sphere of harmony and equipoise.

  AN EGYPTIAN MIDDLE PILLAR EXERCISE

  Imagine a sphere of white light just above your head at your Kether point. Vibrate: “Nudjer ao” (pronounced “nud-jeh-r ah-oh,” meaning “The Great God, self-produced”). Keep vibrating until it is the only thought in your conscious mind. Then imagine a shaft of light descending from your Kether center to your Daath center at the nape of the neck.

  Form a sphere of light at the Daath center. Vibrate: “Neb Iri Khet” (pronounced “neb ee-ree khet,” meaning “The Lord Creator”). Intone the name until it is the only thing in your conscious mind.

  Bring a shaft of light down from the Daath center to the Tiphareth center around your heart. Form a sphere of light there. Vibrate: “Sia” (pronounced “see-ah,” meaning “God of Knowledge, and Wisdom”). Intone the name several times until it fills your consciousness.

  See the shaft of light descending from Tiphareth into the Yesod center in the genital region. Imagine a sphere of light formed there. Intone the phrase: “Neb Ankh” (pronounced “neb ah-nk,” meaning “Lord of Life”). Do this several times.

  Visualize the shaft of light descending from Yesod into your Malkuth center at the feet and ankles. Vibrate the phrase: “Nudjer ta” (pronounced “nud-jeh-r tah,” meaning “God of Earth”). Intone a number of times as before.

  Imagine the Middle Pillar complete. Move the energy around your aura using the four Circulations of Light described earlier. Using the cycles of breathing, bring the light down one side of the body and up the other, from Kether to Malkuth and back again. After performing this for a short period of time, imagine the ribbon of light descending down the front of your body and rising up your back.

  Still employing rhythmic breathing, visualize the shaft of light rising up the Middle Pillar in the center of your body. When it reaches Kether, imagine a shower of light surrounding the outside of your body as it descends to Malkuth again. Circulate the light in this manner for some time. Then see the light rise again in a ribbon that spirals around the outside of your body.

  Finally focus some of the energy back into your Tiphareth center.

  THE EGYPTIAN RITE OF THREE PILLARS

  After a few minutes of relaxation, imagine a sphere of white light just above your head. Vibrate the phrase “Nudjer ao” (pronounced “nud-jeh-r ah-oh,” meaning “The Great God, self-produced”).

  Keep vibrating this word until it is the only thought in your conscious mind. Maintain a strong visualization of the white sphere.

  Then imagine a shaft of light descending from your Kether center to your Chokmah center at the left temple of your forehead. Visualize a sphere of white light there. Intone the phrase of “Atef Nudjer” (pronounced “ah-tef nud-jeh-r,” meaning “Divine Father”). Keep vibrating the name until it is the complete focus of all your attention.

  Bring a shaft of white light horizontally across from your Chokmah center to your Binah center at the right temple of your forehead. Form a sphere of white light there. Vibrate the phrase “At” (pronounced “ah-t,” meaning “Great Lady”) a number of times until it occupies all of your mind.

  Now bring a shaft of light down diagonally from your Binah center to your Daath center at the nape of your neck. Visualize a sphere of white light there. Vibrate the phrase “Neb Iri Khet” (pronounced “neb ee-ree khet,” meaning “The Lord Creator”). Intone the name until it is the only thing in your conscious mind.

  Next, visualize a shaft of white light down diagonally from the Daath center to your Chesed center at your left shoulder. Form a sphere of light there. Vibrate the phrase “On-Nofer” (pronounced “ohn-noh-fer,” meaning “The Good Being”) a number of times until it occupies all of your mind.

  Bring a shaft of white light horizontally from Chesed to your Geburah center at your right shoulder. Visualize a sphere of light there. Vibrate the phrase “Smaa kheru” (pronounced “smah kerru,” meaning “the Justifier”). Intone the name until it is the only thing in your conscious mind.

  Now bring a shaft of light diagonally across from Geburah to your Tiphareth center around the area of your heart. Form a sphere of light there. Vibrate “Sia” (pronounced “see-ah,” meaning “God of Knowledge and Wisdom”) several times until it fills your consciousness.

  Next, visualize a shaft of white light down diagonally from the Tiphareth center to your Netzach center at your left hip. Form a sphere of light there
. Vibrate the phrase “Wer Nefuti” (pronounced “wehr neh-fu-tee,” meaning “Great of Victories”) a number of times until it occupies all of your mind.

  Bring a shaft of white light horizontally from Netzach to your Hod center at your right hip. Form a sphere of light there. Vibrate the phrase “Wer Heka” (pronounced “wehr heh-kah,” meaning “Great of Magic”). Intone the name until it is the only thing in your conscious mind.

  Now see the shaft of light descending diagonally from Hod into the Yesod center in the genital region. Imagine a sphere of white light formed there. Intone the phrase “Neb Ankh” (pronounced “neb ah-nk,” meaning “Lord of Life”) several times as before.

  Next, visualize the shaft of light descending straight down from Yesod into your Malkuth center at the feet and ankles. Imagine a sphere of white light formed there. Vibrate the phrase “Nudjer ta” (pronounced “nud-jeh-ru tah,” meaning “God of Earth”) a number of times as before.

  Imagine the Tree complete. Then circulate the light you have brought down throughout all the spheres of the Tree. Circulate the energy using the same breathing/visualization techniques of the standard Middle Pillar exercise.

  Finally focus some of the energy back into your Tiphareth center.

  A GREEK MIDDLE PILLAR EXERCISE

  Imagine a sphere of white light just above your head at your Kether point. Vibrate: “Ego Eimi” (Eγω εiµi pronounced “eh-gaw eh-mee,” meaning “I am”). Keep vibrating until it is the only thought in your conscious mind. Then imagine a shaft of light descending from your Kether center to your Daath center at the nape of the neck.