Understanding the
Order System
Even solitary Golden Dawn magicians should have a basic understanding of the various grades or levels of initiation, as well as the officers involved in group work performed within a functioning Order. “Why?” you might ask. “I don’t need to be initiated in an order, I just want to do the magic!”
The answer is that the Order system itself is intimately connected to the practical, personal magic of the aspirant. The layout of the Temple; the energies, symbols, and functions connected with the officiating magicians; and the forces invoked during the various grade initiation ceremonies are fully utilized in most of the advanced workings of Golden Dawn magicians. Various magical techniques and formulas are hidden and sometimes clearly displayed in the movements, composition, and speeches of the rituals and their structural supports.
Traditionally, Golden Dawn magic was only taught within the confines of the Order system. Its teachings were simply not available to seekers outside of the official Order setting. That began to change in 1937 when Israel Regardie published the bulk of the Order’s curriculum in The Golden Dawn: The Original Account of the Teachings, Rites and Ceremonies of the Hermetic Order. This opened the floodgates for esoteric students eager to work the system on their own. Regardie was a vocal champion of the idea that students could initiate themselves through the various grades of the Golden Dawn. It was his opinion that through repeated performance of such rituals as the Middle Pillar exercise and the Opening by Watchtower, the aspiring magician could effectively be considered an initiate of the Golden Dawn’s magical current.
The Dreaded “H” Word
Some make the mistake of thinking that the Golden Dawn system is authoritarian because there is a hierarchy of structured grades and supervising officers. Remember that the Golden Dawn is a school of the Mysteries. Within the order setting there is a hierarchy like that of any other school, wherein the administration and faculty (not the student body!) sets the agenda and course material. A hierarchical system allows experienced officers and more advanced students to guide and advise beginners. But some will always prefer the route of the solo practitioner and self-initiation.
Even today it is difficult to become a member of an initiating Golden Dawn order due to the fact that, compared to other spiritual paths that exist with the aid of large organized religions, Golden Dawn magicians compose a tiny niche. And while there are far more Golden Dawn Temples operating in the world today than in any previous time, they simply don’t exist everywhere. They were never meant to. Therefore, it is not always possible for prospective students to find a Temple close to them. Some groups offer useful correspondence courses and mentoring to long-distance members, while others offer more dubious practices such as astral initiation by proxy, by telephone, or over the internet. The value of an initiation performed when the student is not physically present in a Sacred Space purified and consecrated by an initiating team trained to move energy within the aspirant’s auric sphere is, of course, highly questionable. This is one of the primary reasons that we wrote Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition for solo practitioners who wish to experience a more traditional practice designed for solitary work.
The main construct at the core of the Order system has already been introduced—the Qabalah! The various grade initiations and even the officers who implement them correlate to other spiritual energies and cosmic principles that we now examine.
Some Common Terms
Golden Dawn ceremonies are held in a room often called a Hall but also commonly referred to as a Temple. A male initiate is a frater, or brother, and a female is a soror, or sister. The plural forms are fratres and sorores. Someone preparing for their first initiation is called a candidate.
Grades and Degrees
When we refer to the Golden Dawn system, we are actually referring to two different Orders that are interconnected. The First or Outer Order is the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. The Second or Inner Order is the Ordo Rosae Rubeae et Aurea Crucis, usually referred to as the R.R. et A.C. The two Orders serve as outer and inner courts of the mysteries.
The ten grades of the Golden Dawn system correspond to the Sephiroth on the Qabalistic Tree of Life. These grades are divided into three separate groups known as the First, Second, and Third Orders. The grades (from lowest to highest) are listed in Table 23.
|
Grade |
Symbol |
Sephirah |
Element |
Planet |
|
Neophyte |
|
– |
– |
– |
|
Zelator |
|
Malkuth |
Earth |
Earth |
|
Theoricus |
|
Yesod |
Air |
Luna |
|
Practicus |
|
Hod |
Water |
Mercury |
|
Philosophus |
|
Netzach |
Fire |
Venus |
|
Portal |
– |
|
Spirit |
– |
|
Adeptus Minor |
|
Tiphareth |
– |
Sol |
|
Adeptus Major |
|
Geburah |
– |
Mars |
|
Adeptus Exemptus |
|
Chesed |
– |
Jupiter |
|
Magister Templi |
|
Binah |
– |
Saturn |
|
Magus |
|
Chokmah |
– |
– |
|
Ipsissimus |
|
Kether |
– |
– |
The First Order consists of the grades from Neophyte through Philosophus. The grade of Neophyte is a probationary period that is not assigned a Sephirah on the Tree of Life. A person of this grade would be considered a member of the Order, but not yet a full initiate. And yet in one sense this is the most important grade, because it is the one grade that all initiated Golden Dawn members share. We are all Neophytes.
The grades from Zelator through Philosophus are known as the elemental grades, and are each attributed to one of the four elements: Fire, Water, Air, Earth. Advancement through the grades of the First Order is designed to expose the initiate to the four elemental principles of nature. But more importantly, the student advancing through these grades learns to recognize, cleanse, and rebalance the four elements as they exist within his or her own psychological makeup. These inner elements can be characterized as distinct sections of the subconscious mind and the auric sphere. In our tradition these elements are symbolized by the Egyptian God Osiris who was killed, dismembered, reassembled, and resurrected into a pure spiritual form. The keywords of the entire First Order could easily be rendered as “purify and balance.”
Between the grades of the Philosophus and Adeptus Minor there is an additional initiation ceremony that is not assigned to a Sephirah on the Tree of Life. The Portal is not properly a grade, but it is in fact another probationary period between the First and Second Orders. The Portal is attributed to the fifth element of Spirit, which crowns and completes the other four elements. It is also a period of incubation; the initiate who has equilibrated the four elements within the psyche undergoes a symbolic nine-month interval of gestation before being “born” as an Adept of the Second Order.
The Second Order consists of grades from Adeptus Minor to Adeptus Exemptus, and it is here that the initiate begins the practice of ceremonial magic. The grade of Adeptus Minor or the “Lesser Adept” is the grade where the majority of the published magical work of the system takes place. This is fitting because the initiate who advances to the higher grades assigned to Geburah and Chesed must always be able to return to the balanced sphere of Tiphareth on the Middle Pillar and the humble title of the “Lesser Adept.”
It would be far better if we could simply drop the word “adept” from our lexicon entirely, because at the point of initiation into thegrade, what exactly is it that the aspirant is adept at? The theoretical knowledge of the Outer Order! He or she is just beginning the practical magic of the Inner Order!
The higher grades are divided into various subgrades that mirror the grades of the Outer Order: Neophyte Adeptus Minor (NAM), Zelator Adeptus Minor (ZAM), Theoricus Adeptus Minor (ThAM), and so on. In similarity with the Neophyte Grade, the Neophyte Adeptus Minor is the one grade that all adepts share.
While the First Order can be seen as Osirian in emphasis, the Second Order is Rosicrucian. Rosicrucianism is a mystical and philosophical movement that emerged in Germany during the seventeenth century and was said to have been created by the mythical founder, Christian Rosenkreutz. The Rosicrucian movement spawned several groups concerned with the study of religious mysticism, philosophical and religious doctrines, alchemy, Qabalah, spiritual transformation, and general esotericism. Whereas other Rosicrucian groups are oriented toward mysticism, the Golden Dawn’s Inner Order is the preeminent magical manifestation of the Rosicrucian impulse.
The Second Order guides and teaches the First Order, and is likewise guided and taught by the Third Order.
The Third Order, consisting of grades from the Magister Templi to Ipsissimus, is made up of nonphysical beings—inner planes contacts—who are guardians of the entire current represented by the Golden Dawn. It is not possible for a living adept to attain these high grades since it entails crossing the abyss and entering the realm of the Supernal Triad. These grades are not attained by living initiates, although some Orders give out these high titles honorarily, a practice we disagree with because it tends to inflame the ego—working against the psychic balance that all adepts should strive for.
There are numerical symbols attached to each grade, such asor 
. The first number refers to the number of steps or initiations symbolically taken on the Qabalistic Tree of Life to attain that grade. The second number refers to the exact Sephirah or sphere on the Tree of Life represented by that grade.
The Three Degrees
The three degrees of the Golden Dawn are often mistakenly identified with the three Orders. The terms “grades, “orders,” and “degrees” are entirely distinct within the structure of the Golden Dawn and should not be confused.
The First Degree is composed of the five grades of the Outer Order from Neophyte through Philosophus. It is attributed to the Black Pillar of Severity on the Tree of Life.
The Second Degree consists of one grade only, that of the Portal. This probationary degree corresponds to the White Pillar of Mercy on the Qabalistic Tree.
The Third Degree encompasses the three grades of the Inner Order of the R.R. et A.C. This degree is assigned to the Middle Pillar on the Tree of Life.
The Temple
One of the most common setups of the Temple space is known as the Hall of the Neophytes (Figure 21), the first arrangement that a candidate sees and one that will form the blueprint for much of his or her magical work from that point forward.
Symbolically, the Temple is situated on the bottom portion of the Qabalistic Tree of Life with Malkuth in the far west and Yesod just east of the Altar. The Pillars of Mercy and Severity are represented by physical columns, one black and the other white. A veil behind the dais in the east represents a demarcation on the Tree, behind which is symbolically Tiphareth.
The Officers
The Greatly Honored Chiefs
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was founded and organized along the lines of a hierarchical system. It is headed and directed by three individuals known as the Greatly Honored Chiefs. These offices, like any other office in the Order system, can be filled by persons of either gender.
Besides their administrative duties, the G.H. Chiefs take on the godforms of certain Egyptian deities and act as magical batteries or channels that intercede between specific inner planes contacts and the rest of the membership.
The G.H. Chiefs include the Praemonstrator, the Imperator, and the Cancellarius. They are seated on a dais in the east—the direction of the dawning Sun that all Golden Dawn Temples are oriented toward.
In addition to wearing Lamens of the Circled Cross (a stylized form of the Rose Cross) these three officers wear the emblem of the Order they govern, the Cross and Triangle, on their outer cloaks. (Figure 54 in chapter 6)
The Temple Chiefs
Individual Temples are governed by three adepts known as the Temple Chiefs, who answer unto the G.H. Chiefs and represent them in the Temple, assuming their Dias stations and symbolism when the G.H. Chiefs are not present. Temple Chiefs also go by the titles of Praemonstrator, Imperator, and Cancellarius, but they should not be confused with the G.H. Chiefs, as their administration extends only to the respective Temple placed in their care.
Præmonstrator
Præmonstrator is Latin for “guide” and “one who prophesies.” The feminine form is Præmonstratrix. This officer is the teacher or instructor and symbolizes Water and the Qabalistic Sephirah of Chesed. The Egyptian Deity associated with this officer is Isis, premier Goddess and patron of magic. The ceremonial regalia worn by the Præmonstrator is primarily blue. He bears a scepter topped by a Maltese Cross. This officer also represents the grade of Adeptus Exemptus.
Imperator
Imperator is Latin for “commander, leader.” The feminine form is Imperatrix. This officer is the lawgiver and symbolizes Fire and the Qabalistic Sephirah of Geburah. The Egyptian Deity associated with this officer is Nephthys, sister of Isis. The ceremonial regalia worn by the Imperator is primarily red, and he bears a red sword. This officer also represents the grade of Adeptus Major.
Cancellarius
Cancellarius is Latin for “chancellor,” indicating a high official in a church or university. It originally meant “doorkeeper.” Its implied meaning is an intermediate or someone who occupies a middle position. The feminine form is Cancellaria. This officer is the scribe, secretary, or recorder who is in charge of all written records, archives, and communications. The Cancellarius symbolizes Air and the Qabalistic Sephirah of Tiphareth. The Egyptian Deity associated with this officer is Thoth, the ibis-headed scribe of the Gods. The ceremonial regalia worn by the Cancellarius is primarily yellow and he bears a scepter topped by a Hexagram. This officer also represents the grade of Adeptus Minor.
The Seven
Except for astral work, all ritual in the Temple is carried out by seven active officers who perform specific duties in the ceremonies of the Outer Order. They are: Hierophant, Hiereus, Hegemon, Keryx, Stolistes, Dadouchos, and Phylax. These titles are derived from those of officiating priests of the Eleusinian Mysteries in ancient Greece.
Many of these officers also represent various First Order grades, and while it is preferable that they hold the grade they represent (at a minimum) it is not usually required that they do so.
Hierophant
Hierophant comes from the Greek Hierophantes, “he who shows Sacred things” or “initiating priest.” Its implied meaning is one who teaches spiritual matters, especially with regard to adorations and sacrifices. The feminine form is Hierophantissa. The Hierophant sits at the center of the dais in the east. He is the presiding officer and the inductor to the Mysteries, and also represents the Portal grade. His Lamen symbol is the circled Cross (like those of the three Chiefs), and his ritual implements are the crown-headed scepter and the white Banner of the East. The Egyptian Deity associated with the Hierophant is Osiris, the slain and resurrected god.
Of the seven active officers, only the Hierophant is required to be a member of the Second Order and, at a minimum, hold the grade of ZAM.
(Note: The member who served in the office of Hierophant for the semester immediately preceding the current one is known as the Past Hierophant. He is seated on the dais to the left of the Hierophant and partakes of the same symbolism. The Egyptian Deity associated with the Past Hierophant is Horus the Elder.)
Hiereus
Hiereus means “priest,” which implies one who performs sacrifices in the Temple. The feminine form is Hiereia. Stationed in the west, the Hiereus is the sword-bearing Guardian of the Sacred Mysteries who protects the Hall from the profane and banishes all that is evil or unbalanced. His Lamen symbol is the Triangle, and his ritual implements are a sword and the black Banner of the West. The Egyptian Deity associated with the Hiereus is Horus, the hawk-headed avenger of the Gods. This officer also represents the grade of Philosophus.
Hegemon
Hegemon is Greek for “guide, leader.” Its implied meaning is one who proceeds first on a path. The feminine form is Hegemone. Stationed between the two pillars just east of the Hall’s center, the Hegemon is the Guardian of the Threshold of Entrance and Preparer of the Way for the Enterer. He guides the candidate through the Temple during initiation. His Lamen symbol is the cross, and his ritual implement is a miter-headed wand. The Egyptian Deity associated with the Hegemon is Ma’at, Goddess of justice and balance. This officer also represents the grade of Practicus.
Keryx
Keryx is Greek for “herald.” Its implied meaning is one who announces, calls the meeting to order, and delivers messages. The feminine form is Kerykissa. Stationed in the Southwest, the Keryx is the Warder within the Temple who guards against intrusion. He makes all proclamations and leads all processions around the Hall. His Lamen symbol is the caduceus, and he carries a red lamp and a caduceus staff. The Egyptian Deity associated with the Keryx is Anubis. This officer also represents the grade of Theoricus.
Stolistes
Stolistes means “preparer” or “decorator.” Its implied meaning is one who sees that all ritual clothing and ornamentation are in readiness. The feminine form is the same. His station is in the north. The implement of the Stolistes is the Cup of Water, and he is in charge of all ritual purifications. His Lamen symbol is also the Cup. The Egyptian Deity associated with the Stolistes is Mut, the mother Goddess. This officer also represents the grade of Zelator.
Dadouchos
Dadouchos is Greek for “torch bearer.” In the Eleusinian Mysteries, this officer was a woman who held the torch as a symbol of the way by which Demeter searched for her daughter. The feminine form is Dadouche. His station is in the south. The implement of the Stolistes is the Censer of Incense, and he is in charge of all ritual consecrations. His Lamen symbol is the Fylfot Cross or swastika, an ancient emblem of whirling forces. The Egyptian Deity associated with the Dadouchos is Neith, a Goddess of wisdom and war. Like the Stolistes, this officer also represents the grade of Zelator.
An Alternative Symbol for the Dadouchos
The Cross Potent
Some readers might find the ancient emblem of the Fylfot Cross, otherwise known as the swastika, to be problematic for obvious reasons. It is highly unfortunate that this millennia-old Sacred symbol was misappropriated in the mid-twentieth century by Nazis, racists, and modern extremist political groups for their own corrupt, evil purposes. Such heinous purposes are entirely antithetical to the spiritual ideals of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.
Bear in mind that the whirling motion of the Dadouchos’ Fylfot Cross, as indicated by the arm positions, was to the right. The Nazis used a tilted and reversed version of the symbol. However, it may still be too difficult for some to use the traditional symbol of the Dadouchos.
Luckily, there is an alternative symbol for magicians who simply cannot use the Fylfot Cross in their spiritual work: the Cross Potent (Figure 22). Like the Fylfot Cross, the Cross Potent is composed of 17 units derived from the 25-unit qamea of Mars and so it can fit many aspects of the esoteric symbolism the Order teachings require.
Phylax
Phylax is Greek for “sentinel, guardian.” The feminine form is Phylakissa. The Phylax is stationed in the Pronaos or antechamber to guard the outer side of the door and keep out intruders. His Lamen symbol is the all-seeing eye and his implement is a sword. The Egyptian Deity associated with the Phylax is Opowet, a wolf-headed God associated with Anubis and sometimes referred to as Anubis of the West. This officer also represents the grade of Neophyte.
All the officers work together to transmit the proper magical force in any initiation rite. The seven Outer Order officers are appointed to serve for a period of six months, from equinox to equinox. The Temple is magically reconsecrated at this time and the members are given a new password for the ensuing semester. See Figure 23 for the Lamen symbols for each officer.
Figure 23: Lamen Symbols of the Officers
Ritual Drama and Initiation
The initiation ceremonies of the Golden Dawn are a series of mystery plays or ritual dramas infused from beginning to end with various techniques and formulae of magic. The officers reenact specific mythologies essential to the Western Esoteric Tradition, including the spiritual legends of the ancient Egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks, and the Rosicrucians. The Neophyte Grade reenacts Egyptian legend of the “Weighing of the Soul” in the Hall of Truth. The mythological narrative that acts as the background for the Zelator Ceremony is the ancient Hebrew Tabernacle in the Wilderness described in the Book of Exodus. The Theoricus endures a ritualized passage through the Underworld. The Practicus allegorically undergoes the Samothracian Mysteries of Ancient Greece. The Philosophus witnesses a drama revolving around a Biblical account of the battle between good and evil, order and chaos. The Portal ceremony features elemental re-integration and balancing. And the Adeptus Minor is introduced to the story of Christian Rosenkreutz.
To effect a psychospiritual change in the awareness of the candidate, the ritual officers work as a team using the magical methods of divine theurgy—symbols and correspondences, manipulation of the astral light, and the faculties of willpower, visualization, and imagination—to give the ceremony its magical potency. Whether or not the candidate is made aware of the narrative drama underlying the ritual, every initiation ceremony is the focus of subtle manipulations of the astral light intended to help the candidate in his or her quest for spiritual growth.
A Golden Dawn initiation ceremony requires that certain magical forces be activated within the candidate’s sphere of sensation. Because of this, it is crucial that a team of initiators be qualified and competent. They must be able to transmit the proper magical energies into the candidate’s aura.
All of the symbols and movements in a Golden Dawn initiation ceremony, including the various signs, grips, gestures, and passwords, are designed to enhance and reiterate the purpose of the ritual—the quest for the Divine Light. Not all of the intricate symbolism is fully comprehended by the candidate, but that makes little difference in the long run, because the inherent value of such symbolism is that it has an auto-suggestive effect on the candidate that is perceived at a deep, subconscious level.
If the entire initiatory process is successful, the candidate will have been given an infusion of divine energy, in the hope that he or she will indeed attain the increased awareness that is needed to exalt the soul and achieve the completion of the Great Work. The objective of the entire system is to bring the Divine Light into all aspects of the soul and psyche. “For it is by that Light that the golden Banner of the inner life may be exalted; it is in light where lies healing and the power of growth.” Although the initiating officers can provide the necessary magical impetus for this end, it is up to the individual aspirant to travel the path of initiation with heart and determination.
The Psychology of Initiation
We often use the term “psyche” to indicate not only the soul but also the intellect, the Spirit, and the totality of all psychic processes. This includes the two primary divisions of the human psyche: the conscious and the unconscious.
Consciousness is that component of waking awareness perceptible to a person at any given instant. Consciousness is not merely “thinking” but also feeling, will, fantasy, and all other facets of waking life. It includes the ego—that portion of the psyche that governs thought and behavior. As a defense mechanism, the ego often creates a false front or outer persona—a mask that it presents to the outer world as reality, but which in fact conceals the true nature of the individual.
The unconscious can be further divided into the collective unconscious and the personal unconscious. Swiss psychologist Carl Jung’s idea of the collective unconscious, or the mental patterns and psychic structures that are universally shared by all of humanity, comes very close to Eliphas Levi’s idea of the astral light.
The impulses and content of the personal unconscious, on the other hand, are unique to the individual. The personal unconscious is the often-cited “evil twin” of the human psyche, containing all the repressed, forgotten, or rejected memories and drives that make up the shadow, a type of alter ego whose unconscious inclinations run opposite to those of the ego.
In magic, the shadow is analogous to the qlippoth—the unbalanced, and corrupted energies that offset the balanced, orderly, and positive aspects of the Sephiroth. The qlippoth are often symbolized collectively by the figure of a terrible red dragon. Rather than confronting their own shadow, their own “personal demon,” many people project the attributes of the shadow onto someone else. Repressed psychic material not dealt with in an appropriate fashion will usually leak out in ways that are both unwanted and unhealthy.
The personal unconscious also includes the animus and anima, masculine and feminine soul images. The proper role of either one is to act as a psychopomp or “soul guide”—the mediator between the conscious and the unconscious.
One of the goals of the initiatory process is integration. This integration takes place on three levels: magical, alchemical, and psychological. All three can be said to involve three stages of progression, the purposes of which are similar, and overlap in different areas. In magic these stages can be called purification, consecration, and union. In alchemy they are called separation, purification, and recombination. In psychology these stages can be called analysis, confronting the shadow, and individuation or self-realization. These terms are merely different facets of the same goal: to achieve one’s highest potential as a human being.
Golden Dawn initiation ceremonies are designed to instill within the candidate an awareness of his or her own divine nature, providing a means by which the magician can consciously release the psyche from the bondage of the repressed and projected shadow and facilitate integration of the newly purified portions of the psyche.
One objective of the initiation ceremonies is to gradually bring about a higher state of awareness that is essentially threefold: it encompasses the ideas of spiritual illumination, psychological health, and wholeness of being.
In an initiation ceremony, the officers represent the various component parts of the candidate’s psyche all working together to effect a change in consciousness. Thus, the Keryx symbolizes the candidate’s Ruach or intellectual mind leading the way on the path toward the Divine Light. He represents the lower part of the reasoning mind functioning in obedience to the Higher Will.
The active will of the candidate is represented by the Hiereus, who protects against all evil and imbalance.
The Hegemon is analogous to the highest part of the reasoning mind, working in combination with the divine soul. This officer symbolizes the Neshamah—the aspiring, compassionate, and intuitive consciousness that seeks to bring about the rise of the Light, and the one who guides the candidate along the way.
The Higher and Divine Genius is represented by the Hierophant. Symbolizing the supreme spiritual soul, this officer is stationed in the east, the place of the dawning Sun and the symbolic direction of the heavens. It is through him that the higher powers are brought into the Temple.
While an initiation ritual is certainly an artificial method for expressing the abstract psychological principles inherent with the human Spirit, a well-performed initiation can accelerate growth of consciousness and spiritual awareness within the candidate.
Hidden Formulas of Magic
Another important aspect of the initiation rituals is this: hidden within them are countless formulas for practical magical work. These include techniques for evocation, consecration of talismans, spiritual development, and more, and are grouped together under the title of the Magic of Light (covered in chapter 10).
Purification Exercise 1: Elemental Balancing
One of the essential steps in our theurgic process is to bring to the aspirant an awareness of the inner elemental makeup of his or her psyche in conjunction with the cleansing and balancing of these elements within the mind and aura.
In this exercise, the elements are imaged in the aura to mirror the placement of the elements in Malkuth. They are activated within the auric sphere of the magician by physical actions, visualizations, and vibration of godnames associated with the lower Sephiroth on the Tree and their associated elements.
1. Begin with your personal Pre-Ritual Meditation Practice.
2. Imagine a brilliant light above your head. Reach up with your right hand as if to touch this light and bring it down to your forehead. Imagine the yellow Triangle of Air superimposed over the upper part of your body. Vibrate “SHADDAI EL CHAI” (Shah-dye El Chai) a number of times until the vision and the vibration are clear and strong.
3. Then picture the black Triangle of Earth covering the lower portion of your body. Bring your hand down as if pointing to the ground and vibrate “ADONAI HA-ARETZ” (Ah-doh-nye Hah-Ah-retz) a number of times as before.
4. Visualize the red Triangle of Fire superimposed over the right side of your body. Touch your right shoulder and intone “YHVH TZABAOTH” (Yode-Heh-Vav-Heh Tzah-Bah-oth) several times as before.
5. Imagine the blue Triangle of Water covering the left side of your body. Touch your left shoulder and intone “ELOHIM TZABAOTH” (El-oh-heem Tzah-Bah-oth) several times.
6. Bring both hands together, interlocking the fingers, palms outward with the thumbs pointing down, and touch the area of your heart with your knuckles. Imagine the Spirit Wheel in white at the center of your body, uniting the four elemental Triangles. Imagine the brilliant light above your head connected with this sigil of Spirit. Vibrate “ETH” until the vision and the vibration are clear and strong.
7. Begin the following visualizations with the rhythmic breathing of the Fourfold Breath:
• Inhale: imagine the Fire Triangle
• Full Hold: imagine the Water Triangle
• Exhale: imagine the Air Triangle
• Empty Hold: imagine the earth Triangle
8. Breathe normally. Strongly imagine all of the elemental Triangles within your psyche balanced and harmonized under the guidance of Spirit.
9. When finished, take note of how you feel and any insights that you may have experienced during the exercise.
The Exercise of the Three Pillars
This variation of the Middle Pillar exercise expands the basic exercise to include all the Sephiroth on the Tree of Life, bringing all of the divine energies of the Tree into the magician’s aura.
The exercise can be performed standing, sitting, or lying down. Begin with closed eyes and rhythmic breathing.
Vibration of Sephiroth Godnames
1. Imagine a sphere of white light just above your head. Vibrate the name “EHEIEH” (Eh-hey-yay) three times or more until it is the only thought in your conscious mind.
2. 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 gray light there. Intone the name of “YAH.” Keep vibrating the name the same number of times as before.
3. 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 black light there. Vibrate the name “YHVH ELOHIM” (Yode-heh-vav-heh El-oh-heem) a number of times as before.
4. 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 gray-white light there. Vibrate the name “YHVH ELOHIM.” Intone the name a number of times as before.
5. 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 blue light there. Vibrate the name “EL” a number of times as before.
6. Bring a shaft of white light horizontally from Chesed to your Geburah center at your right shoulder. Visualize a sphere of red light there. Vibrate the name “ELOHIM GIBOR” (El-oh-heem Ge-boor). Intone the name a number of times as before.
7. Now bring a shaft of light diagonally across from Geburah to your Tiphareth center at your heart. Form a sphere of yellow light there. Vibrate the name “YHVH ELOAH VE-DAATH” (Yode-heh-vav-heh El-oh-ah V’-Dah-ath) a number of times.
8. Next, visualize a shaft of white light down diagonally from Tiphareth to your Netzach center at your left hip. Form a sphere of green light there. Vibrate the name “YHVH TZABAOTH” (Yode-heh-vav-heh Tzah-bah-oth) a number of times.
9. Bring a shaft of white light horizontally from Netzach to your Hod center at your right hip. Form a sphere of orange light there. Vibrate the name “ELOHIM TZABAOTH” (El-oh-heem Tzah-bah-oth). Intone the name a number of times as before.
10. Now see the shaft of white light descending diagonally from Hod into the Yesod center in the genital region. Imagine a sphere of violet light formed there. Intone the name “SHADDAI EL CHAI” (Shah-dye El-Chai) several times as before.
11. 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 in the colors of citrine, russet brown, olive green, and black. Vibrate the name “ADONAI HA-ARTEZ” (Ah-doe-nye Ha-Ah-retz) a number of times as before.
Visualized Circulation of Breath
Imagine the Tree of Life complete. Then circulate the light you have brought down through the various Sephiroth around the outside of your body to strengthen your aura. Use the same steps for visualizing the circulation of light and breath as you did for the basic Middle Pillar exercise (side to side, front to back, and in a shower of light).
Closing
12. Finally, center some of the energy in Tiphareth, the heart center, before ending the exercise.
Visualization Exercise: Sword and Serpent
This visualization can be substituted for the Visualized Circulation of Breath at the end of the exercise of the Three Pillars.
1. After the Sephirah Malkuth has been established in your aura by visualization and vibration of the godname, visualize the Serpent of Wisdom slowly climbing the Tree of Life from its base in Malkuth, wending its way along the Navitoth, starting with the Path of Tau, and ending with the Path of Aleph. While imaging the slow ascent of the Serpent, begin a long, slow inhale of breath.
2. As you visualize the Serpent of Wisdom reaching the Path of Aleph at the top of the Tree, give a rapid exhale of breath and visualize the Flaming Sword striking all of the Sephiroth from Kether to Malkuth nearly simultaneously, bringing the ten spheres to vibrant life.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for several cycles, with a slow inhale and ascent of the Serpent, followed by a rapid exhale and descent of the Flaming Sword. Imagine the flow of energy between the two polarities of Kether and Malkuth, Spirit and Matter, evolution and involution.
4. Finally, center some of the energy in Tiphareth, the seat of balance, before ending the exercise.
Review Questions
1. The name of which officer originally meant “doorkeeper”?
2. Which officer is associated with Chesed?
3. Where do the names of the seven active officers come from?
4. What is the name of the Second Order?
5. Which grade is assigned to Water?
6. Which grade is assigned to Yesod?
7. Which grade is assigned to Sol?
8. What is the most important grade?
9. The three Orders are often mistaken for what?
10. What does the Second Degree consist of?
11. Define the word “psyche.”
12. What is the shadow?
13. What term means “soul guide”?
14. What is the goal of initiation?
15. What is your experience of the exercise of the Three Pillars?
16. What is your experience of the Sword and Serpent exercise?