Middle Pillar Exercise

[qos]

Last night I did a Middle Pillar exercise for the first time, using the ritual technique outlined by John Michael Greer in Paths of Wisdom, which is based on the Golden Dawn tradition.

I've been very faithful with my nightly hermetic practice, performing a Qabalistic Cross, Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram, then another Qabalistic Cross, pretty much every night for at least four or five months. My experience with both the QC and the LBRP was that it took a long time to feel like I was getting anything out of it. Over time I felt more and more like "something" was happening, and since my initiation, I've experienced the energy of the rituals more deeply, and felt more confidence when I vibrate the words that are part of the practices.

My first experience of the Middle Pillar was far more intense than my first practices of the QC and LBRP. I clearly felt the energy coming into me through Kether, and had a strong sense of tingling and expansion in the Daath sphere in my neck. Moving the energy into Tiphareth made me feel like my heart was physically expanding. It was hard to get the energy down into Yesod and Malkuth, but it worked. Afterward, my entire upper body felt warm.

At first I was just going to record the experience in my paper journal, then I realized that I wanted to talk to my teacher about it. She was quite pleased with my results, and said that it was unusual for someone doing it the first time to have such an intense experience. According to her, it's often best for a neophyte to do it for the first time in the company of someone experienced, and that the activated spheres of the experienced person help activate the spheres in the novice.

I hadn't done the practice with another person present -- but I had broken from my usual pattern by putting on items of power before I began my practice: the chain necklace of my service to Ereshkigal, and the prayer shawl which my teacher had made for me last year, which was also blessed by LM.

My teacher and I think it's possible that my spheres were activated by the inner planes, working through the already charged items I was wearing. It's one of those "unprovable" things -- but fits her experience and my non-rational impulse to make them part of my work that evening.


The other significant aspect of last night's experience was that it's the first time I can remember that I went on to a more advanced spiritual/magical technique by building on a foundation of practice I'd established over time. I've just never spent the time and effort to establish that base before.

At the beginning of our time together, Ereshkigal gripped the necklace, pulled me close to her, bestowed a terrifying smile on me, and said, This is where you go deep. "Going deep" also involves getting to "build up."

It feels really, really good.

Comments

[blessed-harlot.livejournal.com]

This is very, very cool.

[oakmouse]

"Going deep" also involves getting to "build up."

Yup. *g* Remember the resonance between deep and high.

Congratulations on your achievement and on your realization. Now you've been shown some of the benefits of keeping on in spite of the lure of dropping what seem to be useless practices.

Yes!

[shades-of-nyx.livejournal.com]

I didn't know you were doing CM stuff, or I'd have chimed in sooner. There is another good description of the "Middle Pillar" in "Garden of Pomegranates" by Regardie.
The middle pillar is essential to my personal daily practice.

Re: Yes!

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

CM is relatively new to me. My teacher strongly encouraged it because I had little or no experience in formal ritual or energy work -- and I was very resistant in the beginning.