Non est vivere sed valere vita est
The Middle Pillar Exercise

The Middle Pillar Exercise

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y Z
Ta Te Th Ti To Tr Tu
The Thi Thr Thu Thy

The Middle Pillar Exercise is an effective technique that helps to cleanse, balance, and align our body, mind, and spiritual energies. It removes unwanted energies and can clear and recharge our personal energy field. Furthermore, it can help us connect with our divine selves and create a sense of peace and balance. Additionally, if practised regularly, it can increase our capacity to channel spiritual energy.

This exercise focuses on the main energy centres running through the middle of our bodies, from the top of our heads to our feet (Figure 1). These energy centres correspond to the spheres of the central pillar of the Qabalistic Tree of Life. This pillar is also known as the Pillar of Equilibrium, Balance, or Mildness. 

Note: The Tree of Life will be covered in a separate article. There are similarities between the Tree of Life and the chakra system; however, this article will refer to the energy centres by their Qabalistic Sephiroth (energy centre) names. 

To perform the Middle Pillar Exercise, you need to visualise yourself drawing down divine light or energy as an unbroken line from the universe through your Kether (your crown chakra). Let the energy flow down through each energy centre on the central axis of your body until it reaches the energy centre at your feet (Malkuth). After that, visualise yourself sending the energy down through the earth to ground, align, and connect you with the earth and the heavens.

Note: I recommend performing a clearing and protection exercise to ensure your space is clear before starting this activity. The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP) or The Rose Cross Ritual is highly recommended. 

Middle Pillar Exercise Instructions

The Qabalistic Cross

  1. Stand and face East (Most mobile phones have a compass built in if you are unsure).
  2. Take a couple of slow, deep breaths in and out to centre and still yourself, and become aware of your body and its connection with the earth below you and the sky above.
  3. Visualise a bright, burning white star far above your head in the heavens. This is the potent energy of the universe. Imagine yourself connecting with this energy and feeling its power. Take a moment to feel this energy.
  4. On your next deep breath in, reach up with your dominant hand to the light and visualise yourself drawing divine light or energy down from the heavens to the energy centre at the top of your head, Kether (or your Crown Chakra). Touch your forehead. 
  5. Vibrate ATEH (pronounced “Ah-tah,” means “Thou art”). At this point, the light becomes brighter and stronger. Visualise this light flowing down through you from the point above your head.
  6. As you breathe out, draw this energy down from the top of your head to the energy centre at your heart, Tipareth (or the Heart Chakra). Touch your chest. 
  7. On your next breath out, visualise the light following as an unbroken line down your body to stop at the energy centre at your feet, Malkuth (or the Root Chakra). 
  8. Vibrate MALKUTH (pronounced “mahl-koot,” means “Kingdom”). Again, the light becomes brighter and stronger.
  9. Draw the energy back up to your heart centre, and then draw the energy to the energy centre at your right shoulder, Geburah. Touch your right shoulder, the sphere of brilliant red light. 
  10. Vibrate VE-GEBURAH (pronounced “veh geh-boo-rah,” means “and the power”). 
  11. Draw the energy from your right shoulder, through your heart centre, to the energy centre at your left shoulder, Chesed. Touch your left shoulder, the sphere of brilliant blue light. 
  12. Vibrate VE-GEDULAH (pronounced “veh geh-dyoo-lah,” means “and the glory”).
  13. Bring the energy back to rest at your heart centre. Visualise a completed cross of light running from head to feet and shoulder to shoulder with all points of light fully connected and vibrant. Place your hands in the prayer position.
  14. Vibrate LE-OLAM, AMEN (pronounced “leh o-Lahm, ah-men,” means, “from now until the end of time, Amen”)

Descent Of The Light

  1. Focus on the energy centre you activated immediately above the crown of the head, Kether, and visualise the sphere burning bright white brilliance.
  2. Vibrate four times, slowly, the name AHIH (“eh-heh-yeh,” I am).
  3. As you do this, visualise the sphere growing in power and vibrancy.
  4. Draw the light energy down from Kether to the energy centre at the nape of the neck, forming a brilliant sphere. 
  5. Visualise this burning brightly blue-grey in colour. (I typically see these energy centres spinning in a clockwise direction, faster the more I intone the name and charge the energy centre, but it’s not mandatory.)
  6. Vibrate four times, slowly, the name YHVH ALHIM (“Ye-oh-vay ell-oh-heem,” The Lord God). 
  7. Again, each time you vibrate the name, visualise the energy centre growing in power and vibrancy and the colour becoming more vibrant. If you want to visualise these spinning, imagine them spinning faster as more power is drawn into it.
  8. Draw the beam of light down to the heart, Tipareth (or the Heart Chakra). This can be visualised as vibrant gold-yellow.
  9. Vibrate four times, slowly, the name YHVH ALVH VDAaTH (“Ye-oh-vay ell-oh-ah vah-dah-aht,” Lord God of Knowledge)
  10. Draw the beam of light down towards the energy centre at the genitals, Yesod. Visualise the vibrant violet sphere.
  11. Vibrate four times, slowly, the name ShDI AL ChI (“shah-die ell kye,” Almighty Living God). With each intonation, the energy centre glows brighter and spins faster.
  12. Draw the beam of light down to the feet and connect it with the energy centre at the feet, Malkuth. Visualise a brilliant sphere flashing dark red, dark green and black.
  13. Vibrate four times, slowly, the name ADNI HARTz (“ah-dawn-eye ha ah-Retz,” Lord of Earth). With each intonation, the energy centre glows brighter and spins faster.
  14. Take a moment to visualise your middle pillar, its energy centres and an unbroken line between them glowing brightly. 
  15. On your next deep breath out, visualise yourself extending this column of light energy out above you into the heavens and down below you to connect with the earth.

Circulating The Light

For this section, you are utilising the energy you just connected with to create a protective energetic shield around you to cleanse, charge and protect you.

  1. Focus your attention again on Kether shining brightly above your head. Take a deep breath in and visualise yourself connecting with the energy at Kether. 
  2. On your next exhale, visualise the energy flowing down the left side of your body from Kether to Malkuth at your feet. Imagine this energy expanding and forming a shield covering your body’s left side.
  3. On your next inhale, pull the energy up the right side of your body from Malkuth back up to Kether. Visualise this energy growing wider to form a shield covering the right side of your body, completing the circle and creating an unbroken energy shield. 
  4. Repeat the exhale down the left side of your body from Kether to Malkuth and inhale back up the right side from Malkuth back to Kether. Complete this circulation of the light four times, feeling the energy centres at Kether and Malkuth and the shield of light you created growing brighter and more powerful with each circulation. 
  5. On your next exhale, imagine the energy from Kether moving down the front of your body to Malkuth. Visualise this energy expanding and forming a shield covering your body’s front. 
  6. On your next inhale, visualise yourself pulling the energy from Malkuth back up the back of your body to Kether. Imagine this energy growing wider to form a shield that covers the back of your body, completing the circle and creating an unbroken energy shield.
  7. Again, complete this circulation of the light four times, feeling the energy centres at Kether and Malkuth and the shield of light you created, growing brighter and more powerful with each circulation. 
  8. Finally, at Kether, on your next exhale, visualise the energy spiralling clockwise around your body down to Malkuth, creating a new shield on top of the one you just created. 
  9. On your next inhale, pull the energy spiralling back up from Malkuth to Kether in an anticlockwise direction, covering your entire body.
  10. Again, complete this circulation of the light four times, feeling the energy centres at Kether and Malkuth and the shield of light you created, growing brighter and more powerful with each circulation.
  11. You should now have two very strong unbroken shields protecting you and your causal body. Take a couple of additional breaths, visualising yourself strengthening these shields with every inhale, drawing in the energy from the earth and heavens

Meditation & Closing

It is recommended that you take some time to meditate or sit in stillness at this point. You can do this for as long as you can spare or until you lose focus. Try to hold all the spheres of the middle pillar in your awareness during this time.

You may receive messages or see visualisations from your higher self or guides, so take your time and don’t rush this part. It’s also a good idea to bring a journal with you to record your progress, and to practice this exercise often.

If you’re new to this practice, it’s important to focus on developing your visualisation skills and becoming proficient in exercises like this one. If you can’t visualise the spheres in colour, don’t worry; simply visualise them in white light instead. As you continue to train and study, you’ll be able to develop your ability to visualise them in colour.

For more advanced practitioners, simply holding the image of the spheres in your mind isn’t enough. Instead, try to feel your way into them, concentrate on the image’s meaning, and strive to perceive its reality directly.

The Qabalistic Cross

  • Repeat the Qabalistic Cross to close.

Supporting Materials

The following diagram illustrates the Sephirot of the Tree of life, thier names and how they map onto the body. It is worth noting that whilst Malkuth is found at the bottom of the feet, it carrys many of the same properties as the Root Chakra, however the chakra system stops at the base of the spine and the Qabalistic Tree of Life covers the entire body. Again this will be covered in other articles.

The Middle Pillar Exercise is based on the energy centers of the body that correspond to the spheres of the central pillar of the qabalistic Tree of Life.


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