The Middle Pillar: The Balance Between Mind and Magic

290 Pages·2002·11.95 MB·English

by  Israel Regardie

MIDDLE
PILLAR
The Balance Between
Mind and Magic
Israel Regardie
edited and annotated with new material by
Chic Cicero
Sandra Tabatha Cicero
2004
Llewellyn Publications
St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0383, U.S.A.
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DEDICATED
to the
revered memories
of
William Wynn Westcott
and
S. L. MacGregor Mathers
- Israel Regardie
To Francis,
whose light
shines as brightly now
as it ever did
- Chic and Tabatha Cicero
Contents
List of Illustrations ...........................................................................i.x..
Introduction to the Third Edition
...
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero ..............................x..i ii
Introduction to the Second Edition ..............................................x.x. v
...
Foreword ........................................................................................ xxxii~
Part One: The Middle Pillar
A co-relation of the principles of analytical psychology
and the elementary techniques of magic.
by Israel Regardie with annotation by Chic and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
Chapter One
The Two Pillars of the Temple (ed.). .......................................3.. .
Chapter Two
The Tree of Life (ed.). ................................................................. 25
Chapter Three
The Qabalistic Cross and the Pentagram Ritual (ed.). .............. 47
Chapter Four
The Middle Pillar Exercise (ed.). .............................................. 69
Chapter Five
Circulating the Light and the Formula of Vibration (ed.). ...8 5
Part Two: The Balance Between Mind and Magic
A further analysis of the relationship
between psychology and magic.
by Chic Cicero and Sandra Tabatha Cicero
Chapter Six
Psychology and Magic ........................................................1..0. 3
Chapter Seven
..............................................................
The Art of Relaxation -139
Chapter Eight ..
Yoga, Chakras, and the Wisdom of the East ........................1 59
Chapter Nine
The Pentagram. ............................
Chapter Ten
The Middle Pillar Exercise ...................... . ........................... 209
Appendix
The Musical Qabalah by Thorn Parrott .................................. 243
Glossary. ............................................................................................. 251
Bibliography ...................................................................................... 267
Index ................................................................................................. -273
Illustrations
Figure 1: Cover Art from the Second Edition ..................................x..i.
Figure 2: The Tree of Life ..................................................................... 28
Figure 3: Lesser Banishing Pentagram ................................................ 59
Figure 4: The Middle Pillar ................................................................ 73
Figure 5: Jung's Model of the Psyche .............................................. 112
Figure 6: Assagioli's Model of the Psyche ..................................... 126
Figure 7: The Divisions of the Soul ................................................. 132
Figure 8: The Tattva Symbols ........................................................... 164
Figure 9: The Chakras ....................................................................... 168
Figure 10: Adam Kadmon, the "Reversed Tree" ........................... 182
Figure 11: Backing into the Tree ....................................................... 184
Figure 12: The Pentagram and Pentagon ......................................1. 89
Figure 13: Drawing a Pentagram ..................................................... 194
Figure 14: Ritual Signs and Symbols of Protection .......................1 98
Figure 15: The Tree of Life in the Human Body ............................ 220
Figure 16: The Five Pillars ................................................................ 222
Figure 17: The Musical Qabalah: The Qabalistic Cross ................ 246
Figure 18: The Musical Qabalah: The LBRP .................................. 247
Figure 19: The Musical Qabalah: The Middle Pillar ....................2. 48
Figure 20: The Musical Qabalah: Divine Names .........................2..4 9
The editors wouldlike tothank the Mowing people for mntributing
maimid to this new edition of Israel Regardie's Tke Middle Pillar:
Adam Forrest, Isidora Forrest, R A. Gilbert, Darcy Kiintz, Thm
P*, Prof. Sein 0 Miadhachiin, and Wiliiam Stoltz.
Figure I: Cover artfrom the Second Edition of The Middle Pillar.
(Painting by Marjo y Paskaruk.)
INTRODUCTION
TO THE THIRD EDITION
I
n the early decades of this century, little was known about the
techniques of western ceremonial magic due to the veil of
secrecy which had shrouded these practices. Unless a person
happened to be a member of a magical organization, there was little
chance of leaning the procedures and initiatory practices of high
magic. This changed in 1937 when Israel Regardie published four
volumes titled The Glh D m ,a collection of ceremonies and
teachings from the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Earlier,
Regardie had published two books d-g i3-w magical prinapJes
of the Golden Dawn system. I'le Middle Pik, published in 1938,
gave step-by-step details on how to perform practical exercises of
ceremonial magic, something which was quite revolutionary for its
time. Perhaps even more radical was Regardie's daring attempt to
correIate these magical techniques to the (then) new methcds and
hypotheses of psychoanalysis. Since the object of study in both
magic and psychology was the human mind, it was Regardie's belief
that magic could be regarded as a subdivision of the science of psy-
&logy. Such a thing was quite unheard of in 1938. In fact, Regardie
postulated that psychotherapists could use the techniques of magic,
such as the Lesser Banishing Ritual and the Middle Pillar exercise of
the Golden Dawn, in a dinid setting for the benefit of patients.
xiv INTRODUCTITOON T HE THIRDE urno~
In the mid-1930s Regardie's suggestion would have raised many
eyebrows, but today several enlightened therapists are coming to the
conclusion that the magicians of old were the psychotherapists of
their day. Over the last few years there has been considerable recon-
ciliation between occultism and analytical psychology. A large per-
centage of ancient magical knowledge is being rediscovered and
renamed by modern psychologists for modern times. The "gods and
angels" of magic are described by the science of mind as "arche-
types," while "demons" have been converted into "neuroses." The
goal of both magic and psychotherapy is the well-being of the indi-
vidual-his or her growth and health on every level-physical, men-
tal, and psychological. Magic, however, also includes spiritual
well-being. Regardie sought to tear down the artificial walls that had
been built up between the ancient art and the modern science.
Regardie's Die Middle Pillar was a milestone whch boldly stated
these ideas long before they became popular. Today the exercise of
the Middle Pillar, as a techruque for self-development, has become
standard fare-so much so that it is sometimes described in New
Age self-help manuals, often without mentioning its source in the
Golden Dawn tradition. The Middle Pillar shows the clarity of writ-
ing, expertise, and love for teaching that Regardie was famous for.
To this day it remains a classic among magical texts.
Who was Israel Regardie and why did he write The Middle Pil-
lar? The following brief biography should give readers an aware-
ness of Regardie's prominent place in the history of modem magic
and occultism, as well as his interest in psychology.
Before his death in 1985, Israel Regardie was considered by
many to be the last living adept of a prestigious magical current
known as the Golden Dawn. The tradition represented by the
Golden Dawn and its sister spin-off groups, the Stella Matutina
and the Alpha et Omega, attracted many influential occultists of
the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Among these
were Dr. William W. Westcott, Samuel L. MacGregor Mathers,
Arthur Edward Waite, William Butler Yeats, Dion Fortune, and
Aleister Crowley. Yet among this extraordinary ensemble of
knowledgeable magicians, Regardie ranks high as an authority
of prominence.