The Three Pillars

“This is the Golden Rule of Life. Between two extremities, always choose the Middle Way” is the message of the Three Pillars according to Gray. If you think on your own life you’ll see that this is quite apropos as we navigate back and forth seeking the centered and stable path. The Three Pillars are normally associated with three paths of spiritual dedication as explained below.

The Pillar of Severity {pain} ~ Binah, Geburah, Hod

Corrresponds with the Hermetic Path named after Hermes Trismegistus — followed by ritualists, Qabalists, temple type occultists, and professions that call for a high magnitude of intellectual study and application such as physicists, surgeons, lawyers. The path is of a more serious and formal nature, moving cautiously and with diligent research. Considered to be the most reliable and safest of the paths.

The Pillar of Mildness {pleasure} ~ Chokmah, Chesed, Netzach

This pillar corresponds to the Orphic Path named after Orpheus — it is one of emotion, spontaneity, and exuberance. On this path you would find pagans, artists, poets, writers, animists and so forth. Here there is less of a dependency on rules, dogma, convention and tradition. Many start on this path in their youth and then move to the Hermetic Path later in life.

The Pillar of Mercy {peace} ~ Kether, {Da’ath}, Tiphareth, Yesod, Malkuth

The Middle Pillar is the Mystic Path — a difficult path for most of humanity to follow as it involves a deep purposeful self-sacrificing devotion to Deity. The spiritual level called for following this path is high and only those truly experienced enough in all their incarnations choose to travel its path. Gray calls it a path for “Avatars and Sacred Kings”.

The sephiroth of the Tree of Life lie vertically upon three pillars. These can be seen as expressions of balance (the Pillar of Mildness) between two opposing forces (the Pillars of Severity and Mercy). You can place the Tree around your body as follows: Kether slightly above your head, Chokmah at the left shoulder, Binah at the right shoulder, Chesed at the left arm, Geburah at the right arm, Tiphareth at the heart/solar plexus, Netzach at the left leg, Hod at the right leg, Yesod at the genitals, and Malkuth at your feet. Practice visualizing the Tree standing in front of a doorway or matching them to the parts of your head and face. [Keep in mind that the Pillars will change depending on whether you are facing the Tree or visualizing it within you or behind you.]

Some further ideas to keep in mind when contemplating the Pillars:

• a white pillar for the masculine, a black pillar for feminine, and the
  middle pillar (gold) as a column of light to represent the Moon, Sun and Stars illuminating the Earth
• the three rays of the Druidic symbo of Awen
• the rays from the solar disc of Ankh-en-Aton
• trilithons at ancient sites such as Stonehenge
• the pillars of Boaz and Jachin in the Temple of Solomon

Daphne Cochran-Shapiro is an Author & Poet, Designer & Crafter, and Entrepreneur who specializes in working with folks needing design assistance. My goal is to empower you to be the best you can be in ALL your endeavors. I invite you to browse my sites and share your comments on my works!