Correct @OpalE. Ra says it perfectly, “The intent of the practitioner in working with these powerful concepts determines the polarity of the working. The tools are the tools.”
The Middle should be looked at as planes of consciousness. I just read something that might be helpful...
The Middle should be looked at as planes of consciousness. I just read something that might be helpful...
Quote:”The Central Pillar should, in my opinion, be taken to represent consciousness, and the two side pillars as the positive and negative factors of manifestation. It is noteworthy that in the Yoga system consciousness is extended when Kindalini rises through the central channel of the Shushumna, and that the Western magical operation of Rising on the Planes takes place up the Central Pillar of the Tree; that is to say, the symbolism employed to induce this extension of consciousness does not take the Sephiroth in the numerical order, commencing with Malkuth, but goes from Malkuth to Yesod and Yesod to Tiphareth, by what is called the Path of the Arrow.
Malkuth, the Sphere of Earth, is taken by occultists as signifying brain-consciousness...
Yesod, the Sphere of Levanah, the Moon, is taken as psychic consciousness...
Tiphareth is taken as higher psychism, the true illuminated vision, and is associated with the highest grade of the initiation of the personality...
Daath is usually held to represent the consciousness of another dimension, or the consciousness of another level or plane; it essentially represents the idea of change of key.
(**Nau7ik’s commentary: If this is confusing to you, you’re not alone. Daath is mysterious to me. I understand to be the bridge that consciously links the Supernals with those below the Abyss. Gnosis of the particular world one is in possibly? Such as gnosis in Assiah, a thorough and complete understanding of the physical universe, or gnosis in Atziluth, or literally knowing the Mind of God. Correct me if you think I’m wrong. I’m trying to understand.**)
Kether is called the Crown. Now a crown is above the head, and Kether is generally held to represent a form of consciousness which is not achieved during incarnation. It is essentially outside the scheme of things so far as the planes of form are concerned. The spiritual experience associated with Kether is Union with God, and who so achieves that experiences is said to enter into the Light and come not forth again.”
“It will thus be seen that the three form Sephiroth are in the Pillar of Severity, and the three force-Sephiroth in the Pillar of Mercy, and between them, in the Pillar of Equilibrium, are set the different levels of consciousness. The Pillar of Severity, with Binah at its head, is the female principle, the Pingala of the Hindus and the Yin of the Chinese; the Pillar of Mercy, with Chokmah at its head, is the Ida of the Hindus and the Yang of the Chinese; and the Pillar of Equilibrium is Shushumna and Tao.”
—Dion Fortune, The Mystical Qabalah