QABALISTIC CROSS
- May 1
- 3 min read
Updated: May 9
The Qabalistic Cross stands as the foundational rite of orientation within ceremonial magick: a deliberate alignment of the microcosm with the macrocosm.
By tracing light through crown, heart, and axis, the magician establishes themselves as the living intersection of divine force and material existence.
It is not merely symbolic, but operative: a calibration of consciousness to the vertical descent of spirit and the horizontal extension of manifestation.
As a gateway exercise, it conditions awareness to inhabit the body as a temple of currents, awakening the central channel through which will and intention are directed. Every subsequent ritual proceeds from this act of centering. Without it, force disperses; with it, force coheres. The Cross is thus both map and mechanism: a reminder that all magick begins with alignment, and all power flows through the properly ordered self.
THE RITUAL OF THE QABALISTIC CROSS
Visualize the Light of source filtering down gently to your crown chakra and creating a sphere of light. Feel it vibrate.
Touch forehead and tone, “Ateh”
(This means Thou Art)
See the light move down through your central core and connecting with your earthstar chakra. See a sphere of light form. Feel your feet vibrate.
Touch groin area and tone, “Mal-kuth”
(This means The Kingdom)
Bring the light up to your heart and to your right shoulder.
Touch right shoulder and Tone, “Ve-geburah”
(This means And The Power)
Carry the light from your right shoulder to your left shoulder forming a line of light between the two.
Touch left shoulder and Tone, “Ve-gedulah”
(This means And The Glory)
Bring hands to prayer position at heart and Tone, “Le Olam”
(This means Forever)
Drop hands to your sides, fingers pointing down and palms facing forward and TONE, “AMEN”
Supplementary Notes from Dr. William Wynn Westcott (March 26, 1893)
As confusion is found to exist with regard to the Right and Left Pillars of the Sephiroth on the Tree of Life in relation to the right and left sides of a man, and as to the phases of the Moon—you must note:
That in every diagram and picture, the right hand side of the observer is next to the Pillar of Mercy—Chokmah, Chesed, and Netzach; while the Pillar of Severity is on the observer’s left hand. Yet when you apply the Tree of Life to yourself, your right side, arm, and leg represent the side of Strength and Severity, Binah, Geburah and Hod, and your left side refers to the Pillar of Mercy. So that when you look at a diagram, you are looking, as it were, at a man facing you, that your right side faces his left. His Merciful side forms the right hand Pillar in front of you, so that it is as if you looked at yourself in a mirror.
Just as the man looks at you, so does the Moon look at you and so you say that the Moon in her increase is on the side of Mercy, the right hand pillar of the Sephiroth; and in her decrease, the crescent is on the left hand Pillar of Severity.A Diagram, then, is a picture of a Man or the Moon facing you. The Temple Pillars are similar:
Black Pillar Severity Left North
White Pillar Mercy Right South
Black Pillar Boaz Stolistes
White Pillar Jachin Dadouchos
That is, the white Mercy or Jachin Pillar is on your right hand as you approach the Altar from the West and from the Hiereus. (See Chronicles II. iii, 17.)
“And call the Name on the right hand (of him who enters) Jachin, and the Name of that on the left, Boaz.”
Boaz = Strength, Seventy, Binah, Black Pillar
Jachin= White Pillar of Mercy
So in making the Qabalistic Cross on your breast it is correct to touch the Forehead and say Ateh—Thou art;
the Heart—Malkuth;
Right Shoulder, Ve-Geburah;
left shoulder ve-Gedulah,
and with the fingers clasped on the breast say, Le, olahm, amen!
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