The Qabalistic Cross is the
most basic and fundamental practice in Qabalah. It is used to draw down the power of the spirit from above into the mind and
body of the Qabalist, as an act of devotion, to centre oneself and strengthen balance and composure, and to align ones Will
with a higher purpose. If you are new to practical Qabalah you should practice this exercise each day for at least a week
(preferably more) before moving on to the next stage.
It can be used on its own as
a brief form of prayer / meditation, or to draw strength from the divine and empower an action; In this regard it can be found
in a degraded form within popular Catholic culture. More commonly, however, it is used as a component of larger rituals. There
are two slightly different forms of the Qabalisitic Cross, one of which is used at the beginning of the ritual to draw down
power and invoke the power of the spirit (etc.) and the other which is used at the end of the ritual which includes an acknowledgement
that the power raised and used during the ritual does not in truth belong to the Qabalist but to the Divine itself.
Instructions on the practice of the Qabalistic Cross
In the first version, used
at the beginning of a ritual or on its own, begin facing east with the hands hanging loosely at your sides. Imagine that the
sky above you is filled with a vast ocean of incandescent white light. This is the Ain Soph Aur. It reaches to the horizons
and beyond; and although it is impossible for the human mind to imagine the infinite this exercise demands that the impossible
is attempted - just trying is a beneficial exercise.
As you breathe in raise your
right hand up above your head, palm towards you and fingers pointing upwards. Speak these words:
"In thy hands o ineffable one"
Imagine the infinite ocean
of light contracting to form a single sphere directly above your head, and drawing the hand downwards as you exhale imagine
the sphere of blinding white light descending. As you touch your fingers to your forehead, between your eyes at the top of
your eyebrows, the sphere of light reaches your head and comes to a rest above it, slightly penetrating the crown. At this
point you say
"Is"
Imagine a beam of light coming
from the bottom of the sphere and travelling down becoming a column of 1-2 inches directly through the centre of your
body. Your right hand follows this downwards motion until your fingers are pointing directly between your feet where
the light pools to form a second sphere encompassing your feet and ankles and the ground directly beneath you. You say
"The Kingdom"
Move your right hand up to
point at or touch your right shoulder; imagine a third sphere of light blazing into existence there as you speak:
"The Power"
