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Qabalistic Cross

To: alt.magick
From: frpneumas@aol.com (Fr Pneumas)
Subject: Re: Qabalistic Cross;  In What Order?
Date: 16 Dec 1996 17:12:09 GMT

Greetings:

frankie@peoples.net wrote on Sun, 15 Dec 1996 as follows:

>>>I have seen two chronological versions of this Ritual.  In one the
movement, and intonation, are right (Geburah) to left (Gedulah); the other
is vice versa.<<<

>>>The first seems more semantically correct ie. "The Power and The
Glory", but the second way "feels" more right.<<<

>>>Any answers?<<<

Your question is a good one.  There are several answers.

First of all, I would have you consider the concept of *standing between
the pillars* as you perform the Qabalistic Cross...  Are you facing the
East (between them) or are you facing the West (between them)... It does
make a difference.  ;-)  The connotations are very different.  In one form
you are outside looking in, whereas in the second perspective you are
inside looking out.

Secondly, if you were raised Catholic, remember that the Catholic Church
does indeed use the inverse order of the traditional right to left when
they cross themselves - i.e. they go left to right.  Perhaps that could be
why it feels *right* for you to go left and then right.  ;-)  Of course, I
don't know your background.

I submit to you that 1) when facing East from behind your *double cube*
altar and performing the QC ritual, it is correct to use the right to left
version - as you yourself indicated that you are aware of the wording... 
"The Power and The Glory" (etc).  What you are doing is seeing the Pillars
beside you and you yourself being the middle pillar.  You are
internalizing the power correctly ;-)  However, if further submit to you
that 2) if you are entering this ritual in a mindset of *Divinity* - and I
use the term loosly here - as being *outside* of yourself, then it would
be appropriate, IMO to use the *Christian* - i.e. the Catholic - form of
the cross in the QC Ritual.  ;-)  Then again, I am a High Ceremonial
*Christian* Magician, thus I would have this biased perspective!  LOL!  I
did train with the traditional method first (right to left).  I use this
form more often than the other myself.

To which  kdawn93@aol.com responded to your post on 16 Dec 1996 04:46:40
GMT as follows:

>>First- just a question- why were there 10 of your same message here?<<

That is a good question KDawn...  Computers!  :-/  The poor student
probably didn't even know that he sent the thing a couple of times...

You then continue:

>>Second, for your question,  I can't answer for everyone but in the
lodges I am familiar with it is always done right to left, but that is
only during a banishing ritual.<<

This is an interesting note.  I've not heard of it done differently for
Banishing vs Invoking...  :-)  This makes some sense, though the QC Ritual
is a *prepatory* rite for banishing or invoking - whether in conjunction
with the LBRP or LBRH - or other Pentagram or Hexagram ritual.  :-)

>>Perhaps it is done differently in other arenas. - KDawn93<<

Where ever you find more than one independently thinking for him/herself
magician, you are bound to find more than one way to do the same thing
with similar results, IMO...  ;-)

Nice reading your fine posts - both of you.   I look forward to hearing
from Ya'll again...  :-)  Until then, I remain most sincerely,

Yours in The Light, 
Fr Pneumas (Michael W. Humphrey)
Chief Adept & National President, SCMOASA (The Astral Star)
National Advisory Board Member, AMER


*finis*

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