Geburah

Similar to our rise above Yesod, which took us to Form/Hod and then to Force/Netzach, our rise above Tiphareth takes us again to the polarized side pillars of Force and Form.  At the level of the Individual-Self, the pole of Form is represented by Geburah (pronounced "gebb-you-ruh") which means "strength, might, power" and corresponds to the red planet Mars.  Force is represented by Gedulah (pronounced "gedd-you-lah") meaning "greatness, majesty, magnificence", and corresponds to the planet Jupiter.

Above these, defining their orbits and representing a level of Self still more subtle and vastly more inclusive than the Individual, stands Binah/Saturn.  Now even though Binah/Saturn (sphere 3) stands on the side pillar of Form, it represents a non-polarized state of being.  This is a level at which all poles are reconciled and where all opposites are united.

In ancient astrology, Saturn was seen as the outermost planet and thus it came to represent the boundaries of human experience.  It's orbit symbolically and factually contained, encompassed, included the orbits and influences of all the inner planets.  It represented the interface between the Divine and the human -- that face of Divinity that we humans could actually see (hence it's position here at the top of the pillar of Form).

To understand the significance of Geburah/Mars and the meaning of our Temple, I'll need to first establish a context for it and that will require a little 'round-about explaining.  You might have to read what follows a few times for it to make sense  . . .

Binah (pronounced "bee-nuh", means "understanding, discernment, intelligence") exists outside the realm of sequence (i.e., space-time).  The experience of Binah consciousness brings with it an eternal perspective, one from which the whole infinity of time-space-sequence is seen simultaneously.  The Binah experience is not broken down into past-present-future or beginning-middle-end, instead it is non-sequential.  Beginning, middle and end are experienced/perceived as things which exist simultaneously, instead of as separate things which follow each other.  Past, present and future are encompassed within a single now and experienced non-sequentially with the same quality of now-ness that we experience only with the physical present-moment.

Binah/Saturn holds within itself the non-sequentialized potential for all things, but those things are not manifest -- at least not with finality -- at the level of Binah itself.  The first stage in the manifestation of Binah's potential is the process of sequentialization, or the placement of things into relationship and order.

This sequentialization of non-sequentialized potential passes through two poles before it attains to an integral balance (Tiphareth).  The first pole is inclusiveness, symbolized by Gedulah/Jupiter (sphere 4).  Here the factor of similarity is introduced and the potentials are connected by virtue of the natural attraction that 'like' has with 'like'.  Sequence at this level/stage, is not based upon differentiation per se, but upon commonality.  Thus Gedulah/Jupiter is also given the title Chesed, which means "mercy, compassion, loving kindness".

The second pole is that of exclusiveness, symbolized by Geburah/Mars (sphere 5).  Here the factor of difference is introduced and the potentials, which have already been set into relationship based upon their commonalities, are now separated by virtue of their differences.  'Like' is separated from 'unlike' -- 'self' defines 'other'.  Sequence at this stage/level, is not based upon attraction, but upon repulsion.  Thus we speak of severity, strength (Geburah), and fear (Pachad -- another title for sphere 5). 

By the level of Geburah/Mars, the non-sequentialized potentials of Binah/Saturn are fairly well defined as sequential, Individual things.  Each separate thing at the level of Geburah, is a manifestation of a limited part of the infinite Binah-potential.  Here the perspective/experience of existence is contextual and sequential.  There is, at this level, a division of experience into past-present-future, one thought follows another, etc.

In the Western Hermetic Tradition of Qabbala, the Tarot card VII: The Chariot expresses the connection between non-sequential Binah/Saturn and sequentialized Geburah/Mars.  This Tarot image depicts the commonality which links the Geburian Individual to the Binah-wholeness --> i.e., the now-ness of conscious awareness.

VII: The Chariot depicts the experience that a sequentialized consciousness has of space-time-sequence.  The charioteer represents the individual, sequentialized unit of conscious awareness itself.  The chariot represents the present-moment -- the only place where we experience now-ness.  The smallness of the chariot (present-moment) confines the charioteer and symbolically defines the limits of a sequentialized consciousness's power.

Behind the chariot, back along the road it has followed, we see buildings and hills.  These represent the past which has crystallized into a coherent form by its "passage" from present-moments into past-moments.

The chariot faces forward and seems to emerge from the two-dimensional card.  This represents the sequentialized individual's relationship with the future.  To the present-moment, the future stands as a different dimension.

In fact, the present-moment is an illusion for it is a thing of infinitely minute duration.  It is not a thing, in and of itself, but is in reality the knife-edge interface of past and future.  The present-moment is where the body-of-the-past (what is), is touched by the ceaseless force of change (what will-be).  That touching is continuous and is not itself sequential -- never are past and future separate.

The sequentialized individual's experience of the present-moment has a certain quality of now-ness to it.  This quality of now-ness is the same as the now-ness with which the Binah-consciousness experiences past, present and future simultaneously.  The difference is that instead of encompassing only the present-moment interface of past and future, Binah's now encompasses past AND present AND future, simultaneously.

VII: The Chariot is telling us that the now-ness of our present-moment is what connects the Individual to Binah.  By expanding that now-ness beyond the limits of the sequentialized present-moment, one connects with the non-sequential, all-inclusive perspective of Binah/Saturn.

Geburah/Mars implies action, power, decision and judgment.  At this level, the chariot seems to move ever-forward through the sequence of time-space.  In different versions of the Tarot image this sense of motive power is expressed in different ways.  In some, the wheels spin and the chariot is drawn along the road by creatures, clearly symbolizing the seeming forwardness of the present-moment's movement through time; yet in others, the creatures rest and the wheels are stationary.

This latter speaks to the illusory nature of the "passage" of time.  In a sense, the Individual does not pass through time; rather, the individual is stationary and time-space moves around it.  The sequentialized consciousness is always riding in the enclosure of the present-moment and it is the sameness and constancy of the now-ness of that experience which defines Individual consciousness.

As incarnate humans, we either "ride" the chariot of the present-moment or we take up the reins and "drive" the chariot.  Driving the chariot is a Geburian act involving judgment, severity, decision, etc.

The Geburah Temple symbolizes our power to drive this chariot of present-moment now-ness.  The Temple's five-fold structure is based upon the primary symbol of the human power to enact its own Individual will -- the pentagram.

The pentagram is used in modern ritual to effect either the descent of the Aethyr/will-Force into manifest Elemental-Form, or conversely, to effect the Aethyr's ascent from Form back to Force.  In practical terms, the pentagram is employed to "invoke" or to "banish" a specific Force. 

There are several opinions about what constitutes an invoking and a banishing pentagram.  In the Wiccan tradition that I learned, a witch invokes the Spirit by bringing the Aethyr down to Earth, then up to Water, over to Air, down to Fire and back up to Aethyr.  Banishing takes an opposite direction and starts from Earth, banishes toward Aethyr, descends to Fire, rises to Air, over to Water, and ends in Earth.

The Hermetic tradition I learned employs the pentagram differently, following more closely the "rotation of the Elements" and a clockwise=invoking, counter-clockwise=banishing approach.

These differences in the pentagram's usage illustrate the differences in basic philosophy between these two Traditions.  Each way represents a slightly different approach to the use of power/Force.  The Hermetic way is very rational, scientific and follows an archetypal mental pattern, while the Wiccan way is very gutt-level, intuitive and earthy, following a very practical experiential pattern.  To my mind, the Hermetic way accords with the overtly masculine image of the Roman god of war, Mars.  The Wiccan way on the other hand, accords with a broader, more inclusive feminist image of powerfulness.

For example, a witch invokes by drawing the Aethyr directly into the physical vessel (Earth).  Once planted (earthed), it rises/evolves/matures upwards through the Elements, eventually reaching Aethyr again.  Its passage through the Elements changes it -- its return to Aethyr is thus a process of self-realization.  Likewise, a witch banishes directly from Earth toward Aethyr -- immediately releasing the Force from its Form -- and then follows it back down into the Earth.  Its passage downward through the Elemental sequence changes it, so it returns to Earth purified and assumes a more self-realized Form.  For the witch, both the invoking and the banishing are blessings which empower a process of self-realization and growth.

The pentagram of the Hermetic is more goal oriented than process oriented.  The Hermetic magician invokes by drawing the Aethyr/Force down into Earth/Form through the descending Elemental sequence.  This process is one of differentiation and of accruing material form to a core inspiration.  Once it reaches the density of Elemental Earth, the return/ascent to Aethyr merely reconnects the Form with its internal Force.  This establishes a closed, Individualized form -- the goal, as it were. 

The Hermetic likewise banishes with a goal-orientation.  The banishing starts with Earth/Form and proceeds up the scale of Elements till it reaches a rarified, purified Aethyr state.  Once cleansed in this way, the Aethyr/Force is brought back down directly into an Earth/Form of the magician's choosing.  Again, it establishes a closed, Individualized form/goal. 

The Geburah Temple is designed to accommodate either manner of working and we will be exploring both approaches in our meditation. 

At each of the Temple's five sides, there stands an archway, across which hangs a curtain  embroidered with a corresponding Elemental symbol.  These symbols are the standard "Tools of the Elements" used by the magician.  Each one represents how we use the Elements to enact/realize our Individual will. 

The Aethyr Wheel has five parts: one center for Aethyr; three lines intersecting center for the Elements Fire, Air and Water (they radiate from center, polarized into six positive and negative poles); and one circumference for the Element Earth.  Thus it symbolizes the potential for differentiation.  It is a wheel specifically because it is a dynamic thing which we can set into motion.

Following the rotation of the Elements sequence, the motive Aethyr is directed through the Fire Wand, giving it a specific, unified direction and orienting it toward a specific goal with all one's force of will.  The Fire is directed through the Air Knife and differentiated by virtue of what it is and is not to be, with all one's force of intellect.  The differentiated Air is directed through the Water Chalice and is personalized with all the passion of one's desire for this thing.  The personalized Water is directed through the Earth Pentacle where all the forces are bound together naturally into specific material form. 

These tools also function in the opposite sequence:  The Earth/Form is unbound from the Pentacle and reduced to a Chalice-held liquid.  The Water is poured from the Chalice and the vapor of it is gathered up by the Air Knife.  The Knife disperses the Air, reducing it to pure energy.  The energy is drawn into the Fire Wand and emerges as pure light.  The light is drawn into the dark center of the spinning Aethyr Wheel, etc.

The Elemental tools are wielded within the context of a ritual Circle.  The magical "casting" of that Circle is performed with the Mars Sword.  This is the same broadsword we saw resting upon the edge of the pool in our Tiphareth Temple. 

As before, the Sword represents two things:  One, it represents the Individual's ability to wield power over the personal and physical aspects of self.  In this sense, the Sword symbolizes several different approaches to the use of that power -- a sword can be used to defend, to attack, to incise, sever, divide, destroy, preserve, define, or even to slice the ritual bread for feast.  However it is used, due to its size and weight, the Mars Sword takes two hands to wield.  In other words, it takes the whole of the Individual -- both poles of Mercy/Force and Severity/Form -- to wield the Sword.  Since it requires balance to hold a broadsword and to flail it about without toppling yourself over in the process, only the Individual-self, rooted in the Tiphareth equilibrium, can wield the Mars Sword effectively.  This aspect of the Sword also implies great responsibility, for it is hard to halt the swing of a broadsword once you've started the motion.  The weight of the thing moves with its own momentum once you've set it into motion, so great care must be taken in its wielding.

The second thing the Sword represents, is the now-ness of the Individual's present-moment.  The Sword defines the present-moment as the cutting-edge interface of what-has-been (past) and what-will-be (future).  The Sword divides between the past and the future with the sharpness of its cutting-edge now-ness, creating a micro-thin dimension of its own.  In other words, the Sword has power only within the confines of the present-moment's now-ness.  Its function is to bring the Jupiterian commonality or proto-sequentialization, into the highly sequentialized realm of the now-ness of a specific present-moment.  This is a process of differentiation, definition, individualization, etc.

To introduce you to its use, we will magically "cast" a ritual Circle within the Geburah Temple, using the Mars Sword.  The Sword is held with both hands, and the tip of it, pointing outward from the body, is touched to the center of the Aethyr Wheel emblazoned upon the Temple curtain.  The Sword draws out the violet Aethyr-light and fills with its power.  The Aethyr is then projected outward from the tip of the Sword and a Circle composed of Aethyr is drawn clockwise around the Temple, beginning and ending at the exact center of the Aethyr Wheel.  This casting defines the specific present-moment within which we will wield the Elemental power of our now-ness -- our Circle is our Chariot's four-sided enclosure wherein we take up the reins to drive.

The casting with the Sword is repeated as many times as the situation feels to need.  If after one casting, you feel satisfied that the Circle is well defined, then once is enough.  But if after a single casting, the Circle seems unfinished or not solid enough, then by all means repeat the casting till it does attain a satisfying completeness.  As you work, visualize what comes most naturally and intuitively to you, and feel your way through the casting. 

Once our Circle is cast, we will explore the use of our power by pursuing work with the two invoking and the two banishing pentagrams outlined earlier.  This is going to be an actual magical working so I want you each to give some serious forethought to what you would like to accomplish.  For this meditation, you should choose a specific aspect of yourself that you wish to strengthen and empower. 

We will be working with Geburah's positive power of nurturance and self-growth, and focusing it upon each of our Individual concerns.  We will draw this power down into manifestation through the four Elemental Tools of our specific present-moment's now-ness.

Prior to the scheduled meditation, spend some time meditating upon what aspect of yourself you would like to seriously advance.  This must be an aspect that already exists within you to some degree and not just a separate, ideal thing you would like to become.  Find something positive about your present self that you would see strengthened and empowered.  Once you've made your selection, spend more time meditating upon it alone.  Examine this aspect of yourself from as many angles as possible and get to know it as thoroughly as your available time allows.

As a final note, at the center of the Geburah Temple there is a five-sided font of fire.  This symbolizes the raw power of Jupiterian-commonality which fills the differentiated now-ness of the specific present-moment.  This fire does not burn and consume -- rather, here at the level of Geburah, it warms and nurtures.  It is more akin to the dynamic center of the Aethyr Wheel, than to Elemental Fire. 

We will be rising along this Geburian Aethyr-fire in our passage from Malkuth to the Geburah Temple.  At the end of our ritual, we will follow a different route back to the Malkuth Temple.


MEDITATION #6: GEBURAH

Begin as usual: pass through the Cave Entrance, along the Tunnel passage, up the ten steps, and into the Malkuth Temple where I stand awaiting your arrival.

When all the participants have arrived, I will gather us together and cast a ritual circle. 

Once our circle is cast, we will spend several moments together in the center of the Malkuth Temple, holding hands in a circle and bringing our awareness of the presences of the other participants into focus.  As you look around the circle, try to sense the unique presence of each participant. 

At the appropriate moment, I will bring our focus to the East quarter altar -- our gateway to Geburah.  Upon the altar, we see a five-sided font of fire (the Aethyr-fire).  Standing within this fire is the Mars Sword from the Tiphareth Temple (this is my personal Sword).  Laid about upon the altar are four more swords.  These four are "blanks" -- unempowered, roughly finished swords, that have not yet been tuned to the vibration of a specific Individual.  These are my gifts to each one of you.  There is a sword for you and, by symbolic extension, one for each of the participants who join us from future moments. 

Behind the altar, we see the same curtain and symbol we encounter at the Cave Entrance.
As I light the candles upon the altar, we each grab hold of a sword.  Then together, we point our swords toward the Gateway symbol, and with a single voice, we speak the phrase: "Elohim Gibor (pronounced "eh-low-heem  gib-boar"), please guide me to Geburah."

Before your eyes, your sword will be refined by its passage through the Aethyr-fire.  The dull unfinished blade becomes a sharp and shining thing; the drab handle becomes jewel encrusted; the unadorned blade becomes etched with words and signs which identify it specifically and intimately as your own.  This tunes your sword to you Individually and henceforth it can be grasped by no one other than yourself.  As you use your Sword, it will continue to evolve and will constantly reflect each one of your actions -- I pray that you create through "right action" a Powerful Sword of Beauty and Loving Kindness.

Our passage through the Aethyr-fire ends with our arrival at the Geburah Temple.  We stand before the Aethyr Wheel and take a moment to orient ourselves.

Our first task will be to cast the Circle with our Swords.  As you raise your Sword and touch its tip to the center of the Aethyr Wheel, focus your mind upon that aspect of yourself you have chosen to empower.  As you take the Aethyr into your Sword and then cast the Circle with it, tune your Circle to your chosen concern.  In this way, the whole of the Geburah Temple is charged with a focus upon your individual concern.

The Circle is always cast with a clockwise/deosil movement.  The natural flow of energy within the Circle is clockwise/deosil, so counter-clockwise movement around a cast Circle, tends to unbind and defeat its power.  Counter-clockwise movement is therefore reserved for acts of "banishing" and for "releasing" the cast Circle.

Together, we will cast the Circle three times with a pause after each casting.  During each pause we'll examine the effectiveness of our casting.  After the third casting, we will set our Swords down upon the edge of the central font of Aethyr-fire.  There they will remain till we are through with our work and ready to release our Circle's casting.

Moving clockwise around the Temple, we gather before the Earth Pentacle and focus again upon the aspect of ourselves we wish to strengthen.  As you contemplate, cup your hands together in front of you and visualize a smaller Pentacle materializing within them.  The Pentacle is inscribed upon a thick disk of solid lead and it fills your hands comfortably.  With your mind, make it intimately reflect (through whatever symbols come naturally to you) the present state of that aspect of yourself you've chosen to empower.  Feel it and see it as a clear representation of how this aspect currently manifests in your day-to-day life.

We then unbind our Pentacle's form and release it into the Aethyr Wheel.  The circumference of the Wheel draws the Pentacle from our hands and absorbs it.  We see our Pentacle's form broken down by the Wheel's internal workings and watch as it's reduced to a force which gravitates to the exact center of the Aethyr Wheel.  This "casts out" all the negativity associated with the form that this aspect of yourself currently manifests.

We "let harmony be"  by drawing this Aethyr-force from the Wheel's center and then guiding it through the Elements, back down into our Earth Pentacle form.  Cup your hands together in front of you and draw your Pentacle's Aethyr-force out from the Wheel's center, letting it fill your hands.  Feel and see its fieriness -- this is the living fire which  warms and nurtures without burning or consuming. 

Pass across the Temple with your handful of Aethyr-fire and stand before the Fire Wand archway.  Release your Aethyr-fire into the lower end of the Fire Wand.  Now reach up and grasp hold of your own Fire Wand from the curtain.  Feel and see it in your hand.  Visualize it as being decorated with symbols that clearly represent the aspect of yourself you are concerned with.  Fill your Wand with all the intensity of purpose you feel regarding this aspect of yourself.  Let the Elemental Fire burn away from the Aethyr-fire, all that is extraneous to this one focus.

Pass across the Temple with your Fire Wand and stand before the Air Knife archway.  Touch the upper tip of your Wand to the Air Knife and cause the Fire to pass from Wand into Knife.  As a consequence, the Wand in your hand transforms into your Air Knife.  Again, feel it and see it.  Your Knife is lightweight, razor sharp and fits perfectly in your hand.  Fill your Knife with all your thoughts which define this aspect of yourself.  With your Knife's sharp blade, trim away from the Fire, all that is extraneous to this one focus.  Let your Knife be covered with symbols that intimately and clearly depict this aspect of yourself.

Pass across the Temple with your Air Knife and stand before the Water Chalice archway.  Plunge your Knife blade into the cupped Water and pass the Aethyr-Fire-Air power from Knife to Cup.  As before, the Knife in your hand transforms into your Water Chalice.  Feel it and see it.  Your Chalice is finely crafted from the purest silver and decorated with symbols that correspond intimately with  this aspect of yourself.  Fill your Chalice with all the emotions that bind together your thoughts concerning this aspect of yourself.  With your Chalice's Water, wash away from the Air, all that is extraneous and distill from it a singular focus.

Pass across the Temple with your Water Chalice and stand before the Earth Pentacle archway.  Hold your Chalice aloft and cast its Aethyr-Fire-Air-Water upon the Earth Pentacle.  Within your hands, the emptied Chalice transforms into your heavy, solid Earth Pentacle.  Feel and see how your Pentacle has been changed, brightened and clarified by this passage around the witch's banishing pentagram.  Its form now more clearly expresses its internal force.

Holding your Earth Pentacle before you, pass clockwise around the Temple, past the Air archway, and stand before the Aethyr Wheel.  With your mind, draw down a stream of raw Aethyr-fire from the center of the Wheel and cause it to permeate your Pentacle.  Feel and see this addition of Aethyr-fire.  See how it moves about the lines of your Pentacle, following the invoking sequence 'round and 'round till it is fully integrated into your Pentacle's form.

Pass across the Temple with your Pentacle in hand and stand before the Fire Wand archway.  Draw down a stream of raw Fire from the upper end of the Wand and cause it to permeate your Pentacle.  Feel and see it circulate around your Pentacle's lines of power, energizing and strengthening all that is Fiery within this aspect of yourself.

Pass across the Temple and repeat this procedure with the Air Knife.  Then cross to the Water Chalice, and then to the Earth Pentacle. After you have filled your Pentacle with raw Earth and have seen it circulate and empower all that is Earthy within this aspect of yourself, pass with it again to the Aethyr-Wheel.  Hold your greatly empowered Pentacle high over your head and present it as an offering to the Divine. 

Pass across the Temple to the Earth Pentacle archway and, holding your Pentacle aloft, ask Gabriel (Guardian of the Element Earth) to bless it.  Feel and see this blessing permeate all that is Earthy within this aspect of yourself.

Pass across to the Water Chalice and ask Haniel for her blessing; then across to the Air Knife and Raphael; then across to the Fire Wand and Mikael; and then cross to stand once again before the Aethyr Wheel.  Take a few moments to study your Pentacle.  Feel and see how it has matured, how all its raw power has been lovingly tamed and directed toward a singular focus -- upon the highest possible manifestation of this aspect of yourself.  Your Pentacle is a thing of beauty and power, so offer it up once again as your gift to the Divine. 

With your Pentacle in hand, walk clockwise around the Temple, past the Water and Fire archways and stand before the Earth Pentacle archway.  Face the curtain and kneel down.  Take a brief moment to fully see your Pentacle's perfection of form and then swiftly smash this beautiful creation onto the stone floor.  As you do this, release the beauty and perfection from the Pentacle's form.  Simultaneously cast all its focused Earthiness through the archway, into manifestation within your daily life.

The Pentacle rubble in your hands transforms into your beautiful Water Chalice.  Carry your Chalice across the Temple to the Water Chalice archway and there pour out its contents upon the stone floor.  Release the beauty and perfection from the Chalice's form.  Simultaneously cast all its focused Wateriness through the archway, into manifestation within your daily life.

The empty Chalice in your hands transforms into your gleaming Air Knife.  Carry your Knife across to the Air Knife archway and in one swift motion, plunge it into the stone floor up to its hilt.  Release the beauty and perfection from the Knife's form.  Simultaneously cast all its focused Airiness through the archway, into manifestation.

The Knife hilt in your hands transforms into your radiant Fire Wand.  Carry your Wand across to the Fire Wand archway and project all of its power through the archway.  Release the beauty and perfection from the Wand's form and cast all its focused Fieriness into manifestation.

The spent, empty Wand in your hands transforms into a small, spinningly alive, Aethyr Wheel.  Carry your Wheel across to the Aethyr Wheel archway and offer it up to the Divine.  Feel the resonance between your small hand-held Wheel and the greater universal Wheel.  Your Wheel is a specific, focused manifestation of that greater Wheel.

Turn now, with your Wheel in hand, toward the Earth Pentacle archway.  In one fluid movement, pass across the Temple to the Earth archway and cast your Aethyr Wheel through the archway with all your might.  Feel and see it spinning into manifestation throughout the Individual, Personal and Physical levels of your life.  It gathers the fibers of your life together and weaves them into its destined focus. 

Now turn your back on the Earth Pentacle archway and return, moving clockwise, to the Aethyr Wheel archway.  Together, we will say a prayer of thanksgiving to the Divine.

At the appropriate moment, I will direct us to pick up our Swords from the edge of Aethyr-fire font.  We will then "release" our Circle casting.  We begin by touching our Sword's tip to the center of the Aethyr Wheel.  Then, with our Swords extended, we pass counter-clockwise around the Temple and draw the Aethyr-fire of our Circle back into our Swords.  We start from the point where we ended our casting, and pass counter-clockwise till we return to the center of the Aethyr Wheel.  Thus our releasing's ending point is symbolically the same point as our casting's beginning.  Now project the Aethyr-fire you've drawn up from the Circle, out the tip of your Sword and into the exact center of the Aethyr Wheel (from whence it originally came).

Our Circle released and our work complete, I gather us together and speak the word "Tiphareth".  This transits us, Swords and all, to the Tiphareth Temple.  Here, we will each gently touch our Swords to the central, radiant Diamond, and then place them reverently upon the edge of the pool.  Take a good look at your Sword and see how it has been changed by your work with it.  It is completely and intimately yours, and yours alone.  Remember that henceforth your Sword is only a thought away, safely resting beneath the Diamond in Tiphareth.

At the appropriate moment, I gather us together and we speak the word "Malkuth".  This transits us gently downward, through the Yesod Temple to the Malkuth Temple. 

After a few moments of re-orientation, I will release the circle casting.  Participants will then exit as usual: down the stairs, along the Tunnel, and out the Cave Entrance, ultimately returning to normal physical awareness.


Follow-up Work --

As always, write down some notes summarizing your experience.

In the days immediately following your Geburah meditation, go out of your way to do things which promote the manifestation of this aspect of yourself.  Nurture what you've set in motion at the subtle Geburian level by providing opportunities for it to manifest at the personal and physical levels of your life.  The ultimate effectiveness of the Geburah ritual rests upon how actively you manifest this aspect of yourself in your daily life.  In other words, you must consciously bring it down into the highly sequentialized specificity of your current present-moment's now-ness.

Return regularly to the Geburah Temple and explore the full range of your powerfulness.  Familiarize yourself thoroughly with the Magical Tools and with the many methods of their use.  Make practical use of what you learn and apply it directly to your efforts at self-crafting.

The work in the Gebruah Temple will test you and refine you like a crucible full of metal set in the fire.  Each use of your power will teach you how to use it better the next time.  You will learn some painful lessons about yourself along the way and will undoubtably, upon occassion, burn your fingers with your own fire.  Do not fear this (indeed, in Geburah you will face fear itself and you must overcome it); instead, embrace these instances as opportunities to learn some important lessons.

Your self-crafting efforts must now grow to encompass not only your personality, but your Individuality as well.  Examine the Diamond-light of your Individual-self and compare it to the influx of higher light that you perceive coming from within yourself.  Note any disparities between the two and seek to self-craft an Individuality that more clearly expresses this inflix of higher light.  As you make changes in your Individuality, these changes must also be reflected down into your personality and your mundane life circumstance. 

This initial self-crafting of the Individuality and consequent re-crafting of the personality, is engaged from within Geburah and is enacted upon Tiphareth.