Cicero - Self Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition_Part 01

60 SELF-INITIATIONIN10 mE GoLDEN DAWN 'fRAomoN
white pillars represent the two great contending Forces in Nature, and their
descriptions are not meant to imply that one is good and the other evil, butrather
that magnetic energy exists between these two universal opposite forces. The
whole of the cosmos depends upon the perfect balance of these energies.
The Middle Pillar is the pillar of balanced forces; the equilibrium of the
other two columns. (In Golden Dawn temples only the left and right pillars are
physically symbolized by actual pillars. The Middle Pillar is represented by the
aspirant standing between the other two.)
Sexual Polarity on the Tree
There are numerous schools of Qabalistic thought that ascribe masculine or feminine
attributes to each of the Sephiroth. Often times these various sources disagree
with one another. Disagreements over Qabalah insure that the system is kept
alive, dynamic, and expanding. (The minute everyone totally agrees with all the
precepts of a specific esoteric system is the minute that system dies.) We too have
often felt strongly about the sexual polarity of certain Sephiroth, only to change
our minds later as our view of Tree of Life expanded. For the most part, each
Sephirah is an abstraction that contains certain aspects which are characteristic of
both sexual polarities. No one Sephirah is simply all masculine or all feminine.
Here we will discuss the sexual polarities of the spheres as they relate to the three
primary Elements of Fire, Water, and Air. As far as the spheres of the Tree are concerned,
Fire is masculine, Water is feminine, and Air is neutral or androgynous.
The Ten Sephiroth
No. Name Transliteration Hebrew Translation
1. Kether KThR 'r1~ The Crown
2. Chokmah ChKMH "C~n Wisdom
3. Binah BINH "~"t..: Understanding
4. Chesed ChSD ,cn Mercy
5. Geburah GBVRH "',..:~ Severity
6. Tiphareth ThPhARTh r1'N~~ Beauty
7. Netzach NTzCh n:l~ Victory
8. Hod HVD ,," Splendor
9. Yesod YSVD
'~"t
Foundation
10. Malkuth MLKVTh ~,~ C The Kingdom