Thinking of starting the Middle Pillar Ritual

[Akairyuu]

Hello everyone

I am just posting this topic to let you know that after nearly three months of practicing the LBRP daily, I am contemplating on starting the Middle Pillar Ritual next week if possible.

Now as far as my LBRPs go, the movements and words are now at the point where I barely have to think about them. I have noticed some differences before, during and after the LBRP, with one being a feeling of expansiveness or a feeling as my area around me becoming more spacious; this begins when doing the banishing pentagrams and continues after I have finished the ritual. Another feeling is the feeling of being encase in a protective cocoon. There is also this feeling as though a spot light is shining on me; it makes me feel happy and at ease (Especially when I climb into bed right after my ritual; it makes me feel safe and well happy lol). The feeling of the four angels have gotten to the point where I clearly feel four presences around me; they seem to strengthen the protective feeling that the shield formed after casting the pentagrams gives.

Ok with that aside, my question for you is, given what I've written so far, would you say that I am ready to start the Middle Pillar? I do feel as though I am ready for something new, otherwise I wouldn't have made the topic but I would like an extra, outside opinion from other more experienced members just to make sure (Better to be safe than sorry, right?).

Anyway, if and when I start to do the Middle Pillar, I will be also be documenting my experiences in this topic whatever they may be, so please stay tuned .

Anyway, thank you for reading my (haphazard) topic and to anyone who is willing to share any insights, advice, and/or encouragement

P.S. Forgot to add that my psychic awareness has also improved a lot (Primarily clairvoyance and clairsentience). In fact, I took part in a psychic chat thing where I did this reading on someone, where I actually very clearly saw someone's childhood memory. In fact it was so clear that it was as if I was there in first person; very cool experience !

[Frater_VP]

This is just my 2 cents here, but before jumping into the MPR I would suggest you finish the Pentagram ritual. It is a misunderstanding that the LBRP is a stand alone ritual, while infact it is only half of a ritual. I would suggest starting up the routine of doing the lesser invoking ritual when you wake up. I assure you, with steady and constant practice you'll have some new insights into the pentagram ritual by doing boths halves of it.

[Akairyuu]

Ok. Thanks for that, I have been doing some reading about this and from what I understand, the LIRP is exactly the same as the LBRP except you're using invoking pentagrams instead. I also read a while ago that you visualise the angels inside the ring facing towards you in the LIRP but outside the ring facing away in the LBRP; it might have been on this site, actually.

I think I can see why the LIRP would be beneficial, it would probably help attract or make it easier to attract more things to me in the material word (A job perhaps) as well as the spiritual (As in more energy, motivation and perhaps creativity which I have been lacking for a while). Hm, it would be interesting to what changes this routine would offer .

Anyway, thanks for the insight and I will do what you have suggested and start doing the LIRP for perhaps a month or two before adding the MP

[Frater_VP]

Yeah, one thing I was taught back in my GD days was when doing the pentagram ritual, during the invoking you visualize the angels facing in towards you and during banishing you have them facing out. Here's a little tip, the pent ritual uses the earth pentagram. Naturally you do invoking when you wake up and banishing before sleep. If you think about this it will give a hint to what to expect next.

[Lord Ferocia]

This is just my 2 cents here, but before jumping into the MPR I would suggest you finish the Pentagram ritual. It is a misunderstanding that the LBRP is a stand alone ritual, while infact it is only half of a ritual. I would suggest starting up the routine of doing the lesser invoking ritual when you wake up. I assure you, with steady and constant practice you'll have some new insights into the pentagram ritual by doing boths halves of it.

It would only be "half" if one decides to "invoke" and not "banish" (as you are suggesting here). The LIRP need not be done in the morning, and one can use the LBRP alone. It is a complete ritual. Never have I heard it as "half".

One simply decides to invoke for a particular purpose (remember, each arm is assigned a different element, and one invokes toward that point chosen). If one simply "invokes" in the morning, you are suggesting they simply invoke "earth" (opposite of the normal banishing ritual) for no apparent reason. Many use the LIRP when deciding to perform a particular working involving a certain element (i.e. pathworking, or meditation). The LBRP is general banishing used to clear the aura, and build within it the appropriate symbols. Many do choose to perform a LBRP in the morning, and one in the evening, if they choose. However, one (especially a beginner) is fine with simply one a each day.

[Lord Ferocia]

Ok. Thanks for that, I have been doing some reading about this and from what I understand, the LIRP is exactly the same as the LBRP except you're using invoking pentagrams instead. I also read a while ago that you visualise the angels inside the ring facing towards you in the LIRP but outside the ring facing away in the LBRP; it might have been on this site, actually.

I think I can see why the LIRP would be beneficial, it would probably help attract or make it easier to attract more things to me in the material word (A job perhaps) as well as the spiritual (As in more energy, motivation and perhaps creativity which I have been lacking for a while). Hm, it would be interesting to what changes this routine would offer .

Anyway, thanks for the insight and I will do what you have suggested and start doing the LIRP for perhaps a month or two before adding the MP

The angels are still outside the circle and are indeed facing inward with the LIRP. Angels are facing outward (always outside the circle in both rituals) in the LBRP. Depending upon various factors, invoking earth can be "good" or "bad". I don't suggest simply invoking for no apparent reason.

The MPR is fine for you, however, I suggest (in case you have learnt different) you stick to visualization of the light as "white", and 10 reps for each God Name at each center. Banish afterward.

[Frater_VP]

I assure you, while it may seem as though you are doing an earth invocation "for no apparent reason", there is a very good reason for doing lbrp after waking and lbrp before sleep. Also, this leads to the second comment that it is also a misunderstanding that the lbrp is simply used as a banishing\cleansing of the aura. There is far more to it than that.

[Lord Ferocia]

I assure you, while it may seem as though you are doing an earth invocation "for no apparent reason", there is a very good reason for doing lbrp after waking and lbrp before sleep. Also, this leads to the second comment that it is also a misunderstanding that the lbrp is simply used as a banishing\cleansing of the aura. There is far more to it than that.

There most assuredly is more to the LRP than meets the eyes. However It is a basic foundation ritual, and not "half" of anything. The assumption that it is somehow completed by the splitting up into "invoking" and "Banishing" is simply wrong. I think it is important for a beginner to realize this. Many decide to perform the LBRP daily, and this is perfectly fine to do. While some have decided to do an invocation in the morning, and a banishing at night, it is simply a preference and not a requirement.

Regardie says in "as a form of prayer the invoking ritual should be used in the morning the banishing in the evening." It was simply Regardies idea for one to invoke in the morning, using the LIRP as a sort of metaphysical java. No where, and I mean no where at all is it ever suggested that the LBRP is "half a ritual" if not accompanied with the LIRP. One may decide to invoke in the morning, and it may vary with results (I assure you), yet it is not required, nor necessary.

[Frater_VP]

Hey if you want to think I'm wrong, its not going to bother me in the slightest, I assure you ;-)

[insomni4c]

Well, I think I'll throw my two cents in on the LBRP/LIRP debate. The way I perform the LBRP, the LIRP is redundant. When drawing the pentagrams I banish each element using the appropriate banishing pentagram in the appropriate color, and when invoking the archangels I invoke them as angels but also as the pure highest form of each element, so I'm banishing and invoking with the same ritual. I understand the reasoning behind only using the earth pentagram, but this way works very well for me.

[Akairyuu]

OK, I see there is some sort of debate about using LIRP and LBRP.

Just so you know, I've not been ignoring either of you at all, it's just I've been doing some research on my own. After a bit of thinking, I decided just to try the LIRP to see what it's like. The LIRP itself definitely had a different feeling to the LBRP; I felt fuller, like my space was filled with energy (Banished later in the evening). As an experiment, I've decided to try and alter my routine as such: morning = LBRP, LIRP; night= LBRP. I will let you know how I get on with this.

I think I will leave the MP for another couple of months until I have got used to the energy and new routine (If I still like the routine enough by then of course).

[Ramscha]

Aside from what we all have to say.... what does your gut say?

[Eremita]

Give the Middle Pillar a go. Why not? You aren't going to explode if you're "not ready for it".

The worst that will happen is you won't find it effective, or useful, or you will feel nothing. In which case you can always shrug and come back to it later.

[Akairyuu]

I've decided to wait for now

I feel as though adding the LIRP to my routine will be beneficial as I see using both as an almost yin and yang balancing concept. So in my new routine above I am doing the LIRP in the morning and LBRP at night. I added an extra LBRP immediately before the LIRP for the purpose of cleaning about my space before invoking.

I have already done the morning part of my ritual and I still feel the effects; I feel like my space is full, and I feel sort of expanded and large. The sensation is odd (probably just because I am not used to it) but pleasant.

I will add on the MP once I feel as though I have settled with the new routine and energy/sensation.

I imagine routine with MP added on would look like:
morning = LBRP, LIRP, MP, QC; night= LBRP
Or
Morning = LBRP, LIRP; night= MP, LBRP
Or
Morning = LBRP, LIRP; night= LBRP, MP, LBRP

Or if anyone else has any suggestions then I'd love to hear them, bearing in mind, I don't have as much time in the mornings.

Thanks

[Ramscha]

Or if anyone else has any suggestions then I'd love to hear them, bearing in mind, I don't have as much time in the mornings.

Thanks

Yes, one more thing: Don't loose your mental flexibility due to tight planning on daily rituals, you may become unable to practice without them independently.

Ramscha

[insomni4c]

Yes definitely as Ramscha said follow your gut on it. In my experience with the middle pillar ritual though, it's probably better earlier in the day. I usually do it at night just because I don't really have the ability to do it during the day (I live with my Christian family still haha, but I'll hopefully be going off to college soon), but a lot of the times I feel very awake after I get done with my ritual work and sometimes that can make it harder to sleep later. I imagine that it effects everyone a little differently though, so you may not have that problem. So it might be worth it to experiment.

The LIRP though is probably a logical next step if you perform the rituals the way they were originally intended. I've modified the LBRP a lot in my practice though (I started with a version of it I found online but have made several changes to it since) so I don't use the invoking form at all.

Edit: Actually recently (the past week or so) I've found that I feel very relaxed afterwards, I used to get this tense energy that would just keep me up for hours after doing the MP (like the first time I performed it, I felt like I was just buzzing with energy. Like almost vibrating with it.), but recently I've noticed it's a lot smoother. It's like I feel more effects from it now but they're less tense, like maybe I've acclimated a little haha.

[Akairyuu]

This is just a little update more than anything .

Anyway, been doing the LBRP+LIRP morning and LBRP night thing and I've noticed a difference in my attitude where I feel more more awake and full of energy; I also feel more present and in the now. I've actually noticed a difference in my attitude towards my university work too where I feel more studious and proactive at getting my work done in plenty of time. I'm glad I decided to give this a go, especially since my exams are coming up soon

Oh. And also, I've recently noticed that I'm finding it easier to visualise the light and the sephiroth during the QCs with my eyes open, which I was quite surprised at.

I've also modified the LBRP/LIRP in the morning thing where I combined the LBRP and LIRP into one ritual as I felt that when I was doing the two full rituals I was making a lot of unnecessary repeats that I could easily omit. For my LBRP/LIRP combo, I basically first start with a QC, do the banishing pentagrams, go straight to doing Invoking pentagrams, invoke the archangels (Facing towards me), contemplate the pentagrams and golden hexagram and finish with a QC. I have done this for about a fortnight now and haven't notice a much of a difference between this and doing the two full rituals, apart from the fact that it is less time-consuming (Which is a major plus for me).

Anyway that was just an update from me to let you know how I'm getting on and that I plan on starting the Middle Pillar in couple of months time