Draconic Qabalistic Cross Ritual

“The ritual of the Qabalistic Cross is a basic psychic exercise of the modern Hermetic tradition. Its purpose is to re-enforce a sense of the “Here and Now”, the conscious self awake in the present moment. This active meditation will focus and integrate one’s whole being — body, mind, emotions, and imagination — toward the ideal of one balanced “Higher Self.” In the Qabalistic Cross ritual, we intensely visualize and imaginatively feel ‘streams of energy’ passing through the body in a meaningful pattern. If the exercise is performed with real effort and attention it does reliably produce a profound and distinct effect.” [1]

In reality, the Qabalistic Cross is just one form of the much older Elemental Cross. It utilizes the archetypal symbol of the cross, which has possessed a significance in magic that long pre-dates the Christian era. One very early use of the equal armed cross was as a kind of basic map, representing the circular horizon visible from a person’s point of view divided into four quarters and four cardinal directions: North, South, East & West. It thus came to symbolize the condition of being oriented, of knowing exactly where you are. [4] In both rituals the participant draws a cross of light and infinite energy upon his body. In the basic Elemental Cross, the ritualist may use any names for Deity the ritualist desires [2] but in the Qabalistic Cross ritual the oration, “Ateh Malkuth veGeburah ve-Gedulah le-Olam Amen,” is used, which translates in English as “Thou art the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory for ever, Amen.” The oration is taken from the last line of the Lord’s Prayer, spoken in Hebrew to emphasize its correspondence with the Tree of Life. [3] For examples of Elemental Cross rituals see here[2] and here[3]. For a more detailed description of the Qabalistic Cross see here[4] and here [5].

As part of my magickal training I was taught to use the Qabalistic Cross but it never really appealed to me, mainly because of its association with the Lord’s Prayer and the Abrahamic religions, especially Christianity which is just “not my thing”. Even though my Dark Moon Circle here in Sydney occasionally used the QC in a ‘generic’ sense with God/Goddess/Creator/Universe as the ultimate higher power it still didn’t feel ‘right’. I needed to find a way to make it more relevant to my own beliefs so I could feel more comfortable with it, and the Dragons showed me a very simple way of doing that.

So, while performing the QC, in my mind I am thinking ‘Dragon’ (the ultimate source of ‘All’) instead of ‘God/Goddess/Creator/Universe’, while also visualizing an actual Dragon forming behind me and wrapping its wings around me.

Face east, perform the Draconic Qabalistic Cross as follows:

Imagine a sphere of brilliant white light just above the crown of your head, and see the head of the Dragon take form immediately behind you. Touch your forehead with your right hand and vibrate Ateh (This Hebrew word means Thou art… and acknowledges the Being of God …or Dragon.)

Bring your right hand down your body. At about the level of the genitals, indicate your feet and see the body of the Dragon extending behind you down to its tail. Imagine a shaft of light descending from the Crown sphere to your feet and the Dragon’s tail, where another sphere of light expands just under your feet and vibrate Malkuth (This Hebrew word means The Kingdom). The sphere at your feet symbolizes the here and now in which you find yourself, now perceived as filled with the Light of the Dragon.

Touch your right shoulder and see the right wing of the Dragon unfurl, and vibrate Ve-Geburah (and The Power) while imagining a sphere of brilliant red light appear just next to your right shoulder. The red Geburah sphere symbolizes your power and vitality, your ability to define boundaries and defend them, your strength to resist harmful negative influences.

Touch your left shoulder and see the left wing of the Dragon unfurl, and vibrate Ve-Gedulah (and The Glory) while imagining a shaft of light emerge from the red sphere on your right and cross your breast to expand and form a sphere of blue light at your left shoulder. The blue sphere symbolizes your ability to be giving, loving, compassionate, and forgiving.

Conclude by extending your arms outward, seeing the wings of the Dragon fully extended also, then bring them in to cross your hands over your heart as a glowing sphere of yellowish-golden light forms at the intersection of the 2 streams of light. This symbolizes Tiphereth on the Tree of Life, the central sephira of Enlightened Consciousness, that perfectly balances influences from Above and Below, and from the Sephiroth on either side of it on the Tree. Imagine that the Tiphereth sphere is moving downward slightly until it is at the same level as your heart and now forms the base of a triangle with the Geburah and Gedulah spheres. At the same time, the wings of the Dragon have also extended then wrapped around you to cross in front of your body. Vibrate Le-Olam (forever or unto all the ages) and imagine clearly the cross of light as it extends through your body and that of the Dragon protectively surrounding you as you merge and become one. Say the word Amen (so be it or it is so). This expresses your conscious decision to elevate and shift your consciousness to a Center of Perfect Spiritual Balance.

Stand for a while and visualize the light of the spiritually orienting Qabalistic Cross glowing brightly within you. See the light radiate around you like a protective sphere, a Magic Circle of spiritual protection and illumination. Meditate on the symbolic significance of the ritual you have just preformed. You are now ready to go about your business from an altered point of view. This is a perspective that will put you more closely in touch with Higher Spiritual Forces, and make you more open to their positive influence. [4]