Magical States of Consciousness: Pathworking on the Tree of Life - Melita Denning 1985

Pathworking and Practical Magick

I. Practical Purposes

Pathworking in Series

Pathworking is primarily, as we have seen it to be in the preceding chapters, a powerful mode of awakening and directing the inner faculties of the psyche for the purpose of spiritual progress and initiation. For this primary purpose, Pathworkings are most effective when performed in series, as given in Chapter 7: experience shows the ideal rate for the series to be one Pathworking per week. (If the series is being worked for the first time, both forms of Paths 26 and 24 will necessarily be included in their due sequence.)

A series of Pathworkings of this kind is self-balancing within the pattern of the Tree of Life, and no concern need be felt with regard to the effects of any energies which may have been released by the workings and which may have remained unassimilated. Sometimes, however, it is desired to perform a particular Pathworking out of series.

Selective Pathworking

CATEGORY 1. A group may decide to perform a Pathworking on the occasion of a reunion or similar gathering. Or an individual may feel a need to perform some particular Pathworking on account of an instinctive or intuitive impulse, with no desired result of the working either specified or even clearly known. One may feel for instance a sudden “nostalgia” for a particular Path.

CATEGORY 2. Having experience of the kind of “soul sculpture” which takes place through the deep level action of Pathworkings, an individual may decide to make use of a suitable Pathworking for the purpose of enhancing or developing his or her inner potential on some specific line, or in order to combat some inner weakness or defect. This is a special development of the normal use of Pathworkings, and only requires, to implement it, a steady resolve to go along loyally with the desired outcome of the working: the working itself can be repeated for the same purpose after a week, or, if desired, a longer interval.

CATEGORY 3. An individual or group-may decide to use—a Pathworking to help gain a purpose which is definably magical: that is, it is intended to produce change in the outer as well as in the inner Worlds. In that case the use of a Pathworking will be supplemental to another operation which is of an actively magical nature and is directed to the same purpose. This use of Pathworking is appropriate only to individuals or groups proficient to carry out the related magical operation.

In categories 2 and 3 above, and in 3 most distinctly, a specialized and practical use is made of Pathworking which is not envisaged in the procedures for Pathworking for general spiritual progress simply. Certainly these categories represent a natural and reasonable progression from the concept of pathworkings in series, but none the less they carry special requirements.

In order to determine which Path should be worked to further a given purpose, in either category 2 or 3, consideration should be made not only of the influences upon the Paths but also, with due regard, of the Spheres of commencement and destination. As a general guide, we list here some of the objectives for which the aid of Pathworking is most suitably sought in the two categories under consideration, with the recommended Paths for these purposes:

Category 2—For the individual operator, to gain access to particular sources of inner power.

The objectives mentioned in the list just given have been placed there because they are altogether “inner” matters which your deep mind,when once it has been “put on the right Path,” is plainly competent to deal with. There are many other objectives which your deep mind is, at least potentially, equally able to deal with: but since, for most people, special training and/or special practices are needed to bring into action the deep mind’s natural potential, these matters are placed with the “magical” objectives in the next list. Such are, for instance, astral projection and prophetic insight. Apart from this type of exercise of psychic faculties, this next list is focused strongly upon objectives which depend upon action outside the range of one’s own personality, and which thus generally necessitate means which can validly be called “magical.”

At the same time, be it remembered that you are quite entitled, should you wish, to take an objective from category 2 and to perform the appropriate Pathworking as a supplement to a magical rite for that purpose, exactly as for category 3, either alone or with your group: a Pathworking and magical operation to gain power in healing, a Pathworking and magical operation to strengthen the bond with your Higher Self, or another to promote harmony within the family. To put it succinctly: the list for category 3 could include all of the contents of the list for category 2; but the list for category 2 could not so effectively include the contents of the list for 3. Here, then, is the list for category 3:

Category 3—For the individual or the group, when Pathworking is to be used in conjunction with other working:

A—For specifically magical or spiritual objectives

B—For magical work related to life situations

II. Resolving or Balancing the Forces

In Chapter 9 of this book will be found a series of Magical Images representing certain aspects of the archetypal powers of the Spheres, together with a series of simple Sephirothic workings. These images and workings are not required for use with Pathworkings which are performed in their ascending sequence: as has been explained, this mode of Pathworking is self balancing within the pattern of the Tree of Life. The material in Chapter 9 is required, however, for use in various ways with the three categories of selective Pathworkings previously given. The principles of usage are as follows:

For Category 1

In this category, the Pathworking is performed without the operator or group having conscious knowledge of any precise magical need which requires fulfillment, or any imbalance in cosmos or microcosmos which requires correction. There may indeed be such need or imbalance, or there may not: or, again, the energies evoked by the Pathworking may even overcompensate some slight lack.

Therefore, following upon any Pathworking in this category, there is performed a simple balancing working of that Sphere which, of its nature, balances the Sphere of Destination of the Path that has been worked.¹⁰

This simple working will not in any event cancel or negate the effects of the Pathworking. For one thing, Sphereworking and Pathworking are not of the same order. Moreover, spiritual or psychic influences do not in any context cancel or negate one another: just as an artist cannot cancel or negate the red paint upon his palette by adding blue or yellow in whatever quantity. So in spiritual matters, “The Gods themselves cannot recall their gifts,” nor (as we find alike in Homer’s epics and in the story of the Sleeping Beauty) can one Power simply wipe out the edict of another.

By no means, then, will the balancing Sphereworking annul the effects of the Pathworking. This balancing Sephirothic working is, however, desirable for the purpose of neutralizing any overplus of energies of the Sphere of Destination which may have remained unabsorbed by the need which motivated the working.

The Balancing Workings and Images for use in connection with category 1 are as follows:¹¹

For Category 2

Here we have Pathworkings performed by an individual for the purpose of bringing about change within the compass of that person’s own psyche.

This use of Pathworking differs from category 1 in two very important respects. There is a known and definite need to be met, whether this be a positive quality to be developed or a defect to be remedied. Additionally to this, before performing the Pathworking, the operator should make, aloud, a specific and carefully planned Declaration of Intent: stating in unequivocal terms the resolve which the Pathworking is intended to implement The conscious personality of the operator is here calling his or her Higher Self to witness, and the emotional/instinctual nature to give heedful attention, that such-and-such an inner development has been resolved upon, and that, to aid the inner harmony needful to this development, a working of the (whichever) Path will now be performed.¹² The Declaration of Intent should be incorporated into the Formula for Opening a Pathworking which is given in Chapter 5, to replace the simple proclamation indicated in Section 2 thereof.

The energies evoked by the Pathworking will thus be utilized and absorbed within the psyche of the operator, and there is here no question of an “unused surplus” of Sephirothic influence. After a Pathworking in this category, however, a confirmatory resolution working should be done: this relates to the Sphere of Destination itself, to add force and resolve to the Pathworking in a manner which will impress itself upon the Deep Mind of the operator.

The Resolution Workings and Images for use in connection with category 2 are as follows:

For Category 3

In this third category a more complex situation is encountered. In practice, the salient factor is not the type of purpose for which the Pathworking is performed, but the fact that to attain this purpose a practical magical operation is also employed. In such a case, the Pathworking inevitably becomes ancillary to the practical magical operation.

Here, therefore, no Declaration of Intent should be introduced in the Formula for Opening a Pathworking nor, equally, should the Pathworking text be in any way altered to accomodate the purpose of the magical operation. That operation alone must carry, within its own structure, all that is needed for the direction of energies to the desired objective.

The relationship, as regards the order of events, between the Pathworking and the associated practical magical operation will be determined not only by the nature of the objective but also by the methods and expertise of the director of the operation. No matter what position is allocated to the Pathworking, however, when it is given it should be concluded with a resolution working: this to be chosen in accordance with the list given above for category 2.

The balancing workings and resolution workings for categories 1, 2, and 3 should be performed immediately on the completion of the Pathworking to which they relate, so that they may be contained within the evoked ambience. To this end, everything necessary (as detailed in Chapter 9) should be previously placed near at hand, so that the place of working can be quickly set in order for the balancing or resolution working, as the case may be.

10. One series of simple Sphereworkings is given in Chapter 9. These same Sphereworkings are equally referred to as “balancing” or “resolution” workings entirely according to the context in which they are to be employed, since it is this context which determines the effect they will produce.

11. In the specific context of “balancing” the forces of the seven planetary Sephiroth, the authentic and traditional Qabalistic pattern is as follows:

Binah-Yesod. Chesed-Geburah. Geburah-Chesed. Tiphareth-Malkuth. Netzach-Hod. Yesdd-Binah.

Here it will be observed that Binah is balanced by Yesod, Tiphareth by Malkuth: the balance is not Binah-Malkuth, Tiphareth-Yesod, as some contemporary writers on Qabalah advocate.

The soaring spirituality of Tiphareth needs to be “earthed” in Malkuth, even as he who attains to adepthood in the Solar Sphere is bound to impose his will upon the world of the four elements.

The formative and restrictive influence of Binah should be counterbalanced by the astral vibrancy of Yesod (this is reflected in the reciprocity existing between the brow and genital chakras of the astral body). Inexpertly handled, the current Binah-Malkuth could result in complete magical inertia.

12. It is NOT desirable to change the text of a Pathworking so as to introduce a reference to a special intent of this kind. In accordance with a sound magical principle, which applies here although this is not strictly a ritual working, the intent once declared should not be adverted to again. While the work is in progress, don’t re-open the camera!