The Pillar of Severity

The Pillar of severity lies on the left hand side of the Tree of life as you look at it as a diagram drawn on a piece of paper, but on the right hand side of the body. It is associated with ‘left brain’ functions. This represents the female side of man. It is composed of the following sephira:

Binah

Geburah

Hod

Binah, the Great Sea, is the sphere of Yin, the highest aspects of the feminine principles, whereas the lower spheres, representing war and science, are generally considered to be masculine. This is the Yin at the centre of Yang

The left column contains three Sephiroth as well (Binah, Geburah, and Hod). Each of the Sephiroth in this column is associated with a quality known as Form. In fact, this column is also called the Pillar of Form. This is the passive, receptive, containing, feminine component to experience. In some Eastern systems this is Yin. It corresponds to the Vagina in coital union. When we are discussing the Sephiroth on the Pillar of Severity, we always find these aspects of experience at some level within them. It is described as "Severity" because the constrained nature of the underlying currents of the Sephiroth in this column are consciously experienced as more restrictive and grating than those in the Pillar of Mercy.