Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram - invoking vs banishing
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I'm still quite new to ritual work, and all the various attributions to direction still have me confused.
I'm still getting in the groove of performing the LBRP daily. Should I (1) focus more on the elemental attributions to the quarters, along with attempting vivid color imagery? OR should I (2) focus more on the idea that I'm standing at the juncture of Peh and Samekh on the Tree and not focus so much on the elemental attributions? OR should I (3) simly do both and not worry that the Tree symbolism and the elemental symbolism are indifferent to one another?
I had started working on the basis of the third option, but my mind keeps trying to find associations between the elemental colorings and the spheres I'm pointed toward. I'm unsure of whether I'm supposed to be making those associations, and it's got me blocked.
Thanks.
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You're going down the right path IMO. You need to finish shaking off the common misconception that the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram is presenting a single framework. It is a much more sophisticated ritual than that.
Because the ritual is a sequence of steps, you don't need to do every piece of it at the same time. In fact, doing so can lead to misunderstanding. For example, as I've mentioned previously, the Divine Names and the archangels are two different kinds of information and not one-on-one connected to each other. To address your specific points:
@Frater LR said
"I'm still getting in the groove of performing the LBRP daily. Should I (1) focus more on the elemental attributions to the quarters, along with attempting vivid color imagery?"
The Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram is not primarily an elemental ritual. The only time you need to focus on the elements at all is in the invocation of the archangels; and, even there, you don't need to think of the quarters in this regard except incidentally. The main point is to see and conceive of the archangels themselves correctly. Their colors and other attributes will tend to inpute an elemental quality to where they stand.
[qipte]OR should I (2) focus more on the idea that I'm standing at the juncture of Peh and Samekh on the Tree and not focus so much on the elemental attributions?"
Don't keep concentrating on this point. Just notice it as you start. Put the focus on the Paths themselves ("There I was, standing at the intersection of Red and Blue, waiting for the Light to change..." <g>). By noticing the Sephiroth in passing, you probably contribute to aligning the main cerebral cortex regions (forebrain, hindbrain, right hemisphere, left hemisphere). Then let it go and don't worry about it.
"OR should I (3) simly do both and not worry that the Tree symbolism and the elemental symbolism are indifferent to one another?"
That's the right track. By all means, don't try to match those up. It's a misattribution of symbolism.
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A: Thanks very much for your response. It felt forced the way I was starting to do it.
B: I understand you at the very beginning of the ritual, and I understand you at the end. The middle - I think I understand, but please indulge me in confirming. So... at the point in the ritual when I'm actually drawing the pentagrams in the basic LBRP, I don't imagine anything specific "behind" the pentagram itself unless I'm specifically using the LRP format in a way that focuses on implementation of the elements - in which case it would be the elemental coloring. Is that correct?
Thanks again.
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@Frater LR said
"So... at the point in the ritual when I'm actually drawing the pentagrams in the basic LBRP, I don't imagine anything specific "behind" the pentagram itself unless I'm specifically using the LRP format in a way that focuses on implementation of the elements - in which case it would be the elemental coloring. Is that correct?"
At the time you are drawing and charging the pentagram (yes, we are talking specifically about the generic Lesser ritual), the whole of your attention should be on the pentagram.
If you were using the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram to invoke a particular element, then the differences are primarily intention and visualization (and a particular form of the pentagram). That is, you know what you are invoking a specific element, and you use different colors to accomplish this. We recommend that you visualize the background in the King Scale elemental color, and trace the pentagram and circle on it in the flashing color. Thus, to invoke Air, you would draw violet pentagrams on a yellow background.
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@Jim Eshelman said
"That's one of the things I'm not at liberty to go into.
I received permission to freely state that the sequence is what matters, but not to go any further in public. This was one of the terms of receiving that particular teaching. I can only say that it is quite solid and based on exact instruction in one of the oldest (pre-Zohar) Kabbalistic works."
Jim, without giving too much away, has the kabbalistic work you refer to been published in an English translation?
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@nashimiron said
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@Jim Eshelman said
"That's one of the things I'm not at liberty to go into.I received permission to freely state that the sequence is what matters, but not to go any further in public. This was one of the terms of receiving that particular teaching. I can only say that it is quite solid and based on exact instruction in one of the oldest (pre-Zohar) Kabbalistic works."
Jim, without giving too much away, has the kabbalistic work you refer to been published in an English translation?"
Yes.
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Thanks Jim that will make it a bit easier!
Now, I wonder if it's already sitting on my bookshelves....
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@Jim said
"East - Tiphereth (Archangel Raphael)
West - Yesod (Archangel Gabriel)
South - Hod (Archangel Mikhael)
North - Netzach (Archangel Haniel; Uriel is substituted)"Jim (and/or others who have studied under several different schools), I was wondering how absolute these archangelic attributions are considered according to sephira and direction...? I've heard other opinions, rearranging the order a little, and they make sense as well. But I don't know how to settle the issue for myself. I don't do much else as of yet, and I'd like to perform correctly at least the one main thing I do. Suggestions are welcome.
Thanks.
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@Frater LA said
"
@Jim said
"East - Tiphereth (Archangel Raphael)
West - Yesod (Archangel Gabriel)
South - Hod (Archangel Mikhael)
North - Netzach (Archangel Haniel; Uriel is substituted)"Jim (and/or others who have studied under several different schools), I was wondering how absolute these archangelic attributions are considered according to sephira and direction...? I've heard other opinions, rearranging the order a little, and they make sense as well. But I don't know how to settle the issue for myself. I don't do much else as of yet, and I'd like to perform correctly at least the one main thing I do. Suggestions are welcome."
There are at least a couple of sub-questions here.
One sub-question is: How certain is the attribution of these archangels to their respective elements. The answer is that they have been solidly established with strong concensus over many centuries. (Insert standard caveats about absolute opinions, etc.)
The other sub-question is: How certain are we about the orientation of the elements? The answer is that there are multiple ways of doing this.
A third sub-question is whether the archangelic distribution in this particular ritual is elemental, sephirothic, or other. My view is that they are both - the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram is almost unique among personal rituals in the way it consolidates many simultaneous elements into one delivery.
For the pentagram ritual in general, the archangelic distribution is from a rather ancient Hebrew children's prayer, "Before me Raphael," etc. The tradition, therefore, is quite old. (Insert usual caveats about how neither antiquity nor newness confirms fact per se.)
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@he atlas itch said
"Thanks for comments.
@Jim Eshelman said
"You seem to be missing basic rudiments of magical training"
I belong to the Sink Or Swim Order. They took my dues and embraced me as a brother, but when the ordeals started, they stopped answering emails. (I would like to take this moment and thank JAE and ToT for being the only online forum that has been able to give concrete feedback to real problems and questions relating to the legacy of Aleister Crowley).
I like the radio frequency analogy. Part of my problem is the fact I have no interest in working with demonic entities, but am more interested in working with the 4 elements, 7 planets, stars. So the idea of calling up some principle, requesting a wish, and sending it away, still feels odd for me. I see myself more as a channel for invoked energies. My emphasis has been more on finding the right ingredients for a discernible manifestation of energy â placing emphasis on pronounciation and vibration of divine names, emotional investment, visualization and alignment with True Will.
I did notice one interesting thing in your comment that might explain why I operate the way I do. Its a fact that I shut off my inner dialogue nearly 20 years ago and its, more or less, stayed that way ever since. I don't regard this as a particular virtue on my part - just something that happened due to various circumstances and my history. But it makes me very aware of impressions and thoughts and events that enter my consciousness - e.g. following an invoking."
Far out, 20 years with no internal dialog. Can you explain a bit how you went about reaching that state of mind, Especially when reading txt? Im in and out of switching off that pesky critter. What about the hga?
Sapere Aude (93rd reply)
LLLL
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@Jim Eshelman said
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@he atlas itch said
"One more question on the LBRP:The instructions in Liber O do not specifically state doing the Horus Sign of the Enterer and Harpocrates Sign of Silence after the vibration of the divine names. Did Crowley add these two signs to the LBRP or was it already in the GD material?"
One normally would not do this in the Pentagram Ritual.
This question recurring) arises from too casual a labelling of Liber O, Cap. III, Par. 4. The method there listed as "Vibration of God-Names" is properly called "The Vibration of God-Names by the Formula of the Middle Pillar." It isn't a general instruction for use anytime one sees the word "vibrate." Rather, it's a particular technique used (usually in conjunctuion with the assumption of God-forms) for the specific purpose of identifying one's consciousness with that of a particular God. (Notice that this is what Liber O says the two are for.) In the LRP, one is not, for example, identifying oneself with Y.H.V.H.; rather, one is using that Name for a particular purpose.
How would one use them? Many ways, but I'll give one example. Suppose one wanted to do a ritual of the Moon and identify oneself with Artemis. Much of the ritual would be the setup for this: a general banishing, some means of making a primary connection to undifferentiated divine force, a declaration of the purpose of the ritual. Then, getting down to the meat, one might proceed as follows:
- [:10ocsk6m]Attune to the Moon idea by an invoking hexagram ritual of Luna.[/
10ocsk6m]
[:10ocsk6m]Assume the God-form of Artemis.[/10ocsk6m]
[:10ocsk6m]As Artemis, circumambulate 9 times, building up force.[/10ocsk6m]
[:10ocsk6m]Upon returning to the west of the altar, still in the God-form of Artemis, use the "Vibration of Divine Names by the Formula of the Middle Pillar" technique to vibrate the name Artemis (once? thrice for Gimel? probably not 9 times!), to loose onself in the image and the name and complete, so far as the magician is then capable, an identification with Her.[/10ocsk6m]"
So you suggest vibrating the name in this manner AFTER the form of Artemis has been assumed? Why not before?
- [:10ocsk6m]Attune to the Moon idea by an invoking hexagram ritual of Luna.[/
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@AEternitas1 said
"So you suggest vibrating the name in this manner AFTER the form of Artemis has been assumed? Why not before?"
It could be used before as part of an invocation - where She is still experienced as quite external and is being called on.
But, as the technique to identify with her, the vibration works best as the climax. The assumption of the god-form establishes the Yetziratic context for her, and the vibration, being a physical thing, brings this through to Assiah to some extent - the net effect is quite a power one-two punch after the overall magical-astral context is created. One can lose oneself in the vibration much as one can "get lost" to the experience of a particularly powerful orgasm.
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ANd then, closing the whole thing up with the banishing rituals of course?
Curious, if the banishing form of the GRH does not need be performed at the end oof the rite, but just the LBRP and the LBRH, what is the banishing form of the GRP and GRH for? -
@AEternitas1 said
"Curious, if the banishing form of the GRH does not need be performed at the end oof the rite, but just the LBRP and the LBRH, what is the banishing form of the GRP and GRH for?"
Generally, if you invoke by the hexagram, then the Lesser Banishing Hexagram closes the operation. I suppose you could just shut down the one energy invoked, but a "clean sweep" often would be better (and easier, and at least as efficient).
In response to your last question, think of these as a "tool box," not a rigorous set of rules. There might be many occassions. First of all, the banishing hexagrams themselves - outside of the ritual - might be used for many purposes. But the ritual overall has some handy purposes.
For example, suppose you wanted to take down a specific planetary energy but leave the macrocosmic level for other work. This is particularly useful in group work at the Second Order level. For example, in doing a Geburah initiation, a standard form (after the microcosmic preparation) would be a lesser hexagram ritual, followed (at the right point) by the Greater Invoking Hexagram Ritual of Mars. After the ritual is over, doing the Greater Banishing Hexagram Ritual of Mars drops out that one layer, but leaves the space (inner and outer) still "open" at the Second Order level.
Or suppose you were called upon to do an exorcism of a site that had been plagued by, say, a mercurial spirit. Though most exorcisms are totally effective at the microcosmic level (for general cleaning), sometimes there is something particular stuck in a place. After other preliminaries, and drawing them out into focus, the Banishing Hexagram Ritual for Mercury would be a useful tool after the final dismissal - to eradicate any residual ties of the being to a particular kind of energy left behind.
Another (more routine) use might be if you were working a cycle of the seven planets - alchemical or other. I spent a couple of months in which I would invoke the planet of the day of the week in the morning, and banish it at night. (Get ready for some wild stuff if you do that, though! You better be in a fairly balanced life situation and be able to manage its stress levels, because you are essentially placing yourself inside a temple of that planet for the course of the day.)
Or you can use it to desecrate a talisman, removing a specific force before more generally cleaning it and destroying it.
And so forth.
PS - I just noticed that you mentioned the banishing ritual of the pentagram before that of the hexagram. In case you literally meant that, I should add: One usually "walks out" in the reverse order of "walking in." If you open (after preparing the space) by invoking with the pentagram and then invoking with the hexagram, then you should "walk out" by banishing first with the hexagram (thereby "stepping yourself down" to the microcosmic level) and then by the pentagram.
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great, now i just need to figure out a good set of 7 corresponding god forms and get painting!
The last week actually, invoking in the morning and banishing in the evening in the Planetary days and hours is what I've been doing. I haven't run into any trouble yet, but maybe that just means I'm not any good yet.