"It depends. Generally not: What one normally wants is to be totally in the moment of what one is doing, and then go on from there to the next thing. But there could be special cases where, for example, you were building a specific astral temple and embedding particular things in different parts of its surface (so to speak), and then you would be actively constructing something and would want to keep all of its parts.
But, generally not.
PS - The things created are still there. You just needn't consciously visualize them."
sweet. got it.
"Two things I observe here.
First, in doing a standard pentagram ritual, one isn't usually "casting a circle." There are specific practices for demarcating a physical space, and specific uses of the pentagram ritual to mark out a physical spacd, but this isn't usual. It's important to develop the technique (aided, more than anything, by keeping your arm completely straight from shoulder socket to finger tips) of tracing the pentagrams and connecting circle at an infinite distance. Then there is no line to cross - ever. OTOH if you are specifically using the ritual to mark out a particular physical space, then you should take it down after.
The second thing to say is that any time a ritual leaves you feeling drained or depleted, there's a really good chance you're doing something wrong. (So, good to ask questions like you're doing!)"
ok i kind of get this but... hmmm. well when i draw the pentagrams and the line connecting them, a goldish white haze, very faint(not the white/blue visualization) follows my fingertips, and the pentagrams, when im done drawing them can be seen as a goldish haze, although not as a distinct pentagram, just as an area that is hazy gold. the archangels can be seen this way as well (although again, not in any detailed way). its also a lot easier to see if its dark. is this incorrect/does this mean i am accidently defining a limited circle?
you know now that i think about it i never had that particular problem(not the haze but leaving the lbrp) until i read Frater U.D.'s High MAGICK. Near the beginning of the book he basically equates the lbrp with casting a circle and says you should never leave it and regard it as an impenetrable barrier etc
"It depends. Are these the only things you're doing, or are you doing something in between? What's the purpose of doing it this way rather than, say, doing the banishing in the morning and the invoking before bed? What's the purpose of all of this, in other words?"
well my main question was how many QC's are necessary in a series of pentagram rituals- i.e. if the second QC of the lbrp negated the requirement of performing it before an immediately following lirp. as to why i would perform that particular ritual sequence(when i practiced before), well there are various reasons.
- is simply to learn the ins and outs of them-for practice and to experience the differences in the lbrp and the lirp
- sometimes i would put a middle pillar after the lirp for a little added "juice"
- i would do it to absorb some of the energy from the lirp, but i would have to banish afterwords because if i didnt banish and went about my day i would be kind of "tempermental" i guess. stuff that regularly wouldnt bother me would end up annoying the crap out of me
- also i guess because my first magic book was Modern Magick by DMK, and in his book everything is sandwitched between lbrp's
- its worth mentioning that i dont have a place set aside exclusively for ritual, so i would always banish before doing other ritual work.
"I don't understand the question, i.e., have no idea what you are describing. A ritual in which you use the invoking then banishing pentagrams of each of the elements, one after the other, is that what you're talking about? Perhaps I'm missing something?"
sorry if i wasnt clear. what i meant was, say i want to meditate on the earth element. i begin with a standard lbrp (since i dont have a temple, and to get into the right state of mind) then use the elemental version of the lirp to invoke earth in order to experience it and meditate on it, then use the lbrp of the element earth to banish it, is it still necessary or desirable to close with a regular(non elemental) lbrp?
"There are variations on the ritual. Pick one, decide what you're going to trust for the present, and go with it. Remember that Regardie invented the Middle Pillar Ritual, that Art of True Healing was one of the first places he wrote of it, and that he was recommending it for a different purpose there than in other parts of his work.
- is it necessary or beneficial to begin and and the mpr with the qc?
Most often, precede the Middle Pillar Ritual with the Pentagram Ritual.
As for ending, the energy of a Middle Pillar needs to be circulated. If you are doing one or more of the assigned circulations, that takes care of it. If not, then a Qabbalistic Cross is a pretty good way to distribute the energy through your aura. Otherwise, no particular need."
Awesome. I decided to work with the version in The Middle Pillar, the Balance Between Mind and Magic
I had one more question i forgot to ask earlier. somewhere i read that the only metals that should be present in the ritual area are the consecrated tools because metal absorbs etheric energy. in the room i practice in there is a light with metal on its case on the ceiling in the center of the room, directly above me when i practice. will this make any difference? if it matters at all its like two feet above my head.
Thanks a ton for answering my questions 
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