Thelema and Skepticism - On The Lesser Banishing Ritual of The Pentagram

7/6/2016
ThelemaandSkepticism:OntheLesserBanishingRitualofthePentagram
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Wednesday,July25,2012
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OntheLesserBanishingRitualofthe
Pentagram
Enchiridionof
Thelema
NeglectnotthePerformanceoftheRitualofthePentagram
ErwinHessle's
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AleisterCrowley,LiberAleph
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InafootnoteattachedtohispoemThePalaceoftheWorld,Aleister
CrowleywritesoftheLesserBanishingRitualofthePentagram,Thosewho
regardthisritualasameredevicetoinvokeorbanishspirits,areunworthyto
possessit.Properlyunderstood,itistheMedicineofMetalsandtheStoneof
theWise.
Thesearenoidlewords:theLBRPasitisaffectionatelycalledisnothing
lessthanasymbolicrepresentationoftheGreatWork,arepresentationofthe
pathtoaccomplishthatWork,andapracticalmeansofsettingoneselfonthe
paththattheritualrepresents(generatingastateofmindconducivetothe
Work).
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May(1)
April(2)
Theemphasis,ofcourse,hastobeonthephraseproperlyunderstoodabove.
Clearly,theimproperunderstandingoftheritualisthatitisameredeviceto
invokeorbanishspirits.
January(1)
Remember,CrowleywritesintheintroductiontoMagickinTheoryand
Practicehismostwellknownworkonthesubjectofmagick:
November(2)
December(1)
October(1)
Thesincerestudentwilldiscover,behindthesymbolictechnicalitiesof
thisbook[i.e.behindthesymbolsofritualmagick],apracticalmethodof
makinghimselfaMagician.Theprocessesdescribedwillenablehimto
discriminatebetweenwhatheactuallyis,andwhathehasfondly
imaginedhimselftobe.
September(1)
August(1)
July(2)
June(2)
Indoingso,Crowleyidentifiesthepracticeofmagickwiththeheartof
Thelema,distinguishingbetweentheTrueSelfandthefalsethoughtsofthe
mind.Anditisthesymbolictechnicalitiesofceremonialmagickthat
concealapracticalmethodthatenablediscriminat[ion]betweentheTrue
Selfandfalse.
Thatbeingthecase,itbehoovesustostudysomeofthesesymbolic
technicalitieswithaneyeonattemptingtodiscernthispracticalmethod
andhowitworks.
TheLBRPmakesaperfecttestcaseforexaminingwhetherceremonial
magickconcealssuchpracticalmethodsbehinditssymbolictechnicalities.
Afterall,theLBRPisamongthefirstifnotthefirstformalritualpractice
engagedinbymoststudents.
Andjustanote:itshouldgowithoutsayingthatwhatImabouttopresentis
mypersonaltakeonthisparticularritual.Obviously,differentpractitioners
willhaveslightlydifferentwaystoperformtheritual,differentvisualizations,
anddifferentattributions.Readersareadvisedtoexperimentwiththisritual
andcomeupwiththeirownwaysofworking.
Withthatcaveatoutoftheway,itismyintentioninthisposttoturnmy
attentiontotheLBRPandexaminethewayitsymbolizesandenactstheGreat
Work.Indeed,theGreatWorkisnothingmorethantheLBRPwritlarge.
http://thelemaandskepticism.blogspot.fr/2012/07/onlesserbanishingritualofpentagram.html
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January(2)
ThetextoftheLBRPisdeceptivelysimple:
(i)Touchingtheforehead,sayAteh(UntoThee).
(ii)Touchingthebreast,sayMalkuth(TheKingdom).
(iii)Touchingtherightshoulder,sayveGeburah(andthePower).
(iv)Touchingtheleftshoulder,sayveGedulah(andtheGlory).
(v)Claspingthehandsuponthebreast,sayleOlahm,Amen(TotheAges,
Amen).
(vi)TurningtotheEast,makeapentagram(thatofEarth)
withtheproperweapon(usuallytheWand).Say(i.e.vibrate)IHVH.
(vii)TurningtotheSouth,thesame,butsayADNI.
(viii)TurningtotheWest,thesame,butsayAHIH.
(ix)TurningtotheNorth,thesame,butsayAGLA.
(Pronounce:Yehhovah,Adohnye,Ehheeeh,Ahglah).
(x)ExtendingthearmsintheformofaCross,say:
(xi)BeforemeRaphael
(xii)BehindmeGabriel
(xiii)OnmyrighthandMichael.
(xiv)OnmylefthandAuriel
(xv)ForaboutmeflamesthePentagram,
(xvi)AndintheColumnstandsthesixrayedStar.
(xviixxi)Repeat(i)to(v),the"QabalisticCross."
TheQabalisticCross
November(1)
October(1)
August(1)
June(5)
May(1)
April(5)
March(1)
February(1)
January(4)
December(2)
November(3)
September(3)
August(2)
July(7)
June(2)
May(2)
Thispartoftheritualwhichcanfunctionasaminiritualonitsownis
fullydescribedinanexcellentessaybyErwinHessle(whichyoucanread
here)
April(5)
Tohisessay,Icanonlyaddafewpoints.Thefirstpointistoemphasizeoneof
Erwins:beforetheritebegins,youaretoimagineyourselfgrowingto
toweringproportionsuntiltheearthisatinyballbeneathyourfeet.
January(1)
Inperformingthisritual,Ialwayscarrythisexpansiontoextremes,
imaginingmyselfexpandingpastthereachesofthestarsuntiltheMilkyWay
galaxywasadotbeneathmyfeet.
Dontrushthispartoftheritual:trytoreallyimaginethesenseofscale,and
letthesheerssizesinvolvedoverwhelmyou.Ifyouveeverseenthe
video"ThePowerofTen"popularinAmericanhighschoolscienceclasses
youmightrecallitasameansofjumpstartingyourimaginationhere.
Thepointistocompletelyleavebehindyournormalconsciousness,your
normalconcerns,andgenerateafeelingofIndifferencecomparabletothatof
theuniverse:youareexpandingintotheBodyofNuit.
Thedrawingofthecrossitselfisverystraightforward,withthewords
vibratedandtherebydirectedattheappropriatebodypart.Notethatthe
rightshoulderistouchedfirstwhenGeburahisintonedyouarethus
identifyingyourselfwiththeTreeofLife:theTreeissuperimposedoveryour
bodyandyouareonewiththeTreeandwiththeuniverse(andthuswith
Godheavyscarequotesaroundthisterm:aswewillsee,theGod
NamesofthisritualrefertotheTrueSelfofthepractitioner,nottosome
separatebeing).
NotealsothatsomeversionsoftheQChaveyoupointtoyourfeetwhenyou
intoneMalkuth.Othershaveyoutouchyourchest.Inbothcases,you
imaginethelightdescendtoyourfeet.Touchingyourchest,however,affirms
aconnectionbetweenTiparethandMalkuth.Tryitbothwaysandseewhat
youlike.
March(1)
December(1)
November(1)
September(2)
August(1)
July(5)
June(8)
ThenLos
appeardinallhis
power
IntheSunhe
appeard
descending
before
Myfaceinfierce
flamesinmy
doublesight
Twasoutwarda
Sun:inwardLos
inhismight.
WilliamBlake
Justbeforethefinalphrase,thebarsofthiscrossareimaginedextendingout
intotheuniverseineachdirection,unitingtheindividualwiththeinfinite
possibilitiesofNuitandplacingtheindividualatthecenteroftheuniverse.
Youshouldattempttoreally*feel*theimmensityofthis,whichshoulddwarf
eventhesensationofexpansion.Youarenowonewiththeuniverse,one
withtheblueprintoftheuniverse(theTree),expandingbeyondtheuniverse
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intoinfinity:thephysicaluniversereallyisdustunderyourfeet,andyouhave
movedcompletelyoutsideofthenormalwayoflookingattheworld.
Youarenowreadytodrawthepentagrams.
ThePentagrams
Thefivepointsofapentagramrepresentthefourelementsandthefifth
element,quintessenceorspirit.Thefourelementsareattributedtothe
fourcardinaldirections(East=air,South=fire,West=water,North=earth).
Quintessenceisattributedtothecenterofthecircle.
Eachelementsignifiesadifferentaspectofanindividual.
Firesignifieswill,thepreferencesofanindividualthatpromptones
movementsthroughspace.Watersignifieslove,theunitingoftheindividual
withawilledobject(alsoknownasexperience).
FireandWateraretwosidesofacoin:loveneedswilltogiveitdirection,and
wecanonlydefinewillintermsoftheobjectstowardswhichitinclines.
Theunionoffireandwaterproducesairandearth:
Airrepresentsthemind(andtheintellectandthereason),whosejobitisto
interpretwillandlove.Earthrepresentsthephysicalworlduponwhichthe
otherelementsoperate:itisthejobofthemindtofigureouthowbestto
manifestfireandwateruponearth.
Inanothersense,theseelementscanrepresentthepathofinitiation:the
individualbeginsasearth(attributedtoMalkuth)anduniteswithhisorher
HGA(attributedtoair,Tiparethandthesurroundingsephiroth).TheHGA
carriestheindividualtotheThroneoftheMother(attributedtowaterinits
highestsense,Binah).Atlonglast,theeldofthefatherfireinitshighest
sense,Chokmahisawakenedandwithdrawsthewholeprocessinto
annihilationand/orbeginstheprocessoveragainbybegettinganewairand
earth.
[Note:thislatterschemeoftheelements,fromearthtoairtowatertofire,is
theorderusedin(oneinterpretationof)TheStarRuby,aritualthatwillbe
coveredinaseparatearticle]
Asitis,inourusual,uninitiatedstate,theelementsareunbalanced:airdoes
notproperlyinterprettheotherelementsandleadsusastray.Ourperceptionof
loveandwill,astheymanifestinus,isflawed.Thus,thenextstepofthe
LBRPrepresentscleansing,purifying,andbalancingtheseelementssothat
Spirit(whichsignifiestheTrueSelf)mayinformfireandwaterandthatair
mayassisttheminmanifestingthroughearth.
Ineachquarterofthecircle,abanishingearthpentagramisdrawn.Whyan
earthpentagram?Therearevariousanswersgiventothisquestion,butperhaps
thesimplestwaytothinkofitisthatMalkuthcontainsallfourelementsofthe
physicalworld,andsinceMalkuthistheonlySephiraattributedtoearth,the
banishingearthpentagramfunctionsasakindofgenericbanishing
pentagramthisfardownontheTree.
Inotherwords,wearenotbanishingtheelementofearthinparticular,but
banishingallofthelowerimbalancesofeachelementatthequarters.
Stillinanexpandedstate,youadvancetotheEastandtheredrawa
banishingearthpentagramintheair,imaginingitinbrightblueflame(thinkof
thecolorofaBunsenburner).[Abanishingearthpentagramstartsfromthe
bottomleftpointandproceedsup.Beginatthelefthip,andmoveyourfinger
toapointaboveyourhead.Thendowntotherighthipupuntilalittleleftof
theleftshoulder,acrossuntiljustpasttherightshoulder,andthenbackdown
totheexactspotyoubeganfrom.Practicethisindependentlyfromtheritual
forawhileandtrytoreallygetthehangofthephysicalmotionsandthe
visualization:reallytakeyourtimewithit,especiallyatfirst.]Trytogeta
senseofthescalehere:youveimaginedyourselfatasizethatdwarfs
galaxies,sothinkofhowvastthedistanceyourfingeristravelingasbright
blueflamespringsfromit.
Bytheway,youwillfinddrawingaperfectpentagramintheairtobemore
thanalittlechallenging,atleastatfirst.Itsdifficultformanypeopletodrawa
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straightlineonapieceofpaperwithoutaid,soyourchancesofdrawingfive
largeperfectlystraightlinesintheairatexactlytherightanglesarepretty
slim.Tryyourhardesttodrawthepentagramsasperfectlyasyoucanand
definitelymakesureyouendattheexactpointwhereyoubegan.Atthesame
time,dontbeatyourselfupoverthisifyoucantquitegetit.Nothingbads
goingtohappentoyouifyou.Demonsarentgoingtoinvadeyourcircle,
andyourenotgoingtohaveleaksinyourauraoranynonsenselikethat.
Thesethingshappeninbooks,notinreallife.
Anyway,itsthevisualizationsthatarereallyimportant.Soevenifyoucant
drawthepentagramsabsolutelyperfectly,makesurethatyourimagination
snapsthemintopropershapebeforeyouchargethem.
Thevisualizationofdrawingthesepentagramsshouldbedonesovividlythat
ifanotherpersonwerewatchingyou,heorsheshouldalmostbeabletosee
thepentagramsaswell.Ofcourse,nooneelsecan,butthatshowvividlyyou
shouldimaginethem.
Itishelpfultofeeltheflameburningawayanyimpuritiesinthatelement.
Inthisway,youbanisheachofthefourdirectionsandtheelement
associatedwitheach.
Thisstageoftheoperationrepresentstheremovaloffactorspreventingthe
TrueSelffromworkingitswillintheworld.
ChargingwithDivineNames
YoufirstproceedtotheEastanddrawabanishingpentagramofearth,feeling
theflameburnawayobstaclestoaclearperceptionofreality.Distracting
thoughtsvanish.
VisualizethelettersYHVHinfrontofyouinbluelightandinhalethem.
Actuallyseeandfeelthelettersenteryourbody,travelallthewaydown,and
hityourfeet.Thesecondthenamehitsyourfeet,feelthemflybackup
throughyourbodyandthrowyourselfforwardintothesignoftheentererand
feelandseethenamecomerushingoutofyourasyouvibrateit.Seeand
feelthenameshaketheentireEasternquarteroftheuniverse.
Atlast,retireintothesignofsilence,beholdingthepentagramguardingthe
East.Imaginethevibrationofthedivinenamehittingtheendoftheuniverse,
reboundingback,anddescendinguponyou:hearthenamevibratedbackby
theuniverse,roaringonyourimaginativesenseofhearing.Yodhehvavheh.
[Note:Alternately,onemayomitthesignsandsimplypointatthecenterof
thepentagramwhilevibrating.Tryitbothwaysandseewhichworksbest]
Theseletters,whichcanbestudiedinfullinMagickinTheoryandPractice,
representthebalanceofthefourelements.
YHVHsumsto26viagematria,whichrepresentsunity(13)extendedinto
duality(x2),aperfectdescriptionofthefunctionofYHVH(i.e.Kethersplits
intoChokmah(Yod)andBinah(Heh),andthesetwoproducetwomore:the
middlesixsephiroth(Vav)andMalkuth(Hehfinal).SeeMagickinTheory
andPracticeandTheBookofThothforanindepthexplanationofthecyclical
conceptionofYHVH,wherethecycleisrepeated,fromthebottomup,asa
representationofinitiation(i.e.earthtoairtowatertofire,startingthewhole
cycleagain,asexplainedabove).
YHVH,inshort,isasummaryofthewholeuniverse,arepresentationof
creationandinitiation(leadingtothedestructionofthatcreateduniverse).It
isappropriatethatitisintonedwhenthemagicianbanishesobstaclestoclear
perception,foritisclearperceptionthatenablesfullcomprehensionofthe
universe.
Next,stabthecenterofthepentagramwithyourfingerandimagineawallof
whitelightmovingwithyourfingertotheSouth(youregoingtobedrawinga
bubbleofwhitelightaroundyou,sothismoverepresentsdrawingone
quarterofit).
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ThereintheSouth,repeattheprocessofdrawingabanishingpentagram.After
banishingtheEastandobtainingapurifiedmind,younowlookthrough(and
banish)thosementaldistractionsthatspecificallyveiltheTrueWillfrom
you.
Repeattheprocessofchargingthepentagram,thistimewiththename
Adonai(Lord,inHebrew,thoughIhavebeentoldthatitsactuallygender
neutralandcouldrefertoeitheramaleorfemaleruler).Thisisthewordthat
signifiestheHolyGuardianAngel(i.e.theTrueSelf),whosedynamicaspect
istheTrueWill(Fire).
ThewordcanbestudiedindepthinLiberLXV,anditsumsto65.This
numberistheinversionofNuitsnumber,56,implyingthattheTrueSelfisa
reflectionofthecosmos,ofwhichitisaninseparablepart.Itisalsothe
numberofpagesofthemanuscriptofTheBookoftheLaw.
Thenumberhintsattheunionofthemicrocosm(5)andthemacrocosm(6)
thatisthegoalofthisritual,andthesumofthosetwonumbers,11,isthe
numberofmagicalpower(theexecutionoftheTrueWill).
Next,youcarrythewhitelightaroundtotheWestandrepeattheprocess.
HavingpurifiedtheperceptionandhavingperceivedtheTrueWill,the
individualnextdirectsthatWilltowardsitsproperobjects,banishingany
distractionsfromthistask,anyfalseobjectsthatpresentthemselvesas
temptationsawayfromtheobjectsoftheWill.
ThewordatthisquarterisEheieh(Ehhehyeh).ThisisHebrewforIam.It
isappropriatetovibrateitintheWest,forwhatIamcanonlybedefinedin
termsofwhatIexperience,thoseobjectswithwhichIunitemyself(i.e.the
experiencesIundergo,ideallydirectedbytheTrueWill)
Eheiehsumsto21,thenumberofTheUniverseinthetarot,thefull
extensionofZero(TheFool)intomanifestation.Throughouractsofwilland
ourexperience,wedeclareIam,andwebuildupouruniverse.
Finally,theprocessisrepeatedintheNorth,withthewordbeingAGLA(Ah
gahlah),aNotarikon(acronym,essentially)forAtehGiborLeohlam
Adonai(Thouartmightyforever,Adonai).TheNorthrepresentsthepath
oftheindividualthroughtheworldthatiscreatedbyhisTrueWill,and
herethemagicianbanishesobstaclestoit.
[Note:Somepractitionersvibratetheentiresentence,ratherthanthe
abbreviationAGLA.Tryitbothwaysandseewhatyoulikebest.]
TheNorthisalsothequarterofdarknesswherethesunnevertouchesthe
quarterrepresentingthematerialworldandthemagicianaffirmsthathis
TrueSelfisgreatandiseverwithhim,eveninthedarkestquarteroftheworld
whereitcanappearthatmatteriscutofffromananimatingSpirit.
Thereisasplendourinmynamehiddenandglorious,asthesunofmidnight
isevertheson.
Yea,thoughIwalkthroughthevalleyoftheshadowofdeath,Iwillfearno
evil:Forthouartwithme
AspirantsareadvisedtostudytheAceofDisks,theunityofSolandTerrain
theThelemicsystem.Thereisnosuchthingasspiritualitydividedfromthe
materialworld,andthereisnosuchthingasmaterialitydividedfromthe
spiritual.Allactsaresacraments,andeverythingthatonedoesisa
manifestationoftheTrueWill.
Thereisnopartofmethatisnotofthegods,andthereisnopartofthegods
thatisnotpartofme.
AGLAsumsto35,which,amongothermeanings,reducesto8(3+5),the
numberattributedtoHaditandtheforcethatsavesthephysicalworld(or,
rather,theperceptionofthephysicalworldasdeadorcutofffromspirit).
8=Cheth=418,anditisattributedtotheChariotintheTarot.ThisChariot
signifiesthepathoftheindividualdrivenbyhisTrueWill.Rememberalso
that418istheFour(elements)reducedtoOnebythepowerofEight.All
dissolvesintotheUnityoftheTrueWill.
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ThePerfectandthePerfectareonePerfectandnottwonay,arenone!
Theentiresentencesumsto858,thepentagramsurroundedbythepowerof8.
InvocationoftheArchangels
Now,returntothecenterofthecircle,whichrepresentsSpirit(theTrueSelf,
ofwhichtheTrueWillisthedynamicaspect)andcallonthearchangels,
vibratingeachnameslowlyandfeeling/seeingtheangelappearinthe
quarter.Remember,yourestillinanexpandedstatehere,sotheangelswill
besimilarlyhuge,dwarfinggalaxies.
Thepurposeofthisstageoftheritualistobuildtheelementsbackupagain,to
invokethepoweroftheseaspectsoftheself.Havingdrivenawayobstaclesto
theseaspectsofSelf,younowinvokethemandbringthemintoyourcleansed
perception.
Raphaelshouldbeimaginedwithgoldenrobes,holdingawand(the
caduceus).Astrongbreezeblowsbehindhim,movingthroughyouandfilling
youwithhispower,andyoushouldimaginethevastexpanseofthesky.
Gabrielshouldbeimaginedwithbluerobes,holdingacup.Wavescrash
behindhim,andyoushouldstrivetofeelthemsoakingyou,fillingyouwith
hispower.Imaginethevastexpanseoftheoceans.
Michaelshouldbeimaginedwithredrobes,holdingasword.Flamesflash
aroundhim,andyoushouldstrivetofeeltheirheatandfeelthemharmlessly
passthroughyou,fillingyouonlywithhispower.Imaginetheheatfromthe
sun,itspowerandforce:imaginehowitspreadseverywhereonahotsummer
day(ifyourefromawarmenoughclimate,ofcourse).
Urielshouldbeimaginedwithgreenorbrownrobes,holdingadisk.
Mountainsappearbehindhim,aswellasfertilegroundteemingwithlife.
Imaginethesolidearthinessofit,howthegroundwouldfeeltotouch,filling
youwiththepowerofitsstabilityandpermanence:imaginethevastnessof
mountains,thegrowingplantlifeemergingfromthesoil.
Nowyouimagineapentagramaroundyourbody(withitstoppointatyour
head,itsouterpointsatyourarmsandlegs).Beholdthepentagrams
surroundingyou,oneforeachofthefiveelements,eachwithfivepoints:For
aboutmeflamesthepentagram.5x5=25,theextensionofthepowerofthe
pentagram.Besureto*see*allofthesepentagramsandtheseguardians
clearly,inasmuchdetailaspossible.
Andwithinthecolumnshinesthesixrayedstar.Imaginenowahexagram
shininginyourchest.Whetheryouimagineatraditionalhexagramora
unicursalhexagramisamatterofpreference.Theinterlockingtriangles
representtheunionofthephysicalandthespiritual,andthepointsrepresent
themacrocosm(thesixclassicalplanets).Placingthehexagram(6)withinthe
pentagram(5)affirmsthat5=6,thattheindividualisaninseparablepartofthe
cosmos,thattheTrueSelfspringsfromtheveryuniverse,fromNuit.Thisis
alsoexactlywhatisconveyedbythewordAbrahadabra(5Asand6
consenants),whichalsosumsto418(thefourreducedtoonebytheeight),
andwhoseattributionscanbestudiedinLiberAleph,Chapter87,which
revealstheattributionsofthelettersandallegoriestosexmagick.
Notealsothataddingahexagram(6)bringsthenumberofpointson
pentagramsandhexagramsintheritualto31,thenumberofbothALandLA.
ThesewordscanbestudiedinLiberReguli,amongotherplaces.
ConcludetheritualbyrepeatingtheQabalisticcross,affirmingyourselftobe
theTreeofLifeandGodoncemore.Besuretoseealloftheimaginative
thingsyouvedrawnandsummonedglowingwithflashinglightasyoudoall
ofthis.Imaginethefourguardiansdrawingtheirstrengthfromthat
pentagramhexagraminthemiddleofthecirclethat5=6which*is*you
foryouaretheirGod,andtheyarebutaspectsofYou.(TheElattheendof
eachoftheirnamesmeansGod,andeacharchangelclassicallyrepresentsa
differentaspectofGod).
Mostpractitionersleavethecirclethereandjustimagineitfadingaway.I
personallyliketopullupthecircle(imaginethelightbeingsuckedback
intomySelfandnourishingit).Thesearejustpersonaltouches.Experiment
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withdifferentmethodsandseewhatyoulikebest.
Concludebyimaginingyourselfshrinkingbackdowntonormalsize,andgive
thesignofsilence.
Repeatedperformanceswillkeepthelessonstaughtbytheritualinthebackof
yourmind,andyouwillfindyourdailythoughtsdriftingbacktoit.Youwill
inparticularfindyourselffrequentlyrecallingtheexpandedstateof
consciousness,fromwhoseperspectivetheproblemsofyourlifeareless
thantheblipontheradaroftheuniverseandonlymisunderstoodand
mislabeledasproblems.
Indeed,thisritualaffirmstheindividualasthecenteroftheuniverse,emerging
outoftheforceofthecosmosandpossessingfourgreatPowerswhose
executionistheessenceofmagick.Astheritualdramatizes,theWorkofthe
initiateistoclearawaythedistortinginfluencesofthemindsothathemay
perceivetheTrueWillandguideittowarditsproperobjects,thereby
producingapaththroughthephysicalworldinwhichhetakeshispleasure
ontheearthamongthelegionsoftheliving,touseaphrasefromtheSteleof
Revealing.
IhopeitisperfectlyobviousfromthesecommentsthattheLBRPdoesntdo
anythingcommonlyunderstoodassupernatural.Itdoesntcalluporbanish
anyactualspirits,itdoesntghostbustaroom,anditcantcauseanythingto
physicallyhappen.Itseffectsareentirelypsychologicalandentirelyconfined
totheindividual,buttheseeffectsareawesomeindeed.
Foolisharetheywhospeakofthisrituallightinguptheastralorattracting
spiritsoranyothercommentsthatmakeitseemasifoneisembarkingonthe
plotofapoorlywrittenRPGbymakingafewgesturesandintoningabunch
ofunusualwords.
No,properlyunderstood,thisritualistheGreatWork,theinnertransformation
thatwillyieldrealpracticalchangesintheindividualslife.TheWorkthatwill
openthefloodgatesoftheTrueWillandgivetheinitiatealmostunlimited
magicalpowerswherebyhemaytakehispleasureontheearth.
Thisritualisthefirststep,thepathitself,andthegoal.
ItisaprimeexampleofthesymbolictechnicalitiesofmagickthatCrowley
saysconcealamethodofmaking[onself]aMagician,ofdiscriminating
betweentheTrueSelfandthatwhichonefondlyimaginesoneselftobe.
Thisritualisfundamentaltothemagicalpath,andanyonewhodismissesitas
beingforbeginnersorwhoisovereagertomoveontotheadvancedstuff
doesntknowwhattheyretalkingabout.
Intheearlystagesofpracticeandevenatmuchlaterstagesfrequentuseof
thisritualshouldbemade.
"AndeveryManstoodFourfold,eachFourFaceshad.OnetotheWest
OnetowardtheEastOnetotheSouthOnetotheNorth,theHorsesFourfold
AndthedimChaosbrightenedbeneath,above,around!EyedasthePeacock
AccordingtotheHumanNervesofSensation,theFourRiversoftheWaterof
Life."
WilliamBlake,Jersusalem
PostedbyLosat10:19PM
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Labels:magick,ritual
8comments:
Brad August9,2012at11:54AM
VeryinstructivefromaThelemicperspective,thankyou.Isthereareasonwhy
you have switched the traditional correspondence of: 'air/ swords', and 'fire/
wands(caduceus)'?
Also, can you shed light on Crowley's comment to the ritual:
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(paraphrase)"undernormalcircumstancesthesupremebeingwillnotappearfor
soslightacause"
One more point. I read recently, forget where but on what I considered good
authority, that it has been discovered that the sign of Harpocrates, formerly
CesiteutilisedescookiesprovenantdeGoogleafindefournirsesservices,personnaliserlesannonceset
considered the sign of silence (finger or thumb to lips) is actually the sign of
analyserletrafic.LesinformationsrelativesvotreutilisationdusitesontpartagesavecGoogle.Enacceptant
childhood or innocence. It's apparently been proved that the Egyptian statues
cesite,vousacceptezl'utilisationdescookies.
of Harpocrates depict this idea (ie. sucking of the finger or thumb). Quite
interesting, I thought. Whichever you decide to use in the ritual, still works!
ENSAVOIRPLUS
OK!
"Unlessyebeaslittlechildren..."andallthat...
Reply
Los
August10,2012at9:57PM
"Very instructive from a Thelemic perspective, thank you. Is there a reason

why you have switched the traditional correspondence of: 'air/ swords', and
'fire/wands(caduceus)'?"
Well, I didnt switch it. I was using the standard images of the archangels
(RaphaelholdsawandandMichaelholdsasword).
Now youre right that in ceremonial magick the sword that the magician uses
represents intellect/air and the east and the wand that the magician uses
representsfire/willandthesouth(thetarotcardsfollowthisattributionaswell).
Butthearchangelsarenotcarrying*those*weapons.
Raphael holds the caduceus not the traditional wand used by a ceremonial
magician because it represents his mercurial nature as the archangel of the
East(air).Similarly,Michaelholdsnottheswordofceremonialmagickbutthe
flaming sword that guards Eden from mortals (this sword is sometimes
representedaszigzagginguptheTreeofLife).
There's a ton of Qabalistic material on this kind of stuff, and you could easily
spend your whole life mastering all of the little bits of Qabalistic symbolism
and why they're part of different rituals. Luckily, figuring that stuff out has
practicallynothingtodowithactualattainment.
In actuality, it doesnt matter what visualizations you use. Feel free to switch
the weapons you see in their hands. It doesnt really make a whole lot of
differenceultimately.
Also, can you shed light on Crowley's comment to the ritual:
(paraphrase)"undernormalcircumstancesthesupremebeingwillnotappearfor
soslightacause"
Herestheexactquote,fromCrowleysNotesontheRitualofthePentagram:
visualize clearly and cleanly the forces invoked, with the exception of the
Divine Being, who will not appear, in the ordinary course of events, for such
slightcause.
Literally,hessayingthatyoushouldvisualizetheforcesofthisritualclearly,
but that you do not need to visualize the Divine Being (i.e. God), who
normally wont appear just because you did the LBRP. The clause in the
ordinary course of events implies that God *might* appear under some
circumstances, but that it would be out of the control of the magician. Gods
notgoingtoappearjustbecauseyouvisualizedhimorinvokedhim.
Now,theliteralmeaningofthosewordsis,ofcourse,absolutelybatty,notthe
leastbecausethereisnoGod.ButwhatothermeaningcouldCrowleyhavein
mind?WhatifwereadDivineBeingasnotaliteralGodbutastheTrueSelf
ofthemagician?
Atleastitnowmakessense:theresnoneedtovisualizetheTrueSelf.Itwill
appear, when it appears, of its own accord and doesnt need to be invoked.
Visualizing some specific thing as the true self is actually counterproductive
to the process. The work of banishing is clearing away the rubbish, preparing
thetemplesothattheSpiritmayindwellit,ofSpiritsownaccord.
Whichever you decide to use in the ritual, still works! "Unless ye be as little
children..."andallthat...
Yes, Harpocrates is perfect Innocence, and thats exactly what one is
signifyingbythefingertothemouth,thenearuniversalShhh!sign,tellingthe
consciousmindtoshutup:foritisonlybysilencingtheconsciousmindthat
8/11
7/6/2016
Innocencecanbeobtained.
Reply
Brad August11,2012at4:51PM
A question for you that's been rolling around in my old bean for a while
involvingfreemasonry,atheismand'god'.Now,asweallprobablyknow,oneof
theonlyrequisitesforacceptanceintotheCraftisbeliefina'
creatororsupremebeingofsomekind,oftenreferredtoasthe'greatarchitect'.
I wonder why? Is freemasonry fundamentally theistic would you say? And
whileIcanseethatifitwasjustrequiredtobelievein'god'onecouldstretch
the interpretation of that term to include 'all that is' or 'nature' or whatever, but
'creator'or'supremebeing'cannotbestretchedliketheterm'god'.
Havingrereadcrowley'scommentaboutthedivinebeingandthelbrp,seenit
inadifferentlightoneshouldclearlyvisualisealltheforcesinvokedEXCEPT
the divine being. Because there isn't one? Or maybe because if the ritual is
performedcorrectlyone'becomes'thedivinebeingoneself?
Reply
Los
"Isfreemasonryfundamentallytheisticwouldyousay?"
I really don't know enough about it to say for sure. Since one has to admit
belief in a supreme being in order to join, the easy answer is "yes," but you
know these spiffy old "orders," often containing higherdegree teachings that
contradictteachingsgiventothelowergrades.
There's probably some good scholarship on the freemasons from a purely
sociological, historical viewpoint that might explain the demand for professing
theism. I'll bet there are also scholarly examinations of their rituals (textual
analysis, close readings, etc.) that might shed some light on these questions
foryou.
"'creator'or'supremebeing'cannotbestretchedliketheterm'god'."
I don't know. One could just as easily say, "I am the supreme being of my
universe" or "I am technically the creator of the universe since my mind
dividesupthefluxofmatterinto"things"thatIperceivedandinteractwith."
Recall"TheVisionsandtheVoice,"whereCrowleyisadmittedintoacircleof
atheistswhousethepassword"Thereisnogod,"withanemphasisonthefirst
word.Thatistosay,Godisn't"out*there*":God,insofarasthereisaGod,is
righthere,insideofhumanity.GodistheTrueSelfofeachperson.
Hence,"Thereisnogodbutman,"andtheOTOmotto"Deusesthomo."
Ifsomeonereallywantstojointhefreemasons,hecouldmakethesesortsof
stretches,butwhywouldsomeonewantto?Topalaroundwithabunchofold
white guys who put on bad amateur theater? To feel like he's part of a super
secret organization that runs the world? (Cue "The Stonecutters Song" from
the Simpsons Episode "Homer the Great": http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=_ZI_aEalijE)
Thisisjustpersonalpreferencetalkinghere,butI'dratherjustreadabouttheir
ritualsandcallitaday.Ihavenodesiretobeblindfoldedandledaroundtobe
taught "mysteries" and "secrets" that are openly published and available to
anyonewithaninternetconnection.
"oneshouldclearlyvisualisealltheforcesinvokedEXCEPTthedivinebeing.
Becausethereisn'tone?"
Well,yeah,there'snot.ButtheliteralreadingofCrowley'swordssuggeststhat
thereis.That'swhyIofferedthereadingof"DivineBeing"as"TrueSelf."
Reply
Replies
Los
Obviously,that'ssupposedtobe"TheVisionandtheVoice,"above.
9/11
7/6/2016
Reply
Haha, thanks Los, ageeing with you! Far better to read about it all, you never
know what you could be getting involved with those dudes! Have you read
'Morals and Dogma'? I think it's a great read, it's a huge tome and I'm still
pluggingawayatit,inbetweendozensofotherbooks!Bytheway,tomakeit
clear,IwasnotinferringthatIwanttojointheMasons.Lord,orshouldIsay,
"TrueSelf"forbid!ButtheMasonscertainlyaren'tallwhitebyanymeans.Yes
lodgesaregenerallydividedonraciallines,buttherearelotsofblacklodges,
and many prominent blacks are members, err Louis Armstrong was for
example, many others, especially show biz types it seems. There are also
verypowerfulJewishfreemasoniclodges.AndIslamicones,Ihear.Wegeta
lot of WASP bashing these days, George Carlin loved doing that.. Curiously I
never heard him do a routine on Zionist bankers or media moguls who are
clearlyjustasguiltyforpromoting'theAmericanway'...Mighthavejeopardized
hislucrativeTVcareer!
Reply
ps. I haven't looked at the "Vision and the Voice" as yet. Will do one day I'm
sure, add it to the pile! I'm such a naff reader, I'm sure I need to be more
focused there.. but then again why? The way I read is the way I read,
unfocused,lazy,butIstillunearthenoughbitstokeepmymindtickingover...
Andit'snotlikeyoucaneverreadeverything,althoughsomepeopleseem to
manageit!
Reply
VVVVV January29,2014at9:14PM
Youmissedthepoint.Thisritualisidenticaltothehexagramritualwithregards
toallegorymeaningitissexmagick.
Thepentagrams=thecontroloftheneurosomaticcurrentsoverthe4beneath
it:
1)Theoralbiosurvivalcircuit
2)Theemotionalterritorialcircuit
3)Theneurosemanticdexteritycircuit
4)Thesociosexualcircuit
Thegodnamesandvisualizationsareusedtokeepthemindfromhavingstray
thoughts while you are 'performing' aka having sex with a partner or
masturbatingalone.
Thisissexmagickdude,asisliterallyeveryritualCrowleysaidwasimportant.
By your level of understanding I'm sure you'd also say that the Abramelin
workinghastodowithprayingbahaha.
Peace.
Reply
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Thelema and Skepticism - On The Lesser Banishing Ritual of The Pentagram

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