The Lesser Banishing Ritual Of The Pentagram: How To Perform
The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram is a ritual which originated within Ceremonial magick from at least the nineteenth century, but is used by many, including wiccans. Whilst some see the LBRP as a psychological tool to help facilitate meditation there are those who actually see it as a ritual to magickally cleanse and purify.
I personally see it as a great way to ground and centre and usually perform it first thing in the morning before I go about my daily business. It helps me connect with the divine, find inner balance and start the day from a place of peace and calm. Considering it is quite simple to perform, the affect it can have if performed correctly is quite underestimated.
First, you will need to create what is known as THE KABALISTIC CROSS. Visualize a white light, hovering just above your head - this light will attach you to the divine, the spirit, the all. Traditionally it is performed with an athame (I personally prefer using my athame for this), but you can also perform it with a wand or your finger, whatever is most comfortable for you.
Now, raise you athame or whatever you are using into the light and raw it down to your third eye. Say the word 'ATEH', imagining the sound of the word vibrating through you and the light. Now draw this light down further, down to your groin area and imagine the light flowing through you and down into the ground, connecting you to the earth. You are now connected to that below, as well as above. Say the word 'MALKUTH' (some pronounce it as 'Malkooth') and again imagine the vibrations of the word resonating through you.
Using the same hand, bring your athame back to your chest and across to your right shoulder, imagining the light passing through you and across, out through your shoulder as you vibrate the word 'VE-GEBURAH' (pronounced 'V'ge-boo-rah'). Now, bring this light back across, past your centre and instead out of the left shoulder whilst you vibrate the word 'VE-GEDULAH' (pronounced 'V'ge-doo-la').
Finally, bring your hands together at your chest to complete the sequence, vibrating the word 'LE-OLAHM, AMEN'. Imagine it as a cross, made from this divine light, reaching from the sky, down to the ground, and then the arms of the cross stretching out and across through your chest/shoulders. This is called the Kabalistic Cross. I perform this section of the LBRP at least in the mornings, and as I said, it really helps me feel grounded and centred.
The four vibrations correspond to specific values:
ATAH - Unto Thee
MALKUTH - The Kingdom
VE-GEBURGA - And The Power
VE-GEDULAH - And The Glory
LE-OLAHM, AMEN - To The Ages, Amen
This is not the complete LBRP and if I have time (because as i'm sure many of you will relate to, I love my sleep and over-sleeping in the mornings before work is a very real disaster), I will perform the rest.
The next stage involves drawing pentagrams. First, stand in or face the East. Trace the banishing pentagram of Earth with your athame and vibrate the word 'YOD HEH VAV HEH' (pronounced 'yode-heh-vahv-heh). See this pentagram roaring with bright, white flame in front of you.
Next turn to the South, using your athame to draw this light to the South and thus connecting the pentagram you have drawn to the one you are about to draw. Draw the appropriate pentagram and vibrate the word 'ADNI' (pronounced 'ah-doe-nye'). Then to the West, again connecting the pentagrams by the light, vibrating the word 'EHEIEH' (pronounced 'eh-hey-yay). Finally, walk to or turn to the North, again drawing the light with you and draw the corresponding pentagram and vibrate the word 'AGLA' (pronounced 'ah-gah-la). Now using the light trough your athame, connect this pentagram to the one you originally drew in the East. You should now have four pentagrams in each of the cardinal directions, connecting by a circle of white light with you in the centre.
Finally, it is time to call the Arch-Angels. I have to admit, the first time I ever tried calling the Arch-Angels I was very dubious. I am definitely not an 'Angels' person, and whilst the first time I worked with Angels wasn't actually in performing the LBRP, I was surprised at how natural and powerful it felt. Each of the Angels in each direction corresponds to one of the elements, and so I have included a little line about which element that is and what it may be appropriate to visualize, but you may see or feel them in a different manner - remember, this is only a guide.
Face the East and hold your hands out to the sides. Say, "BEFORE ME, RAPHAEL" (pronounced 'rah-fay-el). See this Angel cloaked in yellow, holding a wand, and feel the presence and a soft breeze envelop you. It is worth noting here that traditionally in Ceremonial Magick, Raphael is often depicted as holding a sword, and Michael in the South is depicted holding the wand. However, I have always associated the wand with air and the sword with fire, hence why I do it slightly differently.
Now still facing the East and still with your arms outstretched say, "BEHIND ME, GABRIEL" (pronounced 'gab-ree-ehl'). See this Angel cloaked in blue, holding a shining silver chalice, and feel the presence, the cool spray of the ocean envelop you.
Next say. "AT MY RIGHT HAND, MICHAEL" (pronounced 'mee-che-el), and see an Angel robed in red with a wild blonde hair wielding a sword (or wand if that is your preference) - feel the fiery energy envelop you.
Lastly, say "AT MY LEFT HAND, AURIEL" (pronounced 'awe-ree-ehl'). Representing the North, and therefore associated with the element of Earth see this Angel in green and brown robes and clutching a pentagram, and feel the stable, earthy presence around you.
Finally, visualize a hexagram in your chest area, shining bright and intone "About me flames the pentagrams, and in the column shines the six-rayed star." To ground and centre again, repeat the steps which create the Kabalistic Cross. I usually perform the whole ritual before doing any sort of serious magickal working, akin to casting a circle as you would in wicca. As I said, at first it didn't sound like 'my kind of thing', but upon performing it I found it so effective that I use it regularly - give it a go!
I personally see it as a great way to ground and centre and usually perform it first thing in the morning before I go about my daily business. It helps me connect with the divine, find inner balance and start the day from a place of peace and calm. Considering it is quite simple to perform, the affect it can have if performed correctly is quite underestimated.
First, you will need to create what is known as THE KABALISTIC CROSS. Visualize a white light, hovering just above your head - this light will attach you to the divine, the spirit, the all. Traditionally it is performed with an athame (I personally prefer using my athame for this), but you can also perform it with a wand or your finger, whatever is most comfortable for you.
Now, raise you athame or whatever you are using into the light and raw it down to your third eye. Say the word 'ATEH', imagining the sound of the word vibrating through you and the light. Now draw this light down further, down to your groin area and imagine the light flowing through you and down into the ground, connecting you to the earth. You are now connected to that below, as well as above. Say the word 'MALKUTH' (some pronounce it as 'Malkooth') and again imagine the vibrations of the word resonating through you.
Using the same hand, bring your athame back to your chest and across to your right shoulder, imagining the light passing through you and across, out through your shoulder as you vibrate the word 'VE-GEBURAH' (pronounced 'V'ge-boo-rah'). Now, bring this light back across, past your centre and instead out of the left shoulder whilst you vibrate the word 'VE-GEDULAH' (pronounced 'V'ge-doo-la').
Finally, bring your hands together at your chest to complete the sequence, vibrating the word 'LE-OLAHM, AMEN'. Imagine it as a cross, made from this divine light, reaching from the sky, down to the ground, and then the arms of the cross stretching out and across through your chest/shoulders. This is called the Kabalistic Cross. I perform this section of the LBRP at least in the mornings, and as I said, it really helps me feel grounded and centred.
The four vibrations correspond to specific values:
ATAH - Unto Thee
MALKUTH - The Kingdom
VE-GEBURGA - And The Power
VE-GEDULAH - And The Glory
LE-OLAHM, AMEN - To The Ages, Amen
This is not the complete LBRP and if I have time (because as i'm sure many of you will relate to, I love my sleep and over-sleeping in the mornings before work is a very real disaster), I will perform the rest.
The next stage involves drawing pentagrams. First, stand in or face the East. Trace the banishing pentagram of Earth with your athame and vibrate the word 'YOD HEH VAV HEH' (pronounced 'yode-heh-vahv-heh). See this pentagram roaring with bright, white flame in front of you.
Next turn to the South, using your athame to draw this light to the South and thus connecting the pentagram you have drawn to the one you are about to draw. Draw the appropriate pentagram and vibrate the word 'ADNI' (pronounced 'ah-doe-nye'). Then to the West, again connecting the pentagrams by the light, vibrating the word 'EHEIEH' (pronounced 'eh-hey-yay). Finally, walk to or turn to the North, again drawing the light with you and draw the corresponding pentagram and vibrate the word 'AGLA' (pronounced 'ah-gah-la). Now using the light trough your athame, connect this pentagram to the one you originally drew in the East. You should now have four pentagrams in each of the cardinal directions, connecting by a circle of white light with you in the centre.
BANISHING PENTAGRAMS
Finally, it is time to call the Arch-Angels. I have to admit, the first time I ever tried calling the Arch-Angels I was very dubious. I am definitely not an 'Angels' person, and whilst the first time I worked with Angels wasn't actually in performing the LBRP, I was surprised at how natural and powerful it felt. Each of the Angels in each direction corresponds to one of the elements, and so I have included a little line about which element that is and what it may be appropriate to visualize, but you may see or feel them in a different manner - remember, this is only a guide.
Face the East and hold your hands out to the sides. Say, "BEFORE ME, RAPHAEL" (pronounced 'rah-fay-el). See this Angel cloaked in yellow, holding a wand, and feel the presence and a soft breeze envelop you. It is worth noting here that traditionally in Ceremonial Magick, Raphael is often depicted as holding a sword, and Michael in the South is depicted holding the wand. However, I have always associated the wand with air and the sword with fire, hence why I do it slightly differently.
Now still facing the East and still with your arms outstretched say, "BEHIND ME, GABRIEL" (pronounced 'gab-ree-ehl'). See this Angel cloaked in blue, holding a shining silver chalice, and feel the presence, the cool spray of the ocean envelop you.
Next say. "AT MY RIGHT HAND, MICHAEL" (pronounced 'mee-che-el), and see an Angel robed in red with a wild blonde hair wielding a sword (or wand if that is your preference) - feel the fiery energy envelop you.
Lastly, say "AT MY LEFT HAND, AURIEL" (pronounced 'awe-ree-ehl'). Representing the North, and therefore associated with the element of Earth see this Angel in green and brown robes and clutching a pentagram, and feel the stable, earthy presence around you.
Finally, visualize a hexagram in your chest area, shining bright and intone "About me flames the pentagrams, and in the column shines the six-rayed star." To ground and centre again, repeat the steps which create the Kabalistic Cross. I usually perform the whole ritual before doing any sort of serious magickal working, akin to casting a circle as you would in wicca. As I said, at first it didn't sound like 'my kind of thing', but upon performing it I found it so effective that I use it regularly - give it a go!
Comments
Post a Comment