The Pentagram rituals are one of the most basic foundations of western magick, and have been worked very effectively by a lot of people over a long time period, gaining a natural "flow" when worked and having a lot of inherent energy from regular and repeated use. Even if you are not comfortable with the idea of using Hebrew, it is worth learning these rituals and being proficient in them - they are a good example of the combination of voicework, visualisation, telesmatic imagery and body work. Once the ritual is known and fluent, you can always experiment with using for example, Celtic deities instead of the Hebrew Divine Names on the Quarters, or the rulers of the Elements on the quarters instead of the Archangels. With proficiency you will then always have a good banishing/invoking ritual "under your belt" that can be used at any time or place.

1] The Qabalistic Cross

Face east and see yourself growing and rising up to the heavens with your feet firmly on the earth, growing until the earth is a globe supporting your feet. See a sphere of blinding whiteness above but not touching your head. Trace with your preferred hand (with first two fingers straight and other two fingers folded with thumb folded onto them) a line of energy down to your third eye, touch the third eye with your hand and vibrate:

ATOH (Ah-toh)

This means `thou art`, as you say it use willed imagination such that what you say echoes throughout the universe.

Move the hand down along your body and touch about 1½" below the sternum. As you do this see the energy continue down through the body until it reaches your feet on the earth. When you have done this vibrate:

MALKUTH (Mal-kut)

This means `the kingdom`, again the phrase echoes through the universe.

Touch the right shoulder with your hand and feeling a reservoir of energy activating on the right side, vibrate:

VE-GEBURAH (Ve-geh-vur-ah)

This means `and the power`, as before the name echoes throughout the universe.

Now move your hand across the body tracing a line of energy and touch the left shoulder, again feeling a reservoir of energy activating, this time on the left side, vibrate:

VE-GEDULAH (Ve-geh-du-lah)

This means `and the glory` the name echoes throughout the whole universe as before.

Crossing arms across breast (posture of Osiris slain) vibrate:

LE-OLAHM, AMEN (Le-oh-lahm, amen)

This means `to the ages, amen`, as you say it see the cross now formed within your body vibrate with the words and hear them echoing throughout the universe, as before.

2] Setting the Circle and Inscribing the Pentagrams

Facing east inscribe a pentagram in front of you starting with your hand at a position corresponding to your left hip and moving up to the top point of the pentagram (which is approximately level with the top of your head), then continue on to complete pentagram. As you inscribe pentagram see it forming in the air in front of you. With the pentagram flaming in front of you stab it`s centre and intone:

YHVH (Yah-weh)

This divine name is the creative word of divinity.

Then from the east with your hand extended out in front of you, turn to the south, see a circle of flame starting to be formed around you as you turn to the south. Now facing south inscribe a pentagram in front of you in the manner described above except that as you strike centre of pentagram, intone:

ADNI (Ah-doh-nye)

This means Lord, we see this divine name as referring to the higher self.

Now from the south turn to the west, again with hand outstretched, and see the circle of flame continuing to be formed. In the west inscribe another pentagram as previously described, intoning:

AHIH (Eh-heh-yay)

The first emanation 'I am'

Turning to the north still with your hand outstretched, seeing the circle of flame continuing to be formed. In the north inscribe another pentagram in the same manner and intone:

AGLA (Ah-glah)

An abbreviation of 'Ateh Gebor Le-olahm Adonai' - `unto thee O Lord the glory`, referring to the higher self.

Now finish inscribing the circle of flame by turning to the east with hand outstretched and finishing at your starting point.

3] Calling the Archangels

Facing east with arms outstretched to either side, say:

"Before me RAPHAEL,"

As you intone the Archangel's name visualise him before you outside the circle - at least 8ft tall, his face too bright to see. He wears a yellow robe, and there are flashes of purple about his form, he holds a sword and the air element enters the circle from the east.

Still facing east say:

"Behind me GABRIEL,"

This time as you intone the Archangel's name visualise him behind you outside the circle, again at least 8ft tall, his face blindingly bright. Gabriel wears a blue robe and holds aloft a chalice, around his form there are flashes of orange. From behind you in the west the element of water enters the circle.

Still facing east say:

"On my right hand MICHAEL,"

As you intone the Archangel's name visualise him to the right of you outside the circle with the same towering height, same blinding visage as the others, his robe is bright red and there are flashes of green around him as he holds a wand. From the right of you in the south the element of fire enters the circle.

Continuing to face east say:

"On my left hand AURIEL,"

Intoning the Archangels name visualise him to the left of you outside the circle towering and bright like his brothers, his robe of citrine, olive, russet and a small amount of black. He holds the a pentacle and from the north to your left the element of earth enters the circle.

Now say:

"For about me flames the pentagram, and in the column shines the six-rayed star."

As you say this see the four pentagrams that you inscribed around you and yourself in a column of brilliance with a hexagram shining above your head and below your feet.

4] The Qabalistic Cross

Repeat Section 1.

Note: There are two differences between the lesser banishing of the pentagram and the lesser invoking of the pentagram, detailed below.

In section 3 when banishing the pentagram is inscribed starting from a point in front of you corresponding to the position of the left hip and moving up to the topmost point and then continuing on to complete the pentagram. For invoking the pentagram is begun from a point in front of you at the level of your forehead, then moving down to the point corresponding to the position of your left hip and then continuing on to complete the pentagram. Alternatively the invoking or banishing elemental pentagrams may be used on each appropriate quarter.

In section 4 when each elemental energy enters the circle, for the banishing it should pass through you take away any 'staleness' of that element in you. For the invoking as each element enters the circle it should fill you with its force.

 

Extract (with small updates) from the book Magick Without Peers (1997) by Ariadne Rainbird & David Rankine.