Golden Dawn — The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram

The Lesser Banishing Ritual (Pentagram)

First stage: the Qabalistic Cross:

1- Face east and begin expanding until the entire universe is contained within me.

2- Notice a sphere of white light above your head, light upon light. With your right hand, draw light from it to the middle of your head, touching the forehead and illuminating the entire skull. Then pronounce the word: ATOH

3- Draw the light downward with your right hand to the solar plexus, then also trace the light on the ground at your feet while vibrating the word: MALKUTH

4- Touch your right shoulder with your right hand and imagine the pillar of light extending to the right side while vibrating the word: VAHGAVURAH

5- Touch your left shoulder with your right hand and imagine the pillar of light extending to the left side while vibrating the word: VAHGADULAH

6- Bring your hands together in a posture of supplication before your chest and pronounce the words: LEH OLAHM, AHMEN

Second stage: the pentagram formula:

• Facing east, trace a large pentagram with your right arm and index finger, beginning below the left hip, in bluish-white light.

1- Point to the center of the pentagram, breathe deeply, and then pronounce the name:

YHVH “Yod-Heh-Vau-Heh”

Imagine the star being charged with power and bluish-white light and pulsing with life.

2- From the middle of the star, draw a line toward the south, trace another pentagram, and vibrate the name: ADONAI

3- Draw a line from the middle of the circle toward the west, trace another pentagram, and vibrate the name: EHEIEH

4- Draw a line from the middle of the circle toward the north, trace another pentagram, and vibrate the name:

AGLA “Ah-gah-Iah”

Then return to face east once more and close the circle of stars.

Third stage: calling forth the archangels:

1- Raise your arms to your sides to form a cross and imagine the archangel Raphael standing toward the east, wearing a yellow robe, with wings and a human face. Say: Before me — then vibrate the name: RAPHAEL “Rah-fah-el”.

2- Imagine Gabriel, the archangel of Water, standing behind you in the west. He wears a blue robe and has wings and the face of an eagle. Say: Behind me — then vibrate the name: GABRIEL “Gah-bree-el”.

3- Toward the south, imagine Michael standing in a crimson robe, green light flashing around him and fire rising, with wings and the face of a lion. Say, “On my right,” and then pronounce the name: MICHAEL ” Mee-chah-el”

4- In the north, imagine Auriel, the archangel of Earth, in a black robe with flashing green light, wings, and the face of a bull. Then say, “On my left,” and vibrate the name: AURIEL “Aur-ree-el”.

5- With the arms held in the shape of a cross, say:

For about me flame the pentagrams … and within shineth the six-rayed star.

Then imagine a hexagram drawn on the body: the upper triangle in red and the lower one in blue.

Feel all the powers intertwining within your being.

Fourth stage: repeat the Qabalistic Cross stage a second time:

– Face east and begin expanding until the entire universe is contained within me.

2- Notice a sphere of white light above your head, light upon light. With your right hand, draw light from it to the middle of your head, touching the forehead and illuminating the entire skull. Then pronounce the word: ATOH

3- Draw the light downward with your right hand to the solar plexus, then also trace the light on the ground at your feet while vibrating the word: MALKUTH

4- Touch your right shoulder with your right hand and imagine the pillar of light extending to the right side while vibrating the word: VAHGAVURAH

5- Touch your left shoulder with your right hand and imagine the pillar of light extending to the left side while vibrating the word: VAHGADULAH

6- Bring your hands together in a posture of supplication before your chest and pronounce the words: LEH OLAHM, AHMEN