THE LESSER

RITUAL OF THE PENTAGRAM6

1. Touching the forehead say Ateh (Unto Thee).
2. Touching the breast say Malkuth (The Kingdom).
3. Touching the right shoulder, say ve-Geburah (and the
Power).
4. Touching the left shoulder, say ve-Gedulah (and the
Glory).
5. Clasping the hand upon the breast, say le-OLAHM,
AMEN, (To the Ages, Amen).7







6. From Crowley's Liber O, part IV, in Magick in Theory and Practice (New
York: Magickal Childe, 1990), p. 379.
7. 1 - 5 is referred to as the Qabalistic Cross. The Magician actually indicates
the three pillars of the Tree of Life upon his or her body. This affirms the
Magician's identity as a microcosmic representation of God and announces
that fact to the world.Ed.





6. Turning to the East, make a pentagram (that of Earth)
with the proper weapon (usually the Wand). Say (i.e., vibrate)
IHVH (Ye-ho-wau) while making the Sign of Horus the Enterer

7. Turning to the South, the same, but say ADNI (Adonai).
8. Turning to the West, the same, but say AHIH (Eheieh).
9. Turning to the North, the same, but say AGLA (Agla).
10. Extend the arms in the form of a cross say (see Sign of
Osiris Slain)

And Say
11. Before me Raphael;
12. Behind me Gabriel;
13. On my right hand, Michael.
14. On my left hand, Auriel;8
15. For about me flames the Pentagram,
16. And in the Column stands the six-rayed Star.9
17-21. Repeat the Qabalistic Cross (1 to 5)

8. 6-14 the Divine Names are taken from traditional qabalistic sources;
IHVH, the Tetragrammaton; ADNI, often translated "Lord," used as a
synonym for the Holy Guardian Angel; AHIH, "I Am." AGLA is a
notariqon of "Ateh Gibor Le-Olahm Adonai" (Thou art mighty forever
my Lord). These names govern their respective Archangels; Raphael (God
has healed); Gabriel (God is my strength); Michael (who is as God); and
Auriel (light of God). These Archangels, in turn, rule a host of Angels and
lesser spiritual entities of the Elements.Ed.



VIBRATION OF THE DIVINE NAMES
Once the Lesser Banishing ritual of the Pentagram has been
committed to memory the Magician should then learn to
"vibrate" the Divine Names in the quarters rather than simply
say them. Crowley gave detailed instructions in Part III
of Liber O from which we quote:
a) Stand with arms outstretched.10
b) Breathe in deeply through the nostrils, imagining
the name of the God desired entering with the
breath.
c) Let that name descend slowly from the lungs to
the heart, the solar plexus, the navel, the generative
organs, and so to the feet.
d) The moment that it appears to touch the feet,
quickly advance the left foot about 12 inches, throw
forward the body, and let the hands (drawn back to the side of the eyes) shoot out, so that you
are standing in the typical position of the God Horus11,
and at the same time imagine the Name as rushing up and through the body, while you breathe
it out
through the nostrils with the air which has been till
then retained in the lungs. All this must be done
with all the force of which your are capable.
e) Then withdraw the left foot, and place the right
forefinger12 upon the lips, so that you are in the
characteristic position of the God Harpocrates.
f) It is a sign that the student is performing this correctly
when a single "Vibration" entirely exhausts
his physical strength. It should cause him to grow
hot all over or to perspire violently, and it should so
weaken him that he will find it difficult to remain standing.
It is a sign of success, though only by the student himself is
it perceived, when he hears the name of God vehemently
roared forth, as if by the concourse of ten thousand thunders;
and it should appear to him as if that Great Voice proceeded
from the Universe, and not from himself.
9 The Hexagram. "It flames both above and beneath the magus, who is
thus in a cube of 4 pentagrams and 2 hexagrams, 32 points in all."
Crowley, The Palace of the World.
By creating the four pentagrams at the quarters and positioning the
four archangels to stand as guardians, the Magician has sealed the circle,
and created a new magical environment. The microcosm (the "little" world
of Five) is now held at bay outside and beyond. A vacuum is formed
within the circle (which has become a column extending infinitely above
and below). As Magick and Nature abhor vacuums, this environment is
immediately filled by the inrush of the macrocosm (the "big" world of
Six, represented by the hexagram). It is from this superior position the
Magician sets to work.Ed.
10 This injunction does not apply to gods like Pthah or Harpocrates whose
natures do not accord with this gesture.
1 1. This gesture is the "Sign of Horus" or the "Sign of the Enterer."Ed.
1 2. Or the thumb, the fingers being closed. The thumb symbolizes spirit,
the forefinger the element of water. (Editor's note: the "Sign of
Harpocrates" also called the "Sign of Silence.")