Members of the 5=6 Grade of Adeptus Minor receive a lengthy manuscript on the advanced use of the Pentagram called Ritual B. In this manuscript, the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram is described thus (abridged);
“Invoking, for use in the morning, in general and un-important occasions, invocations and operations.”
“Banishing, for use at night, to guard the room, for clearing or consecrating any place, and for general defence.”
“The knowledge of the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram is permitted to the Neophyte of the First Order, but not that of the Supreme Ritual . It is only of use in general and for unimportant invocations and operations.”
Unimportant invocations and operations. I’ll stop there for emphasis.
Take it from me, and I did not come down in the last shower of rain, this rudimentary ritual (Qabalistic Sign of the Cross + Pentagram) is not magical in the sense most would have you believe, including many authors. It is not meant to be transformative (spiritually or psychologically) in itself. This is a purely contemporary interpretation that at times seems more in keeping with the self-help or wellness industries.
What the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram is intended to do, however, is to:
- Introduce ceremonial to the Neophyte, almost certainly for the first time
- Nurture a sense of sacredness in one’s practice, a vessel in which to pour one’s spiritual aspirations
- Practice basic skills involving the imagination and projection of images
- Strengthen the will, by disciplining oneself into doing the ritual regularly (rather than in the performance of the ritual itself)
- Establish ritual ‘muscle memory’ to trigger a state of flow (of consciousness), much as the four fold breath does, especially if used with meditation
- Provide an initial framework to learn Order symbolism
It was suggested to me by Frater Fiat Lux (who was Initiated into the Order in 1936 and was a Chief in the last recognised ‘Golden Dawn’ Temple) to do the banishing form so as to make sacred the space before my morning meditations, and to repeat the banishing afterwards to help me snap back into Malkuth and not day dream (on the Astral).
He also suggested I consider doing the invoking form in the evening before the Thinking Backwards exercise (as part of my Practicus work), or in association with any preliminary Tatwa work (as part of the Portal grade), or actually just when I felt it appropriate, or when the inspiration struck.
At no point did he suggest it would transform or improve me in any wellbeing or psychological sense, or that I should use it to circulate energy, or to expect my lot in life to improve by performing it, or that constant banishing would be the ruin of me.
Rather than require a dogmatic “thou shalt” approach, he always encouraged me to think and decide for myself, when it was appropriate to perform the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram, and which form, invoking or banishing, to use.
I was trained to look at the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram not as an exercise in itself, but rather as ritual bookends to other Order work.
And always, always was it stressed of the necessity to be well grounded in real life, with work, family and friends, when active on this path. Otherwise no good will come of it.
Kasmillos
