Invoking The Light

Perform this ritual in a room with ample floor space, so that you can walk around the inner circumference of a circle at least nine feet in diameter. If you do not have such a large room, you can still work the ritual, but you must project your astral circle larger than your actual physical space. In the center of the floor, place a small table such as a bedside table or plant stand to act as an altar. Put a white candle in a candle holder in the middle of the table and light the candle.

Position yourself on the western side of the altar facing east, so that the altar is immediately in front of you. Adopt the standing pose, with your feet together, arms at your sides, back straight, and head erect. Direct your gaze straight ahead and look through the wall at the unseen, distant horizon. Take several long, deep breaths to focus your resolve and prepare for what you are about to do.

Visualize high over your head a blue-white star that blazes with pure spiritual energy. Ascend in your inner awareness to this star and enter it. Allow the brilliant rays from the star to completely surround you and saturate your awareness with cooling light.

Extend a ray of white light from the star straight downward through the top of your skull to your heart-center. Visualize this center expand into a three-inch transparent sphere of glowing golden radiance, the color of sunlight. Focus the white ray from the star on the center of the transparent golden sphere.

Allow your awareness to slide down this white ray to your heart-center. Continue to draw spiritual energy down the ray until your heart-center turns from yellow to soft radiant white with only the slightest golden tint. Hold your awareness in your heart-center.

Visualize yourself standing inside the white circle painted on the hardwood floor of the astral temple described in exercise 19. The altar of polished black marble is immediately in front of you in the center of the circle. A white candle burns on its top in a plain brass holder. You stand in the western quarter of the circle facing the eastern wall of the astral temple. See painted on the mist-gray wall in front of you the upright solid yellow triangle that forms the key feature of the eastern part of your astral temple.

Take a deep breath and hold the air in your lungs for four slow beats as you visualize the warm light from your heart-center radiate outward to expand your aura into a sphere. The sphere of your aura surrounds the altar directly in front of you but does not extend beyond the painted circle of the astral temple.

Touch your right index finger to your forehead between your eyebrows. Vibrate the syllables of the Hebrew word ateh briefly but with power and authority.

"ah-teh"

Feel the resonance in your chest energize your aura, and the vibrations of your aura propel your articulated breath outward to fill the universe.

Touch your right index finger to the region of your solar plexus. Vibrate the syllables of the Hebrew word Malkuth briefly but with authority.

“Mal-kuth”

Feel the vibrations in your chest energize your aura, and sense that your aura propels your breath outward to fill the universe. Visualize a white ray extending from the glowing sphere of your heart-center vertically up and down, so that it passes through the top of your skull and between your feet. Conceive this ray to be a laser beam of infinite length.

Touch your right index finger to your right shoulder and vibrate the syllables of the Hebrew words ve-Geburah briefly with force.      

“veh-Geb-u-rah”

Feel the vibrations in your chest energize your aura, and sense that your aura propels your breath outward to fill the universe.

Touch your right index finger to your left shoulder and vibrate the syllables of the Hebrew words ve-Gedulah briefly with force.

“veh-Gud-u-lah”

Feel the vibrations in your chest energize your aura, and sense that your aura propels your breath outward to fill the universe.

Visualize a white ray extending from the glowing sphere of your heart-center horizontally to the left and right so that it passes out the sides of your body below the level of your armpits. Conceive this ray to be a laser beam of infinite length. This horizontal ray intersects the vertical ray at right angles at the center of your heart-center.

Press the palms of your hands together in front of your solar plexus with your extended fingers pointing upward. Vibrate the Hebrew words le-olam strongly to create a resonance in your chest.

"leh-oh-lam"

Feel the vibrations in your chest energize your aura, and sense that your aura propels your breath outward to fill the universe.

Visualize a white ray extending from the glowing sphere of your heart-center horizontally in front and behind, so that it passes out of your body through the center of your chest between your joined hands, and out the center of your back. This horizontal ray intersects the first two rays at right angles in your heart-center.

Raise your united hands above your head while continuing to gaze forward. Vibrate the Hebrew word amen strongly to create a resonance in your chest. Extend the final syllable so that the remaining air in your lungs is expelled.

"ah-mennnnn"

Feel the vibrations in your chest energize your aura, and sense that your aura propels your breath outward to fill the universe. Lower your joined hands to their former place in front of your solar plexus, and allow them to separate and fall to your sides as you adopt the standing pose.

Remain motionless in this posture for a minute or so, breathing normally, and contemplate with your inner sight the large golden sphere of your expanded aura, the smaller gold-white sphere of your heart-center, and the three brilliant-white rays that extend from the three axes of your body. Mentally draw the three rays back into your heart-center, but continue to be aware of its radiance. Allow your aura to contract slowly to its usual elongated shape nearer the surface of your skin.

Walk around the altar in a clockwise direction and stand in the east facing east. Assume a posture of projection with your left hand over your heart-center and your right arm extended. Project a yellow banishing pentagram of Earth upon the air in the east. Begin it from the lower-left point and draw its line clockwise. Visualize its interlocking segments glowing brightly with yellow flame.

Golden Dawn

Banishing Pentagram of Earth

Draw a deep breath, hold it four beats while visualizing the Hebrew letters of the name IHVH (I = ', H = 7, V = 1, H = 7) written from right to left within the sphere of your heart-center. The letters flame brilliantly with a dazzling blue-white radiance.

י ה ו ה

Stab at the center of the pentagram with your right index finger and vibrate the letters of the divine name so that the sound resonates in your chest, throat, and nose, and expands outward to the limits of the universe.

"Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh"

Continue pointing to the center of the pentagram with your right index finger. Breathe normally. The vibrations of the holy name cause a pillar of white light to extend downward from the radiant white star in the heavens. Contemplate this pillar of light, which stands outside the circle behind the yellow pentagram like an infinitely long column of glowing white marble.

While pointing to the center of the pentagram with your right index finger, turn your body to the right so that your right forearm crosses in front of your chest. Walk along the quarter circumference of an imaginary circle to the south, projecting a line of golden-white fire upon the air at heart level as you go. This circle must be at least nine feet across, even if your work area is smaller-walls are no barrier to astral forms. Feel the vital energy that fills your heart-center flow through your chest into your left palm, up your left arm, across your shoulders, and down your right arm to exit in a flaming stream from your right index finger. The expanding spiral it follows as it circulates through your body increases its force. Continue to sustain in your awareness the banishing pentagram of Earth in the east. As you project the line of astral fire upon the air in your practice room, be aware that you are also projecting it above the painted circle on the floor of your astral chamber.

Stand in the pose of projection in the southern quarter of the practice area facing south. Project a fiery red banishing pentagram of Earth upon the air to the south so that the termination of the quarter circle you have previously drawn is in the exact center of the pentagram. The size and formation of the pentagram are identical to the one in the east. It begins from the lower-left point and proceeds clockwise. Visualize its interlocking segments glowing brightly with red flames.

Take a deep breath and hold it four beats as you intensify the radiance of your heart-center. While your breath is stopped, visualize the Hebrew letters of the divine name Adonai (A = H, D = 'I, N = I, I = ') written from right to left within the sphere of your heart-center in brilliant white flame that is edged with electric blue.

א ד נ י

Stab at the center of the pentagram with your right index finger and vibrate the letters of the divine name so that the sound resonates within your body and expands to fill the universe.

“Ah-doh-en-aye”

Continue pointing to the center of the pentagram with your right index finger. Breathe normally. The vibrations of the holy name cause a pillar of white light to extend downward from the star beyond the red pentagram in the south. Contemplate this pillar of light.

Turn your body to the right so that: your right forearm crosses in front of your chest. Walk along the circumference of the imaginary circle to the west, projecting a line of golden-white fire upon the air at heart level as you go. Be aware that you are also projecting this line above the painted circle on the floor of your astral chamber.

Stand in the pose of projection in the western quarter of the practice area facing west. Project a pentagram of deep blue fire on the air to the west so that the termination of the quarter circle you have previously drawn is in the exact center of the pentagram. The pentagram is identical in formation to the ones in the east and south. It begins from the lower-left point and proceeds clockwise.

Take a deep breath and hold it four beats as you intensify the radiance of your heart-center. While your breath is stopped, visualize the Hebrew letters of the divine name Eheieh (A = N, H = 7, I = ', H = 7) written in brilliant blue-white flame from right to left within the sphere of your heart-center.

א ה י ה

Stab the center of the pentagram with your right index finger and vibrate sounds corresponding with the letters of the divine name so that the vibration resonates within your body and expands to fill the universe.

“Ah-heh-aye-yah”

Continue pointing to the center of the pentagram with your right index finger. Breathe normally. The vibrations of the holy name cause a pillar of white light to extend downward from the star beyond the blue pentagram in the west. Contemplate this pillar of light.

Turn your body to the right so that your right forearm crosses in front of your chest. Walk along the circumference of the imaginary circle to the north, projecting a line of golden-white fire upon the air at heart level as you go. Continue to sustain in your awareness the pentagrams in the east, south, and west. As you project this line of fire upon the air of your practice room, visualize yourself projecting it above the painted circle on the floor of your astral temple.

Stand in the pose of projection in the northern quarter of the practice area facing north. Project a pentagram of dark green fire on the air to the north so that the termination of the quarter circle you have previously drawn is in the exact center of the pentagram. The pentagram is identical in formation to the ones in the east, south and west. It begins from the lower-left point and proceeds clockwise.

Take a deep breath and hold it four beats as you intensify the radiance of your heart-center. While your breath is stopped, visualize the Hebrew letters of the divine name AGLA (A = H, G = I, L = 5, A = W) written in brilliant blue-white flame from right to left within the sphere of your heart-center.

א ג ל א

Stab the center of the pentagram with your right index finger and vibrate the letters of the divine name so that the sound resonates within your body and expands to fill the universe.

“Ah-Geh-Lah-Ah”

Continue pointing to the center of the pentagram with your right index finger. Breathe normally. The vibrations of the holy name cause a pillar of white light to extend downward from the star beyond the green pentagram in the north. Contemplate this pillar of light.

Turn your body to the right so that your right forearm crosses in front of your chest. Walk along the circumference of the imaginary circle to the east, projecting a line of golden-white fire upon the air at heart level as you go. Continue to sustain in your awareness the pentagrams in the east, south, west, and north. As you walk along the imaginary circle in the practice room, you also walk around the inside of the painted circle on the floor of the astral chamber.

Join the end of the line of golden fire to its beginning in the center of the eastern pentagram. Drop your arms to your sides and maintain the standing pose for half a minute or so, breathing normally. Walk around the altar clockwise to stand in the west facing east with the altar directly in front of you. At the same time, with your inner vision be aware that you are standing in the western part of your astral temple facing east with the altar of black stone in front of you almost touching your legs.

Adopt the formal standing pose. Gaze straight ahead, and focus your eyes on the distant eastern horizon that lies in front of you beyond the wall and other intervening obstructions. Extend your astral awareness in all directions to the circle and the four banishing pentagrams of Earth that are set in its golden-white band. Contemplate the circle and the different colors of the pentagrams for several minutes. Strive to hold the complete, unbroken circle in your mind. Be aware of the four white pillars beyond the circle.

Spread your arms wide so that your body forms the shape of a cross. Draw a long, deep inhalation. Hold the breath for four slow beats and visualize the light from your heart-center shining outward to enlarge the outer surface of your aura into a perfect transparent sphere of palest gold. Your aura encloses the altar but does not extend outside the limits of the circle. Be sure to keep your physical gaze directed eastward.

Vibrate upon your breath the following words so that your chest, throat, and nose resonate inwardly.

"Be-fore me, Raph-a-el."

Exhale the remainder of your breath while maintaining your expanded aura. Visualize the yellow color of the eastern pentagram transfer itself into the pillar. As the pillar turns yellow, the pentagram fades to a clear golden-white.

The yellow pillar thickens and solidifies into the towering, yellow-robed angel Raphael. The angel stands barefoot beyond the circle, gazing down at you with vigilant awareness in its pale gray eyes. Its golden hair is the same color as its robe. The human face of the angel glows with the residual energy of your vibrated words. Watch with your astral awareness as the angel turns its back upon the circle to face the east, and opens wide its white wings to fill the eastern quarter.

Draw a deep breath and hold it for four slow beats as you focus your awareness in your heart-center.

Vibrate upon your breath the following words.

"Be-hind me, Gab-ri-el."

Exhale the remainder of your breath while maintaining your expanded aura. Visualize the blue of the western pentagram transfer itself into the pillar behind you. As the pillar turns deep blue, the western pentagram fades to a clear golden-white.

The blue pillar thickens and solidifies into the towering, blue-robed angel Gabriel. The angel stands barefoot beyond the circle, gazing down at you with vigilant awareness in its bronze-colored eyes. The golden-brown eagle's head of the angel glows with the residual energy of your vibrated words. Without shifting your physical gaze from the east, watch with your astral awareness as the angel turns its back upon the circle to face west, and opens wide its white wings to fill the western quarter.

Draw a deep breath and hold it for four slow beats as you focus your awareness in your heart-center.

Vibrate upon your breath the following words.

"At my right hand, Mich-a-el."

Exhale the remainder of your breath while maintaining your expanded aura. Visualize the bright red of the southern pentagram transfer itself into the pillar. As the pillar turns red, the pentagram fades to a clear golden-white.

The red pillar thickens and solidifies into the towering, scarlet-robed angel Michael. The angel stands barefoot beyond the circle, gazing down at you with vigilant awareness in its golden eyes. The maned lion's head of the angel glows with the residual energy of your vibrated words. Watch with your astral awareness as the angel turns its back upon the circle to face south, and opens wide its white wings to fill the southern quarter.

Draw a deep breath and hold it for four slow beats as you focus your awareness in your heart-center.

Vibrate upon your breath the following words.

"At my left hand, Aur-i-el."

Exhale the remainder of your breath while maintaining your expanded aura. Visualize the dark green of the northern pentagram transfer itself into the pillar. As the pillar turns green, the pentagram fades to a clear golden-white.

The green pillar thickens and solidifies into the towering, green-robed angel Auriel. The angel stands barefoot beyond the circle, gazing down at you with vigilant awareness in its dark eyes. The bull's head of the angel glows with the residual energy of your vibrated words. Watch with your astral awareness as the angel turns its back to the circle to face north, and opens wide its white wings to fill the northern quarter.

Contemplate the four angels standing outside the circle with their faces turned outward to the four quarters and their wings spread so that the tips of their wings touch and overlap. Hold simultaneously in your awareness the circle, the pentagrams, and the backs of the angels as you continue to stand facing east with your arms spread so that your body forms a cross.

Visualize your heart-center. Use its energy to expand forward and upward through the center of your chest a white pentagram that hangs upon the air just inside the eastern edge of the circle above the level of your head. At the same time expand backward and upward from your heart-center a white hexagram that hangs upon the air just inside the western edge of the circle above the level of your head. Make in your imagination both the pentagram and hexagram approximately three feet across.

Draw a deep breath. Hold it four slow beats while focusing your awareness upon the pentagram before you and the hexagram behind you. Vibrate the following words.

"Before me flames the pentagram -

Behind me shines the six-rayed star."

Lower your arms and adopt the standing pose. Allow your expanded aura to contract to its usual shape near your body. For several minutes hold in your mind the white pentagram in front, the white hexagram behind, the golden-white circle with its four inset gold-white pentagrams around you, and the four angels at the quarters.

Walk around the altar clockwise to stand in the east facing south. Visualize with your astral perception that you stand within the astral temple. Be aware of the candle burning on top of the black marble altar, the flaming astral circle that floats upon the air at heart level above the painted white circle on the floor, and the four guardians of the quarters who stand just outside the limit of the astral circle, facing outward with their wings spread.

Walk in a complete circle clockwise around the altar, speaking the following in a clear voice so that your words resonate inwardly in the astral temple.

"See that holy and formless fire, which darts and flashes

through the hidden depths of the universe."

As you walk, visualize a swirling vortex of light form in the air above the altar. It is shaped like the inverted funnel of a tornado, but bright instead of gray, and it turns clockwise. The funnel of the vortex of light has its focus in the blue-white star high overhead and opens wider as it extends downward to surround the altar. Within the center of the spinning funnel, a column of white light gradually forms, linking the flame of the candle with the white star high above in the heavens. With your astral perceptions, hear the rushing sound of the light as it swirls down from the star into the circle.

When you reach the eastern quarter once again, continue walking clockwise in a second circle around the altar. Speak the following words clearly so that they resound in the astral temple.

"Such a fire existeth, extending through the rushings of air,

a fire formless whence cometh the image of a voice."

Visualize the light of the vortex above the candle intensify, and the column of light linking the candle with the star become thicker and brighter. The spiritual radiance drawn down the inside of its inverted funnel cascades over the candle and spreads outward to fill the entire circle with light. Visualize light flooding into the circle from above. The sound of the swirling vortex becomes louder.

When you return to the eastern quarter, continue walking in a third clockwise circle around the altar. Speak the following words so that they resound in the astral temple.

"A flashing light, abounding, revolving,

whirling forth, crying aloud. Hear the voice of Fire!"

Visualize the whirling vortex above the altar intensift. and brighten, drawing down a flood of light that fills the entire circle. This light shining from the beam above the candle is so concentrated, it makes the astral temple glow, and can even be seen on the air of the physical temple. Hear the rushing of the light as it descends. It sounds similar to roaring fire caught in a powerful downdraft.

When you complete the third circle, adopt the standing pose in the eastern quarter facing west with the altar immediately in front of you, so that you can observe the intensely flaming candle on the altar with your physical sight. At the same time that you are regarding the physical candle, see with your astral vision the astral candle in the astral temple, and the inverted, funnel-shaped astral vortex or tourbillion that surrounds it. Listen with your inner hearing to the rustling and roaring of this vortex.

Begin to perform the fourfold breath with pore breathing while keeping your gaze focused upon the candle flame. Draw in a deep breath for four silent beats, and as you inhale, visualize the light that swirls inside the ritual circle flowing in the form of countless tiny threads into your body through the pores of your skin.

Hold your breath with your lungs comfortably filled with air for the same four silent beats, and visualize the light that now fills your entire body circulating along every vein and nerve channel.

Exhale for four silent beats, and visualize the air flowing from your nostrils to be silver-gray in color. All of its astral light has been absorbed and retained within your body.

Hold your breath with your lungs comfortably empty of air for four beats, and visualize the light that circulates throughout your body concentrate itself in the golden-white sphere of your heart-center.

Repeat this cycle of the fourfold breath four times. As you perform the breath, visualize the inverted vortex above the candle gradually lose its whirling energy and fade from your astral perceptions, leaving the vertical beam of light that links the candle with the star. Visualize the light the fills the circle become fainter as more and more of it is drawn into your body through the pores of your skin.

Breathe normally. For a minute or two, contemplate the flame of the candle on the altar, the beam of light extending upward from its tip, and the air within the circle. At the same time remain aware of the brightness of your heart-center.

Spread your arms wide in the posture of Osiris Slain so that your body forms a great cross. While gazing at the flame of the candle, draw a deep breath and hold it four beats as you energize your heart-center by making it vibrate and spin more intensely. Expand your aura into a sphere that surrounds the altar. Vibrate the word LVX on your breath.

“Lux!”

Raise your right arm straight overhead and bow your head slightly to the left in the Sign of the Mourning of Isis. Draw another deep breath and hold it four beats to charge your heart-center, then vibrate the following words.

“I come in the Power of the Light.”

Lower your right arm slightly and raise your left arm so that your arms form a Vshape above your head. Straighten your neck. Stand in the Sign of Typhon and Apophis while continuing to gaze at the flame of the candle. Draw a deep breath and hold it four beats to energize your heart-center. Vibrate the following words.

“I come in the Light of Wisdom.”

Cross your forearms upon your chest in the Sign of Osiris Risen, with your hands flat and your fingertips at the fronts of your shoulders. Continue to regard the candle. Draw a deep breath and hold it four beats while energizing your heartcenter. Vibrate the following words.

“I come in the Mercy of the Light.”

Spread wide your arms so that your body forms a great cross, and stand in the Sign of Osiris Slain once again. Visualize that your arms have become white, feathered wings. Regard the flame on the candle. Draw a deep breath, hold it four beats while energizing your heart-center, then vibrate the following words.

“The Light hath healing in its Wings.”

Slowly raise your extended arms, and your visualized astral wings, at an angle and at the same time elevate your gaze upward to the white star that is high overhead. Speak in a clear voice the following Adoration of the Light so that the words resonate within your body, and within the astral temple.

"Holy Art Thou, Lord of the Universe,

Holy Art Thou, Whom Nature hath not Formed,

Holy Art Thou, the Vast and the Mighty One,

Lord of the Light and of the Darkness."

Lower your arms to your sides. Make the Sign of Harpocrates by pressing the tip of your left index finger against the little hollow just above your upper lip, so that the first segment of your finger crosses both lips. Take a few moments to listen to the silence as you hold this pose. Even if there is noise coming from the street or another room, concentrate on the stillness within the astral temple as you gaze inwardly at the candle burning on the top of the black marble altar. At the same time, the eyes of your body of flesh are directed at the actual flame of the candle on top of your physical altar. You see both, superimposed one on top of the other, but the astral image is clearer.

Lower your left arm and assume the standing posture. Allow your expanded aura to contract to its normal shape close to your skin. Take a step backward to the eastern edge of the circle and turn to the north. Walk around the altar in a counterclockwise direction while speaking the following in a strong voice that vibrates within your body and resounds in the astral temple.

"Hear the voice of fire! A flashing light abounding,

revolving, whirling forth, crying aloud."

As you walk, visualize a counterclockwise vortex of silver-gray begin at the top of the candle flame and extend upward into a funnel, expanding as it rises. This vortex completely surrounds the beam of white light that connects the candle flame with the white star in the heavens. It is wider at its top, narrower at its base.

When you return to the east, keep walking a second circle counterclockwise around the altar. Speak these words so that they vibrate in your chest and resound in the astral temple.

"Such a fire existeth, extending through the rushings of air,

a fire formless whence cometh the image of a voice."

Visualize the counterclockwise vortex strengthening and extending upward above the candle. Hear with your astral senses the rushing of its rotation. See it begin to absorb the radiance of the white ray connecting the candle flame with the star, so that the vortex slowly turns from silver-gray to a golden white.

After completing the second circuit around the altar, continue walking counterclockwise for a third circuit. Speak these words so that they vibrate in your chest and resound in the astral temple.

"See that holy and formless fire, which darts and flashes

through the hidden depths of the universe."

Complete the third circling of the altar and stand in the east, facing west. For a few moments contemplate the counterclockwise vortex, which has turned completely white and whirls furiously around the beam linking the candle with the star. The beam has become pale and flickers along its length.

Focus your will upon the place where this beam touches the candle flame, and lift your arms upward with your hands turned up and your fingers extended and spread. As you make this gesture, mentally sever the connection between the star and the candle flame and see inwardly the beam withdraw itself upward like a stretched rubber band that has suddenly been released. See the counterclockwise vortex fly apart and scatter sparks of golden-white light throughout the circle. These slowly fade to nothingness.

Walk around the altar in a clockwise direction to stand in the west facing east with the altar directly in front of you. Spread your arms wide so that your body forms the shape of a cross. Draw a long, deep inhalation. Hold the breath for four slow beats and visualize the light from your heart-center shining outward to enlarge the outer surface of your aura into a perfect transparent sphere of palest gold. Your aura encompasses the altar but does not extend beyond the limit of the circle behind you.

Visualize the white pentagram that hangs upon the air above the level of your head in the eastern quarter of the circle. At the same time extend your awareness backward and be aware of the white hexagram that hangs upon the air above the level of your head in the western quarter of the circle. Focus your awareness strongly upon the pentagram before you and the hexagram behind you while vibrating the following words.

"Behind me shines the six-rayed star

Before me flames the pentagram."

Visualize the hexagram behind you shrink and descend as it is absorbed into your heart-center through your back. At the same time see with your astral perceptions the pentagram in front of you shrink and descend as it is absorbed through your chest into your heart-center. Contemplate the increase of energy in your heart-center for a minute or so while maintaining your posture.

Draw a deep breath and hold it four slow beats as you focus your awareness in your heart-center.

Vibrate upon your breath the following words.

"At my left hand, Aur-i-el."

Exhale the remainder of your breath while maintaining your expanded aura. Without turning your head, visualize the green-robed angel in the north lower its wings and turn around to face the circle. The bull-headed angel gazes down upon you with an alert but emotionless expression. Its body wavers and lengthens into a dark green pillar. The green color of the pillar transfers itself into the white pentagram that is set in the ring of the astral circle in the north. As the pillar fades to a clear golden-white, the pentagram turns dark green.

Draw a deep breath and hold it for four slow beats as you focus your awareness in your heart-center.

Vibrate upon your breath the following words.

"At my right hand, Mich-a-el."

Exhale the remainder of your breath while maintaining your expanded aura. Visualize the red-robed angel in the south lower its wings and turn around to face the circle. The lion-headed angel gazes down upon you with an alert but emotionless expression. Its body wavers and lengthens into a bright red pillar. The red color of the pillar transfers itself into the white pentagram that is set in the ring of the astral circle in the south. As the pillar fades to a clear golden-white, the pentagram turns bright red.

Draw a deep breath and hold it four slow beats as you focus your awareness in your heart-center.

Vibrate upon your breath the following words.

"Be-hind me, Gab-ri-el."

Exhale the remainder of your breath while maintaining your expanded aura. Visualize the blue-robed angel in the west lower its wings and turn around to face the circle. The eagle-headed angel gazes down upon you with an alert but emotionless expression. Its body wavers and lengthens into a deep-blue pillar. The color of the pillar transfers itself into the white pentagram that is set in the ring of the astral circle in the west. As the pillar fades to a clear golden-white, the pentagram turns blue.

Draw a deep breath and hold it four slow beats as you focus your awareness in your heart-center.

Vibrate upon your breath the following words so that your chest, throat, and nose resonate inwardly.

"Be-fore me, Raph-a-el."

Exhale the remainder of your breath while maintaining your expanded aura. Visualize the yellow-robed angel in the east lower its wings and turn around to face the circle. The human-headed angel gazes down upon you with an alert but emotionless expression. Its body wavers and lengthens into a yellow pillar. The yellow color of the pillar transfers itself into the white pentagram that is set in the ring of the astral circle in the east. As the pillar fades to a clear golden-white, the pentagram turns bright yellow.

Lower your arms and assume the standing pose. Allow your expanded aura to contract to its normal shape close to your skin. Without turning your head, contemplate inwardly the four white pillars at the four sides of the astral temple, beyond the limit of the ritual circle. They extend upward to converge in the blazing white star high overhead. Hold simultaneously in your awareness the circle, the colored pentagrams, and the four white pillars.

Walk clockwise around the altar and stand in the eastern side of the circle, facing east. Assume a posture of absorption with your right palm pressed over your heart-center and your left arm extended.

With your left index finger, trace a banishing pentagram of Earth on top of the yellow pentagram that already hangs upon the air in the east. Begin it from the lower-left point and draw its line clockwise. As you retrace the interlocking segments of the yellow pentagram, visualize its yellow color flowing in a stream of fire into the tip of your left index finger, up your left arm, across your shoulders, down your right arm, and through your right palm into your heart-center. The pentagram that remains upon the air in the east is golden-white. For a moment the sphere of your heart-center glows bright yellow-then it resumes its golden-white color.

Draw a deep breath, hold it four beats while visualizing the Hebrew letters of the name IHVH written from right to left within the sphere of your heart-center. The letters flame brilliantly with a dazzling blue-white radiance.

י ה ו ה

Stab at the center of the pale white pentagram in the east with your left index finger and vibrate the letters of the divine name so that the sound resonates in your chest, throat, and nose, and expands outward to the limits of the universe.

"Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh"

Continue to point at the center of the pentagram as you breathe norrnalIy. The vibrations of the holy name cause the pillar of white light in the east to retract upward into the radiant white star in the heavens. At the same instant, the pale white pentagram contracts to a point and is absorbed into the tip of your left index finger. Its energy travels through the spiral of your upper body into your heart-center. Will the circle to break apart in the east at the place you point.

Turn your body to the left so that your left forearm crosses in front of your chest. Walk along the inner circumference of the ritual circle to the north, absorbing its line of golden-white fire into your left index finger as you go.

Stand in the pose of absorption in the northern quarter of the ritual circle facing north. With your left index finger, trace a banishing pentagram of Earth on top of the green pentagram that already hangs upon the air in the north. Begin it from the lower-left point and draw its line clockwise. As you retrace the interlocking segments of the green pentagram, visualize the dark-green color flowing in a stream of fire into the tip of your left index finger, up your left arm, across your shoulders, down your right arm, and through your right palm into your heart-center. For a moment the sphere of your heart-center glows dark green-then it resumes its golden-white color.

Take a deep breath and hold it four beats as you intensift the radiance of your heart-center. While your breath is stopped, visualize the Hebrew letters of the divine name AGLA written from right to left within the sphere of your heart-center in brilliant white flame that is edged with electric blue.

א ג ל א

Stab the center of the pale-white pentagram with your left index finger and vibrate sounds corresponding with the letters of the divine name so that the vibration resonates within your body and expands to fill the universe.

"Ah-Geh-Lah-Ah"

Continue to point at the center of the pentagram as you breathe normally. The vibrations of the holy name cause the pillar of white light in the north to retract upward into the radiant white star in the heavens. At the same instant, the pale white pentagram contracts to a point and is absorbed into the tip of your left index finger. Its energy travels through the spiral of your upper body into your heart-center.

Turn your body to the left so that your left forearm crosses in front of your chest. Walk along the circumference of the ritual circle to the west, absorbing its line of golden-white fire into your left index finger as you go.

Stand in the pose of absorption in the western quarter of the ritual circle facing west. With your left index finger, trace a banishing pentagram of Earth on top of the blue pentagram that already hangs upon the air in the west. Begin it from the lowerleft point and draw its line clockwise. As you retrace the interlocking segments of the blue pentagram, visualize the deep-blue color flowing in a stream of fire into the tip of your left index finger, up your left arm, across your shoulders, down your right arm, and through your right palm into your heart-center. For a moment the sphere of your heart-center glows deep blue-then it resumes its golden-white color.

Take a deep breath and hold it four beats as you intensify the radiance of your heart-center. While your breath is stopped, visualize the Hebrew letters of the divine name Eheieh written in brilliant blue-white flame from right to left within the sphere of your heart-center.

א ה י ה

Stab the center of the pentagram with your left index finger and vibrate the letters of the divine name so that the sound resonates within your body and expands to fill the universe.

“Ah-heh-aye-yah”

Continue to point at the center of the pentagram as you breathe normally. The vibrations of the holy name cause the pillar of white light in the west to retract upward into the radiant white star in the heavens. At the same instant, the pale white pentagram shrinks to a point and is absorbed into the tip of your left index finger. Its energy travels through the spiral of your upper body into your heart-center.

Turn your body to the left so that your left forearm crosses in front of your chest. Walk along the circumference of the ritual circle to the south, absorbing its line of golden-white fire into your left index finger as you go.

Stand in the pose of absorption in the southern quarter of the ritual circle facing south. With your left index finger, trace a banishing pentagram of Earth on top of the red pentagram that already hangs upon the air in the south. Begin it from the lower-left point and draw its line clockwise. As you retrace the interlocking segments of the red pentagram, visualize the bright red color flowing in a stream of fire into the tip of your left index finger, up your left arm, across your shoulders, down your right arm, and through your right palm into your heart-center. For a moment the sphere of your heart-center glows bright red-then it resumes its golden-white color.

Take a deep breath and hold it four beats as you intensify the radiance of your heart-center. While your breath is stopped, visualize the Hebrew letters of the divine name Adonai written in brilliant blue-white flame from right to left within the sphere of your heart-center.

א ד נ י

Stab the center of the pentagram with your left index finger and vibrate the letters of the divine name so that the sound resonates within your body and expands to fill the universe.

“Ah-doh-en-aye”

Continue to point at the center of the pentagram as you breathe normally. The vibrations of the holy name cause the pillar of white light in the south to retract upward into the radiant white star in the heavens. At the same instant, the pale white pentagram shrinks to a point and is absorbed into the tip of your left index finger. Its energy travels through the spiral of your upper body into your heartcenter.

Turn your body to the left so that your left forearm crosses in front of your chest. Walk along the circumference of the ritual circle to the east, absorbing its line of golden-white fire into your left index finger as you go.

Drop your hands to your sides and walk around the altar clockwise to stand in the west facing east, with the altar directly in front of you. Gaze straight ahead, and focus your eyes on the distant eastern horizon that lies beyond the wall and other intervening obstructions.

Take a deep breath and hold the air in your lungs for four slow beats as you visualize the warm light from your heart-center radiate outward to expand your aura into a sphere. Your aura encloses the altar.

Touch your right index finger to your forehead between your eyebrows. Vibrate the syllables of the Hebrew word ateh briefly but with power and authority.

"ah-teh"

Feel the resonance in your chest energize your aura, and the vibrations of your aura propel your articulated breath outward to fill the universe.

Touch your right index finger to the end of your breastbone, in the area of your solar plexus. Vibrate the syllables of the Hebrew word Malkuth briefly but with authority.

“Mal-kuth”

Feel the vibrations in your chest energize your aura, and sense that your aura propels your breath outward to fill the universe.

Visualize a white ray extending from the glowing sphere of your heart-center vertically up and down, so that it passes through the top of your skull and between your feet. Conceive this ray to be a laser beam of infinite length.

Touch your right index finger to your right shoulder and vibrate the syllables of the Hebrew words ve-Geburah briefly with force.

“veh-Geb-u-rah”

Feel the vibrations in your chest energize your aura, and sense that your aura propels your breath outward to fill the universe.

Touch your right index finger to your left shoulder and vibrate the syllables of the Hebrew words ve-Gedulah briefly with force.

“veh-Ged-u-lah”

Feel the vibrations in your chest energize your aura, and sense that your aura propels your breath outward to fill the universe.

Visualize a white ray extending from the glowing sphere of your heart-center horizontally to the left and right so that it passes out the sides of your body below the level of your armpits. Conceive this ray to be a laser beam of infinite length. This horizontal ray intersects the vertical ray at right angles at the center of your heart-center.

Press your hands together in front of your solar plexus in the common gesture of prayer so that your extended fingers point upward, and cup your hands slightly to separate your palms. Vibrate the Hebrew words le-olam strongly to create a resonance in your chest.

"leh-oh-lam"

Feel the vibrations in your chest energize your aura, and sense that your aura propels your breath outward to fill the universe.

Visualize a white ray extending from the glowing sphere of your heart-center horizontally in front and behind, so that it passes out of your body through the center of your chest between the palms of your joined hands and the out-center of your back. This horizontal ray intersects the first two rays at right angles in your heart-center.

Raise your united hands over your head with your fingers pointing upward. Vibrate the Hebrew word amen strongly to create a resonance in your chest. Extend the final syllable so that the remaining air in your lungs is expelled.

"ah-mennnnn"

Feel the vibrations in your chest energize your aura, and sense that your aura propels your breath outward to fill the universe.

Lower your hands to your sides. Stand motionless in this posture for a minute or so, breathing normally, and contemplate with your inner sight the large golden sphere of your expanded aura, the smaller gold-white sphere of your heart-center, and the three brilliant-white rays that extend from the three axes of your body. Mentally draw the three rays into your heart-center, but continue to be aware of its radiance. Allow your aura to contract slowly to its usual elongated shape nearer the surface of your skin.

Close your eyes. Press the heels of your palms into the hollows of your eyes and draw your hands downward slowly as though slipping off a skin-tight mask. Open your eyes, relax from your standing posture, and go about your day.

Commentary

In this ritual I have adhered to the traditional Golden Dawn associations for the four quarters, and have employed the Golden Dawn banishing pentagram of elemental Earth. In spite of its length, the ritual is fairly simple. It is described with an uncommon degree of detail for the benefit of beginners. Writers frequently abbreviate parts of rituals they have previously described to save space, but as I pointed out in the introduction, this can lead to confusion when these elements are not perfectly understood or clearly present in the memory. The basic parts of this ritual are:

Kabbalistic Cross

Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram

Establishment of the Four Guardian angels

Triple circumambulation to draw down the Light

Adoration of the Light

Reverse triple circumambulation to release the Light

Release of the four Guardian angels

Reversal of the Lesser Banishing Ritual

Kabbalistic Cross

In modern magic, it is uncommon to deliberately unmake the ritual circle at the end of a ritual. Usually the astral circle is simply ignored and stepped through as though it did not exist once the ritual has been completed. However, in my opinion, if the circle it to attain its fullest potency during rituals, it must be consciously unmade at the end of rituals rather than simply forgotten. There are numerous possible ways to unmake the circle. I have unmade it in this ritual by reversing the steps by which it was projected during the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.

It should be pointed out that frequently smaller rituals form the components of larger rituals. The Kabbalistic Cross is a ritual in its own right. So is the Lesser Banishing Btual of the Pentagram, which normally incorporates within itself the Kabbalistic Cross. It was the practice of the Golden Dawn to teach simple rituals, and then compound these into more complicated rituals at higher levels of proficiency. I have followed this excellent precept in the present work.

This exercise for invoking the Light can be used for a wide variety of ritual purposes merely by inserting ritual actions and text designed to accomplish desired purposes directly after the adoration of the Light. It is a valid ritual in its own right, but also the framework upon which an infinite number of other rituals can be based.

Although the ritual is original, it uses elements from more complex Golden Dawn ceremonies, such as the Golden Dawn method of evocation. The various texts quoted play a prominent role in Golden Dawn magic. The invocation pronounced during the triple circumambulation to draw down the Light, which begins "See that holy and formless fire . . ." was modified somewhat from its Golden Dawn model. This was not a sacrilegious act on my part. The text was derived by the founders of the Golden Dawn from the Chaldean Oracles of Zoroaster and was modified by them from that older source to suit their purposes. I have merely carried on this traditional practice in magic of taking what you need and making it your own.

It is important for beginners to shake off the superstition that rituals are inviolable patterns that must never be altered. Rituals are created by individuals to accomplish specific purposes when worked under an existing set of circumstances. If the goals of a ritual or the conditions under which it is worked change, it may become useful or necessary to change the ritual, in order to renew its full effectiveness.

It is perfectly permissible to take parts of existing rituals and combine them in original ways to accomplish original goals. Many of the components of Golden Dawn rituals lend themselves extremely well to incorporation into new rituals. Once you have acquired the basic skills of magic, you should not hesitate to construct your own rituals tailored to meet your personal needs. One way to do this is to mix and match parts of traditional rituals such as those worked by the original Golden Dawn, or those described in the medieval grimoires.

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Tyson, Donald, THE MAGICIAN’S WORKBOOK: PRACTICING THE RITUALS OF THE WESTERN TRADITION, Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN, 2003.