Greater Ritual of the Pentagram

2009-09-20T18:03:14Z

Fr.eol:

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'''The Greater Ritual of the Pentagram''' is a fundamental ritual of ceremonial and [[Thelema|Thelemic]] [[magick]]. It was originally taught by the [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn]] as a [[banishing|banishing ritual]].

==The ritual==

The following is a basic interpretation of the ritual from "Liber O" in ''Magick, Book 4:''

#Begin with the "Qabalistic Cross":
#*Touch forehead and say '''Ateh''' (to thee)
#*Touch heart and say '''Malkuth''' (the kingdom)
#*Touch right shoulder and say '''ve-Geburah''' (and the power)
#*Touch left shoulder and say '''ve-Gedulah''' (and the glory)
#*Clasping the hands upon the breast, say '''le-Olahm, Amen''' (To the Ages, Amen).
#Face East. Make the invoking pentagram of Spirit (Active) and vibrate '''A H I H''' ''(Eh-hee-eh)''.
#Make the Signs of the Portal (the Rending and Closing of the Veil)
#Make the invoking pentagram of Air and vibrate: '''Y H V H''' ''(Ye-ho-vah)''
#Give the Sign of Air
#Move deosil (clockwise) to the South and make the invoking pentagram of Spirit (Active) and vibrate '''A H I H''' ''(Eh-hee-eh)''.
#Make the Signs of the Portal (the Rending and Closing of the Veil)
#Make the invoking pentagram of Fire and vibrate: '''A L H I M''' ''(El-oh-heem)''
#Give the Sign of Fire
#Move to the West. Make the invoking pentagram of Spirit (Passive) and vibrate '''A G L A''' ''(Ah-glah)''
#Make the Signs of the Portal (the Rending and Closing of the Veil)
#Make the invoking pentagram of Water and vibrate: '''E L''' ''(ell)''
#Give the Sign of Water
#Carry point to the North. Make the invoking pentagram of Spirit (Passive) and vibrate '''A G L A''' ''(Ah-glah)''
#Make the Signs of the Portal (the Rending and Closing of the Veil)
#Make the invoking pentagram of Earth and vibrate: '''A D N I''' ''(Ad-oh-nye)''
#Give the Sign of Earth
#Return to the East and end with "Qabalistic Cross" as in (1) above

==Ritual components==
===The pentagrams===
[[Image:pentagrams.gif]]

===The signs===

<div style="float:left;margin-right:15px;margin-bottom:15px;width:175px;text-align:center;">[[Image:sign_veil(1).gif]]
[[Image:sign_veil(2).gif]]</div>
'''Common title:''' Spirit. The Rending and Closing of the Veil<br/>
'''A.'.A.'. grade:''' Dominus Liminis<br/>
'''Description:''' Properly speaking, this is two different signs, where the magician is either tearing open a split veil or closing it. The forearms should be roughly parallel to the floor.
<div class="visualClear"></div>

<div style="float:left;margin-right:15px;margin-bottom:15px;width:175px;text-align:center;">[[Image:sign_air.gif]]</div>
'''Common title:''' Air. The God Shu supporting the sky.<br/>
'''A.'.A.'. grade:''' 2°=9#<br/>
'''Description:''' Arms raised, elbows bent 90°, forearms vertical, with wrists bent as though holding up the sky.

<div class="visualClear"></div>
<div style="float:left;margin-right:15px;margin-bottom:15px;width:175px;text-align:center;">[[Image:sign_fire.gif]]</div>
'''Common title:''' Fire. The Goddess Thoum-aesh-neith.<br/>
'''A.'.A.'. grade:''' 4°=7#<br/>
'''Description:''' With thumbs and index fingers, place the hands together on the forehead, forming an upward-pointing triangle.

<div class="visualClear"></div>
<div style="float:left;margin-right:15px;margin-bottom:15px;width:175px;text-align:center;">[[Image:sign_water.gif]]</div>
'''Common title:''' Water. The Goddess Auramoth.<br/>
'''A.'.A.'. grade:''' 3°=8#<br/>
'''Description:''' With thumbs and index fingers, place the hands together on the torso, forming a downward-pointing triangle.

<div class="visualClear"></div>
<div style="float:left;margin-right:15px;margin-bottom:15px;width:175px;text-align:center;">[[Image:sign_earth.gif]]</div>
'''Common title:''' Earth. The God Set fighting.<br/>
'''A.'.A.'. grade:''' 1°=10#<br/>
'''Description:''' Advance the right foot, and swing the right arm up and forward at a 45° angle, with the left arm back and down, also at a 45° angle.
<div class="visualClear"></div>

==See also==
* [[Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram]]
* [[The Star Ruby]]
* [[Liber V vel Reguli]]
* [[Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram]]
* [[Greater Ritual of the Hexagram]]
* [[Magick in Theory & Practice#Rituals of Thelema|Rituals of Thelema]]

==References==
*Crowley, Aleister. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' "Liber O." 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*DuQuette, Lon Milo. (1993). ''The Magick of Thelema.'' York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
[[Category:Magick]] [[Category:Ritual]] [[Category:Works of Aleister Crowley]]

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Greater Ritual of the Pentagram