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The Qabalistic Cross and Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram

by: Israel Regardie

Take a steel dagger in the right hand. Face East.

Touch thy forehead and say ATEH (thou art)
Touch thy breast and say MALKUTH (the Kingdom)
Touch thy right shoulder and say VE-GEBURAH (and the Power)
Touch thy left shoulder and say VE-GEDULAH (and the Glory)
Clasp thy hands before thee and say LE-OLAM (for ever)
Dagger between fingers, point up and say AMEN.

Make in the Air toward the East the invoking PENTAGRAM as shown and, bringing the point of the dagger to the centre of the Pentagram, vibrate the DEITY NAME--YOD HE VAU HE--imagining that your voice carries forward to the East of the Universe.

Holding the dagger out before you, go to the South, make the Pentagram and vibrate similarly the deity name--ADONAI.

Go to the West, make the Pentagram and vibrate EHEIEH.

Go to the North, make the Pentagram and vibrate AGLA.

Return to the East and complete your circle by bringing the dagger point to the centre of the first Pentagram.

Stand with arms outstretched in the form of a cross and say:

BEFORE ME RAPHAEL
BEHIND ME GABRIEL
AT MY RIGHT HAND MICHAEL
AT MY LEFT HAND AURIEL
BEFORE ME FLAMES THE PENTAGRAM
BEHIND ME SHINES THE SIX-RAYED STAR
Again make the Qabalistic Cross as directed above, saying ATEH, etc.

For Banishing use the same Ritual, but reversing the direction of the lines of the Pentagram.

THE USES OF THE PENTAGRAM RITUAL

I. As a form of prayer the invoking ritual should be used in the morning the banishing in the evening.

The NAMES should be pronounced inwardly in the breath vibrating it as much as possible and feeling that the whole body throbs with the sound and sends out a wave of vibration directed to the ends of the quarter.

2. As a protection against impure magnetism, the Banishing Ritual can be used to get rid of obsessing or disturbing thoughts. Give a mental image to your obsession and imagine it formulated before you. Project it out of your aura with the Saluting Sign of a Neophyte, and when it is away about three feet, prevent its return with the Sign of Silence.

Now imagine the form in the East before you and do the Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram to disintegrate it, seeing it, in your mind's eye, dissolving on the further side of your ring of flame.

3. It can be used as an exercise in concentration. Seated in meditation or lying down, formulate yourself standing up in robes and holding a dagger. Put your consciousness in this form and go to the East. Make yourself 'feel' there by touching the wall, opening your eyes, stamping on the floor, etc.
Begin the Ritual and go round the room mentally vibrating the words and trying to feel them as coming from the form.

Finish in the East and try to see your results in the Astral Light, then walk back and stand behind the head of your body and let yourself be reabsorbed.

When tracing the Pentagrams, the imagination should be exerted to visualize them as flaming stars all about one. The impression should be of a fire ring studded in four places with stars of flame.

Likewise, when vibrating the angelic names, the student should endeavour to imagine four vast towering figures about him. But see further in my book "The Middle Pillar." I.R.