The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram

Co-Authored with Zencephalon

This blog post introduces the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP), a magickal ritual that will benefit U in your magick practice. We share our perspective on it, walk through its practice, and include resources to learn more.

Tasshin’s Story

I became interested in the LBRP when I saw Zencephalon mention it in a conversation: “I try to teach the LBRP to anyone I think has the mindset and aptitude to receive it :)”

Knowing him personally, his heart and his vow, combined with the generosity of this offer to teach something he cared about, made me curious about learning it. As it happened, I was in New York just a couple of weeks later and we made time for Zen to teach it to me.

When he taught me, it was an incredibly powerful experience. This was one of the first times I’d been formally taught something magickal, having previously taught myself most of what I’d learned.

I saw very quickly that doing this spell, doing it well, would require and draw upon all of the contemplative, magickal skills I’d cultivated up to that point. Mindfulness: sensory clarity, concentration power, and equanimity. Somatic presence, and expanded awareness. Use of the energy body. Visualization and the imaginal. Setting and holding intentions. Heartfulness. And more!

Even though we only had a short time for me to learn the LBRP, I felt like I understood it very quickly—not just the practical how-to, which he explained with his words, but its inner meaning, which he embodied with his presence.

Doing the LBRP that day had enormous effects on my energy body. They were undeniable. It felt powerful. Wholesome. Holy.

When I do the LBRP, stuck energy moves and releases, and new, clean, alive energy rises, surges, and spreads—and I am able to direct that energy towards wholesome intentions of my choosing.

Zen’s Story

When my (Zencephalon’s) friend Min showed me her new apartment I saw that she felt unsettled in it. She’d told me she felt unlucky ever since moving in. It had a heavy sort of atmosphere, as though the energy of the previous tenant lingered. It felt like a space in which someone else lived, as if the space considered Min an intruder. It seemed hard for Min to pour herself into the space and make it her own, and remnants of the previous tenant’s neglect remained on the walls and in crevices.

I told her I knew a technique that could cleanse the energy of her space and remove any bad luck she might associate with living there, the LBRP. Since she found the feeling in her apartment discomforting and welcomed the idea of banishing her space.

On my next visit I brought my wand and performed the ritual. Afterwards, Min told me she heard a strange screeching nail-on-chalkboard sound as I drew the pentagrams. She thanked me, the ritual made a deep impression.

When I next visited, Min’s home had a new tone, she settled into it and made it her own. Her apartment had a warmth and comfort that reflected her own personality.

Overview

A ceremonial magician in Western occult traditions will often learn The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram as their first ritual. It “banishes” stagnant energy—similar to saging or smudging, where U burn sage in a space to clear it out energetically. Magicians use it to prepare a space and their bodies for magickal workings.

This post aims to help U practice the LBRP. Because we have a lot to share, we’ll convey the ritual in three iterations:

a brief overview simply listing the components of the ritual
a more in-depth outline with detail about the actions within the ritual
a longer exposition that goes into the ritual’s specific meanings and details, along with a few philosophical digressions, to round out your understanding of the practice

We practice a specific version, based off of Michael Osiris Snuffin’s presentation, so if U’ve practiced this before, you might notice differences.

Brief Introduction

Qabalistic Cross
1. Face east
2. Raise your wand (or your pointer finger) to the sky
3. Vibrate “EHIEH”
4. Point your wand at the earth
5. Vibrate “MALKUTH”
6. Tap your wand to your left shoulder
7. Vibrate “ve Gebulah”
8. Tap your wand to your right shoulder
9. Vibrate “ve Geburah”
10. Bring your wand to heart, palms together
11. Vibrate “IAO” as U bring your hands up to the sky, and then apart and down away from your torso, forming a cross with your arms.
Banishing
1. Draw a pentagram in the air starting from the upper left corner
2. Thrust your wand toward the pentagram, vibrating “EHIEH”
3. Make a shushing sign with your finger to your mouth
4. Face north
5. Draw a pentagram in the air starting from the bottom left corner
6. Thrust your wand toward the pentagram, vibrating “ADONAI”
7. Make a shushing sign with your finger to your mouth
8. Face west
9. Draw a pentagram in the air starting from the upper right corner
10. Thrust your wand toward the pentagram, vibrating “ELOAH”
11. Make a shushing sign with your finger to your mouth
12. Face south
13. Draw a pentagram in the air starting from the lower right corner
14. Thrust your wand toward the pentagram, vibrating “AGLA”
15. Make a shushing sign with your finger to your mouth
16. Face east
Invoking
1. Speak, “Before me Raphael, behind me Gabriel, to my right Michael, and to left Uriel. For about me flame the pentagrams, and within my heart shines the six rayed star.”
2. Insert a petition, prayer, or ritual here
Qabilistic Cross
1. Repeat the Qabalistic Cross from before

Detailed Explanation

Qabalistic Cross

Steps:

Face due east. Start in a neutral standing position with your arms by your sides. Bring your wand across your body to your center line, and while inhaling trace it in a vertical line as high as U can reach.
Holding your wand high, vibrate “Eheieh” – EEEEE – HIIIII – EHHHH. Vibrate from the highest point in your body or above your body that U can, make a high pitched tone.
Imagine a column of bright white light above U.
While inhaling, pull your wand down the centerline of your body, imagining that U drag the column of light down and through your body.
Now with your wand pointing low, sit or squat down slightly as if preparing to lift a heavy object through your wand. Vibrate “Malkuth” – Maaaaaaaaal – Kuuuuuuut. Vibrate from the lowest point in your body or below your body that U can, make a deeply low pitched tone.
Imagine a column of deep red light below U, like the heat of the earth’s core.
While inhaling, pull your wand up the centerline of your body, imaging that U drag the column of heat up and through your body.
Bring your wand across your body to your left shoulder and intone ve-Gebulah. Intone from your solar plexus.
Inhaling, bring your wand across to your right shoulder and intone ve-Geburah. Intone from your solar plexus.
Press your palms together before your heart center. Vibrate le-Olahm – Leeeeeeee – Ohhhhhhh – Laaaaaahm from your heart.
Inhale into your heart. The next three steps are all done in a single outbreath so prepare yourself.
Keeping both hands pressed, raise them along the centerline of your body over your head until your arms are stretched. While doing so vibrate “I” – EEEEEEEEE ascending the tone as your hands raise.
Upon reaching the top open your arms out in a wide arch, turning the palms out and pressing them down. While doing so vibrate “A” – AAAHHHHHH descending tone as your hands lower.
When your outstretched arms form about a 90 degree angle between them, switch to vibrating “O” – OOOHHHHHHH descending tone as your hands lower.
Stop when your arms reach level with your shoulders, forming a straight line across.
Inhale and imagine a beam of white light extending through your heart and arms to the horizon on either side. See yourself standing in the cross formed by this line and the light from heaven and earth from earlier.
Exhaling, slowly lower your arms and return to neutral.

Banishing

This portion expels stagnant energy from your system. It works with the four directions and four elements, tracing an imaginal pentagram for each—hence the name of the ritual. Doing this properly will leave U feeling wrung out like a rag.

Note: This ritual uses the following association scheme: Air, Green, East, Raphael; Earth, Black, North, Uriel; Water, Blue, West, Gabriel; Fire, Red, South, Michael. The colors of the various pentagrams can vary depending on tradition, I recommend using whichever colors feel most consonant with your own inner associations.

Facing east, bring your wand to the middle left point of the star U will draw. Coordinate each stroke of the star with your breathing, either exhaling or inhaling with each line drawn. Begin this pentagram with the horizontal stroke from left to right. Imagine your wand slicing through thick ether, leaving behind a trail of glowing green light.
Stand before your completed pentagram and imagine it floating before U. Take a deep inhale, connecting with all of the energy of air within your body. Step forward with one foot and arch your back forward, thrusting both hands and your wand forward towards the pentagram, vibrate Ehieh: EEEEE – HIIIII – EHHHH, imagine all the energy of air in your body shooting up and out through your body through your wand. We’ll call this procedure the Sign of the Enterer. The pentagram absorbs all this energy and “ignites” making the glow crackle with intensity.
Stand before the crackling pentagram and bring your empty hand up, placing your index finger to your lips in a “shushing” sign. We’ll call this the Sign of Silence.
Turn to the north. Bring your wand to the bottom left point of the star U will draw. Begin this pentagram with the slanting upward stroke to the top point. Imagine this pentagram as black yet rippling with light, like obsidian.
Repeat the Sign of the Enterer, vibrating Adonai – AHHHHH – DOOOOO – NAIIIII, expelling the energy of earth from your body.
Repeat the Sign of Silence.
Turn to the west. Bring your wand to the middle right point of the star. Begin with the horizontal stroke across to the left. Imagine this pentagram in shimmering blue.
Repeat the Sign of the Enterer, vibrating Eloah – EEEEEE – LOOOH – AHHHH, expelling the energy of water from your body.
Repeat the Sign of Silence.
Turn to the south. Bring your wand to the bottom right point of the star. Begin with the upward stroke across to the top point. Imagine this pentagram in flaming red.
Repeat the Sign of the Enterer, vibrating AGLA – AAAAAA – GLAHHHH, expelling the energy of fire from your body.
Repeat the Sign of Silence.
Face the east once more.

Summoning & Suffusing

This portion of the practice invokes the archangels and suffuses your body with their pure expressions of elemental energy.

Speak, “Before me Raphael, behind me Gabriel, to my right Michael, and to my left Uriel. For about me flame the pentagrams, and within my heart shines the six rayed star.”
Feel and visualize the archangels manifesting about U. They radiate energy which U soak up like a dry sponge.

The way people visualize the archangels can vary quite a bit, so I (Zencephalon) recommend taking some time to look up depictions of the archangels and decide for yourself which images feel enlivening to your imagination.

Petition

At this point U may make a declaration of your intention and make a petition of the angels, for example U might say, “I hereby banish all fear and shame from this space, I call in clarity and courage. Archangels, please protect me and guide me to live righteously.”

Closing Qabalistic Cross

Repeat the Qabalistic cross a second time to close out the ritual.

Extended Commentary

In this section we’ll go into a lot of detail about the inner workings of this ritual and try to make it like a true grimoire.

Vibrating Words

To ‘vibrate’ a word means to imagine the sound emanating from a specific point in space, and to feel the vibrational resonance of the sound at that point. Through experimentation U’ll notice that U can focus a sound from your stomach, chest, throat, head, etc. Sounds coming from different places all have different pitches. We don’t need to hit any particular musical note; instead, we focus on the somatic and imaginal resonance in our bodies.

Qabalistic Cross

This practice opens and closes the LBRP. U can practice it as a stand alone ritual. It serves to connect the microcosm and macrocosm, i.e. U to the Universe. It also serves as a litmus test of how the main portion of the LBRP went: if the Cross feels or sounds better at the end this can indicate the effects of the LBRP on your energy body.

We’ve based our version of the Cross off of Michael Osiris Snuffin’s version. Many versions use ‘Ateh’ (thou art).

The magician is instructed to draw a cross of light upon his body with the oration Ateh Malkuth ve-Geburah ve-Gedulah le-Olam Amen, translated in English as “Thou art the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory for ever, Amen.” The oration is taken from the last line of the Lord’s Prayer, spoken in Hebrew to emphasize its correspondence with the Tree of Life.

We use “Ehieh Malkuth ve-Gedulah ve-Geburah le-Olam IAO” in the opening cross.

In a non-dual sense, whether we use “ateh” or “ehieh” doesn’t matter, the traditional says “thou art” and centers God as the center of the ritual, the modified says ‘I am’ and centers the magician. The modification can feel more comfortable for atheistic, polytheistic, or agnostic magicians and either version works very serviceably.

We use “Ehieh Malkuth ve-Geburah ve-Gebulah le-Olam IAO” (ve-Geburah and ve-Gebulah have switched places) in the closing cross for reasons of symmetry. (We’ll expand on this more later). We associate ve-Geburah with the right shoulder and ve-Gedulah with the left shoulder for ease of memory.

When vibrating EHIEH, try to reach your awareness as high into space as U can and hit the highest note U can. When vibrating MALKUTH we like to squat down a little and drop our awareness as far into the center of the earth as we can. Hit the lowest base note U can growl.

At the end, with your arms outstretched, U can imagine yourself impaled on the cross to existence itself and the wheel of samsara. Our friend Leona generously allowed us to include this oral transmission she received:

I imagine myself tied to what I conceive of as the wheel of samsara, infinite space extending out to all sides of me on the plane made by my body and arms (up down left right), and my body being suspended/stretched/travelling through the infinite spectrum of time on the other plane (front/back) – the body being crucified on/in the manifest, material world.

Banishing

Many versions of the LBRP draw the pentagrams in a clockwise motion. We prefer the counterclockwise motion as we associate that direction more with banishing.

Some versions of the LBRP also instruct to draw the same pentagram in all four directions (that of Earth). This rendition feels energetically off balance to us. We do not disavow the material world. Doing so can lead to ungrounded magicians who float off into the clouds, separate from normal life.

We enjoy creating a unification of left/right symmetry in this ritual by not overly favoring one hand over the other. U can include this flourish in your practice as a bonus. This version feels more balanced and pleasing to us:

After drawing the second pentagram and finishing the sign of silence facing north, pass the wand from your right hand to your left.
Continue the ritual as before. Notice that now the wand motions of the following two pentagrams are exactly mirrored from the first two, every pentagram begins across the body from the wand-hand.
When finishing the ritual with the second Qabalistic cross, this time touch your right shoulder first (ve-Geburah) then your left shoulder (ve-Gebulah). Otherwise proceed as before.

Petition

Since we often use the LBRP as an opening ritual to further magical operations, we often ask something like “Archangels, please protect me and see to the success of this ritual.”

At this point, if U plan to use the LBRP as a set of parentheses (as we often do) denoting to yourself “herein lies magick,” U may wish to begin further layers of your magical ritual while under the auspices of the angels.

When U’ve completed your work, bid the angels farewell. U no longer require their active attention although they may remain energetically connected to U for quite some time.

Speak, “Archangels, thank U, I bid thee depart in peace.”

Closing LBRP

The close of the LBRP can serve as a litmus test of how well U wrung out and refreshed your energy. Your second cross ought to feel more resonant and cleaner than before, perhaps U’ll notice that U can hit higher highs and lower lows when resonating the words.

FAQ

Where does the LBRP come from?

The LBRP was originally created by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and taught to its initiates. Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers likely composed the vast majority of the ritual. Aleister Crowley brought it to the public eye by publishing the ritual in print and kickstarting its wider spread. Over time various individuals have modified the ritual to suit their own sensibilities—including us!

Aleister Crowley strikes a controversial figure in history. From setting mountaineering records to appearing on a Beatles’ album cover, he lived a storied life, one rife with many accusations of wrongdoing. Crowley worked a lot with notoriety, at various times spreading rumors about himself. As a covert agent of MI6 he made himself seem like a German sympathizer, which earned him the enmity of the British public. As a prominent and openly bisexual man he also attracted a lot of flak at a time of conservative sexual attitudes.

Is this Satanic / evil?

From the perspective of the ritual’s own metaphysics, this ritual explicitly disavows Satan. To the contrary, it directly involves saying names of God and summoning the archangels (including Archangel Michael, who apocrypha considers the angel that led the hosts of heaven in the war against Satan, ultimately driving Satan/Lucifer to hell). I (Zencephalon) do not imagine the archangels would take kindly to the use of this ritual in aid of willful harm—in fact I suspect they would actively hinder such an effort.

Fundamentalist Christians and many other folks may consider any engagement with magickal ways of seeing as being “evil” or “satanic.” Religious people in general may consider it disrespectful to direct “wishes” or “prayers” at any being other than the supreme god of their metaphysics.

What does “banishing” mean here?

I (Zencephalon) think of it as wringing oneself out like a wet sponge, energetically speaking. Regarding the space in which one does the ritual, it gets cleared out and sanctified.

Do I have to believe in anything for this to work?

Not especially. Any ceremonial act done with concentration will effect certain changes upon consciousness. U must perform the experiment to verify this for yourself.

What exactly does the LBRP “do”? How do I know if it works?

I (Zencephalon) can mostly speak metaphorically here, but it clarifies, brightens, and lightens the user’s energetic field and that of the space nearby. U can mostly feel it through subtle perception, but the psychological impact can feel immense and obvious as well. Many people who witness the ritual feel struck by its intensity or quality. It might take a more sensitive person to notice the difference in a space before and after the ritual, if they did not witness the ritual themselves.

One way I (Tasshin) think about it—and magick more generally—is that U are cultivating ways of seeing. Magick is generally along the lines of what Burbea calls Soulmaking—if it feels like it is increasing a sense of meaning in your life and moment-to-moment experience, it’s working.

How long do U think it would take to learn and internalize the LBRP?

It depends on so much! The LBRP has layers to unpack and it will unfold through practice. Probably a dozen attempts with strong concentration would serve to create confidence.

Within the first few months of practice I (Zencephalon) knew that this energized and fortified me in a beneficial way. And: after 13 years of practice, I still have plenty to work on.

How does this version differ from other versions I’ve seen? Why?

Many versions go East → South → West → North instead. Counterclockwise has symbolic associations with banishment, so this version goes counterclockwise for consonance with the banishment. Some versions draw the pentagram from the same corner in each direction, symbolically always banishing Earth. This version treats each element equally and doesn’t bias against Earth, creating a more balanced energetic system.

Can it be any kind of wand?

Often people conduct banishing rituals with athames (a ritual dagger or knife) instead of wands. As mentioned above, a finger will do in a pinch. U could imbue any relatively straight item with the meaning of the wand. As far as “enchanted items” go, an item with heightened meaning will feel more significant to work with, so if U’ve gone to great lengths to obtain a specially constructed item, or if it came to U in a serendipitous manner U’ll probably find it more effective. On some level magick interacts directly with our meaning-making systems and any meaning U’ve made of an object will play into that.

Can I alter and adapt this ritual to my own magickal nature and practice?

Certainly. U would continue the long and storied tradition of magicians doing so. As Aidan Wachter says in Weaving Fate, “My take is that humans have practiced magic for hundreds if not thousands of generations, and they did so in ways that suited them in their specific time and place. We must do the same.”

Is there a Greater Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram?

Yes. I (Zencephalon) haven’t personally felt motivated to learn it. In the context of my holistic magical practice—which combines background in chaos magick and astrological magick—I find that a little ceremony goes a long way. If U feel especially drawn to ceremonial magick and would like to learn increasingly elaborate rituals, U will delight in the vast riches at your disposal in the greater tradition.

How can I use this with my larger contemplative / magickal practice?

I (Zencephalon) use this as a bookend to more elaborate rituals, almost like a set of parentheses that denote “herein occurs magick”. When concluding the ritual I have closed the magical space and may return to my normal life. I also find it conducive to meditation to perform this ritual beforehand and then meditate with the peaceful quality of energy.

Where can I find a teacher to work with about this practice?

I (Zencephalon) consider this a fraught question. Magickal orders do exist that teach such material, such as the Ordo Templi Orientalis. In my limited personal experience, the various magickal orders out there seem unreliable at average and abusive at worst. I can only endorse a course of self-study at this time. Quareia provides a good scaffold for learning their particular flavor of magick. I believe U could find a great magickal mentor but exercise discernment and ask yourself if U want to become more like your teacher.

Conclusion

The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram has proven of use and benefit to us. We hope that this post gave U a sense of it, why U might like to use it, and how to start practicing it. We would love to see it spread, so that more and more people know of it, and can make use of it for wholesome, beneficial magickal purposes.

May the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram serve U in your magick practice and in your life. May it aid U in living your vow. May it benefit all beings.

Further Resources

The New Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram by Michael Osiris Snuffin (2002): commentary and useful background on this ritual (slightly different but similar forms than the ones described here)
Six Ways by Aidan Wachter: a good introduction to Magickal practice in general
Quareia: Ritual Patterns

Thank U to Leona, Anansi, Zev, Kit, Michael, and others who read and gave feedback on this essay.