The Lesser Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram

The steps

Each step gives the action in plain language, the spoken words with their Hebrew, and the corresponding line from Liber O in The Equinox I:2 (1909). The drawings follow those instructions.

The Qabalistic Cross

1. (i)–(v)

   Make the Qabalistic Cross.

   The Qabalistic Cross, step by step (5)

   1. Touch the forehead and say Ateh. Ateh אתה
   2. Touch the breast and say Malkuth. Malkuth מלכות
   3. Touch the right shoulder and say ve-Geburah. ve-Geburah גבורה
   4. Touch the left shoulder and say ve-Gedulah. ve-Gedulah גְּדֻלָּה
   5. Clasp the hands upon the breast and say le-Olahm, Amen. le-Olahm לְעוֹלָם Amen אָמֵן

   The Qabalistic Cross on its own page, with its drawings and sources →

   Liber O's ritual begins with these five lines, (i) to (v), and names them only at its close.

The pentagrams

2. (vi) East

   Turn to the East. Trace the invoking pentagram of Earth in the air, and vibrate the name IHVH into it.

   IHVH יהוה The four-letter name; the translations write “the LORD”.

   (vi) Turning to the East, make a pentagram (that of Earth) with the proper weapon (usually the Wand). Say (i.e., vibrate) I H V H.

   Begin at the top point: down to the lower left point, up to the upper right point, across to the upper left point, down to the lower right point, and up to the top point, which closes the figure where it began.

   The first stroke is the one Liber O's plate prints for the invoking pentagram of Earth

   The plate prints one arrow on each figure; on the invoking pentagram of Earth it runs from the apex down to the lower left point. The other four strokes follow from it, because a pentagram drawn in one line has no choices left once the first is drawn.

   Read off the plate; the figure has no words to quote.

   How Liber O says the four names are pronounced

   Pronounce: Ye-ho-wau, Adónai, Eheieh, Agla.

3. (vii) South

   Turn to the South, trace the same pentagram, and vibrate ADNI.

   ADNI אדני “My Lord” — the word read aloud in place of the four-letter name.

   (vii) Turning to the South, the same, but say A D N I.

   Begin at the top point: down to the lower left point, up to the upper right point, across to the upper left point, down to the lower right point, and up to the top point, which closes the figure where it began.

4. (viii) West

   Turn to the West, trace the same pentagram, and vibrate AHIH.

   AHIH אהיה “I AM” — the name given to Moses at the burning bush.

   (viii) Turning to the West, the same, but say A H I H.

   Begin at the top point: down to the lower left point, up to the upper right point, across to the upper left point, down to the lower right point, and up to the top point, which closes the figure where it began.

5. (ix) North

   Turn to the North, trace the same pentagram, and vibrate AGLA.

   AGLA אגלא The initials of Atah gibor le-olam, Adonai: “Thou, O Lord, art mighty for ever”.

   (ix) Turning to the North, the same, but say A G L A.

   Begin at the top point: down to the lower left point, up to the upper right point, across to the upper left point, down to the lower right point, and up to the top point, which closes the figure where it began.

   The Golden Dawn's text returns to the East to close the circle

   As in the banishing form: Liber O goes straight on, and the Golden Dawn's text first returns to the East, to the centre of the first pentagram.

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

The archangels

6. (x)

   Stand with the arms stretched out level, in the form of a cross, and say:

   (x) Extending the arms in the form of a Cross, say:

7. (xi) East

   “Before me Raphael” — in the East, the way the performer faces.

   Raphael רפאל The angel of healing, “as his name implies”.

   (xi) Before me Raphael;

8. (xii) West

   “Behind me Gabriel” — in the West.

   Gabriel גבריאל “Man of God” — or, in Jastrow, “Divine Strength”.

   (xii) Behind me Gabriel;

9. (xiii) South

   “On my right hand Michael” — in the South.

   Michael מיכאל “Who is like God?” — a question, not a statement.

   (xiii) On my right hand Michael;

10. (xiv) North

    “On my left hand Auriel” — in the North.

    Auriel אוריאל “Flame of God” or “my light is God” — or, the Jewish Encyclopedia insists, “the fire of God”.

    (xiv) On my left hand Auriel;

The two stars

11. (xv)

    Say: “For about me flames the Pentagram,”

    “For about me flames the Pentagram,”

    (xv) For about me flames the Pentagram,

12. (xvi)

    Say: “And in the Column stands the six-rayed Star.”

    “And in the Column stands the six-rayed Star.”

    (xvi) And in the Column stands the six-rayed Star.

The Qabalistic Cross, again

13. (xvii)–(xxi)

    Make the Qabalistic Cross again.

    The Qabalistic Cross, step by step (5)

    1. Touch the forehead and say Ateh. Ateh אתה
    2. Touch the breast and say Malkuth. Malkuth מלכות
    3. Touch the right shoulder and say ve-Geburah. ve-Geburah גבורה
    4. Touch the left shoulder and say ve-Gedulah. ve-Gedulah גְּדֻלָּה
    5. Clasp the hands upon the breast and say le-Olahm, Amen. le-Olahm לְעוֹלָם Amen אָמֵן

    The Qabalistic Cross on its own page, with its drawings and sources →

    (xvii–xxi) Repeat (i) to (v), the “Qabalistic Cross.”

Names spoken

The names and words spoken in the ritual, with their Hebrew forms and meanings. Where dictionaries disagree, each reading keeps its source. All the names, across every ritual →

Where the sources disagree

The steps above follow Liber O. Here the Golden Dawn papers, older sources or later scholarship preserve another reading. Quotable editions give the passage; others give the page.

What else the sources say