Aleister Crowley: Rituals

The Lesser Ritual of the Pentagramm

1. Touching the forehead, say Atah.

2. Touching the breast, say Aiwaz or IAO.

3. Touching the genitals, say Malkuth.

4. Touching the right shoulder, say ve-Geburah.

5. Touching the left shoulder, say ve-Gedulah.

6. Place the two palms of the hands together upon the breast, and say
le-Olahm, Amen.

7. Advance to the East, trace the Pentagram with the proper weapon (Wand to invoke, Dagger to banish). Say (i.e., vibrate) IHVH.

8. Turning to the South, the same, but say ADNI.

9. Turning to the West, the same, but say AHIH.

10. Turning to the North, the same, but say AGLA.

11. Return to the East, completing the Circle, extend the arms in the form of a Cross, and say:

12. Before me Raphael;

13. Behind me Gabriel;

14. On my right hand, Michael;

15. On my left hand, Auriel;

16. For about me flames the Pentagram,

17. And in the Column shines the Six-rayed Star.

18-23. Repeat 1 through 6, the Qabalistic Cross.

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The Lesser Thelemic Ritual of the Pentagramm

1. Touch the forehead, and say
HOOR-PAAR-KRAAT

2. Touch the breast, and say
HERU-RA-HA.

3. Touch the genitals, and say
RA-HOOR-KHUIT.

4. Touch the right shoulder, and say
TA-NECH.

5. Touch the left shoulder, and say
BES-NA-MAUT.

6. Place the two palms of the hands together upon the breast, and say
ANKH-AF-NA- KHONSU.

7. Advance to the East, trace the Pentagram with the proper weapon (Wand to invoke, Dagger to banish). Say (i.e., vibrate)
THERION.

8. Turning to the North, the same, but say
NUIT.

9. Turning to the West, the same, but say
BABALON.

10. Turning to the South, the same, but say
HADIT.

11. Return to the East, completing the Circle, extend the arms in the form of a Cross, and say:

12. Before me AMESHET;

13. Behind me TUMAUTEF;

14. On my right hand, KABESHUNT;

15. On my left hand, AHEPHI;

16. For about me flames the Star of Five,

17. And in the Column shines the Star of Six.

18-23. Repeat 1 through 6, the Thelemic Cross.

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Greater Ritual of the Pentagramm

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

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Lesser Ritual of the Hexagramm

This ritual is to be performed after the "Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram".

1. Stand upright, feet together, left arm at side, right across body, holding the wand or other weapon upright in the median line. Then face East and say:

2. I.N.R.I.
Yod. Nun. Resh. Yod.
Virgo, Isis, Mighty Mother.
Scorpio, Apophis, Destroyer.
Sol, Osiris, Slain and Risen.
Isis, Apophis, Osiris, IAO.

3. Extend the arms in the form of a cross, and say: "The Sign of Osiris Slain."

4. Raise the right arm to point upwards, keeping the elbow square, and lower the left arm to point downwards, keeping the elbow square, while turning the head over the left shoulder looking down so that the eyes follow the left forearm, and say,

"The Sign of the Mourning of Isis."

8. With the magical weapon trace the Hexagramm of Fire in the East, saying, "ARARITA".

This Word consists of the initials of a sentence which means "One is His Beginning: One is His Individuality: His Permutation is One."

This hexagram consists of two equilateral triangles, both apices pointed upwards. Begin at the top of the upper triangle and trace it in a dextro-rotary direction. The top of the lower triangle should coincide with the central point of the upper triangle.

9. Trace the Hexagram of Earth in the South, saying "ARARITA".

This Hexagram has the apex of the lower triangle pointing downwards, and it should be capable of inscription in a circle.

10. Trace the Hexagram of Air in the West, saying "ARARITA".

This Hexagram is like that of Earth; but the bases of the triangles coincide, forming a diamond.

11. Trace the hexagram of Water in the North, saying "ARARITA".

This hexagram has the lower triangle placed above the upper, so that their apices coincide.

12. Repeat (1-7)

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The Banishing Ritual
is identical, save that the direction of the Hexagrams must be reversed:

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Greater Ritual of the Hexagramm

Crowley writes:

The hexagram of Earth alone is used. ... Trace the astrological sigil of the Planet in the centre of your Hexagram. For the Zodiac, use the Hexagram of the Planet which rules the Sign you require; but draw the astrological sigil of the Sign, instead of that of the Planet. In all cases use a conjuration first with Ararita, and next with the name of the God corresponding to the planet or sign you are dealing with.

Unlike the Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram, the Greater Ritual does not come with a step-by-step instruction in Liber O.
According to some magicians, the procedure of the ritual is exactly the same as the Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram except for the figures that are "drawn" and the addition of a godname. These practitioners interpret the "conjurations" specified by Crowley as simple vibrations of "Ararita" and the name of the God corresponding to the planet or sign.
A different and more sophisticated reading dictates that the magician not work in the four quarters, but rather towards the actual position of the planet (or zodiacal sign) in the heavens. (Failing that, work towards the direction of the element associated with the sign or planet.) The "conjurations" in this case are more elaborate invocations, whether extemporized, of original composition, quoting from the Holy Books of Thelema, or otherwise elaborated. In this method of working, the ritual must be carefully tailored to the specific occasion and purpose, although individual magicians may develop a repertoire of planetary conjurations to use within the "Greater Hexagram" mode of operation.
For example, to invoke Jupiter, the Magician would face the direction of Jupiter at the place and hour appointed, and sound a battery of four knocks (four being the number of Jupiter). Then he would recite an ARARITA invocation (derived in this case from "Liber DCCCXIII"):

O my God! One is Thy Beginning! One is Thy Spirit, and Thy Permutation One! Thou has appeared unto me as a jocund and ruddy God, full of Majesty, a King, a Father in his prime. Thou didst bear the sceptre of the Universe, crowned with the Wheel of the Spirit. ARARITA!

Having drawn the proper hexagram, he would proceed to an invocation of Jupiter. This example is modified slightly from Thomas Taylor's translation of the Orphic hymn to "Jove, as the Author of Lightning":

Come, O JOVE, on Thee I call! JOVE! JOVE!
I call the mighty, holy splendid light,
Aerial, dreadful-sounding, fiery-bright;
Flaming, aerial-light, with angry voice,
Lightning thro' lucid clouds with horrid noise.
Untam'd, to whom resentments dire belong,
Pure, holy pow'r all-parent, great and strong:
Come, and benevolent these rite attend,
And aid my will to realize its end.

Having drawn the sigil of Jupiter, the magician would then declare Jupiter duly invoked.

Planets

Zodiacs

Godnames of the planets

Sol—YHVH Eloah Ve-Daath
Mercury—Elohim Tzabaoth
Venus—YHVH Tzabaoth
Luna—Shaddai El Chai
Mars—Elohim Gibor
Jupiter—El
Saturn—YHVH Elohim

Ruling planets of the Zodiac

Aries—Mars
Taurus—Venus
Gemini—Mercury
Cancer—Luna
Leo—Sol
Virgo—Mercury
Libra—Venus
Scorpio—Mars
Sagittarius—Jupiter
Capricorn—Saturn
Aquarius—Saturn
Pisces—Jupiter

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The Star Ruby

[XXV is the Square of 5, the number of the Pentagram.]

[The Star Ruby is the precious Stone of Chokmah or Therion, whereas the Star Sapphire is the precious Stone of Binah or Babalon.]

[The Ritual of the Star Ruby is a modified and improved version of the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.]

Facing East, in the centre, draw deep deep deep thy breath, closing thy mouth with thy right forefinger prest against thy lower lip. Then dashing down the hand with a great sweep back and out, expelling forcibly thy breath, cry:

APO PANTOS KAKO DIAMONOS. [Away from me evil spirits.]

With the same forefinger touch thy forehead, and say SOI [To Thee],
thy member, and say O PHALLE [O Phallus. Women can say: O KTEIS.],
thy right shoulder, and say ISCHUROS [Strong, Power],
thy left shoulder, and say EUCHARISTOS [Thanksgiving];
then clasp thine hands, locking the fingers, and cry IAO. [IAO is a Notariqon of the Qabalistic God Name of Tiphareth, the Sun, and it is the Gnostic Tetragrammaton.]

Advance to the East. Imagine strongly a Pentagram [The color of the Pentagram should be the Red of Geburah], aright, in thy forehead.
Drawing the hands to the eyes, fling it forth, making the sign of Horus, and roar THERION. [Therion is the Beast 666, the Perfected Man.]

Retire thine hand in the sign of Hoor pa kraat.

Puella: Repeat the Cross Qabalistic, as above, and end as thou didst begin.

The secret sense of these words is to be sought in the numeration thereof.

Puer:

Vir:

Mulier:

Mater Triumphans:

[The N.O.X. Signs are done around the Circle of the Temple. N.O.X., the "Night" of Pan = Nuit = The Circumference. Whereas the L.V.X. Signs are done in the Centre of the Temple. L.V.X., the "Light" of the Gnosis = Hadit = The Centre.]

Extend the arms in the form of a Tau [Cross], and say low but clear:

Pro Mou Iunges

O Pixo Mou Teletarchae

Epi Desia Chunoches

Epa Ristera Daimonos

Pheg Ei Gar Peri Mou O Asther Ton Pente

Kai En Thi Sthele

O Asther Ton Es Esthxe

[Translation of the above Greek words is as follows: Before me the Spells (Iunges), Behind me the Mysteries (Teletarchai), On my right the Constraints (Sunoches), On my left the Spirits (Daimonos), For about me blazes the five-fold Star, and in the Stone, the Star of Six is fixed.]

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The Star Sapphire

Let the Adept be armed with his Magick Rood [and provided with his Mystic Rose].

In the centre, let him give the L.V.X. signs; or if he know them, if he will and dare do them, and can keep silent about them, the signs of N.O.X. being the signs of Puer, Vir, Puella, Mulier.

Omit the sign I.R.

Then let him advance to the East and make the Holy Hexagram, saying:

Pater et Mater unus deus Ararita. (Father and Mother are the one God ARARITA)

Let him go round to the South, make the Holy Hexagram and say:

Mater et Filius unus deus Ararita. (Mother and Son are the one God ARARITA)

Let him go round to the West, make the Holy Hexagram and say:

Filius at Filia unus deus Ararita. (Son and Daughter are the one God ARARITA)

Let him go round to the North, make the Holy Hexagram and then say:

Filia et Pater unus deus Ararita. (Daughter and Father are the one God ARARITA)

Let him then return to the Centre, and so to The Centre of All (making the Rosy Cross as he may know how) saying:

Ararita Ararita Ararita

(In this the Signs shall be those of Set Triumphant and of Baphomet. Also shall Set appear in the Circle. Let him drink of the Sacrament and let him communicate the same.)

Then let him say:

Omnia in Duos:

Duo in Unum:

Unus in Nihil:

Haec nec Quatuor nec Omnia nec Duo nec Unus nec Nihil Sunt.

Gloria Patri et Matri et Filio et Filiae et Spiritui Sancto externo et Spiritui Sancto interno ut erat est erit in saecula Saeculorum sex in uno per nomen Septem in uno Ararita.

(All in Two; Two in One; One in None; These are neither Four nor All nor Two nor One nor None. Glory be to the Father and the Mother and the Son and the Daughter and the Holy Spirit without and the Holy Spirit within as it was, is, will be for ages and ages six in one through the name seven in one ARARITA.)

Let him then repeat the signs of L.V.X. but not the signs of N.O.X.: for it is not he that shall arise in the Sign of Isis Rejoicing.

The Holy Hexagram

The "Holy Hexagram" is a reference to Chapter 69 in The Book of Lies:

        The Way to Succeed—And the Way to Suck Eggs!
        This is the Holy Hexagram.
        Plunge from the height, O God, and interlock with
             Man!
        Plunge from the height, O Man, and interlock with
             Beast!
        The Red Triangle is the descending tongue of grace;
             the Blue Triangle is the ascending tongue of
             prayer.
        This Interchange, the Double Gift of Tongues, the
             Word of Double Power—ABRAHADABRA!—is
             the sign of the GREAT WORK, for the GREAT
             WORK is accomplished in Silence.  And behold is
             not that Word equal to Cheth, that is Cancer.
             whose Sigil is ♋?
        This Work also eats up itself, accomplishes its own
             end, nourishes the worker, leaves no seed, is per-
             fect in itself.
        Little children, love one another!

Crowley explains:

The key to the understanding of this chapter is given in the number and the title, the former being intelligible to all nations who employ Arabic figures, the latter only to experts in deciphering English puns.

The Signs: