Ritual Magick 101: The Lesser Rituals of the Pentagram

by Golden Dawn Imperator

David Griffin

Nick Farrell recently republished in interesting article, entitled "In Defense of the Lesser Invoking Pentagram." You can read this article here.

Nick raises several interesting points in the article and, as usual, his style is highly entertaining. Farrell's basic premise is that the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram is overused in contemporary Golden Dawn orders and the Lesser Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram is underused.

In the Alpha Omega, because first and foremost, we make Magicians, our approach to Golden Dawn magick is admittedly somewhat different than in other Golden Dawn orders. It is therefore not surprising that my position regarding the pentagram rituals is somewhat different than that of Nick Farrell, as well as of leaders of other Golden Dawn orders.

First and foremost, the Alpha Omega is the only Golden Dawn order whose students study and practice Ritual Magic already in our outer order, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. All other Golden Dawn orders, including Mr. Farrell's M.O.A.A., require students to wait four or five years until they reach the Second Order, before they are assisted with the magical practice of anything other than the Middle Pillar of the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram.

Therefore, since there is no other Magick in the Outer Orders of other Golden Dawn groups in our community, is is only natural that they give greater importance  than we do in the Alpha Omega to the Lesser Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram. Our Outer Order magicians have a larger tool kit to work with and have a broader Magical skill set than in other outer Golden Dawn orders.

This does not mean, however, that we do not at all use the Lesser Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram in the Alpha Omega. We do use it, however, for very specific purposes. In the A.O., for example, we use the L.I.R.P. to raise energy in the temple in the early part of the Neophyte and Equinox Rituals.

Here is a video of one Alpha Omega temple performing the Lesser Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram in the early phase of the Neophyte (0=0) Ritual.

The primary purpose of the Rosicrucian Order of Alpha et Omega is the help aspiring Magicians "to become more than human." In the A.O., our goal in making Magicians is for our students to eventually complete the Opus Magnum, or Great Work. This we understand according to its classic meaning in the Hermetic tradition - the cultivation of a Solar Body of Light, with its attendant higher consciousness through energetic evolution. In short, the Alpha Omega teaches how to "grow Soul" using Ritual Magic and Alchemy.

In the Hermetic tradition, "Soul" is not some abstract concept. It is our energetic essence that survives death, which lies dormant and undeveloped in the vast majority of human beings.

The Golden Dawn method to accomplish this energetic awakening and Soul development involves primarily two things: to charge the energetic body with energy and to purify that energy. The Lesser Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram and the Rite of the Middle Pillar are techniques used to charge the energetic body. The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram serves to purify the energy. Here is a video of an Alpha Omega temple performing the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram.



In the early Golden Dawn, prior to Crowley and Regardie having published much of the Golden Dawn's second order Magick, the L.I.R.P., the L.B.R.P., and the Middle Pillar were the only Magical techniques given to aspiring Magicians during their entire time in the Outer Order. This remains the case today in all Golden Dawn orders except the Alpha Omega. Since the goal of the Alpha Omega is to make magicians, our outer order Magicians use the entire published Golden Dawn system of Magick already in our undergraduate level outer order, the H.O.G.D.

The reason for this lies hidden in the method to accomplish Soul growth and energetic awakening lies in the initiation rituals of the Elemental Grades of the Golden Dawn's outer order, which are still consistently used all across the Golden Dawn community.

Using these initiations, the Magical Forces of elemental Earth, Air, Water, and Fire are awakened in the Initiate's "Sphere of Sensation" (energetic body, or "Soul") one at a time, then balanced and equilibrated with the element of Spirit in the Golden Dawn's Portal Grade.

The Golden Dawn's system of Ritual Magic does not stop there, however, and neither does beginner's training in the Alpha Omega.

Golden Dawn Ritual Magic systematically awakens in the energetic "Soul" body, not only the Magical Forces of the Elements, but also of the Planets, the Zodiacal signs, and of the Sephiroth.

In the Alpha Omega, we use this system of Astrological Magic as the primary tool for energetic "Soul" growth for beginning Magicians in our First Order (undergradute level).

In this system, the Rite of the Middle Pillar serves to strengthen the energetic "Soul" by charging it with LVX energy (called chi, kundalini, etc. in the East).

The purpose of systematic and repeated invocation of Magical Forces (Elements, Planets, etc.) in Ritual Magic, is to awaken and balance all the celestial Forces in the energetic "Soul" of the Golden Dawn Magician. The systematic awakening of the celestial Forces in the energetic "Soul" of the Magician is symbolized by the Rose of Spirit (the energetic "Soul") blossoming upon the Cross of Matter (the physical body).

Thus, since Alpha Omega Magicians have a larger magical tool kit in the outer order than do members of other Golden Dawn orders, beginning A.O. Magicians do not need to rely so heavily on the Lesser Invoking Ritual of the Pentagram as they are in other Golden Dawn orders, such as Mr. Farrell's M.O.A.A. The L.I.R.P. merely charges the energetic body of the Magician or Temple with a lower voltage of L.V.X. than the Middle Pillar. A.O. Magicians instead invoke the actual magical Forces of the Elements, Planets, and signs of the Zodiac, then charge their energetic bodies with the invoked Force using the Middle Pillar ritual.

Thus, in the A.O., our students use the L.I.R.P. primarily as a rapid substitute on occasions when there is not time for a full Middle Pillar, such as in the morning when getting ready for work and A.O. temples use the L.I.R.P. as a general invocation when opening the Temple in the Neophyte grade as was shown above (Note that in the A.O. the LIRP is always preceded and followed by the LBRP for purification reasons).

In conclusion, let me remind you that I am not saying there are no other ways of working with Golden Dawn Magic. There is a big difference in the methods used, however, from one Golden Dawn order to the other, as well as in their respective training goals.

In the Alpha Omega, our training methods are geared for our goal to make Magicians faster and easier and for our students to rapidly and fully cultivate their immortal Solar bodies. This why, unlike other Golden Dawn orders, the A.O. teaches students Ritual Magic from day one. It is also why our entire Magical and Alchemical Curriculum is finely honed for the fastest and easiest energetic "Soul growth" possible.

I am not saying the Alpha Omega is superior to other Golden Dawn or Rosicrucian orders. We merely have different goals - and as a consequence - we use different training methods.

Click HERE to explore our Ritual Magic training program for beginners, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

Think different.

Alpha Omega

Because we make Magicians!