Lbrp : God Names And The Elements, Some inconsistencies… or maybe blinds??? Options

Hey everyone,

Has anyone noticed that there is something that is not quite right about the LBRP? That is that the God names do not correspond to their quarters given the elemental nature of each quarter. Let me explain…

Traditional associations:

East :: YHVH :: Raphael :: Air
South :: ADNI :: Michael :: Fire
West :: AHIH :: Gabriel :: Water
North :: AGLA :: Auriel :: Earth

The archangels, elements, and cardinal points all coincide with their kabbalistic correspondences; however, the God names do not. AHIH (eheieh) is the God name of the Sephirah Keter, the Sefer Yetzirah tells us that Keter corresponds to breath…right? In which case, should not AHIH correspond to air (i.e breath) in the eastern sphere? AGLA is short for “Ateh Gibor Le-olam Adonai” (thou are forever my lord), some kabbalists associate this with the sphere of Geburah through the root Gibor. Geburah is the sphere of fire. ADNI refers to “Adonai he-Aretz”, the God name of Malkuth, and thus is perhaps best associated with earth. Leaving us with YHVH; however, the tetragramaton encompasses all four elements, so theoretically it can be vibrated in any direction. What we get is the following correspondences:

East :: AHIH :: Raphael :: Air
South :: AGLA :: Michael :: Fire
West :: YHVH?? :: Gabriel :: Water
North :: ADNI :: Auriel :: Earth

I have experimented with this and for me it seems to result in a much more cohesive unification between the microcosm and macrocosm. I would be interested to hear if anyone else has experimented with the LBRP in such a manner and their results. Also, if anyone has a suggestion for a god name that can be properly linked to water to replace YHVH in the west, please let me know. I hope this post can spark some discussions regarding our individual interpretations of this basic but ever so important practice.

hmm, I always saw the Greater Hexagram Ritual as more concerned with planetary energies and the Lesser Hexagram Ritual as concerning zodiacal elements. After all quite different hexagrams are used.

That was Crowley's view point, the Golden Dawn magicians do not agree. The angelic correspondences are seen as the four worlds of Qabalah or YHVH. Many people agree with Crowley and many do not. I personally don't but go with works for you.

I can't really follow this system as I can't see how these archangels can represent the four worlds. For one, Atzilut is unattainable in it of itself and can only be experience when dressed in the Forms of the lower worlds. Some kabbalists ascribed the highest ranking holy archangels to Beri'ah, but even then they need to "lower" themselves to Yetzirah in order to interact with us on the astral plane or the mundis imaginalis. So how does Raphael come to be associated with Atzilut, etc. ? Even in the G.D. systems and other occult western schools the world of Atzilut is represented by the divine names and not angelic forms. Would you mind clarifying this point?

hmm, I always saw the Greater Hexagram Ritual as more concerned with planetary energies and the Lesser Hexagram Ritual as concerning zodiacal elements. After all quite different hexagrams are used.

Actually the LRH has seven different forms. The same forms of the triangles (hexagrams) as you see but drawn in different directions depending on what planet you are invoking or banishing. The one most people are familer with is the LRH of saturn which is used as a catch all for general banishing and invoking.

I can't really follow this system as I can't see how these archangels can represent the four worlds. For one, Atzilut is unattainable in it of itself and can only be experience when dressed in the Forms of the lower worlds. Some kabbalists ascribed the highest ranking holy archangels to Beri'ah, but even then they need to "lower" themselves to Yetzirah in order to interact with us on the astral plane or the mundis imaginalis. So how does Raphael come to be associated with Atzilut, etc. ? Even in the G.D. systems and other occult western schools the world of Atzilut is represented by the divine names and not angelic forms. Would you mind clarifying this point?

This is where the confusion of the elemental associations come from. The archangels in the LRP are less the actual archangel and more the association fire, water, air, and earth being to Yod Heh Vav Heh being to Atziluth, Briah, Yetzirah, Assiah or if you'd rather Father, Mother, Son, and Daughter.