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.

Your confusion stems from the fact that The Lesser Pentagram Ritual has no elemental associations. The divine names used for each pentagram are directional not elemental.

The east is YHVH
The South is Adoni
The West is Eheieh
The North is AGLA

By looking at the Greater and Supreme versions of the pentagram ritual you will see the divine names for each element.

Air is YHVH
Fire is Elohim
Water is EL
Earth is Adoni

Your confusion stems from the fact that The Lesser Pentagram Ritual has no elemental associations. The divine names used for each pentagram are directional not elemental.

Why then are there different pentagrams for each of the 4 directions?... I'm under the impression that amongst the reasons for the LBRP is to expel the gross influences of the elements thereby creating "sacred space". Thus you banish air in the east, fire in the south, water in the west, and earth in the north. The fifth element and source for the preceding 4 is either/spirit whose gross form is purified via the completion of the ritual and creation of the white circle.

Why then are there different pentagrams for each of the 4 directions?

There is not. Only one pentagram is used in all four corners in the Lesser Pentagram Ritual. The greater and supreme pentagram ritual makes use of 4 different elemental pentagrams and 2 spirit pentagrams but the LRP only has one and it is not elemental.

I'm under the impression that amongst the reasons for the LBRP is to expel the gross influences of the elements thereby creating "sacred space". Thus you banish air in the east, fire in the south, water in the west, and earth in the north. The fifth element and source for the preceding 4 is either/spirit whose gross form is purified via the completion of the ritual and creation of the white circle.

From the first Knowledge Lecture:
"The Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram can be used by the Neophyte as a protection against impure magnetism, and as a practical form of exorcism, to eliminate obsessing or disturbing thoughts."

I am not trying to bust your chops although my presentation might have come across harshly. I am just trying to point out a common mistake I see repeated over and over again that the LPR is elemental in nature and that just isn't so.

The lesser pentagram ritual has many uses. It creates a state of equilibrium for the magician which is why it is the ritual of the microcosm. Repeated uses builds up the aura, opens the astral senses and in time actual imprints the pentagrams and names of power upon the aura. Also it teaches many ritual techniques which are needed to progress further which is why it is the first ritual given to students.

No, on the contrary, I appreciate your responses. First off, you are right about the use of only the earth pentagram… I’ve been practicing this for over a year and have somehow worked in the other elemental banishing pentagrams to their respective coordinates (I may have picked up this idea from Crowley…not quite sure). This has been so ingrained in my mind that I accepted it as truth and did not bother to look it up till now.

Now speaking from my personal experience, when I perform this experimental version I find a much greater sense of purification and empowerment, than the traditional GD version… it is as if I establish a channel of communication b/w myself and the macrocosm made possible by the unification of elements, space, sound, and body. The reasons for this I cannot explain, but it may have to do with my own structuralist mindframe.

Greetings Faustopheles,

It may be considered that the first true Ritual a Probationer is taught before his initiation as a Neophyte is the LBRP, with each grade from Zelator, Theoricus, Practicus, Philosophus comes a particular concentration of one of the Elements. Zealtor is Earht, Theoricus is Air, Practicus is Water, and Philosophus is Fire.

The LBRP is a precursor as you know to other Rituals involving the Pentagram such as the Invoking Ritual of The Pentagram, and the Supreme Ritual of The Pentagram as taught by Regardie in his book "The Golden Dawn'.

In the Order that I belong to the LBRP, as has been discussed, is not used as an Elemental Banishing Ritual, however it is used as a Banishing Ritual of Obstruction, wherein the Divine Names are Vibrated in the Pentagrams to extend their force to the horizon of that particular direction, and to imprint the Divine name within the Practitioners Center.

It is mainly used to Balance and Equilibrate the Initiates mind and to bring manifestation of the Light within his sphere of sensation, as well as to stabalize the Tree of Life within him through the opening with the Qabalistic Cross.

It appears that all who have been involved in this discussion have a pretty good working knowledge of the LBRP and also some idea of what they desire to receive from its practice. Thanks for allowing me to add my two cents.

Respectfully,
Helel (Joseph)

The uses you outline Joseph combined with the correct vibrational method is the correct method of use for the LRP.

yeah that is true but what If you want to do the LBRP and LBRH in order to banish any elemental and planetary infuences from your area in order to evoke a perticular element or planetary power. I think that even If your changing the names and pentegrams your still vibrating the names of god. and aligning yourself with the kabbala. I think it might be better this way and the ritual was made from the golden dawn to be used as a grade process and it had a stucture to teach in small pieces. but we have no need for this and want an effective system of banishing that has the most benifit to the magician.
Ive been doing it the old way for so long its become a habbit and its hard to relearn the whole thing.
But do you think its really a good idea to change it for the purpose of evocation and the LBRH seems to have all the hexegrams in different order and to bansh planitary so using it together the LBRP should banish elementals too shouldnt it?.

This post has been edited by scryer: Jan 6 2007, 06:37 PM

This is interesting I was going to post something along these lines today as well..
The names for the LBRP didn't make sense to me either I was going to write it out and try to figure all the attributes etc etc myself (which I will still do) before posting anything. but I have been meditating on this all day so far..
Interesting coincidence...

I've found that the LBRP and LBRH tend to banish EVERYTHING within a given area for a period of time. That period of time tends to vary, but gets longer the more they're practiced. At least this is what I myself have noticed.

Now, that may or may not be what you want. If it's not, then don't do them every day. I don't and I seem to function just fine--although I have to admit I'm a bit out of practise and now, getting back into it is tougher 'cos I've lost the discipline. That's my own fault.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/face08.gif)

I'm returning to this topic after quite a while.

After experimenting with various forms of the LBRP, I've learned a valuable lesson: It is best to find one version and stick with it and most importantly KEEP IT SIMPLE! I was trying to craft a super-ritual tackling all possible correspondences but have found this to be impossible ...I have wasted too much time indulging my ego by thinking I could better the practice, hopefully others will learn from my mistake.

As I previously argued the elemental attributions make no sense. This is not only true with the divine names, but also with the archangels (i.e. Gabriel in Abrahamic traditions is most closely associated with Fire not Water). This makes any elemental correspondences as propounded by Benjamin Rowe and others quite useless and perhaps even detrimental to the practice. Don't get me wrong, I think Rowe has produced wonderful things but his elemental-landscape visualizations take away from the purpose of the LRP. As Nero stated earlier in this thread, the elements are much better dealt with in the Hexagram rituals. However, I do think that the magician must properly correlate the hexagrams to the present position of the zodiac at the given time of practice. But this is for another thread.

The angelic correspondences should be seen within the Sephiratic context as outlined by Crowley in his commentaries pertaining to the LBRP. Keeping the sephiroth in mind when practicing the LBRP places one within the hyper-dimensional cube, and firmly nestled amongst the divine emanations. The importance of this is paramount and as blatantly stated by Crowley, " is the Medicine of Metals and the Stone of the Wise".

No need to altar the ritual despite the initial contradictions. The divine names correspond to directions, the archangels to sephirah, and the hexagrams to zodiacal elements.

I urge those of you drawn to this thread with similar quandaries as I had to not only learn the motions and steps of the ritual, but to Understand and Know its purpose. This Wisdom may only come from continual practice coupled with daily analysis and research into this 'simplest' of rituals. I have given you enough material in this post for you to search out references and come to your own conclusions.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/Animals_6.gif)

As Nero stated earlier in this thread, the elements are much better dealt with in the Hexagram rituals. However, I do think that the magician must properly correlate the hexagrams to the present position of the zodiac at the given time of practice. But this is for another thread.

Actually what I said was the elements were better handled through the greater and supreme pentagram rituals. The zodiac itself can be invoked and banished through the pentagram as well. The hexagram is more directed toward planetary energies although the positions of the various hexagrams do have elemental overlaps and follow the macrocosmic order as seen in the zodiac.

The angelic correspondences should be seen within the Sephiratic context as outlined by Crowley in his commentaries pertaining to the LBRP. Keeping the sephiroth in mind when practicing the LBRP places one within the hyper-dimensional cube, and firmly nestled amongst the divine emanations.

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.

No need to altar the ritual despite the initial contradictions. The divine names correspond to directions, the archangels to sephirah, and the hexagrams to zodiacal elements.

To recap, divine names correspond to directions, the archangels to the four worlds, and the Hexagrams to planetary energies.

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.

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.

Ah I see, thanks for the clarification. Though I still feel as if the idea of these worlds being localized to quadrants is a bit of stretch . But I do see the 'logic' of the correspondences within the G.D. system as indeed the elemental attributions to the letters/worlds is consistent with kabbalah...In all honestly it seems that the naming of the archangels just further complicates matters as their elemental attributions are tenuous a best(but as you say they are less archangels and more elemental).

I don't normally follow Crowley; however, his exegesis on the LRP to me seems to maintain better with traditionalism, but as you mentioned to each their own.

Nero, what is your experience with the Six-dimensional Cube of space? outlined in Sefer Yetzirah and in more detail in the Bahir. If not with the LRP, do you see this cube alluded to in any other rituals?

This post has been edited by Faustopheles: Feb 7 2007, 03:34 PM

Then why is it in the Sun Adorations its;

Ra = East - Morning
Hathoor = South - Afternoon
Tum = West - Sunset
Kephura = North - Midnight

I understand these are (apparently0 the manifesations of Ra throughout the day but whyt don't they correspond to the LBRP, for eg; Hathoor is east in the LBRP yet is praised to the south in the Adorations... and also why are there diffrent Gods (4 sons of Heru) in the more traditional Kemetian ritual -The Opening of the Mouth- rather than the ones used in the LBRP and such... might make a thread about it.

Htp
Dk

Then why is it in the Sun Adorations its;

Ra = East - Morning
Hathoor = South - Afternoon
Tum = West - Sunset
Kephura = North - Midnight

I understand these are (apparently0 the manifesations of Ra throughout the day but whyt don't they correspond to the LBRP, for eg; Hathoor is east in the LBRP yet is praised to the south in the Adorations... and also why are there diffrent Gods (4 sons of Heru) in the more traditional Kemetian ritual -The Opening of the Mouth- rather than the ones used in the LBRP and such... might make a thread about it.

Htp
Dk

I don't quite see how Hathor fits into the LBRP, do you care to elaborate?

Also its seems to me that given the purpose of the Sun Adoration ritual, Hathor is misplaced. In Egyptian cosmology she is not a solar deity, but rather representative of the heavens and particularly associated with the night sky and Milky Way. There is another mis-correspondence regarding the noon and morning sun; Egyptian sources usually associat Ra as the noon sun (at the zenith of his power) and the morning sun is the young god Keper (Kephura) rising in the east. Anyway, this is all off topic. If you wish to reply to my comments regarding the Sun Adoration ritual please do so in another thread, I'll be happy to discuss and explain my reasoning.

You may want to check out This Thread for a discussion on the Four Sons of Horus (Heru).

I don't quite see how Hathor fits into the LBRP, do you care to elaborate?

Its in the egyptian version of the LBRP.

Plenty of 'mistakes' in the western version of ancient rituals. Always a confusion with Matriarchial and Patriarchial for example.

Thanks for the link

Htp
Dk