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This is a sort of silly little thing-- and something quite difficult to follow. I have asked the people who I think would
know the best about this, and no one seems to be able to solve my puzzle. The problem lies in the area of blinds.
Crowley, and other ceremonial magicians, placed blinds within their work. Within the rituals, and within wording sometimes.
The point would be to stop people from progressing who weren't able to see that something was wrong. The ritual in question,
the lesser ritual of the pentagram, has never felt right to me. So I sat down to "break it down" piece by piece
to try and gather why. I came up with some very peculiar observations.
So.. What is the LRH for anyhow? According to Israwl Regardie, (original R.R.et A.C. Adeptus Minor document) "When thou
shalt desire to purify or consecrate any place, thou shalt perform the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Hexagram, either in
conjunction with, or instead of that of the Pentagram, according to the circumstances of the case."6 He further quotes,
that if you have done Elemental working, it would be a good idea to banish with the LRH prior to doing any Planetary work.
Mark Stavish tackles this topic with vigor. I think he has dealt with it better than any other account. He begins by stating
that the Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram was "designed to assist students in learning the elementary aspects of invoking
and banishing of solar (and later planetary) powers as they relate to the Elements." But he makes the point that nothing
is said about how or why you might invoke an Element, or an Element via a planet through this ritual."
And he notes that "The notion of mixing the Elements and the Planets appears only once in the GD material - with
this ritual." I don't think this is something that should be considered lightly. Stavish continues by saying, "There
appears to be a more complex relationship of ideas being presented than simply invoking or banishing a planetary force. In
many respects, the Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram is more complex, and possibly powerful, than the ritual it precedes."
Stavish considers the major significance of the hexagram and the elements as derived from Solar symbolism that comes from
the use of the symbol of the (6pointed-tiphareth solar) hexagram itself. He says, "Not only is the Sun used as the great
equalizing power in the Solar system, in relationship to the other planets, but it is also the source of matter in the solar
system. All matter, esoterically, and possibly exoterically, is a result of the condensing of solar energy. This energy condenses
in stages, represented by the Elements themselves. From Fire, to Air, Water, and finally solid matter, or Earth. Thus, through
the Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram, we can access Solar power in all of its various manifestations. We can also access the
Elements as they relate to the six additional planets represented by the traditional hexagram. However, in this case, the
essence of the planet, or its solar aspect, is what is being invoked. This can also only be done at certain times of the year
because of astrological considerations." Follow his line of thought completely here:
http://www.hermetic.com/stavish/rituals/hex-notes.html
Where I step in is in the actual hexagrams that are used themselves. They don't match up! Is it a blind? Or a mistake?
The directions for the attributions of the hexagrams create a problem. Here is a typical hexagram according to the above attributions.
I will show point by point how it is impossible for these attributions to "stick" using the triangles that the ritual
suggests. ***TO BE CONTINUED***
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