The Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram

The Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram

This ritual is among the foundations for all the ceremonial work of the Druidical Mysteries. It should be performed daily. Alternate the summoning and banishing forms of the ritual so that you summon in one day’s practice and banish in the next. Pay close attention to the differences you perceive in the effects of the two forms of the ritual.

1. The Rite of the Rays This is performed as follows:

First, stand facing east. Imagine yourself expanding to a vast height until your head is among the stars, the sun is at your solar plexus, and you stand upon the round earth. Then raise your hands up from your sides in an arc above your head and join them palm to palm, fingers, and thumbs together, and then draw them down until your thumbs touch the center of your forehead. As you do this, visualize a ray of light descending from infinite space above you to formulate a star of brilliant white light above the top of your head. Vibrate the word Mae (pronounced “my”).

Second, bow your head slightly and visualize a ray of light shining from the star in your head down the midline of your body and descending into infinite space directly below you. Vibrate the word Alawn (pronounced “ALL-own,” the last syllable rhyming with “crown”).

Third, leaving your left hand at forehead level, move your right hand down and to your right in an arc until it forms a single diagonal line from shoulder to fingertips. The palm should finish facing forward. As you do this, visualize a ray of light shining from the star in your head along the line of your right arm and descending into infinite space below and to your right. Vibrate the word Plennydd (pronounced “PLEN-nuth,” with the “th” voiced as in “these,” rather than unvoiced as in “thin”).

Fourth, make an identical motion with your left hand, extending it down and to your left until it, too, forms a single diagonal line from shoulder to fingertips. As you do this, visualize a ray of light shining from the star in your head along the line of your left arm and descending into infinite space below and to your left. Vibrate the words A gwron (pronounced “ah GOO-ron”).

Fifth, cross your arms across your chest, right arm over left, with your hands resting on the front of your shoulders. Visualize all three rays of light and vibrate the words Y teyr pelydryn goleuni (pronounced “ee TEIR pell-UD-run go-LEY-nee”). Then, in a single smooth motion, sweep both arms up, out, and down to your sides, then bring them palm to palm and raise them to the center of your chest, fingers pointing upwards and thumbs touching your chest. Vibrate the word Awen (pronounced “AH-OO-EN,” with the three syllables held for an equal length of time). This completes the first phase.

The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram

First, go to the eastern quarter of the circle. Using the first two fingers of your right hand, with the others folded under your thumb in the palm of your hand, trace a banishing pentagram in the which is to be performed counterclockwise The pentagram should be two or three feet across. As you do this, visualize it taking shape before you, as though your fingers were drawing it in a line of golden light. When you have finished, point to the center and vibrate the divine name Heu’c (pronounced “HEY’k”).

Second, with your extended fingers, trace a line around the circumference of the circle a quarter circle to your right, ending at the southern quarter of the circle; visualize it in golden light as you trace it. Trace a pentagram in the south in the same way as in the east, point to the center, and vibrate the divine name Sulw (pronounced “SILL-w”).

Third, repeat the process, tracing a line another quarter of the way around the circle to the west, visualizing it in golden light, and tracing and visualizing the pentagram as you did in the east and south. Point to the center of the pentagram and vibrate the divine name Esus (pronounced “ESS-iss”).

Fourth, repeat the process once more, tracing a line around to the north, tracing and visualizing a pentagram there, and vibrating the divine name Elen (pronounced “ELL-enn”).

Fifth, trace a line as before back around to the east, completing the circle, and then return to the center and face east. Extend your arms down and out to your sides, once again taking on the posture of the Three Rays of Light. Say: Before me, the Hawk of May and the powers of air. Behind me, the Salmon of Wisdom and the powers of water. To my right hand, the White Stag and the powers of fire. To my left hand, the Great Bear and the powers of earth. For about me flame the pentagrams, and upon me shine the Three Rays of Light. As you name each of these things, visualize it as solidly and intensely as you can. You are surrounded by the elements—a cloudscape to the east, a desert scene of blazing heat and flame to the south, a seascape to the west, and a forest to the north—with the animal guardians visible against these backgrounds. The pentagrams and circle form a pattern like a crown surrounding you, and the Three Rays of Light shine down from the starry center of light in your head as in the Rite of the Rays.

Sixth, perform the complete Rite of the Rays as before. This completes the ritual.