The Lesser Thelemic Ritual of The Hexagram

The Lesser Thelemic Ritual of The Hexagram

 Do what thou Wilt shall be The Whole of The Law.

1. Facing East, in the center, stand upright, with your feet together, left arm at side, right arm across body, holding the wand or other weapon upright in the median line.  Then say:

2. I. N. R. I.
Yod. Nun. Resh. Yod.
Virgo, Iacchus, Holy Father.
Scorpio, Asi, Holy Mother.
Sol, Orus, Holy Child.
Iacchus, Asi, Orus, IAO.

3. Extend your arms in the form of a Cross, and say: "The Sign of Orus."

4. Raise your right arm to point upwards, keeping the elbow square, and lower your left arm to point downwards, keeping the elbow square, while turning your head over your left shoulder looking down so that your eyes follow your left forearm, and say: "The Sign of the Dance of Asi."

5. Raise your arms at an angle of sixty degrees to each other above your head, which is thrown back, and say: "The Sign of the Joy of Iacchus."

6. Cross your arms on your breast, bow your head, and say: "The Sign of the Blazing Star."

7. Extend your arms again as in (3) and cross them again as in (6), saying: "L.V.X., Lux, the Light of the True Cross."

8. Advance to the East, and with the magical weapon trace the Hexagram, and vibrate: "ARARITA".

9. Turn to the South and do the same.

10. Turn to the West and do the same.

11. Turn to the North and do the same.

12. Return to the East, completing the Circle, then repeat 1 through 7.

In the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn you did not start the Hexagram Ritual with the Analysis of the Key Word, but with the Qabalistic Cross.  Aleister Crowley changed this to balance the ritual, for it pertains to the Hexagram, which is a symbol of Tiphareth, the Sephira of Balance.  Unless you feel inclined to do otherwise, I suggest that you always use the Analysis of the Key Word and never the Qabalistic Cross in the Hexagram Ritual.  For as it is written, "Equilibrium is the basis of the Great Work."

The Signs used in the Hexagram Ritual are connected with the four Elements and the four Seasons of the Year. They are called the L.V.X. Signs. L.V.X., or Lux, is the Light of the Cross.  It is that Great Light which is referred to in the Golden Dawn proclamation, "Khabs Am Pekht. Konx Om Pax. Light In Extension."  In the Old Order of the Golden Dawn, the L.V.X. Signs were known as "The Sign of Osiris Slain", "The Sign of the Mourning of Isis", "The Sign of Apophis and Typhon", and "The Sign of Osiris Risen."

The Sign of Orus (or Osiris Slain) is also called the Sign of the Cross; the Sign of the Dance of Asi (or Isis Mourning) is also called the Sign of the Svastika, and by shape it is the letter L of the word LVX; the Sign of the Joy of Iacchus (or Apophis and Typhon) is also called the Sign of the Trident, and by shape it is the letter V of the word LVX; the Sign of the Blazing Star (or Osiris Risen) is also called the Sign of the Pentagram, and by shape it is the letter X of the word LVX.

The Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram is to be performed after the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram.  To use this ritual to invoke or banish, you trace the invoking or banishing Hexagram of Earth in all four quarters of your Temple.  The so-called Hexagram of Earth can be used in a general way, for simple operations, like the Pentagram of Earth in the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram.   In Liber O Vel Manus et Sagittae we are instructed to trace the four so-called Elemental Hexagrams, which were designed by S. L. MacGregor Mathers.  These, however, are unessential.  The Hexagram of Earth alone is sufficient. Or you may employ the Unicursal Hexagram, as illustrated below.

               

Banishing and Invoking Unicursal Hexagram

In the Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram, the Four Elements of Fire, Water, Air and Earth are attributed differently to the four quarters than in the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram to correspond with the nature of the Zodiac: Fire is in the East for Aries, Earth is in the South for Capricorn, Air is in the West for Libra, and Water is in the North for Cancer.  When tracing the Hexagrams in the Lesser Ritual, they should be visualized in golden flame. When going from quarter to quarter, you must trace around yourself a Circle of Light by connecting the center of a completed Hexagram to the area that will become the center of the next Hexagram, just like in the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram.

 

 

Updated: 18-5-2023