A Pentagram Ritual – Surely it Must Be Demonic

The lesser banishing ritual of the pentagram, sounds scary doesn’t it!! Well I can assure you that there is nothing to be afraid of here. 

The pentagram is one of the oldest and most enduring symbols in human history. Its journey spans thousands of years, and can be found in mathematics, spirituality, religion, and the occult.

The earliest known use of the pentagram comes from ancient Sumer around 3000 BCE, where it appeared in cuneiform inscriptions.  Scholars believe rightly or wrongly that it was used as a symbol representing directions or regions, that was potentially associated with power or movement.

In ancient Greece around 500 BCE Pythagoras and his followers revered the pentagram as a symbol of mathematical perfection and harmony. It embodied the Golden Ratio, and was seen as a sign of beauty and balance in nature.

Believe it or not, the pentagram can be found in early Christianity between the 1st–4th century CE, where it used to represent the five wounds of Christ, and was a symbol of protection and faith, and was often used to ward off evil, much like the cross is today.

In Medieval Europe the pentagram was used in magickal texts and grimoires, and appeared in rituals for protection, especially in ceremonial magick.

In Alchemy the pentagram symbolized the microcosm — the human being — with the five points representing the head, arms, and legs, or the five classical elements: earth, air, fire, water, and spirit.

In Modern Occultism from the 19th Century onwards the pentagram gained renewed significance with the rise of modern occult movements like The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Thelema, and Wicca, symbolizing unity, protection, and the elements governed by spirit. It’s often enclosed in a circle (called a pentacle), representing wholeness and infinity.

So where does the negative connotation associated withe the pentagram come from …… yes you guessed it, the media.  Movies and television frequently misrepresent the pentagram as inherently evil, leading to its widespread misunderstanding. 

Today, the pentagram is embraced by many spiritual paths as a symbol of balance, protection and spiritual insight. For modern witches, pagans, and occult practitioners, it is a powerful and sacred emblem — a reminder that magick is all around and within us.

Now back to the ritual.

The history of the LBRP

The ritual was created in the late 1800s by The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and has been a cornerstone practice in modern ceremonial magick ever since.

Its design was influenced by Enochian magic, the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, and Freemasonry and Rosicrucianism, and was first introduced as a preliminary ritual for initiates.  It was not designed as a grand spell or incantation but as a basic tool, a kind of magickal hygiene to purify the mind, body, and space before magickal work took place, but over time, its profound spiritual and psychological effects have became more appreciated, and it has earned its status as a daily ritual practice for many magickal practitioners.

We have to give thanks to prominent figures such as Israel Regardie, who was i guess you would call a Golden Dawn whistle-blower, as he preserved and popularised the ritual by publishing in the 1930s Golden Dawn material that was previously not for public consumption.  Then later Aleister Crowley, a former Golden Dawn member adapted and expanded the ritual for use in Thelema.

Today, the LBRP is practiced by a wide variety of esoteric paths—not just Golden Dawn-style magicians, but also Wiccans, Thelemites, and independent occultists who all have their own variants of the ritual.  These will be discussed in great length in other blog posts.

So how does it work?

The ritual involves four primary components which vary depending on which magickal orders version of the LBPR you are performing.  These variants will be discussed in great length in other blog posts, but the basic format is as follows:

1. The Qabalistic Cross – Firstly, the practitioner performs this to establish divine orientation within the body and mind.
2. The Drawing of Pentagrams – Next, using a dagger or a finger, the practitioner draws banishing pentagrams in the air to dispel negative influences.
3. The Evocation of Archangels – Once the previous step has been completed, the Archangels; Raphael, Gabriel, Michael, and Uriel are called for protection and balance.
4. The Closing Qabalistic Cross – Then lastly the practitioner performs this to seal the ritual and the energy field that has been created.

Why It Still Matters

In a world increasingly filled with distractions and energetic clutter, the LBRP offers a grounding practice that emphasises clarity, discipline, and inner alignment. Whether performed as a serious spiritual exercise or a symbolic centering ritual, its power lies in its simplicity and the intention behind it.

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