[Link].
Ritual
The Quick, Dirty, and Short Ritual (or [Link]. for short) works as an all-around preparatory ritual
for a magician who needs to get ready in a jiffy. The [Link]. Ritual is easily adaptable and requires
little preparation or memorization beforehand. The [Link]. ritual consists of four steps: circle, breathe,
banish, tune.
Circle:
The circle is important for both protection from external energies, isolation from the world, and
containment of internal energies. Its been used in various ways by different traditions since well
before antique times, and well use it here as well. You want to be able to separate yourself from
normal space and time in order to do your working, whether this is to keep you isolated from the hustle
and bustle of everyday life or the star storms and cosmic hurricanes of the astral realm.
This step is simple: using the index finger of your dominant hand, make a circle clockwise on the
ground around you, large enough for you to stand or work in as you need. So long as you have a
physical circle drawn out around you, youre good to go. As you draw the circle out, you should
consider consecrating the ground itself so that you make a proper sanctified holy space that has the
added benefit of shielding. Casting the circle while using the following Trithemian phrase works well:
In the name of the blessed Trinity,
I consecrate this piece of ground for our defense,
so that no evil spirit may have power
to break these bounds prescribed here,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
This or another Trinitarian formula works if youre Christian; if not, you might invoke the God and
Goddess, the four guardians of the watchtowers, or your patron deity instead to aid you in
strengthening the circle. I prefer a variation on a Trinitarian formula that goes to my Hermetic roots:
In the name of the Nous, this circle is consecrated for our defense.
By the power of the Logos, this circle is defended for our perfection.
For the sake of the Sophia, this circle is perfected for our work.
It doesnt generally matter what direction you start the circle in, but it might be nice if its aligned
with some focus or direction if you can manage it. The direction in which you start the circle will be
referred to as the anchor direction from here on. Try to face the anchor direction after each step, unless
otherwise directed.
Breathe:
Now that youve got the circle set up, youre safe from the outside world and can begin building up
yourself for the purposes of the ritual. So breathe and relax. Really. Take several deep breaths (e.g.
fourfold breaths, vase breaths) to calm your body, settle your soul, clean your spirit, and clear your
mind. While doing this, you might incorporate prayers, mantras, or statements of intent into your
breathing to focus or center yourself and be completely present before proceeding. I like to breathe
with the Trisagion, but you might try something else. Use your breath wisely here, both to prepare
yourself and your working area.
Banish:
Use the AL-KT Banishing Ritual devised by Frater Osiris. He devised it as a simple banishing ritual
for workings that didnt align or match up well with the LBRP or other kinds of Qabbalistic practices.
The banishing ritual involves only two words of power, AL (ahl or ehl) and KT (kuht or ket),
which Fr. Osiris explains as magical formulae that represent the generation of divine force and the
manifestation of a protective circle in which to perform further magical work, respectively. To
perform this ritual, do the following:
Face the anchor direction. Step back one pace so youre just behind the center of the circle.
Visualize a ring of light hovering at around heart level at the boundaries of the circle you cast. This is
a protective circle of light, so a color reflective of that is suggested. White is always appropriate.
Let a point on the ring in the anchor direction glow exceptionally bright. Grab it with your dominant
hand in a fist.
Pull in that point to the center of the circle. As you do so, visualize the point of light glowing brighter
and brighter as you intone AL more and more forcefully.
Once the point of light reaches the center of the circle, slam your fist down on the center of the
ground, exclaiming KT loudly and powerfully. As the point of light and your fist strike the ground, see
a ripple of energy from the force emanate from the center outwards, cleansing out the energies from
yourself and the circle while strengthening the circles boundary.
Tune:
This is adapted from the Heptagram Ritual as proposed in the Greek Magical Papyri (PGM XIII.820-
835). In short, it uses the seven vowels of the Greek alphabet (alpha, epsilon, eta, iota, omicron,
upsilon, and omega) to relate and tune oneself to the powers of the seven planets (Moon, Mercury,
Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) so as to attract the attention and worthiness of the deities, but
can be used more generally as well. It associates a direction and gesture with each vowel and planet, so
this might look a little silly if youre not used to such things. Ive also included five more gestures and
letters which are associated with the five elements (psi for aether, theta for Earth, xi for Water, phi for
Air, and chi for Fire). This helps sync ones sphere with the four elements and seven planets, which is
recommended as a kind of mini-alignment ritual to help get one balanced and prepared for any work to
come. The steps for this ritual are as follows:
1. Face the anchor direction. Close your eyes. Let your hands rest at your sides.
2. Make three deep breaths, each time making repeated (Psi) sounds (like making popping
sounds, pss pss pss pss pss pss) with your whole breath.
3. Extend both your arms out and downward. Inhale and exclaim (Theta) (like youre spitting
out a tah sound) with your whole breath.
4. Raise your left hand and keep your right hand lowered. Inhale and exclaim (Xi) (like youre
hissing out kssss) with your whole breath.
5. Raise both your right and left hands. Inhale and exclaim (Phi) (like youre gently breathing
out a pah sound) with your whole breath.
6. Lower your left hand and keep the right hand upheld. Inhale and exclaim (Chi) (like youre
coughing out a kah sound) with your whole breath.
7. Open your eyes. Face east, if you can; otherwise, continue facing the anchor direction.
8. Stretch out both your arms to the left. Inhale and intone (ah) for one beat. This could be a
heartbeat, a second, or whatever, but note the length.
9. Face north, or turn 90 to the left. Put out your right fist, lowering your left hand. Inhale and
intone (eh) for two beats.
10. Face west, or turn 90 to the left. Extend both your arms, palms outward. Inhale and intone
(ey) for three beats.
11. Face south, or turn 90 to the left. Place both your hands on your belly. Inhale and intone
(ee) for four beats.
12. Face downward. Bend down and touch your toes. Inhale and intone (ohh) for five beats.
13. Look up towards the middle distance and relax your eyes. Put your right hand over your heart,
lowering your left hand. Inhale and intone (oo or German ) for six beats.
14. Look up towards the sky. Put both your hands on top of your head. Inhale and intone
(awwh) for seven beats.
With this done, youre clean, ready, and attuned to the forces you need to handle. You can finish up
with any words of power, prayers, or other preparatory work you may feel like doing. Once you get the
hang of it, all this takes maybe five minutes to do. Its not as thorough as one might like and may not be
suitable for serious or intense rituals, but if youre pressed for time and materials, stranded, or in an
urgent situation, this is a good process to follow.
