#theory.

me and my friend were talking about enjin's tattoos in these few chapter covers:

i was wondering what the tattoos actually said, if anything, and have gotten a mockup (+ refs used) of what it looks like, to the best of my ability:

neither of us are super well versed in the ciphers, or japanese hiragana/katakana, so if anyone has any theories or takes on what this might say, please let me know!

(ciphers under the cut)

Maxixe: probably a common aristocrat gem that has the ability to sense and track down anyone if necessary. She’d probably be in charge of gem recovery missions and would also be kept close to high ranking gems in situations where they would be targeted, so they can sense if someone is approaching. I feel like in stature, they’d be around the height of Spinel, and would wear something formal yet practical for the type of tasks given.

Goshenite- a tall, stoic type of gem who are respected across the galaxy for their roles and discoveries as head scientists, mainly from Yellow’s or White’s courts. Their main focus in the branch of gem science would be gemetics, working with light. Lacking impurities, these gems are considered to be nearly perfect, and stand right next to Emeralds (right under diamonds) in the gem hierarchy. Creepy smiling psycho :)

Heliodors: electric, spunky beryls that can neutralize a gem for a few seconds. They would probably be somewhat like higher ranking Rubies, but with a different body structure (muscular but slim, and around a head shorter than lapis). Their powers are able to cause a threatening gem to slow down by shockinf them, but it’s not enough to poof them (unless if around 5 or 6 fused), but they’re quite easy to dodge. They are pretty rare and usually follow/escort elite gems to do certain tasks.

I recommend you read my previous commentary on the Qabalistic Cross prior to reading this post. I will not really be covering the Qabalistic Cross in this post as I have done it previously. Instead I will be focusing on the symbol of the pentagram, the formulation of pentagrams, the God-names, and Archangels.

This post is very long, get comfy and get a cup of tea. Any questions, ask away. This is by no means comprehensive, but it is comprehensive enough to get into practice.

This post can also be viewed in a better format over on my other blog here.

The Pentagram as a Symbol.

The Pentagram is one of the oldest symbols which humans have been using in a spiritual context. It’s form has been applied to countless symbol sets throughout history. What many people may not know is that the pentagram was first seen in nature as it is the shape which the orbital path of the planet Venus forms. Another interesting piece of information is that a perfectly formed pentagram contains the golden ratio within it. The Golden ratio of course is found in many natural features of creation and expresses a blueprint for divine creation.

The Pentagram in the LRP.

The Pentagram as used in the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram is not elemental. There is no invocation or evocation of any specific element. Instead, it is a generic pentagram. It is used to ward sacred space as well as repel/reintegrate force and invoke general force. It is a ritual which elevates the space to a more macro cosmic level. It is essentially an invocation of Tiphareth when used on a daily basis.

For our purposes you can think of the Pentagram as symbolic of the microcosm- the world of elements. It symbolises spirit ruling the elements which comprise matter as well as the forces within ourselves and our magical environments. It is also a good symbol for protection generally due to the five pointed star being a symbol of the 5th sephirah, Geburah, it can thus be thought of in one sense as a martial symbol. Every time you trace the pentagram you are asserting your authority over the microcosm and all sub-lunar forces.

The pentagram used within the LRP is drawn in the same manner as the elemental pentagram of Earth, but there are key features missing from it. The colours of the element, the symbol, the invocation of spirit first, and the pertinent God-names. Even though you are using the pentagram of Earth’s form, it is not an Earth pentagram. This has caused some confusion amongst modern writers on the subject.

The ritual effects the lower astral and plane of Assiah. It is thus a good ritual for clearing out negative energy of a lower level. It clears out the debris and infuses the light of Tiphareth into the sphere of the magician and their working area. Think of it as taking a daily bath, in its most simple sense it is a hygienic ritual.

When you trace each pentagram in the quarters you are affirming to the elementals in those corners, as well as all lower beings, that you are the authority in this space. You have invoked divine energy with the qabalistic cross, you trace the pentagram establishing a symbol of spiritual authority in each quarter which negative beings fear due to the psychic force behind the symbol.

You charge each pentagram with a God-name. These God names lend you the authority of the Abrahamic God and they are also formulae which lead to changes within yourself as well. More on these later. You then trace a circle around your space- ideally with the altar in the centre, however, at the Eastern side will do- and then you have a sealed space. You then invoke the Archangels of the Elements as guardians. As you can see, there is more invocation involved in this ritual than banishing.

The God Names.

The God names we use are the following: YHVH, Adonai, Ehieh, AGLA. You will note there are various different traditions in pronouncing these names. Some are as complex as involving musical notes which resonate with individual Hebrew letters. I am not going to go into that, I think it is too much for a beginner to need concern themselves with.

I will mention I prefer to pronounce YHVH as each individual letter- Yod, Heh, Vav, Heh. My reasoning for this is that YHVH is a formula which expresses the four elements as well as the entire universe, which is God. It is also the ineffable name- nobody knows how it was pronounced and there was fear in pronouncing it. Intoning each letter allows the magical essence of the name to be tapped into without worrying about proper enunciation.

The next two are fairly straightforward, however, a word has to be said about AGLA. AGLA is a notariqon for the phrase “Attah Gibor, Le-Olahm, Amen.” This phrase translates roughly to Thou art mighty forever Lord, Amen.” Now there are two traditions, some simply vibrate AGLA, others vibrate the full phrase. I have used both, both work. AGLA as a historical use as a word of power. I prefer to use the full phrase personally, this is due to the sources I used to learn the ritual as well as because I have found it finishes of the sequence nicely with a seemingly harmonic resonance.

These God-names are not in their correct elemental associations because as I keep stating: The Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram is not Elemental- in the sense of banishing and invoking individual elements. I believe the God names are potent invocations of force, but also their sequence is a form of invocation and prayer of certain states of consciousness within the magician.

YHVH can be thought of as an expression of the perfected universe in its complete form. It can be thought of as an expression of the magician’s goal. Adonai means Lord. AHIH means “I am that I am”, and AGLA is explained above.

You are thus proclaiming “Perfected being, Lord, I am that I am, Thou art Forever mighty, Lord.” It is thus an invocation of the ultimate God-head and when properly directed by the magician it can turn the ritual into much more than a mere banishing ritual. It is an invocation of the God, the personal deity- the Holy Guardian Angel.

You will notice in my rendition of the ritual I do not use the sign of the Enterer and the sign of silence. This is because the original Golden Dawn instructions do not mention these signs. I don’t like the effect of the signs, I think it is a more aggressive form of the ritual. Whilst it would have use in a proper banishing, for the daily general use of the ritual it is in my opinion overkill. You would also have to have a good amount of space to perform the sign of the Enterer properly. The original instructions state to vibrate the name whilst pointing the implement in the centre of the pentagram, this is what I also recommend.

The pentagram should be seen to be inflamed by the God-name and as expanding forever Eastwards (or whatever direction you are facing). It is not simply at the edge of your area necessarily, but forever in front of you in infinity. The conception is that you are drawing this figure on the astral and expanding and sending it off forever into the distance, however, it remains in front of you at the same time. It is a hard thing to explain and will likely show itself in practice. I personally see the pentagrams move out and expand to the edge of my space physically whilst also visualising them travelling forever forwards.

The Archangels.

The Archangels within this ritual are elemental, but they are also directional. They are the traditional four archangels which are closely associated with Earth and humanity. There is one that is seemingly out of place, Uriel. When you look at the Angels of the sephirah you find Raphael in Tiphareth (East), Michael in Netzach (South), Gabriel in Yesod (West) and Haniel in Hod (North). Uriel is more traditionally associated with the other three and he is thus inserted.

This elemental order of the angels reflects Levi’s work, however, it does not reflect earlier classifications of the Angels such as those posited by Agrippa. The truth is it doesn’t matter. These archangels are not fixed, they are far bigger than these elemental associations, they are called as a unit of four- they are called to provide elemental balance and control. You will find systems differ throughout history, ultimately you have to decide which system you wish to work with. They are called as guardians- the spirits behave when the Archangels are around, or they are obliterated.

I offered my descriptions of the angels, these differ depending on the group and the tradition. Again, this doesn’t matter. When you are visualising you are creating an astral form for the force (Archangel) to inhabit. So long as that visualisation is consistent with the force which you wish to invoke you should not run into any problems. However, if you belong to a tradition and their descriptions differ to mine, you should use theirs. Mine are simplified, relate directly to the elements and the elemental tools as described in my tradition (and most of the Western Mystery Traditions, though not all).

I have found their role is to create a harmonious environment, they ensure everything within the circle, including the magician, are in perfect harmony. I have found that in banishing rituals they take stagnant energy and reintegrate it into the circle and the magician in a balanced and useful way. In invocation I have found they offer balanced force which nicely complements the influence of Tiphareth from above.

The four archangels create balance in the microcosmic plane. This balance is the nature of Tiphareth. Therefore this is an invocation or perhaps an elevation to the level of Tiphareth and an invocation of the Holy Guardian Angel. This is why this simple ritual is suggested to be used daily. It is not because you need to banish daily, it is because you are invoking the Angel daily. As you practice this ritual you will unlock its many uses. It is a versatile ritual and it has many mysteries.

At the end I mentioned you should visualise a hexagram in the chest and golden hexagram above and below. This comes from a few notes Crowley wrote on the ritual. I do this because this ritual is an invocation of Tiphareth and eventually these hexagrams will not need to be visualised, you will find the light of the Angel is already suitably invoked.

You are thus encapsulated in a circle which extends into infinity with you always in the centre with the elements perfectly balanced, you in an authoritative position, and the light of angel invoked into the space as well as into your sphere of sensation.

You have invoked energy, grounded, created sacred space, and invoked the angel. This ritual is massive, yet it is compacted into a small set of instructions.

A Note on Intention.

Within this ritual intention is key. How you practice the ritual in a daily manner versus how you practice it to open a sacred space will differ in intention and thus effects. These should be noted in your magical journal. I want to state from the beginning the intent is not to banish all entities from existence. It is not to shut yourself off from the spiritual world. Have this intention and use this ritual and you may somewhat accomplish this. The intention is to clear out negativity- it is to banish lower astral forms which are not truly beings at all. This ritual works on the lower astral levels, it clears the etheric body as well as lower beings which have no life of their own and absorb the vitality of the magician.

This ritual can certainly be adapted and used as a more specific banishing ritual which can banish many different beings. But this is not the goal for the budding magician. You want to make spirit allies, not automatically assume every spirit is an enemy. The Archangels offer enough protection, as do the God names. You don’t need to worry about what beings may be lingering after the ritual. If they don’t help, they won’t have chance to hinder you.

Your visualisations are controlled by intention, you can project the pentagrams as far as you need, you can visualise the circle at any point you wish- you can see it emit and travel forwards. The astral is receptive to the creative powers of the imagination. So if you are in a small space and your altar is on the edge of the wall and you can’t circumambulate around the centre, you can visualise the pentagram and circle travelling beyond the altar so that the altar is contained within the visualised circle. It is not confined by your physical movements.

As daily practice I recommend intending the ritual to have a hygienic effect, a balancing effect, and as an invocation of the HGA. This will allow for many benefits from daily practice.

I only covered the Banishing form, I believe beginners should solely practice this form for at least three months. The invoking ritual is exactly the same except you draw the pentagram differently- you visualise the same colour but you draw it in the same form as the invoking pentagram of Earth. I recommend this because the LBRP allows for many years of psychic baggage to be cleared from your etheric body. It means you are cleansing your channels and you are also clearing your space of any lower astral entities. It also means that you can get rid of such things.

The invoking form also has a cleansing effect, however, it also opens you up to higher realms. It opens the psychic senses and makes you receptive. It also makes you noticeable on the astral. You can run into trouble if you don’t know how to close these channels (Which the LBRP can do) and get rid of such entities.

If I was to choose one to practice daily for maximum benefit I would pick the invoking form. It will allow you to progress the most, it will open you up to spiritual impressions, you will evolve spiritually. This being said banishing is sometimes needed. If you feel stressed out, you have emotions, anger. Anything intense within you- too much energy essentially-invoking can make things worse. It would be wiser to do a banishing to cleanse your etheric body.

Banishing is important, cleanliness is important. However, you can do too much of either. In an ideal world you would invoke in the morning and banish at night. Sometimes that may be impossible, but I would simply recommend once you are comfortable with the LBRP, you move on to the LIRP and experiment and see what works best for you.

I think I have covered enough for now, any questions please ask. I will cover how to use these rituals in a larger working in due course, however, for now establishing a daily practice is our goal.

Further Reading.

http://www.astrumargenteum.org/en/uncategorized/the-lesser-banishing-ritual-of-the-pentagram/

https://hermetic.com/sabazius/ac5nts

i think they try to do this in order to throw us off and not make us think about their japanese stuff in terms of lore. 

and since the white giants are androids it would only make sense that they wear mask since they could have possible not had a face before halateez was captured/arrested and only afterwards were the androids given faces in order to possibly fool anyone who didn’t know about the arrest of halateez or to make it seem like they escaped and gain the trust of people.