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All references I see on this are hyphenated, with re- in front.  Meaning residual magic, which refers to energy that is basically astral trash left over after a working.  The trick is to ground and clear after working to disperse all of this before it creates problems.

Bloodsong

In my opinion, the basic principles of magick can most easily be summed up in Quantum Theory.  Especially Unified Field and String Theory.  That is a little over most people's head, though.  You may want to look into it, just for information, you will gain something out of it.  I recommend anything by Amit Goswami, Fred Alan Wolf, or any of the other contribulters to the movie What the BLeEp Do We Know?

As for books on magick, there is nothing better for a beginner than Modern Magick, by Donald Michael Kraig.  The main reason is that he hits the salient points, give succinct instruction, and follows it up with a reading list that will give you enough research to last years.  All the while, though, he will give you things to acctually do, so you won't get bored with all the research and throw your time out the window.

Bloodsong

As with most things, I got that one reversed.  It happens, mostly because I happen to be left handed, and thus hold the weapons left handed.  Feel free to reverse, modify, and tweak things as needed.  Not just with me, but with anything you read.  After all, no matter what anyone says to the contrary, all things on this plane were penned by human hands, and humans are fallible.

Bloodsong

The sign of the neophyte grade is the Golden Dawn terminology for the Sign of the Enterer.  Basically, what you do is begin by standing in your normal posture.  Then turn you wrists until both palm are facing the floor.  Then, draw both hands straight up until they are even with your eyes.  Pointing both index fingers forward, step forward on your left foot while simultaneously thrusting both arms forward.  While doing this in the LBRP, this is also the time to begin vibrating the god name, although you will likely not finish the vibration until after you have completed the thrust.  Until you have finished the vibration, though, do not brake this posture.

While doing the LBRP, especially as the Golden Dawn and Donald Kraig teach it, when you break the Posture of Horus (another name for the Sign of the Enterer, it is a god-form), you enter into the Posture of Harpocrates, or the Sign of Silence.  To do this, withdraw your left foot back to standing while drawing your right hand to your lips and your left hand to your side.  Some suggest that you stomp your foot down at the end of the withdrawal while others suggest just drawing it back silently.  I prefer the latter as it more directly translates into Silence, which is the point of the Sign.

At the end of the Sign of Silence, you may have your right hand in two positions, first in the common "shush" position with the index finger pressed against your lips, or in the more common position of the God Harpocrates, with the thumb pressed there.  Either is "right" depending on how it feels to you.

As for doing the ritual in the astral to make it more powerful due to the ease of visualization there, if you persist, you can get your visualization here powerful enough to get the job of actually seeing the pentagrams and such without going astral.  This serves two purposes.  It breaks down the psychic sensor a bit making other workings easier in the long run, and it is more reliable for a regular practice.

After all, how many times has it happened that you try to project and you just can't get it done?  Happens to me all the time!

As for neg being short for negative entity, I have never experienced one of these.  I have met may "entities" in my years as a magician, all of them were mixtures of good and bad.  On the other hand, I have been haunted a few times, particularly when beginning, by things I perceived to be otherworldly, but when I confronted them, I found them to be nothing more than shadows of my own mind.   Habits and thought patterns I was trying to rid myself of.  That is why banishing usually doesn't work for people on these forums, they are trying to banish themselves from themselves.  Never can happen.  You would need to get close to these "negs" and try to better understand them.  See why they are drawn to you or even a part of you, then integrate that in a more beneficial way.  Total banishment is impossible, the most you can accomplish is a sort of amnesia about them, which is only hiding from the inevitable.

Bloodsong

I have been practicing for many years, and started with this in particular:

http://www.kheper.net/topics/Hermeticism/LBR.htm

Very similar from Kraig's book because both were taken almost verbatim from the Golden Dawn.  If you want to see it the way both of these two learned it, use Amazon to get a cheap copy of "The Golden Dawn" by Israel Regardie, in fact, much of what Kraig has in "Modern Magick" can be found here, though "Moder Magick" is easier to slog through!

As for connecting with divine energy, if you really want to do this, and drive away negs a little faster with minimal effort, add in the Middle Pillar Excercise and the Greater Ritual of the Pentagram in Banishing format, using the Elemental Pentagram most suited to the "negs" you are facing.  (I never could understand that word, by the way, is there a clear definition of it anywhere?)

You would also want to end a routine such as that with a second LBRP, by the way, just to ground yourself back out afterwards.

As for the effects I have had with it, I can honestly tell you that the LBRP is the most powerful tool that you can get, you just need to disect it, take it apart, put it back together, substitute parts to find out what works and what doesn't, and learn all the possible meanings of the different parts of the ritual, not necessarily in that order, and not particularly in any timeframe (DAMMIT, I am still working on it all!)  to be able to appreciate exactly what this wonderful rite has in store for you.

I have been doing the LBRP nightly for almost seven years now, and the changes I have noticed are a much more balanced approach to everything and a much calmer approach to problems. 

What you described below is just the tip of the iceberg if you continue on.  Right now, you are just clearing out psychic detritus.  Once this is done, there will be a dry spell when you will honestly think that you have reached the pinnacle, nothing more can be accomplished with this ritual, and you will want to throw it away.  DON"T!  Persist, and you will then be able to move once again when the ritual's individual parts start to grow into your aura, for lack of a better term.  After that, I can't tell you what will happen to you, and neither can anyone else!  That is when you enter the area that is known by many different names in many different religions, and none have elucidated clearly on the state. 

To keep yourself interested at that point, start branching out, attempt other forms of magick, learn other things in the occult sciences, but always keep the LBRP as the start of everything.  It will help you to see through the murk of clarity that surrounds it if you can use it to start different forms of magick.  (Enochian, Thelemic, Chaos, try everything!)

Any other questions?

Bloodsong

Check out books by Scott Cunningham:

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs

Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic

These two are the best damn books out there.  She never sites references, but EVERYTHING Dorothy Morrison includes in her books are culled from Cunningham.

If you are interested in witchcraft, look for older titles from Llwellen.  The new stuff all seems to just be two-bit rehashes of the loder material.

Bloodsong

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law

You are probably referring to Aliester Crowley's definition of Magick as "the Sciene and Art of causing change to occur in conformance with one's Will."

The thing to remember is that he is including ALL magick, not just one aspect.  The second thing, this is in Crowleyese, so a translation is needed when you first read it.

In this case, the confusion is in the word Will.  Thelema (the religion/philisophical school started by Crowley) holds the Will as different from the will.  The difference is in the capitalization.  The will is what you feel right now, synonomous with whim, and just as flighty, thus, it is more closely aligned with the Element Air.

Will is the portion of the Divine Will that each person is put into incarnation to accomplish.  Thus, it is above Elements, most closely relatuing, however, to spirit.

Love is the law, love under Will.

Bloodsong

If you really want to learn more about magick in general, try www.occultforums.com

Bloodsong

Don't sweat it.  If you are new, you need to do everything you did above.  And keep doing it through the rest of your life.  Take nothing at face value.  Believe no one, always question, and double check the answers, then, make up your own mind.  Even if you have a "good authority", they are different than you, and a different answer may be better for you.  

Bloodsong

If you would prefer a sourced answer, check out:

http://www.themagickalreview.org/classics/liber_0025.pdf

Here, the word daimos is translated as "genius" which was what Plato called his personal Daimon.

Bloodsong

The line is part of the start of Crowley's Star Ruby ritual.  It is the opening line.  "Apo" means "away".  "Kako" is a prefix to daimon, which is the Greek for spirit.  That is the rough translation as I can get it.

Bloodsong

Having internet troubles so I couldn't see the video, but I may be able to help a little.

The repeated line is Greek.  Roughly translated, as "move away all evil spirits."

The lyrics seem to describe the Greater Hexagram ritual.  There are definite Thelemic overtones.  The Book of the Law is the stuff in quotes.  II,70

The ritual, moreover, seems to me to ring more of the Crowley version than the standard, but I am too tired to put my finger on why.

I have this bookmarked.  Tomorrow I will try to watch the video.  I think I have the problem worked out.

Bloodsong

Minor stuff, I am all there, something of this magnitude, I am at a loss.

Bloodsong

First off, Aliester Crowley, Born 12 Oct. 1875 Died, 1 Dec 1947.  Three quarters of a century of life, give or take, not exactly, as I said, a spring chicken.

As for Great Men, that term is largely up to personal definition, and yours and mine may not coincide, so let's avoid that argument, shall we.

As far as better research into the occult realms goes, I think all who travel the path for a length of time could agree that the obstacles met are personal and really not pertaining 100% to what anyone else will encounter.  For instance, I have evoked over fifty times, documented in my diaries, a few undocumented, and never had any problems with shadow people, lingering influences, obsessions/possessions, etc. that I could not handle on my own in the matter of a few hours work.  Compare that to the numerous posts on this forum from people in just such circumstances.  

I use this as an example as I figure that is largely what you mean by "dangers of the occult path".  All other dangers, really, would be encountered equally on any "mundane" path.

So the question then becomes, is the path really dangerous to all who tread, or just those who don't read the instruction manual first?

Bloodsong

Look at the ones that didn't.  Levi, Agrippa, Crowley, Regardie, and the ones still living, such as Lon Milo Duquette and others aren't exactly spring chickens.

Ultimately it boils down to the fact that magick is a fringe culture path, always has been.  Just like all other fringe paths, for example, X-Sporters, the ones most often drawn are the risk takers.  All who take risks expose themselves to the bad things that can happen as a result of those choices.  And no amount of magick can stop the physical detriment derived from drug use, fast cars, fast sex, or big living in general, as in living beyond means, a personal crime committed by a few of the early deaths that you mention.

Bloodsong

This comes straight from Modern Magick from Donald Michael Kraig, a book I strongly recommend for beginners, if you hadn't seen some of my previous posts here.

Try some "Elemental Meditations".  These are exercises that he presents to help the beginner get used to the Elementals and the impact they have on physical being when attuned to.

Start off in a circle that you have properly banished, i.e. do the LBRP.  Then, sit in the circle and hold your hands about six to eight inches apart.  Visualize a chest between your hands.  Another way to put the same thing, imagine you are holding a strong box.

Now, breath deeply in.  Imagine while taking this breath that you are inhaling all the positive aspects of an element.  You may need to do a Google search, or some research into the elements before you do these, but that is all part and parcel into being a magickian, isn't it.  

Now, exhale all the negative aspects of this same element back into the box.  It may take a few breaths before you fill the box, that is fine.

Keep the same element in mind for the whole operation.  For instance, if you begin with Fire, don't switch to Earth after two breaths.  The reason for this isn't because the Universe will bring a retribution of Telletubbie Marathons on you or anything so horrific, but simply because you are trying to learn the Elements.

When the box is full, imagine a hole opening up in the floor that leads into the middle of the Universe, like an astral trash recycling plant, and drop the chest into the hole.

Wait at least one day between experiments, and write out how you feel before doing this experiment, while you were performing it, immediately afterward, and take some time in the middle of the next day as well to mark any physical things worth noting about the way you feel or think.

Bloodsong

True enough!  That is how I made it through high school.  

If you want to read up on occult studies anyway, look at a few pdfs, don't save them, just send yourself the links in an email, and print it out a little at a time.  Read like 10 to 20 pages a day, whatever you feel you can, and then take it as a book report.  Write about what it means, what symbolism is being used, what is the point of the ritual altogether, how does it relate to other things you have read, etc.

If you can't practice in the physical, learn to project, and practice astrally.  No one can see you there unless you invite them once you build an astral temple.

If you have trouble reading through the grimoires, don't be afraid to post questions on this or other occult boards.  And definitely join other boards.  The people here are great, but the focus of this forum is just too broad for focused study on magic, ceremonial or otherwise.

If you don't know where to start with looking for pdfs, try
http://athenaeum.asiya.org/index.html
Great site, lots of downloads, and many topics of magick and occult to choose from.

If you want to get some one on one, feel free to PM me, but don't rely on just me, or anyone else for that matter.  Learning doesn't come from reliance on one other person telling you what they think.  That's just indoctrination.  To think for yourself, find a lot of people to talk with about this sort of thing.

Bloodsong

What have you been reading?

Sounds like you have been focusing on the aspects of full on Ceremonial Magick. Most grimoires are written with all the full on bells and wistles, but the most important tool is yourself.

The creation of a wand, the forging of a sword, all that is more metaphysical than physical.  It refers more toward the training done while completing these tasks than the tasks themselves.

The only patience involved is in learning the basics.  And you have to practice to do that, so if you are referring to the "don't do anything until you have this shopping list" mentality from these books you have read, throw that stuff out the window!

Check into Chaos Magick if you really want to get started right away.  Another place to look is the book I usually recommend to FNGs on this board, Modern Magick by Donald Michael Kraig.  He guides you through making the weapons and such, but includes the proper exercises and ritual practices in the place as well.

If you gruond yourself in Chaos Magick first, though, you will realize that the three hundred dollar chalice in the magick supply stores online is no more efficacious in ritual than a paper cup from 7-11.

A small metal disc with a hand engraved pentagram or similar is no worse than the three month project described in most books.

A wand properly created, blessed, and consecrated is just as powerful as a coffee stir-stic you got from Dunkin' Donuts.

It is all about you.  The magick isn't in the tools.  That is the best secret to learn!

I know I am just shooting in the dark with this, and may not have helped you out at all.  Let me know with anything more specific and I will get back to you.  I check this area of the forum nightly.

Bloodsong

The Goetia is one fifth of the Lesser Key of Solomon the King.  The Greater Key is all about how to make contact with angels, the Lesser Key is all about how to make contact with Demons (although Daemons is likely more apropos to these beings, IMO).

The other four books in the Lesser Key, or Legemeton, are very good as well.  

Unless you are an experienced CM in basics, this stuff is a little over your head, and could be dangerous.  If you haven't already, cover your bases and do the preliminaries first.  

If you absolutely must find out more, a quick Googling of Goetia, Legemeton, and Ceremonial Magick will get you more than enough to get you through, just remember the six Ps

"Proper Planning Prevents tinkle Poor Performance."

In other words, if you demand on jumping into the deep end first, follow instructions carefully and have someone who is a little more well versed on call to take you out of trouble should it arise.

Bloodsong

Well, sorry to say this, but right now, there is no way to alter active DNA.  In other words, if you are a living breathing being of more than a single cell, you are pretty much stuck with the genetics you have.  The reason is multi-faceted, but basically boils down to the fact that it would be extremely time consuming, expensive, and, most intrusive to its development, unethical.

The best thing, find someone smarter than you, and trust me, no matter how bright you are there are brighter stars out there, and get to culling stupidity the old fashioned way.

Bloodsong

I'm going to reply to both of you, Ryuji and Shueisha, in this single post in an effort to cut any post clutter to a minimum.  Hope it doesn't cause any confusion.

First, Ryuji, meditation after the LBRP takes place in what amounts to an astral vacuum.  In practical work, i.e. rituals that you are doing to affect a change in your physical existence, follow up ritual is done to fill that space with the intent of the change, mold it, shape it, charge it, give it instructions, etc. and this is all followed up with a second LBRP to send it on its way.  

By meditating on yourself rather than doing practical work, you affect a change within your Self every time.  Sometimes, oftentimes, actually, the change is small, and not seen as very important at the time.  As these build up, though, if the changes are kept track of properly, then it is easy to see how large a difference meditation and ritual make in your life.  The meditation inside this purified space, this astral vacuum, allows no outside influence that you don't purposely bring with you, such as music, incense, or other tools and such.  Continual use in this way leads to the loss of need for such tools, though.  With the possible exception of music, though.  I have a theory on why that seems to be, but I will refrain from putting that here, it really would be a digression, and I commit enough of those normally, another would just be too much.

Now, on that note, though, I will segue into the little I do know about using music as magic, or at least as a tool, since you asked.  

First off, I am completely orphaned of talent in the playing of musical instruments, and have poor ability in dancing.  This will not stop me from commenting though, as I have two things that make up for this, a friend I can ask about playing music as a ritual and my own brazenness for actually performing dance rituals in public!

First off, I have a friend who uses music, mostly guitar and drumming, in his works all the time.  He is a Christian, so of course he calls it prayer rather than magic or ritual, but it amounts to the same thing.  What he does is thinks about what is troubling him, what he is thankful for, or whatever he wishes to pray about, then just starts improvising on the instrument of choice.  I have been friends with him for a long time and am fortunate enough to share such a deep bond to him as a friend that he has allowed me to sit in on several of these sessions of prayer, and I must say the experiences were very powerful just sitting ten feet away, I can imagine how he felt while doing this.

As for the use of dance, it is excellent when you just can't seem to get into trances any other way!  The choice of music must be driving, repetitive, and something that you can get lost in.  My favorite way of doing this, I head down to the local raves, stay sober, and just start dancing.  Now, as I said, I have horrible actual ability in doing this, but two things are at work here: 1) I want to trance, and can't do it any other way, and 2) everyone else is pretty much too high to care.  They will probably just thing I am too high if they aren't, so it all balances out.  

To others here, if that sounds familiar, it is because it was stolen directly out of 21st Century Mage by Jason Newcomb, a book I highly recommend.

Anyway, that dancing in that situation, with the combo of sound, light, and non-conscious, yet controlled, movement, really can get you into a deep trance rather quickly once you let go.  Once you realize you are tranced, just start what you wanted to do while in trance, you body will continue moving.  Yes, this can be done at home with a CD player or radio station (yay, XM), but unless you have the lights and the means to pay the electric bill to run it all, you miss out on a big part!

Now I will move on to Shueisha's question.  You wanted to know if simply doing the LBRP and then meditating will allow you to speak with your Holy Guardian Angel.  The answer is an annoying, Yes, but not really.

No matter what spiritual path you follow, the HGA is there, sometimes called the Higher Self, the Christ Consciousness, BuddaMind, et cetera ad infinitus nauseous.  The basic thing to remember about the HGA, no matter what you call it, is that you are already united with it, you just don't know it.

Think of it another way.  Think of people who have received major head injuries and must learn, upon awaking from a coma, to walk, talk, and generally cope with life again. These folks have been totally divorced with conscious working knowledge of some part of themselves they used to know so intimately that it was mainly taken for granted!

That is the exact same situation with most people, and their Holy Guardian Angels.  Since it is a part of the Self, just "forgotten", it must be discovered, inspected, and integrated.  Meditation is the best tool for this because it helps to peel away the dross of Ego, Desire, and so called Life to reveal the hidden diamond in the lotus, if I may use a Zen metaphor here.

Once that diamond, the Holy Guardian Angel is discovered, meditation upon it allows one to learn more about it, to turn it around, so to speak, until it is familiar, only then can one be sure exactly where they puzzle piece fits to Integrate it back into the Self in the best way.

So does the LBRP lead straight to the HGA, yes, but even straight roads can have obstacles, and be very long as well.

Bloodsong

Just thought I would weigh in on your questions, Shueisha.

1. the lesser banishing ritual of the pentagram is it a shield?

Not really a shield so much as a cleansing ritual.  At least in my experience.  Basically, you are starting to work within the realm of pure Nature.  You start by creating a space devoid of influence.  That is the purpose behind the LBRP.  To cleanse an area of all influences (demons in medieval writings) that wandered in without control.  

Now, the obvious question here is why do such a thing?  The answer is as simple as it is obvious.  Nature abhors a vacuum!  You are creating a place vacuous to intent, and through later workings in the area, you fill it with your Intent, your Will.  In my opinion, this is the astral equivalent of an Immaculate Conception if you but think of your rituals as astral children.  You are putting it forth into an area that is Pure of Influence by first cleansing the birth site with the LBRP.

However, if used daily, as most magician's do, it takes on a much larger force in the life of the magician.  It unlocks the magician's self.  Why?  Again, Nature abhors a vacuum!  If you simply use the LBRP as a practice ritual and do not follow it up with any "practical" world, but rather sit there an meditate on what you feel through the rite, those feelings, those thoughts on those feelings, and the way those catalyze together, change you toward self-awareness that can lead to Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel.  

All things considered, it can be said that the LBRP is the most potent ritual in the arsenal of a CM.  It now only prepares the perfect spot for practical work, but also can unlock the aspirant to the highest reaches available in this incarnation!

2. I've heard you can talk to God through it is this true?

It is and it isn't.  As I have said, meditation on this ritual can lead to the self-actualization needed to garner the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel.  While a far cry from Godhead, please do not underestimate the power this being holds!  Once you accomplish this, if you ever do, I'm not going to lie, it is difficult, but once you accomplish this, the Universe falls into place.  It is not to say that life becomes easy, FAR FROM IT, but it becomes clearer, if that makes sense.  It is something that is really difficult to explain.

Now, the really cool part, you don't have direct access to talk directly to God, though many astral posers will try to convince you otherwise, but your HGA does.  Some answers are beyond you, and the Angel will tell you that you aren't ready for the information, other answers are easy enough to solve with it's help, and other questions asked will lead you on life changing quests to get the answers.  And that is what life is about!

I encourage everyone to undertake the challenge of acquiring the Knowledge and Conversation, and the best two books I have found on the subject are the original book to make mention of the Holy Guardian Angel, The Sacred Magick of Abra-Melin, The Mage, trans. MacGregor Mathers (available online in .pdf format) and 21st Century Mage by Jason Augustus Newcomb.  The second being a bit easier to comprehend as it is written in modern rather than archaic English.

3. and finally is there any harm in performing simple spells (candle magic) ?

The short answer, no.  

The long answer, not really.  The only danger there is that you will mistake progress in simple ritual as actual progress as a person, and overuse of such rites can lead to materialistic mindsets in which the only purpose of magic is the esoteric pursuit of the mundane.  

I try to keep a balance of "simple" (I wish it lived up to it's nickname) and "high" magick.  That way I keep away from thinking that life is only about spirituality and the material doesn't matter much, and vice versa.

Balance in all things is key to enlightenment, I feel.

Bloodsong

If you are wanting to give it away free, you can do so by putting it on your own website for download.  Setting one up is pretty easy, and is  free.  Check out www.wanplanet.com for the best free deal I have ever seen.

If you are looking to charge a fee for what you have created, then you are beyond my knowledge.  I give stuff away as I feel that it is true for me, but not for all.  Similarly, in my opinion, and keep in mind I am usually in a minority on this sort of thing, you have already given me the item of greatest value as far as this is concerned, the method with which you accomplished it.

Bloodsong

If you are truly interested in this sort of thing, I would suggest reading the Sacred Magic of Abra-Melin, the Mage.  It is the original and best at getting you in touch with your Holy Guardian Angel, which is the most reliable intermediary you have to perfect Godhead.  

If the language is too arcane, or the instructions seem to vague, or the book itself is too hard to get a hold of, try 21st Century Mage: Bringing the Divine Down to Earth.  It follows the same book, in fact is based off of the Abra-Melin, but is updated for modern life.

Bloodsong

And last year they had a four issue trial.  I did it, decided not to buy the sub, and sent nothing in.  My card was never charged, and I didn't receive anything else.

You're right, it isn't about deception, it is about looking into things as deeply as possible before assuming the worst.

Bloodsong