Microcosmic and Macrocosmic Ceremonial Forms

A question came up over the weekend regarding the pentagram and hexagram as lineal figures and their relationship to microcosmic and macrocosmic aspects of magical work. The confusion surrounds my discussion of the pentagram as a microcosmic symbol and the hexagram as a macrocosmic symbol, and it was pointed out that surely there are macrocosmic aspects to the elements and microcosmic aspects to the planets and signs - even though elements are invoked with the Greater Ritual of the Pentagram and planets and signs are invoked with the Greater Ritual of the Hexagram.

As I've pointed out in a number of other places, the so-called "Lesser" rituals of the pentagram and hexagram do entirely different things than the so-called "Greater" rituals. A Greater Ritual of the Pentagram is NOT a "better" or "enhanced" Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram. Likewise, a Greater Ritual of the Hexagram is NOT a "better" or "enhanced" Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram. The "Greater" and "Lesser" rituals perform entirely different functions. "Lesser" really means "General" and "Greater" really means specific.

So the "Lesser" rituals are used to set up your magical field, the space in which you will be performing your magical operations. A "Greater" ritual is used once that field is set up to "tune it" to the specific quality that are working with. Then, once the proper environment is created by the space tuning, you either (A) use your own magical power to focus on your specific intent, (B) conjure a spirit to perform the desired function using conjuration/charge/license to depart, or (C) do both, which usually results in the largest probability shift.


Elements exist both within and without, and it is this exact dichotomy that the "Lesser" rituals of the pentagram and hexagram represent. The LRP uses the figure of the pentagram and calls on the (arch)angels of the elements according to the elemental directions in the "winds" arrangement - Air in the east, Fire in the south, Water in the west, and Earth in the north. The LRH uses the figure of the hexagram and calls on the elements in the zodiac order - Fire in the east, Earth in the south, Air in the west, and Water in the north.

The winds model is based on how the winds of the directions feel - warm and moist from the east (Air), warm and dry from the south (Fire), cool and moist from the west (Water), and cool and dry from the north (Earth). The zodiac model is based on the positions of the Sun and the signs in the sky. The Sun is at its furthest north in Cancer, so Water is in the north. The Sun is at its furthest south in Capricorn, so Earth is in the south. Sunrise is Aries, the start of the year at the Vernal Equinox, so Fire is in the east. Sunset is Libra, the autumnal equinox, so Air is in the west.

It is a feature, not a bug, that these elemental arrangements and figures are different. They're supposed to be. The LRP works with the microcosmic elements within (winds model, pentagram), and the LRH works with the macrocosmic elements without (zodiac model, hexagram). Once your magical field is established with the "Lesser" rituals, the scope of the field is what determines microcosmic or macrocosmic efficacy - NOT the figure used in the "Greater" ritual that tunes the space. In the context of the "Greater" rituals, pentagram just means element and hexagram just means planet or sign, with no microcosmic or macrocosmic focus for either.

Here are few examples of sequences for macrocosmic and microcosmic operations:

Microcosmic Element

LBRP
GIRP - Element

Macrocosmic Element

LBRP
LIRH
GIRP - Element

Microcosmic Planet

LBRP
GIRH - Planet

Macrocosmic Planet

LBRP
LIRH
GIRH - Planet

Microcosmic Sign

LBRP
GIRH - Sign

Macrocosmic Sign

LBRP
LIRH
GIRH - Sign

Most of the Golden Dawn schools use the GIRP for signs instead of the GIRH. If that's what you're used to, you can go with GIRP - Sign in the last two examples. The first is still microcosmic and second is still macrocosmic.

It should be noted that it is entirely reasonable to work both microcosmic and macrocosmic magick depending on what you are trying to do. It is completely reasonable to use magick in a psychological (microcosmic) context as long as you keep in mind that magick is not limited to the psychological realm. At the same time, I usually use the macrocosmic versions of these on the grounds that the macrocosm includes the microcosm and I would rather not limit my operations to my own mind.

So hopefully that all makes sense. I addressed the question in the comments, but thought that it also merited a post of its own.