Banishing Rituals in Magic: LBRP, Star Ruby, Rousing the Citadels & Semskhor Explained

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Introduction

Banishing rituals are among the most foundational practices in ceremonial magic and many mystical traditions. Often performed at the beginning and end of a magical operation, these rituals serve to cleanse, centre, and align the practitioner while purifying the surrounding space of unwanted influences. While many are familiar with the popular Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP), the landscape of banishing practices is far richer and more diverse, spanning from Golden Dawn magic to tantric visualisation techniques.

In this article, we’ll explore the background and purpose of banishing rituals and examine several key examples, from Western esoteric systems to Tibetan spiritual practice.

The Purpose and History of Banishing Rituals

Banishing rituals serve multiple functions:

Spiritual hygiene: Just as we wash our hands before eating, magical work benefits from clearing away psychic or energetic residue.
Psychological centring: Banishing creates a mental and emotional reset, helping the magician become fully present.
Magical protection: They establish a perimeter of safety, repelling unwanted influences, whether internal (e.g., fear, distraction) or external (e.g., hostile entities).
Space-setting: By defining sacred space, banishing acts as a prelude to invocation or deeper magical workings.

Historically, banishing practices have their roots in both ancient and modern sources. Egyptian, Greek, and Hermetic rituals contain elements of purification and invocation, while modern Western occultism has codified these into structured routines. Meanwhile, Eastern traditions like Tibetan Buddhism also employ intricate visualisation and mantra techniques to similar effect.

1. The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP)

Tradition: Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn

Possibly the most widely taught and practised banishing ritual in modern Western occultism, the LBRP was developed by the Golden Dawn in the late 19th century. It employs the visualisation of pentagrams at cardinal points, coupled with divine names, to clear and protect the ritual space.

Structure:

Qabalistic Cross
Four banishing pentagrams with archangelic invocations
Qabalistic Cross (closing)

Purpose: General psychic cleansing, establishing spiritual authority, grounding.

Strength: The LBRP is highly versatile – accessible to beginners, yet powerful enough to form the backbone of a lifelong practice.

2. The Star Ruby by Aleister Crowley

Tradition: Thelemic Magic

Aleister Crowley’s Star Ruby is his Thelemic revision of the LBRP. While it follows a similar structure, it replaces Hebrew god-names with Greek and Thelemic counterparts and incorporates Thelemic formulae such as Therion and Nuit.

Unique Features:

Use of Greek directions and gestures
Calls on Thelemic figures instead of archangels
More confrontational and energetic than the LBRP

Purpose: It serves both banishing and invocation roles and reflects Crowley’s magical philosophy.

Strength: It feels raw and potent, often described as more dynamic than the LBRP, though it may not resonate with everyone’s spiritual cosmology.

3. Rousing the Citadels – Aurum Solis

Tradition: Aurum Solis (a Hermetic magical order)

Developed by the Aurum Solis tradition, Rousing the Citadels is less a banishing in the traditional sense and more of a technique for awakening and aligning the inner magical body.

What It Involves:

Activating inner centres or “Citadels” of power along the body
Using breath, posture, and visualisation
Drawing the magician into a state of magical readiness

Purpose: Inner purification, strengthening the soul’s energetic matrix, psychic centring.

Strength: While not a “banishing” in the exorcistic sense, it’s a powerful preparation ritual, ideal before higher magical work.

4. Semskhor – The Tibetan “Mind Circle”

Tradition: Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism

Semskhor, or the “mind circle,” is a complex meditative visualisation used in some Tibetan traditions to purify consciousness and create sacred inner space.

Features:

Involves detailed internal visualisations of sacred geometry and deities
Uses mantra and breath to align the mindstream
Often part of larger deity yoga practice

Purpose: Clears internal obscurations and egoic delusions; establishes the meditator in a sanctified mental space.

Strength: Profoundly transformative, though it requires proper training and guidance due to its complexity.

Choosing the Right Banishing Ritual

The choice of ritual depends on your spiritual lineage, goals, and personal resonance. A Golden Dawn practitioner might default to the LBRP, while a Thelemite may find the Star Ruby more appropriate. Practitioners seeking to strengthen internal energy structures might favour Rousing the Citadels, and those drawn to Eastern disciplines may benefit from incorporating visualisation-based meditations like Semskhor.

What all these rituals share, however, is a respect for space, both outer and inner. To banish is to consecrate, to claim one’s magical sovereignty, and to recognise that sacredness begins with clarity.

Ritual	Tradition	Main Purpose	Key Features	Directionality	Ease of Use
LBRP(Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram)	Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn	Psychic cleansing, space protection, centring	Qabalistic Cross, pentagrams, archangels	East → South → West → North	Beginner-friendly
Star Ruby	Thelemic (Crowley)	Banishing, invoking Thelemic energies	Greek formulae, Thelemic deities, energetic gestures	Similar to LBRP but uses Greek directions	Intermediate – Thelemic context helpful
Rousing the Citadels	Aurum Solis	Inner empowerment, psychic alignment	Breathwork, postures, inner centres (“Citadels”)	Internal/spiritual axis	Intermediate – Energetic work focus
Semskhor(“Mind Circle”)	Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhism	Purification of mindstream, spiritual clarity	Visualisation, mantra, sacred geometry	Inward-focused, spatial mandala	Advanced – Requires guidance

A Breakdown of the Rituals

LBRP – is ideal for daily practice and beginner training.

Star Ruby – is more forceful and energetically intense, suited for Thelemic magicians.

Rousing the Citadels – prepares the inner body, think of it like spiritual yoga for magicians.

Semskhor – engages the mind as sacred space itself and is rooted in deity yoga.

Conclusion: The Ongoing Role of Banishing

Banishing rituals are not relics of dusty occultism but living practices that adapt to the practitioner’s needs and level of development. Whether you’re shielding yourself from spiritual interference, preparing to invoke a godform, or simply clearing the emotional fog of the day, banishing provides the necessary groundwork.

Far from being mere rote performance, these rituals become doorways, to clarity, presence, and ultimately, the sacred.