Copyright (c) 1988 by Phil Hansford. This article is
is licenced for free non-commercial distribution only.

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** MAGICK 8 -- HEALING AND BANISHING **

        Psychic or spiritual healing is a human potential we
all possess. Some people are especially good at this. It is
probably easier to heal someone else by occult means than
yourself. In addition to healing in the presence of the
person, there is 'absent healing' in which the healing
occurs at a distance. Note that there are some who maintain
that influence on another person without his specific
knowledge and permission (yes, even in healing and helping)
is black magick. (After all, everybody is living according to
his own true will, so that healing or helping someone
without permission is affecting his will). This means it is
important to tell the person what you are planning to do and
to ask his permission. The theory of psychic healing is that
sickness is characterized (although not necessarily caused)
by a deficiency and imbalance of vital energy. Psychic
healing transfers energy from the healer to the sick to
repair and rebalance his energies. If an inept healer
overdoes the process, or if he doesn't take the precaution
to 'disconnect' himself afterwards, he may find himself
becoming sick due to energy drain and a linkage to his
subject. Similarly, the healer should always be in a good
state of health or he could unintentionally transfer his
illness to the subject. 
        The basic methods of psychic healing are: 1) creative
visualization, 2) prayer, 3) ritual. Creative visualization
is one of the easiest techniques. Mild illness may yield to
only one or two treatments; serious ills will require
many treatments over time. Psychic healing should always be
combined with medical care and treatment. It does not replace
doctors, medicine, or hospitals, since different levels
(worlds) are involved. In creative visualization, we
visualize the person being well. It may be helpful to utilize
the appropriate color from the aura chart (such as bright
apple-green, rose pink, or white) sent as a beam to the
person or as a cloud surrounding him. This technique can be
extended to include a simple kind of yoga in which we feel
energy sent as we exhale explosively; the energy sent either
via the breath or from one of the chakras such as the solar
plexus. Sometimes in absent healing it is helpful to arrange
a time for treatment in advance, asking your subject to be in
a receptive state of mind and to sit back and close his eyes.

THE BANISHING RITUAL

        One of the most basic and useful ceremonial rituals
of magick is called the *banishing ritual*, or lesser
ritual of the pentagram. A pentagram (or pentacle) is a
five-pointed star with the point up. The banishing ritual is
helpful in psychic protection and healing since it forms a
protective barrier against malevolent forces. The psychic
barrier it creates can be made to permit entry of desired
(constructive) forces and the exclusion of negative ones.
Thus, the banishing ritual is an essential first step in
almost any formal full magick ceremony. The ritual requires
that you use a magical implement or "weapon", such as a
ceremonial knife, wand, or simply point your index finger, to
"draw" the pentagram in the air at each of the cardinal
points (four directions). Also, you will be chanting
('vibrating') some Hebrew names of God. 
        Holding your magical weapon and facing east, extend
your arm out straight in front of you. In this ritual you
will use the full sweep of your arm to draw the pentagram in
the air. Follow the description below by beginning at the
lower left and sweeping your magical weapon up toward the
right, etc. as shown. Do not bend your arm at the wrist or
elbow. While you do this, visualize the lines and eventually
the star as vibrant white, floating in the space before you.
You are projecting energy to do this, and the result will be
a gleaming 5-pointed star floating in the east; visualize
this as vividly as you can. Now you will energize it further
by piercing the center of it with your magical weapon and
vibrating (speaking slowly in a slightly lower than normal
pitch, remember) "Yod-He-Vau-He".

=============================================
        -- DESCRIPTION --

Approximate points on a round clock face --
1. Begin at 7:30 position.
2. Point to 12 oclock position. 
3. Point to 4:30 position.
4. Point to 10:30 position.
5. Point to 2:30 position.
6. Return to 7:30 position.]

=============================================

        Then turn slowly to the next cardinal point in
sequence, and as you do so, with your arm still extended in
front of you, visualize a white line connecting around to
the cardinal point. Trace a similar pentagram with the
appropriate words and following the same procedure:
        South -- Adonai Tzaboath
        West  -- Eh-Ei-He
        North -- Agla.
Now complete the white line drawn back to the center of the
eastern pentagram. Note that the cardinal points must be
followed in a clockwise order, and the pentagram must be
drawn in the manner illustrated; to do otherwise would change
the function of the ritual. The result of all this should be
a large bright white pentagram visualized hanging in mid-air
at each of the four directions, all tied together by a bright
white line. You could now, for example, visualize the
pentagrams moving out to the circumference of your home,
thereby protecting all within.

        There is also a somewhat simplified version of this
ritual in which the pentagram is traced only once overhead
and then is energized with one of the four names, such as
"Eh-Ei-He". Oftentimes the simplified version is sufficient,
but naturally the effect of the full version is more
complete. 
        One of the primary uses of this ritual is to ward off
psychic attack -- that is, when another is (consciously or
unconsciously) attempting to harm you, cause sickness,
accidents, bad dreams, emotional upset, or to force you to do
something against your will. Fortunately this doesn't happen
very often. The world of the magician is fairly safe for the
pure of heart. Psychic attack usually depends upon
vulnerabilities. If you are not vulnerable you are safe. Thus
unificaition with the true will is the greatest protection
possible. And the use of the banishing ritual is never
hurtful. You can even use it to hold off negative aspects of
yourself. 
        Other forms of protection sometimes helpful
(depending upon one's model) are recitation of the 'Lord's
Prayer', the 23rd, and 91st Psalms.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1) What is a pentagram?
2) What is psychic healing? List the basic methods.
3) What is the banishing ritual? Why is it used?

BOOK LIST

Dion Fortune, Psychic Self-Defense.
________, Sane Occultism.
Adeliade Gardner, Vital Magnetic Healing.
Max Heindel, The Vital Body.
Ernest Holms, The Science of Mind.
Mouni Sadhu, Theurgy.

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Phil Hansford, 4/88
Mysteria
(818) 353-8891 (modem)
P.O. Box 83
Tujunga, CA 91042
