"Invocation" means 'To SUMMON' or Call-Upon, especially through Speech. "Invocational Rites" are THE SUMMONING OF SPIRITUAL POWERS. Many traditions of 'magic' utilize such Rites; but none more-so than the Hebraic Mystical Science of Kaballah.
Virtually ALL Invocational Rites utilize a few basic principles.. which are apparently Truths in themselves. Having been arrived at independently by cultures from different continents and ages of history, these principles should be accepted as simply WORKING METHODOLOGIES, rather than anything to 'believe' or 'believe in;' like the methods for summoning your pet with a dog-whistle, the Rites of Invocation merely utilize principles that WORK upon their intended subjects, even though you may not yourself be able to hear or see the 'sense' of it all!
All Invocational Rites occur within a Magical Circle, drawn by the Practitioner for the occasion, and then erased or ended to 'release' the Powers to go on with their performing of the work the Rite asked of them. The Magic Circle of Kaballah can be drawn in any way one wishes; the method we recommend is yours to modify or change for your convenience.. though the central issue of CIRCLE-DRAWING is indispensable.
Because the Powers invoked in Kaballah are 'World' or COSMIC Powers, Kaballist Rites require the "summoning" of all four Points of the Compass, "invoked" as THE FOUR LETTERS THAT SPELL THE NAME OF THE CREATOR, IN HEBREW. Those letters ('the Tetragrammaton' or Name Of Four Letters) are YHWH in modern Hebrew, and YHVH in older spellings. These form the name commonly pronounced 'Yahweh' or Jehovah.. but originally YOVE (or Jove) in the older, pre-Hebrew Proto-Semitic. The Circle Rite of Kaballah has been preserved from that oldest phase of mesopotamian history, and we recommend that you view "Yove" as the pronunciation of the Sacred Name unless you happen to be Jewish (in which case your Rabbi is the authority on THAT!)
It is the ARCHANGEL of the particular Sephirah you need to 'balance' or regulate yourself within, that is actually "summoned." The ten Archangels are considered to be 'intermediaries' or GO-BETWEENS whose job it is to listen for human words and emotions toward the Creator.. and respond to our wishes by ARRANGING DIVINE CONTACT FOR US. Ordinary human beings often FEAR the Great Spirit (however silly or strange that may be!, since God is simply OUR PARENT;) and the Archangels are there to 'connect us' to the Spirit and it's Powers of Creation SAFELY and with a minimum of personal anxiety. Since they are "God's Lieutenants" closely related to our own human forms and society, the Archangels innately understand our needs, and can easily relate with anything that we feel in NEED of.
The following "SAMPLE INVOCATIONAL RITE" is the 'Initiation Rite' of The Maitreyan Order Of Hsien Tao.. by which new Initiates announce their intention to walk the Path of Kaballah all the way to direct God-Contact. It is performed using the name of the Archangel SANDALPHON, his God-Aspect ADONAI MALAKH and the Angelic Order of THE KERUBIM at the first Initiation Rite (for those are the Powers of PATHWALKING TO GOD, which Initiation begins.) It is normally recommended that your perform this Initiation rite as your FIRST contact with the Archangels.. and then you are free to address any OTHER Archangel whose help you want with the concerns or needs of their specific Sephiroth.
[Stand in any place where you can be alone and undisturbed for a few minutes, and FACE (roughly) NORTH.] YOU MAY HOLD A PAGE WITH THIS RITE WRITTEN ON IT, IN YOUR LEFT HAND.. TO READ FROM.
Point NORTH with your Right Hand, and Invoke the First Letter; "Yud" (pronounced just like "jude" but with a Y instead of a J.)
Pivot to face EAST and point your Right Hand to the East, invoking the Second Letter; "Hay" (pronounced just like the hay farmers feed their livestock!) That is the letter H.
Pivot to face SOUTH and point there with your Right Hand, invoking the Third Letter; "Vuv" (pronounced just like 'Love' but with a V instead of an L.) That is the letter V.
Pivot to face WEST and point there with your Right Hand, invoking the Fourth Letter; "Hay" is repeated, for the final letter H.
Pivot back to face NORTH and point there, stating "THIS CIRCLE IS NOW MADE WHOLE AND SACRED."
Raise your Right Hand pointing to Heaven, and Invoke "NOW LET THE ARCHANGEL ______________ NOW COME TO ME, AND CARRY MY WORDS TO HIS GOD-ASPECT _________________ AND HIS ANGELIC HELPERS, THE __________________."
"ARCHANGEL ____________, PLEASE HELP ME AND BLESS ME IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS:"
[Now specify EITHER the solving of some particular problem in your life (anything from health to wealth to spiritual wisdom.. whatever you actually NEED 'fixed' in your life right now) SPECIFY CLEARLY: OR the following Path-Walking Initiation rite:
"LET MY FEET NOW FIND THE PATH TO CLOSENESS WITH MY CREATOR. PLEASE HELP ME; GUIDE MY FEET ONTO THE RIGHT PATH, AND HELP ME RECOGNIZE AND ACT-UPON EVERY CHOICE THAT I MUST MAKE IN ORDER TO MAKE MY PATH LEAD WHERE MY CREATOR INTENDS FOR ME. LET ME FIND GOD, AND SERVE HIM PERFECTLY, AS I WAS CREATED TO DO."
"AMEN. THANK YOU!" [Now point your right Hand to the North, and pivot in a full circle, saying] "THIS CIRCLE IS NOW ENDED, AND TRULY BEGUN!"
[When you have erased the Magical Circle, the Rite is completed. All further action is up to HEAVEN; you have done YOUR PART, now the hierarchy will do IT'S PART. That is the Covenant of Kaballah! The Initiation Rite needs be performed only ONCE; though you will need to connect with the Archangel of Pathwalking (Sandalphon) many, many times as your Path leads upward to Kether at the top of the Tree Of Life; and every other Archangel has unique Powers to use in your behalf also.
LISTEN IN YOUR DREAMS FOR SYMBOLS AND OTHER FORMS OF "CONVERSATION" BACK TO YOU FROM THE HIERARCHY; AND WATCH THE EVENTS OF YOUR DAILY LIFE ALSO.. FOR IN EVERY PART OF OUR LIVES, THE SPIRIT MOVES TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT IT'S CHILDREN NEED. IT IS OUR WORK, TO LEARN TO RECOGNIZE IT'S GIFTS AND HEAR THE SOMETIMES GENTLE WORDS WITH WHICH IT ANSWERS US.