	The Invocation *(Starting Point)* *The Invocation is fundamentally the start of Ritual and therefore, the most important part.* The Invocation can be the Calling of the God(s) and Goddess(es); the Calling of the Elements; the Calling of the Winds; the Calling of the Spirits of the Land; the Calling of Ancestral Spirits or even the Calling of the Gathering of Tribe. In Wiccan traditions the use of a Athame or Ceremonial Sword or even a Staff is used and raised to invoke ritual. In Asatru and Odinists tradition it is often the Mjöllnir, Hammer of Thor or the Great Horn raised at the start of Ritual. Whatever the Sacred tool used and depending on the tradition or path, the Beginning of Sacred Ritual and the Invocation is the most important aspect. Without a Beginning you can not have an End. There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to the Start of Ritual within the OST. A great deal of latitude is allowed and it is entirely up to the High Priest, High Priestess, Priest or Priestess performing the Invocation, however they wish to start. However, the formulation of the OST Pentagram is a more structured and adhered aspect.
	LIFE (Earth) "We call on our Mother Earth. From the Mother's Womb comes LIFE ..." *(To be invoked by the Convener and echoed by the gathering)*
	LIBERTY (Air) *"With the first breath of Air and on the wings of new found freedom and LIBERTY ..."* *(To be invoked by the Convener and echoed by the gathering)*
	LIGHT (Fire) "We soar like eagles towards the warmth of the sun's Fire and embrace the LIGHT ..." *(To be invoked by the Convener and echoed by the gathering)*
	LOVE (Water) "We bath ourselves in the tranquil Water of Peace, Harmony and LOVE ..." *(To be invoked by the Convener and echoed by the gathering)*
	LOYALTY (Spirit) "We pledge LOYALTY to all our Brothers and Sisters and to ALL Living Things." *(To be invoked by the Convener and echoed by the gathering)* * Repeat the formation of the Pentagram again but in one quick movement * *(In unison)* "LIFE, LIBERTY, LIGHT, LOVE, LOYALTY."

The Symbolism of OST is different to the Traditional working of the Pentagram.

The Pentagram

Written by

High Priestess Mish Daya Mystique with assistance from High Priest Helel

^{Pentacles
and Pentagrams are magical symbols, which according to the compiler of
the Grimoire would obtain the help of “good spirits” and reported
to be symbols of “good Omens”.}

^{According to Wikipedia, the free
encyclopaedia:}

A pentagram (sometimes known as a pentalpha or pentangle or, more formally, as a star pentagon) is the shape of a five-pointed star drawn with five straight strokes. The word pentagram comes from the Greek word πεντάγραμμον (pentagrammon), a noun form of πεντάγραμμος (pentagrammos) or πεντέγραμμος (pentegrammos), a word meaning roughly "five-lined" or "five lines".

Pentagrams were used symbolically in ancient Greece and Babylonia. The pentagram has magical associations, and many people who practice Neopagan faiths wear jewelry incorporating the logo. Christians once more commonly used the pentagram to represent the five wounds of Jesus,^[1][2] and it also has associations within Freemasonry.

The pentagram has long been associated with the planet Venus, and the worship of the goddess Venus, or her equivalent. It is also associated with the Roman word lucifer, which was a term used for Venus as the Morning Star, associated with the bringer of light and knowledge. It is most likely to have originated from the observations of prehistoric astronomers.^[3] When viewed from Earth, successive inferior conjunctions of Venus plot a nearly perfect pentagram shape around the zodiac every eight years.^[4]

The word "pentacle" is sometimes used synonymously with "pentagram", although their technical usages are different, and their etymologies may be unrelated.^[5]

^Source:^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagram}

From "The History of the Pentagram"

During magical operations, the pentagram can be drawn in the air by the athame or sword. When drawn a certain way, it is used to either invoke or banish energies. Used on the altar, it becomes a focal point to draw in and send out the intentions of the spell or working. The simplest spells of this kind are those involving candle magic. A candle of the appropriate colour is charged and place on the pentacle.

Traditionally, each of the five angles has been attributed to the five metaphysical elements of the ancients:

EARTH: (lower left hand corner) represents stability and physical endurance.
FIRE: (lower right hand corner) represents courage and daring.
WATER: (upper right hand corner) represents emotions and intuition.
AIR: (upper left hand corner) represents intelligence and the arts.
SPIRIT: (at the topmost point) represents the All and the Divine.

The Circle around the star represents the God-Goddess; it refracts and reflects all light, bringing to the wearer total intelligence, universal wisdom and protection.

The origins of the pentagram go back to remotest historical antiquity. As far back as pre-Babylonian Sumer, it has been venerated by many civilizations. To the Jewish peoples, it symbolically designated the Pentateauch, the Five Books of Moses It has survived under a variety of titles, such as "The Druid's Root" and "The Witches Star".

Extract from source: http://proudtobepagan.com

Ordo Sacerdotalvs Templi is a Religio-Spiritual body of persons dedicated and consecrated by their Higher Genius unto the Great Work of bringing, Life, Light, Love and Liberty, firstly to the Self, Secondly the Family, and Thirdly to the Community of the Human race. As a Religio-Spiritual community it encompasses all religions and embraces all paths and as such, have adopted Sacred Texts, Rituals and Ceremonies attributed to Wicca, Dark Tantra, The Golden Dawn, Hinduism, Buddhism, Druidry, Shamanism and others.

There is no wrong way to work magic however, using the Natural Flows some ways are more efficient than others.

Great Magicians, Occultists and Witches such as Mathers, Gardner, Saunders, Crowley and Valiente have created or adapted many rituals from ancient ceremonies but these rituals are not necessarily correct and as such may not feel natural to the practitioner.

Ceremonial Magicians, Mages, Sages and Magic Practitioners adapt or create ritual to fit their needs, personalities and to best serve their desired purposes and so it is with the rituals and symbolisms of the Ordo Sacerdotalvs Templi.

Notice however, that in the Traditional Pentagram of Wicca, Golden Dawn and other Esoteric Orders the Elements of Earth meet the Element of Water on opposite sides of the Pentagram. These are known as Passive. The Element of Air and Fire meet on the other line of the Pentagram and are considered Active. The one thing High Priest Helel discovered some time ago about this arrangement that makes it incorrect, is that, The Pentagram is supposed to be a Balancing or Equilibration of the Forces inherent in its Points. Yet the old way was not in accord with that.

Repoduced here with consent.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
Or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author.