The Intersection of NLP Eye Movement Integration and the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram: A Comparative Analysis
Introduction
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) has long been associated with cognitive restructuring and psychotherapeutic interventions. One particularly compelling technique within NLP is Eye Movement Integration (EMI), which utilizes guided eye movements to access and integrate fragmented or traumatic memories. Simultaneously, the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP), a foundational ceremonial magick practice from the Western esoteric tradition, employs ritualized gestures and visualizations of pentagrams to clear and harmonize psychological and spiritual space. This essay explores the striking structural similarities between EMI and the LBRP and considers the possibility that both methods engage hemispheric synchronization and cognitive integration in analogous ways.
The Structure of EMI and LBRP
Eye Movement Integration (EMI) involves tracing figure-eight (∞) or infinity-loop movements with the eyes while engaging in conscious recall of emotionally charged experiences. According to NLP theories, this process activates both hemispheres of the brain, allowing for greater coherence in how memories are processed and reintegrated (Bandler & Grinder, 1982). EMI techniques suggest that deliberate movement across specific spatial axes stimulates neural pathways responsible for sensory and emotional integration (Ward, 2002).
Similarly, the LBRP involves a structured sequence of visualized pentagrams drawn in the cardinal directions, accompanied by divine names and ritual gestures. This sequence is designed to invoke protective forces and create a harmonized psychic field. According to the Golden Dawn tradition (Cicero, 1998), the act of tracing the pentagram is intended to engage multiple layers of cognition: visual-spatial processing, linguistic invocation, and kinesthetic anchoring.
Shared Cognitive and Psychological Mechanisms
Bilateral Stimulation and Neural Integration
Both EMI and LBRP involve movements across spatial dimensions that engage both brain hemispheres.
EMI’s horizontal and diagonal eye movements mimic the process of following the pentagram’s path in ritual, possibly facilitating left-right hemisphere synchronization (Bandler & Grinder, 1982).
Symbolic Encoding and Cognitive Anchoring
EMI often integrates positive resource states during the eye-tracing process, allowing new neurological connections to be formed. The LBRP similarly encodes protective and stabilizing forces into the practitioner’s consciousness through repeated use of divine names and pentagram tracings (Cicero, 1998).
The act of drawing a pentagram in ritual space may serve as an ‘anchor’ to a specific neurological or psychological state, much like NLP anchoring techniques (Hine, 1995).
Emotional and Energetic Reset
EMI is used to defragment and neutralize distressing memories, reducing their disruptive impact. The LBRP, in an esoteric context, serves to “banish” intrusive or unwanted energies, clearing space for more intentional psychological and spiritual work (Cicero, 1998).
Practitioners of both techniques report a sense of clarity, release, and heightened awareness following their use (Hine, 1995).
Implications for Technomagick and NLP Applications
The intersection of NLP and ceremonial magick suggests that structured, repetitive movement combined with intentional focus has profound cognitive and psychological effects. In a Neo-Technomagickal framework, this insight could lead to further experimentation with custom sigils designed for EMI-style integration, or AI-assisted visualization tools for ritual practice.
Future research could examine:
Whether specific geometries (e.g., pentagrams, hexagrams) in ritual movement impact cognitive processing similarly to NLP techniques.
The effectiveness of LBRP-derived rituals in clinical or self-development contexts, particularly for trauma resolution.
The potential for EEG and neurofeedback studies comparing EMI and ritualized eye-tracing methods.
Conclusion
While originating from vastly different paradigms, NLP’s EMI technique and the LBRP share fundamental principles of hemispheric integration, cognitive anchoring, and structured movement through symbolic space. Whether consciously designed or stumbled upon through esoteric practice, these methodologies hint at deep underlying mechanisms of the human mind’s capacity for self-regulation and transformation. Understanding their similarities provides an opportunity to bridge the domains of magick, psychology, and neuroscience, opening new avenues for exploration in both mystical and therapeutic contexts.
G/E/M (2025)
References
Bandler, R., & Grinder, J. (1982). Reframing: Neuro-Linguistic Programming and the Transformation of Meaning. Real People Press.
Cicero, C. & Cicero, S. T. (1998). Self-Initiation into the Golden Dawn Tradition. Llewellyn Publications.
Hine, P. (1995). Condensed Chaos: An Introduction to Chaos Magic. New Falcon Publications.
Ward, K. (2002). Mind Change Techniques to Keep the Change. NLP Resources.
